>> there you go. we'll be back at 7:25 with a live local news update. >> join us for nbc bay area news at 11:00 and thank you as we always do joining us on "today in the bay" this morning. thank you for starting your day with us. enjoy the day. . good . buenos días, impacto president trump gearing up to replace justice anthony kennedy, rallying supporters with promises of a rock solid conservative who could serve for decades. >> we have to pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going to be there for 40 years, 45 years. >> on capitol hill the battle lines drawn. >> this is the most important supreme court vacancy for this country in at least a generation. >> could a new court overturn controversial rulings on abortion or gay marriage? what will it mean for presidential power? we are live at the supreme court and the white house with a

decision that could reach every corner of america. to the rescue, members of the u.s. military arrive in thailand overnight to join the desperate search for a jung soccer teen caught in a cave. they are underground for nearly a week. can the crews reach them in time? temperatures soaring from coast to coast as the nation briefs for a pre-holiday heat wave. al has the latest forecast. plus, royalty in the homeland, prince william visiting some of the holiest sites this morning as he wraps up his historic trip to the middle east. remembering joe jackson? family and friends look back at the controversial life and legacy of the jackson family patriarch. and world cup stunner. defending champion germany knocked out by two last-minute goals.

the german loss a win for mexico and they're headed to the next round of this year's wild world cup today, thursday, june 28th. 2018. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. live from studioia 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everybody, welcome to "today." happy to have willie along, hoda takes time off. this was an earthquake the retirement of justice anthony kennedy. >> it sure is. if yesterday is any indication, we are in for a bare knuckle fight. >> let's go right to justice kennedy and this vodown of his successor. >> this will be president trump's second pick and it could lead to a historic right to the supreme court. the president says he will work

off a list of 25 potential nominees he used to select justice gorsuch last year. >> democrats are demanding a vote be delayedal after november mid-term election, citing president obama's nominee of merritt garlands because the 2016 nomination was about to be held. >> senator majority leader says this time it's different. >> regardless of when it happens, the impact will be felt across this country for decades to come. we've got complete coverage for you this morning. let us start with nbc news' justice correspondent pete williams at the court for us. hi, pete, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, it's impossible to overstate this. this vacancy allows donald trump to reshape the united states supreme court. to make it solidly conservative for years to come. it's sure to be one of the most important and lasting decisions of his presidency. president trump praised justice kennedy for his nearly 31 years of service on the supreme court. now he says he is eager to get

to work on nominating a successor. >> we have to pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going to be there for 40 years, 45 years. we need intellect. we need so many things. >> reporter: on virtually every controversial case in recent years, anthony kennedy has been the decider, the man in the middle with the rest of the justices evenly divide between conservatives and liberals. he joined the conservatives to allow corporate and union money in politics to give new life to second amendment gun rights and gut the voting rights act. he joined the liberals in trimming back the death penalty, upholding abortion rights and allowing affirmative action in school admissions. he wrote a series of gay rights rulings, including the landmark decision making same-sex marriage the law of the land. now the vote is on for a successor and white house adviser says it will be somebody from the potential list of nominees made earlier, someone who is a judge. >> i think it gave the president the opportunity to shape the

supreme court in having justices who are committed to the constitution as it's written. >> among those on the short list, brett kavanaugh of washington, d.c., thomas hardiman and amy barrett and raymond keith lidge and amul pa thar of kentucky. they put pressure to get the next justice on the court by the first monday in october when the court's new term begins. willie, savannah. >> pete williams starting us off, thank you. president trump had plenty to say about the future of the supreme court at an overnight rally in north dakota. a potential fight over if future nominee under way. correspondent kristen welker has that part of the story for us, kristen, good morning. >> reporter: willie, good morning to you. allf washington is poised for a bruising battle with democrats arguing the process should be delayed beyond the mid-terms, but republicans who don't

technically need any democratic vote want quick action. overnight, president trump saying he's ready for the senate battle ahead. >> justice kennedy's retirement makes the issue of senate control one of the vital issues of our time. democrats want judges who will rewrite the constitution anyway they want to do it and take away your second amendment. >> reporter: but democrats are already gearing up for a fierce fight with roe v. wade, gay rights and voting rights at steak. >> if the president nominates a right wing fringe ideologue, he will galvanize the american people. >> reporter: many democrats are still fuming after republicans lost former president obama's pick merritt garland in 2016. at the time republicans led by senate leader mitch mcconnell argued the critic vet should wait until after the upcoming presidential election.

democrats are turning the table, saying the prosz says should be put on hold. >> our republican colleagues in the senate should follow the rule they set in 2016. not to consider a supreme court justice in an election year. >> reporter: but republicans argue, since voters aren't electing a new president, mr. trump's supreme court pick should have a hearing. mcconnell vowing swift action. >> we will vote to confirm justice kennedy's successor this fall. >> reporter: republicans technically don't need any democratic votes to confirm the president's nominee. party leaders changed the senate rules last year to nominate the president's first supreme court pick, neil gorsuch with a simple majority. but the gop can only afford to lose one vote and some pro abortion rights republicans say roe v. wade will be critical. >> i view row. v. wade as being settled law. it's clearly precedent and i

always look for judges who respect precedent. >> reporter: now, the president also used that rally in north dakota to call on voters to put more republicans in office in the mid-term elections, noting the razor thin majority his party has right now. and on another major topic for this white house, the border battle, first lady melania trump is expected to make another trip to visit immigration facilities as early as today. willie, savannah. >> all right. kristen welker at the white house. thank you. >> chuck todd is here in new york to talk about the politics of this, from washington, we got tom goldstein, he's the founder of the potus check. i know you know everything there is to know. for folks that don't follow it as closely, explain why this particular retirement is such a big deal. in the past you had a liberal replacing a liberal. a conservative replacing a conservative. this has the potential to reshape the court.

>> that's exactly right. justice kennedy is the vote in the center. he's a conservative. on questions of do you permit affirmative action, can same sex couples get married, he was the one that would join with the liberals sometimes. now president trump and conservatives have the chance to make a really solid five justice conservative majority that can change the law in those and other areas. >> i was going to say, tom, that's the issue for a lot of people. they look at the abortion ruling, the gay marriage ruling, depending where you sit. you'd like to see some big change there. is it possible the court could reverse those decisions? >> well, anything is possible. and tech physically roe v. wade could be overruled. even if it isn't, it could be cut back a lot. certainly affirmative action in public schools could be eliminated. you could have more restrictions on voter right claims, even though the supreme court is very conservative, it still has a long way it could go further.

>> chuck, let's talk about this nomination process. senate mo majority leader says we need a vote by the fall, chuck schumer says we have to wait until after the election before this nominee is voted on. what's this next three, four months going to look like? >> look, i think it's going to be extraordinarily ugly. i think you have a bunch of senate democrats still angry at how the supreme court opening the scalia seat was handled both in '16 and '17. so i think there will be some form of attempted revenge, but i don't know what that is. like i don't know other than beating your chest and jumping up and down, i don't know what more chuck schumer and democrats can do. >> that said, i think it's interesting here. mitch mcconnell wants to march forward. can you make a case politically. it will be better for republicans to have the open seat on the ballot. nothing rallies the right like an open supreme court. >> but if there is a gamble to that they lose the house and the senate? >> if the left energizes and say

i will come out and vote in these misterms because i see what the stakes are. but you only need 51 votes to confirm a supreme court justice now so is there really any suspense? >> sure, i think lisa murkowski and susan collins will care what the justice will say about abortion. i think jeff flake is a wild card here. he is a retiring senator. he is threatening to block some judges. he could easily gum thing up. let's say mueller has new things that comes out. he can gum things up. they can only lose without john mccain's vote sitting there, they can only lose one vote on the republican side at all and still hope to get there. yes, there will be questions with joe manchin, heidi hide heidcamp and those will be the six nors that will feel the most pressure. >> tom, you said last night i believe it was this nominee could get 56 votes in the senate.

when do you think this vote will take place? and is there any chance this nominee is not actually sat on the bench? >> well, i think there is a chance if some unexpected discovery came out. but this list has already been vetted pretty well over the last couple of years. i think you will get to that number of votes in all likelihood, when democrats realize they can't block the nominee unless will is some great surprise, then the democrats running for office right now in states that trump carried really have no reason not to go ahead and vote for the person. so i do think you will see something where it's not a razor thin vote in the ends. >> chuck goldstein, good to have you and chuck as well. chuck will have more this sunday ought "meet the press." there is a lot more to talk about, including the desperate effort to rescue a soccer team. this member members of the u.s. military are joining that attempt. kelly, good morning. >> reporter: hi, good morning, willie. yeah, this really is a desperate

situation. now the water rising six inches an hour overnight. the 12 teams and their coach have been trapped somewhere in this huge flooded cave system for six days now. and rescuers still don't know where they are. this morning a team of 30 from u.s. pacific command are in the mountain jungle of northern thailand, to help look for 12 missing school boys and their coach. >> we are able to run 24-hour operations. we have enough folks here to resist the thai authorities. >> reporter: the group went missing saturday after a soccer match. text messages show they went to the cave for an adventure. they had been there before. in local media, pictures of the boys on a previous trip. but this time flood waters cut off the way out. their bicycles and shoes the only sign of them. >> it's very cold and wet inside. we don't know what kind of provisions, what kind of clothing they were wearing. >> reporter: the cave complex is deep in the jungle.

6 miles long, underground a maze of wise chambers and narrow tunnels. until now, searchers have focused on a four-mile stretch to the left of the entrance. this morning, with flood waters rising, they'll explore a short path to the right instead with the help of british cave divers who know the way of the land. >> they could survive for five, six days. but the flood water is getting higher and higher. so there ought to be a point in time this cave here, even the entrance will close. >> this mom calling out for her son. her parents praying outside. the wait is taking a toll. the hope, that the boys have found dry ground and have enough food and water to survive. local media in thooiailand say those boys may have gone in with flashlights and may have a first aid as well. tear 25-year-old coach is a trained medic. all positive signs. searchers are optimistic as well.

this has happened before, tourists trapped for days and rescued once the water's receded. >> let's hope they find those boys, thank you very much. breaking news from washington a summit between president trump and russian president vladimir putin will take place in helsinki, finland, judgment 16th the white house and the kremlin made that announcement this morning. the two leaders are expected to arrive at a number of topics, syria and the ukraine and no word if they will address election interference, the president tweeted out this morning, russia continues to say they had nothing to do with the meddling in our election. >> that will be on the side lines of a larger gathering of larger leaders in held kin i sin -- held in helsinki, finland. let's talk about the world cup.

south korea scored in the 92nd minute to take a 1-0 lead. they would score an empty net goal and it is the first time ever germany has not made it out of the group stage. which means this misfortune was great for mexico. thanks to korea's new win. mexican fans inside and outside celebrated and chanted, korea, korea, to show their thanks. now that's a nice assist from the koreans from mexico. >> they have a bunch of new fans. here at home, temperatures are soaring across the country and al has got the forecast. but we find him in st. louis this morning. hi, al, good morning. >> hey, good morning, guys. we're in literally the thick of it. we will tell you why we are here. part of it is that beautiful gateway arch. boy, the heat is on. it's going to be on right through the week. let's take a look. excessive heat watches, warnings and advisers for 55 million people from minnesota all the

way down into the deep south and part of the southwest and we're talking the heat index. the way it feels. 160 million people will feel like it's over 90. 60 million will feel like it's over 100. tomorrow 210 million people feel it's over 90. 90 million will feel it's over 100. as we head into saturday, you can see the numbers grow exponentially as we make our way east. for today, it will be hot and humid. we are looking at heat indexes that feel like 106 in jackson. brownsville 106. miami 100. kansas city 110. tomorrow look at that how hot it gets as far north as chicago it will feel like 92. austin 95. saturday it starts to heat up for detroit, 108, 96 in tampa. 104 in houston. as we move on into sunday, in new york it will feel like over 100 degrees.

baton rouge 100. 107 in lor relor rainloredo. we will get to your forecast coming up in the next 60 oredo. we will get to your forecast coming up in the next 60 seconds. life? not just sorta comfortable. serta comfortable. kiss your old mattress goodbye at the perfect sleeper dare to compare mattress event. good thursday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. san jose this morning, a nice, clear start and also fairly cool as you get ready to head out the door. we are heading up to 80 degrees today and this will be the last day of some pleasantly warm weather. reaching up to 84 in concord.

83 today in napa and tomorrow temperatures much hotter. up to 93 inland. peaking on saturday at 100 degrees and then a big cool down for the middle of next week. we weather to talk about as well. we'll do that coming up in the next half hour. back to you. >> thank you so much. and straight ahead, a complicated man leaving behind a controversial legacy. how joe jackson's family is remembering their patriarch this morning. >> and revealing new technology using family trees to solve cold cases like the suspected golden state killer. but first, this is "today" on nbc. nbc.

coming up, the new documentary on the life and loss of whitney houston. revealing long-kept family secrets. we'll hear from the pop star's sister-in-law. a rossen reports warning before have you noticed everything has a day? for instance, january 21st is national hugging day.

but anyone can give a hug even this guy -- he gives great hugs. but you, you do way more than give hugs. you care for your kids, your parents, and even the guy across the street who waves a lot. and a-a-r-p is here to help. connecting you with the tools you need to navigate the realities of caregiving. think of it as one big hug. take on today and every day with a-a-r-p. mike thomas: ooohh! you're hittin 'em good j! heeeyyyyy! mike thomas: have you ever played golf in the snow before? justin thomas: oh no! mike thomas: (laughing) oh my goodness! justin thomas: i'm just gonna try to practice for all my life and see where it ends up to. hopefully i'll be good enough to go to the tour. mike thomas: (laughing) good shot big j! a hilton getaway means you get more because...

you get another day in paradise. get a sunset on a sunday. get more stories to share. get more from your summer getaway with exclusive hilton offers. book yours, only at hilton.com (crunching) ♪ dude, your crunching's scaring the fish. dude, they're just jealous. kellogg's raisin bran crunch... ...with crunchy clusters and the taste of... ...apples and strawberries. i got one! i guess we're having cereal for dinner. deliciously heart-healthy kellogg's raisin bran crunch. only tylenol® rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast, for fast pain relief. tylenol®

♪ hawaii is in the middle of the pacific ocean. we're the most isolated population on the planet. ♪ hawaii is the first state in the u.s. to have 100% renewable energy goal. we're a very small electric utility. but, if we don't make this move we're going to have changes in our environment, and have a negative impact to hawaii's economy. ♪ verizon provided us a solution using smart sensors on their network that lets us collect near real time data on our power grid. (colton) this technology is helping us integrate rooftop solar, which is a very important element of getting us to our renewable energy goals. ♪

(shelee) if we can create our own energy, we can take care of this beautiful place that i grew up in. ♪ spruceask sherwin-williams june 22nd through july 9th and get 30% off paints and stains. visit your neighborhood sherwin-williams store today. and it's packed with powerful cranberry nutrients that can help your body defend against certain infections. i'll be your body on cranberry juice! bring it on, bad stuff! still healthy. dependability award for its midsize car-the chevy malibu. i forgot. chevy also won a j.d. power dependability award for its light-duty truck the chevy silverado. oh, and since the chevy equinox and traverse also won

chevy is the only brand to earn the j.d. power dependability award across cars, trucks and suvs-three years in a row. phew. third time's the charm... police say a hit and run driver good morning. it is 7:26. police say a hit and run driver who struck about half a dozen cars early this morning in san jose is now in custody. happened about 1:00 this morning on vine and edwards. that's where the driver of the pickup truck t-boned a car in the intersection leaving that driver trapped in the wreckage. pickup then struck at least three other parked cars and ended up outside a home. investigators say say three people ran from the pickup. an officer tracked two down nearby. both injured. investigators say one of them is a driver that now faces felony charges. want to check in with meteorologist kari hall. get a look at the forecast. >> it looks pretty good starting

out with sunshine. san francisco, no clouds and fog this morning and slightly warmer temperatures with a lack of that ocean breeze and the marine layer. we are going do see the high in san francisco up to 67 degrees. 73 in oakland. 84 in concord today an san jose up to 80 degrees. inland areas will be in the low 80s today and 93 degrees tomorrow. but dangerous heat moves in on saturday. the spike in temperatures will also cause a high wildfire danger and cools down pretty big into next week. we are looking at san francisco with some temperatures reaching up to 80 degrees on saturday. what's happening on the roads now, mike? >> build for the south bay. silicon valley. 85 and 101 slowing crossing over 17 or 880 respectively. the rest of the bay, pretty good drive there. no major problems. across the bridges. bay bridge toll plaza metering lights on. a crash toward the richmond/san rafael bridge. another fender bender.

see that volume right here heading west to the north bay without real problems. sun in your eyes traveling east. back the you. >> thank you very much. another local news update in half an hour.

morning, everybody. we're back at 7:30. it's thursday morning, the 28th of o jujune, 2018. we'd all recognize that anywhere. the iconic gateway arch in st. louis. coming up, al, who is there, is going to give us a sneak peek at some really big changes ahead of next week's grand re-opening celebration. al is out in st. louis. willie is right here. hoda is taking some time off. and good morning, craig. we just did roll call. >> good morning. good to see you both. >> been up in the arch? >> yes. >> really cool deal. >> they're re-opening that. i don't think al has ever done that. it'll be cool to check? >> really cool. supreme court showdown.

supreme vacancy. >> we have to pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going to be there for 40 years, 45 years. >> president trump now deciding who to nominate to the supreme court, as key swing vote justice kennedy announces his retirement. giving the president an opportunity to shake the court for generations. >> this was anthony kennedy's court because you couldn't get a major issue decided without his vote. up in smoke? north korea reportedly still expanding its nuclear facility, raising questions about president trump's claim that kim jong-un has agreed to disarm. this as the rogue regime is accused of executing a top army officer for giving troops extra food in the wake of the summit. paying their respects. the 15-year-old bronx teen who was brutally murdered, laid to rest in an emotional funeral service, as the community continues to call for justice. flipping out. a shirtless man climbs a highway sign in los angeles, stopping rush hour traffic to protest

pollution, then back flipping down before being arrested. and dropping the ball. >> tough play. nobody gets it! wow. >> arkansas misses the opportunity to win the college world series on a pop-up in the final inning. opening the door for oregon state to rally back. >> this one is deep. this one is gone! >> for aciding game three today, june 28th, 2018. >> that is a heartbreaking. they make the catch, arkansas wins the college world series. >> what's happening? it's you. no, you. >> they all have tough angles to get there in the first place. somebody should call for it and take it. they get another chance tonight to redeem themselves and win it. >> all right. let's turn to the life and legacy of one of music's most influential and controversial figures. >> joe jackson, patriarch of an american musical dynasty, father to michael, janet, and their siblings, as well, died yesterday. he was 89. natalie is in los angeles with

more on that this morning. hey, nat. >> reporter: good morning, guys. joe jackson had been battling terminal cancer. he passed away early wednesday morning at a hospice in las vegas. leaving behind though a complicated legacy. ♪ abc, easy as 123 >> reporter: from the moment his children hit the stage, joe jackson commanded a share of the spotlight. born in the south and raising a family in the violent poverty of gary, indiana, joe jackson saw his kids' musical talent as a pass to a better life. ♪ baby, baby >> i raised the largest entertaining group to ever walk the face of the earth. >> reporter: even the jackson five would take a backseat to michael. as his solo career took flight, michael fired joe, accusing him of physical and psychological abuse. michael telling oprah in 1993 that joe regularly beat him and his siblings.

>> i love my father, but i don't know him. he was very hard. just a look would scare you. there's been times when he'd come to see me, and i would get sick. i'd start to regurgitate. >> reporter: janet and others shared similar stories. joe called it discipline, not abuse, but didn't apologize. >> i'm glad i was tough. look what i came out with. i came out with some kids that everybody loved all over the world. >> reporter: joe was at michael's side during his legal battles and sat front and center at his public memorial. after michael's sudden death, the singer picked only his mother, catherine, to raise his children, leaving joe out of the will. >> how often do you see the kids? >> i see them enough. >> reporter: the jacksons coming together again in memory of the family patriarch. michael's daughter, paris, posted a photo holding hands with her grandfather. and prince raised his willpower

and dedication. adding, you showed me strength and faearlessness. latoya saying, i'll never forget how much you cared. janet paid tribute to him from the stage. >> to my beautiful mother and my beautiful father, and my entire family, your love is unbreakable. >> reporter: and again just days before he died. >> my father, my incredible father, drove me to be the best i can. >> nat, as you acknowledge, he was a complicated man with a complicated legacy. how is the family choosing to remember him this morning? >> reporter: over the years, we've heard so many of those stories from the jackson children themselves about their home life, how difficult it was, abuse. some of those stories very, very dark. in these last few weeks, as jackson's health was failing, his family chose to rally behind him. they chose to focus on the good in what he created, as you saw

with the words from his grandkids and children even. his ex-wife, catherine, also was there at his bedside throughout his health problems in recent years. >> natalie morales, thank you. we move to al. he's in st. louis. got a check of the weather. >> reporter: hey, guys. thanks so much. we've got some pretty good thunderstorms firing up to our west here in st. louis. hopefully, they hold off until we can finish up. in the meantime, let's show you what we've got going on. as we go to the radar, you'll see that we are looking at those storms out to the west, pushing their way. we've also got heavy activity through the eastern tennessee. in the northeast, there have been some airport delays thanks to strong storms pushing their way through. they're going to continue to push their way through during the afternoon hours and into the early evening hours. so much so, we're going to be looking at a lot of wet weather today, into this afternoon. could be some flash flood watches in effect later today for parts of new england, as the heavier rain really pushes up

into there. we are looking for rainfall amounts anywhere 2 to 3 inches. locally, could be as much as 5. th good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are going to feel slightly warmer temperatures today. a lot of sunshine. by tomorrow it gets much hotter. 93 degrees and the heat peaks on saturday with triple digit temperatures for the inland valleys. it comes down just slightly for sunday but it will be hot. we'll get much better cooling for the middle of next week. san francisco looking at highs in the low 60s today. low 70s tomorrow. up to 80 degrees by this saturday. >> reporter: that is your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you so much. still ahead, a revealing new look at whitney houston's rise and fall. >> the expectation that she's supposed to be this perfect person, that's a lot of pressure for one to have to deal with. >> the music icon's

sister-in-law opening up about her private struggles. a stunning new family secret coming to life. the question i know you're asking yourself this morning, would you let your kids play with hammers and saws? why a growing number of parents are saying yes to unconventional playgrounds. we know tom cruise is coming back for a new "top gun," so who is going to be his co-star? we have news in pop start. inside look into how police are using dna and family trees and cracking a string of cold over the last 24 hours, you finished preparing him for college. in 24 hours, you'll send him off thinking you've done everything for his well-being. but meningitis b progresses quickly and can be fatal, sometimes within 24 hours. while meningitis b is uncommon, about 1 in 10 infected will die. like millions of others, your teen may not be vaccinated against meningitis b. meningitis b strikes quickly. be quick to talk to your teen's doctor about a meningitis b vaccine.

from the moment you met you wantecomfort and protection that's why pampers swaddlers is the #1 choice of hospitals to wrap your baby in blanket-like softness so all they feel is love pampers swaddlers so, you'll be here to i got you.need you? what about here? yup. here? yes, kyle. and here sir robert from state farm? if you invite me. go with the one that's here to help life go right.

state farm. (gasp) (singsong) budget meeting! sweet. if you compare last quarter to this quarter... various: mmm. it's no wonder everything seems a little better with the creamy taste of philly, made with fresh milk and real cream. with the creamy taste of philly, (becky) i started smoking when i now i have end-stage copd. my tip is; if you keep smoking, your freedom may only go as far as your oxygen tube. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. for over 100 years. try eucerin advanced repair. for dry, itchy rough skin. for immediate relief and 48-hour moisture. now try eucerin advanced cleanser in the shower.

for immediate relief and 48-hour moisture. i think lucky the leprechaun found his unicorn on a marshmallow island in the sky, where everyone is always dancing! lucky charms now has a new unicorn marshmallow. part of this complete breakfast. but behr premium stain can weather any weather. , overall #1 rated, weathers it all. right now, get incredible savings on behr. exclusively at the home depot. the beswith neutrogena® beach? beach defense® sunscreen. helioplex™ powered, uva uvb strong. beach strength protection for the whole family. for the best day in the sun.

neutrogena®. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ for the hustle, for the grind. introducing 1850 coffee. inspired by the year the folger coffee company began. fire-roasted and steel-cut, with a bold yet smooth taste. new 1850 coffee. begin boldly. welcome back. genealogy has always been a popular way for people to learn about their ancestry. >> but lately this study of families has become a major asset for police. nbc's joe fryer joins us for that one. >> they relied on a new tool, genetic genealogy.

officials say at least four more cold cases across the country have been solved using the same technique, three of them in just the past week and those cases the authorities worked with a lab in virginia which gave us an indepth look at this new technology. when gary hartmann appeared in court this week accused of murdering a 12-year-old girl back in 1986 the victim's family was there. >> you never expect the face of somebody that's done something this terrible to look normal. >> michelle was killed in washington. the suspect hartmann, a 66-year-old nurse with no criminal record pleaded not guilty. police identified him using a cutting edge crime solving tool, genetic genealogy, hunting down suspects through dna and family trees. they worked with labs and genealogists, a team that has helped crack four cold cases in just the past few weeks. >> people come to us because they have a case where they have dna but no leads.

>> an inside look at one of its cases which led to the arrest last month of william tallbot. he's accused of murdering a young couple north of seattle in 1987. they uploaded dna information from crime scenes to ged match. they found two second cousins related to the killer. they belt their family trees back toward to their great grandparents, then forward looking where the trees intersected. that led her totalbot. they say his dna matched the killer. tallbot has pleaded not guilty. >> i suspect we'll be able to put dozens of cold cases to rest. >> like the 1992 murder of a pennsylvania teacher. genetic genealogy steered authorities to raymond row, a popular disk jockey. prosecutors say dna from a plastic water bottle and discarded chewing gum linked him

to the crime. he was arrested monday and has yet to enter a plea. >> as for hartmann after genealogy pinpointed him as a possible suspect detectives followed him collecting a brown paper napkin left behind at a restaurant. they say the dna tied him to michelle's murder. >> you always think well, maybe he would step out and say, you know, i need conviction on this or absolve my guilt, but obviously that didn't happen, so i'm glad for dna. >> they've uploaded dna from about 100 crime scenes to ged match. about 20 of them looked very promising and in 30 others detectives can narrow down the suspect list. >> incredible to see how that technology is working. thank you. >> thanks, joe. still ahead this morning prince william's touching tribute to a loved one overnight to a trypto-som of the world's

holiest sites. that's right after this. e 'lowet prices of the season' on the only bed that adjusts on both sides to your ideal comfort your sleep number setting. and snoring? does your bed do that? don't miss final closeout savings on the queen c2 mattress. now only $599, save $300. it's the lowest price ever, only for a limited time. visit sleepnumber.com for a store near you. but one blows them all out of the water. hydro boost from neutrogena®. with hyaluronic acid to plump skin cells so it bounces back. neutrogena® so it bounces back. (crunching) ♪ dude, your crunching's scaring the fish.

dude, they're just jealous. kellogg's raisin bran crunch... ...with crunchy clusters and the taste of... ...apples and strawberries. i got one! i guess we're having cereal for dinner. deliciously heart-healthy kellogg's raisin bran crunch. wlet's do it. ? ♪ come on. this summer, add a new member to the family. at the mercedes-benz summer event. lease the glc300 for $429 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. ♪ he eats a bowl of hammers at every meal ♪ ♪ he holds your house in the palm of his hand ♪ ♪ he's your home and auto man ♪ big jim, he's got you covered ♪ ♪ great big jim, there ain't no other ♪ -so, this is covered, right? -yes, ma'am.

take care of it for you right now. giddyup! hi! this is jamie. we need some help. for instance, january 21st is national hugging day. but anyone can give a hug even this guy -- he gives great hugs. but you, you do way more than give hugs. you care for your kids, your parents, and even the guy across the street who waves a lot. and a-a-r-p is here to help. connecting you with the tools you need to navigate the realities of caregiving. think of it as one big hug. take on today and every day with a-a-r-p.

we are back with to we are back with today's royal roundup. >> that's the first time i've seen that. >> i know. the royals and the but prince william wrapping up his historic trip to the middle east.

keir simmons is in jerusalem for us. >> good morning. >> reporter: morning, guys. while here, prince william receiving news from back home about his grandmother. buckingham palace saying this morning that the queen is feeling, quote, under the weather and will not be able to attend an engagement today. doesn't appear to be cause for concern. you know, guys, what it does underscore is that what we are witnessing is the shifting of royal generations. the future king inside those incredible walls of the old city of jerusalem behind me there, getting a lesson today in the most complex cultural place. walking on sacred ground this morning, prince william on a pilgrimage to some of the world's most sensitive religious sites. every step protected. surrounded by heavily armed security. first islam's third holiest place, the mosque.

close by, the western wall. for jews, part of an ancient holy temple. where the prince paused in silent reflection. finally, visiting the historic church of the holy sepulchre. christians believe jesus was buried here. the streets have seen clashes just this year. prince william, after meeting with israeli leaders this week, visiting the palestinian territory. >> history in the making right there. >> reporter: shaking hands with the palestinian president and telling his people -- >> you have not been forgotten. it has been a very powerful experience to meet you and other palestinians living in the west bank and to hear your stories. >> reporter: there have been personal moments. william, this morning, visiting his great grandmother's tomb. she helped rescue jews during the holocaust. and a little fun, too. kicking balls on a tel-aviv beach. and playing with kids in the west bank.

even meeting israeli's supermodel, bar refaeli. politically, william has appeared unafraid to speak his mind. a future king perhaps finding his voice even in this storied land, where words can start wars. voice even in this storie land, where words can start wars. william is on a plane back home now. this was a long-awaited but largely symbolic trip. people here, guys, are really waiting for that white house peace plan. william spoke a lot about peace. of course, actually making peace is a good deal tougher. i imagine he enjoyed meeting the supermodel. >> of course. >> wouldn't you? >>hi.i just wanted to tell you that chevy won a j.d.power dependability award for its midsize car-the chevy malibu. i forgot. chevy also won a j.d. power dependability award for its light-duty truck the chevy silverado. oh, and since the chevy equinox and traverse also won

chevy is the only brand to earn the j.d. power dependability award across cars, trucks and suvs-three years in a row. phew. third time's the charm... and i'm still going for my best even though i live with a higher risk of stroke due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem. so if there's a better treatment than warfarin, i'm up for that. eliquis. eliquis is proven to reduce stroke risk better than warfarin. plus has significantly less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis is fda-approved and has both. so what's next? seeing these guys. don't stop taking eliquis unless your doctor tells you to, as stopping increases your risk of having a stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising.

eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. eliquis, the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ask your doctor if eliquis is what's next for you. cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ♪ hawaii is in the middle of the pacific ocean. we're the most isolated population on the planet. ♪ hawaii is the first state in the u.s. to have 100% renewable energy goal. we're a very small electric utility. but, if we don't make this move we're going to have changes in our environment, and have a negative impact to hawaii's economy. ♪ verizon provided us a solution using smart sensors on their network that lets us collect near real time data on our power grid. (colton) this technology is helping us integrate rooftop solar, which is a very important element of getting us to our renewable energy goals.

♪ (shelee) if we can create our own energy, we can take care of this beautiful place that i grew up in. ♪ ♪yeah ♪and i just wanna tell you right now that i♪ ♪i believe, i really do believe that♪ ♪something's got a hold on me, yeah♪ ♪oh, it must be love ♪oh, something's got a hold on me right now, child♪ ♪oh, it must be love ♪let me tell you now, oh it must be love♪ i was in the military for 18 years.rian, but, i smoked and i got heart disease. my tip is; it's hard to serve your country when you're to weak to put on your uniform. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now.

good thursday morning. 7:56. we are waking up to sunshine around the bay area. live look outside in san jose with upper 50s and heading up to 80 today and it is going to be slightly warmer inland valleys, tri-valley toward the delta and antioch reaching 84 degrees. 83 degrees in napa and san francisco 67 degrees. still breezy there while the inland areas heat up to low 90s. 93 degrees tomorrow and dangerous heat for saturday with some of our hotter spots reaching 100 degrees. on sunday, slightly lower but still pretty hot reaching 90 degrees and major cooling next week. san francisco reaches up to 80 degrees this saturday. let's get an update on the commute now from mike. >> we got word from b.a.r.t., they had a delay. should be recovering now.

antioch line. mechanical problems in concord. no more problems reported. muni with twin peaks tunnel closure. smooth drive for the roadways. east shore freeway moving well. a smooth drive slower again for 880 through hayward and union city and now the south bay pushing northbound. live look shows you the reason for the mild slow into the south bay. commute steady and slower now with the last 20 minutes and the volume build. 101 north of 680 and 280 on the overpass. back the you. >> thank you. 7:57. happening now, police say the driver of a hit and run crash in custody. it happened this morning this san jose. rescuers used the jaws of life to save the driver in the first car struck. you can link to details on the twitter feed and video of the scene. president trump meeting with russian president vladimir putin three weeks from now in helsinki.

head to the twitter tweak for bob redell's take. kari gets us updates to the forecast overnight. plus: changes you need to hear if your summer trip is taking you overseas. what the t-s-a will start asking foreign airports to do. )today in the bay ) - 4:30 to . good morning, it )s 7:26...

it's 8:0 it's 8:00 on "today." supreme court shakeup. justice anthony kennedy announced he is stepping down after 30 years on the bench, opening up a seat that could shape the court for years to come. >> we have to pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going to be there for 40 years, 45 years. >> now, the race is on to name his successor, as republicans and democrats gear up for a fight. >> we will vote to confirm justice kennedy's successor this fall. >> hypocrisy for the majority leader to move forward on a vote now. >> we're live in washington with the latest. plus, behind the music. whitney houston's sister-in-law opening up like never before

about the superstar's downfall and death. >> did you say, whitney, you are going to die? >> there are interventions. everybody always went to her. >> the family secrets she's now revealing. and "wingman" wanted. "top gun 2" is coming to the big screen and looking for a co-star. who can you expect to see alongside tom cruise in the highly anticipated sequel? we'll take a look at the front runners today, thursday, june 28th, 2018. ♪ happy 70th birthday, mom! go, astros. >> from houston, texas. >> we love you, mom and dad. >> hi from california. where my guests and i watch the "today" show every day because al quacks us up. ♪ shut up and dance with me >> we're pat and jerry. >> we're athletes from

oceanside, california. >> hi to all my loved ones back in the north of england. >> i'm here with my daughters from lexington, kentucky. >> representing the big blue nation. >> go cats. ♪ this woman is my destiny welcome back to "today" on a rainy thursday morning. we say hello to you. good morning. willie and craig are with us as hoda enjoys some time off. we brought some guests inside so they're not poured on. we'll start the hour with your news at 8:00. the president could face a monumental confirmation battle as he gets ready to nominate a replacement for retiring justice kennedy. white house correspondent hallie jackson has the latest for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. yes, this will be a legacy-defining moment for donald trump. as the president gets ready to pick a new justice who could shift the court further to the right, something that could last a generation. but none of that will happen without first a summer of bitter political fighting on capitol

hill. the president now rallying around a retirement and a replacement for justice anthony kennedy, stepping down after 30 years on the bench. >> i'm very honored that he chose to do it during my term in office. because he felt confident in me to make the right choice and carry on his great legacy. >> reporter: in north dakota overnight, president trump highlighting the power in his pick, as kennedy's retirement triggers what will be the biggest shift in power on the supreme court in decades. in the senate, republicans are ready for a vote in a matter of months. >> we will vote to confirm justice kennedy's successor this fall. >> reporter: mitch mcconnell brushing off democrats' demands he wait until after the mid-term elections to vote. his political opponents pointing to republicans' refusal to hold a vote on then president obama's pick, merrick garland, in 2016. >> hypocrisy for the majority leader to move forward on a vote now.

>> reporter: the democrats can't do anything to stop the pick if republicans stick together. it is an if, with moderate republicans holding the cards, thanks to the gop's razor thin majority. >> the president, under the constitution, has the authority to put forth supreme court nominees, and then we have our job to do in considering them. >> reporter: the swing justice for more than a decade, kennedy was often the deciding vote in many high-profile cases. like the travel ban and voting rights, when he sided with conservatives. but siding with liberals for marriage equality. the next justice will almost certainly be more conservative, leading to excitement on the right and fear on the left that the new court could overturn, for example, a key abortion rights ruling. >> who will you pick to replace him, sir? >> we have a list of 25 people that i actually had during my election. >> reporter: on that list, about two dozen conservative leaning judges, along with u.s. senator

and lawyer, republican mike lee. believed to be on the short list, brett kavanaugh and pennsylvania's thomas hardiman. that is going to be a high-stakes decision for donald trump. we are also learning more about something else that's pretty high stakes. a summit between president trump and russian president vladimir putin. we are just learning this morning the date and location for that talk has been set. it will happen july 16th in helsinki, finland, just after the world cup. savannah? >> hallie jackson, thank you very much. the department of homeland security is asking the pentagon to house up to 12,000 undocumented migrants to help keep family members together. the migrants would be kept at established military facilities or in temporary camps. 2,000 of those spaces are needed within 45 days. the trump administration would prefer to hold the families in texas, arizona, new mexico, or california, where most of them were apprehended.

on tuesday, a federal judge ordered the u.s. to stop detaining parents without their children and to reunite those who had been separated. the u.s. military has sent a special operations team to help search for a boys soccer team that's lost in a mountain cave in thailand. the 12 boys and their coach have been missing since saturday. that's when they entered the cave complex after a game. it is several miles of narrow passageways and wide chambers. heavy rainfall has caused many of them to flood. officials remain optimistic because tourists trapped in the cave by past floods have been rescued after the water receded. hoda is off, so i get to do the boost this morning. we know summer vacation just started. one florida girl is already working to help other kids when school starts again in the fall. second grader aniya daly noticed a classmate needed new shoes but couldn't afford them. she convinced her dad to buy a pair. that gave her an idea to launch

aniya's shoebox. gift cards came in from all over. she collected enough to help just about everybody in her school who will need shoes this fall. she's hoping to expand the program to the entire county. good for her. >> nicely done. >> yeah. coming up, a revealing new look at the life of music superstar whitney houston and what led to her tragic death. we'll be hearing from her sister-in-law. plus, the warning about buried fees before you book your summer vacation. >> reporter: good morning. i'm jeff rossen. you got a good deal on a hotel room. then in the fine print, you owe them more money. sometimes a lot more money. resort fees on the rise. what are they? what do you get for them anyway? we're going to show you next. ♪ ♪ ♪ for the hustle, for the grind. introducing 1850 coffee. inspired by the year the folger coffee company began.

fire-roasted and steel-cut, with a bold yet smooth taste. new 1850 coffee. begin boldly. are you one sneeze away from being voted out of the carpool? try zyrtec®. it's starts working hard at hour one. and works twice as hard when you take it again the next day. stick with zyrtec® and muddle no more®. when you combine ancestry's with its historical records... you could learn you're from ireland

donegal, ireland and your ancestor was a fisherman. with blue eyes. just like you. begin your journey at ancestry.com my mom washes the dishes... ...before she puts them in the dishwasher. so what does the dishwasher do? new cascade platinum lets your dishwasher be the dish washer. three cleaning agents dissolve, lift and rinse away food the first time. new cascade platinum. even if you don't buy one from us. because maybe you're already buying a car somewhere else. or maybe you want to shop around. or, maybe you don't want to drive a car at all anymore... like, maybe you want to ride a camel into the dessert and take a deep hard look within. just figure some stuff out for awhile. that's cool. whatever your plans for buying a car, carmax is the place to sell your car. okay, let's do this, tina, tchick-tchick.

here we go, tchick-tchick. i believe in ya tina. c'mon now. ah, we can just hang out here. for instance, january 21st is national hugging day. but anyone can give a hug even this guy -- he gives great hugs. but you, you do way more than give hugs. you care for your kids, your parents, and even the guy across the street who waves a lot. and a-a-r-p is here to help. connecting you with the tools you need to navigate the realities of caregiving. think of it as one big hug. take on today and every day with a-a-r-p. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ we're back. 8:10. today's talker. jenna and sheinelle are here. who has the talker? >> i have the talker this morning. we'll talk about pop star whitney houston. once in a generation talent, obviously. there is a new documentary that explores her meteoric rise. the directors claim it'll address the questions you asked and the questions you never knew. as i found it, it doesn't make the answers any easier to hear. ♪ i have nothing, nothing, nothing ♪ >> reporter: revealing family secrets, shedding light on whitney houston's tragic demise and death in 2012, is the theme of the new documentary, "whitney." with haunting, never before seen footage of the singer, and interviews with family members, friends, and associates.

even hearing from whitney herself. >> there were times when i would look and go, why is this happening to me? >> reporter: i sat down with pat houston, whitney's sister-in-law, a producer on the documentary, and asked that very question. why did this happen to her? >> why? you know, it's the choices that you make. we look at celebrities like they're immortals, and they're not. the expectation that she's supposed to be this perfect person, that's a lot of pressure for one to have to deal with. >> reporter: was it a burden for her, a judgment? >> definitely a burrden. a few days before she passed, that's what she talked about, why do people judge me? >> reporter: new details on houston's drug addiction. her brothers revealing a relative gave her a bag of marijuana and cocaine for her 16th birthday. 16 years old. who is watching out for this girl? >> back then, everyone was trying it and doing drugs.

it was a recreational thing. they weren't thinking. they were just thinking about having fun. >> reporter: what did you do? i mean, did you one-on-one, pull her aside? what did she say? did you say, whitney, you're going to die? >> there were interventions for her. everybody always went to her. >> reporter: also revealed, disturbing allegations that whitney and her brothers were sexually molested by cousin didi warwick, who has since died. sister to famed singer dion warwick. >> such a sensitive subject, you know. i still have my mother-in-law, and dion, who are still with us, and they're both very honorable women. >> reporter: let me ask you about bobby brown. he was interviewed and asked about the drug use. he says, i don't want to talk about the drugs. that's not what killed her. what does he mean? >> you'd have to ask him that. i have no idea. you know, bobby is bobby. >> reporter: the family discusses houston's final days, saying, whitney was happy, even

an hour before she was found dead in her los angeles hotel room bathroom. clear it up. what happened, in your opinion? >> only her and god knows that. only her and god knows that. >> reporter: perhaps the most heartbreaking tale in the movie is about houston's daughter, bobbi kristina, who died at age 22, in an eerily similar way to her mother. whitney's former agent said krissie had never seen a normal life. she was the companion of an alcoholic and drug addict, and that's what she learned to be. what is your opinion about whitney as a mom? >> she wasn't present, as present as she should be. she did try at the end, but it was a little bit too late. >> reporter: are you at peace? >> i'm at peace because i know she's at peace. she doesn't have to deal with all of this anymore. she was given to us for one moment in time. she served her purpose. >> we want to mention, we reached out to both dion warwick and houston regarding didi

warwick and the molestation allegations. houston is declining comments. we didn't hear back from warwick. it opens in theaters july 6th. >> you watched it. >> i watched it twice. both times i watched it before going to bed, and it was heavy. i woke up the next morning, twice, and it is still haunting. there were a lot of things we didn't know. i talked to pat for about an hour, and i'll try to put them on today.com. a lot of people feel like, in some ways, it was really hard for her. did she stand a chance? i don't know. she could go to rehab, but when she'd come back, come back to reality, all of the things that haunted her were still there. >> yeah. all of those people were still surrounding her. >> there were people who loved her but, you know, sometimes, it's hard, we all know, with addiction. this movie, i have a feeling, a lot of people will be talking about it after july 6th. >> can't wait to see it. >> very well done. >> sheinelle, thank you very much. we will send it over to al. he's in st. louis for a great reason. first, a check of the weather.

>> reporter: that's right, guys. we are here celebrating the re-opening of the gateway arch in this great national park. we've got a great crowd that's come down to celebrate, as well. nobody is celebrating the temperatures that are going to be just oppressive over the next several days. we've got 55 million people at risk from the upper mississippi river valley into the southwest. heat advisories, heat watches, heat warnings. besides the feels like temperatures, the records are going to be very dangerously set, as well. look at system of these records possible today. caspe casper wyoming, denver, looking at a record of 91 degrees. as we shift to the east, we're basically going to be looking at temperatures that continue to possibly set records in manchest manchester, burlington. we'll see records potentially

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it will be slightly warmer for the inland valleys today. with 86 degrees the high in santa rosa and 86 in antioch. morgan hill 83 degrees. and san jose, 80 degrees. san francisco upper 60s. we are in for some much hotter temperatures heading into the weekend. tomorrow 93 degrees and 100 degrees on saturday. but it does cool down fast. by the middle of next week, we are looking at highs in the upper 70s. >> reporter: that's your latest weather. coming up in the next half hour, we take you to the top of the gateway arch. it is spectacular. see you then. >> al, thank you so much. now to more of our special rossen reports summer survival guide we're doing this week. this morning, an important warning for everybody taking a vacation. >> there's something you need to look out for when you're booking your hotel stay. "today" investigator correspondent is here. jeff rossen, good to see you.

>> good to see you. summer is in full swing, but we're all working. hope you get time off. you, too. when you do, you want to go on vacation. you find a great deal on a hotel. suddenly you see it, the mandatory fee. hotels call it the resort fee. it is on the rise. experts say more hotels are charging this than ever before. they're charging more than ever before. according to a watchdog site, in three years, the average resort fee has increased by 23%. what do you get for that resort fee anyway, and what should you do before you book? this morning, we got you covered. i'm going on vacation. you're welcome. i'll show you. >> reporter: sun, sand, and summer. but you'll pay for it. according to a recent study, in 2017, consumers paid an estimated $2.7 billion in hotel fees. we found that happening all over. first stop, sunny san diego. here's the lobby. time to check in. see what happens. online, we get a great rate of

$199 a night. only when you click on this small details button beneath taxes and fees do you see it. sandwiched between the san diego tourism marketing district fee and the california tourism fee, you see the resort fee. a whopping $39 a night. that's a hefty resort fee. that's pretty hefty. $39. the resort fee is a few dollars less, but you're taxed on the fee. a tax on a fee. think about that. and it is even pricier at the next vacation hot spot. >> are you ready? atlant atlantis. >> reporter: the bahamas. i'm about to book the beach at atlantis. look at that appealing price. $175.50. love that. at first glance, i don't see anything about a resort fee. see that button, learn more? click that. there it is. $49.95 daily resort fee. love the bahamas.

when i get to the hotel. checking in, jeff rossen. turns out, the resort fee is even more. it is $53.70 a night because of the pesky resort fee tax. you see the $175 for the room, and you're like, it is a great price. but when you get the bill, the resort fee kills you. what do you even get for these resort fees? at many hotels, it includes everything from local phone calls to coupons, to the fitness center, board game rentals, bottled water, and you know the small coffee maker in your room that you thought was complemen complementa complementary? no, you're paying for that, too. the biggest surprise, here in las vegas. at the circus circus hotel, popular with families. on the website, the resort fee plus tax, $36.28. more than the room itself. >> your room today was actually $25. the resort fee is $36.

>> that's nuts. >> sometimes, we have rooms that are $18, and the resort fee is $33. >> i think these are ridiculous and unfair. >> reporter: experts say we all need to get smarter, faster. what are we supposed to do as consumers? what's your advice? >> the advice is know what you're buying. you have to look at what the big price is that they tell you about, and then you've got to find out later on whether or not there is an additional resort fee. >> reporter: read the fine print. >> read the fine print. that's what you have to do. >> another tip for you, if you don't feel like pouring through the fine print -- we hate doing that -- call the front desk before you book and get the exact cost for taxes and fees. you can make an informed decision. yet another tip -- i got them all in my pocket here. not every hotel charges a resort fee. if your first choice does, check other hotels in the location. if you're wondering what's being done about these fees, not much. we called the fcc. they told us they don't have anything to say on this currently. the industry group representing hotels does. the american hotel and lodging

association telling nbc news, transparency and guest satisfaction are the core of the hotel industry's business model. hotels are careful to disclose resort fees. >> a lot of times you don't realize there is a fee until you're checking out. you start looking through the bill. you say, what is that $50? >> i think there should be a room rate, and that's what it is. when you buy airline tickets, then the airport fee. tell me the bottom line. >> let me know what i'm paying. >> we're all sufficiently angry. thank you for getting us riled up. sheinelle has new jewelry in the spotlight. >> a wedding proposal can be an amazing and memorable experience. it can also come with a lot of pressure, especially when it comes to picking out the perfect ring. wel well, hellsburg diamonds think they have the solution. a place holder band can be given at the proposal, and you can

pick out the ring together. for $50, you get a ring subscribed with the words, in the -- this is a ring, but not the ring. the first of many things we'll do together. we have a lot of input. love this idea. genius move. sandy says, i don't really like this idea. i like the fact that my husband picked it out for me. seems more special. we asked on twitter. what do you think of the "will you" ring concept? look at the results. >> wow. >> 50% disapprove. 50% approval. for those of you worried about having to pay for a third ring, there is a solution for that. if you return the "will you" ring to any of the stores, the couple will get a $400 discount off the engagement ring. how about that? >> wow. >> here's the thing, with the 50/50 split, i'm interested in what you have to say. do you remember back in the day, they had promise rings? >> yeah.

>> i mean, i never received one. >> i didn't either. >> did you have a bff ring? >> never had one of those. >> no. >> what about this one? >> i like that my husband picked out the ring. i think it put thought into it. >> it is part of our job to listen when you talk about other people's rings. by the time you go to buy the ring, you kind of know what she likes. >> how many times did you try on somebody else's ring for fun, savann savannah? >> oh, look at this. >> mike picked it out all by himself. it was cool. >> women i know helped. before he proposed, may have pointed out something. >> did you? >> he knew what i liked. >> i bet he did. >> moving to pop start. first up, leonardo dicaprio and brad pitt. the first look at "once upon a time in hollywood." we see them dressed in '60s ga h

garb. they're struggling actors but have a famous friend. the film includes an all-star cast. margot robbie, dakota fanning, and bert reynolds to name a few. it is dicaprio and pitt's first film together, too. it comes out august 9th, 2019. >> next year. >> perfect. >> we can plan. >> a year to wait. put these glasses on. can i see the prompter with this? >> sure, you can. >> you look the part. >> more updates about the "top gun 2" sequel. tom cruise is working on the second installment, titled "maverick." ice man is coming back for the sequel. the story line will resolve around navigating the skies in the age of drones. now, we also know the movie is looking to cast an actor to play goose's son. you may call, goose was maverick's wingman and passed away in the film. the sequel will feature goose's son all grown up.

per the "hollywood reporter," three actors in the running for the role. they're all being considered. interesting to see where the character takes the story. thank you soi )m ... police say a hit and run driver who struck about a half dozen cars early this morning in good morning. 8:26. police say a hit and run driver who struck about half a dozen cars this morning in san jose is now in custody. this happened at about 1:00 on vine and edwards. that's where the driver of the pickup t-boned the car in the intersection leaving that driver trapped in the wreckage. the pickup then struck at least three other parked cars and ended up outside a home. investigators say three people ran from that pickup. officers tracked down two of them nearby. both are injured. investigators say one of them is the driver who now faces felony charges. look at the morning commute, head over to mike. >> start over here with the bay bridge toll plaza.

backup all morning, of course. look at this lanes on the left approach to the end of the parking lot and coming off the 880 overcrossing, the far lanes moving very lightly, light volume in the maze. still slow west 580 and east shore freeway coming toward the scene. next shot in san jose. lighter volume here for 101 north. but just north of here northern part of san jose up to the mountain view starting to pack in there as folks approach sunnyvale and west 237. here's san mateo bridge. moving slowly. good volume of traffic. back to you. >> more news in an hour. whoooo.

finding the best hotel price is now a safe bet. because tripadvisor searches... ...over 200 booking sites - so you save up to 30% on the... ...hotelock it in. tripadvisor.

♪ high, high hopes for living 8:30 now. it's a thursday morning. it is june 28th, 2018. little bit of a sticky, rainy one out on our plaza this morning. we're so happy to have people along with us. we have to take a selfie. ready? one, two, three. got a little birthday selfie going. is it raining or not raining? >> it's actually not that bad.

>> i guess it's fine. >> we'll put it right here. >> want me to get that for you? >> why? does this seem awkward? >> there we go. >> panic! at the disco is going to be here tomorrow, guys. they'll be taking over our summer concert stage. if you're in the area, come on down. >> should be a fun morning. next friday, july 6th, lady antebellum will be here. they want you to pick one of their songs that day. choices are, "i run to you," "american honey," and "we owned the night." share your pick using the hashtag lady a. today. speaking of stars, check out what sunny got to do. our puppy with a purpose was the guest, meeting the mets, and even delivered the ball for the first pitch. >> how about that? hoda isn't here, so i'll take the crowd moment. i'll try to do it justice here. five sisters from california. oh, this is great.

sis one, sis two, sis three, sis four, sis five. where are you from? >> california. >> all over? >> san diego. >> l.a. >> where is sis four? >> in virginia. we miss you! >> you ladies do a trip every year? >> yes, we do. >> in honor of our mom, dorot dorothy's daughters. >> i love this. looks like you'll set the town on fire. be careful, okay? >> yes. >> we should give you something. if hoda were here, she'd give you something. hoda isn't here. i have nothing to give you. i'll give you a hug. how about that? >> we'll take a picture, as well. >> just what they wanted. >> we want your t-shirts. >> how do we order the t-shirts? >> sis one and sis two. ahead, helicopter parents, there is a new trend, and you won't like it. adventure playgrounds where parents aren't allowed. >> apparently, power tools are allowed. >> power tools, yes. parents, no.

>> i have no idea what's about to happen. i can't wait to see. in the mood for meat, fish, or veggies? when you're grilling, you don't have to choose. we're going to throw it all on the grill this morning. now, let's go to mr. roker. he's in st. louis, for a check of the weather. >> reporter: hey, guys. i've got some pizza with the provel cheese. craig, this is what we do for our crowd. we give out pizza. yeah! here, here's some pizza. help yourselves. good times. let's see what we've got. weekend outlook, here is what is shaking out. starting out with friday, we are looking at hot, humid weather in a good portion of the western -- eastern two thirds of the country. triple digit heat in the southwest. sunshine through the southwest. stormy weather in the mississippi river valley. sunday, sunday, hot and humid weather in the northeast, into the mid-atlantic states. probably see some records,

triple digit heat continuing in the southwest. wet weather from the great lakes all the way down to the gulf coast. how is the good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it will be slightly warmer for the inland valleys today. with 86 degrees the high today in santa rosa. also reaching 86 degrees in antioch. morgan hill, 83 degrees. san jose, 80 degrees. san francisco, upper 60s. we are in for some much hotter temperatures heading into the weekend. tomorrow, 93 degrees. and 100 degrees on saturday. but it does cool down fast. by the middle of next week, we are looking at highs in the upper 70s. >> reporter: that is your latest weather. guys, one of the reasons we are here is to pay tribute to this beautiful national icon. the gateway arch. it opened up 50 years ago. it has been closed. it has just re-opened.

i got a shot to take you to the top of the arch. here in the shadow of greatness, they've been busy. with the gateway arch looming overhead, construction crews have been working to revamp the museum. the first major renovation since 1976. >> a lot of pride in their work. >> reporter: eric and mike helped bring about the changes. why is this so important? >> this is our national monument towards westward expansion. this is a st. louis icon. this is what people in st. louis identify themselves with. >> reporter: why is this arch so iconic? >> it is the tallest monument in our country, but it's also one of the really true wonders of the world. >> reporter: i don't think people realize that it is actually a national monument. you think, in a way, this monument kind of gets short tripped? >> yeah, we're hoping to fix

that. >> reporter: we begin the tour of this new multi-level, interactive museum with ranger rhonda. >> would you like a little tour of the history? >> reporter: would love it. >> we'll show you what the gateway arch represents. >> reporter: all right. >> 201 years of american history. this is the colonial st. louis exhibit. this helps share the story with our visitors about the early days of st. louis. >> reporter: rhonda, i notice, looking at this wall, the cultural and racial diversity that was here. >> this is a real objective of our museum experience, is we want to share american history from multiple perspectives. this model represents the rebuilt city of st. louis in 1852. >> reporter: this is a representation of that? >> it is. >> reporter: it's the tallest manmade monument in the united states. of course, we had to go to the top. to get there, it is a cozy four-minute tram ride up. >> hang on to your hats. we're picking up speed. >> reporter: picking up speed now, baby. the view is spectacular. 630 feet high.

>> here's your 30-mile view into the state of missouri. >> reporter: wow. a stunning look into what, for many, began the journey into the american west. until now, the arch had been cut off from the rest of the city by i-44. now, connected by this stunning, new park, a jewel that makes it possible to walk from the riverfront to the old courthouse. wow, what a view. park ranger donald took me inside. where are we now, donald? >> we are on the fourth level of the courthouse. >> reporter: built in 1828, this was the place where former slave, dred scott, and harriett, fought for their freedom. you are going to give us a very rare tour, access up there? >> 197 feet up. >> reporter: let's try. >> let's do this. >> reporter: lead on. we got exclusive access all the way up to the top of the roof.

that's a heck of a view. very few people, i'm guessing, see the arch from this vantage point. revealing the work just completed to complement this american treasure. that was a hard climb, but it is worth it for the view. donald, is there an elevator down? >> no, sir. >> reporter: dang. i have to tell you, it is worth the climb. this arch is spectacular. just a few of the rangers who you will meet and know everything about it. you'll enjoy it. guys, one of the things i find fascinating is that the people of st. louis and the surrounding area voted for a tax increase, over $90 million, to help with the renovation. that is something you don't see happening every day. really cool. >> yeah. big investment in their community. >> landmark. >> al, thank you so much. coming up next, would you let your kids play unsupervised with saws? the new playgrounds who moting wh

-- promoting risky play and the surprising benefits. jen thna

we're back now with a helicopter parent's worst nightmare. an adventurous kid's dream. >> jenna, you are exploring the rising trend of risky play. we have to hear this. >> i'm not good with saws myself, and we know this is summer. kids can play hours on devices. now, we're trading software for hardware, making toys out of hammers and saws in so-called adventure playgrounds. while it may seem dangerous, experts say there are benefits for children and their parents. >> reporter: with the swing of a hammer and the grinding of a saw, a new type of playground where kids use actual tools to build not only whatever they can imagine, but also character. >> you can do whatever you want with no parents bossing you around. >> i have an idea. >> reporter: the yard, one of

america's few adventure playgrounds, inviting children as young as 6, to turn 50,000 square feet of junk on new york's governor's island, into an opportunity for risky play. >> this is the new york city version of what some of us grew up with. you're able to play with whatever was hanging around. >> reporter: the main rule, no adults allowed. making the yard a no fly zone for so-called helicopter parents. >> they're not being watched. they're not being supervised. they're not being told what to do. they have to figure it out for them themselves. >> reporter: a product of the free-range parenting movement. adventure playgrounds like the yard first became popular in the uk, before popping up across the u.s., answering a growing call to expose kids to more risk. >> it is important for kids to learn to take their own risks and to risk-assess their own behavior, so they can grow up to be fully rounded adults who know how to trust themselves and make their own decisions and choices.

>> drink water. it is really hot. >> reporter: the call for more risk addressed in a recent study, suggesting overprotective parents can diminish their child's ability to regulate emotions and behavior. researchers from the university of minnesota who followed more than 400 children over an eight-year period, found that the more children were coddled early in life, the more likely they struggled in school and with making friends. in other words, children can benefit from the freedom of risky play, which can build social skills and encourage creativity, according to experts. >> overprotective parents, helicopter parents, can often interfere with a child's ability to learn how to self-soothe, how to take care of themselves. the problem with that is, they never actually learn how to regulate emotions for themselves. >> reporter: still, like most parents, some say they struggle with letting go. especially when their children's newfound independence comes with items that aren't exactly child proof. >> we have to stand outside the gate. it is okay. i'm a little nervous watching

them, but it is all about learning. >> reporter: an important life lesson for parents and kids alike. >> they have an incredible capacity to entertain themselves indefinitely, without adults telling them what to do. >> all right. so, there are some adults there with the saws. there are play workers who are trained in first aid. the executive director tells us, since the playgrounds have opened, no serious injuries have really occurred. there's been rare cases. >> i love it. i love it. >> now, who is the helicopter parent? >> my wife -- and i'll get in trouble, i know, again -- but i wouldn't call her a helicopter parent, but her nickname around the house is safety patrol. she'd never let our kids go to that. >> she wouldn't? >> no. >> your kids are little. it's not for toddlers. >> he's 4. >> as young as 6. i remember throwing tantrums into the air-conditioning vent, trying to get my parents' attention, and they didn't give it to me. i had to learn how to self-soothe. >> did you have the tantrum with a saw in your hand though?

>> usually, a hammer. a hammer into the door. >> it's great. >> i like the idea, but the little fingers with the saw -- can we take the saws out? then i'm in. >> saws make me nervous, even for myself. >> exactly. >> to find out more -- and the backlash to overprotective parenting, we have a report on nbcnews.com. >> thank you, jenna. we're firing up the grill with chef lamonico. his recipes to keep you stuffed all summer long. >> great. >> first, thiis "today" on s

we're back with "today" food and a special treat for you outside. insi inside, good weather. good time to get your grill going. michael lamonico is a chef here in new york city. great to see you. >> great to be here. thank you. >> i have to say, i'm not a paid spokesman, but porterhouse is one of my favorite places in new york. >> so nice. >> great room. great food. look at the park. it is amazing. let's talk about surf and turf. >> this is a great surf and

turf. it actually is swordfish. it is a great fish to put on a grill. it cooks so great. swordfish, tuna, great grilli i fish steaks. swordfish, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs. >> beautiful. let's start with the fish. >> marinade the swordfish with a little bit of a spanish paprika. can be sweet or hot. i like it hot. the big thing about it is it's smoked paprika. it is a beautiful flavor. we'll let it marinade. marinade it overnight. you can -- i just think an hour is enough. an hour in the refrigerator. >> okay. >> cut some vegetables. >> beautiful. >> i like flavorful vegetables. i like to cut them in a steak cut, not too thin. steak is thick. i like it for the grill because it cooks so well. when it grills, it caramelizes so beautifully. tomatoes roast great on a grill. >> little olive oil, salt, pepper, is that it? >> that's it. a little olive oil.

don't forget to season them, as you said. want to hit the pepper? >> yes. >> i'll put some right on the grill. >> i like that you keep it simple. olive oil, salt, pepper, on most of your stuff. >> those are the flavors. that's the way to get it where you really want it. especially summer cooking, if it is overcomplicated, it just -- it doesn't work. this is party food. >> exactly. >> this is for fun. >> good colors on the grill going, too, right? >> yes. >> okay. >> whether inside or outside, a grill pan is great. i live in an apartment. this is how i do it. >> got to have it. >> yeah. >> now, a marinade for the steak. >> i try not to put too many things on it, but i like parsley and garlic. this, i like to marinade overnight, kind of like a tuscan steak marinade. it is a dry marinade. we'll put the oil on later. i just take some thyme and rosemary. it releases the essential oils. >> you like the way you put it

on. >> i'll let it go overnight in the refrigerator. they'll begin to release. have it rest on them, and it releases the flavors. >> let's say, for example, i haven't thought ahead to do that overnight. >> an hour is fine. >> okay. >> you can brush it or rub it. if you rub the herbs on it, it is a great way to get the flavor out. >> great. >> we'll take the herbs off. i try to scrape off the garlic. flavor has done its job. >> we're getting ready to cook. do the oil. >> really hot pan. that's a key thing. make sure it is hot. liberal salt. it is a thick cut. you want to season it so it is liberally seasoned, so it cooks well. >> it'll give you an extra hand with that, as well. >> exactly. i'll take off some of the garlic so it doesn't burn. it did its job. it flavored it. >> how are we doing, guys? like it? >> minus savannah dropping four things on me, everything is going good. >> manners. >> it is slippery with the olive oil. it is delicious. very delicious. >> italians, we have to run on

olive oil, you know? how do you carve this? >> yeah. >> we have a great salad. mediterranean with feta cheese, cucumber cucumbers. season it with olive oil, not too much. lemon juice. >> you are the expert on cooking a steak. if you want it medium or rare, how do you know? that's the mystery on the grill. >> this steak will be at room temperature before we took it 10 or 15 minutes so it doesn't hit icy cold, the outdoor or indoor grill. the pinch test works. i tell everybody, if you're not sure, have a meat thermometer. instant read thermometer really works on things you're cooking. you'll get the instant temperature. you know, cooking it medium rare is not tricky. it is a matter of time, but also depends how hot your fire is. when i carve it, slicing -- because this surf and turf on the salad is a shareable dish. i like to just carve it in nice,

thick slices. >> you're coming in a little sideways. >> a little on the diagonal. >> spilled it all over her shirt. also shared my fork. it's okay. >> you guys are a mess. >> i'm a wrecking ball today. >> we're all family. it's fine. >> we can do the same. >> oh, my goodness. >> swordfish or tuna would slice well. >> yeah. >> it would. >> stays in tact. >> it's not delicate. >> michael, beautiful. we love having you here. thank you so much. happy summer. happy grilling. >> have a great summer. >> michael lamonico, thank you. head to today.com/food for the recipes. we're back in a

whoooo. finding the best hotel price is now a safe bet. because tripadvisor searches... ...over 200 booking sites - so you save up to 30% on the... ...hotelock it in. tripadvisor.

we all really can't believe willie dragged himself in this morning. >> yeah. >> he was up late with andy cohen. you were in the clubhouse on "watch what happens live." we all know what happens there. andy tried to booze up our friend. trying to get secrets out of

him. take a look. >> one of my greatest joys is life is when someone appearing on morning television comes to the clubhouse, and i can get them drunk enough that they're probably tipsy getting up for work the next day. willie is filling in for hoda the next morning. >> i'll be with savannah. >> who is your favorite, hoda oro or kathie lee? okay. which typically has more hungover people, "today" show or "morning joe"? >> "today" show by a mile. >> i disagree. >> everyone at the table knows it is true. i'm looking over here. over here. >> exactly. we go to workout first. it doesn't count. >> the game was, tell the truth, or take a sip of your cocktail. i tried to tell the truth. a couple times, i had to sip the cocktail. >> we wondered why your eyes were blurry this morning. >> is it showing? >> coming through your eyes. >> andy has no respect for morning tv. tequila shots.

i made it. >> jenna and sheinelle, you'll do the fourth hour. >> filling in for hoda and kathie lee. >> that'll bei )m - -... c-h-p officers in contra costa good morning. it's 8:56. i'm marcus washington. chp officers will start testing new technology tonight. this is aimed at making you drive safer. officers say that the testing of the effectiveness of shot spotters, this is the technology that detects shootings and alerts officers so they can respond quicker. also helps them find the shell casings. this is after more than 100

shootings on east bay freeways between 2015 and 2017. chp say that is people may hear gunshots near freeways in contra costa county tonight as they shot the shot spotters. vta is trying to boost safety launching a pilot project in downtown san jose saying that right now walkers, cyclists and drivers can easily cross train tracks with almost no separation. now, the transit agency is considering adding rail lanes to make it more clear. happening now, police say that a driver in a multi-car hit and run crash is in custody. happened early this morning in san jose. rescuers used jaws of life to save the driver in the car first struck. i'm marcus washington. we'll have more news for you in an hour. kari gets us ready - tr

updates to the forecast overnight. plus: changes you need to hear if your summer trip is taking you overseas. what the t-s-a will start asking foreign airports to do. )today in the bay ) - 4:30 to . good morning, it )s 7:26...

good morning, everyone. welcome to the program. i'm megyn kelly. we begin today with huge news that could change the direction of the supreme court for a generation of americans. 81-year-old justice anthony kennedy, who served on the high court for more than 30 years, announcing he plans to retire next month. the news immediately had democrats, republicans and, of course, president trump, positioning themselves for the bitter battle that will lie ahead to fill his vacant seat. any time a justice steps down, it is a big deal, but justice kennedy was often a key swing vote in critical cases. he is a conservative but a