the way. idalia blows out to sea, leaving a trail of destruction from florida to the carolina coast. the president on his way to visit some of the hardest-hit areas this weekend our team is on the ground, speeching with residents left peeking up the pieces. at least 74 people killed as fire rips through a building in africa how johannesburg officials are responding

buster murdaugh breaks his silence, the son of alex murdaugh sits down for the camera, following the infamous trial. college football's first official week kicking off. we are breaking down the highlights and looking ahead to the weekend's best matchups. and a back seat driver really lays on the horn. we're cruising into friday, the first of september, "early today" starts right now. good morning, thanks for starting the morning and the month with us. i i'm frances rivera >> i'm jessica layton. the storm that was idalia is moving off the coast at least three deaths have been linked to the storm. president biden will visit florida tomorrow to tour that damage our tom llamas is there. >> reporter: this new video obtained by nbc news, showing

idalia's historic and devastating storm surge. watch and listen as the storm pushes into steinhatchee, florida, nearly reaching rooftops the water rising from one to eight feet in just over an hour, captain jody griffith saw it all, trying to protect his marina neighborhoods initially cut off, the scale of the devastation is just beginning to come into focus. some like linda wicker's family who's own roy's restaurant for decades will have to rebuild from scratch is it a total loss >> pretty much, preet much the building's not, but the contents, pretty much everything's gone. >> reporter: idalia made landfall with a ferocity not seen in this area in nor more t

century. daring high-water rescues up and down the coast and more than half a million lost power many have been restored. >> the bulk of the outages at this point are in that big bend region a lot of the rural counties that bother th bore the brunt of the storm. >> reporter: with the president signing a major declaration for florida. >> our nation has your back. and we're not going to walk away >> reporter: idalia carved a destructive path across the southeast. at least five reported tornados breaking out in the storm zone >> [ bleep ] that car's flying! >> reporter: one flipping this car into the air charleston recorded its fifth highest tide on record three people across the region have been killed back in florida, this was idalia's fury up close in horseshoe beach. and this is what's left. and here in horseshoe beach, if your home did survive, there's probably only one reason why

it was built in the sky like this one, 20 feet high across this quiet, close-knit village, homes torn apart and toppled over >> you always hope it passes you by, and most of the time it does, but this time it didn't. >> the jacobs family showed us the home they lost and shared the memories they're keeping >> i would put my chirp to bed, and i had a piano in here. and i would play the piano and they would go to sleep >> reporter: what do you want the country to know about horseshoe beach? >> we're worth saving. we just don't want to be forgotten in all this mess >> reporter: tom llamas, horseshoe beach, florida now a calamity in south africa at least 74 people are dead in a fire in johannesburg witnesses describe desperate parents throwing their children from windows many stories up trying to save them. many were unhoused people

seeking shelter. let's go live to janis mackey frayer do we know thow this happened? >> reporter: one of the worst residential fires in south africa's history there were hundreds of neglected buildings where people were living illegally because there's a shortage of affordable housing. many people call them fire traps. at least 74 people have died, including 12 children, unable to escape from this maze of structures piles of garbage, locked securitygates. authorities say many have been burned beyond recognition and they'll need to use genetic testing to identify them most of the people living in this area are struggling to find work they have no other option for shelter. from all accounts, it's hard living, there are stories of

crime, corruption. authorities don't yet know ms d the how the fire started but started on the ground there's no real electricity there. people were using, apparently fires and makeshift cook stoves for heat, light and preparing food the last building inspection was back in 2019 that's when a ngo moved out. so authorities saying that this is all a very terrible wakeup call to address the issues of inequality and homelessness in the city >> beyond heartbreaking. janice, thank you. former president trump pleaded not guilty thursday to the 13 charges he currently faces in the georgia election interference case. along with that plea, trump also waived his right to appear at his arraignment set for september 6th. he's the fifth of 19 co-defendants to do this jenna ellis also pleaded not

guilty on thursday, joining sydney powell. georgia lawyer ray smith and trevion coody. the legal team also filed a motion to try him separately from the defendants, asking for a speedy trial in october. so far just one of those, kenneth chesebro, will begin his trial then the remaining defendants are expected to be arraigned at 9:45 a.m. this coming wednesday. trump has called the charges a political effort to undermine his campaign clarence thomas filed his 2022 financial disclosure report after multiple reports earlier this year from pro publica which revealed years of undisclosed gifts received by thomas many of those came from harlan crow there are new rules and crow's name appears numerous times, reportedly paying for thomas' travel on three occasions, including to a conservative conference last may. a lawyer for thomas said in a

statement that he is confident that the justice did not willingly make any ethics transgressions justice samuel alito also filed his report on thursday, he similarly came under fire following a pro publica piece saying he failed to disclose a vacation he took with a republican donor in alaska who had business before the court. alito says he has done nothing wrong and under the new rules disclosed two trips paid for by law schools. a shooting shattered the peace in texas three people were hurt, one taken to the hospital in critical condition >> there is no continuing threat to the public. that scene has been rendered safe at this time, the relationship between the suspect and the victims are unknown. >> witnesses say they initially thought they had heard

explosions, but no devices were found. this investigation is still ongoing. in pennsylvania, a convicted murderer is on the loose after escaping from a prison outside philadelphia authorities say he's extremely dangerous. he was sentenced to life without parole last week for stabbing his ex to death in front of her children we'll get a pulse on the economy in just a few hours when the latest jobs numbers come out. and while hiring is expected to remain strong, americans are still struggling with inflation, falling behind on car loans and credit cards tom costello has more on dealing with this debt >> reporter: from the wgas pump to the grocery aisle, inflation continues to take a big bite out of family budgets. we'repaying more for

pharmaceuticals, recreation, groceries and clothing and more americans are choosing to charge it, though with credit card interest rates at a record 20.6%, many can't pay the bills. and after spending heavily during the pandemic, more than 3.5% of car loan and credit cards are now delinquent >> right now i have almost $10,000 in credit card debt. so i am so ashamed of that, but yeah, that's a big number. >> reporter: dolores mason stokes turned to credit cards after being laid off for a second time in nine months she and her husband are now focussed on cutting costs. >> not making more bills, cutting back on cable, all of our streaming services >> reporter: despite record levels of credit card debt, meshes americans continue to spend, up nearly 1% from a year ago. will the fed raise rates >> we will keep at it until the job is done. >> reporter: financial health

advisors say now is the time to prioritize debt. >> could you have a car loan with 5% interest and you're paying 21% on a credit card, it makes the most sense to put it toward the credit card first. >> reporter: wean yourself off cards by using cash. and don't sacrifice your future for instant gratification buys the july unemployment report expected to remain near 50-year low despite rising prices. back to you u. >> tom, thank you. the holiday weekend kicks off with rain in the gulf coast and heat building in the middle of the country let's check in with angie lassman who has her eye on the summer sendoff >> say it ain't so summer sendoff i do not want anything to do with winter just yet and moist of tst of the country summer-like conditions we do have rain in the gulf coast as we get throughout next

day or so. we're going to continue to see the front lingering in that area some of the areas, especially towards the big bend and tampa bay could see additional rainfall of course places like perry, stretch stretching to panama city week, could see up to an inch in some of these locations we had will watch for flood conn on already-saturated areasd.c. 80 in montgomery, showers and thunderstorms stretching into parts of louisiana triple digits expected in southern texas that's a look at your forecast,

ladies, back over to you it was a recent trial that captivated the country >> we're back with buster murdaugh's first on-tv interview. gh's first on-tv interview. so betty can be the... barcode beat conductor. let's be more than our allergies! and for fast, allergy relief with a powerful decongestant, try zyrtec-d. want luxury hair repair that doesn't cost $50? pantene's pro-vitamin formula repairs hair. as well as the leading luxury bonding treatment. for softness and resilience, without the price tag. if you know... you know it's pantene. sometimes 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. [stomach growling] it's nothing... sounds like something. ♪when you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion♪

♪upset stomach, diarrhea♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes for fast relief when you need it most. buster murdaugh is speaking out, defending his dad alex. stephanie gosk has the details >> this is not what i needed >> reporter: in his first on-camera interview since his mother and brother were killed on their family estate in the cs

reopened in the weeks after the double murder and smith's death is now being investigated as a homicide there were unsubstantiated rumors that he and buster murdaugh were in a relationship. murdaugh has never been identified as a suspect and does not face criminal charges. i never had anything to do with his murder i never had anything to do with him on a physical level of any regard >> reporter: murdaugh was at his father's trial every day, taking the stand in his defense, but this was his response when asked if he thinks his father is a psychopath >> certainly, i think there are characteristics where you look at the manipulation and the lies and carrying out of that such, and i think that's a fair

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play action on first down and barnes looking down field, takes his shot, launches it at parks. what a start for barnes and the offense! >> that will get the job done. what a start to the biggest plays in sports this morning on the first play for utah, money parks struck gold. and that set the tone for the utes there is plenty of college football action this weekend, including west virginia heading to happy valley to py penn

state, and the top-ten showdown between florida state and lsu on sunday i round bound for heund for her straight grand slam. you got in on some u.s. open action >> i saw alcaraz i have any of seen the u.s. open so crowded it was electric. >> after this action right here. quite a few were there >> and a little history on the diamond for anthony volpe. the first rookie for the yankees

ever for the 21 runs the yankees lost to the tigers new york trying to avoid the first losing season in 30 years. >> mm-hm >> yankees fans having a tough time this year >> whaten we come back, a lot t happen here. angie has a look at the forecast one nebraska driver found out the hard way turns out your pet bull cannot ride shotgun the un-bull-leavable traffic stop e un-bull-leavable traffic stop y 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,

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there's toothpaste white, and there's crest 3d whitestrips white. so much whiter! crest. all right, just when you thought you've seen it all on "early today," a massive bull riding in the passenger seat of a car was spotted on a nebraska highway catching police and passersby by surprise. amber f . >> reporter: the police division responded to a call of a man drive eastbound on 275 wit wbull

in his passenger seat. >> got a call of a car with a cow in it. thought it was going to and calf, something smaller, something that actually fit inside the vehicle >> reporter: and the vehicle was big enough, well, technically. >> as a result, the officer performed a traffic stop and addressed some traffic violations that were occurring with that particular situation >> reporter: the occupant of the vehicle was identified as lee meyer of neely the bull's name was howdy doody. he was immediately pulled over by police and they perform add routine traffic stop >> the officer wrote him some warnings there were some citable issues with that situation. the officer chose to write him a warning and asked him to take the animal back home and leave the city >> reporter: myer and howdy doody are on their way back home and no one was hurt. >> our thanks to andrew for that

report in some smarts of parts of the y it's what you see. >> if i saw that on the highway i would not be paying attention to the road. from all that bull to an unbelievable sight unfolding west of toronto. it had neighbors buzzing >> i woke up to my wife saying there's something going on outside. there's all kinds of bees or something. >> or something. 5 million bees in fact spilled from a truck early thursday morning police warned drivers in the area to keep their windows closed about six beekeepers showed up to help collect the bees they decided to keep some crates behind so any lost bees can return home on their own >> a lot of honey to be made with those bees all gone coming up we are kicking off the holiday weekend in style with darius rucker turned

country star rocking the plaza with songs from his new album and a couple of his biggest hits it's our citi concert series you won't want to miss they're already setting up outside. >> people are so excited, including people in our newsroom >> thanks for watching "early today. >> have a great friday and happy labor day weekend. labor daweekend. y

right now at 5:00, remembering a beloved community remember. san francisco neighbors gathered to honor a shop keeper killed in a violent robbery. also, claiming a false narrative. ahead, oakland mayor sheng thao speaking out and says there's a new story to tell when it comes to a a's proposed move to vegas. plus -- ♪♪