breaks down the surge in cases and how to stay healthy. watch whenever you stream. and of course, online at nbc. bay area.com. i think we've all known someone who's sick lately. cold weather, keeping everybody inside. so spreading those germs. yeah, but y you know, we have those opportunities in the afternoons to get outside with the milder air. we're headed for the upper 50s and low 60s today. cool in the mornings and some much needed rain coming in this weekend. and do not head to those stations outdoor or indoor, between bay fair and union city. bart. green line now has no service. they're saying find an alternate ac transit is one alternate for folks between hayward and south hayward. all right, well, that's what's happening today in the bay. stick around, because much more ahead for you today. show starts after us. all right. we'll see you in about a half an hour for a local news update and join good wednesday morning. big moves shaking up washington this morning.

>> yeah, new battles over the president's executive actions and one of his most controversial cabinet nominees. it's january 29th. this is "today." frozen out. a federal judge's call to freeze trillions of dollars in federal spending after the orders spark chaos and confusion across washington. just ahead, what the white house is planning next. and the president's offer to buy out millions of federal workers. we're live at the white house. hot seat. rfk jr. heading to capitol hill this morning. set to get a grilling over his long history of controversial views as he seeks to lead the nation's health agency. and his own cousin, jfk's daughter, caroline kennedy, in a rare public rebuke, calling him a predator. >> incomprehensible to me that someone who is willing to exploit their own painful family tragedy for publicity, would be

put in charge of americans' life and death situations. >> her shocking warning to lawmakers in a live report from capitol hill. caught on camera. dramatic video of a fiery f-35 crash at an air force base in alaska. the pilot ejecting in the nick of time, pair suhouting to the ground. that narrow escape and what caused that to go down. new hope. jonbenet ramsey's father speaking out. saying he is optimistic that the murder of his daughter could finally be solved. >> this is the first time i've felt that way, honestly, in 20 years. >> our one-on-one, straight ahead. all that, plus hang on to your hats. tens of millions along the east coast bracing for high winds that could bring major airport delays today. al with the forecast and where the risk of storms, flooding and snow is today. window pains.

an inside look at the plans to replace some of the iconic stained glass at notre dame cath cathedral. has some critics seaing red. and mission possible? the president's shock request of elon musk overnight, sends it spacex rocket ship to bring home the two american astronauts stuck on the international space station. will it be mission accepted? today, wednesday, january 29th. >> 2025. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and craig melvin. from studio 1a in rockefelle plaza. hi, everybody. good morning. welcome to "today." nice to have you with us on a wednesday morning. >> it is a busy wednesday morning. lots to get to, including that dramamatic vid from alaska. an f-35 jet crashing. the pilot seen safely ejecting in the background. the latest on what led to that

coming up. but we will begin this morning with several major headlining out of washington. robert f. kennedy jr., the president's pick to lead the department of health and human services wl face senators for the first time this morning in his confirmation hearing. this is highly controversial because of his position on the path of vaccines, food regulation and other topics. now his own cousin, caroline kennedy, is speaking out and urging senators in a rare public appearance to vote against him. there is new dramatic efforts by the white house to cut costs. the trump administration offering roughly 2 million federal employees a buyout, sending that offer in an e-mail. and a legal battle is underway over the administration's funding freeze. this plan sparking questions over things like medicaid, student loans and a lot more. well, it's been put on hold by a federal judgment moments before it was set to take effect. we have a lot to get to this morning. we got it all covered, starting

with peter alexander on duty at the white house. peter, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. president trump's broad order pausing federal spending on grants and loans quickly ignited a round of questions and concerns with a lack of clarity about what would and wouldn't be impacted. before that federal judge temporarily halted the spending freeze. it comes as the president is now trying to significantly shrink the federal workforce, offering millions of workers payouts to resign. this morning, president trump's sweeping spending freeze is on hold after a federal judge temporarily blocked the president's order to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans with a more permanent decision from the judge expected next monday. the white house says the president's mission is clear. >> he's being a good steward of your taxpayer dollars. >> reporter: the trump administration says federal assistance that goes directly to individuals will not be impacted. but exactly what will be is still unknown. >> excuse me.

just to be clear, since you guys haven't identified, let's do it together for americans at home. medicaid? is that affected? >> i gave you a list of examples. social security, medicare, welfare benefits and food stamps. that will not be impacted by this federal pause. i can give you the full list after this briefing. >> reporter: the white house never provided that list. but a new budget office memo says mandatory programs like medicaid and snap, food stamps, will continue without pause. but first, portals temporarily down across the country. medicaid portals down across the country. the press secretary saying we have confirmed no payments have been affected. democrats quickly y condemnethe president's actions. >> this decision is lawless. it's destructive. it's dangerous. it's cruel. >> reporter: republicans are largely standing with president trump, including a georgia congressman who argued some low-income children who receive free school meals could be

working instead. >> you are saying that kids who stay at home should stay at home get their free lunch. >> reporter: as part of his pledge to reduce spending, president trump is offering more than 2 million federal workers the option to quit now and accept a severance p package? the white house expects $100 billion in annual savings. but the largest union argues the trump administration is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay, even if they want to. >> funding is a big question right now, and the president is also focussing on this illegal immigration crackdown. that also costs money. does that relate in any way? >> reporter: that's right. nbc news has learned that i.c.e., the primary agency that's tasked with carrying out president trump's promise of mass deportations right now is

facing a budget shortfall, more than $230 million. and trump administration officials are considering pulling federal funding from the tsa to make up for it according to two sources familiar with these discussion. the coast guard is possibly areas to redirect money to i.c.e. spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment. and later today, president trump is going to sign what is called the laken riley act, named after a georgia nursing student murdered by an undocumented immigrant. it will be his first piece of new legislation signed in this new term. >> all right. peter alexander leading us off. thank you, peter. we will stay in washington right now because this morning robert f. kennedy jr. is on a spot in capitol hill. the president's pick facing senators for the first time. from the moment his nomination was revealed, kennedy encountered questions about his positions, his qualifications.

in a scathing letter to lawmakers, his own cousin, caroline, outlining why she believes he's unfit for the job. nbc's chief capitol hill correspondent ryan nobles literally in the room where it will happen. ryan, good morning. >> reporter: hey, craig. good morning. he is the son of a former attorney general, the nephew of john f. kennedy. robert f. kennedy jr. hails from one of the most famous political families in america. he advocates for a wide range of controversial health positions. this morning members of one of america's most famous families speaking out facing questions. >> i've known bobby my whole life. it is no surprise he keeps birds of prey himself because bobby himself is a predator. >> reporter: in a letter, caroline kennedy, rfk jr.'s first cousin, and the daughter

of john f. kennedy, warning the senators that they should vote no. >> boy by preys on the desperation of parents of sick children, vavaccinatinhis own kids while discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs. >> reporter: president trump's nominee has advocated for a range of controversial health care positions and expressed deep skepticism about vaccines that doctors consider life-saving, from the covid shot to the polo vaccine. >> there is no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective. >> reporter: he also pushed false claims linking vaccines to autism and claimed covid-19 was target certain ethnicities. caroline said her personal concerns prompting her to speak out. >> i watched his younger brothers and cousins follows him down the path of drug addiction. drugs were available, it was often a perverse scene of

despair and violence. >> reporter: rfk jr. ignoring nbc's questions about his cousin's letter. >> mr. kennedy, do you have any response to the letter released by caroline kennedy? >> reporter: his niece also expressing concerns, releasing private e-mails between the two from 2020 to 2022 in which her une repeats his skepticism and shares misinformation about the effectiveness of covid-19 response. he did not respond and nbc news has not obtained the e-mails. kennedy now says he's not planning to take away anyone's vaccines. trump has backed his nominee and so far republicans are in line. >> we don't agree on everything. but what we both agree is that america has some health problems. >> reporter: and we reached out to rfk jr.'s team this morning on the e-mail. so far his team has yet to respond for comment. craig? >> all right. let's talk about the path forward here, ryan. what does the confirmation pathway actually look like for

rfk jr.? how many votes could he afford to lose and still get confirmed? >> reporter: it is important to point out that not a single republican has come forward and said they will vote no on the rfk jr. confirmation. he could afford to lose up to three republican votes and still win confirmation. some republicans we talk to like roger marshall of kansas told us he doesn't necessarily agree with a wide range of issues rfk jr. advocated. from vaccines to food regulations and even abortion. but he says that he will carry out donald trump's agenda, not his own agenda. he will face two rounds of questioning today. first here in the finance committee and form in front of the health, education and labor committee. so there will be a lot of tough questions for rfk jr. before he gets that vote on confirmation. >> both of those committees are overseeing health and human services. ryan nobles for us there. thank you. quick programming note here. by the way, nbc news will have live coverage of rfk jr.'s

confirmation hearing this morning, on nbc news now. now to that dramatic scenen caught on camera at an air force base in alaska. watch as an f-35 jet crashes to the ground and bursts into flames, moments after the pilot declared an emergency and was able to eject. morgan chesky is following this breaking news. morgan, what happened? >> reporter: yeah, savannah, they're looking into that. video captures the final seconds before that f-35 exploded upon impact. the pilot is safe this morning after an inflight malfunction happened during a scheduled cleaning. fortunately, he managed to eject from that aircraft just in time. this morning a terrifying crash caught on camera. video showing f-35 jet falling from the sky. crashing on to the tarmac near fairbanks, alaska, and exploding into a fireball. >> there's a plane crash.

they have asked for mutual aid. >> reporter: miraculously, he ejected and floated to the ground in with a parachute. officials say the f-35 was flying in a local training exercise tuesday when something went wrong. >> we went up in flames, and i didn't want to drive any further. >> reporter: crews taking the pilot to a nearby medical facility for evaluation. >> the pilot was executing standard procedures and their respective mission. and essentially, experienced an in-flight malfunction. >> reporter: this crash comes after a string of incidents involving military aircraft in recent years. in november 2023, an f-35 fighter jet went missing and crash-landed in rural south carolina. the pilot surviving. >> i'm sorry. what happened? >> we have a pilot in the house, and i guess he landed in my backyard. >> reporter: back in alaska, air force officials are still looking into the cause of that fiery crash. >> we're thankful that the pilot and those responding to the

incident are safe. and we'll continue to conduct an investigation into the causes of this incident. >> reporter: now, following that crash, the commanders of the 354th fighter wing says he still has full faith in the capabilities of the f-35 as the premier fighter for the u.s. air force. savannah? >> morgan, thank you. meanwhile, new developments in the mysterious drone sightings up and down the east coast that have recently surged once again. the trump administration now weighing in, offering some explanations but leaving a lot of questions unanswered still. emilie ikeda has been following this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. it appears the majority of those sightings may not be so mysterious after all. the white house revealing the drones were authorized to fly by the faa. still unclear as to exactly what they were doing. for weeks, videos of mysterious lights in the night sky have been causing chaos, with r

residents posting them all over social media. >> it's slowing down. >> reporter: the sightings driving concerns around whs responsible. >> it is a complete violation of privacy, and unnerving. i couldn't sleep last night. >> reporter: now the white house is pulling back the curtain on the flurry of reported drone sightings, including near the president's golf club in new jersey. >> after research and study, the drones that were flying over new jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the faa for research and various other reasons. >> reporter: press secretary caroline leavitt underscoring -- >> in time it got worse due to curiosity. this was not the enemy. >> reporter: the reaction online swift. >> why couldn't they tell us that when it was going on? >> reporter: others remain skeptical. >> was the research an activity? okay? you have to tell us. >> reporter: the ocean county sheriff who deployed officers to track drone activities wishes

the transparency came sooner. >> when we tell the public, see something, say something, report it, i don't want to lose their partnership if we're not honest and upfront right away with them. >> reporter: the research company tallied 650 drone sightings since november that led to a brief airport closure in new york, temporary restrictions by the faa on drone flights and calls for federal assistance. while the biden administration last month tried downplaying any nefarious nature of the drones, telling "today" -- >> these are lawful and legal iation activities. manned and unmanned drones and civil aviation aircraft or commercial aircraft. >> reporter: now, with the newest update in the new year, the saga around suspicious drone activity appears to be grounded. new jersey's governor posting overnight, he's glad there is no known threat to the public. no word on what kind of research

the faa can authorize. >> all right. thank you. much more to get to, including a new plan put in motion to bring home the american astronauts who have been on the international space station for nearly eight months, much longer than initially planned. nbc's christine romans joins us on this one. this has a lot of people talking this morning. >> reporter: it really did. president trump is asking spacex to bring back two american astronauts earlier than scheduled from the international space station. they have been stuck there since june. remember, after the problems with their starliner capsule. this was a post on truth social last night. president trump said he asked elon musk and spacex to, quote, go get the two astronauts who he says, quote, have been virtually aback donned in space by the biden administration. trump adding, elon will soon be on his way. gooduck, elon. on a post on x, elon announced that he and spacex will do so. nasa announced plans last month

no earlier than late march. the spacex capsule is docked on the iss right now. but they aren't leaving right now because nasa's plan is to fly a new crew to replace them. so president trump is essentially trying to speed up that timeline. then placed blame on the biden administration here. >> so then, i mean, what has this experience been like? they talked publicly about this with astronauts. >> reporter: this is a long time. for most of us earthlings, this is a long time. their mission was supposed to last a week. it lasted months. after they uncovered problems with the spacecraft propulsion system. and then they decided to return it to earth without a crew. nasa said that both astronauts are in good health. their stay is within the time of other astronauts orbit. there's been concerns about the effect of spending eight months in space. a few days ago, sunny williams opened up saying she has been up there long enough that she's, wrote, trying to remember what it's like to walk adding, i haven't walked. i haven't sat down. i haven't laid down.

you don't have to. you can just close your eyes and float, right where you are right there. >> thedidn't talk about that. that's crazy. >> astronauts dream about getting to space. this might be too much of a good thing. >> reporter: they also said they're savoring the moment and working, working, working. they have accomplished so much more than they have on that mission. >> and they are trained for contingencies, as well. >> reporter: they are. >> they're not like us earthlings. >> reporter: no. meanwhile, back here on earth, mr. roker is standing by looking at a coast-to-coast storm. >> that's right. making its way across the north. tonight we could see severe weather from sherman, texas, down to curville. damaging hail, isolated tmpbd tornadoes and a flash flood risk, as the downpours drop five inches of rain. tomorrow that moves into the mississippi and ohio river valleys. moisture moving from the gulf

coast to the midwest. we have a severe risk of weather to houston. and then a flash flood risk from tyler, texas, all the way up to paducah, kentucky. friday it moves in with heavier rain. albany, new york, scranton as well. some areas in the mid mississippi river valley could see five inches of rain. plus, 57 million people from boston to roanoke, could see strong winds. airport delays, most likely. boston, albany, new york, down to washington, d.c., as the day progresses. we're going to get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.

out with a few more clouds. eventually the clouds will clear out and temperatures head back close to 60 degrees for a lot of our inland areas, and then cold again tonight with upper 30s and a mix of sun and clouds. tomorrow with a high of 61 and rain comes in for the weekend. we'll see off and on showers with an atmospheric river very close to the bay area, bringing in some of the >> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> thanks, buddy. >> al, thank you. still to come, jonbenet's father discussing where things stand in the decades-long investigation into his daughter's murder. stephanie gosk sat down with him. we'll share that conversation.

also ahead this morning, inside the feud erupting in paris. their plans to bring a modern touch to iconic notre dame cathedral by replacing some of windows.ent stained glass

all right. a new reason to get even more excited about snl 50. what the stars are revealing about their journeys on the show and the big plans to celebrate the golden anniversary. >> i cannot wait. but first, your local news and weather. -z rock.) ♪ how will earning unlimited cash back make you feel? [card reader beeps] ♪♪ well, a little like this. ♪♪ and like this. ♪♪ it takes two to feel the joy. [card reader beeps] earn unlimited 2% cash back. 1% when you buy, and 1% as you pay with the citi double cash® card.

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26 right now. i'm laura garcia. here's a look at our top stories, including a key moment for new san francisco mayor daniel lurie. i'm ginger conejero saab in san francisco. supervisors on the budget and finance committee are expected to debate. mayor daniel lurie's proposed citywide fentanyl state of emergency ordinance today. it will be the first time it is being heard. if approved, the measure would unlock funding fastrack new staff hires and expand drug treatment and shelter capacity. the mayor is also scheduled to attend a rally organized by mothers against drug addiction and deaths in a late night vote. alada county leaders have selected a new district attorney. supervisors voted for county judge ursula jones dixon over six other candidates. she previously worked in the da's office from 1999 to 2013, when she had her first position on the bench. she will fill out the term of recalled da pamela price before voters elect a new da in 2026.

let's get a look at the forecast for this wednesday morning with meteorologist kari hall. and we've seen some clouds moving into the bay area, keeping our temperatures slightly warmer in some spots. but we're still in the 30s from brentwood to fairfield as well as danville, but mostly 40s and low 50s as you're stepping out the door and headed for the mid to upper 50s for today. we're dry today and tomorrow, but rain is back in the forecast from friday through the weekend. laura. thanks, kerry. don't forget to join us for our today in the bay live streaming newscast at 8 a.m. we're getting you ready for the lunar new year. the year of the snake has arrived. join us on roku, amazon fire tv, xumo, and streaming platforms including nbcbayarea.com and of course, from our app. enjoy your wednesday morning! also join us for our midday news. that's at

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o.j. simpson murdered nicole brown and ronald goldman. and i'm sure you will be wondering why as the trial proceeds on. i'm sure you are wondering why right now. >> we're back at 7:30 with that moment from the prosecution's opening statement at the o.j. simpson trial 30 years ago this month. here we are, three decades later, a new simpson trial underway involving his estate. involving his son, as well. he stayed out of the spotlight for the past few years. >> yeah. good morning, everybody. nice to have you along. carson joining us. let's start with new developments in a another high-profile case, the murder of jonbenet ramsey. >> her father says he feels optimistic for the first time that the police are on the right back. >> stephanie gosk spoke to him on where this investigation

stands. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: hi, guys. good morning. a new months ago, he said he was hopepeful a nepolice chief in boulder would push the investigation forward. now, after meeting with that police leadership, he told us last night that he's hopeful progress is finally being made. nearly 30 years after jonbenet ramsey's body was discovered, in the basement of her boulder, colorado, home, her murder remains unsolved. but her father has not given up. he met with the police chief on monday. did you leave the meeting on monday thinking, this case is in good hands? >> yes, i did. i did. that's the first time i felt that way, quite honestly, in 28 years. >> reporter: what impressed you? >> they were just open to sincerely discuss the case. i'm just very impressed with the caliber of the leadership now. and that gave me great hope. >> reporter: early media coverage all but accused the parents of killing their own daughter or at least covering it

up. >> i did not kill my daughter. >> i did not have anything to do with it. i loved that child with my whole of my heart and soul. >> reporter: but within a month of her murder, police discovered male dna on her body that did not belong to her family. >> they kept that result secret from the d.a., from us. the problem is police had is it conflicted with their conclusion that the family were the killers. >> reporter: the dna, the central focus of a recent netflix documentary, sharply critical of boulder police. >> there is absolutely zero innocent explanation for fororen dna to end up on a 6-year-old's underwear. >> reporter: a cloud of suspicion followed the family until 2008, when police publicly cleared them. there has never been any charges in the case. >> our family reputation has

been damaged quite severely by the police. and if the only way it will be mostly restored is if there is a killer caught, period. >> reporter: no response to the documentary, the boulder police chief acknowledged the investigation should have handled better all those years ago, but say the case is far from closed. >> our goal is to find jonbenet ramsey's killer. our commitment to that has never wavered. >> reporter: he is hopeful new dna technology that has helped solve decades old cases could eventually lead investigators to jonbenet's killer. >> that's how it will get solved. >> so what else do we know about

next steps then in this investigation? >> one of the things the police chief has said is there was a cold case review done in 2023 of this case. that's an independent review board that then made a series of recommendations. the police chief says he wasn't specific about what they were but says they were following up on those recommendations. >> thank you very much. coming up, an inspiring push to get california wildfire victims the assistance so many need and getting a boost from stars like jamie lee curtis. how they're pitching in and how you can help. first up, a new vision for the restored nate ed notre dame cathedral that's not sitting well with everyone. kelly cobiella is looking into that. we'll have that for you right after this.

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♪ we are back. 7:39 this morning on "in depth today" growing debate surrounding an iconic piece of history. >> we followed the restoration of notre dame cathedral since it was devastated by fire in 2019. but this morning, a plan to install new and colorful stained glass windows at the paris landmark is raising a lot of eyebrows. >> kelly cobiella is joining us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: yeah. tur turquoise with scenes of people in flair. that's not the only muonumental plan. changes for one of the most famous paintings,lisa. two of the icons are in the spotlight.

at the louvre, it's the mona lisa that draws the crowds. and soon, the eyes and famous smile, created by leonardo da vinci will get a room of their own. president macron announcing a makeover for the museum, that include underground rooms and a new entrance, paid for by higher prices for americans and other non-european visitors. the president's intervention prompted by a leaked memo, that said the 230-year-old building is leaky and in a state of disrepair. notre dame cathedral is newly rebuilt. only just reopening in december, five years after a devastating fire. craig saw the remarkable results firsthand. >> the rose windows, fully restored. the flames were so intense that day, that the lead roof here actually started to melt. >> reporter: the fire in april 2019 brought down the iconic spire and centuries old roof, all of it painstakingly

recreated. much of the cathedral's stunning stained glass survived the flames, including these 19th century windows in six of the seven chapels on the south a aisle, which will now be replaced with new, more modern ones. the plans raising eyebrows. >> there is no need to replace these windows from a functional standpoint. and it is also that these windows have a story to tell. and that story would be undermined and lost if those were removed. >> reporter: more than 270,000 people already signing a petition asking president macron to reverse the decision. the diocese saying plans were approved by all the parties, including, they say, the president and the archbishop. the cathedral and other landmarks under constant change with each new generation eager to add their own touch and

cement their legacy. notre dame's windows are protected under french heritage laws. so critics are now planning or it hasn't been taken yet. it will take time to create these windows, more than a year, with the goal of installing them at the end of 2026 if that plan goes through. the old windows, guys, dating back to 1844, would then be on show in a museum. >> that's a solution in search of a problem. >> i was going to say. you have been to notre dame so much, we call you father melvin. what do you think about this? >> when you walk into the newly restored cathedral, it's one of the things you notice. >> they look very bright in all the videos. does it look that good in person? >> yes. even better. >> we need chip and joanna gaines to make the call. >> we were there at christmastime. >> maybe some of those roman shades that are automatic. >> especially when it comes to

windows, if it ain't broke, don't fix them. leave them the way they are. it's perfect. we're looking at windy conditions in the northeast as the front pushes through. some airport delays. snow, as well. strong storms getting themselves together, under texas, and the plains. out cloudy and slightly warmer. temperatures were headed close to 60 degrees for today and then back down to the upper 30s tonight. we're also dry tomorrow with a mix of sun and clouds, but we're getting ready for some widespread rain in the forecast from friday off and on through tuesday. temperatures will reach into the mid 60s inland, and we're looking at some upper 50s in >> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> thank you, buddy. >> thank you.

carson, just a tiny "popstart". >> a morsel, savannah, you got it. >> last night jimmy fallon made his broadway debut. appearing in "all in." a comedy about love from simon rich. the rotating cast has been stacked with "snl" alum. the showeatures a number of stories about dating and marriage adapted from "the new yorker." here's what our buddy, jimmy, had to say about his first big show. >> i'm exhausted. i'm drained because you get so nervous about your part that you have to do. and then you're like, did i rush it? did it rush it? to be here is so special. my mom always loved broadway. if she were here, she would be so proud. >> that's nice. got to perform through sunday, by the way, if you want to see it. uncle al, you know a little bit about the grind of broadway. >> yeah. but, you know, there is nothing like that love that you get. every day it is a different audience. it's a different show. >> and you get immediate feedback, too. >> absolutely.

absolutely. >> i thought jimmy had literally done everything. he had ridden on the parade floats. >> he's official. but that's cool. >> he wakes up in a suit and wears it all the way through the day. we have a full "popstart" coming up for you. more stories about another broadway situation. plus, a must-see morning boost is on the way from our friend, miss jenna. i hope you have a home run for us. >> i do. >> we'll see. no pressure. or ga. ga can be unpredictable—and progress rapidly—leading to irreversible vision loss. now there's something you can do to... ♪ ( slow. it. down.) ♪ ♪ ( get it goin' slower.)♪ ask your doctor about izervay. ♪ (i. zer. vay.) ♪ ♪ ( gets ga goin' slower.) ♪ izervay is an eye injection. don't take it if you have an infection or active swelling in or around your eye. izervay can cause eye infection, retinal detachment, or increased risk of wet amd. izervay may temporarily increase eye pressure.

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♪ okay. we've got stevie's morning boost. i just wanted to do a little twirl. everyone in the control room thinks you have a stevie nicks vibe going. >> show people what you're wearing. >> out of the chair. >> show the whole thing. >> it's very stevie. it is there. >> i think it reads more witch-like. witchy woman. >> we all are marveling. >> that's very stevie. the control room noticed it. i agree. >> all right, guys. we have been talking a lot about the l.a. fires. this morning we have a sweet silver lining to share with you. meet brian and stephanie. they recently returned to their home to search through the debris and guess what they discovered. the engagement ring that brian planned on using to propose to stephanie. about how much all >> wow.

>> right there, in that moment, he just couldn't wait. >> you think about how much all this pressure and all this perfection you want in the moment that you propose, but just i found it and it was like, oh, here it is. will you marry me? >> i cried. i was crying. my glasses fogged up completely. i went and gave him a big hug and i obviously said yes. >> of course she said yes. talk about what really matters. >> and what's meant to be. >> and what's meant to be. >> if he was having any second thoughts. there it is. >> and also what they have been through together. you know, that's love. it is not the e wedding. it is not the dress. it's that. >> that's a memorable engagement. maybe not the one in your mind, but unforgettable. >> well, she said yes, as you all know. but the couple took the ring to get cleaned up so it could be perfectly sparkly for stephanie. i love that. >> stevie, great boost. >> just call me stevie.

stevie bush. coming up, we will show you a new way you could help the fire victims, as well. we'll do that the next hour. also, if you start your day with connection, you will be happy to know there is a new twist on the popular word game. all the new details after your local news. the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists,, helps heal your skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems, like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor about dupixent. (jason) what are you doing pouring the milk in first? without talking (kylie) jason, it's milk first cinnamon toast crunch second. that's how we won. (jason) ah, ok listen, i'm doing the same magical formula i did last week, that's why we won. (kylie) yeah ok. (vo) buy $30 of general mills, earn a $10 gift card in the fetch app.

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(jack) [laughing] looks like we're switching to blue! (vo) switch to blue. and feed your dog like family. when my doctor gave me breztri for my copd... things changed for me. breztri gave me... better breathing, symptom improvement, and reduced flare-ups. breztri won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. it is not for asthma. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high h blood prsure before taking it. don't take breztri more than prescribed. breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain... mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating,... vision changes, or eye pain occur. ask your doctor about breztri. good morning. it is 756. i'm marcus washington. and i'm laura garcia. happening now. growing

bay area backlash over federal immigration arrests. i'm bob redell later today. students at cal, uc berkeley, they plan to protest president trump and his efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. this was the scene yesterday in east san jose, where hundreds of people protested and blocked the intersection of story and king, which is close to where ice agents were spotted in recent days arresting people. mayor matt mahan, of san jose, says his police department does not go around and ask its citizens about their immigration status. but if someone is committing serious and violent crimes, they will be held accountable, prosecuted and possibly deported. leaders at lawrence livermore lab are organizing an unusual virtual public hearing for tonight comes following the recent announcement from the national nuclear safety administration indicating plans to upgrade the lab's plutonium facility to help advance the nuclear stockpile. residents fear that it may mean higher levels of plutonium at the lab,

transported along nearby roads and highways. leaders are holding that presentation at 6 p.m. on the potential environmental impact. let's get a look at our forecast for this wednesday morning halfway through our workweek. kari. yes, we are, and we're a little bit warmer to start out compared to the past few days, although it is still chilly. take a look at danville now at 37, but compare that to the 51 we have in san mateo. the clouds coming in today, keeping those temperatures cool, and we're headed up to about 60 degrees for the inland areas. dry today, but rain comes in for the weekend. make sure to join us for today in the bay live streaming newscast, starting in just minutes at 8 a.m, getting you read fory

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coming up, frozen out. a federal judge halts the president's order to freeze trillions of dollars in federal spending one day after the sudden order sparks chaos and confusion. just ahead, what the white house is planning next. then, simpson estate. 30 years after the trial of the century got underway, new details on the lawsuit now unfolding over o.j. simpson's estate. his son who stayed out of the spotlight, at the center of it all. the full story straight ahead. and better together. we're shining a light on some special people joining forces to help those impacted by the los angeles fires. >> to see the extent of the support is very surreal. there is still hope and there are still resources. >> a look at the newly formed relief group and their incredible efforts to rebuild. all that, plus inside "snl's" cover shoot. >> superstar. >> dolly's big broadway announcement.

>> i feel like i done went to church. >> and "the new york times" introduces a new game. >> i'm going to be waking up at 5:00 every morning and doing wordle. >> it's time to play. it's january 29th, 2025. ♪ >> from birmingham, alabama. >> today is mom's 50th birthday. >> visiting "today" from sherman, illinois. >> minneapolis, minnesota. >> and venice, florida. >> hello to my friends and family in virginia. >> hi to my team at nbc news channel 8 in tampa, florida. ♪ >> here from texas. >> so celebrate my birthday. >> traveled from denver and san antonio. >> from milwaukee, wisconsin. celebrating 44 years of marriage. >> happy anniversary. >> all right. hello, everybody.

sun is out, wednesday morning. beautiful day on our plaza. so happy to have that crowd in our neck of the woods. we're fired up. we're jumping up and down. maybe it is for the warmth. to keep warm. jog in place. >> a lot warmer than in the last few weeks. >> true, true, true. weather is just ahead. let's get to your news at 8:00. we will begin with the dramatic efforts by the white house to cut costs. the trump administration offering 2 million federal employees a buyout. the president is calling for a freeze in federal spending, a plan that was put on hold by a federal judge. peter alexander is at the white house. got all of these strands on his plate this morning. hey, peter. good morning. >> reporter: a lot to juggle as we get going here. president trump is offering more than two million federal workers the option to resign now and to accept a severance package. the white house says it expects 5% to 10% of the workforce to take this deal. it says it could lead to 1$100 billion in annual savings.

but the largest federal workers union argues the trump administration's goal is to, quote, turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to. all of this comes as president trump's sweeping spending freeze is on hold after a federal judge temporarily blocked the president's order to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans. the judge is expected to make a more permanent decision announcement next monday. the white house says that medicare, medicaid, social security will not be affected, as well as federal assistance that goes directly to individuals. but despite promises to provide a full list of which programs will be affected, none has been provided, causing confusion and chaos and blowback from leading democrats, who call the president's efforts unconstitutional and cruel. >> we'll see what develops today, peter. thank you. new guidelines shining a spotlight on which beverages kids should be drinking and the ones they should avoid. sorecommendations from healthy

eating research developed by a panel of experts from four national health organizations. let's start with the yes list. and really no surprises here. water and milk are recommended for children ages 5 to 18. as for beverages they should drink in limited quantities, 100% fruit juice. plant-based milk alternatives, like almond and oat milk and flavored milks, as well. here is a list of the drinks kids should avoid. again, perhaps no surprises here. sugar sweetened beverages like soda, sports drinks, caffeinated beverages and energy drinks. you can more on the recommendations on our website. today.com. >> i will show that to my kids later. a legal battle unfolding over o.j. simpson's estate and one of his sons. according to a new lawsuit, justin simpson is improperly living in the home where his famous father died. simpson's estate says it was only in his son's name to shield simpson from creditors.

liz joins us today with details. liz, good morning. >> reporter: yeah. o.j. simpson died last year of cancer. since then, his son moved into o.j.'s home, which is at the center of this lawsuit. it comes as a new netflix document premiers today looking back at o.j. simpson's historic murder trial, that began 30 years ago this week. a new legal battle between the estate of o.j. simpson and his son, justin, all revolving around the las vegas home, where the notorious figure spent his final years. according to the lawsuit brought by o.j. simpson's long-time lawyer, the house was purchased to protect o.j.'s interests while shielding it from creditors. the lawsuit says o.j. simpson was the de facto owner and paid all expenses for the home. >> obviously i'm dealing with some issues. >> reporter: after simpson died last april, his son moved into the home and alleges he's refused to transfer it to sim

simpson's estate. the trust says the property should be equally divided among the four living children. the lawsuit asking that the title of the home be transferred to o.j. simpson's estate or alternatively the son's company pay a financial penalty. justin simpson has not filed a response to the lawsuit or responded to nbc for comment. the battle over the estate playing out as a new documentary comes out today and the ensuing trial that captivated millions watching on tv. simpson was found not guilty in the killings of a verdict that polarized the city of los angeles and the nation. 30 years later, the four-part series features new interviews with the unforgettable players and witnesses from the 1995 trial, including detective mark furman. >> i'm looking around and then i look down. i looked at this object. and it looked like a glove.

>> reporter: lawyers reflecting on the moment when o.j. tried on that glove in court. >> if it doesn't fit, you must acquit. >> i told him i wasn't going to do anything controversial, and i did. >> and kim goldman, the sister of ron goldman, feels it's her duty to keep the spotlight on the two victims killed thal night. >> i don't want to do this. but if i wasn't, my brother wouldn't be part of it. >> reporter: now, the father of ron goldman is currently seeking $117 million from o.j. simpson's las vegas estate. remember, he already won a civil suit against o.j. in 1997 that found o.j. simpson liable for the killings of his son and nicole brown simpson. the goldman family says they have only collected a small fracti of the money they are owed. savannah? >> thank you. now to a dramatic rescue off the coast of massachusetts. a 56-foot fishing boat taking on water. check it out here. it happened earlier this month eight miles off the coast.

the ship's captain put out a mayday call. another fisherman working near arived at the scene and helped lead the coast guard to that boat. they pull the captain and another passenger to safety. as you can see there, they tried to turn the boat back to shore, but it was taking on water so fast it eventually turned over and sank. thankfully, fortunately, surprisingly even, no one was hurt. >> all right. >> want to see what carson is doing? >> i do. "popstart," what you got? >> we told you about dolly parton's plans to return her life story to broadway. the icon made a big announcement on the show. you will hear from dolly coming up. first, an inspiring story of hope now emerging from the wildfire crisis in southern california. groups teaming up with stars to help families in need and rebuild those beloved communities. jacob soboroff here to share us. we will tell you how you can help, too. right after this.

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the code at the bottom of your screen, will lead you to ways that you can help out. >> jacob soboroff caught up with the names of those lending to help out the community. >> l.a. feel it is love. they really do. we have seen some of the best of los angeles come together. now the so cal fire fund is combining disaster relief groups and tapping celebrities to helm rebuild in the months and the years to come. in the weeks since the palisades and eaton fires engulfed neighborhoods around los angeles, the process of picking up the pieces has just begun. so many who have lost so much still unsure of what comes next. as l.a. looks towards recovery, a joint effort to help those in need is underway. major organizations have teamed up to form the so cal fire fund, including the caa foundation and the global relief organization core, founded by anne lee and sean penn.

so-cal fire fund is this collaborative effort. you have the hat and you're bringing together relief groups under one banner. how come? >> i think it's important to have a holistic approach when people are recovering, not just their homes but their entire neighborhoods. >> you come in as volunteer gap fillers. so we will say where can we plug up some holes that you have firefighters on? and try to find those gaps to keep things progressing. there is no agency that on its own can do whatever that is that should be and can be done to support the community. >> reporter: to meet that need, major celebrities are joining the cause, auctioning fan experiences that can raise money and awareness. among them, jamie lee curtis. >> we love los angeles. we love living in california. our roots are there. our culture is there. our communities are there.

our families are there. and this is a catastrophic loss for our entire city. >> reporter: you have already put a bunch of money into the recovery. why jump into this one, o? >> i will jump into every single one again. this is what we do. we come together. >> reporter: the hope this newly formed relief group brings immediate and long-term help to those needing to rebuild. giving comfort to those that lost their homes. >> to see the extent of the support is surreal. there is still hope and still resources. >> reporter: still, some have voiced frustrations about the recovery timeline. mayor karen bass and my own dad l.a.'s chief recovery officer, keith soboroff, say they are committed to a rapid response. >> like a hurricane with fire. >> reporter: fire officials rocked us through one of the many streets rocked with ash and debris. while the scale of destruction seems overwhelming, those backing the efforts say it is not impossible to overcome.

do you see it coming back? >> of course. of course, i see it coming back. we will heal. we will heal together one day at a time, one thing at a time. but we will rebuild stronger and more beautiful than ever. >> it would be great to see, if these people want to come back, we should do everything we can to help them come back. >> reporter: sean penn is really doing the work. he says it is just simple paperwork, helping people with long-term case management. that is at the top of the list. they say no one group can do it alone. and on that note, yesterday, a new effort led by magic johnson called l.a. rises announced they have raised $100 million to aid in the rebuild. in particular, by the way, guys, in altadena, we talk about the palisades, but altadena has just as many homes and people, homes destroyed. l.a. is feeling the love from here, from all over the country. it is a great thing to see.

>> it's been impressive. >> speaking of that. from time to time, we're called to report on something close to our hearts. your brother's house burned down. your childhood home burned down. you're right on the front lines bringing us the stories. it did not go unnoticed you reported with heart. >> reporter: thank you. that's what we sign up for. it is a strange thing to have it happen in your home neighborhood and home community. we see it all the time. all over the world, all over the country. people are extremely resilient and it's been heartening to feel it on the other end, too. >> there's a lot of resources. and these celebrities, it is nice to see them stepping up. >> your dad came out of retirement. >> reporter: he's a gluten for punishment. >> scan our qr code or head to today.com. we want to mention the fire aid benefit concert, a lot of talents lending their time to that. it is tomorrow night. you can catch it on nbc news now.

best time of the morning, "popstart". >> let's start with "saturday night live." we have been talking about it. we're excited about it. we're weeks away from the 50th anniversary special. and this morning, we have a sneak peek at the cast, past and present. gracing the cover of "people" magazine. inside the new issue, kate, keenan, leslie, molly and

seth opening u up about eir favorite hosts, breaking on live television, and the terrifying auditions. molly shannon revealing how she almost missed out on this fan favorite sketch. >> back flip, back flip, back flip. >> i always think of my friend natalie morales when i see that. >> natalie gave everything. >> she was so committed that day. >> she was jenna-esque in her commitment. >> here is what molly had to sa. i thought this was inspiring. i spent all my waitressing money making a vhs tape. i hired an editor and a guy to shoot it in my dumpy apartment. i was on a pay phone when they said, sorry, they passed on your tape. i picked myself back up and worked hard on my characters. they came back five years later and asked for another tape. i said, hey, come see my live show. and the rest is, as they say, history.

never give up. you can check out the full story the latest issue of "people" online. next up, "new york times" games. we know you love a good game. wordle, connections. now, a new one out in beta. >> love connections. savannah is already tuned out. this inviting players to group 16 sports related terms in 4 categories like the o.g. situation. you are allowed to make a maximum of four mistakes. we can announce that the athletic and "new york times" games are launching the game on super bowl sunday february 9th. keep an eye out r the first puzzle during the big game. >> that makes sense. it's fun but hard. >> that's good. >> not enough to play that game probably. >> you can do it. >> i love connections. >> i love connections. it's my favorite. next up, "the night agent."

the numbers are in. season 2 has skyrocketed to number one on netflix's top ten with nearly 14 million views. the show stars gabriel baso o a someone we know well. >> the american people deserve to trust in their institutions again, and they should be able to sleep soundly knowing there is a firm hand on the wheel. >> in a most recent debate you criticized the governor for what you deemed as a neo-isolationist agenda. what role should the united states play abroad? >> you shot that for the show. that's not a scene from the "today" show. >> no, that's a pivotal scene. for me, i did nothing. we shot it right here. >> without you, the whole thing falls apart. >> they looked at the metrics and that actual moment from research in episode 6. that scene, the ratings period. >> unbelievable. >> the spike was huge. >> i love you. >> i'll put a shiny apple on your desk later.

>> i heard there is emmy talk, too. >> and a spin-off. >> the spin-off. >> the background three-second emmy award goes to -- next up, dolly parton is headed to the stage. yesterday, dolly announcing her new show "dolly," an original musical is set to open in nashville before heading to broadway 2026. here's a teaser. >> let's go. >> there is so much more to a life like mine when you have started when you were tiny and the pricices that u have to pay and miles that you have to travel and the sacrifices, i would say, that you make. i just want people to go away feeling at the end because it's a triumphant story, and i want them to go away like, i'm glad i went to that. i feel like i went to church. >> jenna, you threw your hat in to play dolly. >> i did. >> and? >> so far i haven't heard back. but i'm hoping if she wants somebody.

>> can we have tape? >> you would not believe some of the stuff we've got. we have some absolutely great people. we really hope to find just the right people. and we'll be announcing pretty soon who we are going to have to do that. but we appreciate all the time. >> that sounded very specific. >> and she said great. did she mean m >> can you give us just a few more bars? >> why don't we do it together? ♪ jolene, jolene, jolene ♪ >> okay. >> maybe you guys should do that. >> ready for it? take four. it's not over yet. okay, it's over. ina garten sharing this throwback picture from her wedding. she is gifting her fans a special valentine's day treat, once again this year. ina is putting together a music

playlist of her favorite duets in case you need a special soundtrack. >> we have seen "islands in the stream". ♪ islands in the stream that is what we are ♪ >> that's your playlist, including frank sinatra and al green. ♪ al roker ♪ >> i'm worried we're going to get kicked out of "pop start." >> you broke the red chairs on "the voice." >> suddenly, they rename the show, "jenna is by herself." we will get back on track because we will ring in the lunar new year with help from an acclaimed chef. by the way, his cherished family recipes for dumplings. >> year of the snake. ♪ islands in the stream th is what we are ♪

dave's been very excited about saving big with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. five years? -five years. and he's not alone. -high five. it's five years of reliable gig speed internet. five years of advanced securit. five years of a great rate that won't change. it's back. but only for a limited time. high five. five years? -nope. comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. powering five years of savings. powering possibilities. comcast business. did you know using the grocery outlet app gives you the opportunity to win groceries for life? imagine never paying for groceries again. well, what if i can't decide? avocados or tomatoes? why choose? at grocery outlet, you can afford both. and not just the basics. with grocery outlet,

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♪ oh, welcome back. happy birthday. 8:30 wednesday morning. we've got an excited crowd here on the plaza. excited crowd because the one, the only nfl legend, four-time super bowl champ, mr. rob gronkowski on the plaza. best dressed man on the plaza, too. >> thank you, guys. good morning. good morning, folks. >> eagles. >> you're right. i didn't think about that. >> or notre dame. >> no, they got smoked by ohio state. i'm an ohio state fan. i did an official visit there. i love that school. >> i was watching last week when you predicted who was going to be in the super bowl. you called the eagles. you called the chiefs. >> thank you, man.

thank you very much. there was a couple others that got it right at the desk. i picked the eagles. they're a dominant team. they have such a great offensive line and defensive line. they can control the line of scrimmage throughout the entire game. then it is the kansas city chiefs. you know they can find a way to get it done. of course, my buffalo bills, too. i grew up in buffalo. i'm a bills fan. they figured it out once again. i couldn't go against the chiefs like i did last year. the chiefs versus the eagles. we have a rematch. it will be a good game because both teams are playing their best football right now. that's what we want going into the super bowl. >> are you allowed to make a pick? >> i am allowed to make a pick. i'm going to go with -- i'm going to go with the kansas city iefs. patrick mahomes has faced this defensive coordinator all eight

times. and he will go up against them, as well. >> savannah is crying because she's a big eagles fan. >> he's been dominating. he's been a force. >> yeah. also, old-school football back. running the ball down your throat. >> he is a selfless player. he gave up the rushing record to take a day off to he is ready for the playoffs. >> folks, we have more gronk and more football coming up. also we will talk about something else you are involved with as well. >> thank you, gronk. coming up, a pioneering actor making more than just his own dreams coming true. his starring role in a new action movie. kaylee hartung has that touching story. >> really, a cool story. and melissa garcia will be here with january best-sellers. if your new year's resolution was to eat healthier, we have some kitchen gadgets that will help you out. also, ahead, speaking of eating, we have homemade dumplings. the lunar new year with chef kim's favorite recipe. coming up on "jenna &

friends", another incredible guest cohost, ciara is here! and we will see you the best viral beauty gadgets worth the splurge. looking ahead to tomorrow on "today." get excited. jalen brunson joining us live. this is his first visit to studio 1a, just named an all-star starter. he's really excited. a lot of knicks success talk. you are a basketball man. >> here's the thing about jalen. a fantastic human being. makes a mean scrambled egg as well. >> oh, love that. >> and he's a big momma's boy. >> are they as good as al's egg bites that he makes you every day? >> does al make him egg bites every day? >> yes, he makes him a beautiful breakfast every morning. >> how can we get on that train? >> there might be a hole in the "jenna & friends" schedule. >> there is always a hole. >> quid pro quo. >> if we stop singing forever? >> that could do it, too. >> never happening.

>> no, not happening, not when you have this much talent. >> yeah. that is debatable. debatable is the change in the temperature. we are talking last week it was weather whiplash. push that cold air into the gulf. guess what? we flip it this time. a low out west. high out to the south. that's pumping up that tropical air to the north. look at the temperature difference from last week to this week. houston is 34 degrees warmer on the same day, coldest day last week. charlotte, 39 degrees warmer. cincinnati, 48 degrees warmer. then we move into tomorrow. that warmth continues all the way up to the north. green bay 48 degrees warmer than tomorrow. detroit, 41 degrees. it is fantastic. into the weekend, temperatures take a dip on saturday but bounce back on sunday. that warmth hangs around just a bit. that's what's going on around the country. next at 2. oh, so that's good. good. wednesday morning i'm

meteorologist kari hall. today we are going to see a mix of sun and clouds and temperatures headed for 60 degrees for many of our inland valleys. and then tonight back down into the upper 30s. and we're dry tomorrow as well. but we will be watching an atmospheric river very close to the bay area starting on friday, and giving us some scattered showers in the forecast throughout the weekend, as well as early next week. for san fran and you are a morning producer during our show. your local show is called? >> lake today. >> it is. >> hey, everybody! >> pete is not leaving. >> he's not leaving.not leaving >> he's no yet. an inspiring actor breaking barriers in hollywood with his charm, whit and a historic starring role.

kaylee hartung has his inspiring story. this is "today" on nbc. s more.

back now 8:38 with a story of a guy turning his dreams into a reality in a very remarkable way. >> yeah. he is chasing after the bad guys in a new film called "straight undercover" and making history as the first actor with down syndrome to star in an action movie. >> nbc's kaylee hartung joins us now with more. tell us about him. >> i cannot wait to introduce you. he is charismatic and funny, smart and funny. i got to sit down with him to talk all about what it takes to make your dreams come true.

>> let's go! >> reporter: race is saving the day. in "straight undercover" he plays a government agent that exposes forces trying to put a small town farmer out of business. >> i go undercover. undercover baby. >> reporte who are your favorite action stars? >> chuck norris. tom cruise. and me. i'm a new hero in all these great movies. >> reporter: he was born and raised in rochester, new york. he has been in productions of "beauty and the beast" and "mary poppins." he always dreamed of seeing himself on the big screen. did you ever imagine being in an action movie? >> oh, yes. yes. >> reporter: he met the director

while shooting a tv pilot. and right away, ben knew reece was a leading man. >> i'm a government agent. gonna do something. >> he has an "it" factor that when i see him on camera, i want to see more. the goal was to create a character around the real life race. it wasn't to try to push him into the box to be something. so we took his real life essence and wrapped a story around it. >> come on. grow some potatoes! >> reporter: "straight undercover" is a passion project for ben and race. they both work day jobs. reece in payroll and ben owns a production company. so they filmed their movie on days off. they relied on donations from the community. they are working to find a distributor to release their film far and wide. what surprised you in making this movie? >> everybody's willingness to

come in, the community's support and so many people wanting to be a part and chipping in and donating their time and giving us access to great locations that we wouldn't have been able to access because they saw the passion and the vision. >> what about lunch? >> okay, all right. we'll stop on the way. >> reporter: reece's humor and charisma shine on screen. but something that doesn't get any air time, reece, the action hero who saves the day, has down syndrome. it was a decision you made not to mention his disability in the movie. why? >> traditionally in films is that the characters on screen are forced to identify with their disability almost as the reason why they're on screen. for us, it was important to not make the story about the disability. >> reporter: ben hopes they see that anyone can be the hero of their story. what impact do you think reece can have on the impact of people with disabilities in the movie

industry? >> this is an example of artists doing it differently. maybe they can inspire other people. if you can see it, you can be it. you know that saying? maybe they can take something from that. >> ben, he's a come true guy. >> both of our dreams coming true. >> yeah. >> reporter: like i mentioned, "strait undercover" doesn't have distribution yet, but you can watch the official trailer on youtube. reece broke news to me and his director ben saying he's ready to start in a sequel. after shooting the original in rochester, new york, he'd like to shoot it in miami. >> let's go to distribution first. >> then we'll do the sequel. but i love it. build it around him. that director saw a star. >> reporter: for sure, a leading man. >> representation there. thank you. >> that's a good one. melissa garcia is here with the newest batch of bestsellers. everything from comfy clothes to kitchen hacks. but, first, this is "today" on

nbc. dave's been very excited about saving big with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. five years? -five years. and he's not alone. -high five. it's five years of reliable gig speed internet. five years of advanced securit. five years of a great rate that won't change. it's back. but only for a limited time. high five. five years? -nope. comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. powering five years of savings. powering possibilities. comcast business. did you know using the grocery outlet app gives you the opportunity to win groceries for life? imagine never paying for groceries again. well, what if i can't decide? avocados or tomatoes? why choose? at grocery outlet, you can afford both. and not just the basics. with grocery outlet,

you'll find all your favorite brands included. including gluten free pasta and my favorite cookies? um, huh, everything's included. so burgers and steaks for life?! you gotta win first. still worth it. now that's bargain bliss. ♪ grocery outlet bargain market

welcome back. just a few days left in january. that means it is time to take a look at some of the month's bestsellers. best part, fashion lifestyle expert melissa garcia here to share our favorite picks. you can shop along by scanning the qr code right beneath me. >> yes. >> you maintain that every woman should have this in her closet. >> absolutely. this is a suit for a guy. it's mindless dressing, right? you just grab it and go. you don't have to think much. these are great. they're two-piece matching sets. so comfortable. you can dress them up or down. they're great because honestly, it is easy. we all want something easy. it comes in a ton of different colors, sizes small through extra large.

you can wear it off the shoulder. again, a set just looks intentional. it looks polished. >> i love how seriously the models take the modeling. >> very. this is a very big deal. >> they take it seriously. >> yes. so comfortable, you will wear it all the time. >> these earrings are two in one. >> they are two in one. >> explain that to me. >> as you can see, these are two-tone earrings. you can model this for us. >> i don't think anyone wants to see that. >> so they're gold and silver. our team is predicting that will be a huge trend for this year. but they're also removable. so you can remove this one ring and make it a more simple dantie earring or stack earring. they're lightweight. the brand says they're 14 karat gold plated. and they're hypo allergenic as well. if you have sensitive ears, you don't have to worry. >> you get three in one.

>> you kind of get three in one. and under $15. you cannot beat the price. >> tell me about this. >> this is cute. so this is a scalp treatment from dr. groot. dr. groot is huge in the korean beauty world. this is amazing. what you do is put it in the shower. you put it in your hair before you do anything. scrub it in nice. use rosemary oils. >> oh, it smells nice. >> it removes all the buildup in your hair. you don't realize you have buildup until you use this. when you come out of the shower and dry your hair, it just feels bouncy and shiny and lighter. it works so well. every one should try it. love this. >> and you use it with the shampoo and conditioner. >> yes. pop it in before everything. >> cold weather this time of year taking a toll on a lot of people's hands. >> yes. this is o'keefe's.

this has 70,000 4.7 star reviews on amazon. everyone loves this. >> you know what i love about it? it's not greasy. >> it's a balm. it's not sticky or greasy. there is no fragrance. everyone can use this. what i love to do at night, i slather this on at night. when you wake up, your cuticles are soft. your hands are soft. people love to use this on their feet, too. you can't beat the prices. >> this will be great on your feet. >> under $10. and this will last you a really long time. >> yeah. how did i get called on that? >> if roker were here, he would make a comment about using some working hand lotion. you don't work. >> well, you did it for him. >> this is a great kitchen gadget for someone who has resolved to be healthier this year. >> do you cook? >> i eat. >> i like that answer. >> i can cook a few things, but it is not my forte. >> i love this because you can use this two different ways. so it is a glass bottle, which

is nice. it also allows you to pour. you can pour or you can squirt it. it does a pour, and it also does -- you can play. be careful. it's powerful. >> that's the pour. >> and then the spray. >> if i pull it back like that, then you just -- >> yep, then you pour it. that's good if you want to cook. if you want a little bit, you don't want to get too many calories, this is a really great option. avocado oil, peanut oil. >> only $10. >> oh, an air fryer. still all the rage. >> it is. my son is a senior in high school. he uses this every day. the worst part about air fryers is cleaning them. it's amanannoying. this is a game changer. these are liners for your air fryers.

so genius, like someone finally got smart and figured it out. it comes with 120 liners. they are so great. they don't change the texture of the food at all. it comes out crispy and crunchy. if you have something saucy in there, it doesn't get messy. works so well. and you can get these. how cute is this? these are cheat sheets on how long you cook what because no one tells you how long to cook your chicken. vegetables, meats, whatever it might be, it is magnetic. >> and that comes with the liners. >> separate but under $10. really affordable. you will use this all the time. >> thank you. great finds. you can find these bestsellers by scanning that qr code at the bottom of the screen or check out today.com/shop. coursen daly, what you got? >> up next, we're celebrating the lunar new year with eric kim. we have dumplings done two ways. we're going to show you how to make it. we're going to fold and ea there is kimchi.t.

i don't ever see anyone coming out to maintenance anything, so it's very scary for me because i have everything i love in this home. so, we've now implemented drone technology. how is that safe for me? it enhances the inspection, so it allows us to see things faster. your safety is the most important, and if you're feeling unsafe, that's not okay. it doesn't feel like that in our hearts. i mean, it's worrisome. [dog barks] [dog barks]

welcome back this morning on "today" food. we're joined by "new york times" columnist eric kim. and he will help us ring in the lunar new year with dumplings, not one but two ways. eric, great to see you. our eaters are over there. eric is a die hard "trl" fan from back in the day. he has a memory of all things pop culture from the year 2000. >> wow. >> some fun facts might be dropped along the way. good to see you, bud. >> thanks for having me. >> lunar new year today, year of the snake. what is the significance of this particular meal? >> you know, i think for a lot of asians, especially in the united states, dumplings are a way to access your culture. and you know, because the motherland's across the water, i really think it's so special to tap into this practice of making dumplings. i think it is special so many people share this experience. at nyt cooking today in the front page of the food section,

we're celebrating dumpling week. we have five dumplings from the wonderful people on staff. contributors. for me, personally -- maybe i will start here. >> go for it. >> what's special about these particular dumplings i will make today. start with sweet potato noodles. if you watch how they totally melt into the water, if you want to get those in. >> unlike spaghetti, this happens. >> yeah. it will cook for about five minutes. once that boils, what you do is chop them up. these are starchy and nice. backstage, we were talking about how they look like jellyfish. they taste comforting. >> are they al dente like spaghetti? >> you want to get them soft. they become clear and translucent. long noodles, i think, are a

nice symbol of prosperity and health. that's what we're trying to garner in this holiday. >> what is the biggest differential from the dumpling world? is it what's in the pocket? >> yes. these are kimchi and the noodles. these noodles from a southeastern city in south korea. do you want to help me out? >> what are we doing? just tell me what to do. >> there is sesame oil, soy sauce and scallions. i think if you have had dumplings out in the world, it is one of those things that let's start building them because -- >> how are they guys? >> great. >> is it a flavor that is slightly masked or lost? is it front forward? >> it's front forward but tempered by these other seasonings we have. sugar softens the flavor. i think it is a umami bomb of a bite. and it's vegetarian. after you do that -- want to try folding one. >> we don't have time. >> by the way, the chocolate dumpling is really great. >> put that recipe on the

website. >> basically what you do is boil them first. >> we have to go to the recipe, guys at today.com. good morning. it is 856 on marcus washington. in a late night vote, alameda county leaders have chosen a new district attorney. supervisors selected county judge ursula jones dixon over six other candidates. she previously work at the da's office from 1999 to 2013, when she first won her position on the bench. now she'll finish out the term of recalled da pamela price. before voters elect a new da in 2026. san francisco supervisors are expected to debate mayor daniel lowery's proposed citywide fentanyl state emergency ordinance. if approved, that measure could unlock funding fastrack new staff hires and expand drug treatment and

shelter capacity. this is the first time the committee will formally hear that plan. ahead of today's hearing, the mayor is expected to attend a rally organized by mothers against drug addiction and deaths. happening now. our ginger conejero saab she is getting reaction at city hall. she'll have a live update for us in our midday newscast. you can also get more details right now at the top of our homepage. also on our homepage. new bay area our homepage. new bay area backlash to a mmmm... planet oat's so creamy and not watery like- exactly! and unsweetened has 0 grams of sugar. and don't forget, it's an excellent source of calcium. ♪♪ wow! planet oat really has it all... you guys are so right! no you are. no you are. no you are. yeah, you are. ♪♪

dave's been very excited about saving big with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. yeah, you are. five years? -five years. and he's not alone. -high five. it's five years of reliable gig speed internet. five years of advanced securit. five years of a great rate that won't change. it's back. but only for a limited time. high five. five years? -nope. comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. powering five years of savings. powering possibilities. comcast business. this morning on the 3rd hour of