more cars had to the bay bridge. thanks for starting your day with us. join us for nbc bay area news at 11:00. the today style rising toll. the loss of life mounts in kentucky, including four children in one family. more rain and new flood watches issued overnight. >> there's nothing else left for us to lose. >> this morning, the national guard using helicopters to rescue trapped families, thousands still unreachable. out west, the biggest wildfire of the year intensifying this morning and forcing evacuations. we're live and al has the full forecast. controversial tour.

leaders in washington and beijing keeping a close eye on house speaker nancy pelosi's visit to asia. the question, will she stop in taiwan? the latest on that. and president biden's rebound case of covid, testing positive again over the weekend. icons lost. tributes pour in this morning for basketball legend bill russell, the nba's greatest champion and a champion for civil rights. and her groundbreaking actress nichelle nichols -- >> i would hear your voice from all parts of the ship. >> -- how she went where no woman had gone before in hollywood and turned her star trek star power into nasa recruiting gold. sit tight. the cramped airline seats now under scrutiny by the faa over safety. why the agency is looking for your feedback today. those stories, plus, one stop shopping. our exclusive look at the surprising new push to breathe new life into the struggling american shopping mall, coming from, of all places, amazon. and billion dollar mystery.

inside the search for the lucky mega millions ticket holder who beat the odds this weekend to win one of the largest jackpots of all time "today," monday august 1st, 2022. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hi, everybody. good morning. welcome to "today." it is monday morning, 7:00 a.m. on west coast. first day of august. >> it is. never in the history of the world are we going to learn who won that mega millions billion dollar prize. >> did you take your ticket? >> she'll be gone forever. >> count your billions. we'll have more on that in a little bit. first we're going to start with this extreme weather. >> in california, the mckinney fire spreading fast, quickly becoming the largest of the year. hundreds of firefighters battling that blaze.

0% contained in the northern part of the state. >> in kentucky, more rain overnight. rescue teams continuing to work around the clock, searching for flood survivors. we have got complete coverage including al who is back, he has the forecast. let's get started with nbc's miguelal men gar. >> firefighters are working to put out this massive blaze which burned more than 50,000 acres near the california-oregon border as of last night and zero percent contained. california governor declared a state of emergency in the aftermath after the blaze grew to 80 square miles that, is the size of baltimore, force 2g,000 people to evacuate. crew has to shift the folk us from controlling the size of the blaze to protecting homes and critical infrastructure and now the fire has been so extreme it's formed a massive cloud referred to as a fire breathing dragon of clouds.

that is generating its own thunderstorm. now stopping this fire is going to be a massive undertaking for firefighters on the front lines who are dealing with triple digit temperatures. the u.s. forest service warning that conditions in the coming days could be extremely dangerous for firefighters as they brace for even worse conditions with possible thunderstorms and strong winds. >> all right. miguel, thank you very much. >> let's move to that flood and urgency in kentucky. it is worsen being this morning. the water rising even higher trapping people in their homes. >> we just got another update from the government in the last hour. two more people confirmed dead. that is 30 total now dead. the and that number is still expected to climb. behind me you can see that aftermath. that water line is taller than i am and i'm 6'1." and this is just some of the damage. the there are other areas that

were hit even worse. >> this morning a disastrous swath of destruction across eastern kentucky. after horrific floods ripped entire houses from the ground and swallowed neighborhoods. >> it's all gone. >> the devastation catastrophic. homes and roads crumbling, some houses literally swept away by surging waters. >> there are still people they can't find. we're lucky enough to be alive. >> and this morning the death toll is climbing. at least 30 people killed, even more likely dead. >> with the level of water, we're going to be finding bodies for weeks. >> reporter: among the lives tragically lost, four children, all siblings. 8-year-old madison, 6-year-old riley jr., 4-year-old nevaeh and 2-year-old chance, all killed according to a relative. as the water recedes, grim searches continue. but still signs of hope as rescuers search the area. one family of five i 83-year-old woman trapped in

their attic, according to the wolf county search and rescue team, lifted to safety by the kentucky national guard. governor andy beshear who visited the disaster zone sunday, doubling the national guard's boots on the ground. >> it is going to be really hard on each and every one of these families. >> reporter: saying the guard has already made over a thousand rescues by air. >> sometimes it takes that individual, soldier, airmen to get up in the backyard areas, knock on doors and maybe sure everybody is okay. >> reporter: now residents are salvaging what they can, some only left with memories. >> we lost four houses, couple of vehicles, all our farm equipment. >> reporter: now officials are concerned about excessive heat that they think will be moving into the area as some people still do not have power or water. as for those who have lost loved ones in this flooding, the governor says the state will be paying for every funeral. savannah? >> jesse, thank you very much. now let's move to that dangerous wildfire in

california, exploding in size over the weekend to become the largest blaze in the state so far this year. >> let's get a check of the forecast with al roker. >> we have a risk of flash flooding from cincinnati, knoxville, showers and storms firing up again. we've also got a risk of severe weather today, 10 million people, strong wind gusts, damaging hail. the good news is a low tornado risk. the biggest problem is more rain. we got a lot of moisture in this area. it remains in place. heavy rains and storms will continue during the day into the overnight period. tomorrow, scattered showers and thunderstorms especially in kentucky. the rain will continue down in the southeast as you can see. the heaviest rain will still continue to be in the mississippi river valley from indiana on into parts of bowling green. we're going to be watching that very closely. and out west, we have got into tuesday a red flag warning from spokane to alturis, great falls, all this dry, low humidity

levels. and for that massive fire, the mckinney wildfire, right now it is approaching 53,000 acres, 0% containment and the problem is going to be you look at the winds, and they're going to be throwing up lots of sparks, big problems, the threat for dry thunderstorms with abundant lightning, a big, big problem. so there could be more widespread wildfires starting again all generating from this system right here, guys. >> all right, al, we'll check back in. good to have you back. thank you so much. also this morning, house speaker nancy pelosi is kicking off a closely watched trip to asia. the big question is whether she will visit taiwan. that is a prospect that has rattled nerves in washington and beijing. we have got two reports. let's get started with nbc's senior washington correspondent hallie jackson. good morning. >> good morning. speaker pelosi is in asia now. she's traveling officially to singapore, malaysia, south korea, and japan. you'll notice that itinerary does not formally include

taiwan, but local media speculating she will visit. she's hinted she wants to go to show support. and if she does, this is a political minefield that in a very rare instance puts pelosi and some republicans on the same side against the white house. china has become very escalatory toward taiwan, china claims as its own, the u.s. acknowledges that but does not endorse it. president biden suggested he does not want speaker pelosi to visit, saying the military thinks it is not a good idea right now. if she does, she would be the first house speaker in taiwan in something like 25 years, savannah. >> the question is, obviously, president biden asked her not to go. we don't know if she will go. other issue is what kind of response that might prompt from china. >> right.

and nobody knows for sure, but the big concern is some kind of military escalation. this morning, you heard from chinese officials saying its military will not and i'm quoting here, sit idly by if pelosi does travel there. you have china on high alert against any perceived change in status toward taiwan. this is a huge flashpoint for u.s./china relations. but if pelosi does not visit, she could face criticism for not seeming strong enough against china, for in effect ceding to what beijing wants. that said, chinese president xi has his own domestic politics to worry about. important political conference later this month for him so while the pelosi visit to taiwan could be seen as really embarrassing to his regime giving the timing, beijing may be looking for perhaps less of an aggressive response to keep stability in the days before that big meeting >> we call that closely watched and now we know why. hallie, thank you very much. president biden is beginning the week in isolation, once again, after experiencing a rebound covid infection more than a week after his first positive test. nbc's kelly o'donnell joins us now from the white house with this hey, kelly good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. though covid positive, the white house says the president does not have any symptoms. and is not getting any new treatments so far this time. he is being monitored closely. he'll stay away from others in the residence, working from home this morning, back in isolation with a rebound case of covid it developed for president biden

on saturday. >> i'll be working from home for the next couple of days, and feeling fine >> reporter: during his first round of covid, the president had been treated with the antiviral medication paxlovid. health officials say a positive test can return after the medication is stopped. >> clinical data suggests that between 5 and 8% of people have rebound. >> reporter: in a memo, the president's physician said he had tested negative tuesday night through friday morning so this, in fact, represents rebound positivity, adding the president has experienced no re-emergence of symptoms then again on sunday, his doctor writes -- unsurprisingly, his antigen testing remained positive doctors say even with rebound risk, paxlovid makes a huge difference >> the drug is still working people with rebound don't go to the hospital, they don't die

>> reporter: this covid setback followed what had been a celebration of his first recovery last wednesday fist bumping with the vice president. but all that is back on hold, canceling planned travel and events the president was forced to facetime with veterans' families over the weekend. >> thank you for your heart. thank you for your soul. >> reporter: the white house says it did contact tracing and found six individuals who are close contacts to the president with this new instance of the covid rebound. none has tested positive the first lady has been staying in delaware, while the president has been dealing with covid, so she's not among those close contacts the president's doctor says he will follow cdc guidance and stay isolated as recommended hoda >> kelly o'donnell for us there at the white house

kelly, thank you. 12 minutes after the hour. look who's back. we missed you, craig. >> welcome back. >> oh, vacation was glorious good to be back, though. hoda, savannah, good morning good morning to you as well. tributes are pouring in this morning for bill russell, one of the most important figures in the history of american sports an icon for the boston celtics, he won an astonishing 11 championships during his career. he also became the first black head coach of any professional u.s. sports team but russell's greatest legacy may be inspiring generations on and off the court and among them nbc's anne thompson. i know you were a big bill russell fan. >> huge. like many children in boston, craig, i grew up cheering for bill russell as the celtics center, then player coach transistor radio hidden under my pillow it wasn't until i was an adult that i could appreciate what a force russell was in sports and society and all he endured that made him an american legend. >> the only really important thing was trying to win every game. >> reporter: heralded as the ultimate team player, bill russell dominated basketball >> look at russell come down what a play by russell >> reporter: russell won two national college championships and olympic gold before leading

the boston celtics to eight straight nba titles, and a total of 11 in 13 years. later becoming pro basketball's first black head coach but this morning he's also being remembered as a trail blazing activist, fighting for equality on and off the court president biden calling russell a great american and president obama, who awarded russell the presidential medal of freedom in 2011, tweeting we lost a giant, as tall as bill russell stood, his legacy rises far higher, both as a player and as a person. russell was one of the first

high profile athletes to take a stand for civil rights he marched with dr. king in the '60s, went to the south after civil rights leader medgar evers was assassinated, and supported muhammad ali's refusal to join the military during the vietnam war. despite helping the celtics win trophy after trophy, in the '60s he battled hostile racism in boston, his home broken into and defaced. but russell never backed down. and stayed politically active into his final years posting this photo in 2017 in solidarity with nfl players. >> every time i could do something, i see it as an opportunity. >> reporter: he received an nba lifetime achievement award in 2017 >> where do they find all these tall people? >> reporter: and inspired generations of nba stars, including michael jordan, jayson tatum, and magic johnson, who wrote, will forever remember his cackling laugh, sense of humor, and love for the game of

basketball bill russell was 88 years old. his family said he passed peacefully his wife at his side and my favorite bill russell statistic, he played in 21 winner take all games in the ncaas, the olympics and the nba, and he won all 21. that is a champion. >> they called him the greatest champion in all of team sports 12 finals. that is a champion >> he was the greatest champion of all team sports 13 seasons, 12 finals. >> 13 seasons, 11 championships. >> yes >> extraordinary. >> and it is so funny all the stats that everyone puts out for bill russell, but it sounds like what his biggest legacy may be was just his fight for civil rights. >> absolutely. unquestioned that's what he will always be remembered for >> trailblazer i love when he won the lifetime achievement and the nba players, they're all legends and they're looking at him like, wow, that tells you a lot. thank you, anne. al is back we're delighted to have you back too. did you guys go on vacation together

>> yes, we did. >> buddies. >> craig and i got matching tattoos. >> we'll show them to you next hour. >> you were going to say something about bill >> truly the greatest of all time people talk about greatest -- that man was the greatest of all time both on and off the court. as we take a look at what's going on right now, you see record highs in the pacific northwest. we're going to look at that coming up in the next half hour. still hot down through texas that wet weather through the gulf, severe storms and, of course, our friends in kentucky, we're all concerned about them, we're going to be watching that closely. scattered showers here in the northeast into the early afternoon. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds

good morning funding monday morning. showers move into parts of the bay area. off and on on moture comes in ae >> and that is your latest weather. guys >> does it feel good to be back? >> it does. >> i think this is the first time we have all been sitting here together in three weeks. >> it is vacation. >> it is summer. exactly, al, thank you so much. coming up, calling all passengers, the faa wants to

hear from you about the size of your airplane seats. sam, oh, my gosh, they better increase their bandwidth to get this >> yeah, this is not an easy task it is a tall task for me as we know but, savannah, look, in the last 40 or 50 years there has been a lot of changes in the flight experience mostly for the better. but the one common complaint among passengers is that their seat is getting too small. there is no minimum standard the faa is opening up a three-month period for people to weigh in it is not about comfort. we'll tell you why they're doing it coming up ahead on "today." >> sam is 6'5 ". also, we'll take you inside amazon's newest experiment, they're bringing shoppers to -- the mall experience from the comfort of your own couch. we'll explain how it all works and why the online giant believes it could help traditional stores survive traditional stores survive but,irst, this is "today" fon

floor and decor, my go-to to get it all. tile, wood, stone and laminate — they've got it. installation materials — yup. and all the tools i need — they've got those too. more importantly, they've got my back at floor and decor, whether you're looking for everyday low pricing on in-stock job-lot quantities and installation materials, or a powerful partner to help take your business

to the next level, we've got you covered. discover floor and decor today! non-gaming tribes have been left in the dust. wealthy tribes with big casinos make billions, while small tribes struggle in poverty. prop 27 is a game changer. 27 taxes and regulates online sports betting to fund permanent solution to homelessness. while helping every tribe in california. so who's attacking prop 27? wealthy casino tribes who want all the money for themselves support small tribes, address homelessness. vote yes on 27.

going to be our guide. you're taking us into the metaverse. >> just you wait i got the avatar treatment to experience the next phase of the internet, firsthand, it was golfing, dancing, even a trip to a whiskey distillery what exactly is the metaverse and how is it going to transform our online lives we'll show you after your local news ♪ check it out cala reduces ass it's a once-monthly add-on treatment for severe eosinophilic asthma. not for sudden breathing problems. allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for swelling of face, mouth, tongue, or trouble breathing. infections that can cause shingles have occured. don't stop steroids unless told by your doctor. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. may cause headache, injection site reactions, back pain, and fatigue. ask your asthma specialist about a nunormal with nucala. don't let inflation win! back pain, and fatigue. score big deals on the best active brands at kohl's. save 20% on nike shoes... 25% on the latest from champion and adidas... and 25% off under armour active gear... plus, get free store pickup...

more style. more savings. kohl's. (host) more and more cat parents are feeding tastefuls from blue buffalo because it's tasty and healthy. and now blue tastefuls comes in single serve portions. just snap it, peel it, pop it, chop it. pick up tastefuls singles and find out why one taste is all it takes. what's the #1 retinol brand pick up tastefuls singles used most by dermatologists? it's neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair® smooths the look of fine lines in 1-week, deep wrinkles in 4. so you can kiss wrinkles goodbye! neutrogena® 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. meet google pixel 6a a smarter phone for a smarter price powered by the google tensor chip so your camera can see in the dark with night sight fix your photos with magic eraser photograph all skin tones accurately with real tone and last up to 72 hours with extreme battery saver (♪ ♪) it's all you want in a phone. google pixel 6a switch it up, and get the all new google pixel 6a. (♪ ♪) (yogi) why is ice our yoga teacher? (buzz) it's probably the honey nut cheerios. he found out they can help lower cholesterol. now he's taking care of his heart in fun new ways. (ice t) you're a seed growing into a sturdy oak tree. can dove stop 98% of daily hair damage? sandra treats one lock of hair with dove. glowing areas represent hair damage. dove precisely repairs so there are almost no signs... of visible damage. dove intensive repair.

number one beauty brand not tested on animals. [acoustic soul music throughout] [acoustic soul music throughout] dove intensive repair. [acoustic soul music throughout] i would say that to me an important aspect is too... meta portal with smart sound. helps reduce your background noise. bring that sense of calm, really... so you come through, loud and clear. meta portal. the smart video calling device that makes work from home work for you. you're familiar with our hardware aisle, but did you know online the home depot has a sofa aisle? and a throw pillow aisle? we have endless aisles and free delivery so get your home, made with furniture and decor from homedepot.com with his citi custom cash℠ card, dan earns cash back that automatically adjusts to where his spending is trending. just ask stepping outside his comfort zone dan... okay, i don't- i don't know where the hole for this is. ...or fourth time streaming that period drama dan...

you just made me miss her best line, so now i'm going to have to start it again ...even insisted he didn't need directions dan. okay, i'm not lost. i'm exploring. that said, do you know where i am? earn 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle. with the citi custom cash℠ card. good morning. it is 7:26 am. here are today's top stories. new emergency declaration taking effect right now in san francisco. >> the city begins its public health emergency for monkeypox today. the city will distribute over 4200 vaccines. for monkeypox throughout clinics in san francisco. the clinic of san francisco general will reopen its doors

after being set down for a vaccine shortage. they will be open monday through friday from 8 am until noon or until vaccine supplies last. the latest on the mckinney fire burning during the oregon and california fire. as of now 52,000 acres have burned. making this the largest fire in california right now. it is not contained on any front. weather is a big factor in this firefight. the u.s. forest service is waiting for an all clear. >> let's get a look at the forecast. >> reporter: rain in parts of

the bay area. watching out for a chance of lightning. so far we have seen rain moving through parts of the bay area. a tropical system to the west and the monsoon moisture moving in. it feels humid and that's the reason why we have this moisture over the bay area that will continue for the next couple of days. couple of days. we are in every shelter pet deserves a second chance

and you're making it possible for thousands of them, every day. because every time you feed your pet hill's you help feed a shelter pet, which helps make them healthy and happy and more adoptable changing their life forever so they can change yours. ♪♪ science did that. large out-of-state corporations have set their sights on california. they've written prop 27, to allow online sports betting. they tell us it will fund programs for the homeless. but read prop 27's fine print. 90% of profits go to out-of-state corporations, leaving almost nothing for the homeless. no real jobs are created here. but the promise between our state and our sovereign tribes would be broken forever. these out-of-state corporations don't care about california. but we do. stand with us.

check it out it is 7:30 this is a live look at myrtle beach, south carolina. already on the beach this monday morning. by the way, if you check your calendar, you'll know what today is, the first day of august, 2022 slow down, summer. >> i know. >> slow down. >> don't be in a rush to go anywhere. >> is that the counting crows we're playing? >> funny you ask our control room producer just explained it to us it is on a record called "august and everything after."

today is august 1st. >> i like it. >> it is a good song. >> it is a great song. >> let's get to your headlines, this 7:30 monday morning the first ship carrying ukrainian grain left the port of odesa under a deal brokered by the united nations and turkey. more than a dozen ships have been blocked since the beginning of t sad news from hollywood this morning, award-winning actress and comedian pat carroll has died carroll was a tv mainstay for decades. she won an emmy in 1959 for her work on "caesar's hour" and years later a new generation would come to know her as the voice of ursula in "the little mermaid. she frequently called it one of her favorite roles pat carroll was 95 years old. and now to a rare feat in major league baseball. check this out, folks. it happened yesterday in the second inning of a game between the los angeles angels and the texas rangers. angels pitcher reid detmers

throwing what is known as an immaculate inning, when a pitcher gets three strikeouts on just nine pitches. >> oh, and he struck him out nine pitches >> detmers becoming the first pitcher in seven years to throw an immaculate inning and a no hitter in the same season. that no hitter came against -- the rays won that game 5-2. >> he looked very calm after doing that. >> he did. >> pretty cool guys, turning now to a brand-new call to action over an age old gripe. the size of your airplane seat >> that's right. the faa now starting a three-month period for passengers to weigh in after congress called on the agency to set a minimum standard and they called on them to do it years ago. >> 6'5" sam brock joins us fro miami international with the details. hey, stretch >> reporter: 6'5". flip it, 6'5", yes, i'm tall,

that's part of the story as well we have a situation now where the scrutiny over seats is not about comfort, it is about safety, and whether or not in 90 seconds you can get everybody off the plane, do you have enough maneuverability in seats, are the aisles wide enough the average seat is 17 inches wide this is your seat. in more cases it is more like 16 inches the pitch from the seat in front is shrinking as well, with one group saying more than 50% of passengers can not fit cleanly in an economy seat this morning, one of passengers' biggest complaints, the small size of airline seats, is landing in the nation's capital. the faa starting a fact finding mission from the public, to establish a minimum standard for seat size, a subject essentially unregulated since the '70s >> we have people getting bigger, and seats getting smaller and people are being squeezed and squeezed and squeezed. >> reporter: it is a topic they say the faa should have

considered in 2019 they have urged the feds to intervene. the seat size varies by airline, they crunch the numbers and found on average only about 1 out of 2 passengers can currently fit in an economy seat for men, their shoulder width is too wide, 87% of the time. for women, 24% have hips wider than the seat, or about 1 in 4 over time, the seat's width going from 18 inches decades ago to 17 or 16 inches today and the pitch or distance from a point on your seat to the same point on the seat in front of you going from 34 inches down to 31, sometimes dipping into the 20s. >> if we have a minimum seat standard, you will have a floor on what can be done. right now there is no floor. >> reporter: safety is the driving force behind this effort, with airlines needing to meet a 90 second standard to evacuate a plane in march, an faa report found the overall level of safety in

evacuations is very high nonetheless some areas for improvement remain this week, the faa hopes to start seeking comment from passengers about the minimum dimensions of passenger seats necessary for safety >> i want to see larger seats. >> reporter: jeff jenkins travels up to three weeks a month and says he knows the feeling of flying economy as a plus-sized passenger >> there is a sense of just anxiety getting on the plane i'm uncomfortable now knowing that i'm going to make somebody else feel uncomfortable. >> reporter: the group representing major airlines tells nbc news they're investing in technologies that look to maximize space and comfort, but that safety is their number one priority and they support the faa and whatever it deems to be safe seat dimension. guys >> yeah, we have a feeling we know how most people will vote when it comes to is your seat too small. if you want to get the most bang for your buck right now, sam, how do you do that >> reporter: hoda, it is a good question what we found from many low cost carriers is that their middle seats are actually their widest,

that is based on passenger feedback for those people who are a little bit larger or taller, yes, that is true. in my case, your best bet is to really invest in exit row seats or premium seats and my wife, my life partner, will not sit next to me on an airplane she's got to be in the aisle seat across from me because my knees are all up in her space and that just cannot be the case. >> oh, my gosh. >> you're not even man spreading, that's your natural position >> reporter: no. confined >> sam, thank you. >> who is going to buy the middle seat? >> as sam says, it might be -- >> maybe this way. >> i don't know. >> maybe you have your two travel partners. i'll take the middle i love the middle seat it is roomy. >> okay, here. >> i get to hold everyone's hands. >> you're riding middle, girl. when we come back, she lived long and she prospered we're going to remember the

remarkable life of a groundbreaking "star trek" star and real life nasa recruiter, nichelle nichols. first, remember the days of hanging out at the mall. sure you do. blayne is about to show us something new from amazon that is going to give you all the '80s and '90s feels, right >> you're absolutely right who among us doesn't have fond memories of walking through the mall, whether you're thinking about back to school shopping, holiday shopping, maybe a few first dates back in high school. we all love that experience. but we also love convenience, and instant delivery this morning we're taking an exclusive look at a new amazon pilot that is combining the two. we've got that coming up

perfect! ♪ ♪ this is just the beginning. you talk, i finish... that's the rule! he has figured out a way to be invisible. we need to nail this guy, harry. but we do it my way this time. ♪ ♪ family meeting! ♪♪ we have big news. kellogg's cinnamon roll frosted mini wheats. bakery fresh cinnamon roll flavor in every bite. you're going to love em. think dad's searching doggy diet plans for josie? no, he's switching his choice cash back category to home improvement, so he earns more on a new doggy door. extra large. with the bank of america customized cash rewards card, you just can't stop getting rewarded. with the bank of america customized cash rewards card, think of us as grandma's coffee? heck yeah, we are. and 35 million more with equally, excellent taste. ♪ livin' in the past it's a new generation ♪ allow us to reintroduce ourselves, folgers.

the thing that's different about a vrbo vacation home. you always have the whole place to yourself. just you and your people. ♪ ♪ (dad) we have to tell everyone that we just switched to verizon's new just you and your people. welcome unlimited plan, for just $30. (daughter) i've already told everyone! (nurse) wait... did you say verizon for just $30? (mom) it's their best unlimited price ever. (cool guy) $30...that's awesome. (dad) yeah, and it's from the most reliable 5g network in america. (woman) for $30 a line, i'm switching now. (mom) yeah, it's easy and you get $960 when you switch the whole family. (geek) wow... i've got to let my buddies know. (geek friend) we're already here! (vo) the network you want. the price you love. only from verizon.

don't let inflation win! score big deals on the best active brands at kohl's. save 20% on nike shoes... 25% on the latest from champion and adidas... and 25% off under armour active gear... plus, get free store pickup... more style. more savings. kohl's. finding my way forward with node-positive breast cancer felt overwhelming at times. but i never just found my way, i made it. i kept moving forward and did everything i could to protect myself from recurrence. verzenio is the first treatment in over 15 years to reduce the risk of recurrence for adults with hr-positive, her2-negative, node-positive, early breast cancer with a high chance of returning, as determined by your doctor when added to hormone therapy. hormone therapy works outside the cell while verzenio works inside to help stop the growth of cancer cells. diarrhea is common, may be severe, or cause dehydration or infection. at the first sign, call your doctor, start an antidiarrheal, and drink fluids.

before taking verzenio, tell your doctor about any fever, chills, or other signs of infection. verzenio may cause low white blood cell counts, which may cause serious infection that can lead to death. life-threatening lung inflammation can occur. tell your doctor about any new or worsening trouble breathing, cough, or chest pain. serious liver problems can happen. symptoms include fatigue, appetite loss, stomach pain, and bleeding or bruising. blood clots that can lead to death have occurred. tell your doctor if you have pain or swelling in your arms or legs, shortness of breath, chest pain, and rapid breathing or heart rate, or if you are nursing, pregnant, or plan to be. i'm making my way forward, my way with verzenio. ask your doctor about everyday verzenio. we're back now we're back now 7:41 with "consumer confidential," our ongoing look at the stories that impact your bottom line. >> all right this morning, guys, amazon's back in the news this time trying to help you get your mall favorites, delivering that shopping experience right to your door >> nbc's blayne alexander spent

a lot of time in the mall as a child. she joins us now with how amazon plans to do it good morning, blayne. >> reporter: good morning, guys. craig, indeed i did spend a lot of time walking through the malls. there is something special about in addition to the memories, the nostalgia, there is something about coming inside, browsing through merchandise, trying things on, getting a feel of the clothes that you're buying but as more people are going from this to this, this morning we're getting an exclusive new look at an amazon pilot program that is bringing the two together it is a familiar staple with a whiff of nostalgia, a weekend trip to the mall but now with more people choosing to go from storefront to cell phone, amazon is hoping to bring that mall magic right to your front door >> we're always hearing from customers that they want that instant gratification, they want more products, they want them faster. >> reporter: amazon is partnering with malls in more than a dozen cities including chicago, dallas, d.c., las

vegas, and atlanta right now, four stores with more to come. here's how it works. shoppers can go to amazon and use the app to browse a store in their local mall sifting through that store's inventory, right down to the size, all from a cell phone. an amazon driver picks up the order and delivers it the same day, complete with mall packaging. >> we get stuff on trend, stuff that may be in store but not quite online yet. >> reporter: amazon has long faced criticism for its reach, with some saying the retail giant is a threat to brick and mortar stores. but amazon says this new program will help those stores grow. minnie ruiz for pac sun, one of the pilot stores in the program, she says more options are always welcome. >> we think this is additive if one day you want to shop on amazon and get your product online, you can, but you can go into the mall too. >> reporter: overall retail sales are expected to grow between 6% and 8% in 2022.

hitting nearly 5 trillion dollars despite inflation. the fastest growth, online retail, projected to jump as much as 13% this year. >> i think one of the key things that influences shopping behavior is technology >> reporter: how crucial is it for you guys to continue to evolve, to keep up with that technology >> we think it is the key to our success, so that is something that we know we have to do is to keep changing to be where the customers are at, have them tell us how they want to shop. >> it is an opportunity for customers who aren't coming to discover a selection that they wouldn't otherwise have seen and get excited and re-engage with the brand and shop more. >> okay, so, blayne, two questions. fascinating concept. but how much will it cost? and when do they expect to roll it out nationwide? >> reporter: fantastic questions, craig first, this is for amazon prime members. it is going to be free if you order $25 or more, $2.99 fee for same day delivery if you order

below that as for rollout, they're going to be adding stores, adding cities, adding malls in the coming months a couple of new stores are going to be coming on not too long from now many people, of course, are going to be watching this closely to see what does this mean for those stores. but amazon says this will only introduce these mall staples to a whole new generation of shoppers >> okay. blayne alexander for us there. blayne, thank you. >> then you don't get the mall experience you used to spray your bangs, and then get an orange julius and corn dog. >> oh, gosh. speaking of shopping, in the wake of last week's decision to raise interest rates, some simple hacks to help you save where you can and the one thing you should ask your credit card company and it can make a big difference on your monthly bill. all right, 7:45, mr. roker is back in the saddle. >> yes, ma'am. let's show you what we have got, we're talking heat unfortunately.

we are talking about 21 million people from the pacific northwest into the midwest under heat advisories, heat warnings, jet stream way up to the north and that's building the heat helena, montana, triple digits today. grand isle, 95 rapid city, flirting with 100 degrees. it is going to feel like 100 degrees in minneapolis, 106 in omaha. that moves east later this week. by thursday, here in new york city, 97 degrees 92 in raleigh. upper 80s through cincinnati, 90s in chicago 90 in memphis. and next week, we don't get much of a break warmer than average temperatures throughout much of the country up to the central and northern plains, much warmer than average. and the august outlook, look at this, a big swath of temperatures that are better than average, though a little

chillier, cooler i should say, through the pacific northwest -- i should say through the southw >> of monday morning. i'm meteorologist cary hall. scattered showers and really high humidity this morning. and that's your latest weather. >> al, we saved this one for you. we're celebrating an icon's birthday george jetson. >> jane, jane, stop this crazy thing! >> coming up, right after this ♪ meet george jetson his boy

wi. my a1c wasn't at goal, now i'm down with rybelsus®. mom's a1c is down with rybelsus®. (♪ ♪) in a clinical study, once-daily rybelsus® significantly lowered a1c better than a leading branded pill. rybelsus® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't take rybelsus® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop rybelsus® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking rybelsus® with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. need to get your a1c down? (♪ ♪) ask your healthcare provider about rybelsus® today. ♪ it's time.

sun's out fun's out. woohoo! with the disney bundle. cosmic. the hottest blockbusters. you earned a lollipop. the brightest stars. we're going to change the world! the biggest battles. pretend i'm tom brady. stream all summer long. just be cool. who's cooler than me? everyone. mhm. get the disney bundle only $13.99 a month. ♪ (vo) the flavor of cinnamon rolls, now in a cereal. try new cinnamon toast crunch rolls. 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. life... doesn't stop for diabetes. be ready for every moment, with glucerna. it's the number one doctor recommended brand that is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. live every moment. glucerna. (host) you want healthy ingredients. your cat is all about the flavor. tastefuls has it all. (samara) i need it to be healthy. but if it doesn't taste good, she's not going to eat it. (veronica) i've unfortunately had to sacrifice quality. (samara) oh, she's walking to it. (veronica) you like it? i'm impressed. (samara) this is really healthy. (veronica) that's what i want for gracie. i'll be feeding her tastefuls. (host) and now blue tastefuls comes in single-serve portions. just snap it, peel it, pop it, chop it! pick up tastefuls singles, and find out why one taste is all it takes.

elroy ♪ ♪ daughter judy jane his wife ♪ i mean, we should skip the rest of the whole show to this. >> and to this >> because al has a staggering amount of jetsons knowledge, but we all know, we loved that cartoon, iconic. the reason we're talking about it, yesterday was a special day for the family of the future, can you explain? >> here's the deal fans online pointed out that george was technically born yesterday. here's why when the show first aired, it

was set in 2062. in first season, george revealed he was 40 years old. so if you do the math, this year would be his first year. there are some things they got right. a flat screen tv. >> that's true. >> zoom. >> robotic vacuums. >> robotic vacuums we didn't have rosie, the made, the robot maid, still don't have the flying cars. still don't have the flying cars the interesting thing is that believe it or not there was only 24 episodes produced, original episodes, when it first aired on abc. in 1985, they made more to add it to syndication. it was up against some big shows on the other networks and it only lasted one season. >> so cult classic. >> saturday mornings and added some more. >> give us some more >> okay, what's astro, the dog's, real name >> rastro? >> no.

tralpaz, he was a rescue, he was found, he was lost, the rich lady came and he was named tralpaz. >> this is like the jetsons wiki any jetsons questions, al knows. straight ahead, what if you could play sports, go shopping, even hit up a club without leaving your house i've got an avatar, i went to the metaverse, i'll show you what it was like >> like the real craig, you can't dance. >> oh! which has led the forester to even be able to detect danger and stop itself. the subaru forester has earned the i-i-h-s top safety pick plus, nine times. more than honda cr-v and toyota rav4, combined. love. it's what makes subaru, subaru. migraine attacks? you can't always avoid triggers like stress. qulipta™ can help prevent migraine attacks...

you can't prevent what's going on outside, that's why qulipta™ helps what's going on inside. qulipta™ is a pill. gets right to work to prevent migraine attacks and keeps them away over time. qulipta™ blocks cgrp—a protein believed to be a cause of migraine attacks. qulipta™ is a preventive treatment for episodic migraine. most common side effects are nausea, constipation, and tiredness. learn how abbvie could help you save on qulipta™. don't let inflation win! are nausea, constipation, score big deals on the best active brands at kohl's. save 20% on nike shoes... 25% on the latest from champion and adidas... and 25% off under armour active gear... plus, get free store pickup... more style. more savings. kohl's. is dad posting a farewell to his favorite college freshman? nope, he's switching his choice cash back category to gas. the road to college can be emotional. but also... rewarding. [ding] with the bank of america customized cash rewards card, you just can't stop getting rewarded. so we need something super distinctive... dad's work, meet daughter's playtime. thankfully, meta portal auto pans and zooms

to keep you in frame. and the meeting on track. meta portal. the smart video calling device that makes work from home work for you. do you struggle with occasional nerve aches the in your hands or feet?vice try nervivenerve relief from the world's #1 selling nerve care company. nervive contains alpha lipoic acid to relieve occasional nerve aches, weakness and discomfort. try nervivenerve relief. how did kellogg's combine crunchy oat clusters with a touch of honey... plump, juicy raisins and tasty fiber into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it? kellogg's raisin bran crunch. two scoops of delicious. meet google pixel 6a get it? a smarter phone for a smarter price powered by the google tensor chip so your camera can see in the dark with night sight fix your photos with magic eraser photograph all skin tones accurately with real tone and last up to 72 hours with extreme battery saver (♪ ♪)

it's all you want in a phone. google pixel 6a switch it up, and get the all new google pixel 6a. here is a look at what is happening now. the latest on the mckinney fire burning near the california oregon border. two people died. they were found in a vehicle in the driveway. it has not been contained on any front. weather is a big factor in the firefight. the winds are a problem. the forest service is waiting for a conversion to clear so they can put more aircraft up over the fire fighting again.

>> let's talk about the weather in the lightning. >> we are seeing rain which is great news. even though this will not help out with the drought. we don't want lightning strikes but that will be the possibility as we go into today with scattered showers that move through. rain chances continue into late morning as well as the afternoon. e wave moves to ththe

e wave moves to ththe for years, california's non-gaming tribes have been left in the dust. wealthy tribes with big casinos make billions, while small tribes struggle in poverty. prop 27 is a game changer. 27 taxes and regulates online sports betting to fund permanent solution to homelessness. while helping every tribe in california. so who's attacking prop 27? wealthy casino tribes who want all the money for themselves support small tribes, address homelessness. vote yes on 27.

it's 8:00 on "today. it's 8:00 on "today" coming up, extreme weather catastrophic damage and flood-ravaged kentucky hit with more rain overnight as rescuers search for survivors and the death toll climbs. >> with the level of water, we're going to be finding bodies for weeks. out west, firefighters in california battling the state's biggest wildfire this year 0% contained this morning. al has the full forecast. then, trail blazing trek ♪ the skies are green and

glowing ♪ >> a look back at nichelle nichols' amazing life and legacy plus, going meta >> it is the next phase of how to experience the internet. >> we transport you to the internet's next frontier, the metaverse. so what is it? and where does it go from here we'll take you inside. and queen b. beyonce's new album "renaissance" shattering a new record in one day. the news that has the fans and the music world buzzing, today, august 1st, 2022 from eau claire, wisconsin. >> from branford, kentucky. >> for my dad's birthday. >> hello, indiana! >> from st. louis, for our 31st anniversary. >> sisters from texas. >> hi to my mom watching in concordia, kansas. >> love you, grandma >> i grew up watching the

"today" show. >> "today" -- >> i turn 60 >> good morning, everybody thank you for being with us. it is monday morning, august 1st. >> wow that's right. >> new month smell. >> i like it >> let's get right to your news. it is 8:00 eastern kentucky under new flood watches this morning as the rain keeps falling and search teams find more victims unfortunately. nbc's jesse kirsch joins us with the latest on the growing disaster jesse, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. some hopeful news just came in moments ago, all flood alerts in kentucky expired that's not to say they didn't get hit with a lot of water. that water line on that building is taller than i am. and i am 6'1". in other areas, devastated even more we saw a home that was literally picked up and swept away by the floodwaters, hundreds of yards from its foundation.

the couple that lives there told us they had to escape by the husband carrying his pregnant wife through the floodwaters and then they climbed up the hillside that is how they survived. other people have lost their lives. so if you can believe it, they are the lucky ones right now the official death count is at 28 people killed however, we do expect that number to keep going up as the waters recede and now there is a concern about excessive heat moving to the area, with people still in the dark and without water. savannah >> so much suffering there, jesse, thank you very much. meantime in northern california, the state's largest wildfire this year is burning out of control the so-called mckinney fire started friday afternoon near the oregon border. it quickly grew to 80 square miles. officials fear that dry lightning and high winds today could make things even worse at least 100 homes and other buildings have been destroyed and about 2500 people were ordered to evacuate. and now to the search for that lucky mega millions winner

who beat the odds and won friday night's massive jackpot. the lone winning ticket, worth a staggering $1.34 billion, nbc's kerry sanders obviously did not win because he's at that store in suburban chicago, where it was sold kerry, good to see you have we found this person? >> reporter: we have not found him, and the big question is who, who won this astronomical amount of money. yes, the ticket was sold here at the speedway gas station, and once again, if you haven't looked at your ticket closely, these are the winning numbers. it is 13, 36, 45, 57, 67, and megaball of 14 it is a billion dollar mystery that has the chicago suburb of des plaines, illinois, dazed >> i wish it was me. >> reporter: confused. >> they haven't had a huge winner in a long time. >> reporter: and still feeling lucky. >> my friends and i are do we

know the person, maybe we're a long lost cousin of them or something. >> see if i can make you a billionaire tonight. >> reporter: the massive $1.3 billion jackpot is the second largest in the 20-year history of the game. the winner has 12 months from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. but only 60 days from the drawing to choose between the cash option or annual payments most winners opt for the cash option, which from friday night's drawing is an estimated $780 million so far no one's come forward to publicly claim their prize >> we don't know whether or not they even know they won a prize. i encourage everybody to check your ticket. >> reporter: lottery officials say winners taking their time to privately come forward is not unusual for a state that gives them the option to remain anonymous. the speedway gas station that sold the winning ticket, they get $500,000 many locals now regretting they

didn't stop in >> i actually didn't buy one here for some reason i'm regretting it. i'm regretting it. >> reporter: others optimistic, but lady luck may perhaps strike des plaines twice. >> i'm going to keep playing i got my mega millions for the next drawing >> reporter: now, if you guessed that the winner is probably from illinois, take this into account. we are really close at this gas station to o'hare international airport, which means somebody might have been coming by with a rental car to fill up and drop it off before they flew out. so, again, we don't know who the winner is, and if you're wondering, wait a second, how are you holding a ticket with the winning numbers. craig, you weren't looking closely. the date is for tomorrow's pool. >> you got me. well played, kerry thank you, kerry kerry sanders in illinois. in hollywood and far beyond,

fans are paying tribute to nichelle nichols who played lieutenant uhura on "star trek." joe fryer has more on her life and a pretty special legacy, joe. good morning. >> good morning. nichelle nichols was a true trailblazer, one of the first black women to have a leading role in a tv series and later worked with nasa to recruit women and people of color. president biden late sunday wrote nichols redefined what is possible for black americans and women. ♪ green and glowing ♪ >> reporter: a ground breaking actress and activist, nichelle nichols broke barriers playing nyota uhura in the original "star trek" series, as one of the black female leads on television. >> there is still no outside contact. >> reporter: but nichols considered leaving the show until a powerful encounter with dr. martin luther king jr., "star trek" fan himself. >> he said you can't do that he said don't you understand that for the first time we are seen as we should be seen. you don't have a black role. you have an equal role

>> reporter: one of the most iconic moments, sharing what's widely believed to be the first interracial kiss on tv with white co-star william shatner, her tv and movie career ultimately spanned decades, including half a dozen "star trek" movies. >> can you handle that >> i'll have him eating out of my hand, sir. >> reporter: and the star on the hollywood walk of fame her fellow trekkies are remembering her. william shatner wrote, she played an admirable character that she did so much for redefining social issues george takei called her trail blazing and adam nimoy wrote -- >> i said if they let me in the door, i will open it so wide they will see the world. >> reporter: nichols also became

a passionate recruiter for nasa, helping to inspire some of the first people of color to join the space program. nasa tweeted, she symbolized to so many what was possible, and inspired generations to reach for the stars. dr. may jemison tweeted overnight, calling nichols the embodiment of grace, daring, intelligence, fun, inspiration, beauty, talent and the future. that sums her up. >> well said the resident trekkie she'll really be missed. we loved her thank you, joe. that's the news, guys. how about a boost? >> yes. >> you know you're living the good life when you lay down outside of a luxury hotel in midtown manhattan and you're treated to a belly rub that's what loki does every afternoon during her walk. during the recent heat wave, the

staff noticed loki was looking hot and tired, so she invited her inside for the puppy spa treatment. sit in the hotel, relax with the robe, comfy bed all to herself and the extra belly rubs were included >> wow >> sweet >> i love that >> that's not a cheap room either. >> no. coming up next, maybe you heard people talking about the metaverse and you're, like, what >> what is that? >> craig knows you boldly went where no one has gone before. >> that's true we're going to look at the new frontier of the internet, a growing online world where people are meeting, socializing, even buying real estate for, like, real money my firsthand experience and the conversations that all families should be having about life inside the metaverse. all right, wait until you see j. lo's first big performance since her wedding day. we'll have that and more on "popstart. first, these messages. this is the only rotating i care about.

... or activate anything to earn. your cash back automatically adjusts for you. can i get a cucumber water? earn 5% cash back that automatically adjusts to your top eligible spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle with the citi custom cash℠ card. i love it... [voice vibrating] you're familiar with our hardware aisle, but did you know online the home depot has a sofa aisle? and a throw pillow aisle? we have endless aisles and free delivery so get your home, made with furniture and decor from homedepot.com age is just a number. and mine's unlisted. try boost® high protein with 20 grams of protein for muscle health. versus 16 grams in ensure high protein. boost® high protein also has key nutrients for immune support. boost® high protein.

(host) more and more cat parents are feeding tastefuls from blue buffalo because it's tasty and healthy. and now blue tastefuls comes in single serve portions. just snap it, peel it, pop it, chop it. pick up tastefuls singles and find out why one taste is all it takes. hey, got you a drink. thanks! ♪ ♪ it's right around the corner. do you see that? hiiiii! that's what's so good about it! ok, you can look. i like it. ahhh! (laughter) what are you doing tomorrow? (laughter) (yogi) why is ice our yoga teacher? (buzz) it's probably the honey nut cheerios. he found out they can help lower cholesterol. now he's taking care of his heart in fun new ways. (ice t) you're a seed growing into a sturdy oak tree.

open talenti and raise the jar. to gelato made from scratch. raise the jar to all five layers. raise the jar to the best gelato... you've ever tasted. talenti. raise the jar. so i said, "yeah you're saving hundreds with the home and auto bundle from progressive, but there's no saving that casserole!" [ both laugh ] i just love that word "bundle." it's so fun. two things coming together like a force of nature, like it was really meant to be, y'know? yes, yes, i do. and i'm so glad you wanna save money. rodney, set up a bundle for jon hamm. mm! of course! jon, is it still cool if i catch a ride home with you? i never said it was. but technically you didn't say it wasn't. it's not. yet. (rebecca) this can't be real. that's what i thought too when the doctors told me that i had to have my toes removed. because i smoked. but here's a tip for you. it's real. (announcer) you can quit. for free help,

call 1-800-quit now. thank you for taking care of lorenzo. for free help, (♪ ♪) (grunts) for a noticeably smooth shave. dollar shave club. don't let inflation win! score big deals on the best active brands at kohl's. save 20% on nike shoes... 25% on the latest from champion and adidas... and 25% off under armour active gear... plus, get free store pickup...

more style. more savings. kohl's. from prom dresses to workouts and new adventures you hope the more you give the less they'll miss. but even if your teen was vaccinated against meningitis in the past they may be missing vaccination for meningitis b. although uncommon, up to 1 in 5 survivors of meningitis will have long term consequences. all the vaccines your teen might need make sure you ask your doctor if your teen is missing meningitis b vaccination. we're back 8:15 we're kicking off a special series across the platforms of nbc news inside the metaverse. >> what is the metaverse, you ask? the next phase of the internet where avatars are used to hold meetings, to shop, socialize, and, craig, you did it, you hung

out in the metaverse how was it you came back, you lived to tell. >> i lived to tell that's my avatar that's my -- that's snoop dogg celebrities like snoop dogg buy real estate in the metaverse, there is a best metaverse category at the mtv music awards it may sound like something out of a sci-fi film, but, folks, this is the future the metaverse, the next frontier of the internet. from virtual weddings to church service. >> focus your mind >> justin bieber gave a concert. jay-z, lady gaga, bella hadid, all embracing the virtual trend. roshor shock works at facebook in the simplest of terms, explain what the metaverse is. >> it is the next phase of how we experience the internet the main difference between today and that metaverse experience is this feeling of being together with someone.

>> reporter: using virtual reality, you can hold a business meeting or hang out with friends from anywhere in the world, and it feels like you're in the same room put it on like this? >> like that >> i experienced the evolution first hand when we moved the interview from the screens to our avatars. oh testing one of metaverse's reality experiences, horizon world, a unique online space you can access using their $300 headset. >> put your hands up >> what? what i love that. >> only upper body exists for meta avatars in the early stages the audio is so real

it is like we are just a few feet from each other >> yeah, and it is all spatial >> that's pretty cool. >> we played a game meta created called paddle golf >> pretty good, craig. pretty good. >> in the hole >> show off! >> in the hole >> oh, baby! >> why do we need yet another escape from reality? >> i don't think anything we're building places in person kind of physical connection but, we do spend a lot of our time in digital experiences. and we want to make those digital experiences better, more immersive. >> just like the internet, anyone can enter the metaverse, so it is difficult to police it does sound like sort of the wild west to a certain extent. for parents who are thinking, oh, my goodness, here's one more thing i'm going to have to protect my child from -- >> just like anything else, it is about having a conversation

with your kids, putting in the right controls we can't ignore the fact that technology is evolving >> you can also experience metaverse simply using a computer, no headset needed. this one is from a different website called decentraland, a web-based metaverse with 3,000 monthly users that is also free. what does it offer >> meet friends, you can buy land, sell wearables or virtual clothes, there are a lot of parties and events people throw, so i think it is really a multipurpose world >> while skeptics ask why do we need to live as avatars, buyingr will transform how we work, shop and socialize. gigi introduced the first fashion week in the metaverse. she took me on a tour of the virtual world that lets you type and teleport into different locations. >> you look great, by the way. >> i like your pink suit

this actually looks sort of like me, i'm going to dance for you it is my happy dance >> this is the luxury fashion district so why don't you walk around so i can show you a little bit of the stores >> next up, a jazz club. >> i did not know you had all those moves. >> is that the funky chicken i'm doing? okay i love it. i love it. you have a whiskey distillery? >> we do have a whiskey distillery. >> you've been holding out oh, this is cool. >> here we can walk around and actually see the distillery from inside >> i enjoy your virtual distillery not so much your virtual bourbon. so cheers, gigi. >> cheers to that. >> here's the thing, is it for us i don't know but there are hundreds of thousands of people who already live in the metaverse, exist in the metaverse, who are buying things

>> that fascinates me too. you're purchasing -- you're buying clothes and shoes for your avatar with real money. >> yeah. now, i will say, they made this point as well, if you notice one of the folks in the concert there, they were wearing prosthetic legs, if you're someone who has mobility issues, or if you're someone who is a shut-in perhaps, this is a way to experience the world, you know you can see lots of different things by the way, i like to bring gifts. we made some custom avatars of all of you thanks to decentraland there's savannah >> oh. >> savannah. just standing. >> there's roker waving. you can create your own avatar it takes a few minutes, by the way. on the red carpet. >> i don't know. >> i don't know. >> i like irl, in real life. >> irl, all the way. >> you know what they're going to be doing, by the way, 30 years from now, playing this clip.

>> that's fine we're done >> what is the internet? what is that >> we didn't get it. yeah. >> tomorrow, guys, we're going to have more vicky nguyen will take a closer look at something craig touched on people spending real money inside the metaverse so, what do they get out of it and what do parents who have kids going out need to know? we'll have that part of the story, important part tomorrow. okay mr. roker, the weather. >> here's weather for the real world. >> yes >> irl, not in the metaverse, it is all real. let's show you what we got for today. we're looking at some severe storms unfortunately still continuing for our friends in kentucky, hopefully not too bad. monsoonal moisture in the south, flash floods there record highs in the pacific northwest. high texas to the central plains hit or miss scattered showers s northeast. that's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we've been watching hit or miss showers moving through the

bay area and look at our temperatures for today. we will reach into the upper 60s along the coastline and in san francisco with san mateo reaching 73. heyward reaching 77 and 89 in concord. san jose will reach a high of 80 degrees and some low 80s for the north bay as we go through >> tharth bay as we go through >> that's your latest weather. best time of the morning >> what time is it >> time for "popstart. >> first up, we're talking about beyonce. it only has been a few days since the release of her seventh studio album and queen bee is topping the charts "break my soul" still leading the way. "renaissance" has become the platform's most streamed album in a single day by a female artist this year safe to say the beehive is buzzing and boogying

fans here in new york celebrated the 28-time grammy winner with the largest official album listing party, taking over times square the event was dubbed club renaissance. keep the party going here in club 1a. >> yeah. >> here is my thing. i'm obsessed with her translucent horse, my office was filled with these this morning. >> amazing. >> this is my -- >> can't get that on the metaverse. i like it. >> next up, legacy we have a special popstart sneak peek at hulu's docu-series about the l.a. lakers. it features interviews with magic johnson, shaquille o'neal, lebron james and many more from the iconic nba franchise here is a sneak peek >> you know what happened on the court, not what happened behind the scenes >> once you get kobe on the team, all hell broke loose. >> kobe made the choice to go it alone. >> relax i'm still in charge.

>> i am that killer snake. >> breaking news from the nba -- >> nba superstar kobe bryant has passed away this morning >> i want to continue his legacy because that's what kobe bryant would want >> i knew after that moment we were going to the championship i knew we were >> wow legacy starts streaming august 15th on hulu everybody is going to be watching that. >> they got everybody to talk too. >> jennifer lopez, over the weekend, the newly married music superstar returned to the stage with a special disco performance. j. lo rocked sparkly bell bottoms and '70s classics sung for a good cause her saturday set was part of unicef's charity gala in capri, italy. it marked her first on stage performance since her wedding to ben affleck. take a look. ♪ ♪ i will survive ♪ ♪ i got all my love to give ♪

♪ i will survive i will survive ♪ >> yeah. if you thought that was nice, check this out the artist was doing cartwheels. we're all going to do cartwheels now. >> she's reall good morning to you. i'm. two people accused of a baby in san jose. the couple pleaded not guilty last month to the charges of kidnapping of the three month old. prosecutors say they plotted in tried to kidnap the baby three

times. the finally pulled it off. authorities quickly found that baby and returned it to its mother within 48 hours. a judge will decide if there's enough evidence to go to trial. lets check in with meteorologist kari hall. we're seeing spotty rain across the bay area. we will see if we get lightning. so far it's been quiet. we are getting spotty rain driving to work. moving through the bay area especially the peninsula right now. as far as temperatures today, we are headed for the upper 60s. it will feel like he with cloudy skies and on and off rain. temperatures had 480 in fremont and a high of 80 in concord and 80 in napa. going through the next few days, still muggy tomorrow with highs in the mid 80s as the humidity drops by the end of the week those temperatures go up so we will head for 90 degrees on thursday. we will have local news update coming up in half an

♪ (vo) the subaru crosstrek. dog tested. dog approved.

♪ ♪ well well well, what have we here? a magical place... that's lookin' to get scared! with bats... and ghouls ... and cars in disguise. (laugh) i've cast quite a spell now... you won't believe your eyes! (laughter) the spell is cast. halloween time is back with spook-tacular experiences in disneyland and disney california adventure parks! (laughter)

♪ hey, it's monday ♪ hey, it's monday 8:30 if you're looking at your calendar, you got it right it is the first day of august, 2022

we have stepped outside. we want to give our beautiful crowd some camera time, got a lot of birthdays, a lot of celebrations. >> yes guys, coming up, still summer, august 1st feels so good but ready or not, they're telling us we have to book our fall and winter vacations. i bet you already have. >> i booked one of them. >> mark ellwood is here with great deals to get they're popular spots but you got to score them right now. he'll tell us where and how to do it. >> and adrianna brach with the coolest kitchen gadgets, an ice maker for all of your entertaining needs. >> very cool also, i got to tell you, i'm very proud of our "start today" walking club we're going to level it up we're going to learn some full body strength exercises to round out your training. we have almost 75,000 people >> what? >> in our facebook group. >> so good. >> you were on vacation, still walking, though. >> got to get it done. >> of course he was. >> coming up in the third hour of "today," our "consumer confidential" with the big ticket items you want to buy

this month, and also the things that you don't want to buy in august as well and we're going to show you on how to save on the back to school shopping. >> back to school. >> the most wonderful time of the year anyway -- >> what you got, mr. roker. >> we look ahead to the week, coming up, we start off with today and it is going to be raining unfortunately for our friends in kentucky. more record highs out west as we get to the midweek period, hot and humid in the mid-mississippi and ohio river valleys. gulf storms continuing we're looking not as hot out west, which is good news sunshine, but very toasty in the northeast. by the end of the week, strong storms moving into the northeast. new england and the upper ohio good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. nice to see some rain moving through the bay area.

we've been watching for a chance of lightning. so far we haven't seen much activity. there will be that chanced toward late morning into the early afternoon. it feels delete muggy outside as a monsoon moisture along with a tropical system move through. temperatures will reach into the mid-70s for the and that's your latest weather. >> fancy running into you here all right, guys, coming up next, now is the time. we're going to help you book your winter vacations. we have to get our winter vacations. let's do it, from ski trips to fun in the sun, the destinations and deals you should be jumping and deals you should be jumping on right now

♪♪♪ my name is austin james. as a musician living with diabetes, fingersticks can be a real challenge. that's why i use the freestyle libre 2 system. with a painless, one-second scan i know my glucose numbers without fingersticks. now i'm managing my diabetes better and i've lowered my a1c from 8.2 to 6.7. take the mystery out of managing your diabetes and lower your a1c. now you know. try it for free at freestylelibre.us

welcome back well, holiday travel may be the last thing on your mind when it is still hot out if you want to lock in the best deals, we're told you got to make the reservations now. mark ellwood is here with tips and deals on destinations the whole family is going to love. hi, mark, good morning we have been hearing that

actually airline prices are going down so should you wait before you lock something in? >> they are down since the peak, the domestic peak in may, they're down 70 bucks on average so, yes. i would say rather than ferociously and checking and say is it going to get better, sign up for a deal site like scott's cheap flights, a free service, pick your origin airport, and it will tell you when there are sales on flights from that airport. so you grab them the minute they go on sale. >> is it still true go on off days or if it is a holiday, fly on the holiday to get a better deal >> christmas eve, christmas day, you'll always get a better deal. >> you have some destinations. let's travel over here, you thit on the beach, amazing party scene, that's what we got for you. >> oh, wow. >> the hotel gabriel, brand-new on ocean drive look at that what i would say, people think miami say late night place get up early on ocean drive, at 6:00 a.m., the light is like an instagram filter that it never had, best place.

>> or stay up until 6:00 a.m that sounds very miami folks who do that. i saw the deal let's get a price. >> everything is under $250. some are under $200 a night. >> if you see the deals now, you got to hop on it if you want it. >> totally if you want to hop on a deal in mexico, gosh, we have one for you. you know what, i think we all have been on a vacation where i think i want a hotel where i stay there the whole time. >> i like to have a lazy vacation. >> i get pampered. >> yes. >> this is hacienda del mar, its own little mexico -- >> where is this >> los cabos. >> multiple pools, restaurants, golf, and you check in and never leave. >> remember that place in "sex and the city," it looks like thatg de dtination, it was

established to be that it is a perfect built resort destination. look at this skiing. there is anything you can want we have got a great affordable hotel there, dog friendly, 99 rooms, right by sun valley so you're a mile away from all of this. >> okay. great. that's the price for -- during wintertime >> we're not grabbing -- these are not prices out of nowhere. >> i was looking for the fine print. >> no fine print when i'm here. >> another skiing destination. >> yes, stowe, vermont, is fascinating. if you picture a winter wonderland, you picture stowe. this isn't about manicured skiing this is cross country skiing this is nordic lifestyle, where you're in the country side, you got 60 miles of back country skiing and incredible funky little -- funky mountain lodge renovated, it is terrific. >> i love a funky lodge. >> what is not to love. >> if we want to cruise? >> who doesn't want to cruise? >> yeah. >> cruising, great deals on cruising, the cruise industry struggled during the pandemic, was forced not to sail

this is caribbean classic. if you've never been on a caribbean cruise, start with this one brand-new holland america ship, turks and caicos, goes to holland's own island, and the ship itself has entertainment, was forced not to sail so much to do, this is caribbean like nothing else. >> nothing like the caribbean when it is cold too. so, all right, thank you, mark if you want to jump on the deals, go to today.com/shop. hoda, over to you. >> hey speaking of shopping, up next, adrianna brach is about to walk us through some essential products to make your life in

the kitchen so much easier you're you're for years, california's non-gaming tribes have been left in the dust. wealthy tribes with big casinos make billions, while small tribes struggle in poverty. prop 27 is a game changer. 27 taxes and regulates online sports betting to fund permanent solution to homelessness. while helping every tribe in california. so who's attacking prop 27? wealthy casino tribes who want all the money for themselves support small tribes, address homelessness. vote yes on 27. wanna help kids get their homework done? well, an internet connection's a good start. but kids also need computers. and sometimes the hardest thing about homework is finding a place to do it.

so why not hook community centers up with wifi? for kids like us, and all the amazing things we're gonna learn. through project up, comcast is committing $1 billion dollars so millions more students can continue to get the tools they need to build a future of unlimited possibilities.

with a new batch of "today" best-sellers we're all about the coolest kitchen hacks. whether you want to spend less time in the kitchen or entertain more easily, adrianna brach has you covered. use the qr scan at the bottom of the screen and get all the goodies. adrianna, all the hacks are unique i haven't seen any of them and this cube is actually for measuring? >> yes, so this -- these are all really affordable easy kitchen hacks to make your life easier, a little simpler because cooking can be difficult this measuring cube, it is a 19 in 1 measuring cube. >> 19 in 1 >> a cup, a half cup -- >> a teaspoon? >> everything. it has it labeled in imperial and metric so you don't have to calculate with some of the recipes you

read online. it is so easy to use you can get rid of the clutter or if you're like me with the mismatching spoons. >> can't find anything. >> you just need one, you're done >> you are at a party and you need a coaster. >> if you hate water marks all over your furniture, this coaster is not like any other coaster. it attaches on to the bottom of your drink so it goes with you wherever you go. >> the bottom of the mug that is so good. >> that's not all. you can use it on a bunch of different cups and mugs. you can put it on top when you're outside to keep the bugs away, all the debris out it comes in a pack of six. super portable, easy to use. >> i thought when you were pouring milk, all you needed was a jug. no, i was wrong. >> you need a dispenser. this is so cool. we found it on social media. one of the editors on the team danielle tried it. it is an automatic dispenser that turns your milk or juice or any other beverage you have in your fridge into an automatic

dispenser. you put in two batteries and all you have to do is push here. want to try it do it at an angle. and look at that, it turns into an easy dispenser. >> great. >> great for the kids. great for -- >> hilarious >> cereal. there you go. >> i think i'll get some milk for my cereal. >> so easy it is great if you have mobility issues or you don't want to carry that big jug of milk out less spills, less accidents. >> by the way, brilliant making pancakes, sometimes it is difficult. you ladle out the pancakes. >> exactly whether you're making pancakes or cupcakes or baking anything, this is such a brilliant dispenser. you put your batter in here. built in measuring cup and you literally push the handle and it pours out. it is so easy. make your pancakes you got it, hoda yeah that's it. no mess. you move on to the next one.

>> is it easy to clean >> the top part, it is dishwasher safe too. really simple. >> icemaker. >> icemaker, okay. whether you have an old school fridge like mine that doesn't have an ice machine or you're entertaining a lot this summer, an icemaker is brilliant this makes 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours and it is super quiet. you plug it in, keep it on your counter, keep it to the side and if you're in a pinch, like, i need some ice right away, because you ran out, it makes nine cubes of ice in six minutes. works really fast. it is great for entertaining, great for the family. >> okay. let's get into slicing and dicing >> okay. i want you to try this one i saw this all over tiktok the last year but i didn't buy into the hype but it actually works. you can slice, dice, and julienne a bunch of veggies. put your veggie in here. it is already in and then just push down. push it down, a little muscle. and look at that so easy. you get your cucumbers, little cool prep tray and it comes out

right here you don't even need a knife or any knife skills. >> wait a minute what are all these >> you can change out the blades if you want. you can also use it as a mandolin and it has a dial. >> is the price right on this one? >> it is right under $40 and it is one of those things you're going to use over and over again >> it doesn't take a ton of muscle and what is this thing >> this is our random little, like, find it is a multipurpose little strainer what we can do is a lot of people on our team like to use it to clean their veggies and fruits and then you serve them or what you can do -- >> in this >> for the kids. and then it has this unique swan neck design, you put it around the faucet and you can use it to when you have leftovers and you're cleaning up, put it in here, so you don't have to clog up your sink drain it is so easy to use you can keep it on the corner of your sink as a holder for your sponges or to dry random things, like those straws.

a million different uses. >> all cute, good things to do adrianna, thank you. head to today.com/shop or text shop to 34318. reminder this segment solely features products on amazon, which has a relationship with the "today" show mr. roker, over to you. >> hoda, just ahead, we're branching out with our "start today" walking plan. stephanie mansour is here, she has a few strength training

we we are back with "start today. we had such an incredible response to our walking challenges well, guess what, this morning we want to introduce you to full body strength training, which is a key element to help support our walking. and all summer long you guys have been just overwhelming, more than 74,000 of you followed the plan on facebook i've been doing it too

just scan the qr code, you can sign up for our newsletter, which includes the august workout, and a printable calendar that is suitable for framing and training with your friends. fitness trainer stephanie mansour who leads our "start today" facebook group is here along with some facebook members. before we start out, and get to you, steph, we have got some amazing folks here first, we have elizabeth, lillian and kim who are here so, you're all cancer survivors. >> cancer survivors and we work for northwell, we're nurses. >> and you're nurses you are doing god's work we appreciate it i got to tell you -- [ applause ]

i was a prostate cancer survivor and my doctor wanted me walking the first week i was back. how has that helped you? >> i had surgery and was walking a week later also. walking has -- allowed us to encompass many things. one of them being walking for health. >> right >> walking for sanity. >> yeah. >> okay. we all are in stressful jobs we worked through covid. and walking was a way we got out, shared and supported each other. >> right. >> okay. and with the group now, i feel i'm a part of a group larger than myself. >> yeah. that's terrific. >> hitting that facebook page in the morning, and getting whatever tips are coming through to us. >> do you like trying to get it

done first thing in the day? you check the box and you feel like you accomplished something before you go out the door appreciate that. so, steph, how important, the walking is fantastic you got a future in this business there you go so, steph, why is it that -- we have done upper body, lower body, but the whole full body thing is important too. >> yes we're going to put this all together this month for everyone everyone loved the upper body workouts, right, ladys everyone loves the walking we're going to step it up, do lower body as well, that helps us propel faster and easier in our walks and helps with balance and stability. >> how important is strength training >> strength training is hugely important, especially as we get older. we're trying to tighten up the muscles to firm up the bones and it is helping us to not have more trips and falls, helps us get up and down from the couch easier >> what is the first move? >> the first exercise, we're going to start with the upper body with dumbbells. you can work out anywhere, anytime, this month, all you need are a set of dumbbells. we have three pounds here. you and i, al, are stepping it

up with six pounds the first move is serve the platter. serve the platter forward, open it up to side, chest stretch, come back through center and hug the elbows back in we reach forward, extend out, stretching the chest, come back to center, and hug in. >> and how many reps >> ten reps of these and, al, this is really important because it is helping us be able to swing our arms with better posture, while we're walking. >> is balance part of this too >> balance, engaging the core here belly button pulls in toward the spine. we do this move ten times, like i said, and then move on to the next exercise. >> what is the next one? >> the next exercise is for our lower body specifically the outer hip to help us with that stability. so, i've got our modification people over here you're going to doing a side leg lift, all right. we lift that leg out to the side and then for the full version, we're doing a side lunge and coming to center let's everyone do it together. here we go, side lunge, and center side lunge, good, and center our modifiers over here, if you have knee issues, hip issues, if

your bones or joints feel creeky, i want you to do those leg lifts over here. and then do the side ones, only if your knees and back feel okay ten of these on each side and then move on to the next exercise. >> next one? >> are you ready to get down on the ground >> i don't think so. i can get down, i can't get back up again that's been the big problem. >> all right so the last exercise -- we're going to hug the knees in, squeeze the inner thighs together, good, slowly roll down, abs pull in. pretend someone is punching you in the stomach. >> yikes >> hold this here for modification step two, lifting the legs up. step three, the full v sit what do you think? >> that's fantastic. i love watching you all do that. give these people a hand, huh?

[ applause ] and, again, ten reps >> ten reps. hold for ten seconds, ten times. and then move on to the next ab exercise >> in the program, how often do we do this every other day? >> yes, every other day strength training we want to give our muscles time to recover you continue with the 20 minutes a day of walking but in lieu of walking every other day, do this 20 minutes strength training routine. >> thank you, steph. thank you, ladies. appreciate it. and to all of our "start today" members out there, we're going to be back with these ladies with more on our third hour. again, just scan the qr code, join our club, get our newsletter and your guide for august plan. we will be back with a third hour of "today" after your local news

8:56. i'm scott mcgrew firefighters still unable to get a handle on the massive wildfire burning near the oregon state like. it turned deadly this morning.

two deaths have been reported for mckinney fire in siskiyou county. the victims found inside a vehicle inside a driveway. firefighters estimated the number of acres burned at 55,000. there is still no official count on structures destroyed but we know it will include homes along the chest the river. evacuation orders in effect. happening now, kristin sanchez is monitoring the developm

flyers and floods in

this morning on the "3rd hour of today," in the hot seat. the faa wants our input on the shrinking airline seat as summer travel takes off could our next trip be a little less cramped door to door service, a surprising ally for struggling malls. amazon how the retail giant is offering a whole new way to shop some of our favorite stores. speaking of shopping, our consumer confidential on which big ticket items are on sale this month, and what we shouldn't be buying right now. and from what to buy to what to