all right. enjoy your little dryer day today. taking a live look outside at the beautiful golden gate bridge. back with a live local news update. >> don't forget to join us at 11:00. thanks for starting your morning with us. good morning. stunning revelation. >> i thought i was strong but felt powerless. >> senator martha mcsally, a groundbreaking air force pilot, uses a hearing on sexual assault in the military to share her personal story for the very first time. >> i was preyed upon and then raped by a superior officer. >> this morning, her fig for change as her bravery and openness are applauded on both sides of the aisle. sentencing day. former trump campaign chair paul manafort set to face the music before a federal judge today, learning his fate after being convicted of tax and bank fraud. while the president's former lawyer, michael cohen, brings new evidence to capitol hill that he says backs up his explosive claims.

what does it all mean for president trump and robert mueller's investigation? we're live at the white house. behind bars. singer r. kelly back in jail this morning and facing new allegations in the wake of that bizarre and explosive interview. >> y'all killing me with this [ bleep ]. i can't help [ bleep ]. those stories plus, fight of his life. messages of support pouring in for alex trebek after the beloved "jeopardy" host goes public with his cancer diagnosis. >> so help me. keep the faith, and we'll win. arctic chill. 90% of the country waking up to yet another morning of bone-chilling cold. so when will this finally end? al's got the answers. counting crows. >> nothing but birds, everywhere. look at this. good grief. >> the parking lot invasion at a walmart in texas, straight out of an alfred hitchcock movie. today, thursday, march 7th, 2019.

>> announcer: from nbc >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on this thursday morning. >> nice to have you with us. what a moment on capitol hill yesterday. >> that's where we start this morning. the very personal revelation from senator martha mcsally. re from senator martha mcsally. the refired air force colonel sharing a personal incident from her past during a hearing on capitol hill. morgan radford has more on that. >> martha mcsally is not your average d.c. lawmaker. the 26 year military veteran, tapped to fill the late john mccain's senate seat, spoke out wednesday, detailing the sexual assault that she says happened when she was enlisted. now, her powerful testimony highlighting a persistent problem in our armed forces. >> reporter: this morning, a

u.s. senator and decorated military veteran opening up and calling for change. >> so, like you, i am also a military sexual assault survive, but unlike so many brave survivors, i didn't report being sexually assaulted. >> reporter: arizona senator martha mcsally revealing wednesday during an armed services subcommittee hearing on sexual assault in the military that she was raped by a superior officer while serving in the air force. >> i blame myself. i was ashamed and confused. i thought i was strong but felt powerless. the perpetrators abuse their position of power in profound ways. >> reporter: mcsally, the first female fighter pilot to fly a combat mission, did not report the crime and stayed silent for years. >> i felt the need to let some people know, i, too, was a survivor. >> reporter: when she eventually did try to share her story with others, mcsally says she was horrified at how the military

handled it, and it nearly forced her to quit the air force. >> like many victims, i felt the system was raping me all over again. but i didn't quit. i decided to stay and continue to serve and fight and lead. >> reporter: in a statement, the air force saying they are appalled and deeply sorry for what mcsally endured, adding, we are steadfast in her commitment to eliminate this reprehensible behavior and breach of trust in our ranks. last may, the defense department released a report that found the number of sexual assaults involving service members had increased by almost 10% in one year. mcsally's revelation, part of a wave of women in the me too era sharing their experiences as victims of assault, including fellow lawmakers. in january, republican joni ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the senate, revealed she had been raped as a college student. >> i will always continue to work with survivors and provide them the best possible resources i can.

>> reporter: senate majority leader mitch mcconnell says he is open to policies driven by the two senators. as the fight to end sexual misconduct in the military marches forward. >> we've come a long way to stop military sexual assault, but we still have a long way to go. >> morgan, you said in the last year, the number of sexual assaults reported going up 10%. do we know where we stand this year at this point? >> we're actually waiting to find out right now. the pentagon releases its annual report on sexual assault within the military, and we're expected to see that come this spring. >> morgan radford, thank you. >> thank you. also this morning, two major stories with ties to robert mueller's investigation. they're unfolding around key former members of the president's inner circle. paul manafort, former campaign chairman, and michael cohen, his former lawyer. nbc white house correspondent kristen welker has our story this morning. >> reporter: good morning. president trump's former campaign chairman paul manafort is facing the first of two sentencing hearings that could

send him to prison for two decades. it comes as former attorney michael cohen was back on capitol hill and raising more difficult questions for the president and his legal team. in just hours, the president's former campaign chairman, paul manafort, will be back in court, set to be sentenced today in virginia after his conviction on charges of tax fraud, bank fraud, and failing to report foreign lobbying work. manafort faces another sentencing hearing in washington, d.c. next week, where he pleaded guilty to similar charges last fall. both cases were brought by special counsel robert mueller. prosecutors have argued manafort repeatedly broke the law and his attorneys say he deserves a lenient sentence because he is a first time offender. another former trump ally under a microscope this week. michael cohen testifying behind closed doors before the house intelligence committee on

wednesday. >> the hearings went very, very well. i believe that all of the members were satisfied with the statements and the responses that i gave to them. >> reporter: according to a source familiar with the matter, cohen gave lawmakers new documents not reviewed by nbc news, aimed at backing up his explosive claim last week, that there were edits to the testimony he gave to congress about the trump project in moscow. >> there was different ways on how we'd handle the message. the message, of course, being the length of time the trump tower moscow project stayed and remained alive. >> reporter: the president's attorney, sekulow, firing back, saying testimony by michael cohen that attorneys for the president edited or changed his statement to congress to altar the duration of the trump tower moscow negotiations is completely false. cohen's attorney, lanny davis, tells nbc news that cohen himself did author the false line about the timing of the

discussions in his 2017 testimony to congress but believed he was doing it under guidance and in accordance with the bhiwhite house. the committee's chairman, adam schiff, signaling there could be more to come. >> he's provided additional documents to the committee. there may be additional documents he still has to offer. his cooperation with our committee continues. >> kristen, you're learning new details this morning about whether or not michael cohen actually asked for a pardon from the president. where does this all stand now? >> reporter: well, savannah, you may remember that michael cohen testified just last week that he's never asked for a pardon from president trump. overnight, cohen's attorney, lanny davis, tells nbc news cohen did direct his attorney to inquire about a possible pardon, right after the fbi raided his offices. at the time that he and the president had what's called a joint defense agreement. now, davis adds that cohen does stand by his testimony because there was no discussion of a pardon once that agreement was terminated. rudy giuliani, the president's attorney, telling nbc news

overnight that over a period of eight to ten months, several lawyers for those involved in the investigations have asked about a possible parpardon. giuliani tells me the president is not considering any pardons right now. savannah and hoda? >> kristen, thank you so much. we turn to craig. new trouble for r. kelly this morning. >> good morning to you. the embattled r&b singer has been jailed for the second time in two weeks, and it comes just hours after he exploded in that headline leaking interview where he denied sex abuse charges. nbc's stephanie gosk has been following this and joins us with the latest on that. >> good morning. that's right, r. kelly is back behind bars. this time, for not paying child support. the judge telling him that's where he'll stay until he pays it off, according to the singer's publicist. reaction to the singer's emotional and angry interview continues to swirl. >> reporter: r. kelly's publicist said the embattled singer went to court tuesday ready to pay off half of the more than $160,000 he owes in child support.

but that wasn't enough. the musician was led away in handcuffs. >> hopefully, we'll get him out by next week. >> reporter: the unexpected arrest coming less than a day after his shocking interview with cbs news. the three-time grammy winner responding to allegations of sexual misconduct with minors. >> i didn't do this stuff. this is not me, y'all. i'm fighting for my [ bleep ] life. y'all killing me with this [ bleep ]. 30 years. >> robert. >> 30 years of my career. y'all trying to kill me. you're killing me, man. >> reporter: in the interview, r. kelly says all of his accusers are liars, out for money and fame. including mcgee, one of seven women who appeared in the explosive docu-series, "survi "surviving r. kelly." >> the man needs help. >> they're lying on you. that's your explanation, they're lying on you?

>> absolutely. absolutely. >> he's the liar. he's trying to make the world think that we're all crazy. >> reporter: mcgee was in her mid 30s when she moved in with r. kelly. not long after they first met. she later wrote a book, detailing what she says were years of abuse while living with him. >> after i left, i'm the one that contacted those parents to let those parents know what was going on in the house. >> reporter: tim savage says r. kelly brainwashed his 23-year-old daughter and believes she's being held against her will in the singer's chicago apartment. >> from day one, the only thing we wanted to do was actually to see our daughter, hear from our daughter, and make sure she's fine. >> reporter: kelly denies holding any woman against their will. >> why would i hold all these women? their mothers and fathers told me, we're going to destroy your career. >> reporter: hours after r. kelly's intense interview aired, savage, who hadn't spoken to her

family for two years, called and spoke to them at their attorney's atlanta office. >> i'm very happy. >> how will we know you're happy when we don't hear from you in two years? >> i have to go now. >> i love you. >> i have to go now. >> kelly has to pay more than $160,000 to be released from jail. his next court date is march 13th. the arrest comes less than two weeks after kelly put up -- or had someone put up on his behalf -- $100,000 to be released from custody on criminal sexual abuse charges. guys? >> meanwhile, while all of that is happening, we're hearing this morning that the investigations into r. kelly are actually expanding? >> expanding, yeah. this morning, the police chief in detroit says his police department is looking into an alleged incident of criminal sexual misconduct. they got word of it from the chicago police department. this is on top of a federal investigation that's already going on. of course, they're still looking into things in chicago.

>> stephanie gosk for us this morning. thanks, steph. >> you're welcome. we have more to get to this morning, including the devastating tornadoes in the south. authorities in alabama say everyone there is finally accounted for, as we hear from one victim who suffered unthinkable loss. gabe gutierrez has the very latest, including her heartbreaking story. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. the coroner initially said seven members of one extended family were among the dead, but we found that actually ten victims were related. the magnitude of the loss here is overwhelming. this morning, amid the rubble, the search for survivors is over, but the pain in alabama is just beginning. has it sunk in yet? >> no. >> reporter: cora jones is devastated. she's lost ten extended family members. her parents, jimmy lee and mary lu jones. the ef-4 tornado that sliced through alabama sunday took direct aim at her parents' home,

where her brother, emanuel, also lived. cora's house was spared, but then came a horrifying silence. did you try to contact your parents? >> yes, i started calling. >> reporter: they were frantic moments, so she and other relatives rushed past debris like this to find what was left of her parents' home. >> just the image i will never get out of my head. >> reporter: you found your dad? >> i found my dad. >> reporter: her father, mother, brother, and seven other extended family members who lived nearby would later be confirmed among the tornado's 23 victims. >> why? why this have to happen like this? everybody at one time. i had no idea i was seeing my mama for the last time. i would have so many things to tell her. >> reporter: what was something you wanted to tell her? >> that i love her. >> reporter: more than 90 others were injured, including benjamin

robertson who, today, is recovering at the hospital. >> you can see rotation in front of the house like this, so we were like, we have to take cover. >> reporter: he, his wife, and 5-year-old son huddled in a bathroom but were blown out of the house. >> you know, i'm like this, and i just see debris, pieces of the houses around me. >> reporter: incredibly, they all survived. >> thankfully, everybody is alive and breathing. >> reporter: as for cora jones, the woman who lost so many family members, sadly, she has spent the week planning funerals. two organizations, we're told, stepped in to help pay for them. thankfully, this community is coming together. >> your heart just breaks for her. gabe, thank you. reminder, a lot of people want to help out, you can help out the tornado victims. we have information on our website at today.com. we move now to shift gears. in the nba, there was a milestone for lakers superstar lebron james. >> here he goes, lays it up and

in. king james has flown past air jordan. >> lebron passed michael jordan on the all-time scoring list. now, where does it stand? he's happy about it. he's fourth overall, and he sits behind three legends. kareem abdul jamar, malone, and kobe bryant. still going, too. >> no plans of stopping. lebron paid tribute to jordan by wearing nikes designed in the style of the air jordan 3. he wrote, thank you, mj23, on the side of one of the shoes. after the game, the king said, quote, of all the stuff i've done in my career, this ranks right up there at the top with winning a championship. >> pretty cool. we do have another bitter cold morning for a lot of the country. mr. roker is here with a check of all that stuff. hey, al. >> good morning. thank you for getting your first weather from us. southeast, you're one of the 22 million people impacted by this freeze warning and watches from jackson, fort myers, wilmington, atlanta. at or below freezing.

minus 10 in holton. 7 in albany. 10 in bradford. 19 in atlantic city. the good news is this is going to be short lived. one more day of the chill. wichita, charlotte, boston. friday, we're looking at temperatures still cold but not as bad. kansas city up to 44. washington, d.c., 42. savannah, the city, not our guthrie, 73 degrees. three degrees above normal. by the time we get into the weekend, nice and mild. sunday, wilmington, 75. 50, new york city. louisville, 55. tallahassee, 79 degrees. tallahassee, 79 degrees. we'll get to your ♪ you guys hungry? ♪ ♪

♪ i'm meteorologist kari hall. as you head out the door we'll see rain in the south bay and east bay as we see light showers lingering as we go into today as the cold front dips in and brings us cooler temperatures throughout the day. off-and-on rain. most will be off. there will be breaks in the clouds. a chance of rain early tomorrow. we'll see another system moving in on saturday and then two days of dry weather sunday and monday. >> a couple of storms to talk about. we'll tell you about that in the next half hour. >> sorry, i scowled at you. >> i'm not taking it personally. still to come, the support pouring in for beloved "jeopardy" host alex trebek

after revealing his advanced cancer diagnosis. why he is confident he can beat the odds. is social media changing as we know it? the new plan that has facebook's mark zuckerberg under fire. how is this going to impact your facebook account? rst, this is "today" ofin

just ahead, jenna sits down with former first lady michelle obama to talk about a shared passion, reading, and the books that shaped their lives. plus, following in mom's shoes. the adorable video of her daughter that serena williams is sharing this morning. first, a look at your local news and weather. we'd love some help with laundry. here's how you do it. spray and scrub anything with a stain. soak your nasty jersey. it stinks! wash the really dirty clothes separately. remember -hard work builds character! new tide pods with upgraded 4-in-1 technology unleash a foolproof clean in one step.

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weather. >> some spotty rain around the area, a wet commute in oakland as you head out. windshield wipers on. make sure you keep umbrellas handy. we have a front coming through bringing showers moving across peninsulaened a east billy ray. off-and-on rain today. at any point we could see showers moving through and then we also will still see a spotty shower or two early tomorrow morning and then another round of rain in the forecast on saturday. but a few more breaks in between. we will see as we spring forward some more sunshine on sunday and then another chance of rain on tuesday. we'll be tracking all of that for you. mike, you've got a look at that morning drive. >> i'm actually looking right there under the overpass. i think that's a crash that may have cleared to the shoulder, westbound 80 jammed up at the curve. the back up out of el cerrito and richmond because of the crash as you approach bay bridge toll plaza. the rest of the commute standard. a bonus in the south bay.

that traffic cleared from southbound 101 traffic at speed once again out of san jose down towards morgan hill. back to you. >> thanks, mike. i'll have another local news update coming up in 30 minutes. ♪ no hormones!

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or loss of pregnancy. rarely, paragard may attach to or go through the uterus. want hormone free? ask for paragard by name. ♪ pull me closer ♪ why don't you pull me close 7:30. thursday morning, 7th of march, 2019. this time tomorrow, this plaza is going to look totally different. it is going to be time for a special live concert. music superstar maren morris will be here. it is part of a special day. a citi sponsored event here on our plaza. we're marking international women's day. we have some big things planned. we want to celebrate remarkable women coast to coast, and a lot of them will be right here. ♪ baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle ♪ >> it'll be a great day. >> great concert. we start with a check of the headlines. stunning revelation from senator martha mcsally. the retired colonel revealing she had been raped by a superior

officer while serving in the air force. the revelation came wednesday during an armed services subcommittee hearing on sexual assault in the military. >> i blame myself. i was ashamed and confused, and i thought i was strong but felt powerless. the perpetrators abuse their position of power in profound ways. >> in a statement, the air force saying they are, quote, appalled and deeply sorry for what mcsally endured. adding, we are steadfast in our commitment to eliminate this rem rehenceable behavior and breach of trust in our ranks. the final moments of the deadly cargo plane crash near houston last month. it shows the plane in a nosedive, back on february 24th. boeing 767 was carrying packages for amazon and head ed miami to houston. all on board were killed. the cockpit voice recorder indicates the pilots lost

control of the aircraft 18 seconds before it crashed. we know shopping center parking lots can be a nightmare, but this walmart in houston, texas, takes it to a whole new level. check this out. thousands of black ycrows and other birds gathered in what looks like a tailgate party. some perched on cars, others hung out on the ground. reminiscent of the alfred hitchcock movie "the birds." >> i like birds as much as the next guy, but not on land, all right there, no. now to well wishes and messages of support for alex trebek. the ledgendary host of jury tr"" revealed he's diagnosed with cancer. >> good morning. devastating news to the "jeopardy" fans and all of us who have watched him over three decades. alex trebek saying like 50,000

others in the u.s. each year, he has pancreatic cancer. >> reporter: he's the face of the game show we've all grown up with. >> announcer: this is "equ "jeopardy." >> reporter: 78-year-old alex trebek with a devastating diagnosis, stage 4 pancreatic cancer. >> the prognosis for this is not encouraging, but i'm going to fight this. >> reporter: only 3% of people at his stage live more than five years. the disease claiming singer aretha franklin, apple founder steve jobs, and actor patrick swayze. >> with the love and support of my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers, also, i plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease. >> reporter: social media lighting up in support. ken jennings, the "jeopardy" contestant with the longest

winning streak tweeting, alex trebek is an authoritative, reassuring tv voice. pat sajak tweeting, i'd never bet against him. we and the entire country are pulling for you, alex. this isn't trebek's first health scare. >> i want to thank all of you for your concern. >> reporter: in 2018, announcing he had brain surgery to remove blood clots after suffering a fall. >> slipping and hitting my head led to blood on the brain, one of these swellings. >> reporter: his show recently poking fun with a category called. >> the medical file of alex trebek. yup, i've had everything, haven't i? >> reporter: in recent sbh interviews, he talked about retirement, floating ideas for who will replace him as host. >> it is probably going to be a woman. it'll be somebody younger. somebody bright. somebody personable.

>> reporter: the man with all the answers says there's no question he'll beat the odds. >> under the terms of my contract, i have to host "jeopardy" for three more years, so help me. keep the faith, and we'll win. >> in a statement, the chairman of sony pictures tv, which produces "jeopardy" said if anyone can beat this, it's alex. he has our full support as he tackles this challenge head on. guys, back to you. >> miguel, thank you. nbc news medical correspondent dr. john torres is with us. it strikes me, alex trebek looks totally healthy. what is happening inside his body with this stage 4 diagnosis? >> he's in great spirits. >> yeah. >> the fact he looks healthy is part of the problem. when patients come to you, they look fantastic, look great. they haven't had much problems. inside, this cancer is growing. usually, the first signs we get from them is they say, there's a gnawing pain right in the middle of my belly, under the rib cage and it goes to the back. maybe i'm feeling a little tired. they're vague symptoms. the organ is so inside the body,

it is hard to get symptoms. >> is there a screening test? >> there's no screening tests at this point. scientists and researchers are trying to get tests, especially blood tests. we're around the corner, but it is still not here. >> stage 4, what precisely does that mean, and what are his options in terms of treatment? >> stage 4, they stage all cancers in four stages. one is localized inside of the pancreas. two is the same. third, it is not surgically correctable because there are so many sites. options are chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. >> is this something hereditary, if your family members, should you get checked? is there anything else to do? >> hereditary, family member. diabetes is another one. those are ones that you can't control because you have them or don't have them. the ones you can control are smoking, being overweight. we think inactivity, as well. >> he looks the picture of

health. >> again, that's the issue. they look fantastic. it takes a while to get to the point where you say, let's check you for pancreatic cancer. >> every time something like this happens, i mean, the only good side of it is maybe people will learn. what is there to learn here? i mean, what should people be looking out for in terms of symptoms for themselves? >> control the factors you can. stop smoking, lose weight, exercise. i tell people, know your body. if you know sis symptoms, especially this gnawing pain going into your back, fatigue that's not usually there, tell your doctor. >> thank you. >> you bet. >> thoughts and prayers are with alex trebek and his family this morning. >> absolutely. we're going to switch gears and talk to mr. roker for a check of the weather. >> we're thinking about him right now. snow coming from the da kkotas into the mid mississippi river vall valley. heavier in the plains. further east, 1, 2, maybe 4 inches in the appalachians. appalachians, i should say. friday night, another system

comes, and this is the one we're really concerned about. heavier snow through the plains friday night. we're also looking at severe weather developing along this system. same areas where we had the heavy tornado outbreak over the weekend. that snow will continue pushing to the east through the great lakes. strong storms from the carolinas into louisiana. we've got a risk for 17 million people. possibility of tornadoes including alabama, mississippi, georgia, on into east texas. we'll be watching that very closely. plus, heavy rain. there could be flooding upwards of 2 inches of rain through the south. then to the north, heavier snow, interior sections of new york on into new england. again, back through the great lakes and into the plains. upward good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. rain moving through with some light showers across parts of the peninsula into the east bay. this is all with a cold front that continues to move across the bay area keeping our

temperatures down and also keeping it pretty soggy to start out. we will keep those rain chances in the forecast today if at any point we see showers passing by. as we go into friday, we're going to get a little bit more sun but not still in the clear with the rain. another chance of showers in the forecast on saturday. >> coming up in the next half hour, cherry blossom time. >> what? >> seriously? >> i'll tell you all about it. >> i love that. >> al, thank you. coming up, a new look from the front lines at the nation's opioid epidemic. wait until you see what first responders in one major city are facing every single day. also ahead this morning, former first lady michelle obama opening up to jenna about her family and their favorite books. then they call her the millennial oprah. can't wait to introduce you to the remarkable young woman using social media to, get this, spread a positive message. >> we like that. first, is it the end of oversharing and facebook as you know it? the story behind mark zuckerberg's surprising, new privacy pledge, coming up after who said kids can't cook? who said men can't bake?

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for a long time facebook saw itself as like a virtual town hall or digital park where people could come together and everybody could share ideas. now 15 years after it first launched that whole model may be shifting with privacy and direct communication front and center. is the world's largest social media site becoming less social? this morning facebook is promise agnew future centered around privacy and direct messages. mark zuckerberg posting he plans to make the site more intimate and safer where people can be confident what they say to each other stay secure and message and content won't stick around forever. some see it as a move from it's earlier statement as bringing the world together. >> i'm seeing people and nations turning inward against this idea of a connected world and a global community. and if the world starts to turn inwards then our community will

just have to work even harder to bring people together. >> zuckerberg's latest post highlighting the popularity of disappearing stories saying people are more cautious of having a permanent record of what they've shared but those features are nothing new. zuckerberg copied snapchat's temporary videos. >> what mark zuckerberg has done today is not re-inventing the wheel, just re-inventing the wheel at facebook. it will impact the lives of almost 3 billion people around the world. >> facebook's biggest hurdle may be its own reputation. the company has been rocked by multiple privacy scandals from revelations of personal information and photos they collect and share to high number of fake accounts some littering people's feeds with outright false news stories. some advertisers have been quitting facebook one citing the company's business model. while those in the u.s. are logging off for good.

it may be more than just security concerns. with so many places to post a new emphasis on social media oversharing has many now wondering is facebook still relevant? >> billion dollar question. is facebook still cool >> that's a really good question. facebook, the core product, is not as cool as it once of. that's why facebook went out and acquired instagram. is why they are making the changes that they are making today. >> for now facebook hoping to win back trust saying they want to put privacy first. >> wow. this is a really big deal. when do we expect to see these haengs? >> reporter: facebook hasn't given a timeline. we'll see it roll out in phases. nbc universal invested $500 million into snapchat. full disclosure i also have two facebook accounts and instagram accounts so this whole social media overload thing is very real. >> that's what we call oversharing. >> exactly.

>> a lot of folks are quite suspicious about this new announcement just based on facebook' past. >> i don't think i quite get it. what would it be if it's not public and sharing >> a lot of times when you post things it disappears. don't stay forever. >> follow you. >> so i think facebook is attempting to try and do that. >> start over. >> we'll see. still to come this morning the open potassium iodine crisis. it's hitting home in baltimore. andy could be has an eye-opening look why the problem has become so bad there and the takeaway for other communities across the country. but first, these messages. take a moment. to unwrap, and unwind... with lindor. a milk chocolate shell with a smooth, melting center. crafted by the lindt master chocolatiers whenever. wherever.

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good thursday morning. right now at 7:56 we are still seeing spotty showers moving across the bay area. this is as the cold front moves through. we are still going to need the umbrellas especially in the east bay as well as the peninsula. so we're going to keep those rain chances in the forecast even into this afternoon as we can see some more of that rain developing especially in the south bay and early tomorrow morning as the system starts to wind down. and our forecast sees spotty showers through saturday. then by sunday as we set our clocks forward one hour, we'll go throughout the afternoon with mostly sunny skies. a little bit warmer on monday and then on early next week more rain in the forecast, especially on tuesday. so kind of off and on a few more breaks in between. by this afternoon, we should see a few more peeks of sunshine. keep an eye on that.

let's head to mike for an update on the commute. >> the parking lot walnut creek, southbound 680 and westbound 24. they are splitting right there and slowing. see that on the arrow to the right. slow down the east shore freeway area to the left jammed up. el cerrito, berkeley curve. smooth drive pretty much, slows through summit, an earlier crash getting cleared through los gatos. one of the scattered showers kari is talking about. slow for the commute across san mateo bridge no drama on the span. over to you. >> thanks, mike. happening now, san ramon valley teachers worked out most of the language in ongoing contract talks, still a chance it will happen. both sides are optimistic, one sticking point is class size. agreements reached in forging the new deal there. gear heads and people who love them descending on the south bay. the auto show set to open its doors in three hours.

models on display with exotic cars. $12 for administration. i'm marcus washington. more news in 30 minutes. a brewi the east bay city looking to make changes to help improve safety. the input they want from you on the popular road. plus--- kari hall is tracking your weekend forecast as you make your plans. join us tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, calling for change. >> so, like you, i am also a military sexual assault survivor. >> senator martha mcsally, america's first female pilot to serve in combat, revealing she was raped while serving in the military. >> perpetrators abuse power in profound ways. >> this morning, her heartfelt testimony on capitol hill and how the air force is responding. plus, on the front lines. an eye-opening look at how the opioid crisis is spreading across the country and targeting big cities. >> a call came through on the dispatch that an overdose is happening. this happens multiple times a day in the city of baltimore.

>> how first responders and activists are working to save one life at a time. and reading, writing, and the white house. jenna sits down with michelle obama to talk about her love of books. >> what was your favorite book to read to your girls? >> there are so many. >> what kind of books does the former first lady recommend? we'll reveal her top picks today, thursday, march 7th, 2019. ♪ and i don't want to be somebody ♪ >> girls from memphis, tennessee. >> happy birthday, zakaya. >> i turned double digits today. >> celebrating my sweet 16. ♪ if it wasn't you, i wouldn't want anybody ♪ >> good morning to my dad and brother in north carolina. >> good morning, "today" show, from manhattan, kansas. been watching since 1952. >> nbc, never been colder. >> i don't think i've ever heard nbc, never been colder, but we agree.

welcome back to "today." we appreciate you being with us on this chilly thursday morning. >> let's just say you don't want to freeze out on the plaza. you could be warm and cozy and still make it into our open. all you need is a phone. record a quick message, say hi, share it with the my today plaza hashtag. put it on twitter, instagram. we will put it up on our open air. >> really cool. get to the news at 8:00. senator and retired fighter pilot march that mcsally is calling for change after reveal sheg w ing she was raped serving in the air force. she made the disclosure during a subcommittee hearing on sexual assault in the military. she stayed silent for years and was horrified by how the military handled it when she tried to share her story. >> like many victims, i felt the system was raping me all over again, but i didn't quit. i decided to stay and continue to serve and fight and lead. >> in a statement, the air force said they are appalled and deeply sorry for what mcsally endured.

adding, we are steadfast in our commitment to eliminate this reprehensible behavior and breach of trust in our ranks. president trump's former campaign chairman paul manafort faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced today in virginia. manafort was convicted last year on federal tax and bank fraud charges, along with failing to report lobbying work for a foreign government. next week, he'll be sentenced in washington, d.c. where he pled guilty on similar charges. both cases were brought by special counsel robert mueller. meanwhile, former trump attorney, michael cohen, returned to capitol hill on wednesday. cohen reportedly gave investigators records to support his claim a trump attorney edited the statement he used to lie to congress about a trump tower moscow project. grammy winning singer r. kelly is back in jail this morning, this time over unpaid child support. that arrest came just hours after he gave a bizarre and ranting interview about the sexual abuse charges against him. nbc's stephanie gosk is on the story. steph, good morning.

>> good morning again, guys. the message from the judge in chicago to r. kelly, pay what you owe in child support or sit in jail until you do. this morning, the musician is behind bars as possible criminal trouble mounts. a police chief in denver says these detectives are looking into an allegation of criminal sexual misconduct involving the singer. this comes on the heels of his explosive interview with cbs news. >> robert. >> i didn't do this stuff. this is not me, y'all. i'm fighting for my [ bleep ] life. y'all are killing me with this [ bleep ]. 30 years of my life. >> robert. >> 30 years of my career. y'all trying to kill me. you're killing me, man. >> according to gayle king, r. kelly's people told her they were happy with how the interview went. despite some of the criticism he's been getting. the 52-year-old has bigger problems now. he owes more than $160,000 in

child support, and it appears he can't come up with it. >> all right. stephanie, thank you. new jersey woman and the homeless man she was supposedly trying to help have pleaded guilty in the gofundme scam that raised more than $400,000. kate mcclure faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced in june. john bobbitt jr. could get ten years behind bars. prosecutors say mcclure and her ex-boy friend made up the feel-good story giving bobbitt giving her his last $20 when she ran out of gas. donors rushed to help the homeless good samaritan. the scheme unravelled after bobbit accused the couple for keeping most of the money for themselves. a murder story in colorado we've followed closely here. the search continues for the remains for kelsey berreth. "dateline" is now following the information. "dateline" uncovered new information about patrick frazee. they spoke to curie, whose daughter, vanessa, once dated patrick.

>> she loved him but hated him. and she feared him. >> and yet, he had this spell over her? >> yes, it was crazy. >> what is it? >> he's very charming at first, then he confides in her. she'd always say he was this little boy in a man's body. he'd always pull the i had a bad childhood. i think it was the nurturing, loving part of vanessa that he would capitalize on. then when he'd know he had her, he'd spin this mental cruelty web around her, to the point where she almost thought about suicide one weekend. >> you may remember the story, patrick frazee was charged with kelsey berreth's murder. he has not entered a plea. "dateline" reached out to frazee's attorney but he declined to comment. tune into "dateline" tomorrow for the "vanishing of kelsey berreth," 10:00/9:00 central here on nbc. >> 8:06. you're caught up on the news. >> how about a morning boost? here we go. it can be hard sometimes to get

teenage boys to show emotions. watch what happened when a high schoolteacher and coach returned early from his deployment to afghanistan with the army national guard. >> oh! >> that, by the way, is football and basketball coach captain a coach captain andrew olson surprising his former players. he kept in touch with them while he was in the combat zone. he said he knew they would be excited to see him, but he had no idea it would bring his classroom to tears. >> now all of us to tears. >> it's obvious that that guy is so much more than a coach and teacher. still ahead on this thursday morning, wimbledon ready. i know you are. the playful video serena posted of her daughter on the tennis court. first, jacob is taking us to the front lilines of the nation opioid crisis.

>> a call came through an overdose happened. this happens multiple times a day. >> the sudden change in the battle that has officials so concerned, right after this. d ad she's watching too, saying [indistinct conversation] [friend] i've never seen that before. ♪ ♪ i have... ♪ and stack the savings... i have... with an extra 20% off! save on men's dress shirts - just $19.99... nike shoes for the family... and samsonite luggage. plus - take $10 off your $50 or more men's style event purchase... plus - get kohl's cash! right now... at kohl's. we all care about amazing taste. that's why we've been making the best mayonnaise

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men's style event purchase... plus - get kohl's cash! right now... at kohl's. we are back. 8:11 on this thursday morning. more of the nbc news special series, one nation overdose, focused on this country's nationwide opioid epidemic. >> it first hit rural and mostly white communities, but now it is all changing. nbc's jacob soboroff is with us on this story. >> good morning, guys. it is simple geography. the deadly opioid, fentanyl, spreads to the rust belt, then the east coast big cities. it is killing now indiscriminately. new studies show african-americans are dying at increasing rates. we saw the shift last year in real time.

[ sirens ] >> reporter: a call came through an overdose is happening. this happens multiple times a day in the city of baltimore. baltimore first responders find a man unconscious after using fentan fentanyl. after a few anxious moments, they bring him back with the overdose reversal drug, narcan. what was it like to see that? >> like i said, it was scary. i thought he was getting ready to die, right here. >> reporter: they saved his life. >> basically, yes, they saved h his life. i'll say they saved his life. >> reporter: baltimore has been the heroin capital of america for decades, not until fentanyl, another type of synthetic opioid, 50 times more deadly, showed up from mexico and china did everything intensify. last year alone, the city saw just over 700 overdose deaths. almost three times as many as 2015. this overdose happened at the same time we just heard of another one. a black honda, somebody is passed out. now, we're headed there. this man needs two doses of

narcan to revive him. >> we got narcan ready. >> reporter: he was passed out in his car when a woman noticed him outside her window and dialed 911. >> had she waited longer to call, you know, or didn't call about the situation he was in, could he have died? >> he could have, yeah, depending on how much he took. >> reporter: you might have saved his life by calling. >> that's great. glad i could help. >> reporter: african-americans had been less affected by record overdose deaths than whites, largely because of geography. fentanyl first flooded america's rust belt, but that's now changing, as fentanyl made its way into the east coast heroin supply. anybody here know anybody that has died from an overdose? almost everybody. we sat down with a group of people in baltimore who struggled with addiction, to ask them why the overdoses have become so much more deadly. why is it so bad today? is it the fentanyl? >> it's the fentanyl. the thing is, i lost people that i grew up with from childhood,

like about eight people in one year. >> reporter: eight people in one year. >> eight people that i grew up with, fentanyl overdoses. >> reporter: a part of the city hit particularly hard is the penn north neighborhood. that overdose, like we just saw. >> it is every day. you blink, you miss three of them. you know, it's a day to day occurrence here. >> reporter: we met up with local activists, now working to save people from dying. he works with the health department to get to the hardest hit areas. >> three narcan kits, man. overdose rescue kits. >> reporter: miller works for be more power, a local group that hands out narnarcan, free to ane who wants it. >> don't say y'all are doctors, all right? you can respond to an opioid overdose. >> reporter: how long do you see yourself doing this job?

>> can't answer it. what i do, i'm teaching my daughter how important public health is right now at 9 years old. >> reporter: at 9 years old. >> yeah, it's 9. i can't say how long i'm going to be doing it. it still needs to be done. >> in baltimore, activists like miller have been fighting this battle for decades. it has intensified because of theover do overdoses from fenta. the hope is his work will destigmatize drug use amongst communities like this in baltimore to change the conversation to the health epidemic, the health crisis this is. >> it is hard to overstate how essential narcan has been in the fight against opioid addiction in the country. i don't think folks realize how many more people would have died if it weren't for the narcan being handed out in cities like baltimore. >> there is a movement, and the goal, because this is the worst drug crisis in american history, is literally to first and foremost stop people from dying, then help them get treatment. >> what you saw during the tiny window when you were visiting baltimore was surprising to me, how many deaths and losses you saw. >> in the first couple -- the first hour, three overdoses,

back to back to back. they deal with it every day, all day long. >> relentless. >> jacob, thank you. >> thank you, guys. >> thanks for shining a light. mr. roker, what you got? >> a birthday a little early today. mr. willard scott, my mentor, my second dad, 85 years old today. >> wow. >> love him. miss him. america's weatherman, willard scott. also, got his start in washington, d.c. he is an institution in washington. another institution in washington, the cherry blossoms. average date for the peak bloom, april 3rd. well, we are seeing basically a change in that, if we can advance that along. record earliest bloom march 15th, 1990. this season's forecast, right on time, april 3rd through the 6th. head on down, over a million folks will. for today, a morning freeze through the southeast. snow showers making their wau through the northeast. look for light snow making its way from the plains into the mid mississippi river valley. another storm system comes on

shore, makes its way into the rockies, bringing heavier snow. plenty of sunshine for the hawaiian islands. snow showers in norther good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. look at storm ranger. you can see rain is off and on throughout the bay area. it will be a soggy commute for some. we will see the rain continuing throughout the day, not all of us will see it. it will be very spotty staying in the forecast through tonight and early tomorrow morning. by tomorrow we should see more sun and another round of rain in the forecast on saturday. >> we're in crisis mode. savannah has lost her phone. we don't know where it is. >> you know what jenna said, maybe it's by the peanut butter. that's where i go. i get a scoop of peanut butter. >> i bet it is there. >> that's funny. >> somebody check the pantry! >> pbs. we're going to find it. >> i know. >> around the peanut butter.

>> everybody does that around here, walking around. >> the peanut butter, i know. why does it taste so good? good morning, sheinelle. pop start. >> we have a fun one to start. serena williams, her 18 month old daughter, alexa olympia, is starting to take after her, particularly when it comes to hitting the tennis court. take a look. >> that baby fast. >> oh, my gosh. >> look at that footwork. oh, wow. >> look at that. >> you burning so fast. she lost a shoe. sweetie, you look like mommy when she's mad on the court. >> like mother, like daughter. williams jokingly referring to her infamous reaction at last year's u.s. open. up next, brie larson and samuel l. jackson, the pair have been on a press tour for "captain marvel." while they've both been recognized for acting skills, last night, their singing skills

were on "carpool karaoke." ♪ lashes and diamonds, atm machines ♪ ♪ buy myself all of my favorite things ♪ ♪ my neck is glossy ♪ big deposits ♪ you like my hair, gee, thanks, just bought it ♪ ♪ i like it, i want it, i got it ♪ >> singing "seven rings" by ariana grande. they both can sing. finally, last night, our friend willie geist sat down with stephen colbert to talk about sunday toe"today." they confessed to using a go-to question to get them out of any awkward moments. >> i do space out sometimes a little bit. >> yeah. >> oh, what should i ask them next? what is your go-to when you're like, i'm totally stuck. >> you fall out a little bit, spacing out. >> you realize the rhythm of their speech means they're about to stop talking.

you should say someone soon. >> i know the terror of that moment. hoda kotb and i have a joke, where it is a blanket question of, what a year. by virtue of you being here, i'm going to assume it's been a great year. you probably have a book, movie, tv show. what a year. >> i have a similar one. how do you live with yourself? you have to go in a minute. before that, i have to ask one last question. >> sure. >> what a year. >> now, you have to find another one. >> secrets revealed. >> willie was co-hosting with me at 10:00. we had two shows. i prepped for the wrong one. i saw a guest, and i was like, who is this and why are we here? willie and i go like this, ready? what a year. wow. >> now you can't use it anymore. >> it's over. >> find another one. >> by the way, we've got breaking news here. >> what? >> the search for your cell

phone. >> oh, where is it? >> there's the peanut butter. >> savannah. >> no phone. >> okay s. >> did you eat that whole jar? >> i almost stole the whole jar. >> i think they should open up where the spoons are. >> could be there, too. >> watch. >> let's see. >> if you go in my office, i think it could be there. >> i'm intrigued now. >> where is it? >> did you go to the bathroom? >> we already looked in the trash. >> it's no there. >> me and craig were dumpster diving. >> i see your orange peel. >> you know what stinks, it is on silent. you can't call it. don't you hate when that happens? >> like where's panicked? >> i've lost a limb. >> i've been talking to deborah on the phone and go, where is my phone? >> wait a minute. >> oh, she's looking for my phone. did you find it? >> is that it? oh, we found it. she saved the day.

>> thank you, kaitlyn. >> daly click died. >> we found your phone. >> phonegate. >> daly click gave its life to find my phone. >> way to go, kaitlyn. >> great assistant. >> thanks, everyone. >> jenna's turn now. >> it was not by the peanut butter. good morning, guys. yesterday, we announced we have a new book club. i have some more news. >> what is it? >> do you want to hear it? it has to do with books. i'm a nerd. you are having fun with your digital series. i've decided to start my own. let me introduce you to our newest digital series, open book. >> love it. >> i'll be chatting with newsmakers and celebrities about books that mean the most to them. first guest, no big deal, happens to be a best-seller and former first lady, michelle obama. >> wow. >> what? >> reporter: what was your favorite book to read to your girls? >> there were so many. any dr. seuss book.

"goodnight moon." barack's favorite was "where are wild things are." you could get into character. those are the books we always read when reading to kids. we had so many. we're a household of book readers, i should say. >> reporter: do you remember what book you loved as an assault tadult the most? >> "song of solomon," tony morris morrison. every time i pick it up, i'm pulled into the story, her writing, the way she shapes those characters, and the journey they're on. it pulls me in every time. it is some of the greats. i mean, even "grapes of wrath." i still feel like it is relevant. i think everyone who understands -- wants to understand the trajectory of this country needs to really understand "grapes of wrath" and who we were as a country and why we changed, why we have some of the regulations and laws that we have. >> reporter: do you recommend books to your girls? >> you know, yeah, sometimes.

they're at this stage now where it's like, the last thing i want is one more thing to do. but most recently, because melilmal maleah is a fan, i read "white teeth" because of zadie. every now and then, when she's in a place she's reading something interesting, she'll call and say, check this out, or do you know this author? she doesn't have much time to read as a sophomore. >> reporter: she basically recommends books to you. >> sometimes she does. >> reporter: i love when the switch happens. >> yeah. >> that was great. >> i know. i love this. check out the full conversation, including mrs. obama's guilty pleasure reads. >> that's a tease. >> whoa. >> it is not "50 shades of grey." head to today.com. stay tuned for some more open book guests, including sarah jessica parker, bono, and neil patrick harris. >> oh, my goodness. >> by the way, the book you recommended yesterday on this program, i happened to be at the

bookstore yesterday, there were three people in line holding that book because you recommended it. >> read with jenna. >> #read with jenna. >> exactly. >> seven people posted it. >> jenna, this is great. >> thank you. >> what's funny, jenna invited my mom to join her book club. >> nancy? >> she texted me, and i have my phone. it says, got the book from jenna. would love to be in her club. ask her if there will be a discussion. >> the author wrote me on instagram. she'll do questions and answers for us. >> this is going to be awesome. >> join in, y'all. let's read. >> #join in y'all. >> that's my hashtag every day. >> it is #read with jenna. do it. aheaahead, "trading spaces" reboot returning. second season for the reboot. first, we brought the cast to studio 1a. we're going to do a little diy ourselves. we'll catch up with them after your local news. good morning, i.

i )m ... a breakthrough - for san ramon valley school district teachers threatening to walk off the job. followin good morning. a break through for san ramone valley school district. teachers threatening to walk off the job. the union posted on its facebook a tentative deal for most of the outstanding issues. there's still one major sticking point, the language addressing the agreement on class size. both sides did sign 11 zbreems. it's not clear how soon they'll hammer out the class size issue. let's check the morning commute with mike. >> things are calming down in many parts.

the lanes are clear on the left of the pay bridge. you can pay cash and get through quicker. the approach out of richmond still slower. the rest of the bay moving nicely. the south bay seeing the latest build. we saw the latest clearing there. an usual drive out of san jose. clearing by the time you get here. no incidents reported here. there might be a road crew fixing some potholes. 17 north, watch that. >> good to know. thank you. another update in a half hour.

♪ 8:30 now. it is thursday morning. it's the 7th of march, 2019. it is a cold one, but we have exciting news. tomorrow is international women's day, and we're going to have a special, live event here on our plaza. we're going to celebrate with really awe-inspiring women from all walks of life. they're going to walk in here on this plaza. great story. >> it is gang to be awesome. the cherry on top, ms. guthrie,

a live concert from country music superstar maren morris. if you guys are in town, come on down tot p the plaza and hang o with us. >> i want to introduce you to my girlfriend. she doesn't know we're friends but we're about to be. hello. are you gayle? >> i'm gayle, yeah. >> you're from where? >> north carolina. >> i bet you have a lot of friends there. >> yes. they're all looking for me on tv. >> she said, please talk to me. all my friends think i'm going to be on tv. well, you are, gayle. want to shoutout? >> parker, her 16th birthday. >> i have a present for you. are you busy tomorrow morning? >> not -- no. >> the answer would be no. i've got vip passes for you. we have a concert tomorrow, maren morris. are you into that? >> yes, yes, i am. >> happy birthday. >> thank you. >> you're famous. >> savannah, her name is

savannah, too. >> it is? let's talk. nice to meet you, savannah. >> nice to meet you, too. >> you're as cute as can be. nice to meet you, honey. i just made a whole bunch of new friends. >> of course you did. >> that was so tweesweet. ahead, have you heard of cleo wade? she's called the young oprah. a poet using social media to spread love and acceptance. also ahead, the gang from "trading spaces" with a new season on the way. they're going to join us with do it yourself tips and tricks to spruce up your home. plus, today food is heading to south carolina. the charleston food and wine festival. i'll be there tomorrow live. this morning, we have a sneak peek, enter deucing ye i introd female chefs in charge of the best restaurants. natalie morales is coming down.

we'll do meet and greets. on the third hour of "today," another remarkable influence-her. the woman who dove into the business world with no experience and now, get this, is running her own company and helping other women achieve their dreams. paying it forward. >> chock-full of inpragspiratio. i love it. can we get to the weather? >> rocky snow on friday. light snow through the upper ohio river valley. wet through the eastern gulf. saturday, we're nervous about the severe storms down in the lower mississippi river valley. places that very hit hard. snow and wind through the northern plains. sunshine along the east coast. sunday, sunday, look for some snow in the north, northern new england. strong storms through the southeast. plenty of sunshine from the western plains into the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around the country. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we have waves of rain moving through the bay area.

a cold front moves through. keep the umbrella close by. still showing some rain in and around the area as we see the storm system still bringing some very high energy and some light rain for the most part to our area. we start to see it clearing out after saturday. our seven-day forecast keeping it unsettled and then sunshine. weather. don't forget, you can take us with you any time you need it. just go to today's sirius xm channel 108. guys? women's day today is sponsored by marvel studios "captain marvel." discover what makes her a hero. in theaters everywhere friday. >> as we've been talking about international women's day, it's tomorrow, we're going to celebrate in a big way. >> we'll get you ready, sharing stories of remarkable barrier-breaking women. this morning, we'll meet a young

woman using the internet to spread a message of positivity. >> i enjoyed cleo. she's the latest it-girl and internet sensation, inspiring a generation of women one post at a time. ♪ >> reporter: tell me about this first poem you posted on instagram. >> i was like, well, you know, it'd be interesting to take photos of my notebook and actually take photos of the ideas of the poems or the words that were helping me through my day. >> reporter: 29-year-old cleo wa waite is a poem, sharing them on instagram, hoping words connect with followers. >> what would it look like if you treated every person in the world as your best friend. >> reporter: she writes about positivity and love, striking a cord with 500,000, and hollywood celebs like katy perry and reese witherspoon are leading her fan club. >> it was one of those moments where you have to believe in yourself even more than the people who believe in you. >> reporter: that's good.

>> yeah. >> reporter: you have to believe in yourself even more than the people who believe in you. >> yeah. >> reporter: that's good. you are a writer. she has collected her messages in a new book, "heart talk," peot peoteic wisdom for a better life. many are seeking her advice. >> if you can make a book a best friend, that's what i hope it to do. allow it to be there for you in your life and use it as you need to. that's why i made it. >> reporter: when did you realize the gift of writing? >> well, i went to poetry summer camp as a little girl. i think also when you grow up in a place like new orleans, it is so instilled in you and so fundamental, that you should express yourself. >> reporter: she grew up in new orleans. her mom, a chef. dad, an artist. her parents divorced when she was 6, but they inspire her work. >> at an early age, i was taught to accept people the way they were because my parents had

these amazing, big spirits. >> reporter: at 17, after she landed an internship at a fashion company, she moved to new york city. later landing a job as an office manager at halston under ceo bonnie tacar. >> i had an internship and an amazing female mentor. she was the first female ceo i'd ever saw. >> reporter: she posted beginning in 2014, some calling her poems hallmark cards for millenials. >> we are all more than our mistake r mistakes. >> reporter: today, she's a sought-after speaking at conventions and ted talks. advocating for criminal justice reform and canvassing for female candidates during election season. >> all we have to do is show up for our kids. >> reporter: she believes that begins by giving back. >> are y'all excited about the gala? >> reporter: volunteers for the lower east side girls club, providing services for girls from lower income families. >> of course. >> 34th street.

>> i come here because i lived two blocks away. we can all find some place in our neighborhood at least to go show up. >> reporter: and teaches storytelling at the women's prison association. >> i think it is so important for me to make sure along the way, i talk to my audience, especially the young girls, about the journey, because all you can hope is they can use your template as a starting place and, of course, bust it open and do something ten times more amazing than you ever could. >> reporter: every summer, wade sets up her, are you okay booth, where she is there to just listen. >> it is a free, peaceful, loving conversation. i set it up around 9:00 a.m. it is very inspired by lucy from the peanuts, accept i don't charge. >> i love that. >> i'm usually there for ten hours. i just listen. people come and talk to me throughout the day. it's honestly probably one of my favorite things i do. >> reporter: inspiring people with the written and spoken word, and creating art to create

change. >> we all have the power to do one kind thing in one way. whether, you know, sometimes smiling at your neighbor is just as important as going to a march or whatever you believe in. there are everyday heros walking amongst us constantly if we're willing to listen to their stories. >> i will tell you, cleo is working on a new book and continuing her service work in the community. i didn't name all the places she volunteers. the theater in harlem. all these places. the one thing that people really love, that booth she sets up, where she sits there. people will line up in cities all over this country. they sit down and just want to talk. >> by the way, you would tell her your secrets. she has a warmth that radiates. >> i felt that. >> the spirit. >> all the best to her. >> one of the most generous things you can do is say, i'll listen. i'll put up a sign, are you okay, and no one is sitting there if you are. spending the time is precious.

>> thank you, sheinelle. up next, need help around the house? the brilliant minds from "trading spaces" are here. they're going to share their favorite diy secrets. first, this is "today" on nbc. first, this is "today" on nbc. >> [phone ringing] remember the way we used to do things? hey man... like connect with friends? dig it! or get in shape? or sell a house and pay a real estate agent a big commission. [crash] at redfin, we charge you a 1% listing fee. and because redfin.com is america's #1 brokerage site our agents get more eyes on your home so you sell for thousands more than the one next door. don't get stuck in the past. sell with a redfin agent.

we are back with "today moment." from tlc's "trading spaces," for fans of the show, last year's return after a ten-year hiatus, the season's tenth overall around the corner filled with new challenges, new makeovers, new reveals. here to tell us all about it, page davis, sabrina soto, ty pen inning ton and carter oosterhouse. >> we'll get to why you're wearing pantyhose in a minute. season two of the reboot, ten overall. how is it going so far?

>> it went really well. it was super fun. crazy, crazy episodes this year. you traded with twins, identical twins, which hildi mistook. >> we brought family. it's been a lot of fun. >> have you been surprised at how well the reboot has been received? >> yeah. >> no. i'm not surprised! >> absolutely not. absolutely not. >> i think the fans were super excited last year. we were super excited. sabrina joined us, became part of the family. obviously, she's back. it was a blast. it was a blast all over again. the trades this year are whack-a-doo. >> farm animals, yes. >> oh. >> yeah, we've pulled out all the stops for this season. definitely tune in. >> professional cleaning of the room for that. >> the aroma alone, it was aromatherapy for the room. >> that was you. >> great how-tos. great projects. >> let's show these. >> she did this on an episode, and it was neat. >> sabrina. >> let's not call attention to the mistake.

>> not part of it. got it. >> i'm doing this technique that is so fast, you can do it with the kids. you do paint, flotrall and 100% silicone. >> my kids would love this. >> you can do it with me. put the gloves on. you put all of those together. this is all on the website, if you need it. put whatever colors you need. you pour it right over the canvas, let it dry flat, and you're done. it'll look just like this. >> i'll do it without the gloves. >> don't do it without the gloves. >> really? >> i'll be fine. >> do you have to work after this? >> i do. i'll be fine. >> put it all in. the master cup. flip it. done. >> that's hot. you let it drip into the pan? >> let it drip. when it is all dry, it'll look like my finished piece. how fun is that? >> i'll have to come back to this. >> it's a neat marble effect. the colors aren't just all black. >> flip it over, like that.

>> let the cup go. >> pick up the cup. >> swirl it around. >> look how cool that looks. >> you can hang this in the house. that is awesome. >> isn't that cool? it took less than 20 seconds. >> all right. by the time i come back -- will you do this? >> i'll do it. >> thanks. >> i have something quick and easy. >> looks like you're robbing a bank. >> you don't have to put this on your head. >> i'm not. >> if you have old paint, you've been working with sabrina around the hoe,ustr setch the panty hose. i know you have a lot lying around. >> tons. >> pour in the old paint, and it literally takes out all the boogs, and you have filtered paint you can reuse on the wall. >> that's a useful hack. exactly why do you wear the panty hose? >> it gets me in the mood. i'm seeing people about it but, right now, it's the only way i can really focus on the panty hose and the paint itself. >> all right. >> i thought that was going to become a finished product at some point.

>> well, it is. >> the finished product is actually in there. it's been filtered. that's your filtered stuff right there. see, isn't that wonderful? >> it almost seems like it'd be easier to buy more paint. i have to be honest with you. >> i'm working with fabric, not with panty hose. i'm working with fabric. >> all right. >> we often have bookcases or end tables you want to freshen up. >> yeah. >> instead of painting the backs of them, which you can do, i've done a lot of, what i did was i'm taking fabric, and i'm taking actual cardboard or foam board that you can get inexpensively at a dollar store. cover it with the fabric. double stick tape on here. you can also use duct tape or use the spray mount to adhere the fabric to. boom, this is going to be a two-toned one. if you want to put more texture in -- >> it's not that expensive.

>> no, no, no. it is very cheap. there. >> it adds a lot more depth than just paint. >> right. now, if you want to do something for kids, put a little bit of color in. i actually went to the university of illinois. i was in a store and found the university of illinois fabric. go chiefs. >> yes. for kids, we have lots of fun stuff. lots of color. >> doug, thank you. >> all right. >> this would be for you, ty, the kids. >> university of michigan instead, but that's okay. >> we're making frames for our pictures. instead of using simple frames like picture frames. >> you find this as a secondhand store? >> we'll use window sashes, yeah. we have that -- oh, gosh, that's right here. so we have a little twine. >> this is how we do it on "trading spaces." first, we mess it up. >> we don't mess it up too much. >> then we fix it. >> we have thin nails, twine. voila, a nice, beautiful picture frame. >> let's see it. >> oh, it worked. come on. >> that's good. >> we have a little glass in there, as well. just used a little tape.

it was like $20 for a sash or a frame. >> carter, thank you. >> thanks, guys. congratulations on the second season. >> thanks, man. >> ten seasons, i should say. look for the new season of "trading spaces" saturday, march 16th, tlc. wow. that was a lot. >> we're back. up next, southern comfort food with a modern twist. we're heading to my home state of south carolina. we're going to meet the women running some of charleston's most popular restaurants. first though, this is "today" on nbc. that was great, guys. thank you. ost popular

♪ inside out got it figured out,♪ ♪ i'm feeling good. ♪ doing it my own way, ♪ every single day. ♪ and it feels good to feel good. ♪ start your day with sunsweet amazin! prune juice. and feel good.

sarah's last tuition payment, sent off. feeling good? oh yeah. now i'm ready to focus on my project. ♪ ♪ this is why we plan. ♪ ♪ you never cease to amaze me, maya. see how investing with a j.p. morgan advisor can help you. visit your local chase branch. welcome back. >> today food is proud to have a big presence at this we can end's charleston food and wine festival. >> we'll be there live tomorrow morning. to give you a taste of what to expect, natalie morales is introducing us to some of the women taking charge of restaurants all across that great city. yo, nat. >> reporter: hey, al. can't wait to see you down there. as you know, charleston has been called one of america's most

exciting food cities. these days, women are leading the revelation. ♪ foodies are flocking to charleston, south carolina, where the women are reinventing classics and plating up their own fresh takes into the culinary paradise. >> most of the people that used to come from out of town want to see shrimp and grits. now, people come from out of town because they want to see what new and exciting thing that we're doing. >> reporter: kelly franz is the executive chef at magnolias, one of a handful of women running kitchens in the city. here, she puts her twist on southern staples, like sweet tea glazed duck and boiled peanut hummus. >> food in the south is what it is called, comfort food. tons of good, yummy stuff. i would say in the last five years, that a lot of people are really into getting themselves healthy. >> reporter: which is exactly what restauranteur mistri and her fiancé mcfall discovered

when they opened their cafe and juicer. >> when we started, there were no juicing places in charleston. it was a lot of education in the beginning. >> reporter: an education second-nature for mystery, who juiced fruits and vegetables with her mother every day. it is a way of life, they believe, is changing how people think about food in their community. >> i think we are part of the revolution, of the food change in charleston by, honestly, helping people broaden their horizons. >> reporter: a native is part of the revolution. >> women are taking over, right? >> reporter: at hot little biscuit, her buttered biscuits are beloved. >> a biscuit means many things, but most importantly, it is comfort. it doesn't have economic barriers. it can be at the fanciest parties or on the side of the road. i grew up here in charleston and

spent a lot of time with my grandmother, who spent her days cooking for her five children. very simple, southern food, but all delicious and filled with lots of love and heart. >> reporter: she now ships the love around the country by way of kali's biscuits, a mail order business she named after her mom. >> my mom thought i was crazy when i said, let's start a biscuit business. she said, why wouldn't people just make them? >> reporter: people go crazy for the nostalgic country comfort. >> my hope when someone bites into our biscuits is they have this moment of, oh, my god, that is delicious, and i want more. >> reporter: a bite of true southern hospitality. i cannot wait to sink my teeth into some of those biscuits and, guys, another sign that women rule in charleston, the festival kicked off with a big party last night. a female bartender won the cocktail competition. al, i'm going to see you there. i'm heading to the airport right

now. kathie lee is going to be there with us, as well, right in. >> she and i will be hosting the 10:00 tomorrow from charleston. >> get ready. you know what you do at 10:00. get ready. >> get the female bartender on. for more information on the festival, what's better than having fast, reliable wifi with coverage throughout your home? how about having internet that can help you save on wireless phone service? xfinity gives you the fastest speeds for all your devices. plus, now that xfinity mobile is included, you can switch your wireless carrier and save hundreds of dollars a year. talk and text as much as much as you want and only pay for data. now that's simple, easy, awesome. click, call or visit a store today.

more gresonoma county - sti a very good morning to you. it's 8:56. sedona county coming to grips with some of the flooding from last week. it's now believed it caused more than $150 million worth of damage including this school. classrooms were spared because they sit on higher ground. the surrounding campus sustained

about $50 million in damage. we'll get an update on recovery efforts. there was a health advisory about the spilling of so much waste. we're talking with county leaders. you can link to the latest right now on our home page. san ramone value teachers have come to some groemts with the district. one major sticking point has to deal with class size. gear heads and the people who love them descending on the south bay. the auto show set to open its doors in anti-bout an hour. local weather update for you in an hour. a brewing bike lane deb

the east bay city looking to make changes to help improve safety. the input they want from you on the popular road. plus--- kari hall is tracking your weekend forecast as you make your plans. join us tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome. i'm al here with sheinelle, craig. dylan has the day off. we're joined again by maria shriver, who is here on time. >> i was late yesterday. >> and jacob soboroff. >> they carpooled for valet, i hear. >> exactly. we're starting off with something on the sad side. we're pulling for everybody, i think, across the country and the world, pulling for "jeopardy" host alex trebek. last night, bravely announcing he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer in a video posted online. he's vowing to fight the disease. ow