well, it can. national university, supporting the whole you. edge this morning after a racially motivated rampage claimed three lives at a dollar

general. why police say this was a clear act of hate. another training tragedy, three marines killed and several more injured after an aircraft crashed during a military exercise in australia, raising new questions about safety this morning. a critical day in the sprawling georgia election interference case, how today's hearing could set the stage for the trial for all 19 defendants including former president donald trump. what is the best way to stop a shoplifter? how about not letting them in the store in the first place. and 50 years after the legendary battle of the sexes tennis icon billie jean king brings a new message of equality. we're rallying into your monday. "early today" starts right now. good morning, and thanks for joining us, i'm jessica layton. >> and i'm vinita nair. local on maui had a scare

when a brush fire erupted. this latest fire burned 10 acres and forced limited evacuations before firefighters put it out. the fire silence did sound in the area. lahaina authorities came under intense criticism. florida is bracing for a potential hit from a hurricane. idalia is expected to gain strength before making landfall within the next 48 hours. ron desantis has issued a state of emergency, he is mobilizing more than 1,000 national guard members to help support any impacted areas. coming up on "early today" michelle grossman will have an update on the storm's path. we are learning more about the horrific attack in jacksonville, florida, where a gunman opened fire at a dollar general store killing three black victims. police say before the rampage at the store the shooter stopped at a historically black university,

they believe this video shows him getting ready with a bulletproof vest. the university says he refused to identify himself, so he was asked to leave. the sheriff says the gunman identified as 21-year-old ryan palmetter took his own life. >> his sickening ideology is not representative of the values of this jacksonville community that we love so much. we are not a community of hate. we stand united with the good and decent people of this city. with he reject this inexcusable violence. >> president biden releasing a statement saying we must refuse to live in a country where black families live in fear of being gunned down because of the color of their skin. the justice department is investigating this as a hate crime. now to tragedy in the u.s. military. three u.s. marines have been killed in a helicopter crash in australia and the helicopter the marines were on has been involved in other fatal crashes before. five more marines are in the hospital on the mainland with critical injuries.

for the very latest on this we go live to nbc news's raf sanchez. what do we know about what led to this crash. >> reporter: good morning. we don't know very much at this stage. the investigation is under way it's not clear if this was some technical malfunction, a pilot error or if this was something else. we do know these u.s. marines were taking part in a training exercise alongside australian forces and that there were 23 people on board that aircraft when it crashed. three of them were killed, their bodies remain at the crash site and, as you said, another five marines are in serious condition in hospital in northern australia. the remaining marines on board either in hospital with less serious injuries or they've been discharged by this point. now, they were flying on board what's called an on pray, this is an air forecast that takes off like a helicopter, it flies like a plane, though. the u.s. military says that makes it a versatile piece of

equipment but it has a troubled history. there were two fatal crashes just last year, killing a total of nine people and back in 2000 the entire fleet was grounded after a series of crashes that killed more than 20 u.s. service personnel. investigation continues, but recovering the aircraft is complicated because it went down on a remote island some 60 miles north of the main lands. president biden overnight offering his condolences along with those of the first lady and the prime minister of australia, saying all necessary resources are being mobilized to recover the aircraft and figure out what happened here. >> hopes for a speedy recovery for those five other marines. thank you. in georgia one of the defendants accused of attempt to go overturn the 2020 election will argue for moving his trial from state to federal court. it is a hearing that will set the stage for a case that includes former president and many of his men. for more on this we go to nbc's

drew petrimouix in washington. >> reporter: good morning. former president's one time chief of staff mark meadows is set to appear in medical property later in morning. meadows faces two felony counts as part of the 19-person indictment which charges defendants tried to overturn results of the 2020 election in georgia. shortly after the indictment was handed down meadows filed a motion to move his case to federal court, arguing for the move meadows' legal team says that the actions that led to his charges occurred during his time serving as a member of the federal government. they argue that meadows did nothing criminal and the charges should be dismissed. a move to federal court could give meadows a more favorable jury pool and ban cameras in the proceedings. fulton county da fani willis argued that meadows' actions were in violation of the hatch act and that the case should remain in georgia.

willis has issued subpoenas for georgia secretary of state brad raffensperger and elections investigator francis watson and is expected to outline some of her case against the 19 defendants, while arguing against meadows' request to change venue. meadows is not alone in the efforts, at least four other indicted co-defendants including former doj official jeffrey clark have filed to move their trials to federal clark. willis proposed an october trial date. ken nest cheegs brow is set to begin his trial in that month. as we approach the 50th anniversary of the battle of the sexes. andrea mitchell sat down with billie jean king taking a look back at her legacy and what match in 1973 meant for women in and outside of sports. >> the tennis battle of the

sexes, billie jean king versus bobby rigs. >> 29-year-old billie jean king was at the top of her game in 1973, bobby rigs was 55, the self-described mail chauvinist had been ranked number one and was convinced he could beat her. 90 million people watched around the world. >> look at that crowd. >> what did you need to prove in that match 50 years ago for women? >> i knew the match was much bigger than a tennis match. i knew it was about social change. >> king shut down the doubters. beating rigs in three straight sets. >> after i won he came up to the met and said i underestimated you. >> people underestimated you a lot as one of the very early pie owe national hurricane center. >> people underestimate women in general. >> king's victory cemented her status as one of the greats. >> every day since that day someone has brought the match up.

i know it fakted a lot of people. i think it helped change the hearts and minds of people to believe in women more, to help them more, to just get in there. >> people still come up to you. >> still. >> 50 years later, people remember this. >> they do. and it's vivid for them. >> king holds 39 grand slam titles, but it's her advocacy for equality including winning equal prize money for women at the u.s. open that is her most enduring work. >> i stand on the shoulders of the people who came before me and then the younger ones stand on our shoulders. >> even bobby rigs eventually got it. >> we stayed friends up until he passed away. he finally understood -- i kept saying this is about history, it's not about money. it's about history and doing the right thing. he got it. he said we really did make a difference didn't we? i said yes. >> a difference felt by new generations every day. andrea mitchell, nbc news, new york. millions across florida are under a hurricane watch this morning as tropical storm idalia

swirls into the gulf of mexico. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking this storm this morning. good morning. >> good morning. yeah, today is the day to take action in florida because we are looking at a trompl now, will become a category 1 storm later on today, strengthening to a hurricane today, by tomorrow category 2. early wednesday morning could see landfall as a category 2 or 3 storm. 150 miles south of the western tip of cuba. winds at 60 miles an hour. it is stationary but it will start to be on the move as we go throughout today entering into the gulf of mexico, really warm waters. sea surface temperatures, warm, bath-like, deep down warm waters as well. eventually into a cat 2, maybe a cat 3 storm. tropical alerts up and down the west coast of florida into the interior parts of florida as well. tropical storm watch is in nell joe, hurricane watch is in the pink. category 1 storm later on today,

then by tomorrow a category 2 storm, by early wednesday we will expect lafallnd ad towards san antonio, 100 in houston. we will take a look at the week ahead in a few minutes, includes some umbrellas today. >> thanks for the warnings. "early today" is back in a minute with how the big apple is tackling a rise in retail theft. >> we will have more on what both small businesses and big chains are doing to crack down on shoplifters. you need sinex saline from vicks. just sinex, breathe, ahhhh! [sniffs] what is — wow! baby: daddy. sinex. breathe. ahhhhhh! ghirardelli intense dark. ♪♪

bold... rich... intensely delicious dark chocolate. ghirardelli intense dark. makes life a bite better. with new scope squeez mouthwash concentrate, just add water, squeeze to control the strength of your mouthwash. and find a zone... all your own. ♪♪ scope squeez. welcome back. new york is cracking down on shoplifters. the city is experimenting with an aggressive new policy that targets repeat offenders. our tom winter has the details.

>> reporter: from smash and grabs to mobs of thieves, retail theft is rampant. >> i just decided that i was not going to stand for it anymore. >> reporter: bob went after a they have in his new york city liquor store, followed her outside when he says his partner pulled a knife. >> i got into i guess a fit of rage when i was confronted with this woman who just didn't really care. >> reporter: the problem nationwide, repeat offenders. here in new york city officials say of the tens of thousands of retail thefts a year 30% are committed by 327 criminals. the nypd says it's that group of criminals arrested and rearrested $6,000 that they are focused on. >> and it's a small population of people creating a large chaotic scene.

>> reporter: in queens with its 2 million plus population the da and cops trying a new strategy, banning that small population of people from even entering the shops. >> what is the goal here to put it out there just so they know we are not going to tolerate this behavior anymore. >> reporter: if a store owner has a customer who has stolen from him or harassed customers they can ask police to ban that person from setting foot in their store again. and if they do, they can be hit with more serious charges and jail time. >> if you want to continue this behavior the charges should match. >> reporter: police say many locally-owned stores have signed up for the program along with cvs and rite aid equally hit hard. 83 people now banned from stores, seven arrested for trying to return. this man is happy the nypd and local da are trying to help. >> they hear us, so that's great. >> reporter: so he can avoid more confrontations like this.

tom winter, nbc news, new york. still to come on "early today," a college athlete celebrating an off the field win with his team and his family. and a class reunion gives one father the homecoming of a lifetime. some inspiring stories right after this. suffer like that. i started cosentyx®. five years clear. real people with psoriasis look and feel better with cosentyx. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting get checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infection, some serious and a lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. tell your doctor if your crohn's disease symptoms develop or worsen. serious allergic reaction may occur. best move i've ever made. ask your dermatologist about cosentyx®. (sung) febreze! i use febreze fabric refresher everyday. to make my home smell amazing. on my bed... my couch... my jacket or jeans. in between washes. even shoes. febreze doesn't cover up odors with scent, but fights them and freshens! over one thousand uses. febreze fabric refresher.

when target's good and gather groceries, bring joy to the ove table for less.ses. when sharing, the love starts with quality ingredients. and when great taste meets low prices. that's totally target. my frequent heartburn had me taking antacid after antacid all day long but with prilosec otc just one pill a day blocks heartburn for a full 24 hours. for one and done heartburn relief, prilosec otc. one pill a day, 24 hours, zero heartburn. ugh, i can't wait to get out of here... and right into my shower! dial with hydraclean complex and vitamin e cleanses deep but is gentle on skin. dial up your day. let's do this. ♪ there's one juice that can satisfy that savory craving, and get you your veggies. there's only one v8.

honey... honey... nyquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu relief with a dreamy honey taste. nyquil honey, the nighttime, sniffing, sneezing, couging, aching, fever, honey-licious, best sleep with a cold, medicine.

welcome back. from scoring scholarships to heartwarming home comings we are sharing the most uplifting stories of the past week. we hope these movements of joy will start your day with a smile and maybe inspire you to start a good week of your own. our josé diaz-balart has more. >> that's why you are now win ago scholarship. >> reporter: here is a jaw-dropping moment when university of south carolina defensive back king ford found out he got a full-ride scholarship. the junior number 27 celebrated by his teammates.

ford then calling his dad with the good news. >> i don't have to pay you back for school. >> what do you mean? >> they put me on scholarship today. >> reporter: at this wedding a special announcement. >> so i'm giving the last couple minutes of my song to my big sister. >> reporter: new bride carly giving the traditional first dance with her dad to her sister because she got married during the pandemic. >> it's so beautiful and so amazing. >> reporter: and aboard a united airlines flight. >> one of these flight attendants working with us today is an exceptional flight

attendant and exceptional mom. >> reporter: it was the first time this pilot was working with his flight attendant mom. >> today is the first time we are able to work together. she's been one of my biggest supporters. >> reporter: standing by his side, proud as she could be. >> welcome to our family friendly skies. >> reporter: and at dewitt elementary in ohio that's not just anyone in that tiger mascot costume, it's army sergeant perry who has come back from the middle east to surprise his son eli on his very first day of sch school. >> that's eli's dad. we had a special surprise.

>> how did it feel to see your son's reaction? >> it was a wonderful feeling. it was hard for me to not get teared up. >> eli, what were you thinking? >> he is the greatest dad ever, i ever had. >> what is it that you want eli to know about you? >> that i will always go out of my way to make sure he has what he needs and that i love him more than anything. >> those smiles. our thanks to josé diaz-balart for that story. >> i got choked up on that one. when we come back michelle will catch us up on the forecast. later, ross land carter celebrates 96.

in clinical trials, entyvio helped many people achieve long-term relief and remission. infusion and serious allergic reactions can happen during or after treatment. entyvio may increase risk of infection, which can be serious. although unlikely, a risk of pml, a rare, serious, potentially fatal brain infection cannot be ruled out. tell your doctor if you have an infection, experience frequent infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. liver problems can occur. it's time to ask your healthcare provider about entyvio. go to entyvio.com to learn more about the #1 prescribed biologic for crohn's and uc. ♪entyvio, entyvio, entyvio♪ to give your teeth a dentist clean feeling. start with a round brush head. add power. and you've got oral-b. round cleans better by surrounding each tooth to remove 100% more plaque. for a superior clean. oral-b. brush like a pro. have fun, sis! ♪♪

can't stop adding stuff to your cart? get the bank of america customized cash rewards card, choose the online shopping category and earn 3% cash back. okay everyone, our mission is complete balanced nutrition. together we provide nutrients to support immune, muscle, bone, and heart health. yaaay! woo hoo! ensure with 25 vitamins and minerals and ensure complete with 30 grams of protein. ♪ do you struggle with occasional nerve aches with 30 grams in your hands or feet?n. try nervive nerve relief from the world's number one nerve care company. nervive contains ala to relieve nerve aches, and b-complex vitamins to fortify healthy nerves. try nervive. and, try nervive pain relieving roll-on. new nature's bounty hair growth. clinically shown to help grow thicker, fuller hair with just one capsule a day of advanced hair complex. conquer hair thinning... ...and fall in love with your hair all over again. only from nature's bounty. ai has the power to generate solutions. but if it's using unverified data,

it could generate problems. your business doesn't just need ai, it needs the right ai for your business. introducing watsonx: a platform designed to multiply output by tailoring ai to your needs. when you watsonx your business, you can train, tune and deploy ai, all with your trusted data. let's create the right ai for your business ...with watsonx. ibm. let's create. when target's good and gather groceries, bring joy to the table for less.. when sharing, the love starts with quality ingredients. and when great taste meets low prices. that's totally target. ma, ma, ma— ( clears throat ) for fast sore throat relief, try vicks vapocool drops. with two times more menthol per drop, and powerful vicks vapors to vaporize sore throat pain. vicks vapocool drops. vaporize sore throat pain.

welcome back on this monday. we're starting wet in spots. we are looking at a front that's draped from the mid automatic down to the southeast. spots of heavy rain, could lead to flooding, that's a chance of rain there. also rain in the high plains, central and southern high plains. toasty temperatures in the pacific northwest. really nice throughout the ohio valley, 70s and 80s. feeling fall-like, too, by wednesday. >> fall-like, with he keep hearing that word. when we return we willon e rm fst lady. s jonah wrestles with falling asleep... ...so he takes zzzquil. the world's #1 sleep aid brand for a better night sleep. so now, he wakes up feeling like himself. the reigning family room middle-weight champion. better days start with zzzquil nights. ghirardelli intense dark. ♪♪ bold... rich... intensely delicious dark chocolate. ghirardelli intense dark. makes life a bite better. mr. clean magic eraser powers through tough messes.

so it makes it look like i spent hours cleaning, and you know i didn't. it makes my running shoe look like new! it's amazing. it's so good. it makes it look like i have magical powers. magic eraser and sheets make cleaning look easy. feeling ughh from a backed up gut? miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go... ...free your gut. and your mood will follow. for 8 grams of fiber, try new mirafiber gummies. jimmy and rosalynn carter are still going strong. the former first lady just turned 96 years old, making now a perfect moment to highlight her legacy.

here is nbc's richard lui. ♪ happy birthday ♪ >> reporter: at 96 years it's a birthday milestone for rosalynn carter and more. her younger sister celebrating at their childhood home, grandson and great-grandson planting a tree in atlanta. the 35th first lady marked her day with former president jimmy carter and their usual romance. >> she always gives him a kiss in the morning. this morning it was such a big kiss. >> reporter: but son chip carter blushed a little this morning. >> i turned it around because it embarrassed me. dad gave her acard and led happy birthday this morning. it was a big deal at the house. >> reporter: a big deal in how they care for each other today. >> she has some dementia now. one out of 100 days i walk in she won't know who i am. i think she's doing well with it. >> reporter: she battles the mind, he battles the body. >> it wasn't what we expected. he was told he had five to seven

days to live when he went into hospice, that's been seven months ago. >> reporter: the teamwork endures, she physically for him, he mentally for her. >> he's losing weight, but he's still sharp and still has that big grin. you can tell happiness leaks from him. >> i look forward to consulting closely with him on a regular basis. >> it's an amazing love story. 77 years of being together. all the inside jokes they must have. >> reporter: jennifer olsen leads the center for caregivers. >> she was focused on and thinking about the population. it comes from her own journey, starting at 12, seeing her father struggling with cancer. >> reporter: years later in 1970 mrs. carter got in campaign lane with other voters in the gubernatorial race, she questioned her husband about his plans on mental health and care

giving. >> he said we will have the best program in the party and i will put you in charge of it. >> this is my dad's filling station and garage, he is a mechanic. dad is standing there. >> reporter: mrs. carter became the white house godmother of mental health and care giving. >> she was focused on creating a more care giving society. >> they brought jimmy in, she tried to reach around and get his hand, he was too far back, she couldn't do it, but she tried. i think they're waiting for each other. >> reporter: and for us. >> our thanks to richard for >> our thanks to richard for that report. you go by lots of titles veteran, son, dad. -it's time to get up. -no. hair stylist and cheerleader. so adding a “student” title might feel overwhelming. what if a school could be there for all of you? career, family, finances and mental health.

it's coming along. well, it can. national university. supporting the whole you. jaratio. training tragedy. three marines killed after an osprey cra