newscast at 11:00 and leave you with leave pictures this morning. beautiful sunrise. this is in dublin. good morning to you. have a great wednesday. we'll catch you back here tomorrow with the whole team. the "today" show is next. good morning. on alert, millions up and down the east coast waking up to another threat. new storms targeting the region ravaged by floods and struggling to recover from ida. president biden touring damage in the northeast and sounding the alarm about the gathering weather threat growing worse by the day. >> this is code red. the nation and the world are in peril. >> al has the latest forecast, straight ahead. the virus and the variants. growing concerns over new covid drains driven by skyrocketing cases across the country that

could be more contagious and resistant to vaccines. >> as long as the virus keeps circulating like that, you give it the opportunity to mutate. >> this morning, the new warning from health officials and an inside look at the issues forcing some schools to close just days into the new school year. end of an era, the nation's largest confederate statue of robert e. lee removed a short time ago. what convinced officials it was time and reaction. new questions, new mysteries, even more bizarre twists tied to the shooting of a well known south carolina attorney and the double murder of his wife and son. just ahead, new details on the investigation, the accusations he's now facing, and a cold case from six years ago that may be linked to the prominent family. those stories, plus free britney. the surprising move by britney spears' own father that could end the controversial court

order that has controlled her life for 13 years. what is behind the latest legal maneuver. and spotting stripes, an unusual sight in suburban maryland, a pack of zebras running wild through a neighborhood and the plan to get them back where they belong, not exactly black and white. today is september 8th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hi, everybody. good morning. welcome to "today." good to have you along with us on a wednesday morning. >> yeah, it is great to see you. we have a lot to get you up to speed this morning including this powerful earthquake that happened in acapulco, mexico. it was felt hundreds of miles away all the way to mexico city. in the meantime here in the u.s., there are new concerns over that new covid strain.

it's now found in nearly every state. it could be more resistant to antibodies or vaccines. and it is spreading at the moment where kids are heading back to school and more workers are going back to the office. miguel almaguer will have the latest on that. in the northeast, residents recovering from hurricane ida, bracing for more rain today. that's just days after that catastrophic flooding across the region. >> we're going to check in with al. but let's start with nbc's sam brock. he's is in new orleans where frustrations are mounting over the power so slowly being restored. sam, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. tens of thousands of customers still without pow they are morning, as parts of the country pounded by ida are expecting several more inches of rainfall. especially new jersey and new york. this nursing home behind me is one of seven nursing homes that

just had its license revoked. the long road to recovery after hurricane ida is being felt by so many in its path from the south -- >> been through enough. no help from nobody. >> reporter: -- to the mid-atlantic and northeast where more bad weather is coming. the tornados and severe storms expected and millions under flash flood watches, all while recovery continues. >> it feels like there's no relief coming. >> reporter: communities spanning nine states digging through debris. president biden toured the damage in new york city offering comfort, aid, and this message on climate change. >> the threat is here. it's not going to get any better. the question, can it get worse? we can stop it from getting worse. >> in louisiana, outrage over the lack of care shown to hundreds of elderly residents, evacuated to a warehouse before ida's landfall where they laid in filth and flood water. louisiana just revoked the license of seven nursing homes

all owned by the same man who declined to speak with nbc news. for residents to be kept in an unsafe, unsanitary, and unhealthy condition. >> reporter: details now emerging over nine separate centers in new orleans considered dangerous enough to remove residents immediately with five dieing after the storm. what does that mean, an emergent threat of life? >> conditions deteriorated to the point where folks were in serious danger -- no power, not even an emergency generator, no lights, no elevators. >> reporter: ten days since ida first stormed the state, hundreds of thousands of louisiana chbs remain without power. distribution sites run by the national guard. >> people need water. people need groceries. people need ice. people need help.

>> reporter: a tear through the heart of the country where so many are struggling with their new post ida reality. >> my money is gone. and i don't know what is going to happen next. >> reporter: as access to food and power remains an issue, the investigation is moving forward on multiple fronts. both of these states, health department and the attorney general's office looking at reports before ida's landfall and what happened after the evacuations with possible consequences additional to these revocations coming into the folds. back to you. >> sam, stay on that story. thank you very much. now al has the latest on today's storms. >> we have heavy thundershowers and thunderstorms working from upstate new york into northeastern ohio. and we have flood watches now, parts of new jersey, parts of southeastern new york, we have a risk for severe weather. 22 million people, tornados likely, a few of them, and isolated damaging hail, 1 inch or larger.

and these tornados could be happening when we get toward dusk into the evening. storms will move east through kentucky, downpours that are heavy. damaging winds. then we get into this evening and here is where the tornado risk starts to fire up from albany, new york, all the way down to baltimore. we have a risk for these tornados. the heaviest rain will be along the new jersey/pennsylvania border. we're talking 3 to 5 inches of rain. the flash flood risk says about an inch of rain could cause more flashflooding, not as bad as last week, but it is of some concern and this pushes off thursday, but low pressure develops along this front, bringing heavy rain from coastal new england as well. rainfall amounts anywhere from 3 to 5 inches as you get up into the new england area. but here is the problem. hourly rainfall rates, 1 to 2

inches per hour. storm drain systems generally can handle between 1.5 and inches of rain an hour. we'll be right on the edge there. we'll continue to watch this very carefully. now there are concerns the coronavirus has still not peaked, as more children are getting infected and more dangerous strains have been found from coast to coast. miguel almaguer has more. >> reporter: some are calling this the perfect storm, the convergence of cold and flu season as more children head back to school and a new covid strain emerges as the delta variant still tlooichs. the president is supposed to outline an approach. as the country struggles to get the covid surge fueled by the delta variant under control, now concerns about the virus mutating yet again. the w.h.o. recently labeled the mu strain as a variant of interest. it's been found in nearly every

state in the u.s., though far less common than delta. the w.h.o. has labeled at least nine different variants at concern or interest as covid continues to rage. >> it's continuously evolving, trying to find the right key to break through the gates of our own immune defenses. >> reporter: some data suggests mu could be resistant to antibodies or vaccines. more research is needed. dr. fauci says the government doesn't consider the variant a threat but notes as people aren't vaccinated, covid will develop increasingly dangerous variants. >> as long as the virus keeps circulating like that, you give it the opportunity to mutate. and when it mutates, you can form another variant which might actually escape the protection of the vaccines. >> reporter: one of the populations most at risk, those who can't get vaccinated,

children under 12. just as more kid head back to the classroom, the number of child covid cases are skyrocketing across the country. >> are you going to be good in school? >> reporter: the american academy of pediatrics says last week more than 250,000 children tested positive for virus. more than a quarter of null cases nation wild. while it appears severe illness is more uncommon in kids, covid outbreaks have led to 1,400 school closures in 35 states. >> and you mentioned the president is set to outline a new strategy on fighting the delta variant, what more do we know about it? >> reporter: the president is expected to call for more help from public and private sectors which could include vaccine mandates to boost the vaccination numbers. the latest count from the cdc shows 177 million americans are savannah. >> miguel, fully vaccinated. >> miguel, thank you very much. is also this morning, security, france, for the open

is extremely tight across paris unprecedented and long france, for the opening of a tre 2015 terror attack long awaited trial of 20 men accused in the 2015 terror nbc's kelly cobiella is there for us this morning. attacks that rocked that city. kelly cobiella is there for us this morning. kelly, good morning. good morning. as you mentioned, >> reporter: security very tigh very tight in pari in paris as this trial finally s gets under way. way we smoke exclusively we spoke exclusively with one e american survivo american survivor who is among g hu hundreds who have waited six e years fo long years for justice. this morning this morning, the largest largt criminal trial in french history, 20 defendants, 330 lawyers and hundreds of witnesses deeply scarred criminal trial in french b history -- 20 defendants, 330 the night d hundreds of witnesses, deeply scarred by th what they saw and survived. the night of november 13th, 2015 >> 2015. i still live itevery day. >> helen wilson from >> i still live it every day. >> reporter: helen was at the e boyfriend nick alexander >> we heard pop, pop, pop, and kept watching an

theater with her boyfriend, alex nick alexander. >> we heard pop, pop, pop, and kept watching. motion an and it was like in slow motion. a guy pushed open the door with one hand and had a and then a guy pushed open the door with one hand and had a gud in the other hand and started people shooting people. and nick we >> reporter: helen and nick wert she held him until both shot that night.ed the assault on paris that friday night was th she held him until he died. the assault on paris that friday on french soil night was the deadliest attack r on french soil since world war n ii, organized and carried out by isis this isis. three-hour military-style this was a three-hour military paris's packed style ambush.alk cafés, at the bataclan people killed,n theater, 130 people killed, more than 400 40 injured. injured. th the main defendant, salab al assam. are we going to learn anything new?, salah abdeslam. >> are we going to learn anything new >> if he talks.>> talks. >> big if? >> reporter: a big if?e di >> he didn't say anything to dn anybody since he was arrested, , nothing, not one not one thing. >> reporter: this attorney

represents 40 survivors and victims' families. >> the truth i >> reporter: sam represents 40 survivors and victims' families. >> the truth is justice. and to understand what happened understand what happened in november 2013 is important. >> reporter: helen is learning to cope with the pain of her injuries, bu is important.s determined >> reporter: helen is learning to cope with the pain of her injuries but is determined to w look the defendants in the eye. >> i'm going to do whatever i he is heard can to make sure that my voice i is heard and that his voice is o heard and that all of those f t other people that are no longer wi other people that are no longerg with us are heard through me.>>s scheduled to testify in >> reporter: helen wilson is scheduled to testify in octobert the trial itself is expected to last last nine long months with a onh verdict sometime at the end of f may, possibl may, possibly.e defendant sala the defendant has neither admitted nor admitted nor denied he took part in those attacks.in in his last trial in brussels he in his last trial in brussels, e he said silence is his defense.s defense. hoda >> kelly, justice a long time

coming there in paris for >> thank you.usthank you. we will tu we'll turn now to craig whot is covering another event beingn closely watched today. closely d >> good morning to you.ood mornu down down in virginia, another controversial and towering co confederate statue being removee being remo this morning, but the veorning, the conversation conversation around what should happen to monuments like it, that conversation is far from over. shaquille brewster is in richmond with the latest. shaq, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, craig. this statue of confederate general robert e. lee has stood here in richmond, virginia, for more than 130 years. it's now officially being taken down. there were cheers, celebrations and spectators who watched as crews completed their work. this morning, the nation's largest confederate statue is -- has come down. for more than a century, the towering statue of confederate civil war general robert e. lee was a focal point in richmond, once the capital of the confederacy.

standing more than six stories tall, weighing some 12 tons, the bronze statue couldn't withstand the storm against the civil war symbolism. last year, virginia's governor ordered the statue removed just ten days after the murder of george floyd. floyd's killing in minneapolis sparked a racial reckoning across the nation. months of legal challenges stalled any action, but last week the state's supreme court unanimously cleared the way for the governor to take it down. the governor calling the decision a, quote, tremendous win, adding that, quote, when we honor leaders who fought to preserve a system that enslaved human beings, we are honoring a lost cause that has burdened virginia for too many years. the city's mayor says he hopes the statue's removal will bring healing. >> now we can embrace a new

title, not the confederacy but compassion, inclusivity, and being more welcome. >> reporter: for some it's not a move to celebrate. >> this is the moment. the statue is off the base. >> reporter: in july, statues of lee and stonewall jackson were pulled from public parks in virginia as crowds cheered. virginia as crowds cheered. they were taken down nearly four years of deadly clashes protesting calls to remove the monuments. across the nation, more than 160 confederate symbols were removed last year according to the southern poverty cultural center. >> there is a lot more work to be done. this is far from over. this is just one of the beginnings of victory. >> reporter: the statue's it will remain there in place until the community believes

exactly what to do with it.arti. craig? >> shaq brewster in richmond thank you. almost 1 will eventually be replaced. >> thank you. >> 17 minutes after the hour. al, you have a look at the forecast. >> let's take a look out west. more problem, more heat, and of course more fire danger, high fire danger, wind gusts today up to 40 miles per hour in some areas. relative humidity as low as 7% with this system and the smoke is going to be a big problem for all of these wildfires going on. the winds are going to increase coming across the west. we're going to have smoke filtering all the way into the rockies. central plains. in fact, we have air quality alerts from eugene, oregon, pendleton, down to denver. hazardous air conditions for a lot of those folks dealing with that weather. the rest of the country, record highs in the southwest, heavy rain developing down through the

gulf. we're going to be taking a look at this system down here. this could be big problems for florida and georgia. we'll look at that in more detail and severe storms in the northeast. it's easy to love a car you can trust. it's easy to love a subaru. >> good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's still going to be really hot today and we're dealing with some drifts of smoke coming in as well as high levels of ozone. it is a day where you might want to limit your time outside, especially in the south bay. temperatures gradually cool off for san francisco. we're headed towards the mid 70s today. by the end of the week into the weekend a cooling trend with highs in the 60s. we'll see that continue

throughout the weekend. >> and that's your latest weather. guys >> all right, al, thank you. just ahead, britney spears' own father we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next plus, more twist and turns surrounding a series of disturbing cases and crimes all centered around a prominent family in south carolina this morning, why one of those

(music) (music)

coming up, a covid in the classroom story. >> vicky nguyen is going the take us inside one school that has managed to have, get this, no cases spread in its hallways. a behind the scenes look at what they're doing in this particular school to keep students and staff safe but first, your local news and some weather

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ good morning to you. 7:26. i'm kris sanchez. our top stories today including vice president kamala harris appearing in the bay area today with governor newsom. >> i'm bob redell. vice president kamala harris is en route as i speak to the bay area to campaign on behalf of governor gavin newsom who is fighting this recall effort. the recall vote next tunes, under a week away. the vice president was supposed to campaign last month with the governor but had to po pone because of the events in afghanistan. the white house announced president biden is expected to campaign with newsom here in the state early next week. two of the 46 replacement

candidates also in the bay area today campaigning. businessman john cox and former san diego mayor kevin faulconer will be campaigning later today in san francisco. good morning. i'm cierra johnson in san francisco. as a way to lure riders back to the city's transit system some ride advocates created something called transit month. all month long special transit related events are happening including today's ride along and rally. that gets started at 8:00 this morning. that's when mayor london breed and others will do ride along to city hall taking some of the muni's busiest lines. another one of our top stories is the heat advisory that's going to trigger a flex alert. >> we're seeing that for solano county. up to 103 in antioch and livermore, upper 90s for the north bay but along the coast we're still looking at 60s and 70s for this afternoon. going through the forecast, we will be cooling off but watching out for a fire danger by the end

of the week. kris? >> thank you. we have more local news coming up in a half hour. have a great morning.

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you know that music. 7:30, it's wednesday, the 8th day of september, 2021. it may be quiet right now at raymond james stadium in tampa, but that will not be the case tomorrow when the new nfl season kicks off right here on nbc. craig, you're packing your bags, you're excited? >> i'm excited. taking a field trip. football is back.rñ best time of the year. we are going to celebrate its g0 return in a big way to get you

ready for that opener between the buccaneers and the cowboys. mike tirico is going to join us from tampa. we're going to preview the season, the games, the fan, and a new challenges as well. >> it's the tailgating segment. i just love the snacks. football snacks. that's what it's about. here's your headlines at 7:30. a powerful earthquake struck southern mexico overnight near the resort city acapulco. images show damaged buildings and cars, bricks, and metal poles littering the streets in some areas. officials say at least one person was killed. a magnitude 7 quake was felt hundreds of miles away in mexico city where the ground shook and buildings swayed for several minutes causing many to evacuee their home. texas governor greg abbott signed into law a controversial overhaul of the state's election rules. the sweeping bill bans drive through and overnight early voting. it adds a new i.d. requirement for absentee voting. republicans say the legislation

will help prevent voter fraud, but democrats say the bill is designed to suppress access to voters of color. several lawsuits challenging the new law have been filed in federal court. a group of zebras wandering around a washington, d.c., suburb had some residents doing a double take. check this out. a maryland family looking out their window last week when they spotted three zebras on the other side of their backyard fence. so our washington station wrc sent its helicopter to investigate. >> a chopper? >> sent the hopper, hoda. and sure enough, they found six zebras having lunch in a nearby field. turns out those zebras escaped from a farm. animal control officers set up a feeding station in hopes that they could corral the animals and get them back home. out for a fire danger by the end . >> zebras getting ready for the season, there you go. now to a major development in the battle over britney spears' freedom. >> her father has filed a petition to end her conservatorship entirely. it is an unexpected twist in a

legal drama that's been playing out for years. joe fryer joins us with details on this. a bit of a stunner. >> it is a big development. after 13 years under a conservatorship led by her father, jamie, britney spears could soon regain control over her fortune and her life. her father had agreed to step down as conservator. his new request is being seen as a potentially huge victory for team britney. >> what do we want? >> free britney. >> when do we want it? >> now! >> reporter: britney spears could soon be a free woman to spend her life and her money however she wants. the past 13 years, britney's father, jamie spears, has been part of a strict conservatorship. conservatorship was put into place after several public breakdowns, but that could soon change. late tuesday, jamie spears filed a petition that states his daughter is entitled to have this court now seriously consider whether this

conservatorship is no longer required, adding that britney's circumstances have changed to such an extent that grounds for a conservatorship no longer exist. something the 39-year-old pop star told the court she refuses to do. in recent months, she gave explosive testimony in court where she pleaded for her conservatorship to end. in emotional testimony, she called it abusive, alleging she has been forced to perform and required to take an iud meant to stop pregnancy. jamie insists there was anything he had to do with her bad treatment. renewed in the star's well-being was in a documentary "free britney spears" was released earlier this year. since then, the free britney moment exploded with a huge number of family and friends

joining the chorus. the princess of pop herself has take on the social media using the #freebritney to celebrate recent courtroom victories. some of britney's supporters are cautiously optimistic. >> it's not truly going to be a victory until she is emancipated and has the opportunity if she wants to to pursue action against some of the people that she feels have wronged her. >> spears' new attorney calls the filing a vindication, but added in part it appears before spears can try to avoid accountability and justice. the battle not yet over, but freedom for britney seemingly within reach. >> so, joe, any sense of what might have caused this change of heart? clearly brittany's lawyers aren't exactly buying it from the father. >> his lawyer outlined a few examples recently that show they show britney was capable of

maintaining a level of independence by driving herself around, choosing her own lawyer which shows the court trusts her with major decisions that maybe they could make her own business decisions. it still needs court approval. the next hearing on the matter is scheduled for later this morning, september 29th. ahead, new investigations, new mysteries. we're going to walk you through the latest twist tied to the shooting of a prominent south carolina attorney and the unsolved murders of his mother and soon. could that family be linked to a fatal cold case from six years ago? first these messages and significantly less itch. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines don't change or stop them

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plural the unsolved murders of his wife and son, old investigations are now being reopened as investigators try to piece together a growing puzzle of crimes nbc's catie beck joins us from the state capital in south carolina good morning >> good morning, craig >> reporter: in hampton county, south carolina, murdaugh is a household name virtually everyone knows this family has built a legal dynasty over generations with deep roots in the country. it's why so many folks here are shocked to learn of the recent string of violent events this morning, a prominent legal family, the murdaughs, are at the chain of events and crimes, leaving a trail of unanswered questions that investigators are trying to piece together is it a shock for a small town like this to have all of these evens so close in time >> oh, yeah. it's something you see in a big city not a small town >> reporter: through the years,

alex has been a respected attorney and generous donor to local causes >> he really did, a lot. they're shocked of what he's accused of >> now he's accused of misappropriating funds at a law firm that had been in his family for more than 80 years he resigned on friday and announced he was entering rehab. the solicitor's office telling nbc news murdaugh will no longer be able to prosecute cases there, even as a volunteer here at the family estate, alec murdaugh discovered his wife and son shot to death back in june, but we've discovered questions and controversies began surfacing about the family well before then. south carolina authorities recently reopened a 2015 cold case into the death of 19-year-old steven smith, citing evidence gathered investigating the double murder. 19-year-old steven smith no member of the murdaugh family has been named as a suspect in the case in 2019, paul murdaugh was charged with boating under the

influence after a crash that left 19-year-old mall rhee beach dead then the june murders of paul and his mother maggie murdaugh just days before he was due in court. and finally, this week's shooting of alex murdaugh's allegedly attacked as he was changing a flat tire on his suv along a desolate road. state investigators have not publicly made a link between any of the events, but people in this small community are eager for answers. >> i want the truth to come out because it wasn't fair the way maggie and her son was killed and if alex is innocent in all of this, i hope it's proven. >> catie, as you came to find out there, it's difficult to overstate how big the murdaughs are in that part of south carolina let's go back to that 2015 cold case authorities reopened. what more can you tell us about what exactly happened in 2015? >> reporter: well, craig, until recently, that case was an unsolved hit and run case. police say 19-year-old steven smith was walking down a road

when he ran out of gas and was struck and killed by a vehicle but smith's mother has long contended that the evidence tells a different story, that perhaps her son was beaten to death and the crime covered up guys >> catie beck, thank you >> catie will be on that story for a long time. time now for a check of the weather. mr. roker, what have you got >> we're going to take a look at the tropics. we're continuing to watch this area to our south, this area of investigation area 91-l. 50% chance of developing into a system over the next two days. whatever happens it's going to bring heavy rain, strong winds to florida and georgia. starting to push its way in through tomorrow on into wednesday and into thursday i should say. locally heavy rain across the florida panhandle. 5 to 7 inch of rain possible with this thing as it moves across it may redevelop once it gets out into the southeast atlantic. we're going to be watching that closely. this area of blue, a flash flood

watch. the area vulnerable to flooding because of the recent rains they've been seeing. we're going to be watching that closely and we still have hurricane larry, a category 3 storm, it's 605 miles southeast of bermuda going to stay to the east of bermuda and make its way into the atlantic, shouldn't be a problem, maybe rip currents along the southeastern atlantic coast. that's what's going on around the country and here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. air quality continues to improve in the north bay but some of the most unhealthy air quality will remain in santa clara valley. we're seeing smoke drifting in as well as high levels of ozone as our temperatures will be heating up today reaching into the upper 90s and a few inland east bay spots will hit 100 today. cooling off, watching out for a chance of a high fire danger due to lightning strikes on friday. keep checking in for more updates. and that is your latest weather.

guys just ahead, rfk's widow ethel kennedy breaking her silence. what she's saying about the possible release of sirhan sirhan, the man who assassinated her husband, plus the possible rift inside their own family over it. over it. advancing public policy, and providing local support to those living with the disease and their caregivers. but we won't get there without you. join the fight with the alzheimer's association.

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for more information about side effects talk to your doctor. ♪♪ be in your moment. ask your doctor about ibrance. in this ad pay attention to the actor's gums. be in your moment. 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. we are back with ethel kennedy, the widow of senator robert f. kennedy, issuing a rare statement about her husband's assassin >> sirhan sirhan is one step closer to being a free man after being recommended for parole andrea mitchell joins us now with more. good morning >> reporter: good morning, hoda. more than a half century after

senator and presidential candidate robert f. kennedy was assassinated, a california parole board's recommendation that his killer be freed as divided the ke whether he should be released. 53 years after the assassination of robert f. kennedy left a nation shattered, his widow, ethel, speaking out about the possible release of his killer sirhan sirhan writing, our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. we believe in the gentleness that spared his life but he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again, adding simply in the handwritten note, he should note be paroled. along with her rare statement, the 93-year-old sharing a picture of her and rfk on their wedding day.

in 1968, moments after the then junior senator from new york won the california primary, sirhan sirhan fatally shot him in l.a.'s ambassador hotel. >> senator robert francis kennedy died at 1:44 a.m. today, june 6th, 1968 bobby's death coming just five years after the assassination of his older brother, president john f. kennedy. last month on his 16th attempt at parole, the parole board recommended sirhan, now 77, be released two of rfk's sons robert jr. and douglas voiced their support for the gunman's release, while six of their siblings spoke out against it, writing in part, as children of robert f. kennedy, we are devastated the man who murdered our father has been recommended for parole it is a recommendation we plan to challenge every step of the

way. one of the six, rory, born six months after his death, writing, i never had the chance to see my father's face and he in every had the chance to see mine, adding what i do know is mr. sirhan is not someone deserving of parole. a lawyer for sirhan says under california law, parole will be granted unless the prisoner poses unusual risk to the public the board has several months to review the recommendation. california's governor gavin newsome has another 30 days to decide whether to approve, deny or modify it hoda, savannah >> andrea mitchell in washington, thank you. lots more to get to this morning, including the magical cast of a very modern take on cinderella camilla cabela and billy porter. but first, your local news and weather. weather. diabetes. it isn t for people

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skin problems and severe bone, joint, or muscle pain. don't wait for a break. call your doctor now and ask how prolia® can help you. good morning. it's 7:56. here's scott mcgrew with a look at what's happening now. >> opening statements likely this morning in the fraud trial of elizabeth holmes. the prosecution will go first. holmes claims she built a machine that would test tiny drops of blood for hundreds of diseases an convinced investor to give her millions. not only did it not work, prosecutors will try to prove she knew it didn't work even as the company tested real patients' blood and gave patients incorrect information, bad test results. a full wrap-up tonight at 5:00 and 6:00. time to get a look at that forecast. meteorologist kari hall has been tracking the numbers and how is it looking? >> we're seeing improvements in our air quality in parts of the

north bay. a little bit less of hazy a sky, but it's going to be moderate. if you're sensitive to the smoke and the ozone, limit your time out there. santa clara valley seeing the worse of it with the measure of particulate matter just below unhealthy. we're watching that as our temperatures heat up today, our inland areas over 100 degrees. for the rest of the week we are going to be cooling off but we're watching something else, a chance of some lightening between thursday afternoon and friday, so we'll have more updates on that. marcus? >> thanks, kari. another local news update in 30 minutes. see you back here then.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, bracing for more, residents still voicing their outrage over ida. another round of weekend weather for the mid-atlantic. >> it feels like there's no relief coming. >> al is tracking the new system that has millions under flash flood watches. back to school -- as more kids return to the classroom, what parents, teachers and students need to know to keep schools safe while still keeping things fun. >> the moment we mention we're going outside to the outdoor classroom, they get so excited. they love it. plus, behind the slipper. >> the glass.

>> any way you can make them more comfortable? >> even magic has its limits. >> we sit down with billy and camilla to talk about their take on "cinderella." >> she is the ceo of her own destiny. >> what they're saying about this modern twist on the classic fairy-tale, just ahead. and mail time, mail time. >> hi. you got a second? >> the heartfelt message from the original host of "blue's clues" to his grown fans more than 20 years after he left the show. >> after all these years, i never forgot you, ever. >> and the emotional iraqis reactions to steve's video now pouring in today, wednesday, september 8th, 2021. >> we're from louisville, kentucky, celebrating our 62th anniversary. >> hi. we're from kansas. >> hi, "today" show. >> we're from san jose,

california. >> yay. >> good morning. my sister and family in grapevine, texas. >> good morning, "today" show. we are the martinez family. >> from cincinnati, ohio. >> and today is my birthday. i'm turning 8 on the 8th. >> from all your friends and family, happy birthday, tuula. >> yay. >> good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." it's wednesday morning, tall, going ready for a new years. >> it's not fall. >> fallish. >> you just killed summer. >> what is it called? >> faux fall. >> pre-fall. >> let's get right to your news at 8:00. one week after hurricane ida ripped through parts of the northeast, parts of the northeast are bracing for a new round of heavy rainfall and violent winds. al has the latest on what to expect. >> good morning, guys. we are bracing for this front. we have 12 million people under flash flood watches.

we'll be watching this closely. we have a risking of severe weather today for 22 million people. strong, damaging winds, tornados likely, a few of them out there especially later tonight. and isolated damaging hail, as well. as this front pushes in, the storms move of east, damaging winds and downpours likely. this evening, we have the risk of tornados stretching from albany, new york, down to baltimore, maryland. we're going to be watching this closely. along the new jersey/pennsylvania border, 3 to 5 inches of rain, flash flood watches, the limits right now, only about an inch of rain could cause flash flooding. so we're going to be watching this, and on thursday, this low pressure system develops on the coast bringing heavy rain from newark. hourly rainfall rates up to 2 inches could cause flash flooding. so we're going to be watching this very closely. >> thank you. billionaire elizabeth holmes goes on trial today in federal court in california. her defense team is expected to

portray the accused fraud artist as a victim of corporate culture and an abusive relationship. erin mclaughlin is in san jose for us. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. opening arguments are expected today in court with the prosecution laying out its case, alleging that elizabeth holmes and her company theranos defrauded not just investors, but doctors and patients, charges that she denies. elizabeth holmes, former founder and ceo of theranos, was once celebrated, her face splashed across magazines wearing a signature black turtleneck, styling herself after the late steve jobs. >> i know what we've built and i know what we've created and i know what it means to people. >> silicone valley's first female self-made billionaire promised to revolutionize blood testing with a pinprick,

convincing some of the most powerful people in the world to invest hundreds of millions of dollars. the government now alleges what she created was a lie, allegations she's denied as far back as 2016. >> i feel devastated that we did not catch and fix these issues faster. i'm -- i feel like the luckiest person in the world to be working on this mission. >> reporter: she's now a 37-year-old mother to a baby boy and reportedly staying with her partner at this $135 million silicon valley estate. in 2015, author carreyrou broke the story for the "wall street journal." >> i don't think the prosecution will be abe bring up the shoes and jewelry she bought on the company's dime, but i think it will hear about the fact that the company was paying for her to travel in a private jet.

>> reporter: her defense is poised to present her as a victim of manipulation during a decade-long relationship with her business partner and ex-boyfriend ramesh bawani. he's also facing charges of fraud. they deny allegations. it's a defense some find difficult to believe. >> i never seen her listen to expert advice, so it's very hard to believe she was manipulated by anybody. >> reporter: dr. phyllis gardne1 advised holmes when she was at stanford. >> she was supremely proud of herself, confident about her own, quote, brilliance. >> i have become convinced that she's a chameleon. she's an incredible actress. she can charm people and get them to believe what she wants them to believe. so i expect her to be a very effective witness for herself. the question will be, will the jurors go for it?

will the jurors buy it? >> reporter: carryrou and government officials have been called as witnesses for the defense. carryrou says he believes that's because holmes is pursuing another line of defense which is all of this is a witch hunt. hoda. >> erin, thank you. after one year delay because of the covid lockdown, new york yankees great derek jeter will finally be inducted into the baseball hall of fame today. the legendary shortstop starred his two decade career in pinstripes as rookie of the year and he finished with five world series rings. the great number 2 is number on the all-time hits list. jeter said the only thing, most important to him, is to be remembered as a yankee. also being enshrined colorado rockies outfielder larry walker and catcher pitt simmons who was quite the power hitter back in the day. >> cool. let's get a boost.

>> u.s. paralympic sprinter nick mayhew returned from tokyo with a bill haul of medals and he got a surprise homecoming from the people who mean the most to him. take a look. >> whew! yay! [ cheers and applause ] >> so then nick's mom and dad rushed in. the rest of his family. they're at the charlotte airport. they congratulated their golden boy, nick, with cerebral palsy. nick brought home 3 gold medals, 1 silver. i watched this for some time. the hug went on for quite a while. set a record in the 100-meter dash. nick thanked everybody for what he called the perfect welcome home. coming up next, coronavirus in the classroom. our firsthand look at the highs and lows of the return to school. good morning, guys. it's back to full time in-person learning for many students this fall.

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daly joining us. back with the classroom. >> the new school year is kicking into high gear and for a lot of people that means the return to full-time in-person learning >> vicky nguyen is here with a behind the scenes look at how one school district is reopening. we're curious to see how they did it >> music to every parent's ears. good morning it is back to classes this morning for thousands of students in the berkeley high school district. educators scrambled to the finish to make sure it is a safe and healthy return and it is tricky because so many kids are not eligible for the vaccine so for the bus to the classroom to lunchtime, a look at what is being done to reduce covid risk with everyone now headed back to class. it's the start of school, but already thousands of students across the country sent back home in indiana -- >> after just a week of classes, brown county schools closed the building for three days. >> california -- >> school district officials are working to taken a covid-19

outbreak >> reporter: and in texas, just one week into the school year, there won't be any friday night lights so how are schools dealing with these challenges i'm at a campus in berkeley heights, new jersey, where they're showing us how they're going ready to safely welcome students back to in-person learning full time back to you. how excited are you to have kids and teachers all back here >> i am so excited children need to be in school. being in school is normal. >> reporter: melissa barley is the superintendent and she gave us a look at what they're doing. kids are in preschool through second grade some students are simply too young to be vaccinated how does had change the safety and health calculus? >> i will say we're keeping our protocols across the board k to 12 we're taking it as if everyone has not been vaccinated. masking, distance and cleaning all populations are treated the

same >> reporter: she credits those measures for having zero in-school covid transmission cases last year and says she's even more confident this year because new jersey has mandated vaccinations for staff those who don't get the shot must get tested weekly from pickup to drop-off, safety measures will be in place from students having to put their masks on when they're inside to windows open during the ride and parents will once again have to fill out daily health screenings one of the biggest changes this year, lunch. so new this year, students will actually be on campus for lunch? >> absolutely. >> what's the challenge here >> one thing, we're going to have all the students in a cafeteria eating together maskless so we have instituted the use of barriers and extra cleaning protocols to make sure we wipe down the barriers, the tables, as well as frequent hand washing among the students >> reporter: and whenever possible, teachers will use dedicated outdoor classrooms like this. that's where i met first grade teacher emily and special education teacher frank.

thanks for having me this looks like a cool outdoor classroom. >> the moment we mention we're going outside to the outdoor classroom, they get so excited they love it >> we enjoy teaching out here when weather permits >> reporter: we take a look at what happens when students are indoors. i'm vicky. can i come in? >> sure. >> air circulation is a big part of their safety strategy >> every morning when i come in, i open up the windows so there's more ventilation >> and they're going the be wearing these? >> they're going to be wearing their masks, yes i have a toy that i will be using so they can open its mouth up so they will see syllables, how you use syllables. >> reporter: and i see you have an door to the outside >> this is great we can take our masks off out here >> the kids get a massing break out here >> yes >> reporter: for activities like

sports and reijnens of passage like dances and graduations, they're back on. >> there is more than academics that makes a full child and a full educational experience. >> what is your number one priority >> my number one priority is to get every single child in person in school every day for a full day and have a full year >> amen, right she did tell us they have contingency plans in place so they will go back to remote learning, quarantine kids who have exposure if they have to. but, again, no in-school transmission last year that was with half the kids in class most of the year so they're very optimistic that their measures will work again this year. >> i like the ideas of keeping the windows open, but in jersey and places up north, it gets cold what are they going to do when it becomes winter? >> they're going to do it again. year round keeping everything open. the superintendent says be ready to bundle up she says keeping those windows open is a big credit for their success from last year as we've shown here on "today," ventilation is vital to stop the spread of covid. they're taking a page from that play book.

the masks, indoors, ventilation and it works for them. >> i continue to be amazed by how willing kids are to wear the mask, keep the masks off. >> they like to follow rules they're okay with it as long as a mask is comfortable, your child will wear it. >> they get used to it >> when we get home ike like, guys, you can take the mask off. if you have questions about the return to school, we're going to tackle them on monday dr. cardona joins us for a live town hall event on the plaza it is 8:18 mr. roker, you have your eye on the forecast >> where are you >> over here, right by the big board. you can see this is a problem they've had all summer long out west just dry nothing happening. we're looking at this tropical system that is trying to develop down through the gulf. that's bringing a lot of wet weather to the panhandle of florida. here is that frontal system that is going to bring some severe weather to parts of the northeast on into new england. you can see those severe storms

will be developing today heavy rain down through the gulf as this system tries to develop something. temperatures nice and mild as you get up into the gulf coast we're going to be and. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. taking a look at our temperatures today, anywhere from the upper 60s near the coast to 103 in antioch. north bay highs reaching 98 and 92 in san jose. we do still have concerns of air quality and the flex alert from 4:00 to 9:00 this evening. the rest of the forecast does look quiet, but we'll have to watch out for a high fire danger, especially early on friday. that's your latest weather it's pop start time! >> we'll have the results of the food bracket at the end of popstart >> first round >> elite eight

we're down four. "america's got talent," the northwell health nurse choir made up of health care heroes in new york from right here in new♪ snoetsdz even when i'm down to my last breath even when they say there's nothing left ♪ ♪ so don't give up on me ♪ ♪ i'm not giving up ♪ >> got to love that. that's great tv right there. you see how they earned. they got the golden buzzer back in the audition rounds. tune in tonight to see who else is heading to the agt finals. next up, john york >> got to love that. that's great tv right there. you see how they earned.

they got the golden buzzer back in the audition rounds tune in tonight to see who else is heading to the agt finals next up, john mulaney and olivia munn. they stopped by seth meyers to give an update to what he's been through lately, he we know through a divorce, battled substance abuse and is now living in recovery >> in the spring, i went to los angeles and met and started to date the wonderful woman named olivia >> who i know well >> yes, you know olivia munn very well. and we are having a baby together >> congratulations >> thanks. >> so john mulaney and olivia munn are expecting baby number one. big news congratulations to them. luke bryan for years has been open about the tragic losses of his sister and brother-in-law that prompted them to step in and raise their nieces and nephew. the family celebrated the wedding of jordan and her husband, clint, and luke not only taking her to altar, but making sure that -- straightening the veil and this sweet moment as you can imagine going viral instantly and the proud uncle got to slow dance

with the bride big congratulations going out to jordan and clint from all of us. next up, "blue's clues." it's been 25 years since the nickelodeon series with steve and his buddy hit the big screen to celebrate, the original host of the first four seasons, steve burns, took to social media to share a message to the kids who grew up with him >> i mean, we started out with clues. and now it's, what student loans and jobs and families and some of it has been kind of hard, you know i guess i just wanted to say that after all these years, i never forgot you ever and i'm super glad we're still friends. thanks for listening >> he hasn't changed at all. >> no. he looks exactly the same. >> he did the show in 2002 2002 is when he left

2002, he went to college and left the show, but he went to embark on a music career >> his voice is still just as soothing >> bring it back >> i used to watch that with my kids mail call! salt and pepper. >> send that to courtney >> oh, my gosh i'm going to >> stick around, by the way, in the third hour, dylan will have a lot more on the 25th anniversary of "blue's clues." all right. now to our food bracket, tailgating you casted your votes for the best game-day snack. let's take a look at the results. no shocker there, loaded nachos crushing soft pretzels >> wings made it >> sorry, savannah, but the buffalo wings or as you call them bones with sauce have proven they are dominant at beating out chili. >> that's a bowl of soup >> they will be heading to the semifinals across the board, mozzarella sticks took down cheese fries. >> i'm shocked

>> they're out >> they're disgusting. >> what are you talking about? a fry in any variety is not disgusting >> it's a mess >> that would make a difference. like a twice fried fry, pulled up the nacho sauce -- >> i don't like -- but you like mozzarella sticks? >> because they're fried, they're crunchy. >> so are cheese fries >> if they were twice-baked potato skins with cheese >> also, the mozzarella stick is a distant cousin to the pizza. you get the sauce. >> a meal on a stick >> love you more every day >> last but not least, people just can't say no to the classic cheeseburger >> of course >> cheeseburger loaded nachos final here that's like unc/duke back in the day. who is going to win? >> wings are going all the way >> that's your bracket >> i think wings loses steam down the stretch when they do these things i don't know why >> al, is that your bracket? >> it is >> i voted for bones with sauce

because i knew i happened to be right, but i think -- >> every time you see that and you're blasphemous about wings, an angel loses their wings how dare you >> wouldn't that be great if an angel had chicken wings? >> they would be bony. >> not if you got my wings >> would you bring me some wings? >> that's what we need to do >> your past with buffalo wings scares me that you've had such a bad relationship with wings. >> go nachos you're now married to the best wings ever >> that's true >> how did we will into that where are we going >> cast a vote today.com/food and vote for nachos or cheeseburgers. coming up, the best-selling productings for your beauty routine.

good morning. 8:26. i'm marcus washington. another hot day on tap and a flex alert is being issued for today. so everyone is being asked to conserve electricity from 4:00 to 9:00 to reduce the strain on the power grid. here are some tips. set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher if your health permits. also avoid using major appliances and unnecessary lights. let's get a look at the forecast. it's going to heat up today and the numbers reflect it. meteorologist kari hall is here with that. >> we need to get out there early this morning and try to

get things done, even running errands. our temperatures today for the inland east bay headed toward 103 degrees for antioch and livermore. 92 for san jose, san francisco headed toward 74. and we'll see some mid to upper 90s for much of the north bay. after today, we'll start a cooling trend gradually, but we'll be watching out for a chance of isolated lightning strikes between thursday afternoon and early friday morning. if that does materialize, marcus, that could spark new fires which we don't want. so we'll have more updates on that. >> thank you so much. we're going to have another local news update coming up in 30 minutes. we'll see you back here then.

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it's 8:30. it is a wednesday morning. it is the 8th day of september, 2021 we've made our way outside the plaza. jamie h. is brightening up the plaza. she has a lot to talk about and off great book and a great story too. a beautiful story. >> i can't wait. >> we look forward to that >> that's a beautiful dress, by the way. >> oh, thank you my friend savannah gave it to me >> you gave her the dress this morning? >> yeah. >> savannah wore a dress that looked beautiful on her. she did not love it.

>> and guess what i got? somebody's trash is somebody else's treasurer >> no, i knew it would look better on you, and it does >> look. >> anyway, thank you, savannah >> do you have to return it? >> if i spill on it, that's my trick. >> she's planning a spill. >> if i spill -- >> wouldn't be the first time. >> you guys never do that. >> no, we do not >> that's never going to happen. also ahead, a lot of families have been watching the new twist on cinderella. natalie caught up with the stars to find out why they were so eager to tell the classic story but in brand-new way >> and they're we're going to share some tried and true beauty products sure to become your favorite >> then we'll start the third hour of "today." >> and jessica chastain is going to join us live and we're going to chat about her emotional new series, "scenes from a marriage," and a moment on the red carpet that is getting a lot of attention we're going to talk about that that kiss. >> i don't want to do it

>> did that look romantic? >> yes you were really -- >> no. >> mr. roker, save us. >> swoon-y eyes for al >> here, al. >> i'm sorry >> i don't know that i can go on now. >> but you must. >> and the honest thing, i did that with carson anyway, let's show you what we've got for your week ahead. and it's not a moment too soon drying out friday in the northeast, record highs in the rockies. few storms out to the western plains as we move into saturday, beautiful day in the northeast record highs in the mid section of the country, that desert heat continues. then sunday, sunday, we're looking for temperatures warming up in the mid-atlantic states. some storms down in florida with that tropical system trying to good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's going to be still hot today as our inland temperatures head toward the upper 90s in santa rosa, oakland reaching 81, 103 degrees in antioch and livermore. san jose can expect a high of 92

degrees. with the hot temperatures today, air quality still moderate. going to have a hazy look to the sky. as we go toward the end of the week temperatures come down, but we will be watching out for a chance of check back in for updates on that. >> all we needed was music playing. >> jenna, we're so happy you are here we are so anxious. there is a big reveal and jenna's pick for her read with jenna. you also got a sit-down. it was an incredible conversation you had with the author tell us about that >> okay, okay, the plaza crowd is going to help me do it. our september book is "beautiful country. it is a powerful memoir about growing up in america as an undocumented immigrant she takes readers through the journey through the eyes of her 7-year-old son as she navigates a new country, a new language, a

newfound fear. >> reporter: shen julie wang's life changed forever at age 7 when her family moved from china to america you write about landing here in america and i love it so i'm going to quote it. "i ascended to adulthood at cruising altitude. >> when we stepped foot out of jfk was when i realized that my life was going to be completely different. in china, i was just a normal kid running around, screaming, dancing, and in america, i was to stay quiet and not be noticed at all >> reporter: megwa, the chinese word for america translates to beautiful country. it's the tile of her debut book, a powerful and eye-opening memoir about growing up in america undocumented >> back then in china, no one had a real understanding of what america was like my uncle said, oh, the streets are paved with gold. you'll be so rich. having that juxtaposed with

going to school hungry and seeing my mother work for cents at a time really gave me a sense and understanding that there were, indeed, two americas out there. >> reporter: she spent her evenings working with her mom at a sweat shop sniping threads for pennies. but during the day, elementary school in chinatown proved to be even more challenging. >> not speaking english felt like i was walking through a fog every day of my life >> reporter: they put you in a classroom really all by yourself in some ways there wasn't a teacher teaching you? >> being put in that classroom by myself helped me because there were books around and i found my friends in those book and found a real refuge in those books. >> reporter: and it was through those children's books that chen julie ultimately taught herself english. i love the scene where you first found clifford, the big red dog. and then it was the girls from "the baby-sitter's club" who became these companions that you

didn't have. >> i fully pretended that i was one of the baby-sitters. it just felt so safe >> reporter: but her family faced a medical crisis when her mom needed emergency gallbladder surgery. she made it to the hospital just in time, but it was a moment in which chen julie felt she had nowhere to turn. as an undocumented child, your life was filled with fear, even when your mom was so sick that you had to call 911 or she possibly could have died, you were scared to pick up that phone. >> i didn't think of it consciously as fear. i learned to be extremely cautious to turn and look over my shoulder. if there was someone in uniform, even a sanitation worker, i would pivot and walk the other way. it became ingrained in me that caution was number one >> reporter: she kept her stories of her first years in america secret for nearly 20 years. despite the incredible

challenges she faced, she went on to graduate from yale school of law and is now a managing partner at a law firm in new york city. she became a u.s. citizen in 2016 >> most people would think when you got those prestigious degrees, you were living the american dream >> i definitely was not. i remember going to work in this fancy office and coming home to this fancy apartment in manhattan, looking at myself in the mirror and just not knowing who i was. i had everything that the american dream told me that i was to go for. and it took me a lot of time to understand that real success is not material wealth, which is so easily portrayed as in american culture. the american dream that i'm living now is being really honest about who i am and understanding that my childhood has really shaped who i am, deep down, and continues to guide me. so writing this book itself has been, for me, how i define it, the real american dream.

>> wow >> it's so powerful. her childhood is filled with incredible stories by the way, her parents in china, her mother was a published author she was a professor. she published books on math. then she came here in the united states to work for pennies in sweat shops. so the juxtaposition she writes about is unbelievable. there's so much love in it it's filled with hope. i hope everybody reads it. it is beautiful. by the way, you can see more of my conversation with chen julie on our streaming channel today all day at 9:30 and 1:30 eastern. head to today.com/todayallday. scan that qr code right there on the screen and click on today.com/read with jenna. >> jenna, you know how to pick them >> this one is to start the school year off right, y'all

and just ahead, camilla cabello, idina menzel, billy porter, natalie's entertaining chat with the new cinderella stars. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

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all welcome back. you may think you know the story of cinderella, but the latest version is really changing things up. >> camila cabello, billy porter and idina menzel are part of the cast natalie, good morning. >> this take on cinderella is something fresh, new, different. after talking with three of the movie stars, it's clear they set out from the get-go to make something very extraordinary the newest take on an old classic has something for everyone -- music, comedy. >> they're glass any way you can make them more comfortable? >> even magic has its limits >> yes, some romance

>> would you like to dance >> but there's even more to this cinderella story than you might think. it stars three powerhouse performers camila cabello, billy porter and idina menzel with their new take on this fabled story >> i think this fairytale, the name cinderella so many people know, it's given a totally different spin it's kind of like the updated 2021 version of it and i think it has better values and better messages for young people out there >> so just how different is this cinderella >> dresses by ella >> but cinderella has options, right? she is a serious businesswoman, right? >> yes as billy said today which i loved, she is the ceo of her own destiny. >> there are covers of popular songs including "material girl" and "rhythm nation."

a diverse cast and even business attire >> this is -- this is different. i've never seen anything like this >> okay, okay, you said you wanted to be a businesswoman >> the movie is a first for cabello, who is going from her hit songs to a hollywood film set. camila, looking at this fabulous cast, was there any trepidation going in, being your first big role >> i remember meeting both of these guys and being like, i'm so nervous you can carry that imposter syndrome like oh, man, people are going to find out that i suck but i think that was part of my growth process i love the message in the movie of empathy and compassion. there's so many things but one of them, i feel like the relationship that she has with her stepmother is very nontraditional and that the stepmother carries her own

trauma and emotional path that makes her who she is >> my stepmother, my future depends on it. >> and the role of the so-called evil stepmother, idina menzel looked to give the character more than one dimension. >> i was relieved when our director wanted to bring this tone, a realistic tone and also kind of peel away the layers and show vulnerability or empathy. where do we come from? why do we act the way we do so we can look at people, humanity, and understand that beneath that hardness somebody might have isy their pain and their wounds. >> fashion icon billy porter, known for his dramatic red carpet looks makes a grand entrance as fairy god mother who goes by -- >> fabulous fairy godmother. >> and he trades in bip ti bop for something a little more fab. it's a role billy was keen to make the most of >> when i got the call to be the fairy godmother, as i like to say, one of the things that i've

really thought about was how am i going to ground myself, ground this piece and what i came up with as i was working on, my tag line is magic has no agenda. magic is lot of and magic has no agenda that's the spirit i tried to imbue the fab "g" with and i hope the world feels that. >> what do you hope people take away watching this cinderella? >> i love the way that it challenges all the traditional things in the classic fairytale. >> being the mom of a 12-year-old son, i'm so happy that it's really teaching little kids, little boys, little men what a great man and how a great man can be, how he can support a woman and be there for her to support her dreams >> really great messaging in this movie, guys and you're going to be singing along.

there are covers of queen, salt and peppa, even j. lo. and i love this is a cinderella that doesn't need to be rescued by prince charming >> thank you and i lot of "rhythm nation" getting its way in there that is cool >> and we're going to have your entire conversation with the cast on today.com if you want to check it out "cinderella" is streaming live on amazon prime video. coming up next from hair conditior to hand cream, thene conditior to hand cream, thene

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they live for it. from american hardwood to spanish porcelain to italian marble, i'm looking for inspiration from every part of the world. so, when it comes to discovering every imaginable tile, wood, laminate or stone without compromising my design, one aisle doesn't cut it. i need an entire store. now, i've got one. explore floor & decor in person or online at flooranddecor.com we're back with mccall lovho is here to tell us about hair and skin care beauty products that never go out of style >> great to see you. there's a qr code at the bottom of your screen scan it and see all the picks instantly. it's great to see you. >> good morning. >> i am so happy to see hot rollers are back >> oh, they're back, right yeah, you guys

>> people love these >> an oldie but goodie these come to you from conair. conair has been in the business creating life changing products since 1959 you get 12 ceramic rollers you get the combs and the pins, but if you're looking for volume, curls that last for hours, this is what you get. it frees up your hands to do or other things in the morning. >> and then you pull it out and you look gorgeous. >> get the kids out the door >> done. >> good deal >> $29.99. >> what is next? these are all tried and true classics >> this is from mizani this is their number-one best-selling leave-in conditioner. i used it for years on natural hair, wigs and weaves. it works on all hair textures. >> you put it in, leave it, and then you can style, blow dry, do what you want. >> it's all about moisture it's all about hydrating your hair it's also making sure you can detangle your hair if you have frizzy hair like i

do, we can all relate to that. this is antifreeze if you use heat-protect tant tools -- >> would you do it at night and sleep on it? >> yes you do it in the morning as you're getting ready on damp hair and then style however you like >> and does it smell good? >> yes >> always looking for a great mascara. you've got one this is what the brand promises, that you get ten times more volume than your regular lashes. we love that they come in four colors here is why you should grab these. there is great for your every day i'm going to the grocery store mascara, but those special occasions, you can use this, as well it's incredible. i've tried other brands, but i keep coming back to covergirl because they know what they're doing. >> we like the steal >> let's move on to eye liner. i have to tell y'all, this eye liner, i was so excited to show it to you. you know why >> why >> because it lasts all day long i wake up in the morning, go to work, or watch the "today" show,

wake up the kids, this eyeliner is staying on. i love that about it comes in nine different colors you can choose from, three different tip points and it's really explicit. eyeliner wakes up your face. >> it does what do you mean, some thick or thinner? >> that's a good question. so if you're looking for thin and precise, they have different tip points of that if you want dramatic, they have you covered for that, as well. >> so as we're going into fall and winter, it's all about moisturizing the hands, right? you want to make sure you're nourishing those hands i love this from l'occitane. oil, shea butt it's made from coconut honey oil, shea butter, women in sub-saharan africa use it and love it. so if you're a person, you work on your hands, you wash your hands a lot, you're gardening, this is the cream that you need. and don't these handy tools make great gifts? >> never too early to start thinking about the holidays. >> and all the hand sanitizers all the cracking >> keep this in your bag

okay we'll make sure you grab one and last but not least, this company has been around since 1866 over 150 years, this toner is sensational. if you're wondering why do i need a toner it's all about that deeper cleanse. it helps to remove excessive makeup or oil residue. >> does this dry out your skin >> not at all. i use it every single day. it's gentle enough that you can use it every morning and night start incorporating it into your routine. you'll see a big change. >> oh, thank you >> thank you >> such a great job. >> that means i can come back early and often. >> head to today.com/shop. >> amazon does have an affiliate relationship with "today" and pays a small commission on pays a small commission on products sold through our site is your family ready for an emergency? you can prepare by mapping out two ways to escape your home, creating a supply kit, and including your whole family in practice drills. for help creating an emergency plan,

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we have a busy morning still ahead. coming up, our friend steph ruhl section going to teach parents how to teach kids financial lessons. and a little later on hoda and jenna, the social media sensation has more than 80 million followers. she's going to be in studio with us she's going to teach us a tiktok dance. >> we're back after your local news news

it's 8:56. i'm marcus washington. after countless delays, the fraud trial is set to begin for elizabeth holmes. the former ceo is accused of defrauding investors, along with patients who relied on blood tests conducted by the now

failed silicon valley company once billion. holmes has pleaded not guilty. happening now, opening statements are set to begin any time. chris sanchez is following the trial and will have an update for us during our midday newscast. and vice president kamala harris is appearing in the bay area making a push for governor gavin newsom. we'll have more on our midday newscast. more on our home page. go bonk e. (wuaahh) totally boom it's an adventure. (sound of playing) you know ,you have to keep an eye on them. you got to let them explore and figure things out for themselves. so hurry up (screams) they're not gonna stay this way forever. kick off your kidifornia vacation at visitcalifornia.com

i may not be as pretty. i'm not a cable tv personality or an entertainer like larry. i'm the businessman, the only cpa running for gov ernor. california is a mismanaged mess. taxes, cost of living, water, wildfires, homelessness. these aren't political issues; they're readily fixable management issues. career politicians? celebrities? i've solved problems all my life. let's fix this great state! reopening its doors, another vaccine site coming to the bay area as the president outlines his new covid action ovid cruise complaint on deck for our response team. that's when you join us tomorrow morning 4:30 to 7:00.

live from studio 1-a, in rockefeller plaza, this is the third hour of "today." good morning, everybody. welcome to the third hour of today, wednesday, september 8th. what day is it >> hump day. >> yes >> one of the things, we're all sitting down and having a little ouble getting -- >> we're not on wheels >> can we re-enact what joe -- >> i was sitting back kind of far and i asked them, the gentlemen next to me - >> i didn't stand up >> you don't hav