through hayward because of a crash. >> that does it for our terrific tuesday. >> that's right, a live look at san francisco, this morning, the windy conditions continuing this morning. the "today" show is coming up next. have a great day. go emotional start. the trial of the former officer charged with killing george floyd begins with the first witnesses describing the harrowing scene. >> you could see him struggling to actually gasp for air. >> and the 911 operator who watched as it happened and erted her boss. >> something wasn't right. i don't know how to explain it. it was a gut instinct. >> the defense arguing the force used was necessary. so where does the case go next? we're live at the courthouse. with covid cases surging across 31 states, a dire warning from the director of the cdc on a

potential fourth wave. >> we have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential. >> president biden urging states to pause reopenings and reinstate mask mandates. also this morning, a glimmer of hope with vaccinations. more than a dozen states set to expand eligibility to all adults. the very latest straight ahead. new accuser. a ninth woman comes forward with claims of inappropriate behavior against new york governor andrew cuomo, saying he forcibly kissed her during a tour of flood damaged homes, and what she says is a photo to prove it. >> did you take it as an offer of comfort? >> if i did, i would not be sitting here right now. >> this morning, our interview with her and the governor's response. shipping delays. traffic resumes in the suez canal after the stranded cargo ship is finally moved. just ahead, why officials say it could take weeks to return to normal.

all that, plus, the first four. our exclusive with the all civilian crew gearing up for a groundbreaking mission to space. >> you are jumping out of your seat with excitement. i can see it right now. >> it's like opening up the chocolate bar and seeing the golden ticket. and the final four. >> the baylor bears are back in the final four. >> baylor and houston punch their tickets on the men's side. uconn and arizona doing the same in the women's tournament. >> mcdonald, and one. >> we'll find out who is joining them today, tuesday, march 30th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hey, everybody. welcome to "today." so happy that you are joining us on a tuesday morning. you look very smiley. >> i'm very smiley because the arizona women are in the final

four. bear down, i say. >> yeah. >> you've been geeking out about this. >> i have. >> wish them luck. we have a lot to get to, including the exclusive reveal of the inspiration four crew. tom costello sat down with them, and our cameras were there. they got a first look at the launch tower. we'll take you there live to kennedy space center. another guy geeking out. >> i love the hero shot of the new astronauts. first, new developments of two major stories we're following. the good news of a huge expansion in covid vaccinations in this country. it's being tempered by a powerful warning that the virus is still spreading from coast to coast. we're going to have more on that in a moment. we do begin with testimony now under way at the murder trial of derek chauvin, the former minneapolis police officer charged in the death of george floyd. and new security video and interviews on the first day of the trial are shedding light on the final moments of floyd's life. nbc's gabe gutierrez is in

minneapolis with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. derek chauvin watched intently and took notes as the prosecution played the now infamous, disturbing video of george floyd's death. but it was the account from a 911 dispatcher that we had not heard before. >> you can believe your eyes. >> reporter: with the murder trial of former police officer derek chauvin under way, prosecutors are emphasizing the video seen around the world of george floyd's death, and revealing they now say chauvin knelt on floyd's neck for 9 minutes, 29 seconds, longer than the 8 minutes and 41 seconds that had been a global rallying cry. >> this is not about split-second decision making. 9 minutes and 29 seconds, there are 479 seconds, not a split-second among them. >> reporter: the first witness, a 911 dispatcher who testified she watched chauvin's encounter with floyd unfold from a nearby security camera, shown publicly

for the first time. for several minutes, she noticed the officers holding floyd down had not moved, saying first she thought the screen might be frozen. she reported the incident to a police supervisor. >> something wasn't right. i don't know how to explain it. it was a gut instinct, to tell me that now we can be concerned. >> reporter: the prosecution also played the chilling cell phone video of chauvin kneeling on floyd in its entirely. floyd's nephew walked out of the court's overflow room. >> reporter: had you seen the video before? >> i've seen bits and pieces. i still, to this day, haven't watched it in full. they show chauvin kneeling on his neck and repositioning, and him asking for help, saying he couldn't breathe. i couldn't watch it. >> reporter: chauvin's defense attorney pointed to other videos. the body cameras worn by the officers, which he says will show the full interaction between floyd and the police. >> the evidence will show that mr. floyd died of a cardiac

arrhythmia that occurred as a result of hypertension, coronary disease, the ingestion of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and the adrenaline flowing through his body. >> reporter: the prosecution also called a witness with a martial arts background, who told the jury he warned chauvin the officer had floyd in a dangerous chokehold. >> it's the only time he looked up, looked dead in our eyes. when i said it, he acknowledged it. >> black lives matter. >> black lives matter. >> reporter: as minneapolis watches with emotions running high, also expected at the courthouse today, floyd's now 7-year-old daughter gianna and her mother, roxy washington. if you could say something to derek chauvin, what would it be? >> i have no words for him. none. >> reporter: this morning we're expecting more testimony from

the bystander with the martial arts background, donald williams, and at some point during the trial the minneapolis police chief is expected to take the stand. keep us posted, gabe gutierrez at the courthouse. thank you. as mention as mentioned, to the coronavirus and the push to prevent a fourth wave here in the u.s., with cases and hospitalizations rising once again. the head of the cdc is expressing fears of, quote, impending doom, and warning americans not to let down their guard. this as new steps are being taken to speed up the vaccine push nbc's sam brock with the latest. good morning >> reporter: savannah, good morning. florida, where i am, one of the states that's expanding eligibility right now. everyone 40 and up is eligible at the moment. next week, it'll be all adults this as federally run sites, like the one behind me, are more than doubling their doses. a supercharged vaccine plan as states are loosening restrictions president biden warning the rollback on rules is too much, too soon this morning, a hopeful, new

surge in vaccinations amidst an alarming jump in cases >> we're in a life and death race with a virus that is spreading quickly. >> reporter: president biden announcing monday that 90% of u.s. adults will be eligible for vaccines by april 19th, just three weeks from now his task force doubling the number of pharmacies offering vaccines, and launching 12 new federally-run mass vaccination sites. >> 90% of all americans will be living within five miles of a place they can get a shot. >> reporter: the president simultaneously urging states to pause their reopening, as arkansas becomes just the latest to abandon a mask mandate. the cdc fearful of a possible fourth wave. >> i'm going to lose the script and i'm going to reflect on the recurring feeling i have of impending doom we have so much to look forward to, but right now, i'm scared. >> reporter: in many areas, the message doesn't seem to be getting through. sunday was the busiest day at airports in more than a year

this as 31 states are seeing an increase in cases over the last two weeks, including some with tougher covid restrictions, like michigan, connecticut, and new jersey >> we cannot let our guards down. >> reporter: in some states, like texas, oklahoma, and georgia, notorious for laxer rules, cases are actually dropping ♪ >> reporter: in the big easy, where numbers have stabilized, the brass bands blair at a 24/7 vaccine festival louisiana opening eligibility to all adults there's more good news a new cdc study finds pfizer and moderna's vaccines are 90% effective at preventing infection in real-world conditions the question now, with the country racing to reopen, will vaccines be enough to prevent another catastrophic crush of cases? later today, the world health organization says it will be releasing its report on the origins of the covid-19 virus. the w.h.o. chief saying all hypotheses are on the table. savannah, back to you. >> sam, thank you.

joining us now, dr. ashish jha, dean of brown university's school of public health. good morning to you. >> good morning. thanks for having me on. >> i wonder if you were struck, as i was, by seeing the cdc director dump the script and look right in the camera and say she had this feeling of impending doom and she was scared do you agree, and can you shed some light on that assessment? >> yeah, so i've known dr. walensky for a long time, and she is very measured in her words. so those are important words to hear from her. look, infections are rising, as we heard, in 31 states some states, about 20 states, hospitalizations are rising. we're not out of the woods i think what you heard from dr. walensky was, this is not the time to let up we're making so much progress on vaccinations, we're weeks away from all high-risk people being vaccinated, and probably a month or so away from almost any adult who wants one to be able to get their first shot

we're so close to the finish line, giving up right now and relaxing all public health standards is going to lead to a lot of unnecessary infections and deaths >> well, is it relaxing of public health standards, or is it the variants getting the upper hand because as we know, cases had plateaued a couple of weeks ago, at what dr. fauci would call an unacceptably high level. now, they're headed up from there, but why >> no doubt about it so it's the variants that are driving the surge. that is definitely true. they are now -- the uk variant is probably now a majority of infections in the united states. some states, probably 80%, 90% vaccinations are doing a great job of blunting that effect, but the public health relaxation that we're seeing, with restaurants filling up, those really are not making it easier to control the virus until we get broad vaccinations, we really should be a bit more careful. >> how do you explain, we just mentioned it in the piece that preceded this interview, that some states that relaxed their standards, like texas, oklahoma, and florida, actually are seeing the case numbers drop.

then you have new york and new jersey that haven't, and the cases are going up how do you explain that? >> yeah, there's several things happening at the same time, savannah one certainly is the variants, which are not equally distributed in states. these variants are much more contagious, right? that's going to be part of the story. another part of the story is weather. up here in the northeast, it is still pretty cold. there's not a lot of stuff happening outside. when you look at which states are seeing the bumps, they are mostly in the northern half of the country, which is colder also, this stuff is temporal meaning, i don't think we're done with this virus we have seen an uptick in the last few days in florida i hope it doesn't turn into something more significant we have to be careful at least a little longer. >> i love what your twitter feed said summer will be great how many get infected, die, or get sick next month is up to us. dr. jha, well said we'll leave it there thank you so much. with more states expanding

vaccine eligibility, you can find the specific rules for your state and find out how to schedule your shot if you use our online tool. planyourvaccine.com. coming up on 7:13. craig is here with another story we're following closely. >> hoda, savannah, good morning. good morning to you, as well another woman has come forward to accuse embattled new york governor andrew cuomo of inappropriate behavior, offering proof that, she says, backs up her claim. anne thompson has been following this story from the beginning. she joins us this morning. anne, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, craig. that's right, this latest allegation comes with photographs. the incident allegedly occurring while the governor was on official duty, visiting an area of upstate new york damaged by a flood. this morning, more trouble for governor andrew cuomo. 55-year-old sherry vill providing pictures she says show how cuomo manhandled her while touring her flooded home in 2017

vill says the governor kissed her on both cheeks without consent. >> you could tell, by the way he was approaching me, that, you know, the way he grabbed my face i just -- it was very inappropriate to me. >> reporter: the photos and her statement sent to the attorney general's investigators, who responded to vill's lawyer, gloria allred, during our interview. >> do you want to take a look at it and see what it says and share it with us >> if you don't mind taking a moment they thanked me for my letter and the materials i sent they would like to speak with her. >> reporter: the governor's legal team firing back at vill's claim, releasing their own pictures from that day, illustrating that, during times of crisis, the governor has frequently sought to comfort new yorkers with hugs and kisses did you take it as an offer of comfort? >> if i did, i would not be sitting here right now. >> reporter: vill is at least the ninth woman to accuse the

63-year-old politician of inappropriate behavior or sexual harassment and the third to say the governor gave or attempted to give an unwanted kiss. cuomo has previously apologized and said he's never been inappropriate with anyone. and the lawyer for the cuomo administration confirmed investigators are asking for documents and issuing subpoenas for the governor's staff, all of which, he says, are to be expected craig? >> anne thompson, thank you. let's talk basketball. more drama in the tournaments. let's go. >> let's go. the elite eight tipped off last night for both men and women the first batch of schools punching their tickets to the final four, some for the first time in decades. one for the first time ever. where is kerry sanders where is he? oh, yeah, a thrilling recap. hey, kerry >> reporter: good morning, guys. look, last night's games were just another reason why march

madness is so special. we have some stars definitely stepping up. teams playing like well-oiled machines, all in the quest for glory. this morning, the best of college basketball providing even more thrills to an already wild march madness overnight, number one baylor holding off arkansas >> back in the final four for the first time in 71 years >> reporter: the bears' teamwork on full display. overcoming the resilient razorbacks. >> oh, my goodness >> reporter: by making plays down the stretch to steal their spot in the final four earlier, the second seeded houston cougars, led by a tenacious defense and timely scoring, ending oregon state's cinderella run. >> on target >> reporter: the cougars are back in the final four for the first time since their legendary slama-jama teams of the '80s. >> bring it for the city of houston.

that's all i wanted for me and my teammates and the whole city of houston >> reporter: in san antonio, women's match-ups living up to the billing. the huskies with a thrilling win over number two baylor. >> another three, you bet! bueckers is feeling it >> reporter: led by star freshman paige bueckers, the huskies prepping for yet another title push >> i just try to stay aggressive and stay with a strong mentality. >> reporter: not to be outdone, an exciting night cap between arizona and indiana. >> loose ball. tip, what a play >> reporter: arizona clinching a spot in their first final four ever, led by senior mcdonald's 33 points. >> mcdonald, and one >> reporter: dreams dashed and realized on another march madness night to remember. after baylor's loss to uconn, coach kim mulkey said she wanted

the ncaa to now skip doing covid tests, saying that any player that tested positive would miss playing. saying, in part, you need to just forget the covid tests and let the final four teams that are playing in each final four go battle it out her controversial words, she said, likely would not matter. hoda >> okay, that's an interesting point to end on there, kerry. >> let's talk about the lady cats >> bear down. >> got a text from my mom last night. so excited it is fun to see both the tournaments really delivering on the march madness. >> thank you, kerry. let's get our first check of the weather for dylan, who is in for al good morning. >> good morning, guys. good morning, everyone we do have the chance of some heavy rain today so far this morning, it is mostly down along the panhandle of florida we are going to see heavier rain and storms through the south that does include tennessee, as well most likely, the heaviest of the rain through tennessee won't arrive until tonight and into tomorrow we could see another inch or so of rain in nashville

that will really interrupt this whole -- the process of trying to reduce some of the rivers here so we are going to see some of that heavier rain try to impact that area. eastern tennessee, though, could end up with closer to 3 inches of rain. as we look in the northeast though, on the back side of this storm, we are still looking at the chance of cold air that cold air could produce some snow, even along the coastline we could see the rain change over to snow no real accumulations along the east coast, but we could see several inches across upstate new york rain, 1 to 3 inches, with 3 being the higher amount. as for snow, some of our highest amounts will be across upstate new york in the highest elevations with 9 to 12 inches possible that's a look at the weather across the country we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds how about...a sled! actually, a hang glider!

(dad) how about a park bench? (daughter) dad, you need to think bigger. (vo) recycle your crunchy bar wrappers in-store, ...and join us on our journey to a more recyclable future. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. let's look at our high temperatures today. it's going to be definitely warmer compared to yesterday as we reach into the upper 70s and a few spots reaching 80 degrees, and some mid-60s near the coastline, some low 70s in san francisco. as we go through the forecast, big-time warming trend headed our way. in fact, by tomorrow into thursday, we'll see our temperatures reaching into the mid 80s for the inland valleys and cooling down for the weekend. >> that's your latest forecast back to you guys. >> thank you. coming up, the ongoing impact after that massive cargo ship blocking the suez canal was finally freed. why officials say it'll take weeks to get everything back to

normal, as the investigation into that disaster begins. those making history in space. this morning our exclusive reveal of the full inspiration 4 crew, chosen from tens of today's ways of working may work differently tomorrow. but you can work out anything with comcast business. get fast internet on the network that can deliver gig speeds to the most businesses.

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still ahead, craig, you have a good one powerful story of hope and resilience. >> the baltimore orioles' trey mancini is back on the field after sitting out last year to battle colon cancer. we shared an emotional conversation about that fight, his recovery, and trey's first at-bat of spring training. first, your local news ♪♪

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a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. here is a look at today's top stories. oakland schools joining the recent wave of classroom reopens. >> reporter: i'm cierra johnson in san francisco. some of the younger students in the oakland unified school district will be returning to school today. those pre-k through second grade students at some of those oakland schools will be making their first trip to in-person learning. the district tells us they worked to make changes like hvac systems and install portable air purifiers to make the experience safer. by april 19th another round of opening, pk through sixth grade students and 7th through 12th

grade students will make their return to the classroom for in-person learning. i'm bob redell in livermore we expect later today alameda county where i'm at and napa county will be both be able to move into the orange tier of reopening, which means that wineries like the ones behind me here at livermore would be able to reopen their tasting rooms indoors at limited capacity, bars would also be able to reopen outdoors with modifications, indoor dining, churches, movie theaters move to 50% capacity indoor gyms, bowling alleys 25% capacity. offices can reopen with modifications, though the state will still encourage employees to work remotely. kari's got a look at our forecast for today. you were mentioning some wind out there? >> yes, it's been pretty windy in upper elevations. a lot of our valleys have had calm winds. the winds will continue to calm down today and temperatures going up. look at the highs for the inland areas reaching in the low to mid 80s over the next few days and

cooling down in time for the weekend as we watch out for a chance of rain next week. laura? >> all right, sounds good. thanks, kari. thank you for joining us. we'll be back in half an hour with another update.

♪ ♪ get your motor running ♪ we're back, 7:30. >> nascar getting down and dirty in bristol, tennessee. the first race in the cup series on a dirt track in 51 years. craig, you said that's how it all started. >> yeah. they started years ago on dirt tracks in fact, my wife got her start in sports broadcasting covering dirt track races this could become a thing, like once a year. nascar is talking about doing this, going back to the roots. >> how about the fans in the stands, man? they look pumped, too. >> and the car wash owner, psyched about that. >> joey logano took the checkered flag.

>> congrats. tennessee bracing for even more rain this week after severe flooding that inundated parts of the state over the weekend yesterday, authorities confirmed three more deaths related to the floodwaters, bringing the total to at least seven. more than 7 inches of rain fell in the nashville area saturday and sunday, marking the city's worst flooding since 2010. a flash flood watch remains in effect in central tennessee. that goes until thursday. the list of charges against ghislaine maxwell is growing jeffrey epstein's long-time associate is charged with sex trafficking. it accuses maxwell of grooming and paying a 14-year-old girl to engage in sex acts with epstein from 2001 to 2004. maxwell's trial is scheduled to start july 12th, but it could be delayed because of the new charges. now to a spectacular sight in iceland this is a long way from your average volleyball court

take a look at this video shot over the weekend a group of people just bumping the ball around like nothing is happening, like hot lava isn't streaming toward them. yup, the volcano began erupting a week and a half ago. sight-seers have been flocking to the site. i guess it is as good a place as any to play volleyball. >> those images will live on that's amazing. also this morning, new developments to tell you about when it comes to the massive cargo ship that blocked the suez canal for an entire week. >> it's been successfully freed. the impact on one of the world's busiest and most important trade routes is far from over. "today" senior international correspondent keir simmons has been following this story closely for us good morning. >> reporter: craig, savannah, hoda, good morning to you. there is a whole lot of pride in egypt this morning the president has been down at the suez canal, watching the ships getting moving again he is not the only one watching, of course. so many of us around the world

have been transfixed, that this incident on the water could have such ripple effects. this morning, cargo ship traffic through the 120-mile suez canal is flowing at last more than 400 vessels are slowly moving in convoys in both directions in the narrow passage after being backed up in the gulf of suez for almost a week the massive 200,000-ton container ship, the ever given, that had been blocking their path, finally pulled free in high tide. >> we want to commend egyptian authorities for the -- the only way to put it, a herculean effort to get this ship freed. >> reporter: the celebrations on the suez heard around the world. global goods on the move again, but the backlog will take days to clear >> the suez canal is one of five geographic choke points around the world that, if closed, can

bring the global trading system to a halt. >> reporter: more than $9 billion worth of goods passed through the canal every day. a vital shortcut between asia and europe the cargo crammed on board these ships, gas, oil, furniture, cars, and livestock, almost 100,000 live animals this morning, the "ever given" has been towed into egypt's labeling, where it is being inspected. the global supply of memes about the ship continuing online one pictures a digger that helped free the "ever given" with the words, "so alone" while for international business, relief the ever given freed, and free trade restored >> so happy to hear that keir, there are a lot of barges backed up. some even have animals on it how are they prioritizing which gets through first >> reporter: hoda, in a story

that's been all about the numbers, how you about these numbers? in the first 12 hours, they were planning to get 113 of these massive ships through. in this kind of order, containers, then chemical products, crude oil tankers, oil products, and then cargo ships if you're worried about those animals, we understand from our team on the ground there in egypt that they have tried to prioritize those ships with those estimated thousands of animals on board apparently, some of those ships were the first to get through. that's some good news there, hoda. >> yeah, sure is keir, thank you so much. >> how about your people in egypt partying, celebrating? >> that's right, you go. up next on a tuesday morning, tens of thousands competed for the chance of a lifetime to join the world's first all civilian mission to space. >> we've introduced you to the first two members of the crew. this morning, tom costello is up, ready, standing by at the kennedy space center to reveal the two, soon to be astronauts who will join them, right after this joorks

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st. jude's children's hospital we met the first crew member who is a childhood survivor of cancer. >> we fell in love with her. now the final two crew members have been selected from tens of thousands of applicants. tom costello followed the story for months and is at kennedy space center for the big announcement good morning >> reporter: good morning. more than 70,000 people were all part of the competition to see if they could be chosen to strap into a rocket on the pad behind me, then launch for this trip around the earth every one of them says they're not afraid of this adventure ahead. preparing to make history, four civilians, none of them astronauts, here at one of america's most iconic landmarks. the same launch pad that sent apollo space shuttles and spacex

crews into orbit, will soon play host to these civilian commercial astronauts, who are seeing the launch tower up close for the first time >> hard to walk up here like this in our flight suits and not imagine what it is going to be like when we're doing the exact same thing in our space suits. >> reporter: the inspiration 4 crew now complete. 38-year-old commander jared isaacman the billionaire with the dream, flying to space on a spacex rocket, raising a staggering $200 million for st. jude hospital 29-year-old hayley arceneaux representing hope. a childhood cancer survivor and now a physician's assistant at st. jude this morning, 41-year-old chris sembroski, representing generosity chosen from among those who have donated to st. jude air force veteran working in the aerospace industry a friend was selected, but he can't go and 51-year-old sian proctor represents prosperity. once a nasa astronaut candidate,

now a passionate space advocate. >> so this is the crew >> we have an amazing civilian crew that will be amazing commercial astronauts over the next six months. >> reporter: we met in the historic nasa firing room, now run by spacex. you are jumping out of your seat with excitement. i can see it right now. >> it's like opening up the chocolate bar and seeing the golden ticket to willy wonka and the chocolate factory. this is the example of that for space. >> reporter: in february, spacex ceo elon musk would not say how much jared is paying for the multi-day trip around the earth, or where their flight plan might take them. >> it's really up to jared it's his mission he can go wherever he'd like >> reporter: really, it's up to him? he can go wherever he wants in orbit? >> as long as -- yeah, pretty much. >> reporter: jared says they'll be orbitting higher than the space station, 335 miles above the earth. abo and you're about to go higher. you're cool with that? >> oh, yeah.

no fear of heights no problem with motion sickness. i think all of us, we were really born to do this, in a way. >> reporter: for chris, a space camp counselor here 20 years ago, it's all a bit surreal. >> i've taken that experience with me to really drive the passion, to get kids to seek their passion in science and technology, really spark an interest in those fields by using space as that medium ever since, it's been stuck with me, as well. >> reporter: space is still risky, and you all know that is there any part of this that is also a little worrisome to you? >> i don't have any concerns about the flight or safety at all. >> i was more worried this opportunity had slipped me by, and i would never get the chance to go to space now, here i am that just shows you, never give up because that moment for me is here >> reporter: not worried at all? >> no, not at all. i'm ready. just strap me in let's go. >> reporter: back on the launch tower, jared, this is your

vision, your dream, and now you're here. does it make it that much more real >> this is a very real moment. i mean, can't help but be overwhelmed, thinking about all the history that came before us here that's what's going through my mind the astronauts climbing into the apollo missions and skylab space shuttle. i mean, so incredible to be here >> reporter: just an amazing experience to be out there on the launch tower they have a lot of work to do. jared says they could end up lifting off by the end of september, so that gives them six months to do all their training most of this mission will be controlled by the ground, but these four total civilians still need to be prepared. guys, back to you. >> wow, i mean, to wrap your head around it, incredible i guess they're going to be doing experiments in orbit, as well >> reporter: yeah, they're not really being specific, but they say they're going to take blood samples, look at radiation levels they are going to be at a higher orbit around the earth than the space station. also some seeds with some plants

i think we'll learn more about that in the coming weeks and months. >> the best part of this story, tom, continues to be the fact that it is a fundraiser for st. jude any idea how much money they've raised so far for the hospital >> reporter: yeah, so reminder, they want to raise $200 million. jared is putting in the first $100 million on his own money. they say they've raised another $15 million now. that does not count. the corporate donations that still need to be tabulated and roll in, so they say they're a long way still from getting a good final count they got months to go. >> they'll get there >> mm-hmm. >> thank you, tom. thank you, thank you >> fun. >> they can get to space, they can get to the $200 million. let's get a check of the weather. ms. dylan? >> thanks, guys. we're going to see warmer temperatures before it cools off. sometimes, though, it makes it worse. we are looking at temps to be 10 to 15 degrees above average. pittsburgh, 68 today 73 in cincinnati 69 in washington, d.c. in new york city, we should be in the lower 60s tomorrow is warmer for the 59 in bangor, maine.

65 in new york 75 in norfolk. behind this cold front, the one that's also going to bring in some rain that will eventually change over to snow. let's look at the cooldown we are going to see in the northeast by friday morning, wind chill in saranac lake, 3 degrees. new york city, the wind chill, 23 degrees don't throw things at me albany -- >> sorry how did it happen again? >> terrible throw. it is hard to throw paper that far. yes, it is certainly going to cool off quite a bit the good news is going into next week -- good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are waking up to sunshine and a beautiful day here in the bay area, with a live look outside in san francisco. we'll see our temperatures warming up today, still pretty gusty in some spots but the wind will calm down as we go into today, as our temperatures reach into the upper 70s and even up to 80 degrees.

so with the highs in the 80s for the next few days, it's going to feel more like summer, but by the weekend, we'll be cooling off as we'll see more rain as well as some clouds moving in by early next week. ork on my aim. if that forecast stays cold -- >> give it another shot. >> i'll get craig to do it. >> craig has a good arm. >> oh! >> close. >> dylan, we love you, of course >> we do. still ahead, steph ruhle is sharing clever spending strategies what you can do to make the most out of your stimulus check first, these messages. ♪ok♪ ♪don't tell me you've tasted anything like this♪ ♪don't tell me you've felt this fire on your lips♪ ♪i got the recipe♪ ♪hit a hundred degrees♪ ♪my love♪ ♪who brought the sauce?♪ - ♪i brought the sauce♪ - ♪who made the sauce?♪ - ♪i got the sauce♪ - ♪what's in the sauce?♪

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we're back with sheinelle, in for carson. what do you have coming up on we're back with sheinelle, in for carson. what do you have coming up on "pop start"? >> a lot coming up including henry winkler stepping back into his iconic role as the fonz and the other stars joining in on the fun we'll have all of that first, your local news you ready? ever that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream... ...it's a pill that treats differently. for psoriasis, 75% clearer skin is achievable... ...with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. for psoriatic arthritis, ...otezla is proven.... test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test

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good morning, it is 7:56, i'm laura garcia. here is a look at what's happening now. >> reporter: i'm kris sanchez. contra costa county may open vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 and up as early as today. on thursday, californians over the age of 50 will be eligible for a shot on april 15th, anyone over the age of 16 statewide will be eligible. governor newsom says there's promising news on how many johnson & johnson doses california's going to get and by the end of april, california's vaccine allotment is expected to grow to about 3 million a week. good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. president biden saying we're closed to the end of the pandemic but not across the finish line yet. he is asking governors to reinstate mask mandates where they've dropped them in order to stop a fourth spike in coronavirus cases.

let's see if those winds are kicking up. things are going to calm down later, kari? >> later on the winds will start to calm down. some of us are getting high wind gusts for the start of the day and temperatures headed up to 80 degrees for our inland valleys. it gets warmer tomorrow as well as thursday. it's going to feel more like summertime, but we go back to springtime for the weekend as we cool down into the 70s, and even some 60s in the forecast with a chance of rain by early next week. laura? >> wow. all over the place. thanks so much, kari. thank you for joining us as well. another update in half an hour. have a great day.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, powerful testimony. the first witnesses, including a 911 operator, take the stand during the trial of the former police officer charged with killing george floyd. >> something wasn't right. i don't know how to explain it. it was a gut instinct. >> this morning, both legal teams are ready for a fight. where do things go from here? we're live with the latest. plus, back in the lineup. after beating colon cancer, baltimore's trey mancini opens up about his triumphant return to baseball. >> i was thinking, don't cry, the whole time. i was really emotional. >> just ahead, how trey's teammates and fans gave him strength through his battle. and then the gift of forgiveness.

we'll catch up with katherine schwarzenegger pratt about the inspiring story she shares in her latest book, and what life is like as a busy, new mom. today, tuesday, march 30th, 2021. ♪ i'm gonna stand by you ♪ >> march 30th is national doctors day. today, i'd like to recognize all of my colleagues who have worked so hard on the front lines. to save lives and support their community. >> thank you, mommy. >> we love you. >> happy doctors' day. >> shoutout to all my colleagues who stepped up to care for women in the fight against covid. ♪ stand by you ♪ >> from florida, our names are. >> jack. >> and bruni. our dad is a doctor in lakeland, florida. the best dad ever. >> we love you, dad. >> how sweet are the kids? tampa looks beautiful. welcome back. it is a tuesday morning. happy you're joining us. >> happy you're with us at 8:00 on the east coast, but you've missed a lot.

this show starts at 7:00 eastern. you can always set the dvr to, you know, catch up on what you've missed. you've missed a lot. you should have seen what happened last hour. >> it was so good. >> riveting. >> set your dvr, you'd know. >> we do have a busy morning. a lot going on. let's get to your news at 8:00. a second day of testimony getting under way this morning at the murder trial of derek chauvin, the former minneapolis police officer charged in the death of george floyd. nbc's gabe gutierrez is covering the trial. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. derek chauvin watched intently and even took notes as the now infamous cell phone video was played in court. prosecutors say he knelt on george floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. it was testimony from a 911 dispatcher that we had not heard before. she took the stand and said that she watched the entire -- or part of the incident on a live security camera that she thought had actually frozen, because officers were over the body of

george floyd for so long. she says it prompted her to call a police supervisor. now, her testimony came after opening statements, where both the prosecution and the defense laid out dramatically different accounts of how george floyd died. >> mr. derek chauvin betrayed this badge when he used excessive and unreasonable force upon the body of mr. george floyd. >> the evidence will show that mr. floyd died of a cardiac arrhythmia that occurred as a result of hypertension, coronary disease, the injection of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and the adrenaline flowing through his body. >> reporter: now, this morning, we're expecting to hear more testimony from a bystander, an eyewitness with a mixed martial arts background, who says he told chauvin that he was placing floyd in a dangerous choke hold. hoda? >> gabe gutierrez at the courthouse, thanks.

there is growing fallout this morning over georgia's new law restricting voting rights. blayne alexander in atlanta with a closer look at that. new calls to boycott major companies there. blayne, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. this law is facing a growing number of legal challenges. georgia naacp has filed a lawsuit. some critics are putting their pressure on other places, georgia businesses, hoping that they will take action. this morning, from the courts to the capitol, backlash to georgia's new election law is growing. now, opponents are setting their sights on georgia's business community, hoping pressure on their pockets will push them to speak out against the sweeping law, which includes a new id requirement for mail-in ballots. republicans say that it will help secure elections, but critics call it blatant voter suppression. across the internet, #boycott delta and boycott coca-cola are picking up steal, taking aim at

the georgia-based giants coca-cola's president says he is disappointed the law passed. adding, voting in our country is a sacred right and duty, and we recognize we have a responsibility to protect and promote it a similar sentiment from delta airlines, calling voting access a fundamental right for all citizens but upsetting some activists after parts of the statement appeared to praise the law, arguing it improves considerably during the legislative process. >> not just a georgia issue, it is a national issue. they can't sit on the sidelines. >> reporter: with georgia's law already on the books, those opposed to it are calling on companies to support federal voting rights legislation, and also urging them to speak out against other states weighing laws similar to the one in georgia. meanwhile, a georgia state lawmaker is back on the job after being arrested for knocking on the governor reese door as he signed the law. escorted by her attorney and

martin luther king iii, park cannon returned to the state capitol on monday. her lawyer says she will plead not guilty to the charges against her. >> many laws are signed in public so the citizens and elected officials can witness it. >> reporter: guys, interestingly, some people who are against this law are also against the concept of boycotting businesses. some people, including the reverend bernice king, say it'd only hurt middle-class workers here in georgia, and those who are grappling with poverty >> blayne, thank you very much. news is covered at 8:06. tuesday boost. >> here we go. this morning, a new twist on a centuries old tradition. when a young couple got married earlier this month, they decided, who needs a flower girl when you can have a flower man he was a huge hit with the guests take a look. >> oh, come on ♪

♪ >> i love that. >> that awesome individual is the bride's cousin, jay, who is an atlanta-based musician. the guy didn't miss a point. >> we know how to walk into tuesday. >> that's right. >> that is awesome. >> i think i see a trend catching on. >> i love that. >> flower men. i bet a lot of people might try that. >> definitely. straight ahead, a baseball star whose career was put on hold by the pandemic, and a surprising diagnosis of colon cancer >> at the time, i only thought that it really affected people aged 50 and older, for the most part i know that it was extremely rare for people my age to get it >> our conversation with orioles' star trey mancini on what he faced, the mission it's ignited, and that triumphant return to the game he loves and

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this is kansas. and this is country crock. we start with farm-grown ingredients, slow-churned in the middle of the country. we've also been at the middle of tables for generations. no matter where your table is, bring the country in. we're back at 8:12 with a powerful story colorectal cancer awareness month winds down. >> craig, you'll introduce us to an athlete at the top of his game and got unexpected news >> the baseball season starts this week, and fans of the

baltimore orioles will have something extra to cheer for one of the team's favorite players is now back in the lineup, after beating colon cancer [ applause ] >> reporter: this moment during a meaningless spring training game last month meant the world to trey mancini. the baltimore orioles slugger taking his first at-bat since recovering from colon cancer his triumphant return met with a standing ovation by the crowd. >> i saw the video of you stepping up to the plate for the first time since returning, and you get this standing ovation there. we were pretty well composed, but i wondered in that moment what you were thinking >> i was thinking, don't cry, the whole time i was really emotional >> reporter: the emotion not surprising, considering he just came off the toughest season of his life none of which took place on a baseball diamond it all started when mancini reported to spring training last season you got a routine physical that pro athletes get fairly often,

and what happened? >> it was a normal physical. we did a blood draw, and the blood count showed my hemoglobin and hematocrit were really though they scheduled a colonoscopy and endoscopy for me and the doctor found a tumor in my colon. >> reporter: his father is a doctor and colon cancer survivor himself. >> you were familiar with the disease? >> yes, i was. at the time, i thought it affected people age 50 and older, for the most part i know it was extremely rare for people my age to get it. >> reporter: when he got the shocking news, mancini was just 27 he had a successful surgery to remove the tumor while in recovery, he found out the major league baseball season had been suspended because of coronavirus. days later, on his 28th birthday, he found out he needed six months of chemotherapy

so there is the start of the global pandemic, and there's also trey mancini starting a cancer fight these things are happening simultaneously how were you able to deal with that >> it was very difficult you know, nobody was able to go to my treatments with me throughout the entire thing. my girlfriend, sarah, and i were in washington, d.c., and i was getting treated at hopkins she wasn't even allowed to come in with me that was a really tough part of it she took plenty enough care of me at home this is awesome. >> reporter: as mancini battled, his teammates rallied around him. >> it was incredible it was really hard for me to not be able to go see them at the stadium and be a part of the team it was the first year of my life that i was never part of a baseball team. but i kept in touch with them almost every day, at least one of my teammates would text me. >> reporter: meanwhile, fans showed support, buying shirts that said, "fight," with mancini's number 16, raising more than $80,000 for the colorectal cancer alliance. >> let's do this, baltimore! >> reporter: one fan stands out

to mancini mo gava, the baltimore sports super fan who battled cancer himself since he was an infant while going through treatments, mancini got a call from him, checking in on him he died in july. >> his entire life, he was in the hospital going through chemotherapy treatments. he never, ever had a bad attitude or felt sorry for himself. i try to emulate how he was every single day he really inspired me. >> reporter: in november, mancini finished his chemo and was declared cancer free he managed somehow to get back into playing shape last month, he rejoined the orioles. it dawned on me, that had you not gotten that physical, by the time they caught it, i mean, it could have very well been late stage colon cancer >> i'm extremely, extremely fortunate to be a major league baseball player and have the medical care i do. i really do feel like i have a lot of work to do, as far as spreading awareness and getting

some tests in the hands of people that might not be as fortunate as myself. >> reporter: feeling fortunate to step back into the batter's box and take his best swing at whatever life throws his way >> mancini says aside from the family history with his dad, he didn't have any symptoms that would lead him to believe anything was wrong good reminder, if there is a history of cancer in your family, it's a good idea to ask your doctor about getting screened a lot of folks don't know about the family history because they don't have the conversations. >> right. >> you start asking, like, oh, yeah, your uncle, blah, blah, blah, had colon cancer. >> another good example of someone who is young, who gets the tests, to get check-ups, even if you're young and healthy. you have to see a doctor a simple blood test was able to give him the result. >> we know baseball players have their superstitions. did this change any of his rituals? >> he told me throughout his career, entire career, he'd have a bowl of lucky charms before he'd go out.

that seemed to have helped his performance on the field now, he has to watch his sugar, so he'll switch to a healthier cereal. >> cheerios or something. >> grape nuts. >> solid preseason here is to trey mancini. >> congratulations looks great. good for him. >> really good guy. >> ms. dylan, how about a check of the weather >> we have warmer temperatures for some folks, especially in the northeast. middle of the country, see the clouds gathering that's where the cold front is going to set up and bring a lot of rain, especially through the tennessee river valley going into tomorrow. we also have much colder temperatures behind that cold front. look at that, 20s and 30s across the northern plains. upper midwest will see temperatures drop after a warmer yesterday. the colder air will head east, with morning lows on friday morning well down into the single digits when you factor in the wind chill we have the chance of strong storms today, mostly across

western tennessee, down through louisiana, into alabama, mississippi, too we could see just isolated stronger storms today. it is also going to be nice and sunny. out west, 50s, 60s, and 70s >> if you're heading out the door, don't forget to check us out on "today" show sirius xm channel 108. >> thank you, dylan. sheinelle, "pop start" >> so much pressure. first up, we have "ted lasso." the comedy series starring jason sudeikis as an american football coach who moves to england to

manage a pro soccer team has gotten a lot of love this award season now, the show's cast of characters is up for a big one, the sag award for best comedy ensemble team lasso got together for a new sketch ahead of the awards for a pep talk about their competition. "entertainment weekly" has a preview clip >> y'all, got a big night ahead of us. the sag awards we are nominated for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series, how about that? our competition tonight is tougher than ice cold beef jerky. >> "the flight attendant," "schitt's creek. >> definitely a sag category "ted lasso," "dead to me," "the flight attendant," and "schitt's creek," as coach lasso said, tougher than ice cold beef jerky. tough. you can watch the sketch during the sag awards on april 4th on

tbs. next up, henry winkler to some people, he'll always be the fonz he played the part of arthur fonzarelli on "happy days" for 11 years, making the character the epitome of cool. when "people" got sag award nominees together for a "happy days" table read, there was no question who would play fonzie the only man, henry winkler. nominees included glenn close and others reenacting the episode when fonz's motorcycle the accidently wrecked by ralph. the fonz doesn't take it lightly. >> it's not that i want to beat him up, gentlemen. i have to beat him up. it is street etiquette you know what happens if the word gets out, a man ran over my bike and i did nada, i did nothing?

>> a man once said, to er is human, to forgive is divine. >> that guy never had a bike finally, kelly clarkson. if you tuned into the "voice" last night, you may have noticed it wasn't kelly in her red chair. instead, country star kelsea ballerini. clarkson was at home, feeling under the weather. clarkson pointing out she didn't test positive for covid, but the "voice" has strict guidelines. >> all the advice i've gotten from kelly, the main one is, keep the rivalry going >> i was just about to say that i like this show better already with you here. >> you're going to get me in trouble. >> instead of kelly. now, i take it back. >> have i told you you look like my dad >> oh, my god. >> i'm going to call you pops. >> we call him grandma. >> sure your dad is a very good looking man though >> she fits right in >> wow. >> the battle rounds continue on "the voice." if you glance real quick,

it looked like kelly i was like, who is in for kelly? >> also, a lot of guts way to go, can you be on a live show tonight i got you. >> terrific. >> the singing on the show is the draw, but the banter, oh, my gosh >> the chemistry. >> grandma and pops? >> carson says it goes on for hours, too they have to cut only the best stuff. >> i love it. >> it goes on and on. ahead, kids, our friend katherine schwarzenegger pratt, one of our last live guests in studio remember, that was a year ago. well, a lot has changed in her life we'll talk about her family, her podcast, her book. she's got a whole new life that's been cooking this past year we'll visit coming up after your local news l

good morning, it's 8:26. i'm marcus washington. a year for the agency to work around the wild land force. the move would reclassify more firefighters permanent. the request is being outlined in the letter and being signed by 21 members of congress. last year nearly 10,000 wildfires ravaged california, burning nearly 4 million acres. a look at the forecast today, nice and sunny one out there. >> yes, we are starting to see the winds picking up this

morning for upper elevations but thankfully we don't have a high wildfire danger. we are going to have dry weather and warming temperatures. look at the highs for today. reaching 78 in palo alto and going to be warmer than yesterday with a few spots reaching 80 degrees and that warmup continues going into tomorrow with some low-to-mid-80s in the forecast through thursday. by friday, it starts to come down a few degrees but it will definitely be cooler in time for the weekend. we will even be watching out for a chance of rain early next week. marcus? thanks, kari. we'll have another update in 30 minutes. see you back here then.

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8:30 tuesday morning. that's our little corner of the world. it is the 30th of march. we are fired up for our next guest. we feel she might be our little sister or daughter katherine schwarzenegger pratt she's got her book out in paperback, called "the gift of forgiveness. >> she's got a lot of lessons, life lessons, we can get from there. we have a lot to talk about. she has the cutest little baby she's a new mom. she's got a cool, new life we can't wait to catch up with katherine. >> had her mom on yesterday in the third hour good to see katherine today. by the way, coming up, third round of stimulus checks hitting the bank accounts. stephanie ruhle here to talk

strategy the best ways you can take advantage of the extra money there's steph. she's standing by, as well. plus, jenna is catching up with two famous artists who created an unlikely partnership. beloved children's author sandra boynton and cellist yo-yo ma wait until you hear their project. >> carrie underwood's mom, can you imagine trying to go to the grocery store and buy every magazine with carrie's face on it >> we'll talk about that and more coming up in a bit. >> you go way back on the story. tomorrow morning on "today," we wanted to know what is everybody looking forward to the most after this pandemic is over we have been overwhelmed with responses, some are sweet, some are silly, but they all give us reason for hope. we're going to share some of our favorites tomorrow. right now, ms. dylan dreyer, a check of the weather >> i can't wait to hug my parents.

let's look at what's going on across the country today, strong storms will start to break out, especially down across the mississippi river valley, lower tennessee river valley some of the storms could produce gusty winds. isolated tornadoes it's your run of the mill strong thunderstorms this time around much colder weather behind the cold front enjoy the 60s and 70s in the northeast and eastern great lakes because we are going to see the heavy rain eventually move out and drop the temperatures down into the 30s and even colder wind chills, too. it'll be colder across the western great lakes tomorrow heavy rain through nashville with the flooding concerns still in the area, with the river levels pretty high it'll make its way to the east coast by the time we get to thursday we are going to see a chance of more severe storms along the gulf coast tomorrow, as well the western half of the country looks nice tomorrow. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall, taking a look at our forecast for the inland areas.

it's going to be warm and sunny today. winds will start to calm down and our temperatures will reach 80 degrees. even warmer tomorrow and that warming trend continues on thursday. after that we start to cool down. we will get breezy winds for the weekend, and we may even be watching out for more clouds and chance for showers in the forecast between sunday and monday. and san francisco will also be warming up over the next couple of days. >> that is your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you. ahead, katherine schwarzenegger pratt joining us for the first time as a new mom. >> can't wait to hear from her, hear how it is going, hear about her new paperback. her new paperback. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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welcome back katherine schwarzenegger pratt has a lot of titles, best-selling author, an advocate, podcast host, and a new one, mom

>> we're so happy to catch up with her today she has her paperback version of her book, "gift of forgiveness." inspiring book inspiring stories about those who have overcome the unforgivable it's out in paperback. katherine, good morning. it's great to see you. >> hi, good morning. good to see you, too >> remember, a year ago, you were secretly pregnant. >> i know. >> you were promoting a hardback book now, you're a mom. >> i know. >> tell us a little bit about little lila maria. >> she's the best. i was literally feeding her before i came down to come on. such a difference a year can make it's the best thing in the entire world i love every minute of motherhood so far. i just feel really blessed and really lucky she's a happy and easy baby. my mom continues to remind me of that. >> i know, i think your mom was saying, might have been a little different for you. speaking of your mom, did she know that'd be a namesake, lila maria? >> she did we didn't know if it'd be a boy

or girl. i always knew i wanted to incorporate my mom's name if it was a little girl. i'm named after my grandma, so i wanted to definitely continue that tradition on. i think she was very pleasantly surprised with the name. >> has anything -- i mean, your mom is a great mom we both have taken mother advice from your mom. is there anything about motherhood that surprised you, katherine? >> i think every single part of motherhood has been, like, a beautiful surprise i'm the oldest of my siblings, so i feel you get an introduction into what, you know, taking care of little ones is like. i definitely, every morning i wake up with a newfound respect for my mom i've always represented her tremendously, but i texted her this morning because i was woken up this morning at 2:00, and i had my alarm going off at 3:00 to get ready for this. i was like, i can't believe you did this with four children. she does everything so beautifully and gracefully i always have gained more respect for her.

she's -- i call her every single day with something it is such a fun experience and a great time so far. >> i remember that it is a new perspective on motherhood not only when you experience it, but you start thinking about, did my mom do that same thing? my goodness, i would have been a little nicer when i was 16 >> i know. >> let's talk about the paperback. this book is all about forgiveness. for you, you had an episode with a friend you had to find forgiveness. is that what attracted you to the subject? >> yeah. i mean, i did a deep dive into forgiveness a couple years ago now. i just was really fascinated by the fact that forgiveness is something that touches all of us, our lives, and none of us are spared with coming face-to-face with us it is not something we really talk about it. when i was struggling with forgiveness in my own life, i started talking to different people about their struggles with forgiveness, their experiences, and realized how beneficial it was for me to hear others' experiences with

forgiveness and apply it to my own life i wanted to turn that into a book that's really what this book has become it is a collection of different interviews i've done, which people who experienced forgiveness in all different ways, struggled with it, and some still struggling with it. i think it really speaks to the complexities of forgiveness and how challenging of a topic it is how we practice it or don't practice it all so differently how, you know, my definition and my relationship with forgiveness is totally different than what both of yours is, and that's okay it is all about being able to talk about it and express our struggles with it. some people, it comes easily fo justice isn't done. somehow, you're unhooking that person. i think the other thing i

remember from your book, forgiveness is a practice. you have to do it daily. others, it's very hard and a life-long journey. i'm glad the book is coming out in paperback to help people spread awareness about how challenging forgiveness can be. >> people think if you forgive, justice isn't done somehow, you're unhooking that person i think the other thing i remember from your book, forgiveness is a practice. you have to do it daily. it is not like, i forgive you, bye-bye. it is something you constantly have to work on. >> yeah. i think that really is shown in this book. it's a collection of different people's experiences for some people, you know, they're able to practice forgiveness instantly and move on for a lot of people, it is not a one and done thing it's a life-long journey, and it is a practice that you need to wake up every single morning and choose to live your life from a place of forgiveness there are oftentimes people who make the decision to forgive, you get trigger moments or trigger days where you're set back into sadness or anger and rage there are a lot of experiences like that in this book really beautiful collections of stories where people express how amazing forgiveness is when you're actually able to practice it, and the freedom that you feel, but also how challenging it can be to get there. >> this is actually your fourth

book not like you don't have enough to do, but, i mean, have you thought about what might be the subject of another book when you're done with this? >> you know, i think i really have been able to do my books based on life experiences and just different topics that i think are really important to me and that i'm passionate about and i think other people will benefit or be helped by exploring more on. that's what this book has been for me i hope to do more books in that same theme, where i find topics that i'm interested in, but also i think people will benefit from learning more about. we'll see what the next one will be. >> like babies waking up in the middle of the night and ruining your sleep >> baby sleep. that one works. >> katherine, you are delightful thanks. >> thank you. >> the book is "the gift of forgiveness," available in paperback. you can find more at today.com/shop also, katherine is going to come back and join me at 10:00. >> awesome >> lucky me. >> good. coming up next, guys, the stimulus checks roll into people's bank accounts

what is the best use for the money? stephanie ruhle has suggestis on

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we're back. re-orbit test. advice for your wallet. >> the latest round of stimulus checks are still being sent out by the irs even if you have a lot of bills to pay, it can be overwhelming to figure out which bills to pay first. >> that is precisely why we've called in nbc's senior business correspondent, stephanie ruhle always good to see your smiling face here's the thing, stimulus check hits the bank account, hits that mailbox. what's the first thing we should do >> well, craig, it's different things for different people. for people who are struggling the most, you want to cover the essentials your medicine, your food, keep the lights on. even if you've got debt collectors banging down the door, we want to keep you safe and healthy. cover your basic expenses. now, for people who are more comfortable, i hear this from a lot of young people, hey, i just

got $1,400 i'm going to vegas no, this is not for going to vegas. consider this money a brick for you to start building your financial foundation >> good metaphor. >> what if you're behind on your rent, for example? i mean, is this a good use of that, catch up on the rent, or should you pay off a credit card hard to figure out when you have a finite amount of money, which is the one to prioritize. >> well, i hear from people all the time, steph, it's $1,400 i owe $14,000 in rent. it's a drop in the bucket. but a drop in the bucket is something, and you have to start addressing these things. talk to your creditors, see what you owe and who you owe, and start to chip away at it if you don't, the bucket is only going to get bigger. paying something is better than paying nothing especially as it relates to something like your rent remember, your landlord is a person, too. they're running a small business you want to have an open dialogue with them and set a plan.

>> all right you said make sure your essentials are taken care of you said, don't go to vegas. what should you do with your $1,400 if you have the extra >> i know this is a little heavy, but it is serious you should really try to do everything possible to start an emergency fund even before the pandemic, we know millions of americans didn't even have $400 in case of an emergency now that we're getting back on our feet, start building that cushion. i would say especially for people who live paycheck to paycheck, for women out there who are moms who might not have their own income, that's when we see people who are financially strapped, who are in dangerous jobs, bad relationships, try to set aside three to six months. i know it's a lot of money basic expenses if you have that kind of your own financial cushion, you can end up saving your life. >> steph, we have a few seconds left what about somebody who, you know, they had their emergency fund, they don't have any debt they want to do something proactive with the money

what would you recommend >> okay, first, i would just say, start to talk about your credit card debt, right? we swipe because we think things are on sale. if you're paying interest rates, it's not on sale the longer you wait, the more money you owe. anything above 5%, start addressing that. lastly, set some goals let's say a year from now, you're doing okay financially. in a year from now, you want to take a trip, you want to get a computer, want to get a couch. budget for it. don't burn it. if that couch costs 1,200 bucks, say, well, could i afford 100 a month over the next year start to budget. don't say, i have the money, i'll spend it. make a plan. >> so you can go to vegas, though, is what i heard. you have to budget for it. >> make it rain in vegas if you save first steph, thanks, as always by the way, for more of steph's personal finance tips, resources, check out today.com/money. coming up next, what happens

when a famous children's book author teams up with the greatest cellist of our time a magical creation for the all right that's a fifth-floor problem... ok. not in my house! ha ha ha! ha ha ha! no no no! not today! ha ha ha! ha ha ha! jimmy how happy are folks who save hundreds of dollars

switching to geico? happier than dikembe mutumbo blocking a shot. get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. wanna help kids get their homework done? well, an internet connection's a good start. but kids also need computers. and sometimes the hardest thing about homework is finding a place to do it. so why not hook community centers up with wifi? for kids like us, and all the amazing things we're gonna learn. over the next 10 years, comcast is committing $1 billion to reach 50 million low-income americans with the tools and resources they need to be ready for anything. i hope you're ready. 'cause we are.

we are back with an unlikely partnership that ended up being a dream team beloved children's author sandra boynton and world famous cellist yo-yo ma. >> jenna has more on that. good morning. >> good morning. they're both amazing in their own right. when they decided to work together, it was a match made in heaven what do you get when you combine two vivid imaginations an experience for kids that's nothing short of magical ♪ >> reporter: world renown cellist yo-yo ma has released over 100 albums, played for

presidents and performed in concert halls around the globe his latest project is a simpler composition for a much younger audience it's one that he holds close to his heart. >> listen to the tiger >> reporter: yo-yo is teaming up with beloved author and illustrator sandra boynton with best-sellers like "barnyard dance" and "the going to bed" become, she has an enormous fan base for her new book, yo-yo is bringing her animals to life using his cello to create sounds of animal snores for the soundtrack and animation >> the music component is everything >> i love kids they're a constant delight and surprise. >> just that kind of openness and energy and quirkiness.

>> no one better to be with than children >> reporter: yo-yo shared his gift with children throughout his career, from "sesame street" to "mr. rogers." >> when you play something, it is like giving them a present. >> reporter: it was sandra and yo-yo's love of children that inspired them to collaborate when they first met two years ago. it wasn't until the pandemic hit that they finally decided to act on it. there's something almost magical about the fact that you can create a partnership in the midst of a pandemic. to continue to create must have felt so good. >> it felt so good it was just some sense of the creative energy of the world, can help save it. >> creating something can happen during times of loneliness because it's when you're most vulnerable >> reporter: a project planned on zoom is now being debuted on zoom to some of sandra's biggest fans. >> and all the little monkeys. ♪

>> and whoever had been sleeping isn't sleeping anymore >> bravo >> more jungle sounds. i love jungle animal sounds. >> reporter: yo-yo started playing music when he was about 4 years old. are any of you 4 years old >> take your instruments and make beautiful, beautiful sounds let's hear it. ♪ >> all of the sounds you're making are so wonderful. don't you think that we could make jungle sounds together? >> raise your hand if you want to. >> i do. >> okay. ♪ >> reporter: they may not be in harmony, but there's so much beauty in this symphony. the magic and wonder of kids' creativity awesome.

>> bravo, children >> reporter: i want to ask you why you think books and music paired together are exactly what our kids need right now. >> combined, you start the imagination. from imagination, you get to curiosity, to passion, to knowledge, and most of all, to hope and optimism. >> reporter: watching the faces of kids light up, i can't think of anything more hopeful. >> by making words, pictures, and sounds approachable, where a child feels, i can do it, that's our future ♪ [ applause ] >> seeing the smiles on the kids' faces really brightened our day. it goes to show, not only the power of music, but also reading aloud to our kids, it really goes a long way. guys >> mm-hmm.

>> okay, that was so good. >> loved the kids playing. >> somehow, yo-yo ma with children, that's magic, too. sandra boynton you expected. >> he was here years ago on the weekend show he walked in, and he is filled with such wonder he's so talented and warm. as an adult, it is still good to have wonder. >> remember when he got his vaccine and was playing the cello? he is a cool guy >> love sandra boynton >> ollie can't sit still for a book i wonder if i incorporate music. >> that's smart. >> just call yo-yo ma. >> yeah. >> even better, if you want to find the jungle night book, go to today.com/shop. >> might be easier. a few minutes from now, we'll start the third hour of this "today" show with a special series, "by the decade." this morning, we're going to have some fitness advice for all stages of life then later on the fourth hour, we have a surprise

celebrity guest, even a surprise for me, but i might have a hint. a tasty trend taking over tiktok and katherine schwarzenegger pratt, too first, your local news good morning, it's 8:56. i'm marcus washington. two more counties will be crossing over into the orange tier, they will join marin, san francisco and santa clara counties. meanwhile sonoma and contra costa county will remain in the

red tier of restrictions. in the orange tier, indoor dining can expand to 50% capacity. wineries and breweries can resume indoor tasting and gyms and fitness centers can reopen indoors at 25%. happening now, napa valley and tri-valley wineries can literally taste this. we'll have a live report during our midday newscast. once we get all of that up, we will post it on our twitter feed. day two is under way for the criminal trial of former minneapolis police officer derek chauvin.

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live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of toda." >> good tuesday morning. welcome to the "3rd hour of today." march 30th, folks. almost april. craig melvin, sheinelle jones, dylan dreyer. al roker enjoying the week off. we got a packed tuesday show, including a really fascinating conversation with another mom. >> i'm excited about this one. we met a long, long time ago. we'll get into that. i had the chance to catch up with carol underwood. she shared a sweet story about how the future superstar got her start. she revealed things we've never heard before about her journey leading up to the days before carrie's