the gulf bracing for tropical storm francine as the storm quickly gains strength, heading for land. how strong could it get? bill karins is tracking the storm. tonight is the night.

kamala harris and donald trump will face oflphia in the first and possibly only debate. the last-minute preps just ahead. dolphin star tyreek hill speaks out to nbc afteg detained by police in miami. this as police release body camera footage of the incident. family and teammates gathering in pennsylvania to honor the lives of two brothers, one a nhl star, after they were killed by a suspected drunk driver. their heartbreaking tributes. and remembering a legendary actor with a legendary voice. james earl jones has died at the age of 93. we look back at his life and legacy. it's tuesday, september 10th. "early today" starts right now. good morning, glad you're with me. i'm frances rivera. the gulf coast is bracing for a direct hit from a hurricane. tropical storm francine is gaining strength off the coast of mexico, expected to be at least a category 1 hurricane before it makes landfall in

louisiana within the next 48 hours. let's get an update now on the sto storm's path. good morning, bill. >> good morning to you, frances. we will be watching this storm closely. we only have 36 hours or 48 hours. it has a limited amount of time to get significantly stronger. in the last six hours or so it hasn't really gotten stronger, that's the gaood news. but we expect it to become a category 2 storm before it moves into lake charles and areas of new orleans. we're focussing on the south central portion of the louisiana coastline. it looks like a glancing blow for the texas area. maybe occasional downpours, but it's really louisiana that will see the biggest effects. and we'll take it to the mississippi river valley. still with a flash flood threat. our computer models are

targeting baton rouge. and we have hurricane warnings up. we have tropical storm watches up for the entire texas coastline. as far as new orleans goes, you are also under a tropical storm watch. we'll watch how strong it can get in the next 24-36 hours. >> thanks, bill. turning now to the showdown in philadelphia. that is where just hours from now, vice president harris and former president trump will be on stage for their first, and perhaps, only debate. former president trump won a virtual coin flip and chose to give the final closing statement tonight. peter alexander is following the last-minute preparations. >> reporter: vice president harris touching down in philadelphia, her face-to-face with former president trump just hours away. >> how you feeling? >> reporter: campaign sources tell nbc news, harris and her team team are focussing on ways to

needle trump, to provoke him. >> it's time to turn the page on the divisiveness. it's time to bring our country to the. >> reporter: but a key challenge for harris trying to present herself as the change candidate, when she's also the incumbent vp. a new poll shows more than 60% of likely voters want a major change from president biden. more than half of those voters say trump will bring that change. but only 25% say harris will. meanwhile, the former president at mar-a-lago doing what sources describe as informal debate prep. among those advising him, former congresswoman, tulsi gabbard. >> we're run by stupid people, and we found that out at the debate with joe. and we're going to find that out again on tuesday night. >> reporter: the challenge for trump, winning back more women voters. >> donald trump and jd vance need to change the way they speak about women. you don't need to go and talk about intelligence or looks or anything else.

just focus on the policies. >> reporter: this will be trump's seventh general election debate, harris' first, and it could be their only showdown. notably, the two have never met. trump left town before president biden's inauguration. special coverage will begin at 8:00 p.m. eastern here on nbc and our streaming channel, nbc news now. the trial for the man accused of murdering four university of idaho identify students w students will be moved to a new venue. the four students were found stabbed to death in november of 2022. the trial is expected to last three months. in kentucky, the manhunt continues for suspected shooter who wounded five people near the town of london over the weekend. authorities have charged joseph a. couch with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first degree assault.

here's priya sridhar. >> reporter: the manhunt continues for suspected shooter in laurel county, kentucky. >> our goal is to apply steady pressure and wearing mr. couch down. >> reporter: according to newly-released court documents obtained by nbc news, a c news, would woman ca c called 911, warning that he had texted that he was going to kill lots of people and then kill himself. he drove 8 miles away and randomly shot at cars. officials say he served in the army reserves. officers began tracking his phone, which led them to his car. nearby, they found a green army-style duffle bag with his name on it and several magazines of ammunition. shayna lowry says her truck was struck in the gunfire. >> all i could think about was

my children. and my significant other. you know, and the real reality that i couldn't be here. >> reporter: now dozens of law enforcement agents are scouring the densely-wooded area. >> we will search until we can find him, until we exhaust all resources. >> reporter: priya sridhar, nbc news, london, kentucky. convicted sex offender, harvey weinstein is in a hospital this morning undergoing emergency heart surgery. the legal team for the disgraced movie mogul says the procedure was to alleviate a buildup of fluid in his lungs and heart. he was due back in court this week as prosecutors work to secure a new indictment after his new york conviction was overturned in april. cleveland browns quarterback deshaun watson is facing a new accusation of sexual assault this morning. a woman is suing wasson for $1 million, alleging that the quarterback forced himself on her four years ago when he played with houston. it is the latest trouble for

watson, who settled 23 of 24 lawsuits against him in 2022, after two dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct and harassment during massage therapy sessions. he served a 11-game suspension and paid a $5 million fine before he was reinstated. watson has not commented on the new allegation. the browns did not immediately comment, while the nfl declined to do so. newly-released body cam footage shows what happened when nfl star tyreek hill was pulled over by police in miami gardens for allegedly dangerous driving. the encounter appears to escalate when hill rolls up his car window back up. >> we're not playing this game. get out, get out! get out! get -- out! when we tell you to do something, you do it, you understand? you understand?

>> i'm getting out. >> police say hill was never arrested, merely detained and handcuffed because he was u uncooperative. he had this to say about the cops' claims. >> everybody has their own side, their own version. and i feel like they do that, you know, to kind of protect, you know, the officer. >> at least one officer has been put on administrative duty pending investigation. wildfires are torching the west. volatile conditions are forcing some fire crews to fall back. thousands have had to flee their homes. the massive inferno devouring more than 25,000 acres and burning so hot that it's generating its own thunderstorms, sparking hundreds of lightning strikes. three firefighters have been injured and tens of thousands of homes are threatened. further north, the boyles fire

erupted with overwhelming speed. it's now 41% contained. and in nevada, the davis fire spreading more than 5,000 acres. multiple schools, including the university of nevada in reno are closed today. the changing climate causing record-breaking conditions. the southwest could use sch cooler weather to fight those fires. hi, again, bill. >> you have to feel for these fire crews. it's been so hot day after day. even at this hour, phoenix is still at 91 degrees. today is the end, though, the excessive heat warnings will end later on this evening. but they continue into san diego and along the border there of arizona and california. and, as far as how hot it will be today, this is another incredibly warm day. phoenix, 107. palm springs, 111. outside of los angeles in the mountainous areas and the valleys close to 100 also. as we mentioned, there is cooler

temperatures that will arrive. this will help the fire crews out there, give them a little bit of 2 degrees in bismarck. still feels like summer in many spots. a lot going on, frances, with the fires, and especially with that hurricane in the gulf. >> we'll be watching it. we'll check in with you later. jets fans held their collect ever breath as aaron rodgers took the field on monday night football, almost one year removed from tearing his achilles. facing the 49ers, the four-time mvp got to play more than four snaps this time and launched a vintage touchdown pass. but the jets couldn't contain the niners' rushing attack.

christian mccaffrey was a surprise inactive due to a lingering car injury. a touchdown for mason gave the niners the win over the jets, as they looked for redemption after this super bowl loss. coming up, why beyonce was shut out at the country music awards. but firsts, the emotional farewell. , the emotional farewell. h farewell. , the emotional farewell. it's in your nature to stand strong. it's in your nature. [instructor] hold it! hold it! don't think i can hold it. bladder leak? if you don't pee yourself a little, is it even a workout? always discreet keeps me dry during even the toughest workout. absorbing up to a cup full with up to zero wet feel and odor. so i'm not just dry, i'm jump squats level dry. ready for a second set? ♪♪

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all so much. and you have the best daddy in the world. >> reporter: family, friends, coaches and teammates gathering for the funeral of columbus blue jackets all-star johnny gaudreau and his younger brother matthew, a both killed by a suspected drunk driver on the eve of their sister's wedding. >> i urge everyone to never drink and drive. call a ride. please do not put another family through this torture. >> reporter: the services the culmination of 11 days of unrelenting grief. crowds of supporters gathering in delaware county, pennsylvania to pay respects. >> i've been here a while, a few decades, and i've never seen this volume of cars and people and outpouring. >> reporter: the two brothers played together at boston college, and by all accounts were part of a larger brotherhood. inside and out of their immediate family. >> to john's teammates, from growing up at holly hill to

boston college to the nhl, you were a huge part of his happiness. >> reporter: john, known as johnny hockey, was the father of a baby boy and girl. his wife katie revealing in her eulogy that she's pregnant with their third child. >> we're actually a family of five. i'm in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. a total surprise, but, again, john was beaming and so excited. >> reporter: her husband adored by his family and teammates like jar jaromir jagr. who posted about gaudreau. unfortunately, life can be unbelievably cruel. thank you, johnny, that you were here. and you gave hope to all those guys by your unbelievable performances that they can succeed. as for matthew, a husband and hockey coach, his passing comes before the birth of his first child, tripp.

a gofundme page for the family raising more than $650,000. >> i'm so thankful god gave us a child, a little matty to run around to carry on his legacy. tripp will know how much his father loved him. >> reporter: two brothers who died as they lived, side by side, devoted to their families above all else. sam brock, nbc news. still to come, it's the album that has 16 carriages but no cma nominations. a shutout for one of the most acclaimed country albums of the year. aimed country albums of th year. hey guys. how we feeling? you ready? hey! adams elementary, go rams! i think he needs one too. what do you think? this is not just flu protection. you guys ready to fight some crime? yeah! okay, well you go get 'em, alright? this is a neighbor looking out for you. schedule flu and covid-19 vaccines

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football season already and not a satellite dish in sight! i hardly recognize the roofs i grew up on. enough squawkin'! oh great... coach prime! y'all are whining while everyone else is watching nonstop football on directv! tell me! whose house is this? their house? i think they're renting. listen, listen— i know they get easy access to all this football... but you know what you got? what, coach? a crumb bum attitude! now drop and give me twenty! twenty what? here are the stars of our show, ryan seacrest and vanna white. >> thank you all very much. >> i'm just so grateful to be invited in. i also know i got some very big shoes to fill. so, let's play "wheel of

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>> i shall pray for you. >> reporter: for over 70 years, he graced stage and screen with a voice that commanded attention. >> don't you try and go through life worried if somebody like you or not! >> reporter: james earl jones was born in rural mississippi in 1931. as a child, he developed a debilitating stutter. >> you never get over it, really. i simply learn how to work around it. >> reporter: his breakthrough tony-winning performance came as jack johnson in "the great white hope", which was later turned into a movie. >> i am your father. >> reporter: but it was a two and a half hour voiceover session with george lucas that changed his life. the role propelled him, or at least his voice, to worldwide fame as darth vader in "star wars." for the next 40 years, he excelled on stage, winning a second tony award. >> james earl jones. >> reporter: and, on the big screen, a navy admiral in "the

hunt for red october." >> and i was never here. >> reporter: in "the lion king". >> you are more than you what have become. >> reporter: and the voice of all baseball fans in "field of dreams". >> people had will come, ray. people had most definitely come. >> may i have your attention please? >> reporter: on-screen and in life, james earl jones was a king. >> the goal wasn't to be a millionaire or a hollywood star, to be a part of good storytelling. that, the goal was about that. >> i found you! >> reporter: he found his voice, and we got a legend. steve patterson, nbc news, los angeles. now to some good news this morning on the health of kate middleton. the princess of wales announcing in a moving video that she has completed her chemotherapy for cancer. >> doing what i can to stay cancer free is now my focus. though i finished chemotherapy,

my path to healing and full recovery is long. and i must continue to take each day as it comes. >> princess case says despite her ongoing journey, she will be taking on a light schedule of engagements until the end of the year. now to a scare and quick thinking in new hampshire. a lobster-eating contestant started choking, that's when gov governor sununu jumped in and performed the heimlich maneuver. the governor said that

and we are going to win the white house. it's time to turn the page on the divisiveness. it's time to bring our country together to chart a new