with live local news. >> we're continuing to follow what's happening in the caldor fire right now as you are taking live pictures as the fire continues to burn. more online and coming up for you at 11:00. ♪ good morning. wiped out, stunning new images revealing ida's catastrophic damage across louisiana. >> this is ten times worse than what we lived through for katrina. >> every single building in one community damaged or destroyed. search teams still unable to reach the stranded three days later. this as the storm threat sweeps up the east coast. 62 million people set to face heavy rain from north carolina up to maine. a rare tornado watch issued in the nation's capital overnight. we have everything you need to know.

state of emergency -- california's caldor fire moving closer to lake tahoe. tens of thousands forced to evacuate. >> it's absolutely devastating. >> firefighters racing to save the popular resort town as flames of smoke cast an eerie orange haze over the northwest. a live report straight ahead. defending the departure. a defiant president biden tells the country he had no choice but to pull troops out of afghanistan. >> i was not going to extend this forever war and i was not extending a forever exit. >> calling the emergency evacuations an extraordinary success despite the chaos, the deaths of u.s. forces and dozens of americans left behind. one lawmaker and former marine officer pushing back. >> this is a fiasco and a humiliating failure. >> while in afghanistan, the taliban celebrates the u.s. withdrawal on the runways of the

kabul airport. breaking overnight -- a military helicopter crashes off the california coast. one crew member pulled to safety, five others unaccounted for as the navy and coast guard launch a frantic search and rescue mission. we'll have the very latest. controversial law, one of the nation's strictest abortion bans ever takes effect in texas overnight. what that could mean for fights ahead in other states and could its fate ultimately be decided by the supreme court? all that, plus cut over covid? former nfl mvp cam newton released by the new england patriots. the stunning move that caught fans by surprise and the growing question, was it tied to his vaccination status? and to the rescue. shelters nationwide filling up with pets saved from the storm. inside the remarkable effort to give them a new leash on life.

today wednesday, september 1st, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hey, guys. welcome to "today." it is wednesday morning. it is a new month, september 1st. so happy you're joining us. savannah is enjoying some time off. >> welcome to wednesday. welcome to september. we have a lot of news overnight to cover including that search and rescue operation after a navy helicopter crashed into the sea off the coast of san diego. we'll have the latest on that. another major story unfolding about 600 miles to the north around the popular vacation destination of lake tahoe. crews are battling that ferocious wildfire bracing for another day of strong winds and dry conditions. those flames expected to spread even farther. steve patterson is reporting live from the front line.

and from those fires to flooding concerns here in the northeast, heavy rains from the remnants of ida set to reek havoc for days to come up and down the east coast. meantime, we are getting an eye opening look at the damage left behind in louisiana. rescues at this hour, still ongoing. now there's a new problem facing the nearly 1 million people without power -- blistering heat in the wake of the storm. dylan is standing by with the latest on the forecast. but first, nbc's sam brock is on the ground in hard-hit laplace, louisiana. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. ida's grip on louisiana continues to astound, shredding electric poles like this one behind me. these folks were out at the crack of dawn to try to get some gas. in this one parish, there were some 800 rescues according to the sheriff and ida is moving north and east after killing two in alabama, the death toll now at six. millions of americans are bracing for what remains of ida

as the storm streaks up the east coast, set to affect more than 60 million with dangerous conditions expected in multiple states from tornados to flood warnings. early assessments out of jefferson parish, louisiana, are sobering. officials say the grand isle island is uninhabitable with 100% of structures damage and 4 in 10 destroyed. >> this is ten times worse than what we lived through for katrina. >> reporter: the view above spotlighting louisiana. satellite images are striking. parts of the state transforming from green to blue. >> we don't have any levee system here. we have a railroad track. that's about it. >> reporter: the community of cambridge has high-water vehicles moving in and out where residents have been marooned. how many people do you think were rescued here from your observation? >> my observation, at least 300. >> reporter: 300? in this community? >> i believe so.

>> reporter: ida's overall death toll is almost certain to rise. in virginia, four people are missing this morning after heavy flooding and landslides. and in slidell, louisiana, an update on the man bitten by an alligator and reported missing, the sheriff saying in part all accounts at this point are leading to a terrible tragedy that his wife had to witness. they are katrina survivors who moved here afterwards, survived ida, and then this. >> she's in it. >> reporter: in the midst of tragedy, more heroic rescues. >> grab onto my shoulder. >> reporter: a mississippi police officer rescuing several people trapped in a submerged car, the frightened ok pants pulled to safety from the driver's side window. even those who planned for flooding are stunning. >> everything fell. i have holes in my roof. the kitchen is destroyed. >> reporter: lathers blames his

community's catastrophe on the multibillion dollar levee system protecting new orleans. >> when i bought this house, i didn't need flood insurance. after katrina, they said we needed flood insurance. the walls in new orleans push back at the lake. when it pushes back, this is what you get. >> there's another big issue for folks in new orleans. they're in the dark. i was hearing the mayor saying the power may be restored. what is the time frame? >> reporter: so the mayor says there's significant progress and by the end of today, you might see more power on, entergy tweeting out overnight that the first light shined this morning in new orleans, but this is a marathon because there are sweaters conditions, which means there are serious concerns about heat-related illness. tulane university has evacuated students to houston. there are two possibilities moving forward, one restore the critical transmission lines, the

other to create a grid island for just the greater new orleans area to try to get everybody back up and running. that's the plan they're pursuing. >> sam, thank you. that blistering late summer heat is one of the major problems in the gulf. ida's remnants making its way to the northeast. dylan is tracking the storm. good morning. >> it could feel like 105 in new orleans today. without air-conditioning, that is brutally uncomfortable. now the rain is making its way through the mid-atlantic. back through west virginia, through ohio, even into new jersey right now. the storm is still a tropical depression. it's moving northeast at 24 miles per hour. it still has winds at 30 miles per hour. so it's going to be a gusty, rainy day across the northeast. we have this warm front that's going to come in first. so we're starting off the day with some rain. then it will look like we're going to get some breaks along the coast. but then we're going to see these pop-up thunderstorms. and those could be severe at times and the bulk of the rain

moves through overnight and moves into new england as we go through early thursday morning. we could see perhaps strong gusty winds, but also the potential for isolated tornados in this area, especially through southern new jersey and into d.c. and maryland, too. as for rain, we could see a widespread 5 to 8 inches of rain. keep in mind, the ground is saturated. it has been a very wet summer. this could lead to flash flooding issues through the mid-atlantic and into the northeast, as well. meantime, high winds out west in northern california are complicating the battle against an unprecedented wildfire pushing closer to lake tahoe. tens of thousands forced to flee as crews race to save lives and homes. steve patterson is right there on the ground for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. the situation getting so dire that officials have moved emergency operations across the border into nevada while teams

of firefighters are working and doing all they can to protect homes. this morning, firefighters in south lake tahoe are the last line of defense between the massive caldor fire and thousands of homes. >> the fire has been very volatile. every time we think we're getting a foothold and get a containment line, it shows us it's going to do what it wants. >> reporter: the fire threatening lake tahoe. a summer paradise now shrouded in smoke and flames. >> i'm wondering if i'm going to have a home to come back to. >> reporter: the inferno quickly closing in on the resort town. >> homes are threatened and our community is threatened and i never thought that that was possible. >> reporter: hundreds of structures already destroyed. more than 30,000 others now under threat with more than 50,000 residents under mandatory evacuations. >> when you evacuate, you realize how many things you left behind. but it's too late. you evacuate, you can't get back in. >> reporter: ahead of a typically busy labor day

weekend, residents and visitors are instead fleeing. >> it's heartbreaking. >> there's lots of family and years of memories and it just -- it's absolutely devastating. >> reporter: others choosing to stay behind for now. >> as long as the smoke isn't so bad and the flames aren't real close, we're going to stick it out. but if not, we'll high tail it out. >> reporter: burning nearly 200,000 acres. massive smoke plumes can be seen from miles away. on the ground, red hot flames devouring dry brush and tall trees. these evacuees are getting ready to move again. this center, 40 miles south of lake tahoe is now sending those seeking shelter another 50 miles away to reno, nevada. >> it kicks the daylights out of you. it's rr tough, emotional. >> it's a battle against the blaze which is really hard to see amid the heavy haze. >> it's erratic. this fire continues to grow. we continue to fight. but this community is still at

risk, very much so. >> reporter: crews will have to do all they can to get as much stamina as possible with heavy winds moving in, temperatures increasing, red-flag warnings extending through the night. this is the most critical point of the firefight. >> heroic efforts by those firefighters. thank you very much. now to the end of america's 20-year war in afghanistan, president biden used his first address since the last planes left kabul to defend the withdrawal, labelling it an extraordinary success. with dozens of americans still in afghanistan, the president facing new criticism on capitol hill. peter alexander joins us with the very latest. peter, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. president biden argued that leaving by august 31st was not due to an arbitrary deadline. he said it was due to trying to save american lines. still the president is facing criticism due to over 200 americans still in afghanistan

promising to bring them home. the president saying he's putting diplomacy over deployments. marking the end of america's longest war, president biden defending the u.s.'s chaotic withdrawal from afghanistan. >> i was not going to extend this forever war. and i was not extending a forever exit. >> reporter: the commander in chief touting the massive air lifts safely evacuating more than 124,000 people from kabul. in afghanistan, the taliban declaring victory, combing through the aircraft the u.s. left behind at kabul airport, elsewhere parading coffins draped with u.s. and nato flags. >> the likelihood is that the taliban will provide a safe haven for terrorists in afghanistan, which means that this war is not over. >> reporter: meanwhile, up to 200 americans are still stranded in the country. the president facing bipartisan criticism.emaining americans, there is no deadline. we remain committed to get them

out if they want to come out. >> reporter: the white house says 98% of americans in afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to. still, it falls short of this promise the president made last month. >> if there's american citizens left, we're going to stay until we get them all out. >> reporter: following the deaths of 13 u.s. service members last week, republicans argued the president's actions have made the u.s. less safe. >> far from a success, this is a fiasco and a humiliating failure. >> reporter: the president delivering this stern warning days after the u.s. says it foiled another isis-k attack on the airport. >> to isis-k, we are not done with you yet. >> so, peter, with regard to the americans who are still there, how exactly does the white house plan on getting the remaining u.s. citizens out of afghanistan now that all of our troops are out? >> reporter: yeah, craig, president biden says that the taliban has made public commitments to allow the americans to leave and the u.s.

plans to hold them to it. along with dozens of other countries in the international community. the white house insists that it has economic leverage over the taliban, as well. so without u.s. troops on the ground, it's relying on a diplomatic effort. >> peter alexander for us this morning, thank you. we have a lot more to get to. tom joins the table growing surge in covid. >> that's right. a lot of headlines this morning. from coast to coast, hospitals are being pushed to the brink with the u.s. averaging nearly 130,000 new patients every day, higher than any point since last winter. now the federal government is sending 700 medical personnel to help in overwhelmed states. some of the hardest hit areas, rural communities. erin mclaughlin joins us from placerville, california, just outside of sacramento. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, tom. 60 million americans live in small rural communities like this one with vaccination rates well below the national average.

for example, in this community, half the population is unvaccinated, resulting in a record number of hospitalizations at the hospital behind me. meanwhile, just miles away, compounding the situation, burns that ferocious caldor fire. this is a community on edge with both the virus and now the fires spiraling out of control. this morning, the delta variant pushing hospitals closer to crisis, alabama, georgia, florida, texas now at 90% capacity or more. nearly a quarter of covid cases recorded last week were children. the push to get them vaccinated more you are vent than ever.e f 11-year-olds will be later this month. emergency use authorization could come as soon as thanksgiving. this as the pandemic hits rural communities the hardest. physician assistant arianna campbell faces a record surge of covid patients, many struggling to breathe. >> three patients have arrived

within the span of 15 minutes. >> yes. >> reporter: and you're already out of beds. >> yeah. >> reporter: the lives she's trying to save often those of her own froemds and neighbors. like antoinette sims. her two sons had covid and her best friend died from it, yet she still refuses to get the vaccine. >> i just want to be sure. what if i am that small, minute number that actually dies from it? >> reporter: what do you tell someone like antoinette? she's your friend. >> i've lost sleep over that. i am trying to help people trust in medicine. >> reporter: after weeks of 14-hour shifts, arianna says she's terrified of getting infected herself and giving it to her husband and kids. >> i don't know if i could forgive myself if i brought home covid and they were suffering. >> reporter: just eight miles from the hospital burns the ferocious caldor fire. these dual disasters leaving hospital staff devastated, like julie king.

she lost her home to the fires last week. still, she's showing up for work, cleaning the rooms of critically ill covid patients. >> it's not all about just me. it's the patients, the patients' families, and sometimes you just have to set that aside and do what you do. >> reporter: the caldor fire is now driving thousands into evacuation shelters where there have been a number of covid-19 outbreaks is growing. arianna is actually part of a medical strike team that goes into those shelters and assesses people for symptoms, just another example of how the nation's physician assistants are being stretched to their limit, many seeing them as the pandemic's unsung heros. tom. >> that they are. erin, thank you. guys, so many areas of the country dealing with that extreme weather and the pandemic at the same time. also this morning, the search on for five service members after a navy helicopter crashed into the ocean.

the crash happened on tuesday, about 70 miles off the coast of san diego. the helicopter from the usa abraham lincoln" was conducting routine flight operations when it went down. there were six crew members on board. one person was rescued. abortion providers in texas have started turning away patients as the state's new abortion law took effect at midnight it bans abortions at six weeks into pregnancy, which covers nearly all the procedures typically performed in the state. planned parenthood in texas has stopped scheduling appointments. the new texas law does not allow state officials to enforce the ban. instead, it let's private citizens sue anyone who helped a woman violate the law for up to $10,000. the supreme court did not act on an emergency request by abortion rights groups to block the law, but it is expected to eventually go before the full court >> we've got the wildfires out west, ida making her way up the east coast let's go back to dylan with

more on today's weather. >> there is a lot going on the flooding rain in the northeast will be the big story for today. we have flood watches in the southwest where we could see some of those thunderstorms and it is brutally hot down along the gulf coast that's a look at the weather across the country we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds and savings like that will have you jumping for joy. now, get new lower auto rates with allstate. because better protection costs a whole lot less. you're in good hands with allstate. click or call for a lower auto rate today. >> good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we do have the hazy start as we take a live look outside in walnut creek. we should see things clearing out as we see the winds pick up today. a breezy westerly wind keep our temperatures cool only headed to

the mid to upper 70s for the inland east bay as well as the south bay. san jose will reach 77 degrees and 73 in napa. san francisco headed towards the mid 60s while our inland temperatures will be cool tomorrow as well. we'll see a little bit more smoke and heating up for the weekend. >> and that's your latest fo >> and that's your latest forecast back to you guys when we come back, double jeopardy for mike richards now out as the executive producer and what is next for the iconic quiz show? plus, a stunning move in the nfl. star quarterback cam newton released by the patriots here is the question was there a connection to his vaccination status and how should the league and

homelessness, housing, taxes, water, electricity, crime, wildfires. [sfx: bear roar] gavin, you've failed. we have to immediately cut taxes twenty-five percent. fix housing and homelessness. and make life in california affordable again. i'm a businessman, the only cpa running. shouldn't we choose ability this time? do you think john cox will be a better governor than gavin newsom? [sfx: bear roar] does a bear sh*t in the woods? still ahead, a special surprise for the dad of an and the shots inspect we'll have

that and more. still ahead, a special surprise for the dad of an olympic all-around champ suni lee born right here on our plaza hatched by another gymnast, simone biles >> but first, your local news and weather. orward. a light maker. recognizing that the impact you make, comes from the energy you create. introducing the all-electric lyriq. lighting the way. ♪ ♪ frank is a fan of fast. he's a fast talker. a fast walker. thanks, gary. and for unexpected heartburn... frank is a fan of pepcid. it works in minutes. nexium 24 hour and prilosec otc can take one to four days to fully work. pepcid. strong relief for fans of fast. ♪♪ can take one to four days to fully work. things you start when you're 45. coaching. new workouts. and screening for colon cancer. yep. the american cancer society recommends screening starting at age 45, instead of 50, since colon cancer is increasing in younger adults.

i'm cologuard®. i'm convenient and find 92% of colon cancers... ...even in early stages. i'm for people 45 plus at average risk for colon cancer, not high risk. false positive and negative results may occur. ask your provider if cologuard is right for you. the new citi custom cash℠ card, a different kind of card that rewards rashida and dan where their spending is trending. just ask fifth class this week rashida... rashida: dan, no pain, no gain. okay? dan: yeah i know, it's just...hello? claire, what? fire? ...or always road tripping on empty dan... rashida: i told you this would happen. dan: the light was not even on. no, it was on. dan: what? with the new citi custom cash℠ card it pays to be you. from fitness clubs, gas stations, restaurants and more, earn 5% cash back that automatically adjusts to your top eligible spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle. ♪♪ oh, just one. jake from state farm, it's the least i can do. you really did me a solid with that “maya markdown” on my insurance. here's the deal maya, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates.

right. no really. there's no markdowns, just great rates. pull around back in 20 minutes. i'll hook you up with the good parts. when you want the real deal... like a good neighbor. state farm is there. . good morning to you. it's 7:26. i'm kris sanchez. breaking news on the caldor fire fight moving closer to south lake tahoe. bob redell is live near the frontlines. what are the conditions like this morning? >> we just got new numbers from cal fire. i just received an e-mail so i'm going to read them off my phone. the caldor fire has burned just over close to 205,000 acres, 20% contained. this morning it was 18%. they gained a little bit of, you know, an edge on that in that respect. the number of residents unfortunately destroyed, about 50 more that have been

destroyed. it's close to 550. there are still close to 35,000 structures that includes homes, businesses, other structures, buildings, that are threatened by this fire that again, as you can see from our vantage point atop echo summit, is still burning and again, it's an issue that the firefighters have to deal with today given the fact that weather is not cooperating. the winds are expected to gust as high as 50 miles an hour and there's a red flag warning in effect. live atop echo summit, bob redell, nbc bay area news. meteorologist kari hall has been watching that red flag warning. >> yeah. the winds are picking up there as well, heading into this afternoon we'll see that hopefully expire and conditions become more favorable for containment for tomorrow. looking today at our inland temperatures that are cooler than normal thanks to the strong westerly wind, but then as that wind backs off our temperatures will be heating up going into the labor day holiday weekend. highs reaching into the mid 90s and san francisco will see minor warming over the next few days.

clouds and fog remain close to the coast. kris? >> thank you, kari. more local news coming up for you in just a half hour. you can always find anything you need any time of day at nbcbayarea.com.

we're back now we're back now 7:30 on this wednesday morning. check this out you are looking at the newest residents of an animal shelter there in florida these are pets rescued from louisiana left behind as a result of hurricane ida. these pets filling up shelters all over the country and there are some ways that you can help them kerry sanders is going to have that story just ahead. >> those pets want out of that pen. they want to be free let's get a check of your 7:30 headlines usa gymnastics has reached

an agreement on a proposed $425 million settlement for hundreds of women who say they were sexually abused by former team doctor larry nassar. the proposal is part of a reorganization plan that would allow usa gymnastics to move from bankruptcy. it still needs to be approved by the survivors. in 2017, nassar pleaded guilty to sexually abusing ten minors he is serving up to 175 years in prison two workers were hurt when a crane crashed down on a home in washington state tuesday the crane was being used in a tree removal operation when it apparently flipped over, crashed into on a house near seattle thankfully, the people inside the home were not hurt the two workers did sustain some injuries, but they are expected to be okay walmart is expected to hire 20 to thushgs workers and raise wages for the holiday season the full and part-time jobs will be hired at distribution and fulfillment centers across the country. the average wage for the supply chain employees will be just over $20 an hour

and get this, they're permanent positions, not seasonal. the hiring spree comes as companies battle fierce competition for workers during this pandemic. now to yet another headline making shake up at "jeopardy!" >> just three weeks after being named the host, no longer is mike richard the host of the show, but he's now no longer executive producer >> joe fryer joins us now with more on the move >> what was supposed to be a smooth transition to the new host after alex trebek passed away has turned into a fiasco. it's double jeopardy for mike richards now fans and critics are asking, how did we end up here this morning, for a show built around questions, "jeopardy!'s" future may be the hardest one of all. the show known for its soothing consistency has been dogged by controversy and drama as its search for a new host, now an executive producer

mike richards is now out of that role less than two weeks after stepping down as the executive producer sony pictures released a statement saying he is removed from "jeopardy!" and "wheel of fortune" saying, we had hoped that when mike stepped down from the host position at "jeopardy!" it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. that clearly has not happened. this ends the saga of controversy surrounding richards, but leaves "jeopardy!" without a permanent face after months of celebrity guest hosts, richards was announced as permanent successor to replace alex trebek. >> we were looking for the po. >> almost immediately, richards and "jeopardy!" found themselves embroiled in a string of controversies culminating by a bombshell report of the ringer that revealed a number of disparaging remarks richards made about people with mental disabilities, jewish people, sexist jokes about women's bodies

one of the game's players tweeting do i think mike richards podcast comments were appropriate for society? no but did he deserve the benefit of the doubt no >> you talk back to your television because you're answering the questions as if you're on the show so you really want the people to like the host. >> miyam bialik will be the guest host in place of richards. sony will resume the search for trebek's replacement >> our final category today is -- >> it's unclear if that search will include fan favorite levar burton more guest hosts will be announced. the future of the show remains an open question we reached out to mike richards for comment but did not get a response he previously said there is no excuse, of course, for the comments i made on that podcast and i am deeply sorry. >> levar burton is really a fan favorite i keep hearing his name pop up this show makes a lot of money so there is a lot at stake

financially. >> the show gets about 10 million viewers a night. i saw one report that says over 30 people watch it at least three times a week that's a very loyal audience you don't want to shake that keep in mind, when the show comes back, which is slated to happen in less than two weeks, you're going to see five episodes with mike richards. he recorded five episodes and those still have to air. >> because the contestants -- >> was on a winning streak they have to do that to be fair to the contestants >> just a debacle. >> thank you, joe. up next, was a high profile nfl star cut by his team because of his vaccination status? >> the big question being asked this morning and a new look at how covid protocols in professional sports are impacting the season you're right! i only get extra miles on some types of purchases! may i? please. with the capital one venture card, you earn unlimited double miles everywhere. yes.

everywhere is great. but where can we use them? you can use them on any travel purchase—not just some travel purchases. venture gets a gold star! what's in your wallet? on the outside, i looked fine. i got really good at masking my depression. but inside was a different story. even though i'd been on an antidepressant for months, i was still feeling depressed. is there anything more i can do? yes, adding rexulti may help. when taken with an antidepressant, rexulti was proven to reduce depression symptoms an extra 62% compared to the antidepressant alone. so you can stay on your current treatment and help build on your progress. rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and worsen depression in those under 25. call your doctor about fever, stiff muscles, and confusion, which could be life-threatening, or uncontrollable muscle movements, which may be permanent. increased cholesterol; weight gain; high blood sugar;

decreased white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; seizures; trouble swallowing may occur. when depression sets you back, keep moving forward. talk to your doctor about adding rexulti to your antidepressant. in this ad pay attention to the actor's gums. talk to your doctor about adding rexulti gums? we don't think about them. but like skin, over time gums can get damaged. colgate gum renewal. reverses early gum damage for a beautiful, revitalized smile. after forty, we need anti-aging care that works. new revitalift night serum with pure retinol. our most potent retinol. in a clinical test, 100% of women showed reduction of wrinkles. even deep wrinkles. new revitalift night serum with pure retinol. from l'oréal paris. these fudge brownie m&m's are really fudgey new revitalift night serum with pure retinol. yes they are. to put a fudge brownie center in an m&m's is... genius! i know. i was going to say hard! why won't you... ughhhh... ahhh! why won't you go in... fudge brownie m&m's. (host) you want healthy ingredients.

your cat is all about the the flavor. tastefuls has it all. (molly) i really want him to eat well but he's just really picky. okay, he seems interested. i think he likes it. i have a new cat food...blue tastefuls. one taste is all it takes. i order my groceries online now. shingles doesn't care. i keep my social distance. shingles doesn't care. i stay within my family bubble. shingles doesn't care. because if you've had chicken pox, you're already carrying the virus that causes shingles. in fact, about 1 in 3 people will develop shingles, and the risk only increases as you age. so what can protect you against shingles? shingrix protects. now you can protect yourself from shingles

with a vaccine proven to be over 90% effective. shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years and older. shingrix does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. an increased risk of guillain-barré syndrome was observed after vaccination with shingrix. the most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. talk to your pharmacist or doctor about protecting yourself with shingrix. shingles doesn't care. but we do. ♪ music playing. ♪ there's an america we build ♪ ♪ and one we explore one that's been paved and one that's forever wild but freedom means you don't have to choose just one adventure ♪ ♪ you get both. introducing the all-new 3-row jeep grand cherokee l jeep. there's only one.

depth. professional sports and the covid vaccine. >> while the nfl doesn't have a mandate, after yesterday's roster cuts, new questions are swirling around how teams should handle players who don't get the shot or don't share their status >> stephanie gosk joins us >> good morning, guys. hopes that the nfl could totally get back to a normal season this fall have been dashed by the delta variant. but this season, players are facing covid protocols that depend on their vaccination status it's the case of the haves and the have-nots. and the league is already feeling the impact for months, cam newton has been vying to be the new england patriots starting quarterback. but now, not only is he not the starter, the former league mvp is off the team. the surprise announcement comes just days after newton missed practices because of covid protocols.

the team called it a misunderstanding about tests conducted away from nfl facilities and while rookie qb mmac jones looks really good, many nfl insiders are speculating newton may have been released at least partly because of his vaccination status >> do you think not being vaccinated played any role in cam newton being released by the patriots >> i know the patriots want their players to be vaccinated, period >> reporter: it's not clear whether newton is vaccinated this is how he responded last month when asked >> i think it's too personal for each and every person to discuss it and i'll just keep it at that. >> reporter: the nfl says 92% of its players are vaccinated, but the issue is clearly on coaches minds. urban meyer saying it was a factor in roster cuts. >> can i say that that was a decisionmaker? it was in consideration. >> for players who aren't vaccinated, there are different

rules. unvaccinated players can't use saunas and steam rooms or eat in the team's cafeteria vaccinated players can but perhaps unvaccinated players are tested daily and if they come in close contact with covid they are out for five days, whether they test positive or not. vaccinated players get tested once a week and are out only if they are positive. >> a lot of coaches have tried to present this to players as getting vaccinated is a competitive advantage for a team >> reporter: the pressure to get vaccinated isn't just in the nfl. the nba says it also has a vaccination rate of 90% but has stopped short of a mandate for players. and there is covid confusion in tennis, too. fans at the u.s. open, which kicked off this week, have to be vaccinated the players do not and roughly half of them aren't. but this morning, all eyes on the nfl as the season begins with vaccines now playing a role in game plans.

>> it's such a complicated issue to a certain extent, but with regards to these unvaccinated players and leagues, is it possible to make the vaccinations mandatory >> sure it is. it gets tricky with the nfl and the nba because you have these players' unions that are part of this negotiation they kind of have to be on board or there will be tricky legal issues but just a couple of days ago, a top official in the nfl said he supported a mandate. can they get the union on board? do they have to? there's a lot of pressure on these players to get vaccinated. >> do you think cam newton will get picked up by another team? >> we're going to have to wait and see, hoda. >> stef, thank you 7:43 now, time now for another check of the weather dylan is in for al this morning. >> good morning, guys. we have all that rain on the east coast out west, we have extremely dry conditions here is a look at the caldor fire 200,000 acres. only 18% contained right now and the forecast through the day

today still calls for those erratic winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour we'll see relatively very low humidity down around 10% and it is just the worst conditions for these fires actually, it just causes them to spread more and more we also have the extreme heat down south in the areas hard hit by ida we are looking at the power outages, the lack of air-conditioning and the feels like temperatures up around 105 to nearly 110 degrees through the day today. we have heat advisories and heat warnings in effect for that part >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. first day of meteorological spring and it feels meteorological fall i should say, feels like spring out there as our temperatures will be in the upper 70s and then we'll be heating up as we go into the labor day weekend reaching into the mid 90s. it's going to be hot this weekend into labor day. while san francisco keeps it cool, highs will be in the upper 60s and at times some clouds and fog, a little bit of smoke mixing in. i think we'll see the return of

more smoke in the forecast for tomorrow. and that's and that's your latest forecast >> thank you, dylan. up next, the shelters filling up fast nationwide with animals rescued from the path of ida. you see them right there kerry sanders is at one of them with a look at how you can help, right after this through the 12th house. (woman in van) set your intentions. (man sitting) crystals up. (woman) full moon bath ritual. cleanse and find your magic. ♪let it go (huh, huh)♪ ♪let it go (word, word, 88)♪ ♪let it go (let it go)♪ certain hpv-related cancers? you're not welcome here! get out of my face! hpv can cause certain cancers when your child grows up. get in its way. hpv can affect males and females.

and there's no way to predict who will or won't clear the virus. the cdc recommends hpv vaccination at age 11 or 12 to help protect against certain cancers. hey... cancer! not... my... child. don't wait. talk to your child's doctor about hpv vaccination today. "perm" by bruno mars. ♪ it's my birthday ♪ talk to your child's doctor ♪ no, it's not ♪ ♪ but i still look good though ♪ ♪ hot comb hot ♪ ♪ i bet you want an autograph ♪ ♪ for you and your friends ♪ with lower prices and great deals, make target your first stop back to school. introducing the new citi custom cash℠ card, a different kind of card that rewards rashida where her spending is trending. just ask overly confident diy rashida rashida: wait, was this the right wall? or last minute gift shopping rashida rashida: i'm putting a bow on it! wow. even sneaking away for a vacay rashida. rashida: shhh! i've earned this? from home improvement, drugstores, select travel and more earn 5% cash back that automatically adjusts to your top eligible

spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle. (driving upbeat music) hey, google. turn it up. [announcer] google pixel 4a with 5g and pixel buds. from $499 and $99. get ready. it's time for the savings event of the year. the homeandautobundle xtravafestasaveathon! at this homeandautobundle xtravafestasaveathon, there's no telling what we might bundle! homeandautobundle xtravafestasaveathon! bundle cars, trucks, colonials, bungalows, and that weird hut your uncle lives in. so strike up the homeandautobundle xtravafestasaveathon band for the deal that started forever ago and will probably never end. homeandautobundle xtravafestasaveathon. -say it with me. -homeandautobundle-- no one's leaving till you say it right. homeandauto... i may have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. no one's leaving till you say it right. or psoriatic arthritis. but we are so much more. we're team players and artists. designers and do-it-yourselfers. parents and friends.

if joint pain is getting in the way of who you are, it's time to talk to your doctor about enbrel. enbrel helps relieve joint pain, and helps stop permanent joint damage. plus enbrel helps skin get clearer in psoriatic arthritis. ask your doctor about enbrel, so you can get back to your true self. play ball! enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders and allergic reactions have occurred. tell your doctor if you've been someplace where fungal infections are common. or if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if you have persistent fever, bruising, bleeding or paleness. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. visit enbrel.com to see how your joint damage could progress. enbrel. eligible patients may pay as little as $5 per month. subway® has so much new, it didn't fit in their last ad. like the new steak and cheese. they start with new freshly baked artisan italian bread. and then they pile on new thicker cut tender marinated steak. and top it off with melted cheese- welp, guess they need another ad. the eat fresh refresh™ at subway®.

it's too much new to fit in one commerc- i'm beau boeckmann of galpin motors, telling you subway® has so much new it didn't fit in their last ad. so, they bought time in mine to say their new hickory-smoked bacon makes an all-american club™ you won't want to miss. what can i do to put you inside a subway® today? don't hesitate, arrange a test bite today. and welcome back in the aftermath of hurricane ida, not just people who need help >> a lot of pets, they're suffering, too now shelters nationwide are scrambling to help evacuate those animals from louisiana and mississippi. >> kerry sanders has that part of the story kerry, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, guys. these are some of the refugees that got out of the path of ida before the hurricane even hit. and they got out because they were in shelters this morning, we're here at the humane society of broward county you can see some of the other

puppies here waiting to be adopted. they're spread out across the country. eight here have been adopted others that arrive they hope will soon be adopted to find a forever home these are the dogs of hurricane ida. there are cats and other critters, too, animals that were in louisiana and mississippi, now scattered from coast to coast. most are in shelters and animal rescue centers the race to get them out by plane or for others in that same slow-moving traffic. but unlike residents, many of these animals will not return to the catastrophic damage. a flight chattered by greater good charities bringing more than 150 dogs and cats to el cajon just hours before the outer bands of ida made landfall some of the furry evacuees arriving in d.c. to stay with fosters as they wait to be adopted. >> definitely hard for them, but

you know, at the end of the day, we think it's better that they're here and alive and safe. >> who do we have here >> this is adorable pacific. >> reporter: at just four months, pacific the puppy is among 48 dogs and cats that arrived at the humane society of broward. what would normally be a 12-hour drive from louisiana to south florida took more than 18. >> they seem well rested at this point. they've had some good meals. we've actually had some adopted already. >> reporter: in texas, austin's humane society took in more than 60 animals in ida's path more than half have been given a new forever home >> a cornerstone of our mission is to help people and animals in a time of crisis to see that happy ending makes it even better >> what's the status of the other animals that didn't get out in time and are still there in louisiana and mississippi >> reporter: the actual air lift continues this morning

just at sunrise there, we can take a look at this video we just got in. we have 55 cats and dogs that are being loaded up in lafayette right now. they'll be flying to virginia. as for this guy right here, this is sarge and sergeant is not yet adopted. and he showed up actually with some buckshot. somebody had shot him, but they got him in good care and they're glad they got him out because without electricity, without water, that infection might have been deadly. but now, here he is. look at how calm he is, guys >> kerry, you look perfect with that puppy we're not trying to make any -- you know >> i think you've got room for sarge at your house, kerry >> all right thank you. >> coming up on popstart, carson is sharing our first look at coach ariana grande. let's just say she's here to play >> first, your local news and weather.

and made them run on the same thing that turns the lights on. we took the original 0 - 60 head turner... and gave it zero vehicle emissions. we took the familiar... and made it revolutionary. you can't control what happens when they leave home, but you can control breakfast. and with 48 grams of whole grains, whether they've got dodgeball- or a talent show- or a jammed locker- we'll be there, cheering them on.

for people who are a little intense about hydration. neutrogena® hydro boost lightweight. fragrance-free. 48 hour hydration. for that healthy skin glow. neutrogena®. for people with skin. we don't use just any wipe, we use dawn disinfecting wipes. for that healthy skin glow. they're tough enough to cut through greasy messes, yet gentle enough to clean the surfaces that matter most. all while killing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. get the grease fighting power of dawn in a disinfecting wipe.

ok everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo hoo! ensure, with 27 vitamins and minerals, now introducing ensure complete! with 30 grams of protein. as someone who resembles someone else... i appreciate that liberty mutual ensure complete! knows everyone's unique. that's why they customize your car insurance, so you only pay for what you need. oh, yeah. that's the spot. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty ♪

and a good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm marcus washington. here's what's breaking an happening how. i'm bob redell atop echo summit where the caldor fire still burns dangerously close to south lake tahoe and unfortunately the weather conditions here are going to be challenging for the fire fight. this area is under a red flag warning until 11:00 tonight and there's also the chance of gusty winds and the range of 20 to 50 miles an hour. normally you would be able to see lake tahoe from this vantage point but as you can see it is very smoky. >> and it's time to get a look at that microclimate forecast for you. meteorologist kari hall has been tracking that. >> a lot of that smoke has been blowing away from the bay area as we wake up to fog this

morning looking at the golden gate bridge. but we will at times see a little bit of smoke in parts of the north bay for this afternoon. as our temperatures head towards the low 70s we are looking at some cooler than normal temperatures for today with our inland valleys in the upper 70s from livermore to antioch to morgan hill and san jose will reach up to about 77 degrees today. but then we will continue to heat up going into the holiday weekend. going from the upper 70s to the upper 90s by sunday. it's going to be hotter for labor day with a high of 95 degrees and 60s in san francisco. >> thanks, kari. another local news update in 30 minutes. i'll meet you back here then.

(music) (music)

ahhh. beautiful day in baltimore where most people probably know that geico could save them money on car insurance, right? you see the thing is geico, well, could help them save on boat insurance too. hey! okay...i'm ready to come in now.

hello? i'm trying my best. seriously, i'm...i'm serious. request to come ashore. geico. saving people money on more than just car insurance. it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, wreaking havoc, ida barreling across the country millions of people are now in the path of that storm tornado warnings up and down the east coast while the devastation in louisiana and power blackouts continue >> everything fell i've got holes in my roof. the kitchen is destroyed >> and it's threatening our most vulnerable we'll take you inside hospitals overwhelmed by the wind and floods >> you can hear the wind whistling through the elevator shaft.

you can see water trickling in through the sides. >> we speak with doctors and nurses on the front lines in louisiana about how they stay calm under pressure. new recommendation a new report on osteoporosis detailing how you can help keep your bones strong. we'll tell you who is most at risk, the new guidance and some potential treatment. plus, first place father we sit down with olympic star suni lee's dad to talk about their special bond and a surprise for suni's father you will not want to miss. and dollar store deals a look at the explosion in popularity of dollar stores. what is fueling their rise and how to make sure you get all the best bargains, today wednesday, september 1st, 2021. >> good morning from wilmington, north carolina >> my mom and i are celebrating our second year of our kidney transplant on "today."

>> hi. we're from waverly, iowa we're celebrating our 48th wedding anniversary on the "today" show >> tina, catherine, and jen, and we're language teachers from massachusetts. >> before we go back to school. >> we're going back to the pool. >> and celebrating the end of summer with "today." >> love it >> teachers got the right idea >> lots of priorities, getting back to school soon. so we appreciate you we also appreciate you being with us on this wednesday morning. savannah has the day off guys, we have a busy, busy morning. what do you say we get to it news at 8:00 rescuers are still trying to reach people stranded by flood waters days after ida slammed the louisiana coast. and hospitals in the area are trying to stabilize despite the storm damage and power blackouts. morgan chesky joins us now with more on that story

morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. ida's brutal impact is now stretching nationwide. four people are missing in virginia after the storm spawned torrential rains there here in louisiana, the numbers absolutely heartbreaking officials say they performed more than 800 high-water rescues in communities that in many cases are still under water. here at hospitals, doctors and nurse facing a covid patient surge in many buildings that are now left crippled. >> y'all got it? >> reporter: this morning, louisiana residents starting what is expected to be a long and difficult recovery from ida. the deadly storm ravaging entire communities, knocking out power and leaving many still knee deep in water the most vulnerable also taking a direct hit >> the hospitals are slammed >> reporter: hospitals brimming covid patients dealt another devastating blow >> the last thing in the world we needed was a category 4 hurricane. >> reporter: in new orleans, brutal hurricane-force winds

ripping off part of the reach at oschner health's roof. this doctor called a code gray the team responsible for riding out the storm. >> you could hear the wind whistling through the elevator shaft. you could see water dripping in through the sides. >> reporter: even worse, the power went out minutes before he was supposed to perform an emergency brain surgery. the lights flickering back on just in time when you're looking down on a patient, do you kinds of go into a different mode >> you're looking at a brain staring back at you and that's all you really think about it went well he's doing just fine >> reporter: other hard-hit hospitals across the area now breathing easier after ida forced them to evacuate patients to safety >> first storm they've been through. >> in houma, staffers struggled to get patients to clinics and hospitals that still have room >> the teamwork and the commitment to our patients has been unreal.

>> reporter: two hours north in baton rouge, our lady of the lake regional medical center is answering that call. they've been welcoming patients. even utilizing large helly pads on their roof. >> we're functioning at probably the highest capacity i've ever seen our hospital have >> reporter: health care heros, rising to the challenge once again in the wake of a destructive storm. and this morning, we do have an update on those power outages that are so widespread energy provider entergy saying they have restored power to parts of eastern new orleans those would have been the first places to see the lights back on after ida. in the meantime, just to the west of us in st. charles parish, officials there are telling residents to prepare to live more than a month without power. hoda >> morgan, so glad you did the story on those health care heros. they have families at home and they're working around the clock. that was great thank you. president biden is defending the u.s. troop withdrawal from afghanistan as a, quote, extraordinary success. in his address to the nation on

tuesday, president biden said he was not going to extend what he called the forever war or a forever exit meanwhile, critics in congress expressed outrage that as many as 200 americans did not get air lifted out of the country. they called the chaotic final days of the withdrawal which cost the lives of 13 u.s. service members a humiliating failure. now to some findings on osteoporosis released just in morning. half of all women over the age of 50 will suffer a bone fracture in their lifetime because of the disease the north american menopause society has updated its recommendations and treatments for women at risk. nbc news medical contributor dr. natalie azar joins us. this is good news because when you think of osteoporosis, you always hear there is nothing you can do there is nothing you can do. but there actually may be some things you can do? >> there is, hoda. and this represents a paradigm shift in how we think about the women who are at greatest risk for fracture to treat with this class of drugs that we call

osteo anabolic drugs they stimulate new bone formation and result in faster gains in bone mineral density than some of the other medications. they're typically given for about one to two years as daily or monthly injections. the women who are at higher risk, the "t" score of minus 3, that's considered high risk. also, if you've had a prior fracture, recent fracture or if you're fracturing through current therapy, you would be eligible for this shot >> how do you get them and are there any side effects to them >> so this is something you talk to your primary care doctor or rheumatologist or someone that specializes in metabolic bone disease can prescribe for you. like any medication, there are contraindications that need to be discussed with the patient. there are contraindications to taking them but they're generally very well tolerated and considered very safe >> you know, hormone replacements therapy was part of the treatment. with these new recommendations, should women still turn to that? >> so, tom, i think the

take-home message is this. hormone therapy for the right woman, and there are some contrai contraindications, women under the age of 60 or within ten years of menopause women who are older than that or longer out from menopause the risks outweigh that possibility of cardiovascular events like with the osteo anabolic drugs and hormone therapy, once you stop it, you generally have to go on something else to maintain the gains so we have to get this idea that osteoporosis management is a lifelong thing that women and some men also deal with their docs >> but some good news. it's a good headline today >> we'll have more coming up on the third hour news feels like it's covered. what about a boost a toronto weatherman, he's been known to bring his dog, storm, to work with him. but last week, storm got hungry. he wanted some treats. it just so happened it was in

the middle of his live report. look at this >> here is your forecast as we go through the day tomorrow -- yes, storm is in the building getting some treats walking on thin air. 24 degrees by late tomorrow evening. >> all right you know, anthony is pretty used to being interrupted by his golden doodle. so he didn't miss a beat stormy stuck around for the evening dog walking forecast what a star. >> part of the news team now >> the best part about that video is how long he did the forecast before he even recognized storm like three minutes when we come back a bonus boost for you. how about that on a wednesday? a huge surprise this morning for is you ni lee's biggest cheerleader. >> suni's teammate, simone biles, gave us the idea so we were happy to help carry it out. but first, these messages.

dan: you just made me miss her best line, dan: so now i'm going to have to start it again. even insisted he didn't need directions dan. dan: okay, i'm not lost. i'm exploring. dan: that said, do you know where i am? from select gas, streaming, travel and more earn 5% cash back that automatically adjusts to your top eligible spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle. breyers is always so delicious... i can tell that they used your milk, matilda. great job! moo you're welcome. breyers natural vanilla is made with 100% grade a milk and cream and only sustainably farmed vanilla. better starts with breyers. healthy habits come in all sizes. like little walks. and, getting screened for colon cancer. that's big because when caught in early stages, it's more treatable. hey, cologuard! hi. i'm noninvasive and i detect

altered dna in your stool to find 92% of colon cancers, even in early stages. early stages! yep, it's for people 45 plus at average risk for colon cancer, not high risk. false positive and negative results may occur. ask your provider if cologuard is right for you. count me in! me too! let's go walter! after you. walter, twelve o' clock. get em boy! [cows mooing] that is incredible. it's the multi-flex tailgate. it can be a step, it can even become a workspace. i meant the cat. what's so great about him? he doesn't have a workspace. the chevy silverado with the available multi-flex tailgate.

find new adventures. find new roads. chevrolet. (vo) the pursuit of prey. it's a shared instinct for a alynx and your cat.x tailgate. and so is their desire for meat. that's why there's blue wilderness, created... to satisfy a cat's craving for meat. feed your cat's wild spirit with blue wilderness.

does your plug-in fade too fast? try febreze fade defy plug. it has built-in technology to digitally control how much scent is released to smell first day fresh for 50 days. la la la la la. your skin isn't just skin, it's a beautiful reflection of everything you've been through. that's why dove renews your skin's ceramides and strengthens it against dryness for softer, smoother skin you can lovingly embrace. renew the love for your skin with dove body wash.

and we are back with a family who captured our hearts this summer. >> yeah, they did. we all cheered on suni lee as she competed in tokyo, but the loudest and proudest fan was back in her home state of minnesota. her dad, of course >> we love john. he encouraged his daughter's

olympic dreams from the very start. we remember that reunion here on the plaza. we were weeping. it was the most beautiful thing. and this also inspired suni's gymnastics family to want to do something for suni's dad you may remember he was paralyzed two years ago. natalie morales joins us with more on this happy story >> hey, guys, good morning we could all use a good, happy story. who could forget that moment when suni lee put that gold medal around her dad's neck. their special bond touched everyone there that day, including the greatest of all time, simone biles before she left the plaza, she had one wish for john and she asked for our help >> look at the height she gets gorgeous >> reporter: long before suni lee soared through the air in together, she was flipping alongside her dad, john. >> i just like doing back flips and stuff. so i learned how to do it on a mattress >> reporter: the balance beam he

built in their yard and his now famous pep talks, the foundation of their shared dreams >> and it's suni lee who is in the top spot >> reporter: one that became a reality this summer. suni lee, forever an olympic champion, now a college freshman she's off at auburn. how is she doing >> she is very busy. i have very minimum communication with her right now. >> as most college freshmen. it's like, okay, see you, mom and dad, right >> yeah. >> reporter: but the journey to get here was not without its challenges two days before suni was set to compete at the u.s. championships in 2019, their lives changed forever. >> i went to help a friend trim a tree before his daughter's wedding. so i fell off the ladder >> reporter: john suffered a spinal core injury, paralyzing him from the chest down. his only way to get around now, his manual wheelchair. life has changed a lot has it been really hard to get used to this new normal that you

have >> yes, because i'm so handy when it comes to doing stuff not even knowing how to do stuff, i can't do it and it gets frustrating. >> reporter: how is it navigating in the wheelchair >> you know, my son, lucky, he is my driver so everywhere i go, he's always pushing me >> reporter: no matter the obstacles john faced, he never stopped cheering on suni >> i always believe in her i always trust that she will do well >> reporter: and when she placed that gold medal around her neck in tokyo, her biggest champion was on her mind. >> this is our dream and this is our medal. >> reporter: their medal, later placed around his neck when they reunited on "today." an unbreakable bond between dad and daughter that touched one of suni's teammates who was with them on the plaza, simone biles. >> i know that you left an impression on simone, so much so that she actually sent you a special message that we wanted to play for you right now. >> oh, really?

>> hi, mr. lee it's simone. i love your daughter suni so much and i know how much she loves you. you have done so much for her, so i reached out to my friends at the "today" show to see if we can do something special for you. hope you like it >> reporter: simone was so impressed by you, she asked for the "today" show's help in doing this special surprise for you. the folks at quantum rehab wanted to share a really special gift for you >> oh, wow >> of course, your family, your family is here dean, do you want to show him the special surprise from quantum rehab? >> oh, my god. >> reporter: this is a souped up electric chair >> now you don't need me to push you any more >> is this lucky >> yes >> this is your driver, lucky. >> oh, wow >> this is going to be fitted special for you. this is not quite ready for you just yet, but you're welcome to try it out if you would like >> yeah. >> and in just a matter of

moments, jn >> oh, my. >> whoa! >> that is awesome >> his sons, too >> good job. >> yeah. >> what do you think this will mean for your family >> it will be a little different because now they don't have to keep pushing me around >> a little sense of independence, then >> yeah. yeah >> john, now grateful and eager to hit the road soon >> well, this is amazing thank you very much. >> john, thank you thank you for giving us so much joy and so many thrills. we love your family and this was the least we could do. >> they truly are such an incredible family. and john should get his customized chair very soon but he already told me that he can't wait to take it to his local store and not have to were about carrying his groceries while trying to push himself as for his recovery, he is working very hard every day with his exercises and he hopes one day he may be able to stand or perhaps even walk again. wouldn't that be a miracle, guys >> it would be a great story to tell

>> if will has any part of this, he will be standing up. >> working hard. >> that was so beautiful, natalie. his independence, but also watching his kids hop on board with him and he's a guy, by the way, because we've all met him and chatted with him, he never complains about anything, ever he didn't even ask us. >> right >> right he didn't even ask us. simone had to come in and say, can you please do something? that's an incredible family. >> i think little lucky is excited about not pushing his dad around >> yes, they all were. >> thanks for making our morning. >> thanks for that, mo >> you got it. thanks, guys see ya it feels like a good time for another check of the weather. >> i wish the weather was better in the northeast, but the remnants of ida, now tropical depression, making its way through west virginia, through pennsylvania, through maryland 30-mile-per-hour winds with this storm, moving northeast at 24 miles per hour look at the flood threat we have had a lot of rain this summer, so this is only going to make things worse. and we have flash flood warnings, tons of flash flood watches for 62 million people. and that area in bright pink,

that's where we could see rainfall rates of about 2 inches per hour this is a tropical system so you have those torrential downpours. we'll see a widespread 5 inches of rain, up to 8 inches in several areas. we could see over 8 inches if you get stuck in those heavier downpours. also for southern new jersey into delaware and maryland, we could i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're enjoying cooler than normal temperatures for this first day of september as our highs in the north may reach into the low 70s. napa reaching to about 73 degrees. 79 in morgan hill, as well as livermore. our inland temperatures in the upper 70s today. we'll see a little more smoke tomorrow as highs reach 80 degrees and the warming trend continues into the labor day weekend. and that's your latest forecast as mr. roker would say, time

for the best part of the morning. oh, what, no graphics? what happened? >> guys, graphics department literally started school today first day of school today. >> got it. good luck. >> if they want an education, they could stay home and work with their old man a little university of life. but no, they had to catch the bus and go to middle school. all right. so they're off "popstart" begins today, though. we've got a good one for you here this is the long-awaited trailer, a long awaited sequel for the new bond movie i'll put it down now those kids are strong, i'll tell you that "no time to die" is the movie. one week after the studio confirmed the october 8th release date, they're revealing one final preview showing daniel craig's last dance as 007. even after 15 years as the iconic secret agent, craig definitely has not lost his edge watch this

>> james bond. licensed to kill in love with madeleine swann i could be sticking to my own flesh. >> you have flown one of these? >> nope. >> i haven't seen a trailer for a movie that's made me want to go see a film in the movie theater in a long, long time, and that is it right there you saw rami malek is playing the villain there. "no time to die. that is incredible if you cannot wait until this movie comes out in october, you can get your james bond fix next week apple tv plus is set to stream a documentary a lot of people are talking about. it's called "being james bond. it's taking a look back at daniel craig's run as being the 007 agent. next up, we're talking about the fresh prince

will smith is officially crowned the next prince of bel-air in a video yesterday smith surprised philadelphia actor jabari banks with the news that he will be playing the new role in the upcoming series based on the sitcom. take a look at jabari's reaction >> what's up >> what's up i'm good, i'm good >> it is an absolute pleasure to meet you, to be on with you. congratulations to yo and from the deepest parts of my heart, i want to say congratulations to you you have the role of will on bel-air. >> oh! crazy! thank you so much. this is a dream come true. you don't know you probably do know you feel it. >> i mean, you're already excited for jabari he's zooming from a closet he's going bel-air

the new fresh prince, man. quickly, we're going to end because, well, i have to "the voice," later this month, we are coming back and we're coming back strong we have our first time coach, the great ariana grande. and we just put out a first look at this upcoming season. it looks like ariana is giving the other coaches, particularly john legend, a run for their money. >> what else do you like to dream? >> ariana grande >> i'm a huge ariana grande fan. >> the biggest fan, obsessed with you >> oh, my god. >> even came with a ponytail >> ariana is so talented it's going to be hard to convince someone to come to team legend, but i'm going to make my case >> i would love to work with you. it would be so fun, it would be an honor >> legend. >> we are so excited to have her, guys. she is so great. we've already shot the blind auditions and she was amazing. encourage you to watch "the voice. season 21. kicks off september 20th on nbc. >> thank you, honey.

>> 21. still ahead, stef ruhle, the explosion for dollar stores and the surprising things you can find at big discounts. that and more coming up, but first, your local news ariana grande. it's 8:26. i'm marcus washington. breaking news this morning, we're monitoring the latest on the caldor wildfire, now burning towards south lake tahoe. that area under a red flag alert just a short time ago. cal fire gave us new numbers, 20% contained and an additional 50 homes were added to the total number destroyed by the flames, now totaling 544. also, the amount of acres burned is just past 200,000. evacuation orders have now extended past the state line into nevada. let's get a look at the forecast

this morning. meteorologist kari hall has been tracking the numbers for us. >> we're expecting those winds to pick up again today and some of the same winds that have been giving us some fresher breezes coming off of the ocean, unfortunately providing more fuel to the caldor fires. so we'll be watching that today. looking at temperatures for the inland areas, we'll head toward the upper 70s today and 80 tomorrow, so still nice and cool. but the warming trend will start as we head into the labor day holiday weekend with highs reaching into the mid-90s inland. meanwhile, san francisco will remain fairly cool with highs in the upper 60s to 70 degrees. >> thank you. and i'll have another local news update coming up for you in 30 minutes.

oh, that's your jam, hoda kotb >> fancy life. fancy life there's a dance that we should all do >> a line dance? >> yes >> learn it. >> welcome back. it's 8:30 on "today. wednesday morning, first day of september, 2021. >> i think you could do it >> oh, we know it's coming we're all going to have to learn

a line dance >> tom did a little line dancing at the concert the other day >> yeah. we had fun maybe this will be fun, too. >> don't fall into this. >> yeah, okay. just ahead, we've got a story that really all parents should see when it comes to our kids and screen time >> yeah. we definitely need to tune into this one at our house. we all want our kids to be safe online and there's new push to teach those skills in school starting in kindergarten more on that, just ahead plus, are you looking to save some money? steph ruhle is going to share a look at the improved dollar stores they're including fresh food, even prescription drugs. it's not your grandma's dollar store. >> still all for a dollar? then in our third hour, best selling author harlen coben is going to join us we'll chat about his new netflix series and get his picks for the fall season's best books and carson, you're working

on a heart warming series for the miles stones we missed, right? >> yeah, we did. we missed a lot of milestones. and tomorrow, craig and guys, we have i think one of the coolest stories i've ever done on the show we're going to bring two people on the show tomorrow who saved each other but have never met face-to-face we're talking about the recipient of a bone marrow transplant and the donor who found new meaning in his own life it's incredible and it's tomorrow >> oh, my gosh that's going to be a good one. thank you. miss dryer, how about a check on the weather >> we have to keep an eye on the tropics. things are still active although the next storm system looks like it will stay pretty far away you can watch the tropical depression and ida up in the northeast. you can see all the storms right now. let's point out that none of those are going to be a threat right now. although we will see up to 5 to 8 inches of rain in the good wednesday morning.gist. enjoy a little bit more timel

temperatures and we're still looking at some good air quality up until about this afternoon for the north bay when we start to see some of the smoke moving back in. we're going to see a high of 66 in oakland. by sunday we're up to 96 and 95 on labor day. and that's your latest forecast dylan dreyer, golf fans. craig melvin, a bunch of others are gearing up for a big weekend. the tour championship tees off tomorrow >> it's a culmination of the fedex cup playoffs now whittled down to just 30 players. mike tirico is in atlanta with one of those players collin morikawa. good to see you again. mr. tirico, good to see you outside that hotel in tokyo once again. >> exactly we all spent enough time

together >> mike, for folks who aren't familiar with golf, explain why it is that the tour championship is such a big deal >> sure. the pga tour season starts in late september and wraps all the way around until right about this, usually the week before labor day. so it's called the super season. 50 events this year. it was as big as it has ever been and the golf was terrific. so you work all year to get in the top 125. then it's the playoffs like every other sport. two weeks ago went from 125 to the top 70 then top 70 to 30 and now the top 30, including collin morikawa, will be here the big prize of the year. first prize this week, $15 million. so this is not just that, but you have the fedex cup champion, the season-long race for this thing gets handed out on the golf course on sunday night. >> that is a serious payday. collin, no pressure at all how are you feeling going into the tournament >> i'm feeling great the past couple weeks haven't been my best and sometimes that happens.

that's what we do. we play golf every week. you start at zero. this week we're starting at a staggered format i'm starting at 3 under. leaders starting at 10 i've got some work to do i'm up for the challenge obviously this wouldn't be too bad of a prize at the end of the week >> that's the cool part of the week you get a head start so the person who won last week starts at 10 under so collin has 7 shots to make up, but he can do it he's won two majors here in the early part of his career the first guy in the history of the sport to win two different majors the first time he played them, including the open >> collin, we saw you at the olympics, babe we know you know how to come back we watched you you already grabbed that bronze. would you ever do the olympics again? >> absolutely. i would never second-guess and i never second-guessed it for this olympics i'm an olympian and i'm an olympian for life. even though i didn't medal, the

memories i made with the usa teammates, not just on the women and men's side, but going around the village and talking to other athletes, seeing them with their team, it's the coolest experience anyone could ask for and i'm so happy golf is back in the olympics hopefully it stays because seeing the type of passion that brings out in those athletes, it's everything you can dream of >> collin, let's not forget, you did finish number one in the comcast business tour top ten. how does that set you up for the fedexcup tour? you have to be feeling pretty good >> finishing first in that comcast tour top ten started me well to start the playoffs i haven't played great the first two events, so it kind of kicked me down with but that's why i'm starting at 3 under instead of higher up. but, you know, that's the way our playoffs work. you have to work it in, figure out what you want to do. even though i didn't play great the past two weeks, we've got one more week to give it a chance and i'm still in it

i have full belief in myself to hopefully pull it off by the end of this weekend. >> real quick, we have to address the controversy that's happened this viral video that the entire world is talking about now, so many people across this country just confused. i don't know if we have a clip of this right here you're about to eat some cereal, but you do this. you pour the milk first and then you pour the cereal. >> what? >> what is going on here >> yeah. i'm so glad you brought this up. this has been a huge issue in college, rooming with one of my teammates. it's just what i do. my parents never did it. i don't know who i picked it up from i'm insane to i think a lot of people, but, you know, that's what i do. so give it a try if you really hate it, i get it. send me some hate, but i'm never going to change. cinnamon toast crunch. >> it stays crunchy when you put the milk in first. >> i like a lot of milk in the

bowl i know how much cereal i'm going to put you pour enough in, stack it to the top, it's good >> it's science. >> i'm not defending myself. that's what i do >> collin morikawa, he seemed perfect in every way and now we discovered he's a sociopath. >> do you pour the milk in before the coffee so the coffee is hot >> there you go. >> mr. tirico, good to see you collin morikawa, get some treatment. but good luck this weekend, nonetheless, and as always here, a reminder, catch full coverage of the tour championships starting tomorrow across the golf channel, peacock and here on nbc, as well. up next, fresh food and prescription drugs from a dollar store? steph ruhle is here with the unexpected new

and there you have it- woah. wireless on the most reliable network nationwide. wow. -big deal! ...we get unlimited for just 30 bucks. sweet, i get that too and mine has 5g included. that's cool, but ours save us serious clam-aroonies. relax people, my wireless is crushing it. that's because you all have xfinity mobile with your internet. it's wireless so good, it keeps one upping itself. welcome back this morning on "today," the recent boom in dollar stores research shows they made up

nearly half of all retail openings last year nbc's senior business correspondent stephanie ruhle is here with what you need to know. we've heard about dollar stores forever. they are really hitting right now. >> my own mother, louise ruhle, is a dollar store afficianado. 9,000 new dollar stores throughout the country you know them. family tree, dollar store, dollar general they're not sort of your grandma's dollar store anymore dollar general, for example, looking to move into fresh produce, probably pharmaceuticals. they partner with big brands so there's no dollar store items. they become your mainstream store and it makes sense, right? people have been struggling over the last few years it's gotten harder and people also like to get deals so, boom, it is the golden age of dollar stores >> inflation is an issue how does it affect those stores? >> it affects everybody, right

there are shortages and price increases across the board dollar stores can't pass those price increases on to the customers because they're dollar stores dollar tree is the only one where everything is actually a dollar but they have to keep their prices low what are they doing? they're eating their cost. they're changing distributors. in some cases, they're changing what they're selling but what they have going for them is they're so popular dollar general has said for 75% of americans, they have a store within five miles of their house and that means a lot of the food deserts out there, rural america, so people have to go to those kind of stores they're spending more time there so they're making it up in volume >> so if you go to a dollar store where you would hope things are inexpensive, can you even do better can you bring a coupon >> you can always do better. i'm always going to recommend it there's a couple types there's a store coupon, so that's your weekly ad, your circular, and there's manufacturers coupons. but you have to read the fine print.

that might be limited in terms of how many you can buy. and if you've got, let's say, a dollar off manufacturer's coupon and the item only costs 50 cents, check the store they may say, sorry, hoda, we're not going to give it to you for free check the details. >> other than the coupon, stretching your money, how do you do it? >> you must stick to your budget and bring a list i know that sounds silly, but it's so important, right if you've got to buy, you know, cake mix, eggs, and, you know, rubber gloves, just go with that because when i walk in, i've got three kids with me and the next thing you know they're like, well, it's less than $5. and then i have play-doh, a whoopee cushion and i'm going, wait a minute. i went here for the bargains why did i buy all this and see if they have a loyalty program. points, points, points >> if you're going to a dollar store, what else should we think about? >> watch out for those dollar bins that works if you're only buying one thing.

if it's a dollar for a roll of wrapping paper or chapstick, that makes sense if you're picking up one but if you're buying ten, maybe you should wait it out and buy it in bulk >> i still can't believe they're going to do fresh produce and prescriptions. that's such a smart idea >> they're becoming our go-to regular grocery store so why not expand it. >> louise ruhle is so proud. i'm picturing her watching right now -- my girl just did it. >> i could have been there, stephanie. you missed a few points. that's what she's saying right now. >> be check to check out today.com/money. i like your mom's impression that's real good coming up next, kids under pressure, our series, how do we keep our kids safe and responsible online inside the gring push to teach thosowe

this unplugged device is protecting our beautiful coastlines and more. put off chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm to help keep our state golden.

we're back with our ongoing series, kids under pressure. this morning, a major concern we're back with our ongoing series, "kids under pressure."

this morning, a major concern for parents. it's actually only grown in the pandemic we're talking about screen time. >> with kids spending a lot of time online, what are the best way toes teach them how to be responsible, but also how to be safe in some communities, there's a push for those lessons to be taught in the classrooms >> washington correspondent hallie jackson joins us with more >> reporter: hey, guys, good morning. this is a question so many parents are thinking about, right? not just how many screen time kids are getting, but how are kids managing that screen time one group we've talked to says they've seen tremendous awareness among parents about this in the last 18 months during this pandemic and they're working to help kids as young as kindergarten be more thoughtful and responsible online students' screen time soaring these days, along with anxiety as high school senior lily crayman knows all too well >> my head kind of goes in circles. i think i question a lot of things about my body of, well,

should i be focused more on what i eat? should my stomach look more like her stomach in that picture? or should i be working out more? so i think i ask myself a lot of questions that i can't find the right answer to. >> reporter: and for emma henish, who is 13, the pandemic meant not just more time at home, but more time on tiktok. way more >> our whole lives are on our phones >> one more video, one more video. >> really fast forward in a way that we may not have seen had they not been home >> reporter: for many parents, the last year and a half meant a front-row seat to what their kids are doing online and new questions about how to do it better that's where digital citizenship comes in, a coin termed by the group common sense media been the goal, to teach kids how to be responsible online. >> one of the ways we describe digital citizenship is basically drivers education for the internet all of us who have taken drivers' education know you have to learn the rules of the road

before you get behind the car. we feel you need to know the rules of the road before you get in front of a screen >> reporter: most americans agree. a recent poll by the future of tech commission found 82% of people support the idea of teaching digital citizenship skills in school already do, starting as early as kindergarten, teaching for everything from how to protect privacy to how to stop cyber bullying and in high school, how to stop misinformation vice principal patrice led the citizenship charge for her county's school system >> to teach kids that if you are being saturated with things that are causing physical, you know, reactions in your body, stop you know and think about, you know, what you're seeing and then you want to scale back. you want to unplug >> reporter: is this a mental health tool as much as it is an education tool for kids? >> yes they can translate into academic work

but we're talking about being good citizens, right it is as much about their mental social, emotional preparedness >> reporter: what are the stakes for kids here? >> our job is preparing them to be adults. right? that involves heavily now interacting in a digital way because that's not just professionally it's also personally, right? >> reporter: it's the world now. >> it's the world. >> reporter: it is the world some 20 million students in the curriculum we're talking about last year. and i have to tell you what is interesting. it is totally integrated into their other classroom lessons. not to date myself, but when i was in school, we had computer class. it was a separate thing you went to, a separate room. this is not like that. this is woven into the history lessons, the social studies, the math this is part of what teachers are talking about every single day in class when you talk to people like that vice principal we just showed you, they say that helps

make it more effective for kids to remember and learn from as they go and take it into their personal lives >> that's a great idea >> sure is hallie, that was great

♪ (car audio) you have reached your destination. (vo) the subaru outback. dog tested. dog approved.

feels like a good time to spin some jars >> we have some special birthdays to celebrate let's spin around those jars and see who is turning 1 happy first birthday first to rylee lynn scholar from alexandria, virginia look at that smile she likes singing with mom and reading with dad john taylor is from spring, texas. this little guy is always on the move he gets all his exercise from crawling, standing and dancing around we've got two little ladies turning 1, playful twins ellie and lily cornett johnson city, tennessee. they are celebrating their big day.

johnny wilde from conroe, texas, already a big animal lover loves playing with his puppy, kitten and llama not everybody has a llama. now to sulfur, louisiana, grayson captain-manuel he loves singing along to the hit nursery classic, you know it, "wheels on the bus." ♪ go round and round ♪ and happy first birthday to jacoby watts myerstown, pennsylvania. his grandmother says now that jacoby can walk, he loves to explore, of course if you have a loved one turning 1 or 100, let us know. head to today.com/celebrate. coming up on hoda and jenna, the products you wish you knew about. it will cut your cleaning time in half. >> literally >> i don't know about literally, but close. >> watch it to find out. before you get those cleaning tips on the third hour, we're going to get your hair ready for fall and we're going to do it with chris appleby.

you know whose hair he does? j. lo's. j. lo's. coming up next week on "hoda and jenna". >> time to change up your routine. >> is college in your future

>> what you should know at any age. >> all this week good morning. 8:56. we have breaking news to start right now, new numbers on the caldor wildfire that's burning towards south lake tahoe. the fire now 20% contained, an improvement, but overnight an additional 50 homes were added to the total number of homes

destroyed. that is now at 544, with another 33,000 homes under threat. also, 204,000 acres are burned and evacuation orders now extend past the state line into nevada. the area this morning is again under a red flag warning that's supposed to end at 11:00 tonight. happening today, we will have a complete report in midday news at 11:00 and the latest on the weather conditions from meteorologist kari hall. homelessness, housing, taxes, water, electricity, crime, wildfires.

[sfx: bear roar] gavin, you've failed. we have to immediately cut taxes twenty-five percent. fix housing and homelessness. and make life in california affordable again. i'm a businessman, the only cpa running. shouldn't we choose ability this time? do you think john cox will be a better governor than gavin newsom? [sfx: bear roar] does a bear sh*t in the woods? crews in south lake tahoe are working tirelessly to try to contain the flames of the caldor fire and we are tracking the developments. >> but vaccine-proof, steps you

can take to replace your vaccination card. join us tomorrow morning.

live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the third hour of "today "i. >> good morning and welcome to the third hour of "today" on this thursday morning, september 1st. >> i didn't mean to sit farther away from yo guys. >> would you like to come to our party? >> what did i do? >> so funny. i've never noticed that. behind the scenes, we have these pieces of tape where our -- >> why don't you start the show by telling your bathding suit story. >> let's not. >> i'm