good morning. breaking news. deadly rampage. three shootings overnight, all at atlanta area massage parlors. >> we heard numerous gunshots coming from across the street. >> eight people killed in all. at least six of the victims believed to be asian women. was it a hate crime? this morning, police with a single suspect in custody, and the fbi joins the search for a motive. we'll have the breaking details live. kid tested. the first trials of moderna's vaccine on young children now under way. >> this will add an extra layer

of protection that's going to relieve a little bit of the anxiety that is still there. >> this morning, moderna's president joins us for an exclusive, live interview. and overnight, a major booster shot from former president trump, urging his supporters to get vaccinated. >> it's a great vaccine. it's a safe vaccine, and it's something that works. >> after polls show increasing republican reluctance. warning shot. facing a crisis of migrants at the border, president biden sends a direct message to those headed this way. >> i can say quite clearly, don't come. don't leave your town or city or community. >> and what the president says to those who blame his policies for the sudden surge. severe weather warning. tens of millions across the south in the path of a storm outbreak. the threat of dangerous tornadoes, hail, and high winds. al has everything you need to know. tiger talks. the legendary golfer reveals

he's out of the hospital and recovering at home three weeks after that rollover crash. what he's now saying about battling back from career-threatening injuries, and where the investigation now stands. all that, plus, seeing green. one year after being shut down, cities across the country get set to hold st. patrick's day celebration, with any luck. today, wednesday, march 17th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." thanks for joining us on a wednesday morning. happy st. patrick's day. or as my dearly departed irish grandmother would say, top of the morning to you, hoda. may the rest of your day be yorn. >> i like that. the green.

we're ready for today. a busy day. a lot happening. the chicago river dyed green for the occasion. it is one of many cities holding celebrations today after having to cancel them last year. in fact, savannah, georgia, is preparing for tens of thousands of tourists despite the pandemic. we'll get into that in a bit. plus, the hope behind the vaccine trial on children as young as 6 months old, when the president of moderna joins us. plus, al is tracking the threat of severe weather across the south. we are going to begin with the breaking news. atlanta area reeling in the wake of deadly shootings at three spas. as we said, most of the eight victims are believed to be asian women. and a suspect is now in custody. blayne alexander is in atlanta with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning to you. we know president biden has been briefed on the shootings that took place in and around atlanta and he has been in touch with the atlanta mayor's office.

all three shootings happened within the span of about an hour. officials so far are not labeling them hate crimes but they're not ruling it out, saying they're looking at all possibilities. this morning, police are investigating a string of deadly shootings at three massage parlors in and around atlanta. >> shot up a spa there. shot up two spas here. we need to make sure we have asian spas, we need to be checking on them. >> reporter: the first was at young's asian massage tuesday afternoon. police arrived to find multiple people shot. >> we're conducting a multiple homicide investigation. wherever the evidence leads us, that's where investigators will go. >> reporter: an hour later, two more shootings. this time in nearby atlanta. the target, two more massage parlors. >> we just heard numerous gunshots. >> reporter: police say they were responding to one shooting when they got a call about more shots fired just across the street. >> it appears that all victims are female. it appears they may be asian. >> reporter: in all, eight people were killed.

officials say six of them are believed to be asian women. police have arrested one suspect. 21-year-old robert aaron long. authorities believe he is connected to all three shootings, but so far, no formal charges have been filed. >> they were comparing the images of the suspect in his vehicle, and that's how we came to the conclusion that he was also a suspect in atlanta. >> reporter: officials are not releasing a motive, but the shootings come at a time of increased hate crime targeting asian-americans across the country. in a statement, the group stop aapi hate calls it an unspeakable tragedy. writing, this latest attack will only exacerbate the fear and pain that the asian-american community continues to endure. after the georgia shootings, the nypd confirmed they are now deploying counterterrorism officers to asian communities throughout new york city out of an abundance of caution. and this morning, we're also hearing from the secretary of

state, antony blinken, who is traveling in south korea this morning. he expressed condolences, saying, we are horrified by this violence, which has no place in america or anywhere. savannah? >> so many questions to answer. blayne, of course, we're all aware of the increase in hate crimes against asian-americans across the country. have they also seen that in georgia, in the atlanta area? >> reporter: yes, savannah. according to the group stop aapi hate, they say there have been more than 30 incidents of hate incidents targeting asian-americans here in the georgia area. many of these, we understand, are verbal attacks. now, of course, georgia has become more diverse over the past few years, and that includes a growing asian-american population. here in the atlanta area, it's higher than 7%. now, we do know of these hate crimes, there's. a disproportionate number attacking women. just to give you a sense of how rare this is, the first shooting that was up in cherokee county outside of atlanta, officials there say they only investigated one homicide in all of 2020.

savannah. >> blayne alexander on the breaking news in atlanta. thank you very much. now let's move on to the latest efforts to vaccinate americans, as more states are expanding eligibility. this morning, we are hearing from a family taking part in that new moderna trial, testing the vaccine on young kids. we have an exclusive interview with moderna's president coming up live. first, nbc's tom costello joins us from the national institutes of health. tom, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. this is an nih-run study. 75 sites across the united states and canada. each child is receiving two doses. with various doses. some will get a placebo. then they'll be monitored for a year for any signs of reaction. researchers are hopeful they will have the data to suggest this is, in fact, safe for children potentially by the summer. it's the next critical step in the race to defeat the virus. moderna now conducting a vaccine

trial with nearly 7,000 children, including babies as young as 6 months old. in arizona, rachel guthrie has enrolled two of her three kids. 2-year-old charlotte and 3-year-old ollie, who recently started preschool. >> this is going to add an extra layer of protection that's going to relieve a little bit of that anxiety that is still there. >> reporter: moderna is already testing the vaccine in 12 to 17-year-olds. it comes as mississippi joins alaska in allowing any adult 16 and older who wants a shot to get one. other states like ohio and indiana are also expanding eligibility. >> there is an imperative that shots not sit any place. >> reporter: but health experts are warning, with some americans still reluctant to get vaccinated, and the rapid spread of covid variants, a return to normal through herd immunity could take longer. >> now, unfortunately, the bar is raised. the 80% to 90% means we're going to need to vaccinate almost every adult and lots of

adolescents, as well. >> reporter: now, former president trump, who privately got his shots while still in the white house, is now out with this message for any vaccine skeptics, many who are republicans according to recent polls. >> i would recommend it, and i would recommend it to a lot of people that don't want to get it. a lot of those people voted for me, frankly. again, we have our freedoms, and we have to live by that. i agree with that, also. but it's a great vaccine. it's a safe vaccine, and it's something that works. >> reporter: meanwhile, in europe, more than a dozen countries are now pausing distribution of the astrazeneca vaccine. the reason? a handful of people experiencing abnormal bleeding and blood clotting. though there is no evidence so far linking it back to the vaccine. the astrazeneca vaccine is not yet approved in the u.s. on the astrazeneca vaccine, the uk, canada, and australia are

standing by it. they believe it's safe. a lot of veteran researchers are suggesting these european countries that are pausing the vaccine rollout are acting prematurely because the data, they say, does not support the conclusion. back to you. >> tom, we'll get to thattane moment here with dr. steven hogue, the president of moderna. good morning. good to have you with us. >> thank you for having me. >> let's talk about these new trials that are under way with kids as young as 6 months. a lot of parents, like me, wonder if our kids are going to be eligible for the vaccine at some point. how quickly to you expect results from those trials, and is the timeline potentially where we could start seeing kids vaccinated before the start of the school year next fall? >> depends on ages. this is the third trial we've run, the kid cove trial, which is 6 months to 12-year-olds. we've already completed enrollment in our teen cove trial, which is adolescents 12 to 17. we expect to have data from that 12 to 17 teen cove study, hopefully perhaps by the summer,

so we could be vaccinating adolescents going into the school year. 6 months old to 12-year-olds is going to take longer. the reason, you need to be a little more cautious, progressive in working down dose levels in the kids to find the right dose. it has two parts to it. the first part is going to be in a small number of participants, looking at doses and finding the right, safe, and effective dose. the second part will expand to 7,000. because it's the two parts, it'll probably take the better part of this year to complete. >> do you have any reason to believe, based on the trials so far, that kids are having any issue with the vaccine? i mean, from where you sit right now, do you expect that, ultimately, kids will be able to get this vaccine? >> absolutely, we hope so. we still are blinded to these studies, so i don't have any information specifically from the studies, but we certainly haven't seen anything concerning in prior work that would suggest we can't use the vaccine in children. >> let's talk about the vaccine for everybody.

moderna is expected to deliver 100 million shots to the u.s. by the end of this month. last week, as of late last week, as i understand it, about 63 million had been delivered. do you think you'll make your deadline? >> we do. we're working around the clock, 24/7. we've been delivering 10 million doses a week. the last numbers released by the cdc were close to 70 million. we're going to keep working through the balance of this month to get the 100 million out the door. >> of course, we're in a race to vaccinate and in a race against the mutating virus, the variants. i believe moderna has shown protection against the variants we know of. you worry about what might be developing. have you been able to develop a booster shot? is that something you're working on, or tweaking the vaccine so it matches these variants better? where does that all stand? >> that's a great question. it's another announcement in the last week, which is, we actually started testing a new boosting, an updated, second generation

vaccine, against the variants we're most concerned about that were first identified in south africa and brazil. that actually happened in the last week, as well. also in partnership with the nih. that booster is something we're trying to have available for perhaps the fall of this year, in case those new variants emerge and become a threat in the fall or winter of 2021. >> lastly, i'm sure you've been watching what's been going on with astrazeneca overseas, where the trials have been paused by several european countries. does something like that cause you concern, that folks who are skeptical or hesitant to get the vaccine, any kind of vaccine, may look at that and say, "ah-ha, see, i was right to be worried"? >> yes. i mean, it is always a concern when we have to get ahead of the data. as a scientist, clinician, i tend to want to be data-driven in those decisions, but i also respect the fact that public health officials in the countries and regulators need to make the best decision on imperfect information they can. i think the best advice we could offer is let's wait for the data to evolve and look into it.

>> all right. dr. stephen hoge, moderna's president, thank you very much for your time. we appreciate it. >> thank you. staying on the topic of the coronavirus, it's been the major focus of president biden's first 100 days. craig is here with the latest on that. hey, craig. >> hoda, savannah, good morning. good morning to you, as well. president biden enters his 57th day in office, selling that nearly $2 trillion covid relief package to the public, but he is also facing an emerging crisis, a growing surge in migrants crossing the southern border. nbc's chief white house correspondent kristen welker joins us with more details on all of it. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: hi, craig. good morning. the homeland security secretary will face tough questions this morning, appearing before the house homeland security committee a day after saying the administration expects to encounter more migrants at the southwest border than the last 20 years. it's all a major test for president biden nearly two months into his administration. president biden on defense this

morning with the migrant surge growing at the southern border. >> do you have to say, quite clearly, don't come? >> yes. i can say quite clearly, don't come. we're in the process of getting set up. don't leave your town or city or community. >> reporter: in an interview with abc news, the president pushing back on criticism migrants are crossing in such large numbers because he has reversed several trump-era immigration policies. >> the idea that joe biden said come, because i heard the other day they're coming because they know i'm a nice guy. here's the deal, they're not. >> reporter: the president has halted construction of his predecessor's border wall and ended the trump policy that required would-be refugees to remain in mexico during the asylum process. and while most migrants are still barred from entering the u.s., unaccompanied children are being admitted. according to data obtained by nbc news, the border patrol detained 4,200 unaccompanied migrant children as of sunday,

about 1,000 more than last week's already record number. most staying in custody more than the legal limit of 72 hours. overnight, former president trump lashing out. >> young children are coming in, and they leave their homes and come up because they think it is going to be so wonderful. >> reporter: it comes as the president is gearing up for a different battle on capitol hill. according to two administration officials, mr. biden and his top aides are discussing a major tax increase to pay for part of his agenda. rolling back some of the 2017 trump tax cuts, increasing taxes on those making more than $400,000 per year, and increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. >> if we just took the tax rate back to what it was when bush was president, that would raise $230 billion. yet, they're complaining because i'm providing a tax credit for child care, for the poor, for

the middle class? >> reporter: it's already sparking fierce opposition from senate republicans who argue higher rates could encourage businesses to move overseas. >> i don't think there's going to be any enthusiasm on our side for a tax increase. >> reporter: also making news from that interview, president biden weighing in on the controversy facing new york governor andrew cuomo, who is, of course, under mounting pressure and under investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct. >> if the investigation confirms the claims of the women, should he resign? >> yes, i think he would probably end up being prosecuted, too. >> reporter: now, those remarks are the president's most explicit comments yet about his long-time political ally. mr. biden adding that a woman should be presumed to be telling the truth. craig. >> chief white house correspondent kristen welker for us this morning, thank you. let's get our first check of the weather. al, good morning to you. >> good morning, guys. unfortunately, we have really severe weather over the next 48

hours. we're already seeing tornado watches up and tornado warnings in parts of arkansas on into tennessee and into northern mississippi. and this system is just going to develop further. look at this, 29 million people. this is a high risk from greenville to jackson to tupelo for today for tornadoes. long-track tornado, hail, damaging winds. and then, for tomorrow, along the southeastern atlantic coast, 35 million people at risk for severe weather from salisbury, maryland, all the way down to tampa and out to atlanta. here's the setup we've got. this low pressure system in front tracks into the gulf states. violent storms erupt from texas into the southeast. through tomorrow, heavy rain in the ohio river valley. moving into the northeast. look what happens as this system moves into the mid-atlantic, snow developing friday from pennsylvania into new england. the precipitation moves off the coast by friday morning, not before leaving a slushy amount. here's what we're looking at. a widespread area, 1 to 3 inches

of rain. the big problem going to be the tornadoes. tonight, they're going to be nocturnal. we have snow, 2 to 4 inches, panhandle of texas into the panhandle of oklahoma. thursday through friday, look at the northeast, 4 to 5 inches of snow up into new england. a wider spread area of 1 to 3 inches through parts of the northeast into western new york. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds

good morning. live look outside in san jose. waking up to a beautiful sunrise. quickly clouds will start to roll in. and we're going to have a mostly cloudy day as our highs reach into the upper 50s and low 60s for the inland areas. those clouds coming in advance of rain. it moves in early tomorrow morning. temperatures reaching into the upper 50s. the rain tapers off on friday. and then for the weekend, as we welcome in spring, it will be nice and sunny. hour, we're going to talk about a serious danger of these overnight tornadoes coming up. we'll tell you how you can monitor them >> al, thank you. coming up, tiger woods' road to recovery. now out of the hospital and recovering at home in florida. his new message to his fans, and new details on the investigation into that near fatal crash. plus, on our future of travel series, how the cruise industry plans to bounce back after an entire year of no voyages. when will you be able to sail

again, and what will the vacation at sea look like? kerry sanders is getting an inside look. for nearly a decade, comcast has been helping students get ready. we've connected 4 million low-income students to low- cost, high-speed xfinity internet. we're working with hundreds of school districts across the country to sponsor free internet and laptops. and parents are seeing an impact. and now we're turning 1,000 community centers into lift zones - wifi enabled safe spaces to study. so more students can be ready for anything. i'm trying to do some homework here.

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good morning. law enforcement is responding to the deadly shootings around atlanta. i'm sierra johnson in san francisco. many leaders here in the bay area reacting after a series of shootings in the atlanta area. left eight people dead. many of them asian women. oakland police chief saying that they're aware of the situation and monitoring what was going on in georgia. sfpd police chief telling us the department stands with asian-american and pacific islander communities against the

horrific times. and in new york city, they're releasing counter-terrorism officers as a precaution throughout the city. >> st. patrick's day is all about the orange tieror. wineries, breweries, gyms with open at 25% capacity. retail can reopen with restrictions. must seems, zoos, aquariums can open at 50% capacity, same for houses of worship. nonessential workers can go back to work even if remote work is still recommended. santa clara, san francisco and marin don'ter orange tier next week. >> thanks so much, chris. cold start again this morning. kerry has a look at our forecast. >> yeah. right now it's clear. we'll start to see clouds moving in again. the storm system approaches. and brings us cloudy day. but the rain holds off until tomorrow. we'll wake up tomorrow morning with rain. moving across the bay area. it will just be off and on throughout the day. we go into thursday, tapering

off on friday. and then it does look like we'll have a clear and cool weekend as we welcome in spring. laura? >> all right. sounds good. that's right. spring on saturday. we'll be back with another update in a half hour.

we want to wish everyone happy st. paddy's day. you have a lot of celebrations on. we have to reveal your shoes at some point. we haven't yet, but they are a st. patrick's day surprise. >> i take my st. patrick's day quite seriously. >> as the kids would say, they're on fleek. >> my kids are very into green, so i'm wearing green for my kids. morning, guys.

>> awesome. let's get to your news at 7:30. secretary of state tony blinken and defense secretary austin arrived in south korea this morning in a bid to strengthen washington's alliances in asia. the visit comes amid news that north korea might test an intercontinental ballistic missile in the near future, according to senior defense officials. three years ago, pyongyang promised a freeze on tested, but officials say there has been an increase in activity at a location in north korea that has a history of missile launches. california governor gavin newsom admitted on tuesday that he is worried about a statewide recall effort there. he said organizers appeared to have enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot. the governor faced scrutiny over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. california leads all states in cases and covid deaths. newsom plans to challenge the recall effort and fight for california values. now to frightening moments in southern california, in a neighborhood there.

two people were killed, several others hurt, after a powerful explosion sparked by commercial grade fireworks. this happened at a house in ontario. the explosion left people scrambling for cover and led to evacuation of homes nearby. a cloud of smoke could be seen rising from the house for more than an hour. no word on what caused the explosion, but the fbi joined in on the investigation. this morning, we're also hearing from tiger woods for the first time in nearly three weeks. >> the golfer revealing on twitter he is now out of the hospital, and he's returned to florida to continue his recovery from last month's near death car crash. national correspondent miguel almaguer has been following it from the beginning and joins us this morning with an update. hey, miguel. >> reporter: guys, good morning. the images following that near fatal rollover crash involving tiger woods last month are tough to forget. now, good news on his road to recovery. the 15-time major winner is back

home and on the mend. this morning, tiger woods is out of the hospital and recovering at home, weeks after a terrifying car crash in southern california. taking to twitter overnight, the golfing great thanking the medical teams who have, quote, all taken such great care of me. writing, he is so grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement since the accident. adding, he will be working on getting stronger every day. >> it's very fortunate that mr. woods was able to come out of this alive. >> reporter: last month, woods was driving to a tv shoot outside of l.a. when his suv struck a median, causing the vehicle to roll over several times. woods broke his right leg in multiple places. surgeons inserting a rod into his tibia and screws and pins into his foot and ankle. >> no skid marks, no braking. apparently, the first contact was with the center median. >> reporter: according to

authorities, woods' suv was traveling at a greater than normal rate of speed, with no signs of impairment. the sheriff's department did not seek a warrant to obtain a sample of his blood. now, the investigation into the near fatal crash is moving forward. including the examination of the car's black box that could determine the vehicle's speed, positioning, and other critical information. >> he is doing better. >> reporter: last week, star golfer rory mcilroy telling jimmy fallon his friend was on the mend. >> hopefully if things go well over the next week or so, he might be able to get home. >> reporter: woods' impact on golf, as well as his bond with some of sports biggest stars, have been on display in recent weeks. >> i don't think we say thank you enough. i want to say thank you to tiger. >> reporter: just days after the crash, multiple players paying tribute during the final round of a tournament by wearing woods' signature sunday red. justin thomas, who won the

players championship this weekend, says woods actually reached out to him to wish him luck. >> if you would have told us when we were 15, 20 years old that tiger woods is texting us the night before we have a chance to win a tournament, trying to inspire us, it's pretty cool. >> reporter: woods' team has also announced he signed a long term partnership with pga tour 2k series. he is getting back into the gaming world. one foray back into golfing. back to you. >> miguel almaguer for us, thank you. tiger is going to become the face of their golf game, like he was for many years for ea. >> pretty cool. >> tiger is coming back. >> of course he is. coming up next, kerry sanders gives us a firsthand look at the state of cruises. >> yeah. grounded for a full year by the pandemic, how the industry is preparing to welcome back passengers. who gets to decide when it's safe for you to sail a safe for you to sail again first, these messages. including baton rouge... and even topeka. yeah, we're exhausted. whew! so, tonight... i'll be eating the

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it is 7:40 on this wednesday morning. we're back with our special week-long look at the future of travel >> a lot of questions for folks as we're starting to inch back out. we talked about the airlines yesterday. this morning, we turn to cruise ships. a growing number of americans are ready to set sail, but when will the industry be allowed to return to the high seas? >> nbc's kerry sanders is in miami for us this morning. kerry, what do we know >> good morning, guys. when, of course, is the big question this morning, we don't know exactly when, but what we do know is when the cruise lines

resume, some, like virgin and crystal, will require everybody, passengers and crew members, to have been vaccinated analysts believe it is possible we could see the cruises resume as early as july the cruise ship industry has never seen anything like it before for close to a year, vessels have been in port, idle, sitting empty. more than 250 ships still without passengers during this unprecedented shutdown unlike restaurants, sports stadiums, schools, which open when governors and local governments say so, the lead authority that will decide when cruise lines can resume is the cdc. so far, the cdc has issued no new health and safety protocols. >> unfortunately, there's no one magic threshold that says, now is the day if we reach this point, we can go. >> reporter: cdc declined to talk to nbc news, but those lack of rules have not stopped

americans from booking trips veteran travel agent michelle says her clients are tired of being cooped up at home. >> there is a thing called revenge travel i don't know if you've heard of that what it is, people who haven't been able to travel in the last year, possibly two, they are taking all the funds they typically spend on vacations, and they'll take a bucket list vacation. >> reporter: the balancing act, new rules that don't ruin a vacation. >> we don't know yet, what are going to be the rules to get into the hot tub or the swimming pools or, you know, just going up and getting a drink at a bar? >> reporter: if you're required to wear a mask just walking down the hallway, will your customers say, that's not a vacation for me >> i think some people will say that, and others will say, i have so much pent up demand to travel, i'm going to go no matter what. >> reporter: the best clues of how it could work in the u.s. may come by looking at what works in europe. everyone must test negative before boarding.

masks required ships limiting the number of passengers under those rules, more than 350,000 people have cruised since last july in europe. only about 50 passengers have tested positive for covid while at sea, according to the cruise line international association similar rules could be adopted by the united states or go even further, as in singapore, where masks are now required even when outdoors by the swimming pool. some passengers say they're just not ready yet. >> so it was a harrowing experience >> reporter: passengers rick and wendy were trapped on the zaandam when the pandemic hit last march veterans of more than 25 cruises, they will never forget being turned away from port after port before being extracted like they were radioactive. both lost close family to covid. >> there's a reluctance to, you know, do another cruise until we see that this is safe.

that people aren't getting sick, and that you can really enjoy the cruise the way you'd want to >> reporter: one thing that passengers on board will recognize if they've been before is that technology will now arrive they'll be given something that looks like a watch or a bracelet it's called a tracelet it traces everybody you've been in contact with aboard the ship. if somebody were to later test positive for coronavirus, they could then trace who has been in contact with them and, if needed, put those folks, only those folks, into quarantine guys >> all right. >> kerry sanders, thank you. the vaccine thing is interesting, all the passengers and crew vaccinated. may be a way to start it. >> we'll have more in the next hour on the future of travel vicky nguyen has tips to help you plan and save on that next vacation, including some of the questions you probably want to ask before booking, given summer's uncertainty, shall we say. all right. let's get a check of the weather with al, who is always certain

about the forecast >> well, we're unfortunately certain about some severe weather that's developing. we told you about this we have a high risk of severe weather. last time this happened in march was nine years ago so we're looking for strong, long-track tornadoes possible. the big problem is, these are overnight tornadoes. nocturnal tornadoes in the states in red, at least one out of three tornadoes happen after dark that's dangerous why? usually, tornadoes are more likely, twice as likely, to be fatal at night the reason, of course, well, a lot of folks are asleep. they're not aware of the warnings tornadoes are also difficult to see in the dark. to help you keep track of these, go to your iphone or ipad. go to settings, notifications, government alerts. that will set off any warnings that come out. if you have an android phone, advanced settings, emergency alert, or you can go to your app

store and download the red cross tornado app at your app store. that'll also alert you to any severe weather that's happening, especially overnight now, the rest of the country's weather today, severe storm outbreak we are watching that really closely. record highs down in florida today. sunshine in the northeast. blizzard conditions developing again in the rockies the western third of the country looking pretty darn good that's what's going on around

guys >> thank you, al. coming up next, what we're learning about prince harry's first conversations with his father and brother since that explosive interview. keir simmons at buckingham palace with new details, right after this life... doesn't stop for diabetes. be ready for every moment, with glucerna. it's the number one doctor recommended brand that is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. live every moment. glucerna. is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. ♪ ♪ ♪ this helps. and so does this. and this, it definitely helps. because food always helps. and ordering in or dining outside

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we are back. carson is here got a shamrock on. we have some new drama inside the royal family. >> certainly do, hoda. for the first time since harry and meghan's bombshell interview, harry has now spoken with his father and brother. >> well, how did that conversation go? turns out, we know "today" senior international correspondent keir simmons is at buckingham palace. hi, keir good morning. >> reporter: hey, savannah good morning to you. harry and meghan haven't been speaking publicly, but the have been telling folks how they think things are going with their family who live in the palace behind me there just days after prince william said he hadn't spoken to his younger brother, harry, since the bombshell oprah interview. >> i haven't yet, but i will be. >> reporter: news that the two have now connected, and harry has spoken to his dad, prince charles, too it is not exactly happy families gayle king saying on cbs, the conversations were, quote, not productive but harry and meghan are glad that a conversation has been

started. she says the sussexes told her by phone -- >> i think what is still upsetting to them is the palace says they want to work it out privately, yet, they believe the false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against meghan still. >> reporter: that refers to bullying allegations against meghan, which, it was revealed in a british newspaper, buckingham palace will ask an outside law firm to investigate. while the royal family says it wants to privately address claims of racism made by meghan. >> several conversations. >> there was a conversation with you? >> with harry. >> about how dark your baby is going to be? >> potentially, and what that would mean or look like. >> reporter: after the crisis of the past few weeks, some good news for the queen her husband, prince philip, the duke of edinburgh, leaving the hospital his month hp-long

hospitalization including a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. >> have you had a chance to speak yet? >> several times. >> reporter: the duke will be 100 this year. prince harry was set to join the celebration. what a reunion that will be. meanwhile, buckingham palace determined not to provide a running commentary on the controversy, which does seem to be cooling a little, guys. >> mm-hmm. >> okay. >> to be continued. >> nice to know it was private >> the conversation, yeah. >> well, ish thank you, keir. you'll love this, or you'll be upset we have the results of the winner of our st. patrick's day bracket challenge. >> come on, corn beef. lebron james joining the boston red sox >> what? >> pulling a two-sport bo jackson? no we'll tell you after your local news those who du more with less asthma. thanks to dupixent. the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma.

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good morning. it's 7:56. here's a look at what's happening now. >> i'm in livermore. the commute is getting worse, not back to what it was before covid-19, but it is approaching that. according to the bay area's metropolitan transportation commission, traffic is now averaging 80% to 85% of the pre-pandemic levels. they can tell in part by looking at the number of bridge crossings. last week, 1.6 million drivers of the seven bay area bridges excluding the golden gate. compare that to a year ago, it was close to 1.9 million drivers. >> good morning, everyone. the head of the fed is going to speak today at 11:30 our time. wall street waiting for that this morning. because jerome powell is going

talk about the results of the federal open market committee where their examining interest rates and the future of the american economy. >> we're examining our temperatures for this morning. we're starting out a little chilly. >> yeah. it's been a cold morning. but it will still be a mild afternoon. not as sunny as yesterday. we're getting ready for some rain it will be arriving tomorrow. out ahead of that, a lot of clouds building. we'll see the rain off and on tomorrow into early friday morning. but the weekend is all clear. and our temperatures gradually warm up. laura? >> sounds good. spring around the corner. we'll be back with another update in about 15 -- no half an hour.

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it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, breaking overnight, deadly attack. an investigation under way after a shooting spree at three spas in georgia at least eight people killed six believed to be asian women this morning, a suspect in custody, as police work to determine a motive was it a hate crime? we're live with the latest then covid concerns. how restaurants and businesses are working to keep spring break customers safe, as officials worry about the potential of a new surge. >> we have markers set up on the sidewalk constantly reminding people to wear masks. >> all this as we take a closer

look at how social media use during the pandemic has affected teens and young adults. >> the amount of time i've spent on screens in general since the start of the pandemic has doubled. >> the surprising results just ahead. then tiktok's queen bee. we'll talk to the woman behind these viral videos. >> when i lifted up the floor, i saw a hive of gentle bees. >> how and why she removes bees from people's homes with no masks and no gloves. and happy st. patrick's day. we'll kick off the holiday at a historic irish pub in philadelphia cooking up a classic dish. plus, the results are in we'll announce the winner of our bracket, corn beef and cabbage versus guinness. which ran away with the luck of the irish today, wednesday, march 17th, 2021 >> we are from pennsylvania. wishing our mom a happy 40th

birthday. >> happy st. patrick's day, everyone. >> we're going on a virtual tour of ireland to celebrate her 80th birthday. >> happy st. patrick's day >> happy st. patrick's day. >> we're feeling extra lucky. >> it is jax's first birthday. >> love that there can always be a party for jax. it's a good one. thank you for being with us this morning. top of the morning to you. >> happy st. patrick's day we have a lot to get to this m morning, but be sure to join us tomorrow morning, as well. we have a very special and quite the emotional reunion, right >> this was lovely a high school math teacher he got reunited with the nurses and doctors who saved him. he was one of the very first critical covid patients in the country. the team that saved his life at long island jewish hospital in queens, they all got together.

it is so dear. i can't wait to share this with you. it is all about hope, the hope he gave them, and they gave him. >> yeah. >> they still remember him very well >> i bet they do. >> pretty cool. >> look forward to that. let's get to your news at 8:00 the fbi joined the investigation of the rampage in the atlanta area last night that left at least eight people dead. this morning, there are questions about whether the shootings were anti-asian hate crimes nbc's blayne alexander is in atlanta with the latest. >> reporter: good morning to you. we are talking about three different shootings, all of which happened in the span of an hour two of them happened right here at parlors within feet of each other. now, as for motive right now, officials are not revealing a motive, and they're not labeling this a hate crime, but they're not ruling it out either, saying they are looking at all possibilities. officials say overnight, eight people were killed of those, they believe six of them were asian women. now, officials did take one man

into custody, a 21-year-old named robert aaron long. he was arrested about two hours south of here, arrested by georgia state patrol and taken into custody without incident. condolences, of course, have been pouring in throughout the morning. we also understand that president biden has been briefed on this, and he has been in touch with the atlanta mayor, keisha lance bottoms keep in mind, president biden and vice president harris were set to travel here later in the week to tout covid release given the shootings, it'll be another major focus of their trip this week. >> blayne alexander in atlanta, thanks. more states are offering covid vaccines to a wider range of americans mississippi has joined alaska in letting 16-year-olds and up get vaccinated moderna is conducting trials on younger children now, including infants. some parents say they're hoping for an extra layer of protection for their kids this morning, i asked the president of moderna about the

trials on children how quickly do you expect results on the trials, and could we see kids vaccinated before the school near next fall? >> it depends on ages. this is the third trial we've run, the kid cove trial, which is in 6 months to 12-year-olds we've already completed enrollment in our teen cove trial, adolescents 12 to 17. so we expect to have data from that 12 to 17 kid cove study, hopefully perhaps by the summer, so we could be vaccinating adolescents going into the school year. >> meanwhile, former president donald trump gave a public boost to vaccination efforts yesterday. he urged any of his supporters who might be skeptical to get their shots, calling them safe and effective. the ongoing pandemic has forced cities like new york and chicago to once again scale back their st. patrick's day celebrations, but the party is still on in places that also attracts spring break crowds nbc's sam brock is down in ft.

lauderdale with a look at some of the precautions at bars and restaurants this st. patrick's day. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. for businesses like the wharf in ft. lauderdale, it is a painful reminder of having to shut down at last year's st. patrick's day holiday. this year, the doors are open. the capacity going to be cut in half some places, the celebrations are expected to draw tens of thousands of people. this year, a virtual parade, but still plenty of people at savannah's shamrocks and shenanigans. a six-day event culminating on st. patrick's day, expected to draw 30,000 visitors or more >> we stay open by requiring the use of masks. >> reporter: while many are sticking to the ground rules, the mayor says there is a price to pay for violators. >> we don't necessarily want savannah to be the place where someone got a $500 ticket.

the fact is, if they refuse to, they're going to get a ticket. >> reporter: in cities known for irish pride and partying, like new york and chicago, canceled parades with surprise treats the chicago river still dyed green. instead of signs for irish whiskey, one bar promoting irish vaccines >> some semblance of a normal life coming back slowly but surely. >> reporter: in a surreal year, equally surreal scenes in places like miami beach police reporting nearly 900 arrests between early february and mid-march. the city's mayor has called for caps on capacity and strict mask enforcement, but says his hands are tied by governor desantis. >> i've sent his letters, chief of staff information, i asked them for help. >> what do you hear? >> i hear crickets. >> reporter: businesses caught in the crossfire, like the wharf, are locations in ft. lauderdale and miami, want to show the holiday can be enjoyed

safely in years past, the thousand-person venues would be packed this year, capacity cut in half. >> limit the people walking through the doors. we have markers on the sidewalk, constantly reminding people to wear masks >> a crucial message as countless americans prepare to celebrate. in the case of the wharf, they have mask patrol employees who are going to be walking around to ensure people are following the rules. in the state of florida, courtesy of an executive order, no one is facing fines of hundreds of dollars for breaking the rules. >> sam brock in ft. lauderdale, thank you. i have a boost for you here we go, u.s. air force veteran dan yell clark gutierrez really knows how to multitask. the mom of three young children was working full-time while also studying for the california bar exam so her husband and kids gathered

around as she opened her laptop to find out the news, if she passed >> oh, my gosh >> congratulations >> you passed? oh, my gosh! mommy, mommy mommy! >> mommy passed. this is, by the way, danielle's third time at the exam she says the first time she failed by 1.5 questions. second time, she stopped her exam to help a woman next to her who passed out in the exam room. third time's a charm >> i mean, what a great lesson for her kids california has one of the hardest bar exams, too she's my hero. three kids and passing the bar amazing. >> didn't give up. when we come back, kate snow's really candid conversation with teenagers about their mental health in this pandemic. the struggles and also the successes. >> you'll be surprised at the role social media plays in both.

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pain says you can't. advil says you can. we are back with our ongoing series "kids under pressure. this morning, a new study out from common sense media that looks at how 14 to 22-year-olds are using digital media in this pandemic >> yeah. it's a mixed bag, with both troubling and encouraging results. senior national correspondent kate snow joins us with the story. kate, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah remember back before covid, how much concern there was about the amount of time kids were spending on screens? now, many kids and young people have had a whole year of school, homework, and socialization, all happening on screens the impact is mixed, and the results are surprising you might want to hesitate before asking your teen to put the phone down in some ways, the tech exposed them to the darker side of

digital, but it also kept them connected and able to find help. the new common sense media report finds a troubling rise in depression in 2018, a quarter of teens and young adults reported symptoms of moderate to severe depression by last fall, it jumped to more than a third the majority of lgbtq youth, two-thirds, have moderate or severe symptoms of depression. >> i think there's a really heavy burden on, like, all people in general, especially teens. >> a lot of my happiness comes from seeing people and being with friends >> the social component in big in our lives, so it was a big change for everyone, i think. >> reporter: we spoke with 16-year-old lucas and 17-year-olds sydney, jared, abby and hallie in l.a they have all been in remote school for a year. >> the amount of time i've been on screens in general since the start of the pandemic doubled. >> i'm honestly tired of using my phone all day. >> reporter: the report confirms social media plays an even bigger role in their lives than it did pre-pandemic. young people are far more likely to say it makes them feel

better, not worse. they turn to it for support and advice, to feel less alone or be inspired. >> a lot of people are having the same problems, you know, as me, and so, like, talking about them with other people has been helpful. >> social media gives you a way to still see what people are doing with their lives, catch up with them. i think that's really helpful for my mental health. >> this has become a really, really big community it feels like a family september 6, 2020. today i'm feeling really overwhelmed. >> reporter: hailey created an instagram page to share affirmations during the pandemic. >> what is your idea of self-care? whatever it is, it's valid. >> reporter: young people are also using technology to find help sydney, abby, jared, and hallie have all had virtual therapy >> connecting to a therapist or someone to talk to, whether it's via text or chat or video conference, that is also important and powerful >> reporter: social media is a double-edged sword

the report found about one in four often encounter body shaming, racist, sexist, or homophobic comments.of teens whn the percent of teens who often see racist content nearly doubled over the past two years. >> over the past year, online, you know, hate groups and white supremacists and stuff have become a lot more, i guess, outspoken. at least for me, i've heard more of it. >> everyone is online. if there are bad people online, they can, whatever, talk to whoever they want, pretty much. >> reporter: parents are struggling to help their teens >> as a mom, i don't have control over everything that they can see i don't have control over what information they're getting. i don't have control over who can get in to see who they're contacting with. >> reporter: common sense media suggests parents talk to their kids about the places they see supported online, ask if they see unsafe things. pay close attention to social media if your kid is already

struggling offline right now, think twice about taking away the phone. >> though your instinct is to take the phone away as a punishment because they violated the rules or are spending too much time in front of the screen, you have to remember it can be a lifeline for your child. >> wanted to remind you are more than a grade >> reporter: for hailey, instagram has been a lifeline. >> i make sure i'm feeding myself with things that are positive and uplifting and make me feel like i'm whole and that i'm deserving and valuable >> reporter: we spoke with the young people also about how they're feeling about returning back to school eventually in person maybe a more normal teenage experience they're anxious about that, too. they've grown so used to this entirely digital existence, guys >> kate, you brought up a good point at the start of the piece, where you said as parents, we look at kids and say, "put the phone down." according to the study, true or false, kids are actually, maybe, going to apps to help manage their own health >> reporter: yeah, they are. so they're using the phone for

good things, too, is the point, right, carson? almost 70% of young people in the study in the report said they're using apps for everything from sleep to meditation, stress reduction, resisting self-harm urges, eating healthy, fitness. common sense media has a list of wellness and meditation apps that might be helpful for you. they also have a list, carson, of mental health resources and hot lines. i know that's one we include always, the national suicide prevention lifeline. if you need help, 800-273-8255 >> great report, kate. much needed. thank you very much for that appreciate it. >> listen to music on your phone, too music can be a real mood booster and healer >> that comprehensive report, by the way, so comprehensive, we're going to talk some more about it in the third hour. we'll talk about the results with two experts weighing in on the common sense media report. they're also going to be sharing even more advice for parents, as well, in a few minutes. all right. 8:20 mr. roker, a check of the weather? >> let's take a quick look, see

what we have going on for today. the weekend outlook, looking at the snow coming to an end in the northeast. rain in the mid-atlantic mild in the rockies. then on saturday, chilly in the northeast. below average temperatures through the southeast. sunshine from the great lakes to the gulf coast mountain snow out west on sunday, sunday not as cold in the northeast nice, mild, and breezy through the mid plains sunshine through good morning. i'm meteorologist carrie hall. we are starting to see clouds move into the bay area. we take a look at san francisco. more clouds are moving in today out ahead of this storm system that's set to bring us some rain starting early tomorrow morning. rain will be off and on throughout the day on thursday ask starting to taper off on friday. saturday, sunshine returns as we officially welcome in spring and we'll see more rain in the forecast early next week. >> what do you think, al what is it time for? >> best part of the day.

>> i thought you'd do weather in your irish -- >> we're going to do that in the next half hour. >> fair enough. >> yes. >> i knew it the leprechaun, stole my lucky charms, and it becomes jamaican. no problem, man. >> bobo marley. >> exactly first up, right to the winner here. >> yes. >> the winner of the st. patrick's day bracket. my goodness, what a challenge it was. after four rounds of fierce competition, with things like soda bread and irish whiskey falling by the wayside, we narrowed it down to the finalists. the titans number one, corn beef and cabbage versus guinness. two staples of today's holiday someone argued they could co-exist. >> not really. >> not on a "today" show bracket. >> no. >> audience has spoken the winner is guinness >> here-here. >> what happened >> let me explain what happened. something interesting did happen call it controversial, i don't know corn beef and cabbage, savannah, your favorite, had an early lead yesterday.

it was like 60% of the vote. >> of course it did. >> as the day went on, the gravitational pull of people for happy hour, they were thinking guinness the numbers started to switch. >> guinness drinkers sleep later because they've been drinking the guinness. >> probably sounded better before 5:00. they came from behind to win in the fourth quarter with the last-minute shot guinness >> i do love a guinness. >> half court hurl raise your pints happy st. patrick's day. thank you to everybody. >> cheers. there's always next year, corn beef. >> of course, you have the shoes, lassie. >> oh, yes. next up, lebron james, the basketball superstar won four nba championships but does a lot off the court, too philanthropist, activist, he acts we'll see it in "space jam" coming up. he's adding baseball team owner is a par to his resume. quadbarzling "boston globe" reporting james is partner in

the fenway sports group, meaning he'll be part owner of the boston red sox james and maverick carter, his partner, will be the first black owners when the deal is official we'll wait to see what lebron will do next harry styles won his first grammy for "watermelon sugar." during the pre-show, all people could talk about was his red carpet outfit. he is wearing a yellow plaid jacket suit with that pastel boa by gucci not afraid to change up his looks. he does daring things. this one had people comparing it to alicia silverstone's outfit from "clueless." you think it is a coincidence, and the boa throws off the comparison not so fast. silverstone put up the grid, showing the character in the movie, and also wearing a pastel boa. maybe he combined it she wrote, she'd be honored and approved of the chic look. finally.

the two-time oscar nominee cynthia erivo is in "aretha," portraying the queen of soul after seeing the trailer, there is no doubt she nailed it. >> never be another one. ♪ >> it wasn't always such a sure thing that she'd get the role. erivo revealing in an interview, she accidentally tried out for the part of arena. during a 2019 red carpet interview where the reporter asked her, what is your guilty pleasure song? she said, "ain't no way" by franklin, and she belted it out on the red carpet. ♪ ain't no way to give you all you need -- to give you all you >> wow. >> that moment right there, unbeknownst to her, was sent to clive davis and brian grazer, the producers of the film, and the rest was history >> genius. >> that's great. >> sunday on natgeo.

>> really awesome. coming up, guys, eye-popping deals on bucket list vacations they're everywhere with uncertainty out there, should you rush to pick them up? vicky nguyen is going to break it down, strategies for planning your next vacation good morning. it is 8:26. i'm marcus washington. the tower is closer to having a nearby company and we're talking about a new building which would be the city's fourth tallest. the supervisors yesterday approved what is called the parcel f project on howard street. it will be 806 feet tall, and it will be seen from the renderings right here, it will be a large presence there in the area and the approval comes after salesforce pulled out of the agreement for the office space in the high-rise. right now there's no timeline for this. >> all right. let's get a look at the forecast

for you, kari hall has a look at the temperatures this morning. >> it's been cold around the bay area, and we're headed back to the upper 50s for the inland areas and more clouds moving in out ahead of rain that's set to move into the bay area early tomorrow morning. we'll see more of those showers off and on throughout the day tomorrow and tapering off on friday. saturday is dry and will be the first day of spring and it gets a little bit milder on sunday and then there will be more rain in the forecast by monday as our temperatures continue to warm up next week. marcus? >> thanks kari. we'll have another update in 20 minutes. i'll meet you back here again.

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♪ feeling ♪ feeling good like i should ♪ feeling good 8:30 it's wednesday morning not just any wednesday, kids it's st. paddy's day. >> never got the shot. >> of her shoes. >> can we get the shot >> if we're doing the shoes -- >> we have to. now, you have to get a shot of craig's socks. >> good socks. >> we got a lot of good footwear going on >> we're into. >> good stuff downstairs.

>> yeah. >> happy st. patrick's day coming up, we're going to pay a visit -- this is a crazy story -- to the oldest tavern in philadelphia run by a father/son duo. over 150 years old shepherd's pie savannah, your corned beef and a whole lot more with a side of inspiration if you're working on dinner tonight. the story of this tavern is fantastic. >> i can't wait. we're all in the mood. plus, notice a lot of vacation deals are popping up everywhere? they're tempting after everyone is at home should you rush to take advantage of them? there's so much uncertainty out there right now. vicky nguyen is the person to ask. she has advice before you book your trip. speaking of things like traveling, mr. roker >> yes, we have a special project. we need you to get involved. with more folks getting the vaccine, folks are daring to think about life after covid we want to know what you are looking forward to the most. head to today.com, and tell us all about it. >> still got the guinness. >> i know. >> still full. >> very full.

also ahead in this half hour, we're going to meet the unlikely sensation she's taken over tiktok. this is a beekeeper. she saves bees from being exterminated, but here's the rub, she does it without gloves. without an outfit. we're going to talk to her about the important work, and how it impacts all of us. >> there she is. there's the queen bee. coming up on the third hour, our friend katie couric is going to stop by katie is going to talk about how this pandemic has impacted her stand up to cancer mission we'll talk about a few other things, as well. >> doing some good work. tomorrow on "today," chip gaines is joining us, talking about his rise to fame, how he built an empire, and also business tips from "no pain, no gains. >> i love the title. >> let's get a check of the weather. hey, mr. roker time for a weather game. >> there he is. >> the luck of the irish >> who has the warmer weather on st. patrick's day? who do you think, lads and lasses >> boston. >> minneapolis.

>> let's see oh, 80 in 2012 70 in boston. >> it was a trick. >> that's all right. >> pittsburgh or philadelphia, the battle of pennsylvania who do you think >> pittsburgh. >> philly. >> 77 in pittsburgh. finally, the last one, chicago versus new york. >> new york. >> new york. >> new york, baby. >> y'all are wrong chicago, 82 degrees in 2012. 1945, new york >> corn beef is now this >> that's right. nothing you can do let's take a quick look and show you around the rest of the country. severe storm outbreak making its way through the midsection of the country. blizzard conditions back through the rockies and record highs. >> you're turning into mrs. doubtfire. >> i am. a little sheph

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. let's take a look at our forecast today. we are going to see some more clouds moving in and temperatures near 60 degrees for inland areas and tomorrow is when the rain arrives starting in the morning and off and on throughout the day. it moves out on friday. the weekend is looking dry and we'll have another chance of rain in the forecast early next week as our temperatures warm up. getting a look at san francisco, also going to see that rain moving in by tomorrow morning. a. >> good job. >> thank you, lads. >> so nice. when we come back on this wednesday morning, should you jump on the travel deals, even if you're not vaccinated yet, or are you willing to risk changing plans? >> vicky nguyen has something for everyoneith vacation on w

we are back with more of the

future of travel series. one year into the pandemic, many of us are itching for a return to normalcy. that includes, of course, vaccinations excuse me, vacations. >> well, vaccinations and vacation maybe there's definitely a new push toward book now, pay later deals. the question is, should you snap up the bargains? >> vicky nguyen joins us with what to know before we book a trip good morning. >> reporter: good morning, everyone for the past year, we've been couped up at home, counting down the days to the getaway. good news, prices are way down the bad news, it is unclear when it'll be safe to travel. if you're willing to plan ahead and be flexible, your dream vacation may be within reach sunning on the beach, exotic locations, and european adventures there is no denying the deals are there. we found $374 round trip airfare from new jersey to hawaii. $132 at disney world resort. fly to miami in style, $193 for first class airfare from

chicago. all with no change fees. experts say it's still not safe to travel freely right now. >> i don't have a crystal ball, but given the uncertainty of the near future, i'm thinking late summer or the fall may be when we can travel more >> reporter: dr. henry wu is the director of emory university's travel well center if you've been vaccinated, is it safe to travel >> the vaccination is great to have i encourage it for travelers and for anyone, when it is available. i do think the general precautions about travel should still apply. >> reporter: travel expert emily kaufman says you can plan for later. what would you tell to people who are wondering is now a good time to book >> now is a great time to book to take advantage of the fares airlines and hotels have revisited their plans with cancellation and change requirements >> reporter: according to travel website hopper, people are taking advantage 100% increase in demand for

travel july 15th to august 15th. >> there's so much pent-up demand for travel right now. >> reporter: christopher elliott is a travel consumer advocate. if you're booking right now, what should you be doing >> make sure that you can either cancel your flight or make a change without a penalty if you're booking a hotel, stay away from the prepaid, non-refundable rate. if you make a change in plans, then you won't be able to get your money back. >> reporter: while bundled air fare and hotel packages can save you money, it can be harder to cancel, especially if you book through a third-party travel site last summer, we interviewed customers who struggled to get a refund. >> i have been waiting two months for a refund. >> they would put us on hold and hang up or transfer us and hang up happened three times. >> this is all my correspondence, trying to resolve this and get my money back. >> pre-pandemic, i was a fan of the package deal made everything so simple. however, now, i feel they're complicated if you need to undo them

i believe right now at this time it's best to book directly with your airline or the hotel. >> reporter: one popular trend during the pandemic, book now, pay later travel plans think of it as a loan, complete with credit checks, down payment, and monthly payments. the average interest rate is 15%. if you miss a payment, it can add up what should people know about the book now, pay later packages >> you want to be very careful when you're making that purchase there are rules when you push the dates, when you change things there may be interest. there may be fees. >> reporter: before you book anything, consider, is the destination accepting visitors from the united states are you required to test negative before boarding the plane? upon arrival or before you the return does your hotel offer contact tracing and sanitization some hotels do provide free covid tests. regardless of when you travel, where you travel, or vaccination status, expect to take covid-19 precautions. >> when it comes to airfare, every airline has different policies, and they're constantly changing some let you cancel with a fund

refund others let you move the trip to a later date or give you a voucher for later travel the one constant is they're all virtually waiving change fees, which some insiders think could be permanent that's a potential big win for us consumers >> is travel insurance something that's worth getting >> the consumer advocate we interviewed thinks right now it is a good idea because anything can still happen you also need to read that fine print closely. he recommends so-called cancel for any reason travel insurance. you can usually get at least half of your money back for any reason, and that includes covid related cancellations. >> thank you see you in the third hour, as well. >> a lot of choices when you travel it is good we're talking about traveling again. thanks. coming up, have you seen this wild video from texas. a beekeeper using her bare hands to relocate thousands of bees from a shed in texas we're going to meet the brave woman behind the now viral video

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welcome back most people get tiktok famous for dancing, singing, maybe a cute pet, but not our next guest. >> that's right. no way erica thompson is famous for bees you might say the texas native is the queen bee of tiktok she's racked up 60 million views for her humane bee removal practices. look, ma, no special suits, no gloves, all heart. >> after i removed the comb, i started scooping bees into the new hive as soon as i put the bees by the hive, they marched right in. >> wow >> erica also has a soothing voice. the founder of texas bee works good morning to you. i guess the first question most people probably ask you, if you can wear gloves, why wouldn't you? why do you go without the protective gear? >> yeah.

the beekeeping gear is big and bulky, and i lose dexterity and mobility, which is really important when you're working with the tiny creatures. if i can, it is my preference to wear less gear as possible the bees were very nice bees who let me work alongside them without wearing any gear >> how come you're not getting stung all the time >> right. >> how is this working >> most honeybees are very gentle they're docile, and they don't want to sting you. i've been doing this a long time i learn to read the bee behavior these were calm, gentle bees, also very cooperative and got into their new hive. this was just one case where i could work without gear. it was safer for me and for the bees >> erica, forgive my ignorance here, but there are thousands of species of bees. how can you tell whether it is a honey bee or the kind of -- >> a murder hornet. >> yeah.

there are over 20,000 species of bees in the world. you know, honey bees live in these massive colonies the one that was in that shed was, you know, 50, 60,000 bees they all work together as a super organism in these giant colonies it is hard to distinguish some bees from other bees to folks who might not know, which is always an important reason you should call a professional beekeeper if you think you have bees living in your home or if you have any questions about bees >> erica, if you had to describe, as you have, two heaping handfuls of bees in your hand what do they feel like does it tickle, hurt, make you nervous? >> it doesn't make me nervous. i've seen comments about how calm i am, and i think there's no other way to be when you're working alongside a colony of bees or holding them in your hand, which, you know, feels incredible to have these hundreds of

thousands of tiny insects in your hand. they're all clinging to each other. it's really amazing that they let me do that you know, it feels like trust and acceptance, and i just feel so privileged to be able to work with them. >> we've all seen 60 million of us watching this thing, but is this just a normal day for you is this just a regular day at the office >> absolutely. you know, that was a pretty average tuesday for me it was an ordinary day on the job. to see everyone's response to it has just been extraordinary. >> one of the things you don't do, you do not eat a banana before you go into the bee colony why is that? >> so bees communicate through pheromones that's one way they communicate to each other, through scents. there is a scent they send out to the colony that smells like bananas that lets the colony

know it's not the queen bee, which can cause the colony to be a little more aggressive so, you know, for good measure, i don't eat bananas before i do any beekeeping, which is almost every day. so i really only eat bananas on vacation. >> is it true, quickly, you met your husband on bumble, is that true >> that's true. >> oh, my gosh fun fact. >> only bumble date. i am the luckiest person in the world. he's wonderful. >> had to have been a sting operation. >> i have a hundred more questions. >> erica, thank you. >> thanks. >> crazy. >> met on bumble. >> can't make it up. up next, we'll take you to the oldest tavern in philadelphia for a taste of st. patrick's day the traditional way. wait until you hear the remarkable history of thisub p

get in the mood. back with a special and festive version of today food because it is st. paddy's day.

>> we're going to the city of brotherly love to visit a pub who survived prohibition and a civil war, but also a pandemic here the mcgillin's olde ale house. >> the taps in philadelphia have been flowing since 1860, the same year that abraham lincoln was elected president. this historic pub was founded by irish immigrants, catherine and william, who raised their 13 children upstairs while running the business on the ground level. the past 160 years, the watering hole has a fair share of love stories. more couples met and got engaged at mcgillin's more than any other place in philly. this ale house is a survivor pulling through a civil war, prohibition, and now the coronavirus pandemic last year, mcgillin's had to close its doors the night before st. patrick's day. a landmark holiday for the pub six months later, they reopened

on a smaller scale though this year will be different from years past, mcgillin's is ready to pour some pints and toast to a new day with us are the owners, father and son, chris and chris mullins. happy st. patrick's day. good morning to you. crazy story. closed on the eve of st. patrick's day last year. today is the day what are you expecting the scene to look like >> we're expecting renewal today. it is a big day. it's the most exciting day in a year it's a reopening, a reawakening, spring has sprung. we want crowds of people, but in a safe and very secure way we take all of the state rules and city rules very seriously. we want to have as many people here as possible, but enjoying themselves, like they haven't since march 15th of last year. >> looks like a lot of fun i bet you've got some great things on the menu

savannah wanted to ask about corned beef and cabbage. >> i hope corned beef and cackage is there what are you going to make >> well, corn beef and cabbage with brisket and roasted potatoes, carrots, cabbage underneath over here, we have our emerald isle, a philly -- a take on a philly cheesesteak. >> yum >> brisked with irish cheddar cheese and french fries. >> yum >> with or without >> a filly thing >> with. only with. >> we see some cocktails there, as well. what are those cocktails you got? >> well, in philadelphia, one of the favorites of anybody that lives here is an irish potato. so this is kind of a souped up version. it is an irish potato martini

that has our stateside vodka we have an awesome mixture of cinnamon sugar and coconut you can see the actual irish potatoes are down here if you were born and raised in philadelphia, you have had them. i don't know if anywhere else in america, they know what it is. here, it is a must for the month of march. >> what is it? >> these are homemade by my wife, mary ellen, and my daughter and her two daughters, stella and amelia. it's a tradition here. >> philadelphia cream cheese, butter, coconut, all rolled in cinnamon >> cinnamon? >> it is healthy and calorie free. >> calories don't count on st. paddy's day. >> exactly. >> now, you don't have guinness there. what do you have instead in what's your beer >> well, this is o'hara's. guinness is everywhere, a fine beer, but this is brewed by a great microcraft brewer, shaymus o'hara

we serve it proudly. >> look at that pour >> best day ever >> al roker had a guinness earlier, so i'll toast al roker. >> did you do shepherd's pie >> we do do shepherd's pie. >> right here. >> so this is one of our most popular items year round it is ground beef topped with potatoes it is baked in the oven. that you can get any time you come to mcgillin's we always have it on the menu. one of our customers' favorites, and you can't beat it. >> how about soda bread? >> we have our shepherd's -- oh, you got the soda bread right here that is a must-have on st. patrick's day, and our fish and chips here pieces of cod, fried, topped over the chips with our homemade tarter sauce. >> i mean, gentlemen -- >> i'll take one of everything. >> -- i'm looking at the amtrak schedule what time do you open? we could be there by lunch >> you can be here.

>> you come to the studio. >> yeah, we don't usually cater, but we'll come to you guys. >> thanks, chris >> come on also, if you don't like o'hara stout, maybe that's not your thing. green beer >> how do you top that >> we hoist a pint to your family, to you guys. thank you. happy st. patrick's day. it's been a touch year for you glad to see you on the other side >> love that >> thank you, gentleman. good morning. it is 8:56. i'm marcus washington. a short time from now san jose normally introduces its newest police chief. yesterday the city named anthony mata following a long search. he is a 25-year-old veteran of the department and most recently worked as deputy chief.

he'll officially take over next monday. happening now, a news conference happening this morning and our bob redell will have it. you can go to our homepage at nbc bay area.com. also at midday, we will take you to san mateo county where the county moves into the less restrictive orange tier. looser restrictions means gatherings will be allowed inside bars and clubs and the capacity not to exceed 25%.

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live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> i think i said it is the "3rd hour of today" on a wednesday, march 17th. happy st. patrick's day. >> you didn't use your accent. >> well, i did that earlier. >> it's old news at this point. >> people -- >> it wasn't that good. >> -- may want to hear it again. >> sounded like mrs. doubtfire. >> we can't celebrate st. patrick's day with any big parades, but in dublin, 500 drones putting on a show called