there will be activity near san jose state for a few more minutes. we will jump on facebook right now, at least i am, you can follow me, lauragarcianbc. >> we will be back in 25 minutes for more local news. . good morning, miracle in california. a plane flies off a runway, good morning. miracle in california. a plane flies off a runway, bursts into flames and sparks a dangerous wildfire incredibly, everyone on board survived the dramatic images, the stories of escape, and the investigation into what went wrong just ahead. breaking overnight, two soldiers killed during a mission in afghanistan members of an elite special forces unit. we're live with what happened in the deadliest year for americans there in five years. mixed messages from taxing to guns to greenland, the president suddenly shifting positions. plus, the way he's framing his fight with china this morning.

>> somebody had to do it i am the chosen one. somebody had to do it. >> we're live from the white house. those stories, plus going nowhere fast the new report that shows traffic in america is officially worse than it's ever been. stunning sight new images of the titanic revealed, the first in nearly two decades and what scientists were shocked they didn't find. and stampede >> oh, my god. >> the dramatic moment tourists find themselves caught in the middle of a massive herd of bison at yellowstone >> look at the big one oh today, thursday, august 22nd, 2019. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hi, everybody, good morning, nice to have you with us on a thursday morning can you imagine being in that

car? >> it's like the summer of bison. i feel like we've seen these bison stampedes over and over the past weeks fortunately in this case everyone was okay. >> we did have to bleep some of that video we'll show you what happened in a few. our top story, it's incredible, the faa and ntsb now investigating after ten people made that narrow escape from a fiery plane crash in northern california nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer has the latest good morning, miguel. >> reporter: before the plane could get off the ground something went wrong the crew aborted takeoff and the jet erupted into flames but thankfully the eight passengers and two pilots all made it out safely. cessna was >> airplane just shut itself off. it's on fire, fully engulfed >> reporter: when firefighters arrived the cessna was shooting flames, the billowing smoke could be seen for miles. the ten people aboard somehow managed to survive.

>> oh, my goodness. >> you heard that, right >> reporter: with the faa and ntsb now investigating the crash happened after the twin engine jet aborted takeoff, sliding off the runway into dry grass and catching fire. >> when i arrived the plane was on its belly and both engines were still on. >> reporter: graphic packaging international confirms the passengers were memberships of their leadership team. >> i came out and saw a lot of black smoke that was filling up the sky. it happened so quickly and the erupted into flames earlier this month at a fire was very much active. >> reporter: in a striking coincidence another similar yet erupted into flames earlier this month at a small airport after a hard landing in tennessee. racing legend dale earnhardt and his family, uninjured. the private jet was headed to portland, oregon

everyone aboard also escaping uninjured, making their way off the aircraft and onto the runway before flames shut down nearby roads. after battling the spreading fire emergency crews say the damage to the plane was catastrophic but it was a miracle all ten people aboard were able to walk away. >> it was a miracle, miguel. when we look at that, it's just shocking i know investigators just got there. what do you think they're going to be looking for in particular? >> reporter: after saking directly to the pilots they should be able to find out why they aborted that takeoff so quickly but examining the plane mechanically, seeing what issues there may have been could be difficult because of its condition now. the preliminary investigation, we're told, could take several weeks. guys, back to you. >> miguel, thank you very much. now to what we are just learning this morning about the combat deaths of two u.s. soldiers in afghanistan, making this the deadliest year for u.s. service members there in years nbc's kelly cobiella has the

latest. good morning, kelly. what do we know? >> nato says the two service members were killed yesterday, no details given of how and where it happened. the "the new york times" is reporting they were from a american and afghan officials are reporting they were from an army elite special forces unit on an operation in a northern province and likely died in a fire fight those deaths make this year the deadliest for u.s. troops in afghanistan in five years. 14 service members killed so far this year of the some 14,000 u.s. troops still on the ground there with the trump administration trying to find a way out of america's longest war. the threat there not only from the taliban, but also the islamic state. that terror group claimed responsibility for the horrific attack on a wedding party in kabul last weekend that killed more than 80 people. this week the president says u.s. troops have become a ridiculous police force in the country.

the u.s. is negotiating to maintain some presence in afghanistan in those talks with the taliban. but the taliban wants complete withdrawal those talks are ongoing. craig, savannah? >> kelly, thank you. another major story this morning. the president offering a series of abrupt policy shifts and escalating a contentious back and forth with denmark. two reports starting with hallie jackson. good morning >> reporter: this morning it is all about the backtracks and the backlash to the president's mixed messaging after a free wheeling q&a here at the white house with conflicting positions from the president on critical topics, whether he supports more meaningful background checks west wing whiplash from president trump, delivering mixed messages on everything from guns to greenland. >> i have an appetite for background checks, we're going to be doing background checks. >> reporter: that's where the president says he stands now on strengthening background checks for gun owners earlier this week, a softer tone, more in line with the

nra's position >> we have very, very strong background checks right now. >> reporter: after critics accused the president for capitulating to the powerful gun lobbying group he seems to be splitting the difference, arguing the background check checks are good but could be better >> we already have strong background checks but we're going to be filling in some of the loopholes as we call them. >> reporter: on the economy the president has been consistent on one thing, he doesn't see a downturn down the road but there's less clarity on those possible off again, on again, off again payroll tax cuts with the administration's position changing multiple times in the last couple days. >> it's not being considered at this time. >> payroll taxes, i've been thinking about payroll taxes for a long time. >> i'm not looking at a tax cut now. we don't need it. >> reporter: recent economic warning signs have been triggered partly by that trade war with china, a negotiation the president now insists he's uniquely equipped to handle with, in his view, a divine directive. >> somebody had to do it i am the chosen one. somebody had to do it.

so i'm taking on china >> reporter: he's also taking on an ally, denmark, afte floating the idea of buying greenland. remember, the president first insisted making an offer on the danish territory was not a top priority. >> we're looking at it it's not number one on the burner >> reporter: but he cancelled an upcoming state visit after the prime minister scoffed at his suggestion, calling the discussion a stir. >> it was nasty. i thought it was an inappropriate statement. all they had to do was say no, we'd rather not do that, or we'd rather not talk about it don't say what an absurd idea that is. >> reporter: the president also repeated his accusation that jewish voters who support democrats are being disloyal as his opponents accused him of

echoing an anti-semitic trope. >> making a big change. >> a big one and a controversial one, rolling out a new rule that would let them detain migrant children and families indefinitely while the cases work their way through court administration officials say it's meant to take away the incentive for migrants to bring kids when crossing the border illegally since they won't be released immigration advocates call it inhumane, why the new rule is certain to face legal challenges. >> hallie jackson, thank you. the democrats running for president are ratcheting up their push for votes in the key battleground as the field narrows and the race hits a new milestone. andrea mitchell has that for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, craig. the democratic contenders are chasing the union label. 16 candidates all vying fo endorsements from iowa labor unions, joe biden is arguing what matters most is who can defeat donald trump. this morning the 2020 race for the white house shifting into high gear. more than two dozen candidates hitting the stage in iowa. nearly all the democrats speaking to union workers, pitching themselves and their plans for the white house. >> i'm in this fight because i want to have a government that

works better for everybody else. >> we must defeat a president who is a pathological liar. >> reporter: joe biden touting his electability in the first tv ad of the campaign. >> all the polls agree joe biden is the strongest democrat to do the job. >> reporter: his wife dr. jill biden with an unusually candid pitch on that theme. >> your candidate might be better on health care than joe is, but you've got to swallow a little bit and say i like so and so better, but your bottom line has to be that we have to beat trump. >> reporter: a new online poll supporting her claim has biden up seven points over president trump, in a hypothetical matchup. in that same poll bernie sanders leading trump by five points

with every other democrat either tying the president or trailing him. cory booker pushing back on the electability argument saying democrats have to keep chasing their dreams. >> the next leader of our party can't be someone that is a safe bet. i'm running in this election because i know we can do more than that. >> reporter: as for the incumbent the president is denying reports of a shakeup on his ticket, that he might drop vice president mike pence as a running mate for former u.n. ambassador nikki haley. >> i think mike pence has been an outstanding vp. >> for her part haley tweeting enough of the false rumors, vice president pence has been a dear friend of mine for years he has my complete support and overnight the crowded democratic field is thinning out. washington state governor jay inslee who made climate change the center piece of his presidential campaign dropping out after struggling in the polls. instead he's expected to run for a third term as governor craig and savannah. >> andrea mitchell in washington, thanks, andrea. yet another shark attack, this time an 11-year-old boy in florida and this morning he and

his family are telling the tale. kerry sanders has that story for us. good morning, savannah an 11-year-old boy on vacation from canada with his family having a fun day on the beac right there when the water breaks in the shallows a day of fun turned to chaos. >> it was pretty painful, like really painful >> reporter: a sunny day at this florida beach taking a dangerous turn for 11-year-old christian mariani. >> patient with a fish bite to the leg. ocean rescue. >> reporter: but the soon to be seventh grader says it wasn't just any fish. >> the shark came and bit my right foot here. i felt it clamp down and then it let go and then i ran out. >> reporter: rescue workers rushing to the scene treating christian for puncture wounds to his foot and prepping him for a trip to the hospital where he received 17 stitches. >> fear of not knowing what bit you and what's going to happen to your foot after that is the

scariest feeling that i think i have ever experienced in my life. >> i saw something swirling in the sand and i didn't know what it was >> reporter: just days earlier up the coast at the beach, 9-year-old maggie crumb was in knee deep water when she felt a pull on her leg. >> it ripped into the skin and that's when it hurt and felt like a bite. >> reporter: she got a dozen stitches of her own, a summer full of dangerous encounters from florida to new england, and beyond, shark sightings, attacks and beach closures have been the talk of the season in hawaii this week a 26-year-old woman was bitten while swimming near the big island suffering flesh wounds to her back and hip she's now in stable condition. as officials call for caution along the coasts, and beach goers try to stay alert. well, miraculously christian survived all of this, but he does have really a lot of pain,

he says, in one of his feet, that got bitten. it's going to take some time for him to recover but just like 9-year-old maggie crum said, christian said once he's fully healed he's going back in the water. assuming both of their parents let them back in the water. >> we're marveling both of these kids were in remarkably good spirits but they have a story to tell. >> better than me. thanks, kerry. >> absolutely. danger in water, danger on land, another vacation another family will never forget they were driving through yellowstone national park in wyoming last week when suddenly a huge herd of bison started running at them. the driver believes someone's o car alarm car alarm set them in motion [ bleep ] that's what happened the family enjoying the amazing spectacle until this happened. take a look. >> oh, my god, that guy's backing up -- oh, don't, don't. >> oh, look at the big one in front of us. >> oh. >> oh, gosh.

>> oh. >> oh, man, there goes the money. >> what's that other animal? >> i don't know what that is. >> looks like a hyena. >> next time the person at the car rental desk asks if you want the insurance, remember the video, remember the bison, remember the guy with the expletive laced tirade a lot of bison making news this summer. >> i know. well, you go to yellowstone, you're going to see some bison, maybe closer than you want to. let's go to the weather, dylan's got the forecast, in for al this morning. >> didn't the bison see the car? wouldn't you move out of the way of the car? >> i don't think he cared. >> apparently not. take a look at the video we're seeing from jamaica bay, outside of new york, people are ducking in the rain. pop-up showers and storms yesterday and some produced torrential downpours, people didn't have a chance to grab the umbrella yet this is the situation with that cold front that moved through yesterday. we could see a few more spotty

pop-up showers and storms, nothing all that severe expected today, but they're pretty expansive. we could see that spread across the northeast. back through the ohio and tennessee river valleys as well. it's going to be another hot and very humid day today, even warmer than yesterday because we'll see even more sunshine than yesterday your feels like temperature in philly close to 100 degrees. washington, d.c. will be 97. richmond 101 you go farther to the south and west and we're seeing temperatures once again feeling like it's about 100 to 105 degrees. but there is cooler air waiting in the wings along this cold front, or along this boundary here in the jet stream we are seeing a lot of rain, back behind it chicago will be below average with a high of only 78 today. cleveland 75 and then watch what happens friday, boston doesn't even make it into the 80s, d.c. will just hit 80 degrees and then it gets even cooler going into the weekend and next monday boston will only get up to 69 degrees and temperatures will feel almost fall like as we lose the humidity in the air as well. that's a look at the weather across the country we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds nsurance, we've seen almost everything,

so we know how to cover almost anything. even a "three-ring fender bender." (clown 1) sorry about that... (clown 2) apologies. (clown 1) ...didn't mean it. (clown 3) whoops. (stilts) sorry! (clowns) we're sorry! (scary) hey, we're sorry! [man screams] [scary screams] (burke) quite the circus. but we covered it. at farmers, we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ good morning. i am meteorologist, kari hall. it's foggy at the golden gate bridge and over san francisco right now as you get ready to head out. temperatures slightly hotter today, 92 in santa rosa, and half moon bay reaching 70 while san jose reaches 88 degrees. our inland forecast stays in the low 90s today through the next several days, and even into early next week, it stays hot and then gradually cools down by the end of next week.

and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you so much. just ahead new developments in the case of a connecticut father accused of killing a resort worker while on a caribbean vacation his fight to clear his name as he heads to court there today. before you head out the door, you'll want to see this report on the state of traffic in this country, hint, worse than ever, literally ever, what's behind it and where you'll find someelief. first, r t

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kohl's is your family's destination for back-to-school denim! take an extra 15% off!... plus - everyone gets kohl's cash! plus - free amazon returns now at all kohl's stores! good morning. 7:26. i am marcus washington. a sad update just into our news room. within the last half hour, the deputies confirmed divers found the woman missing in discovery bay. crews were searching the canal behind her home and investigators have not determined how she died. streets around fourthand san fernando are open after a deadly hit-and-run that happened at 3:00 in the morning. so far there's no vehicle description and officials have not identified the man that died. we take a live look outside

in san jose, and we're feeling humid and warm as we go into the afternoon. hour skies clear out and our humidity drops, and temperatures heading up to 88 degrees. 94 will be the high in livermore. 87 in napa. 92 today in santa rosa. as we go through the next several days, we have a lot of 90s in the forecast, and it's hotter into the start of next week, and san francisco looking at mid-70s from today through the weekend. at times we will see clouds and fog in the early hours but it clears out quickly, and we will see that today. let's get an update on the commute from mike. >> you can see more at the berkeley curve where there was a car fire reported and two lanes were blocked. they are waiting for a tow truck, but you see how jammed it is. with a reference of the arrow to the right, it's jammed through berkeley and it's back from golden gate field. the rest of the bay, a smooth

drive. surface streets by san jose state has re-opened, but the crash on 880 is still there. we will have another local news update in 30 minutes.

it is 7:30 now on a predators are using to target it is 7:30 now on a thursday morning how's your morning commute been lately, folks? look at philly there, washington, there's new york, new york city. if it looked anything like this you're probably quite frustrated, bumper to bumper literally in several major cities across the country. that's the theme across much of the country every morning. the new report that shows traffic worse than it's ever been. >> many of those cities made the

top five worst we'll have the list for you in a bit. headlines of the morning, police in california have stopped a terrifying mass co-wo. when they searched the suspec shooting plot that targeted a hotel. they say 37-year-old hotel cook rodolfo montoya told a co-worker he planned to come to work and shoot every person he saw. he was upset about a workplace issue. the co-worker notified police. when they searched the suspect's house police said they found several guns, including an assault rifle and high capacity magazine they also say they found hundreds of rounds of ammunition montoya faces several charges now. police say they don't know how close he was to actually carrying out the plot. >> now to the record number of wildfires burning in the amazon rain forest right now. they are setting off alarm bells around the world brazil space agency is reporting almost 73,000 fires this year. that's an 83% increase over last year there's so much smoke, in fact, that nasa satellites captured it from outer space why the increase human activity is suspected, especially burning to clear land performing in mining and development, being encouraged by brazil's president some scientists warn the fires could deal a devastating blow to the fight against climate

change. the speaker of new zealand's -- a heartwarming scene that happened on the chamber floor. trevor mallard after video of him feeding a colleague's baby went viral that baby belongs to another parliament member. he posted photos of the moment on twitter with the captio normally the speaker's chair is only used by presiding officers but today a vip took the share with me. adorable. now to the latest in that controversial case of a connecticut father who's accused of killing a hotel worker on the caribbean island of anguilla he claims he was being robbed and was fighting to protect his family today he's due in court. morgan chesky, good morning. >> reporter: this is a case that's left this island nation simply transfixed.

in just a few hours scott hapgood will face a judge. it was an encounter that left a well-known man dead and an american fighting for his freedom. this morning an american banker has flown back to anguilla to face justice, four months after being accused of killing hotel worker kenny mitchell. scott says he was acting in self-defense and protecting his two young daughters he says were with him at the time, but mitchell's death hitting the island nation of just 15,000 people hard. >> he's a fun loving guy he's an honest guy >> reporter: family friend hayden hughes describes the 27-year-old as a hard working father known islandwide. but that's not what scott says he encountered. >> i know i was a victim or my family was a victim here, and i -- you know, i think the truth will come out and i look forward to that. >> hapgood said mitchell showed up at his room saying he was

there to fix a broken sink once inside the room hapgood says mitchell tried to rob him at knife point but people on the island are skeptical. >> they can put my head on the chopping block, that was no robber attack. >> reporter: he says mitchell stabbed and bit him in what he described as a literal fight to survive. authorities list the cause of death was suffocation, but a just released toxicology report listed cocaine, marijuana and alcohol inside his body. local police arrested hapgood but the judge allowed him to fly home to connecticut after posting a $75,000 bail and agreed to return for court hearings. >> it's been a living nightmare.

>> authorities remain tight lipped as this case watched in two countries goes to court. with so many stories out there do you think the truth can be found? >> i don't think the truth can be found because at the end of the day the only person that knows the truth is the one person that was left standing and that is mr. scott hapgood. and he's the one who knows the facts. >> reporter: we're told scott hapgood is expected in court at 9:00 a.m. today. police on the island told him he's received death threats and they couldn't guarantee his safety back to you guys. >> morgan chesky there his attorney saying no public statements as well. 7:35, another check of the weather. dylan, what you got your eye on? >> a lot of rain through the midwest, where this is that cold front that's going to cool things down significantly for most of the country. it does come with heavier rain and thunderstorms too. look at all this cloud-to-ground lightning, we have 5 million people under some sort of flash flood watch and flash flood warnings in effect because there's a lot of rain within these storms so that could lead to flash flooding as it piles up very quickly it's all this frontal system that's not reay that fast

moving which is why we'll see rain continue over the same areas through kansas, oklahoma, through missouri, into illinois and indiana, kentucky and tennessee too. then on friday we'll slide farther to the south, pushing the majority of the storms down along the gulf coast and into the southeast. but look how much it clears out across the northeast and the great lakes, that's where we'll lose the humidity and see a return of sunshine but we could see about two to three inches of rain in some of the higher amounts, up across parts of virginia as well. this is something that could lead to that f good thursday morning. i am meteorologist, kari hall. a live look outside at the golden gate bridge, we will see fog but it will clear out with high temperatures in the san francisco reaching the mid-70s, and 90s inland. we have a lot more 90s in the forecast going into the weekend. in fact, we're getting hotter sunday into monday. san francisco staying in the

mid-70s from today throughout the next several days. and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you. still ahead here this morning a story that all parents need to see, what the fbi is telling us about the disturbing way that predators are now using popular online video games to target children. >> also ahead, brand new images of the titanic, first glimpse of the wreck in nearly two decades and researchers shocked a what they did and did not see. and then a surprising instagram post from meghan markle, a behind the scenes look at the royal's very, very lovely day. first, going nowhere fast, the new report on traffic congestion that has drivers seeing red lights from coast to coast why it's worse than ever right after this ♪ ♪

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nbc's tom costello is in the midst of it in washington, d.c. right now. you guys definitely made the list in washington for bad traffic. >> reporter: yup, d.c. is in the top five of bad traffic, and listen to this stat from texas a&m's mobility report. the average commuter spends 54 hours stuck in traffic every year, adding up to about $1,000 in extra costs like gasoline from i-5 out west to i-95 here in the east and everywhere in between a lot of folks are going nowhere fast from coast-to-coast, bumper to bumper, the nation's traffic congestion just gets worse by the day. >> oh, my gosh, my energy, my sleep, you know, just -- a lot like i'm not able to really like do more with my mornings. >> reporter: why, you ask? we'll get to that in a minute. first, the top five list you don't want to be in. the cities with the worst congestion coming in at number five, it's bean town. >> heavy delays making your way

into boston. >> reporter: boston where commuters spend 80 hours of extra time on the streets. salem, charles, newbury, i-91, 90, 93, 95 oh, but it gets worse. and coming in at four, down i-95. >> no reports of any problems, just a whole lot of people out there. >> reporter: the big apple, new yorkers lose 92 hours a year going nowhere fast from the bronx to queens, manhattan to jfk. down the coast, the third worst traffic in the country >> the damage has been done, several miles worth of delays. eastbound 66 at the beltway. >> reporter: the nation's capital already known for gridlock of a different kind folks in washington, maryland, and virginia spend 102 hours of quality time with their cars and fellow drivers for the second worst congestion we take a slow crawl across the country to -- >> starting to see that buildup once again and definitely slow off the berkeley curve. >> reporter: san francisco where you can leave your heart, 45

gallons and 103 hours each year of your precious time. and finally the worst city for congestion is already the worst kept secret in america. >> the 10 westbound near garfield already sluggish, you have patches of slow driving. >> reporter: los angeles has the worst and it keeps getting worse. worse even than when they released "office space" 20 years ago. angelinos spend 119 hours each year stuck in delays, 119 hours. nearly five days back to the question, what's behind the surge it's a good economy, and nearly full employment, meaning that more people are on the roads and that means more aggravation. >> it's getting worse. you know, there's just more and more people moving into l.a., and they're -- i don't see no stop to it. >> what about those ridesharing services, tom, like uber and lyft, are they helping or hurting? >> reporter: well, most experts say they're actually contributing to the congestion

so here in d.c. they now make up 7% of traffic, they say, but they also did the study and found that uber and lyft contribute about 5 1/2 billion miles of congestion or extra traffic, i should say, in the nine busiest cities. okay, you live in a big city and you're saying, enough, i want out, i want a smaller city i've got cities for you. kokomo, indiana, only eight hours of traffic delays each year how about lawton, oklahoma, about six. here you go, drum roll, kahului, hawaii, three hours of traffic congestion every year. >> plus you get to live in hawaii >> all right >> thanks, tom. >> thanks, so much. >> god, more than 50 hours on average. >> i like to not think about that stat. repress it, don't thin about it, put your podcast, your radio. >> or take the subway. just ahead, new images and unexpected find during a first expedition to the titanic in nearly 15 years. first, these messages. volunteerism.

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>> definitely a bird. >> oh, i see both. sharing a recipe that you can make let's do it. ♪ come on. this summer, add a new member to the family. hurry in and lease the glc 300 suv for just $419 a month with credit toward your first month's payment at the mercedes-benz summer event. going on now. and take 25% off select adidas for the family! plus - everyone gets kohl's cash! take 25% off adidas apparel... save on adidas shoes... and adidas backpacks are just $41.25. plus - free amazon returns now at all kohl's stores! kohl's. jimmy's gotten used to his whole room smelling like sweaty odors. yup, he's gone noseblind. he thinks it smells fine, but his mom smells this... luckily for all your hard-to-wash fabrics...

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...and brake too hard. with feedback to help you drive safer. giving you the power to actually lower your cost. unfortunately, it can't do anything about that. now that y know the truth... are you in good hands? and take 25% off select adidas for the family! plus - everyone gets kohl's cash! take 25% off adidas apparel... save on adidas shoes... and adidas backpacks are just $41.25. plus - free amazon returns now at all kohl's stores! kohl's. okay, bread, throw that in the cart. hey, will you grab some coffee? father nature? phil? i see you got a little list there. as always. (laughs) okay, strawberry jam. (lightning strike) woah! (car smashing noise, horn beeping) my bad. smucker's strawberry. sorry honey! (bird chirping) we only buy things where fruit's the first ingredient. mother nature's orders. so your wife is here? oh yeah, yeah, she's everywhere.

excuse me, no, no, no. decaf. (bird chirping) happening now... police are investigating a good nurse morning. right now at 7:56, it's a muggy start to the day, and also very warm as we take a live look outside in dublin with clouds rolling by. as we start out today we will have a hotter afternoon reaching into the low to mid-90s in the tri-valley, inland, east bay, and north bay. downtown san jose reaching 88 degrees. in oakland today we are looking at a high of 82. our inland temperatures will stay in the low 90s extending for the rest of the week and into next weekend. early next week the temperatures will go up a few degrees into the mid-90s and then coming down into the mid-80s by next wednesday. san francisco is foggy now, but it will clear out with highs today in the 70s. a lot more 70s in the forecast

through the end of the weekend. i am looking over here, and this is a east bay quadrant, i circled this area, there's somebody laying in the road and i am kurpd about that person. meanwhile, westbound 880 recovers. the earlier car fire was a sweeper truck with the dust there. back to you. happening now, police are investigating the deadly hit-and-run near san jose state campus. one man died. it happened early this morning near the spwintersection at eas san fernando and fourth street. one city has come up with a new way to help police officers in their department that commute

far distances. you can go to the link for that full story. we will have another local news update for you coming up in 30 minutes. >> announcer: nbc bay area, we investigate. we are here to discuss jessie's online time.

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♪ ♪ it's 8:00 on "today," coming up gaming threat, a new fbi investigation reveals how online predators are now using popular video games to extort kids. >> is this like the 2019 version of taking candy from a stranger on a playground? >> absolutely. instead of one stranger, it's now hundreds of them within these online environments. >> this morning what authorities are doing to stop them and how to keep your kids safe. plus, lost at sea, our first look at the titanic in nearly 15 years. >> first impressions, it's big it is a big wreck. >> what these shocking new

images reveal. and royal surprise, meghan markle shocks fans at a photo shoot for her upcoming fashion line we'll take a look behind the scenes and give you a sneak peek at her new passion project today, thursday, august 22nd, 2019 ♪ >> here with my mom. from south carolina. >> from california >> happy 60th birthday to my dear old dad. >> it's melissa's 40th birthday. >> from illinois. >> from tennessee. >> for terry's 50th birthday. >> hi, everybody, good morning, welcome back t"today." summer is still with us, and so is a great crowd on our plaza on a thursday morning. >> we, by the way, we will get out there in a moment but we can't wait to get the band back together, hoda is coming back september 3rd.

just a few days from - i love that picture, by the way. >> and al will be back >> the family reunites after a busy summer on september 3rd, mark your calendars. >> carson's coming back too. >> carson's back next week. >> fun to have everyone where they belong. 8:00 this morning news, ten people thankful to be alive after surviving a fiery plane crash in northern california yesterday. the private twin engine jet aborted takeoff at a small airport in california, slid off the runway into dry grass. quickly caught fire, burst into flames, two crew members and eight passengers managed to escape to safety no serious injuries. look at the wreckage, the smoke could be seen for miles. federal officials say it's still too early to know what went wrong but of course an investigation is under way. now to washington where president trump is escalating a public debate with a key european ally. at the same time offering a series of abrupt policy shifts nbc's chief white house

correspondent hallie jackson has more on that good morning. >> reporter: we've heard a series of head spinning statements from president trump, plenty of backtracks and backlash to the contradicting and sometimes confusing positions the president staked out. west wing whiplash from president trump, delivering mixed messages on everything from guns to greenland. >> i happen to have an appetite for background checks. we're going to be doing background checks. >> reporter: where the president stands now on strengthening background checks for gun owners but yesterday, a softer tone, more in line with the nra's position >> we have very, very strong background checks right now. >> reporter: after critics accused the president of capitulating to the gun lobbying group he seems to be splitting the difference arguing the background checks are good, but could be better. >> we already have very strong background checks but we'll fill in the loopholes as we call them. >> reporter: on the economy the president has been consistent on one thing. he doesn't see a downturn down the road but there's less clarity on those possible off again, on

again, off again payroll tax cuts with the administration's position changing multiple times in the last couple days. >> it's not being considered at this time. >> payroll taxes, i've been thinking about payroll taxes for a long time. i'm not looking at a tax cut now, we don't need it. >> reporter: recent economic warning signs have been triggered partly by that trade war with china, a negotiation the president now insists he's uniquely equipped to handle with, in his view, a divine directive. >> somebody had to do it i am the chosen one. somebody had to do it. so i'm taking on china >> reporter: the president also taking on an ally, denmark, after floating the idea of buying greenland after the prime minister dismissed that suggestion as absurd, the president calls her statement nasty and inappropriate. craig? >> hallie jackson from the white house, hallie, thank you. two u.s. soldiers killed on a mission in afghanistan yesterday, reportedly they were members of an elite special forces unit. this year is the deadliest for americans serving in afghanistan

since the u.s. withdrew most combat troops back in 2014 with the latest casualties, 14 service members have been killed this year, a sign perhaps the u.s. is taking on a more aggressive role in the conflict. president trump signed an executive order on wednesday which forgives all student loan debt for more than 25,000 permanently disabled veterans, the move automatically wipes out that debt instead of requiring the vets to fill out paperwork to have their student loans discharged only about half of the roughly 50,000 eligible vets have received it, which the white house blames on a burdensome application process. it wipes out average $30,000 owed by veterans. workers at a safeway were shocked when they found an unexpected add-in to the boxes more than a million dollars of cocaine mixed inside the banana boxes, they recovered over 100 pounds of the drug from three

safeway stores, unclear where the bananas were grown the drug enforcement agency is investigating. >> that's the news, 8:05 seems like a good time for a boost. >> dream came true from a young baltimore orioles game last night during the fourth inning when an orioles player hit a foul ball. the boy is racing to pick up the treasure and the memory he'll have for the rest of his life. >> priceless right there. >> all alone up there, and he got it. >> he got it. >> so cute find someone who loves you the way that boy loves that baseball, right? i mean, that is the sweetest thing. and that's your morning boost. >> great boost. we're going to get to pop start in a few moments but first a check of the forecast. >> do you think he put it under his pillow that night? >> certainly did. >> we are keeping an eye on the tropics, the time of year where it tends to get more active.

we are watching this area over the bahamas, next two days not much threat of this developing but in the next five days there's a 20% chance of formation. as it moves closer to the south eastern part of the country that's where the water is really warm, that would be an area where it could continue to develop. so that is certainly something we'll keep an eye on either way, whether it becomes a tropical system officially or not, it will push in a whole lot of rain to the southeast, an area that does not need anymore rain we've had a lot across florida and there's a chance we could end up with an additional three, up to five inches of rain in some areas something to keep in mind. another area that will see a lot of rain today, back through kansas and oklahoma and missouri, illinois, kentucky, tennessee, we've got this stalled front and that could produce significant rainfall it's already raining pretty heavily right now. also spotty showers across the northeast. this cold front will wipe out the heat and humidity. temperatures drop to the 70s the weekend stays beautiful. in the northwest the rain is

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. a cloudy start in san jose but our skies will quickly clear out the next couple hours as our temperatures head up to 88 degrees and we'll see a high of 93 in concord today. 87 napa. 95 today in ukiah. we have a lot of 90s in the inland areas in our forecast over the next seven days. in fact it gets even hotter by the end of the weekend into early next week. we're also going to see some mid 70s today in san francisco. >> and that's your latest forecast. >> all right. >> all right, dylan, look who we've got, sheinelle here. >> savannah sellers, and she's got an exclusive look this morning at how online predators are extorts kids and what the fbi is doing to stop them. i have to say i was pretty shocked when i heard about this. >> i know, i know, it's horrible

it's called sextortion when an adult coerces a minor online into sending explicit photos to blackmail them the newest spot where it's happening, online gaming platforms where kids often chat with a whole community of unknown teammates. up close look how the bad guys manipulate kids and how the fbi finds them it's the latest frontier for online predators, video game systems connecting your kids to strangers, pretending to be someone else, and extorting them for explicit photos and personal information. the fbi called it sextortion i talked to joshua frasio who says it happened to his son two years ago when he was only 8 years old. >> he told me someone offered to buy him something to send him photos.

>> offered him an incentive for pictures >> yes >> reporter: luckily his son didn't send any photos but that's not the case for many others last year alone the fbi looked into 6,500 potential cases is this like the 2019 version of taking candy from a stranger on a playground >> absolutely. the exact same thing is happening today. except instead of one stranger on the playground it's now hundreds of them within these online environments, either social media platforms or gaming environments that are doing the same thing. >> reporter: and instead of candy, these predators might offer kids cheat codes, in app purchases or credits. >> for parents who aren't that familiar with video games they are things of value to the child within the gaming environment, whether it be getting to the next level, helping their score, that type of thing >> exactly many times the gamer will take advantage of that opportunity, and use those credits. but nothing is ever free they want something in exchange for that, and many times it's often a picture of the gamer >> reporter: and now the agency is doing something about it. working with the national center

for missing and exploited children to find these predators online and help protect victims. special agent karen jordan showed me how these online offenders take advantage of these kids, befriending them first, getting them to send photos and then turning on them. what are we looking at here, real messages? >> yes, real messages from a victim and subject they're introducing a threat to that victim. >> they're moving on to here's your entire friends list, your family, your dad, your mom, so they're threatening to tell their dad and mom that they've done this, to send this video. >> they're extorting them and enticing them to produce more images of themselves, sexually explicit images. >> reporter: the predator threatening to post what they already have, along with their name, facebook and mobile number. >> then you move on to victim pleaing, the dilemma the victim is going through, they're writing their story as to why you can't do this to me. don't do this to me.

>> reporter: i don't want my brothers and sisters seeing me like that, they might not have even known that brothers and sisters were in the house. >> now you've potentially opened up the door for that subject now to exploit more victims. in that home >> reporter: the demands only get worse and more graphic so graphic we can't even show you what they say. >> they can ask for anything at this point so they start off lightly but then they get harsh with it and get explicit as to what they're asking. >> also saying they should all include your face. a child receives something and they think they've got 24 hours, a day or two to make a decision. >> that's what they'll do. they'll more than likely act because of fear. >> she says this kind of abuse can go on for years in some cases. what do you want someone who right now is scared to tell anyone, what do you want that child to know? >> i want them to know they're a victim, not responsible for what they're doing. they trusted someone and that person extorted them >> reporter: the fbi also wants

to stress the first step to dealing with this is telling someone, a parent, a teacher, a pastor, police, this is a federal crime and will be taken very seriously, and it is not the child's fault. >> so discouraging that we live in a world where these sickos want this kind of thing, you can't repeat it on television. >> a ton of it we could not even repeat. >> what should parents do? >> there's a couple things you can do, the fbi wants parents to know, keep profiles private, change passwords often, another thing, handles and user names should not be the same across platforms, a predator can see what their fortnite user name is and if they search it and find you on instagram they know what you look like. no personal information is visible in photos, that might not be obvious make sure your high school name is not on a sweatshirt, you're not wearing a sports team uniform. the most important thing is open, consistent and frank dialogue with your children, remind your kids that

predators can pretend to be someone else, someone their age, and even someone they might potentially be romantically interested in. >> useful tips here. >> and you were saying easy to lure the kids with the v bucks. >> my kids are constantly begging me for v bucks, currency to play the game if someone were to offer them let's say a thousand v bucks for a picture of your elbow, in a second they'd go -- >> that's how it starts. >> the other thing i want to point out, some of these kids end up suicidal, can't get out of it and one of the things i can't stop thinking about from the shoot that is one of the only units in the whole fbi that's entirely voluntary. you cannot be assigned to crimes against children which those fbi agents are volunteering and saying i'm up to deal with this content, they're trying to save those kids lives. >> tough job >> that's why the fbi wanted to show this. >> thank you for telling us, now we know. we can have a conversation with our kids. >> all right, thank you, thank you. how about a little pop start >> we need -- >> the duchess of sussex, meghan

markle in the spotlight, releasing a rare behind the scenes look at one of her first big solo projects and natalie has the details for us. >> the duchess of sussex is focusing on female empowerment, her latest project aims to help women step out with confidence, and forge a positive path forward in style the duchess of sussex meghan markle surprising models at a shoot for her clothing line, set to the tune of bill withers 1977 hit "lovely day," the duchess overseeing and even styling the models for the smart works charity collection, set to launch this fall smart works is a charity that helps prepare vulnerable women in britain for job interviews, by providing one on one coaching

and attire to give them confidence that's where the duchess of sussex steps in. as a patron of the charity, markle teaming up with her long time designer friend to create a collection of classic work wear for women. >> i just love the pop of that coat. >> reporter: she's gained support of main street brands that will donate one clothing item to the charity with each piece sold markle says she was drawn to smart works because it is female focused. >> so key to the training you do to help them feel confident. >> in a column written for the september issue of british vogue the duchess says smart works "reframes the idea of charity as community through a network of women supporting and empowering other women in their professional pursuits. she was sure to emphasize that the charity does not give women makeovers, but prepares them for a successful career. this is not a fairy tale, she

where is, in fact, if it's a cultural reference you're of a, forget cinderella, this is the story of wonder woman, ready to take on the world in her metaphor call and literal cape markle celebrating first looks at her collection as her passion project moves forward. >> the clothing line is expected to launch this fall. at retailers across the uk, and what's really cool, i love that one to one model for every item purchased from the collection, and their item will be donated to a woman getting out in the workforce again. >> it's not just the clothes, how to interview and present yourself with confidence. >> the woman puts on clothing and feels empowered, the first opportunity to go in there and nail that interview. >> and change your life. >> thank you, natalie. next up, barack and michelle obama. the former president and first lady opening up about their post venture, high ground productions, what draws them to the different film projects, and the first film under their company.

american factories. >> good stories are good stories. if it's a documentary, like yours, or if it's a scripted story that helps people understand something they didn't understand before we want to see if we can give voice to that. >> and higher ground is a reflection of both of us so that means that, you know, our platform is going to look a little bit like everything, just like the world is a little bit of everything. >> we want -- >> american factory is now streaming on netflix. next up, dwayne johnson, the action star has more to celebrate than just his recent nuptials according to forbes johnson is the highest paid actor of the year, pulling in $89.4 million between june of 2018 and 2019. he can thank his blockbuster fill, starring role on hbo show "ballers" and under armour line, in case you're curious, chris hemsworth and robert downey jr and kumar who makes a minimum of -- and jackie chan. he produces and stars in films

and even owns a chain of movie theaters there you go finally, angelina jolie, while the activist isn't close to being an empty nester, she's sending her oldest off to college. seems like just yesterday. she adopted her son maddox, believe it or not, back in 2002. now he's all grown up heading to school in south korea, studying biochemistry jolie trying not to get too emotional. >> how long do you plan on staying in korea this time >> i think today, today's the day. trying not to cry. none of us has had to go through that just yet but we're seeing it on instagram. parents are going through the rounds natalie, you're up first. >> don't remind me. >> he's a sophomore already, so scared. >> a couple years. >> hold me

>> savannah, you have some time. first year of kindergarten. >> first year of kindergarten. >> ready for tears, your tears, not theirs >> exactly they're like get me out of this house. >> no, i'm excited plus, he went to preschool so i feel like i'm ready. >> she's ready every time you show the kids i just -- >> it goes by so fast. >> it does my wife, you bring it up, you bring up the first day of kindergarten, just a few days away for us, and she gets choked up just the thought of it. >> we were talking about it, it is kind of the end of an era of babyhood, ending so yeah. >> i was reminiscing with dylan because calvin has a backpack for preschool, i remember the empty backpack, there's nothing to put in there. we put a stuffed animal in it. >> all snacks. >> snacks and maybe a stuffed animal. >> got time for a clip for us? >> let's do it a number of internet controversies, the dress, the blue and black or white and gold and then of course there was yanny or laurel, take a listen. [ audio plays >> laurel. >> yanny. >> laurel.

>> yanny, definitely -- >> i didn't hear laurel at all so we have a new one this morning. interesting to see if you think this is a thing. what do you see here, a bunny or a bird? >> now i see a bunny. >> i saw a bunny. >> i just saw the bunny -- >> i'm going to say a bird. >> if it's a bunny, the ears are too pointy. >> the tweet with this video it reads rabbits love getting stroked on their nose. but, you know what, it is a bird. >> it is. >> it is a bird. >> so this one, as you can imagine, people are all over it. >> i'm glad we know the answer, that there is an answer. >> finally. >> it is a bird. >> exactly well, new images, guys, and getting a lot of attention, from the first manned voyage to the titanic wreckage in 14 years. >> kelly cobiella is back with us with that story.

>> these images are absolutely stunning, showing just how much this wreck has changed in the past 14 years. that was the last time it was photographed as one explorer said the titanic is quickly returning back to nature more than 12,000 feet down in bitterly cold water at the bottom of the atlantic, a shocking sight, the legendary titanic is crumbling, soft water, strong currents, and metal eating bacteria taking a devastating toll. >> it is a big wreck i wasn't fully ready for just how large it was. >> reporter: the legendary liner once thought to be unsinkable, inspired movies like the oscar winning "titanic," and this iconic moment at the ship's bow. this is how the bow looked 14 years ago, and this is the bow today, those icicle shapes are bacteria eating the metal. the famous bathtub in the captain's quarters has disappeared, hidden under a collapsing deck.

the expedition led by renowned explorer victor vaskovo dove down in a submersible vehicle made by a florid company which took four years to build, five dives over eight days earlier this month. >> the most amazing moment came when i was going along the side of the titanic and the bright lights of the submersible, the first time when they reflected off a portal and came right back it was like the ship was winking at me. >> reporter: it set sail april 12th, 1912 from south hampton, england on a maiden voyage to new york, carrying more than 2,000 passengers and crew, two days later, april 14th, the ship collided with an iceberg 400 miles south of newfoundland off the canada coast, the ship breaking in two and sinking the next day the wreck of the titanic lies deep down, 12,500 feet under water. scientists say it's now covered in bacteria, threatening to turn the ship's 50,000 tons of iron into powder.

the titanic dissolving into the sea. the crew also say they laid a wreath and held a short ceremony for the 1,500 people who died when the titanic went down these new images will be used to create 3d models to help preserve the wreck in virtual reality for all of us and they'll also help scientists figure out just how much longer the wreck will be around guys, one estimate says that this will completely disappear by the year 2030. >> oh, wow. >> not that far away, really. >> kelly, thank you. >> all the more important to get those images now. straight ahead on a thursday morning, from getting organized to wolfing down breakfast, back to school basics that could improve your family's morning routine. taking on the chicken sandwich wars, did you know there's a war? there is we will see who shall prevail. we've got a recipe that just might outshine your favorite fast food. but first, your local news and

weather. good morning, it )s 8-2.

i )m ... students in one north bay school district will collectively turn the page good morning. it's 8:26. i'm kris sanchez. students in one north bay school district will collectively turn the page today because classes begin at new mill er district which for years had a different name. people wanted to change it due to obvious links to confederacy language. last month board members approved the new name. b.a.r.t. is floating an idea to ban pan handling on all b.a.r.t. trains and stations. the lclu is calling it un-constitutional saying it violates freedom of speech. we want a look at your traffic picture. >> we're looking over here,

kris, northbound 17 is jammed from 85 all the way up to just shy of hamilton. there is a motorcycle crash. i'm concerned about the rider reportedly down in the center divide area. your two left lanes are blocking traveling north through the area. the rest of the south bay shows a typical pattern. this could cause for jams for the northeast side as folks try to find a different way around the scene. the rest of the bay smooth slow north and south, slow for the nimitz and the crash and fire, looks like they've cleared from castro street and a little easier over toward the richmond bridge. the bay bridge toll plaza still has metering lights on of course. that won't clear up for another hour. >> more local news in just a half hour.

august 22nd, 2019. you know that song 24 hours until our next big city summer concert series, lizzo rocking the house. folks will be lined up sometime this evening

lizzo is one of the biggest names in music this year excited about the performance and the arrival as well. don't want to give way too much. >> she's going to make an entrance going to be good i love a girls trip, don't you here's three ladies on a girls trip look at these -- i love these shirts where you from >> houston. >> what's your name. >> ann, ivonne. >> my mom brought us, girls trip. >> i love it what are you guys going to do? >> the highlight was the "today" show we're leaving today. >> wanted to see you guys. >> i love your texas chicas, those shirts are adorable. thank you for coming i love when the girls get together. >> rowdy bunch. >> looks like they had fun. coming up back to school must haves for students, students of all ages, whether you're sending your kids to kindergarten, like a few of us, or whether you're sending them off of college, we've got fabulous finds that can make them better students. plus, we'll get into it, guys, dividing the nation, chicken sandwich debate, which fast food place does it best, is it popeyes? chick-fil-a, wendy's we will try them all because

we're givers. >> we will do the research. >> we'll get into it and do the research guys, nat and i -- we're going to make one with our chef. >> there's a secret ingredient. >> we think his might beat all of them. >> the first time i've loved doing research, coming up on the third hour of "today," comedia jim gaffigan stops by to talk about his dramatic new role. plus, on the fourth hour, we have a special ambus makeovers today, and you get to choose one of the outfits. we need your help today for this before all of that, though, how about a check of the weather? >> well, the weather is getting nicer and nicer. we had those thunderstorms move through last night so it is going to make things much cooler going into the weekend. we have the chance of temperatures only in the 70s and low 80s for the northeast, and even 60s and 70s back through the great lakes. it is going to feel like a touch of fall and then going into

saturday it is beautiful across the northeast, the great lakes it will still be stormy with scattered storms along the southeast and the gulf coast heavy rain possible in florida with that tropical little system that's getting closer that way and also on sunday it looks still nice in the same areas and still rainy in the other areas it's sunny and dry out west, temperatures in the 70s and 80s up and down the coast and still hot in the desert southwest. we often do 100th birthdays with our smucker's jars but 97 is so close. who are you saying happy 97th birthday to? >> to my dad. >> celebrating how >> well, it's a girls' weekend he couldn't come along we'll celebrate this weekend. >> happy birthday to jerry. >> thank you. >> awesome, 97 years old, happy birthday, jerry. an good morning. i'm me i'm meteorologist kari hall.

expected to be hot in the inland areas and mild along the coast. san francisco reaches 74 and 94 in livermore. san jose the upper 80s. some of the hotter spots in the low 90s from today extending through the weekend. in fact, slightly hotter for early next week. will be until next wednesday when we come out of the 90s. san francisco staying in the 70s. some clouds and fog. recast, guy >> dylan, thank you. now to a new visitor that's heading to the international space station, a very human like robot. >> yeah. >> nbc's joe fryer joins us with details on this one. this is weird, joe. >> good morning guys, we're used to sending astronauts into space but overnight russia's space sergeant launched an unmanned spacecraft, the only passenger a robot that can replicate human tasks, it will have a limited role on this mission but could give us a glimpse of the future. >> turbopumps up to flight speed

and liftoff. >> reporter: without a single human on board the russian spacecraft is blasted off overnight from kazakhstan en route to the international space station, carrying a precious passenger, a robot called sky bot f 850. it made headlines in 2017 when russia shared video of the robot firing guns. images that quickly conjured up comparisons to the terminator movies but russian officials said they weren't creating a terminator, rather that is artificial intelligence other videos show the robot walking and performing all kinds of tasks, like driving a jeep, and drilling into cinder blocks. at the space station the sky bot is expected to perform simple tasks for now but experts say down the road such robots could

tackle riskier assignments dangerous to humans, including hazardous work outside the station. the kind of stuff dramatized in the movie "gravity." over the years nasa has brought its own robots to the international space station, included robonaut 2, and cube like things called astro bees to help with the crew's time consuming chores. >> what cheese can never be yours? >> i don't know. >> nacho cheese. >> yeah. >> this all comes as america moves forward with another galactic endeavor, vice president pence this week announced a new u.s. space command will begin by month's end, the launching pad for space force, which still needs approval from congress. >> the united states space force will ensure that our nation is

prepared to defend our people, to defend our interests, and defend our values. in the vast expanse of space, and here on the earth. >> as for russia's humanoid robot, for this mission it's only supposed to spend about a couple weeks at the international space station before returning back to earth officials say another benefit of these human like robots, they can relay valuable information about various missions and locations, all in realtime back to you guys. >> pretty cool. >> really cool. >> i just need it to wash dishes. >> i know, that would be good. >> if we had ironing robots. why haven't they invented that? >> it's coming. coming up, better back to school basics from supplies to fashion, problem solving products that can work for students of any age. but first this is "today" on nbc. this is "today" on nbc.

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access netflix, prime video, youtube and more, all with the sound of your voice. click, call or visit a store today. this morning on our this morning on our special week long back to school series, better basics, lifestyle expert jen falik is here. she's found the best versions for students of all

ages getting ready with some going back to school. >> i finally look like i'm in the know in the mom world. >> you are in the know. >> i try, i try. >> what are some of the trends that kids and parents are excited about this year? >> kids love all things, girls, all things sequins, glittery, the locker decorating, kids are obsessed with customizing their lockers. and a water bottle that's the hottest ever. >> fashion trends. target has a new line. >> they have a new line called more than magic. avery and milly are wearing it right now. more than magic, it's great, they can stand up and show you the look kid and parent approved.

for tween girls, this one covers what the tweens want and parents want. >> i love the shoes, girls. >> sequins are the thing. >> and they have ear buds that are volume controlled. kids can't turn them up too high all these smart elements they put into the line. >> we should point out by the way this everything we are showcasing is under $30, $30 or less. >> ladies, thanks so much. you can keep all that stuff. >> a push on not using too much plastic. >> hydro flask is the hot bottle i talked to my friends earlier, they've come out a kids version and it's sized for kids hands, slip proof, a powder coating with this little rubber shoe on the bottom so it won't go flying off a table. so smart, and there's all these fun colors and then i'm obsessed with these found these on etsy, water bottle bands, put your name on a water bottle, and you don't lose it even if kids have a plastic water bottle they use ten because they can't remember which is theirs. you can remove these and put them on whatever you need. >> favorite item so far. >> pure genius.

>> it's genius, this way if you're on the go, your kids are on the go, this is the perfect way tone joy cereal and milk without it ever getting soggy for breakfast. the cereal and milk meet when you put it in your mouth >> dylan dryer would love this she eats cereal breakft, lunch and dinner what next? >> getting to lockers. >> huge. >> they're the thing decorating your locker is the biggest deal, great things you can customize with, target, these succulent magnets, all the rage these aren't real so the kids -- >> how much are they >> $3.99 each. they're strong put your pictures up this is a magnetic organizer, a locker shelf down there, so you have more space. you have all the essentials you need to customize to put up pictures or schedules. >> next level locker my locker looked nothing like this. >> mine had maybe some spray paint on it no one ever cleaned off and that was it. the ultimate backpack.

these are the basic backpack that is the best value these get a five star amazon rating consistently, come in 11 different colors, and they're water resistant. and then they're just kind of made for customizing kids love to customize what's fun about these is they're simple and clean and timeless stick patches on it. $20 a pop, 11 colors to choose from check those out. >> a minute left what are those contraptions? >> from ikea, great for moving things into a dorm room. it folds up flat super smart, and you can use it for groceries or laundry this one can be worn as a backpack and it's $8. >> $8. >> this, that, everything in it, stays folded, stays neat if your desk gets crowded, a crammed desk is not a good thing for studying, this is a back of the chair organizer, also from pottery barn put all the things cluttering your desk on the back of your chair. and finally we have to get to these usb risers, if you don't have enough chargers, raise your bed and get more storage, these

are from target and get charged up next to your bed. i believe these are $23.99 pick them up from target and give yourself more room. you're set. >> thank you so much and good luck with your two going back to school as well find more on these products and lots of other products as well, today.com/shop ms. guthrie? >> look where i am we are going to have a take on the great chicken sandwich war we've got a great chef here. we are going to look at the three fast food options and then chef j.j. is going to cook and you may forget about all

we're back with "today" food and this morning winner, winner chicken sandwich. >> war is being waged this week, between popeye's, chick-fil-a

and wendy's over who has the best chicken sandwich. here to weigh in on that and probably beat them all, chef j.j., good morning first of all, we were talking about this, this is a real fight. people actually are disputing. >> i'm nervous to say which one i like. >> do you have a favorite? >> i haven't had the popeye yet. i'm going to jump in and bite into it. >> get in there. >> don't mind my hands. >> it looks really crispy. >> oh, it's large. >> super crispy, super good. that's a quality brioche bun >> i've had wendy's before, i love me -- >> chick-fil-a is good. >> let me just test this chick-fil-a. >> gold standard >> yeah. >> oh, it's so nice. >> i mean, come on. >> come on. >> buttery good. >> buttery everything, so good. >> what differentiates them in your opinion then? is it the batter the sauce? >> it's all about the crispy chicken. >> what do you want, the chick-fil-a?

>> i just want to try this. >> you got his, chef jj's. >> why are we grabbing more chicken? >> talk about your recipe. >> talk about my recipe, forget about this we're going to add jj to the war. >> this is the competition. >> so my batter is all about the crispiness i throw in some raw grits. so grits, brioche bun, all about the spicy pickle, a little bit of hellman's mayonnaise, slide down with me make the batter. stone cut grits for the extra crispiness. >> raw, okay. >> raw flour, an egg. >> spices. >> and then smoked paprika onion, garlic and salt stir that for me look at that. >> she knows what she's doing. >> we get a little messy. >> i want the batter a little bit thick, clumpy. >> how long do you let it soak then in the batter >> this is quick, as you're waiting in line to get one of

these sandwiches, you can make this at home. >> guys, you're digging in, how good is it >> i love that batter, nice and thick. >> did you salt the chicken first, or no. >> you can, we can salt it. >> i just saw it there. >> the pepper. >> i'm not known for my cooking skills, but i did see the salt there. >> i salt the batter too and then just drop it right in here and don't like knock off the batter, most people when you're making fried chicken you're knocking off the flour no, let the oil knock it off itself this is about 325 degrees. >> what kind of oil? >> i'm all about the grape seed oil. >> grape seed. >> it's really good for you, super high smoke point, it won't burn slightly expensive b don't fry in olive oil canola oil is okay grapeseed is slightly expensive, but you know it's giving you the nutrients you need >> okay. >> assembly.

>> the real secret in here is the spicy pickle. >> uh-huh. >> so good. >> i make chicken sandwiches all the time at our -- me and my wife throw an ugly sweater party, at the end of the party these fried chicken sandwiches come in. but my wife loves a spicy pickle so i throw spicy pickles on them just for her. >> savannah and i were surprised how spicy -- >> if you know me i'm all about the spice. >> that's got a little kick to it. >> grab one of these. >> here we go, savannah. >> thank you. >> what do our tasters think >> i think the bun makes a difference too. >> this is a nice brioche bun. what about the grits, can you feel the extra texture there >> it gives it oomph. >> oh, my god. >> on these other sandwiches the pickles are small pickles, i'm giving you a long slice of pickles to get it in every bite. >> jj, the competition is over. >> i like a messy sandwich. >> so good. >> i'm going to bite into this one. >> so good. >> it's good >> yes. >> great, jj. >> you win, hands down. >> winner, winner, chicken dinner, right here, jj, thank

you so much. >> field trip restaurant in harlem. >> get this chicken on top of our rice bowls. >> recipes are on today.com/food back in a moment first, this is "today" on nbc. . first, this is "toda

smucker's celebrates today is smucker's celebrates today is sponsored by smucker's, with a name like smucker's it has to be good. and we are back celebrating all of the kids out there who are heading back to school and we ask you to send us your favorite pictures, your favorite first day pictures, and you aced that assignment. barb shares this throwback picture of her daughter alyssa heading to kindergarten at the time, and in a couple weeks she's starting seventh grade time flies amanda shared this photo of her daughter alexis. she started pre-k this month, she wants to be an astronaut when she grows up. stick with it.

and rose shared this photo her son is serving in the ai force, and her daughter is starting sixth grade. thank you for your service keep those pictures coming >> that's so cute. don't forget, today.com/allday, always on, today you'll find the new guidelines when it comes to treating kids who have migraines. also, football season is upon us. >> oh, yay. >> 11 stadium friendly clear bags that are actually surprisingly stylish. >> quite convenient when you need them. up next on the third hour, a restaurant insider serves us a tip for dining out tip well. >> natalie, you have the fourth hour >> andie macdowell is here, a horror movie, a new genre for her. ambush makeovers with a twist. our viewers at home choose one of the outfits we need your participation >> okay. we have lots more after a check of your local news and weather

good morning. i'm kris sanchez. a sad update into the newsroom this morning. deputies confirmed that divers located the body of 53-year-old teen chen last seen tuesday gardening outside her home. investigators have not determined how she died. the streets around 4th and san

fernando are open again in san jose after a deadly hit-and-run just before 3:00 this morning. so far the man who died there has not been identified. there is also no vehicle description. happening now, talking with police about the investigation and the search for the driver. watch our midday newscast for the latest and look for updates on our home page. also in our midday news people who live on san francisco's embarcadero are concerned about what they say has been a recent surge in violence there. this week there are reports of two new crime cases in addition to this attack outside a condo that was caught on camera. we're following the developments. one peninsula city has come up with a new way to help police officers in their own department who are commuting from far away. they are converting an old fire house into a boarding house. go to the twitter feed for our full story. more local news in an hour.

live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." good morning, everyone, i'm sheinelle here with craig and dylan, al is, of course, enjoying some time off, well deserved. how are you guys this morning? >> i just had a chicken sandwich, we all did. we're nice and full and ready to go. >> there's this whole war gng on between popeye's, chick-fil-a, wendy's. >> bojangles is in it down south. >> i was happy to do research. every once in a while you see a video and you stop and watch it and everybody starts talking about it. if you haven't seen it, we're going to make you hip, show it to you. a family driving through