deadly flooding over the weekend in the south where over 130 people had to be rescued, and at least four have died. we've got the latest but let us be clear that it is not just chauvin on trial the united states' ability to deal with police accountability is on trial. >> reverend al sharpton speaking out on the eve in the trial of derek chauvin in the death of george floyd the backlog of ships waiting to pass through the suez canal

grows by the hour, but was there a major breakthrough early this morning? we're live with the latest the good story of this amazing back to school ritual, and the incredible inspiring teacher behind it. plus, the biggest moments from both the men's and women's ncaa basketball tournaments as the field shrinks to elite status a busy monday ahead. good monday morning. i'm phillip mena. >> glad you're with us i'm frances rivera we begin with that deadly flooding emergency that is still unfolding in tennessee right now. at least four people have been killed as rising waters have swept away cars and swamped how many times nashville ishit by ovef rain in. it is the second highest two-day rainfall total the city has ever recorded, and now rescue efforts are under way. >> reporter: first responders are walking creek beds and working with the red cross to canvas affected neighborhoods. the special operations division has successfully conducted 130

rescues, including 27 swift water rescues. >> other areas of the state are also being affected. nascar was forced to shut down its highly anticipated dirt race at bristol motor speedway. the event had attracted hundreds of campers many had to be evacuated as the waters rose. >> this emergency is not over. the cumberland river is expected to crest today the mayor has declared a local state of emergency seeking resources to help the city the death of george floyd brought about a racial reckoning in this country as millions marched for justice. and now ten months later, opening statements will begin in the trial of derek chauvin a jury of 12 people will decide the fate of the ex-minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into floyd's neck our shaq brewster has more on what we can expect today shaq >> reporter: good morning, phillip. later today we'll see the prosecution begin to lay out their case against that ex-minneapolis police officer

derek chauvin, accused of killing george floyd we expect things to really pick up about 9:00 a.m. this morning. that's when the judge will come in he will make some comments and then bring in the jury panel that is expected to hear the case of the panel we know eight are women. the others are men we know eight identify as white. four blackand two self identif as mixed race. once they're sworn in, the prosecution will take over and deliver those opening statements and in talking to legal experts here in minneapolis, we're warned, and they warn us not to think that that will be a "law & order" dramatic emotional moment instead they say this will be a road map, a preview of what is to come and the evidence laid out before the jury. that's all expec all right, shan minneapolis for us thanks, shaq we turn now to the nation's fight against coronavirus with at least 93 million americans who have gotten one dose of the covid vaccine. and just over 15% of the

population have been fully vaccinated while that news is encouraging, top disease experts say they're worried as new infection rates surge and covid-related deaths remain steady. as of today over 30 million people have been infected and over 550,000 have died new york and new jersey are back atop the list of new york states with the highest rates of infection. cori coffin has the latest from miami. good morning, cori >> frances, good morning it would appear nighttime partiers got the message, but spring breakers overall are not staying home the tsa reporting record travel since the pandemic first began, up 400% from this time last year and experts beli dr. fauci spoke to cbs news about all of the factors coming together to create a very dangerous mix of new cases >> it is not completely the variants what we're likely seeing is because of things like spring break and pulling back on the

mitigation methods that you've seen now several states have done that. i believe it's premature, margaret, because when i've said many times to you that when you're coming down from a big peak and you reach a point that starts to plateau, once you stay at that plateau, you're really in danger of a surge coming up and unfortunately, that's what we're starting to see. >> we are seeing a rise in cases in more than half the states in this country and in fact most states, some of which are seeing a sharp rise of 30% or more. frances, the question is will this translate into a fourth wave by the time we can identify that, we'll already be in it >> cori, thank you now to the growing surge in migrants crossing the southern border tonight we're learning more about the life-and-death decisions of families seeking safety here, including one mother now talking about her young daughter who drowned on their harrowing journey. tony hilton reports from texas

>> reporter: a mother's anguish told in heartbreaking detail she was my princess, she says. she was everything to me arceli franco cruz trekked more than a thousand miles from guatemala to the u.s. border, along with her two children. while crossing the rio grande, they were overwhelmed by the current. i tried a thousand way, she said, but i couldn't swim. when i brought her out, she was dead her daughter only 9 years old, found by border patrol on an island in the river. across the boarder in mexico, we spoke with two women both making the same treacherous journey with their daughters alone. 26-year-old loranza de la cruz made the crossing with her 4-year-old daughter on friday. she was apprehended, deported and plans to do it again it is worth it for a better life, she says, and better opportunities. 18-year-old yenzi left guatemala

25 days ago with her 1-year-old daughter she made it across, only to be sent back. i wanted to give her a better life, she said her child has no father and she has nothing to return to in guatemala. she too will make the trip again. in april, the u.s. government estimates more than 20,000 children will cross the border near juarez, we saw these young unaccompanied children crossing a stretch of the river alone these three made it across, their fate unknown these two boys quickly picked up by u.s. border patrol. for arceli franco cruz, the journey was to reunite them in the u.s. with family and a better life. i brought her with the idea to reunite her with her siblings and her dad, she says, not to lose her life. >> it's a heartbreaking story. our thanks to antonia for bringing that to us. pope francis marked the holy week by reading palm sunday service. he addressed a small audience

and warned that the devil is taking advantage of this crisis to sow distrust and desperation. he will help 1200 of the poorest and most marginalized people get vaccinated throughout holy week. and then there were eight. the road to the final four is paved after an elite weekend of sweet 16 basketball. ucla was part of the first four, but now here we are. and there they are they were leading alabama late until alex reece nailed a massive buzzer beater that would force overtime in overtime, the bruins put on a clinic, draining 23 points and soaking the crimson tide ucla wins it and moves on, 88-78. gonzaga is a looking to become the first team since 1976 to win the championship un undefeated, and they are halfway there after a sweet game against creighton. they cruised by creighton 83-65. they're now just three wins away from a perfect season. and the usc trojans look to

be the first team to knock off gonzaga this season. oregon state will try to become the highest seeded men's team to ever reach the final four. in the women's tournament, two seed maryland had all they could handle taking on texas the longhorns stormed back it was a defensive battle down the stretch, but they kept maryland at bay. the longhorns pull off the upset 64-61. south carolina had trouble shake off georgia tech earlier it was a four-point game at the half but south carolina came out of the gets on fire in the third quarter. the yellowjackets didn't have much sting in the end, south carolina takes it, 76-65. south carolina and texas will now clash for a spot in the final four and the only school to field a men's and a women's elite team, it's baylor. the women's team will kick off their elite game tonight against the powerhouse uconn huskies it is monday let's see if we can dry out in some areas that got soaked over the weekend.

here is nbc meteorologist janessa webb janessa, good morning. >> good morning. good morning, everyone yes, finally a break across the central u.s., all the way to the tennessee valley i know very dicey conditions over the weekend we're seeing an exiting storm system lingering showers this morning, but this will push offshore behind the front, though, is colder air, and we're seeing a few snowflakes as we step into your monday. the big concern today is going to be the high wind warnings and advisories that are in effect across northern new england all the way into d.c. where we could see wind gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour that impacts the upperidwest mo. still going to watch that wind advisory for at least the next 36 hours colorado springs 66.

going to be seeing a lot more sunshine for the rest of the week we'll talk about that, coming up >> something to look forward to all right, janessa, thank you. coming up, the nonprofit helping those hit hardest by the pandemic and where faith ets me fashion. the 82-year-old who didn't let covid stop her sunday best they a glue, on your hard surfaces and fabrics. try 9 elements. its vinegar powered deep clean dissolves hard water buildup and releases trapped residues and odors like detoxifying your clothes. made with never more than 9 ingredients. 9 elements - more than a clean, a cleanse. how did kellogg's combine crunchy oat clusters with a touch of honey... plump, juicy raisins and tasty fiber into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it? kellogg's raisin bran crunch. two scoops of delicious.

does your vitamin c last twenty-four hours? only nature's bounty does. new immune twenty-four hour plus has longer lasting vitamin c. plus, herbal and other immune superstars. only from nature's bounty. of course you've seen underwear plus, herbal and other immune superstars. that fits like this... but never for bladder leaks. always discreet boutique black. i feel protected all day, in a fit so discreet, you'd never know they're for bladder leaks. always discreet boutique. ♪ easter eggcitement is in the air! get 15% off and kohl's cash on... everything you need to celebrate with your special somebunnies. kohls.

we do it every night. like clockwork. do it! run your dishwasher with cascade platinum. and save water. did you know certified dishwashers... ...use less than four gallons per cycle, while a running sink uses that, every two minutes. so, do it with cascade. the surprising way to save water. leading the news, the pandemic may have blown our fashion sense out the window, but this 82-year-old from tulsa didn't let virtual church services keep her away from wearing her sunday best. dr. laverne wimbley had dressed up for 52 virtual church services in a row. she spoke would kendis gibson and lindsey reiser >> what made you say you know what i need the look my sunday best >> i did not want to get out of the habit of dressing because i didn't want to become maybe like a ragamuffin or a slob i just wanted to keep my spirits

up >> beautiful so who are you wearing [ laughter ] >> she looks great dr. wimberly told kendis she hopes more congregants follow suit you're right where everyone is in a screen, a square, business party on the bottom, business on top. >> she looks sharp i got to say good for her we've all heard how this pandemic has hit the poorest among us especially hard a family of seven in texas literally ended up living in two sheds. they had no water, no heat, no electricity. but then a nonprofit group stepped up to get them some help and a new life here is scott gordon from nbc 5 in dallas/fort worth >> reporter: ama sepulveda was working as a housekeeper when the pandemic hit and one by one her clients let her go >> they didn't want me coming

in, because they were scared, of course and i understood. >> reporter: with no way to make money, she ended up living in this shed, along with six family members. >> it was hectic it was heartbreaking it was heartbreaking i'm sorry. >> reporter: including her granddaughter. >> everything just crumbled. >> 14-year-old madison. >> you could see your breath literally. and it wasn't a light breath you could see. you could literally see your breath in the air. >> i had no electricity, no water, no gas. nothing. no toilets, nothing. >> one shower. >> reporter: they bathed in a gas station rest room. >> we're like we're going the racetrack. pack up what you need. and everybody packed up your little bag of your toothbrush and your toothpaste and towels, and we washed up there >> reporter: all seven lived in that shed and another one nearby for two months sepulveda was afraid to ask

anyone for help. >> my pride. i wanted to be able to do it on my own. >> reporter: then one day madison reached out at school to kim side, she just came in one day. >> reporter: a worker for the national nonprofit group communities in schools >> and she was just crying, explaining to me like i don't know what we're supposed to do >> i was like telling her how we had no electricity or anything >> reporter: that was just a week before that massive ice storm last month crippled north texas. within a day, psychs found an anonymous donor who put the family up in a hotel and found them a new home of their own >> i would like the thank her a lot. and the donor a lot >> i'm thankful that i'm put in this position to be able to help people like them >> the help is just everything >> reporter: sepulveda's house cleaning business is bouncing back now, and her brother and grandson are finding work too. >> i think we can make it from here on. >> reporter: a family going from living in a shed to a brand-new home. >> happy, happy ending, yes.

definitely >> this one's the small bathroom. >> reporter: and now with hope for the future in hazel, scott gordon, nbc 5. a race against time where crews have taken a major step freeing the cargo ship that's shut down one of the world's biggest shipping channels. daughter: slurping don't pay for water. pay for clean. it's got to be tide. ordinary tissues burn when theo blows. so dad bought puffs plus lotion, and rescued his nose. with up to 50% more lotion puffs bring soothing softness and relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. this is kansas. and this is country crock. we start with farm-grown ingredients, slow-churned in the middle of the country.

no matter where your table is, even the smallest surprise... worthy of passing on. a little surprise goes a long way. microban 24 doesn't just sanitize and stop. it keeps killing bacteria for 24 hours. just spray and let dry to form a shield that's proven to keep killing bacteria for 24 hours. touch after touch. microban 24 ♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes your stomach for fast relief and get the same fast relief in a delightful chew with pepto bismol chews.

cysters in solidarity! >> sisters in solidarity >> demonstrators gathered in new york city to protest anti-asian violence dozens of rallies were held across the country this weekend. protesters calling for justice in the wake of the atlanta spa shootings. authorities still investigating the motive authorities claiming the shootings were not racially motivated. however, six of the eight victims were of asian descent. a major backup continues in one of the world's most vital waterways. but there is encouraging news. after almost a week blocking egypt's suez canal, a canal services firm says the giant container ship has been refloated and it's being secured, and that signals that the vital trade route could soon reopen for the latest we turn to ali arouzi live in tehran. hey, ali, good morning >> good morning, phillip that's right after six days, there finally seems to be some movement after the clolossal ever given

container ship was refloated this morning in a statement, the ever given has successfully floated after the ship responded to pulling and towing maneuvers, and the stern of the ship was now about 334 feet from the shore. both the canal authorities and the maritime logistics company said the japanese-owned ship which is the size of a skyscraper, has now been about 80% freed. dredgers worked over the weekend to dislodge the weekend while 14 tugboats were conductingpull and tug manufactures from three different directions and phillip, it's hardly surprising such a massive effort was made to free the ship considering what a crucial effort the suez canal is about 12% of global trade around one million barrels of oil and roughly 8% of liquefied natural gas passes through the canal every day. they're expecting the final maneuvers to be made today, and hopefully the waterway will be

cleared shortly. >> sounds like they've got about a football field to go to pull it out all right, ali, thank you. janessa will have the forecast for the week ahead. that's next. and shaking things up. and shaking things up. th with up to 30 days of freshness. get relief with febreze. i've been telling everyone, the secret to great teeth... is having healthy gums. new crest advanced gum restore... detoxifies below the gum line, and restores by helping heal gums in as little as seven days. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. i'm 53, but in my mind i'm still 35. that's why i take oste bi-flex to keep me moving the way i was made to, it nourishes and strengthens my joints for the long term. osteo bi-flex, plus vitamin d for immune support. hi sabrina! >>hi jen! so this aveeno® moisturizer goes beyond just soothing sensitive skin?

exactly jen! calm + restore oat gel is formulated with prebiotic oat. and strengthens skin's moisture barrier. uh! i love it! aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.™ we love our new home. there's so much space. we have a guestroom now. but we have aunts. you're slouching again, ted. expired. expired. expired. thanks, aunt bonnie. it's a lot of house. i hope you can keep it clean. at least geico makes bundling our home and car insurance easy. which helps us save a lot of money. oh, teddy. did you get my friend request? oh. i'll have to check. aunt joni's here! for bundling made easy, go to geico.com hello?! how did kellogg's combine crunchy oat clusters with a touch of honey... plump, juicy raisins and tasty fiber into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it? kellogg's raisin bran crunch. two scoops of delicious. ♪♪♪ you don't need a gym to stay active... get it? just some really great gear...

and a really great workout buddy. shop now and get 25% off the best active brands and kohl's cash! spring into action. kohl's. facing collagen that's all hype? new olay collagen peptide 24 with derm recommended peptides. hydrates better than the $400 cream. for visibly firmer skin. olay. face anything. ♪look at what's happened to me.♪ ♪i can't believe it myself.♪ ♪suddenly i'm up on top of the world...♪ maybe it is dirtier than it looks. ♪should've been somebody else...♪ it is dirtier than it looks. try new tide hygienic clean. good morning, my friends let's get your week going. we do have a loft sunshine across the southern plains, and temperatures continue to warm up for florida. we're back in the 80s. the game changes for the east

the game changes for the east coast as w hello, my name is ice t. can you spare a few seconds to learn about cold water washing with tide? hi my name is steve. did you know washing in cold can save you $100 a year on your energy bill. why wouldn't you turn to cold? it helps the environment. what? because stone cold said so. plus, tide cleans great in cold. ♪ this was a cold call! ♪ ♪ ♪ for those of us who secretly like when the syrup touches all the other food... we humbly offer... the sausage, egg and cheese mcgriddles. ba da ba ba ba you can't plan for your period's... what the gush moments. but the right pad can. only always ultra thins have rapiddry technology and, they absorb 40% faster. the gush happens fast.

that's why always absorbs faster. a teacher is shaking things up amid the pandemic using a powerful and personal way to make each student feel special here is jose diaz-balart >> reporter: after months of remote school, class is back in session for these fifth graders at hickory ridge elementary school in memphis. also back, this much loved and now masked and socially distanced mourning routine with teacher david jamison. it's something 11-year-old payton glover has been looking forward to the most. >> now when i go to school every day, i get to do my handshake

with mr. jamison. >> reporter: over the past four years, he has created individual greetings for more than 250 students >> when i became an educator, i wanted to create something that they can look and see that i'm not just about a test score. when kids see that they have a personalized greeting, they are so excited to come to class every single day >> reporter: his enthusiasm energizing students during the covid lockdowns, inspiring them even when he himself got the virus. david, when the pandemic hit, everything had the stop. how have you been able to keep that contact >> when we got virtual, still did our affirmation. >> we still did our freestyle fridays virtual. we still joked virtually so nothing changed

>> reporter: mr. jamison knows firsthand how important it is to have teachers who care. >> i was that problem kid growing up i stayed in trouble in school. i was suspended almost every week and part of the reason was because the lack of connection from teachers that i had so when i became a teacher, i wanted to become an educator or make a difference. >> reporter: that difference more important than ever after a very difficult year. >> he makes it fun for each and every student. >> ever since he has been in mr. jamison's class, it's mom, i know i can do these. i can do that. i know, i know, i know it's never can't he lets him know this guy. >> what a story when it comes to educators, how impactful they are, more than ever. >> what a slick dance too. i like it. today is a vietnam war veterans day this is a time to remember the

2.5 million valiant americans who served our country during the controversial war. here are some of the photos of the early today team famil most impo

i believe in my heart of hea hearts that george floyd would have achieved something rare that most black families never achieve in america, and that is full justice >> speaking out on the eve of the derek chauvin murder trial in the death of george floyd, a vigil was held in minneapolis overnight. right now we're just hours from opening statements coming off a weekend that saw deadly flooding and dozens of rescues in tennessee and elsewhere. we're tracking the storms. rooms to negot