>> crazy. >> a lot of sunshine. >> crazy gallo -- crazy gal. enjoy the day. see you at noon. >> caption colorado, llc comments@captioncolorado.com g morning. a dangerous start to summer. >> going right at us. going at us, guys! oh, my god. look at a that! >> reporter: a tornado outbreak rips across five american states with taj and baseball fans scattering and firefighters in the southwest try to keep hundreds of wildfires away from towns and homes. afghan drawdown. president obama set to reveal how fast u.s. troops will leave afghanistan as pressure grows from congress and the public to an end to that ten-year war. a message to smokers. the fda reveals stronger, more graphic warning labels now going on every pack of cigarette ads and every tobacco ad. will it add more lives? we will ask the secretary of

human services will the new tobacco labeling in 15 years. "early" this tuesday morning, june 21st, 2011. captioning funded by cbs good morning. welcome to "the early show" here on a tuesday morning. i'm chris wragge. >> i'm erica hill. what a year 2011 is shaping up to be for weather. spring was right down deadly in areas of the country and you mentioned a dangerous start to summer now. >> now off to a real dangerous start to the beginning of summer for fires and drought in the south to tornadoes in the midwest. there is even a hurricane brewing in the pacific possess remind us that hurricane season is now officially under way as well. >> as if there wasn't enough, right. we begin with the outbreak of tornadoes in the midwest. don teague is in texas with the latest for us this morning. don, good morning. >> reporter: here in the dallas area, we got the southern tip of that line of severe weather that is moving across the middle of the country.

here, we had 90-mile-per-hour winds along with heavy rain and hail. but it's nothing like the extreme weather across the middle of the country. >> going at us, guys! >> reporter: there were at least two dozen reports of tornadoes touching down across the messed from nebraska to kansas and on to iowa. >> here is the train car. >> reporter: one huge twister dropped now near interstate 80 in york county, nebraska, snapping powers lines and tossing cars. in all, officials reported just four injuries and five homes destroyed. but those numbers are expected to rise with the dawn. this tornado took aim at bradshaw, nebraska. terry dicks saw it coming, dove into his basement. >> pretty scary. didn't last long, but i don't ever want to re-do it. >> reporter: in nearby elm creek, neighbors pitched in to

help terry out. >> there is some anxiety. some sadness. but when you look at it, as hard as everybody is working, it's really, you know, it's really neat that everybody together to help a family out. >> reporter: sirens sounded in the sixth inning of the college world series in omaha. florida led vanderbilt 3-1 but high winds and ominous skies quickly scattered players and fans. that college world series baseball game was suspended. we are told there were no injuries involved. meanwhile, the severe weather continues to move across this part of texas. it did bring some drought relief here, up to 4 inches of rain in some areas. but most of the state remains under severe drought conditions. don teague, cbs news, rockwall, texas. now to the stubborn wildfires raging throughout the west. arizona governor jan brewer has called in the national guard to

protect monuments around that fire. we have the latest from sierra vista this morning with pryia david-clemens. >> reporter: the monument fire is less than 30% contained but for the first time in ten days, there is a sense of optimism here. firefighters say a break in the weather may finally give them the upper hand on containing this massive blaze. all told, the monument fire forced 10,000 people from their homes and while authorities will allow some families in sierra vista to return this morning. >> i want to cry right now. >> reporter: for nearly 60 homeowners, it's too late. >> this is my parents' home. >> reporter: a cell phone picture can hardly capture what renee davis lost, her parents' house. the gather is place for her ten brothers and sisters. >> they lost everything. they didn't have much time to evacuate so they didn't take any family heirlooms, nothing. >> reporter: aided by high heat and single digit humidity this fast-moving fire scorched nearly 30,000 acres.

>> seeing all of it coming down the mountain, it's just put a pit in my stomach. >> it's surreal. it's something you see in a movie. >> reporter: yesterday, 3,500 firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures and calmer winds to slow the wallow fire along the border of arizona and new mexico. raging 24 days the largest fire in arizona's history has left a wide path of destruction consuming 820 square miles and dozens of homes and even highways. >> the temperatures and the fuel dryness and wind speeds, it was a successful day. >> reporter: a change in the weather has given officials a new sense of optimism. but for those seeing the devastation for the first time, the feeling is one of despair. >> this was our life, you know? i've lost everything, man. everything. >> reporter: remarkably, there have been no record deaths among residents or firefighters, despite the massive size of these two blazes.

pryia david-clemens, cbs news, sierra vista, arizona. firefighters battling wildfires from california to florida where scorching heat and dry conditions have led to nearly 400 fires burning across the sunshine state. on monday, two firefighters were killed in northeast florida. the governor declared a state of emergency for the fires and other pressing issue. a major drought that is there as well and joins us from tallahassee this morning. governor, good morning. >> good morning. my heart goes out to the families of the two firefighters we lost yesterday battling these fires. we have almost 400 fires, about 90% of our state is in drought conditions. we have about 115,000 acres right now under fire conditions. but the positive is the weather pattern is supposed to change tomorrow and get more moisture, but it's very dry right here in florida. >> reporter: and that is what i wanted to ask you. you're dealing with really two beasts here. both the fires which are massive all across the state and this

drought issue. what is the bigger concern for you and the people of your state right now? >> well, right now, the -- the drought conditions are a real problem. we are getting fires, new fires every day just because of the lightning strikes. the positive is rain is starting to come. tomorrow, we will be getting more rain, it looks like up in the northern part of the state and by the weekend, the southern part of the state. so that will damp this out and stop this, but for the last few weeks, quite a few fires. we brought in the national guard last week and my heart goes out to the families of the two firefighters we lost yesterday, devastating to those families. >> that was in hamilton county. it seems like a bad situation really just got worse with word of the two firefighters. >> yeah. you know, unfortunately, the winds changed and it catches up, it caught up to these firefighters and so it's -- it's

tragic. but, you know, pray for rain. it looks like we will get more rain tomorrow which, in the beginning you get more lightning strikes but the next few weeks we will be getting rid of the fires. >> i know nothing you can do about the lightning strikes but a lot of these fires are caused by people being careless. you have the burn ban there and drought there. what do you tell the people in your state right now? >> sure. 80% of wildfires are caused by humans and no open fires in camp sites. make sure anything -- anything around fires, you make sure it's completely out. if you see anything, notify your local fire authorities to make sure we get on top of these things quickly. but we have got a great group. our state forestry has done a wonderful job. the national guard is doing a wonderful job. our local firefighters are doing a wonderful job. but it's hard. and they have been working a lot of hours. the worst thing today is losing

those two firefighters and what is going to happen just your heart goes out to those families. >> exactly. exactly. a sad i guess part of this story but the good news in all of this is the weather is getting better and hopefully, they can get much needed relief. thank you for your time this morning, governor. here is erika. tomorrow, president obama is expected to offer some answers on when the u.s. will leave afghanistan and the numbers associated with that. cbs news senior white house correspondent bill plante joins us with the latest. >> reporter: good morning. when the president ordered 30,000 additional surge troops into afghanistan, he set himself a deadline of this july to begin pulling troops out. the question is how many will he pull out and how quickly? unemployment at 9% and sluggish economy a lot of pressure from republicans and democrats to get out of afghanistan sooner than later and use those resources somewhere else. so the president, today, has a number of options on the table and we are told that he has not yet decided, may not even decide

until tomorrow before the speech. they range from a short pullout, 5,000 troops, support troops mostly, at the beginning. to a troop withdrawal of all 30,000 by the end of next year. a range of options in between. one option which is considered very likely by some of his supporters is that he will announce that no particular numbers, no specific numbers, but say that all of the 30,000 support troops will be out by a date certain and leave the details up to the commanders. >> bill plante joining us from the white house this morning, thanks. in presidential plxs, former utah governor jon huntsman joins the 2012 race ooed today. the republican who most recent sli served as ambassador to china for president obama is facing what many are calling a rocky road to the white house. jan crawford is in washington with more this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. huntsman makes it official this morning. a lot of people including the

obama administration talking about how he can give obama a real run for the money in the general election but before he can take on obama he has to win the republican primary and that may be a challenge. in light of some of his past positions. he has worked for presidents ronald reagan, george h.w. bush and george w. bush but jon huntsman tied to another president that has many republicans questioning his gop credentials. president barack obama. >> so i'm extraordinarily pleased to announce that jon huntsman will be our ambassador to china. >> reporter: huntsman left his second term as utah's governor to serve for more than a year and a half as mr. obama's ambassador to china. now, huntsman will have to contend with the political fallout of letters like this from 2009 when he called the president a remarkable leader. skeptical republicans are also worried about huntsman's conservative bona fide on social issues as governor huntsman seemed open to health care in

his state as he said in a interview in 2007 on public television. >> is a mandate of hurngs insurance? >> i'm comfortable with a requirement. you can call it whatever you want but at some point we have to get serious how we deal with this issue. >> reporter: the former governor has since backed away from this and other positions unpopular with the gop base and is emphasizing his conservative values. >> as utah's governor, i cut taxes across the board which amounted to the largest tax cut in my state's history. >> reporter: while huntsman makes the case he should be the standard bearer for the republican party he also needs name recognition. a recent cbs news poll showed 87% of republican voters say they don't know enough about him. now huntsman is going to present himself as a modern day conservative. he will, obviously, talk about ronald reagan and how the values apply today.

after that he take the message on the road where he must do well, new hampshire. >> a lot of eyes focused on new hampshire even at this early date. jan, though, when you talk to your sources, when you talk to political strategists, folks within the party, does the republican party, especially the top brass, see huntsman as a viable candidate? >> reporter: well, absolutely they do because of his experience. but whether or not he will actually become a viable candidate in the eyes of the voters is another question. i mean, he really got to distance himself from president obama. i think he can distance himself from the rest of the republican candidates. he already is doing that. i mean, i think he is kind of running partly at his hips, cool candidate almost, you know? the opposite of mitt romney, someone with romney's qualifications and business experience, but, you know, he is kind of saying i'm not your 1950s dad here. i'm the cool guy. in his speeches, he is talking about i dropped out of high school and got past that and he even released his campaign ad showing he is riding his hard lee through the desert and speaks mandarin chinese and

quotes from rock stars, you don't see a lot of republican candidates doing that. how he separates himself with barack obama and gets through that republican primary is important. >> jan crawford in washington, thanks. >> here is jeff glor at the news desk with a check of today's news headlines. at least 44 killed overnight when a plane crashed in russia. that jet left moscow and only a mile -- half a mile, i should say, from landing in northwestern russia when it hit the ground and caught fire. there was heavy fog at the time and the airport fog lights were not working. four of the victims held duel u.s./russian citizenship. eight survived but badly hurt. engine trouble forced della plane back to atlanta before taking off. it had 174 people on board. three passengers suffered minor injuries after going down the plane's evacuation slide.

amtrak and commuter trains between new york city and philadelphia are back on track this morning. service was briefly suspended after a transformer caught fire in new jersey. handshakes and pats on the back after three miners freed from southeast kentucky last night and spent 14 hours trapped and about 600 feet underground. crews spent all day pumping out water. the miners managed to walk out and they are now back home. in baseball, instead of bringing a youngster up from the minors, the florida marlins got their new interim manager out of retirement. yesterday, 80-year-old jack mckeon was re-introduced as the marlins manager. he led the marlins when they won the world series in 2003 and now mckeon at 80 says age is not a factor. >> why should experience get penalized? i mean, you know, 80 doesn't mean a thing. i'm not 80.

my birth certificate says that, but i'm not 80! >> always been a plain spoken guy. mckeon is not the oldest person ever to manage a big league team, though. that was connie mack who was 87 when he led the philadelphia athletics back in 1950. 16 minutes past

thanks so much. that is your latest weather. now over to erica and chris. good morning. >> thanks. still ahead, the truth about cigarettes. new warning labels to stop people from smoking. we will ask the government's top health official, will they work? walmart wins a land mark sexual discrimination suit. find out what it could mean for workers like you, especially in

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i just expect to step out on centre court and take a deep breath and take it all in, and enjoy that moment and smile and have many more moments. >> serena williams there, focusing on defending her wimbledon title. starting this morning. for awhile, though, didn't look as she could get that chance. >> yeah, she has had some huge health issues over the past year, including a problem with blood clots that could have been fatal. coming up she talks about her comeback, how her fans motivated her to get back on the court. she only played two competitive matches since winning wimbledon last year. so exactly what can we expect from serena as wimbledon begins out at the all-england club? we'll talk about it in just a couple of minutes. this is "the early show" here on cbs. >> this portion of "the early cbs. >> this portion of "the early show" sponsored by windows 7.

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firefighters were injured this good morning. it's 7:25. let's get you caught up on some of the headlin -- some of the headlines. firefighters were injured in the south and east bay areas, one was hurt while battling the kappa sigma fraternity house fire near san jose state university. it went up in flames about 3:30 this morning. more than two dozen students managed to get out safely. they will meet with school officials today about finding new housing. this morning, other fraternities have been helping out those fellow fraternity members. and in oakland, it was the victorian home on 23rd avenue that burned overnight. smoke alarms alerted two families. everyone managed to get out safely. but the house is a total loss. one firefighter suffered a back injury. fire investigators now trying to find the cause of the fire. and cabs could be hard to hire in san francisco this afternoon. taxi drivers plan to strike from noon to 2 p.m.

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good morning. well, it is an extra slow ride unfortunately for your westbound highway 4 commute. there was an earlier accident at bailey road. that is now cleared off to the off-ramp. but there is a new accident reported in that area. look at this stretch. it is really slow for miles on westbound 4 speeds under 25 miles per hour. not much better in the silicon valley commute. westbound 237 this was an earlier accident involving a big rig just past 880. that's off to the shoulder but unfortunately it's jammed up and bay bridge backed up for at least a 15-minute wait. that is your traffic. for your forecast, here's lawrence. >> elizabeth, hot summer sunshine around the bay area today. those temperatures really going to soar out there. mostly clear skies all the way to the coastline. and that big ridge of high pressure overhead and those offshore winds cranking up the temperatures on the first official day of summer. 100 degrees expected in livermore today, 99 in concord. 95 in fremont. 98 in san jose. how about 75 right on the beach in pacifica? next couple of days we'll start to cool down slightly tomorrow, much more cooling into thursday

and friday with a return of low clouds and fog.

some big changes coming to cigarette packs. this morning the fda unveils new, much more graphic health warnings. warnings that say things like cigarettes cause cancer and smoking can kill you. all in great leg letters as you see there. >> other countries say these warnings work and get people to quit and prevent teenagers from getting hooked. we're going to ask health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius about the new level and why it took decades to make some changes in this country. welcome back to "the early show." >> also ahead this morning, walmart claiming victory in a landmark class action case. one we talked about several times on "the early show." this morning we're going to take a closer look at the supreme court decision and also what would the next step be in this case? walmart is not exactly off the hook just yet. we'll take a look at what it means to the average american worker. >> but jeff glor at the news

desk with another look at our top headlines this morning. good morning again. >> good morning once again to you, chris. in our news here this morning, some wild weather overnight. at least half a dozen tornadoes in nebraska. >> coming right at us. coming right atous, guys! >> this tornado rolled right over a freight train, knocking cars off the track, as you can see. and it ripped across a highway, as well, though some daring motorists actually drove right past it. more twisters struck in kansas and iowa, but no deaths have been reported. we're learning this morning an unmanned nato helicopt

more than 45 million americans smoke, and cigarette companies spend about $12 billion a year on advertising and promotion. well, this morning the food and

drug administration is ready to make cigarettes a lot less appealing. at least visually. cbs news correspondent elaine quijano has that story for us this morning. elaine, good morning. >> good morning to you, chris. well the fda is unveiling new, graphic warnings that beginning in september 2012 will have to be displayed on the front and back of cigarette packs. and appear on all advertisements. anti-smoking advocates are smalling it an historic achievement to combat smoking and hope the regulations will be especially helpful in keeping america's young people away from cigarettes. americans will soon be facing a very ugly picture when they reach for a cigarette. for the first time, the fda unveiled nine graphic picture warnings which will have to appear on the top 50% of the front and back of cigarette packs. and cover at least 20% of all cigarette ads. >> it's the most dramatic change in warnings of cigarettes in the history of our nation. >> reporter: for decades, a written warning was required on cigarette packaging. but anti-smoking advocates say

the new warnings are long overdue. and will help target the most vulnerable, the young and uneducated. >> remains the number one preventable cause of premature death in the united states, killing over 440,000 americans every year. these warning labels are one of the most cost effective ways both to reach kids who are thinking about smoking, and adults who are thinking about quitting. >> reporter: the approach is not new. the u.s. will be the 43rd country to use graphic picture warnings. research says it works. >> there's very little downside to having very graphic, very vivid communication of risk in the form of pictures on packaging. >> reporter: in australia, 62% of quitters said picture warnings helped them give up smoking. in the european union, 30% of former smokers said health warnings helped keep them from smoking again. >> ultimately the effectiveness of a lot of these graphic warning labels is their ability

to evoke emotion or negative aspects, primarily fear, that will in turn encourage smokers to quit smoking. >> now many of the nation's largest tobacco companies have sued, alleging the graphic warnings violate their first amendment rights. the fda says, like it or not, changes are coming to cigarette packs in 2000 tell. >> all right. elaine, thank you very much. joining us now from washington is u.s. secretary of health and human services kathleen sebelius. madam secretary, good morning. >> good morning, chris. how are you? >> good. so we're the 43rd country to use these labels as a deterrent. i guess the big question is, why did it take so long? >> well, i think that's a very good question. the good news is that congress finally passed a tobacco regulation bill in 2009. president obama signed it, and we've been under way since then to implement long overdue safety warnings, crack down on advertising. really to make sure that

america's young people don't start smoking. we have about 4,000 people under 18 every day who try their first cigarette, and about 1,000 of them become permanent smokers. and that's just not good for our country. >> so is that where this is really targeting? it's targeting our nation's youth. the kids that are easily, i guess, very impressionable at this young age? >> well, what we know is that we did a pretty good job lowering the rates of young and adult smoking. but we've been stalled since about 2004. so this is really aimed at making sure kids don't start in the first place. that cigarettes are really gross, they're not cool, they can kill you. 443,000 people a year die prematurely. but also, to make sure that adults who want to stop, we give them some help so that a graphic warnings also contain 1-800-quit number to make a case to adults that it's never too late to stop smoking. >> are you concerned about

lawsuits at all? >> well, i think that tobacco companies have been litigating every step along the way. we anticipate that they will continue to litigate this new effort to improve our nation's health continues. but, this follows the law. we are confident that we are well within the boundaries of what was allowed by the law, and it is, as i say, is long overdue. we spend about $200 billion a year, chris, $200 billion on health-related costs, and loss of productivity due to smoking. and we're killing way too many young americans and adult americans. so this is a real health crisis. and something that we can do something about. we know the research shows that these graphic warning labels are effective, and it's time for america to join the rest of the world and crack down on smoking. >> i guess my next question would be, it's going to be at least 15 months before these packages are changed to include these pictures.

again, not knowing what production and all that comes into play. why is it going to take so long, why do you have to wait another 15 months? >> well, there is a lot of -- cigarettes already in the inventory, and what the fda tried to do was to make sure that we didn't necessarily confiscate all the existing inventory and have companies have to throw that away. but, give them warning and say, by october of 2012, within 15 months of the final rule, you must have these new warnings, and ideally they will be in production before then. so we will take this very seriously. we're trying to have a balance between the cigarette companies needing to change the labels, needing that time to ramp up the new production, the new graphic warning labels, but being very serious. these will now not only be on cigarette packs, they'll be on every advertisement for cigarettes. they'll have to be -- we will accompany them with billboards

and psa campaign, and clearly we'll be able to use the graphic warnings in advance of them appearing on packs. >> well they're pretty graphic, that is for sure. madam secretary. appreciate you taking the time this morning. >> sure. >> up next, 1.5 million female workers blocked by nine supreme court justices. we're going to look at the decision to stop a major sex discrimination lawsuit against walmart and what it could mean to millions of american workers. this is "the early show" here on cbs. ♪ [ female announcer ] now, just pop, click, switch your lids whenever you like! choose from over 20+ colors and designs. the new dell inspiron r series laptops with switchable lids, powered by the 2nd generation intel® core™ processor family: not just smart, visibly smart. call or click to get this fully loaded and totally protected inspiron 15r today! ♪ [ intel bong ] ♪ i just transferred a prescription to cvs

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major ruling from the supreme court on monday is shutting down a giant lawsuit against walmart, ruling that female workers cannot sue the retail giant all at once for alleged sex discrimination. cbs news business and economics correspondent rebecca jarvis is here with the story. definitely has an impact on workers and on business. >> absolutely. and everyone's looking at this case as setting a new precedent for the future. six women tried to sue the chain superstore for paying and promoting men more than women. and the case has been ten years in the making. it included roughly 1.5 million women. but the supreme court decided that the group was simply too large for a class action suit.

it's the largest sex discrimination lawsuit in u.s. history. blocked yesterday by the united states supreme court. walmart was sued by betty dukes and five other female employees on behalf of 1.5 million other women across the country. >> i was very optimistic that the court perhaps would rule for us. but they did not. >> reporter: the women claimed walmart discriminated against female employees when it came to pay and promotion. through a class action lawsuit, they sought billions of dollars in damages. but in a unanimous decision, the supreme court threw out the case, ruling that the class was simply too varied. walmart's 1.5 million female employees, quote, held a multitude of different jobs, at different levels of walmart's hierarchy, for variable lengths of time, in 3,400 stores, sprinkled across 50 states. they have little in common but their sex and this lawsuit. the court did not rule on the discrimination claims themselves.

still, walmart considered the outcome a victory. >> the court said that the evidence was worlds away from showing that walmart had a policy of discrimination. that's correct. we're very glad the court threw this class action out. >> they still discriminate. >> reporter: but for plaintiff christine kwapnoski yesterday's ruling wasn't a red flag, merely red tape. >> we're fighting for equal pay and equal promotions. i mean, in 2011, we're still having to fight. >> reporter: each woman must now sue walmart alone. dukes admits this will be challenging. >> it's easier to voice your complaints collectively than it is individually. >> reporter: but none of them plan to give up. >> we're all going to still stand strong and still fight walmart. you know, just because they got handed this verdict doesn't mean that they, by any means, quit discriminating or they're not guilting of what any of our claims are. >> and legal analysts see this as not only a win and a victory for walmart, but also for large businesses.

and, erica, they think of it as something that's going to shield larger companies from facing similar class action suits in the future. >> what do they say about the impact of this on the average american worker? >> the impact on the average american worker is that it's going to be harder to bring a lawsuit like this against your employer. and there are a couple of reasons for that. first of all class action allows someone to not speak alone, to not have to feel that reluctance about coming forward and saying something. and possibly facing the repercussions of going against your employer. also, it's less expensive to go as a collective group. there are many americans who won't even take a case like this if it's coming from one person. they need to be able to show, in order to make a big settlement, that this was happening across the board, and it happened to many people. so the legal analysts i spoke to said individuals who have a complaint or a grievance against their company may not even be able to find legal representation in the future because of this precedent. >> interesting. we'll continue to follow the fallout. thanks. we'll be right back. you're watching "the early show" we'll be right back. you're watching "the early show" on cbs.

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well, it has been a year to forget for serena williams. at least the beginning of the year, when we won her fourth wimbledon title. back to back 2009 and 2010. but she's been out for the last eleven months due to an injury and life threatening illness. now she is starting that comeback and going to play today. >> just ahead we're actually going to hear from serena. four-time wimbledon champ as she takes the court in london this morning. she's going to talk about what's really inspired her to keep on playing. one of the main factors there, her fans. >> and a lot of them. >> a little more of that just ahead as "the early show" continues. ♪ [ male announcer ] and just like that, it's here. a new chance for all of us: people, companies, communities to face the challenges yesterday left behind

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do on 7:55. let's get you caught up on some of the headline. i'm frank mallicoat. dozens of firefighters remain on the scene of a four- alarm fire along san jose state university's fraternity row. it began about 3:30 this morning at kappa sigma fraternity house on south 11th street. more than 2 dozen students all managed to get out safely. but one firefighter is being treated now for a hand injury. overnight fire in oakland as well burned a victorian home. one firefighter suffered a back injury during the blaze on 23rd avenue. smoke alarms alerted two families and everyone got out safely. the cause of this fire is under investigation. and pg&e will have to shell out $26 million for safety violations involving a pipeline explosion in sacramento county. it killed a man in rancho cordova back in 2008.

state officials announced yesterday that pg&e has agreed to the fine, which still needs approval from the public utilities commission. traffic and weather coming right up. ,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. well, we have had a couple of fender-benders now for your silicon valley commute. westbound 237 approaching lawrence expressway and it is

still jammed up. looks like all lanes are open but you can see it is backed up pretty solidly there as you exit milpitas. northbound 880 just starting to see brake lights now on those northbound lanes past the coliseum. also, if you are commuting through hayward, northbound 880 at tennyson, sounds like there is an accident blocking at least one lane. traffic is beginning to stack up behind it. busy morning at the bay bridge. stacked up into the macarthur maze about a 20-minute wait or so to get you onto the bridge. so avoid the traffic. it's a "spare the air" day, use mass transit. it's all on time. here's lawrence who is very excited to -- he wants his tv time. >> yes, we have some sunshine to talk about today, folks. boy, this first day of summer turning out to be a scorcher in many spots inland. temperatures in the mountains in the upper 70s right now. by this afternoon, 90s even some triple digits inland, 80s and 90s inside the bay. great day at the beach. temperatures up into the mid- 70s. slightly cooler for tomorrow in spots inland. much more cooling, the fog returns thursday and friday.

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and serena williams just took a year off from tennis, not by choice. she cut her foot so badly she was laid up for months. then hospitalized for blood clots in her lungs that could have been fatal. but this morning williams is back on the court trying to win her fifth wimbledon singles title and her 14th grand slam title. welcome back to the "early show." i'm chris wragge along with erica hill. >> we'll talk with williams about her traumatic year and also her hopes for the future. >> but first t latest on those massive wildfires out west causing problems in at least four states. pr priya davis is watching that this morning. >> reporter: good morning to you.

right now 100 members of the national guard are working just beyond this road block in the hills here in sierra vista to protect homes from looting. it's been ten terrible days here in arizona, but fire officials are confident that a break in the weather will finally give them a fighting chance to contain this enormous blaze. a change in the weather is the first good news here in days. authorities are even allowing many evacuees in sierra vista to return. for those seeing the devastation for the first time, the feeling is one of despair. >> this was our life, you know? >> reporter: pete is one of 60 homeowners who have lost everything. >> i want to cry right now. >> reporter: all told, the monument fire forced 10,000 people from their homes including renee davis. she captured a cell phone image of her parents' house going up in flames. >> they lost everything. they didn't have much time to evacuate. so they didn't take any family heirlooms, nothing.

>> reporter: aid by high heat and single digit human tid this fire scorched 30,000 acres. >> seeing all that coming down the mountain just put a pit in my stomach. >> reporter: the wallow fire along the border of arizona and new mexico has been raging for 24 days, the largest fire in arizona's history has left a wide path of destruction consuming 810 square miles closing highways. calmer winds have helped firefighters slow the blaze. >> the temperatures and the fuel dryness and the wind speeds, it was a successful day. >> reporter: remarkably for all the destruction, no one has died. on another note, senator john mccain added his fuel to the fire over the weekend saying that some of the wildfires in this state have been caused by illegal immigrants. now, authorities say that with these blazes in particular, they were started by humans, but there's no evidence at this point that any of those people were in the country illegally.

>> priya davis in arizona this morning. thank you. the reason for all these fires has been painfully dry across much of the south and southwest which allows them to spread. several states are facing a drought crisis at this point. don teague is in rockwall, texas this morning. >> reporter: here in the dallas/ft. worth area, we saw severe thunderstorms the and even a couple inches of rain overnight. that's helped the drought situation in this small part of texas some, but most of this massive state hasn't seen any rain at all. it was an epic dry spell. the drought is as severe as it is widespread, stretching from arizona across the southern u.s. tall way to florida. some areas including much of texas literally burning. >> i've never seen anything like this in my life. sauch beautiful forest two days ago. look at it now. >> reporter: multiple wildfires in southeast texas have

destroyed 55 homes and structures. burned more than 76,000 acres. the state is suffering its third worst drought in history. which is leading to lost crops and ranchers forced to sell off cattle herds because there's no grass in the pastures to eat. along the brazos river near austin, there's barely enough water to float inner tubes. >> that's about as low as i've seen. i've been here since 1993. >> reporter: nearby lakes aren't fare anything better. lake travis is 23 feet below normal. officials say the lake is dropping one foot per week and causing dangerous conditions for boaters. >> there's been a lot of one-boat accident where the boats have run aground in shallow areas. we're seeing a lot of that this year. >> reporter: in louisiana, farmer jim harper has been forced to use two wells and three pumps for the last month to irrigate his 7,000 acres. in norman conditions, this bayou is 100 feet wide, but farms are

pumping so much water the bayou is disappearing. in florida, firefighters are battling 440 brushfires with more than 65 of them in volusia county alone with the forecast calling for lightning and little rain, more fires are expected. and here these storms in the dallas area are moving east. they will bring some relief again to some areas across the south as they move east, but again overall, not really a dent in this massive drought area and the extreme dryness we've had across the south and southwest. erica? >> don teague in rockwall, texas, thanks. jeff glor is in the forecast. we have another check of the headlines. >> don talks about some of the weather in texas there, and the central plains and nebraska are cleaning up after a swarm of tornadoes. >> oh, my god. that thing is incredible. >> storm chasers caught some amazing pictures as one powerful tornado after another raced

across highways and farmland. one of the tornadoes tossed railway cars right off the tracks. five homes were destroyed and four people hurt but no deaths. meantime, winter returned to colorado on this first day of summer. several inches of snow fell yesterday in higher elevations in colorado. hurricane beatriz is hitting new mexico's coast and will pass over several resort areas today. heavy rains have flooded several streets. today president obama will lay out his plans for bringing troops home from afghanistan. the drawdown of u.s. forces is scheduled for next month. the plan had been to turn over security operations to afghan forces by 2014. a passenger plane crashed as it was trying to land in northwest russia late last night. there was heavy fog at the time and the plane's approach was low. it clipped a tree, hit a power line apparently causing the runway lights to go out. at least 44 people were killed.

one of the actors who did stunts in a well known "jackass" movies has died. ryan dunn was killed yesterday near philadelphia after his porsche went off the road and burst into flames. police say dunn may have been speeding. a passenger was also killed. dunn posted a picture on twitter showing himself drinking with friends just hours before that crash. seven minutes past the hour right now. scott pelly has a review of tonight's "cbs evening news." >> they're facing their demons and deeming with the aftermath of battlefield terrors. how virtual reality is helping veterans cope with the night players after the war. that's tonight on the "cbs evening news." now here's erica. cities, as we know, need jobs to survive. a new report out from the conference of mayors says that one out of seven metro areas in this country will need until 2020 to see all the jobs come back that have been lost in the recession. on monday, several mayors met

with president obama at the white house about that issue including philadelphia mayor michael nutter. he's the new vice president of the u.s. conference of mayors and joins us this morning. good to have you with us. >> thank you, erica. good to see you. >> we talk about some of the numbers there. one in seven metro areas saying that it will take until 2020 for these jobs to come back. at the conference one of the proposals from the mayors was channeling defense spending back into domestic interests. how was that received? >> well, there was a lot of discussion about it, as you can imagine, but i think the bottom line is that we should be a country that cannot only protect ourselves all around the world, but also invest domestically. so i think that proposal really came more from an economic standpoint than anything else. the need for continued advancement in our cities and metro areas as you talked about the report, we're still trying to get philadelphians and americans back to work all across the country. so we want to make sure that the congress, the federal government

fully understands the impact of their decisionmaking when the cut back on programs, they're cutting back on jobs all across the united states of america. >> you called the cuts the great retreat by the government. but what specifically did you suggest to the president and others, was it just cutting back on defense spending and channeling that elsewhere? or if you say, if you do this, i can see growth in my city. >> that was not a topic of conversation with the president. the president was fully engaged. really wanted to hear from many of us on the ground what's going on in our cities. we talked about job training and work force development programs. amazing that in the aftermath of the worst recession since the depression, that the government would consider cutting back in those areas. every day in philadelphia, someone asks me, numerous people ask me, mayor, where can i get a job. if the federal government cuts back on job train and work force development programs we'll have fewer answers to those

questions. people are trying to get into the new economy, new workforce, get back on their feet and sustain themselves. so we should be making more investment in workforce training, more opportunities for young people to go to college or for those who started college and may have taken a break, to get back. that's how we need to invest in america, get people working. that will jump-start our economy. >> did you feel -- that you met with the president in january. six months in, do you think he's been receptive to those ideas and have you seen any change in the past six months in the way the administration and the government is dealing with this? >> certainly the president was receptive back in january and, actually, we were there at the white house yesterday at his invitation. the president wants to get information from practitioners, people who are right on the ground outside of some of the insanity at times in washington, d.c., to hear what's really going on in the country. he was particularly focused on the workforce area but also infrastructure, education, job development, all of those kinds of programs and activities president obama took a complete

interest in. >> mayor michael nutter, thanks for your time this morning. we appreciate it. >> thank you. talk a little weather. marysol castro

this weather report sponsored by subway. try the new subway $3 breakfast combo today. >> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now here's chris. >> coming up next here, after a challenging year serena williams goes after her fifth wimbledon singles title. we'll hear nor when we come back. back. this is "the early show" on cbs. - the new $3 flatbread breakfast combo. [ moos ] a toasty 6-inch flatbread breakfast sandwich and a 16-ounce cup of freshly brewed seattle's best coffee.

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erika: this is my home! employee: let's take a look! erika: (lifting laptop) it's really light. honey, help me shop! employee: you can get up to seven hours on this battery. jesse: the color really pops out. employee: everything's wireless. wireless keyboard. jesse: that's impressive. i like this one better. erika: and i like this one... vo: new pc. what's it gonna be? erika: i'm a pc, and i got what i wanted. jesse: as usual. but it's our job to make them say something interesting. so how about this weekend we learn some new tricks of the trade... then break out our doing clothes and get rolling. let's use some paint that helps us get the job done in record time and makes a statement when we're finished. we're lowering the cost of a new favorite color. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. glidden premium paint has been rated a best buy, and you can only get it at the home depot. in this morning's "healthwatch," serena williams'

big comeback. the tennis champ begins defending her wimbledon title today after surviving blood clots in her lungs and a nearly career ending foot injury. tennis pro justin gimelstob talked with williams about her comeback and he joins us from london. >> good morning. it's an emotional day at wimbledon. a lot of people feared they would never get to see serena williams on a tennis court again. but in accordance with tradition the defending champion starts things off on the first tuesday at the championship. serena williams is on the tennis court right now, where she belongs. >> just one year ago, serena williams sat atop the tennis world. a dominating performance earned her a fourth wimbledon title and her 13th grand slam championship. since then it's been anything but a grand slam season. days after her victory last summer williams suffered a career-threatening injury to her right foot that required two surgeries and kept her off the court for much of the past year. at any point did you think that

maybe you were done, you wouldn't be able to play tennis again? >> yeah, because it's like when you fix something and you have to go back and to fix it again it's like the chances of success drop. i do everything on my toes or on my feet, and you know it's just -- it's just a really scary moment. and that happened. i was in a cast for 20 weeks. it was difficult because i'm always on the move. and i'm always -- i have things to do. and life had to pretty much stop for 20 weeks for me. and i that was very difficult. >> but fortunately, things -- unfortunately things were about to get even more difficult. in february she underwent emergency treatment for a pulmonary embolism, multiple blood clots that traveled to both of her lungses. you said that you were literally on your death bed at that point? >> i was in a special area where they had heart monitors on me because they wanted to make sure that my heart didn't overwork. >> how brutal was that on you? >> that was hard. because i had not made it to -- had i not been forced to go to

the hospital i wouldn't be sitting here right now. and that's a scary thought. i was like, okay, i get serious just about my life. life for me is precious. it made me realize that it's a gift and it's something that you definitely want to take care of. and are fortunate to have it. >> williams is hoping to reverse her fortunes and reclaim her number one ranking which plummeted to 25 in her year away from tennis. she credits her comeback to the outpouring of support she received from family and friends and fans. >> everyone was so supportive, and people around the world have sent me flowers and just notes and get well wishes and it just really was amazing feeling. it made me want to come back. and the only reason i'm here is because of all those well wishes, because i wanted to just get back and just -- just do well for everyone. >> today, williams takes centre court for only the second time in 50 weeks. defending her wimbledon title with a new found appreciation for life and the game she loves. >> it was a string of things

that kept happening and now i'm here at wimbledon, and a year later it's funny what can happen in a year. >> you're one of the greatest champions. one of the greatest competitors. you've done the miraculous so many times. >> i just expect to step out on centre court and take a deep breath and take it all in, a and -- and enjoy that moment and smile and have many more moments. >> there's no doubt that serena has changed as a person. today we'll get an indication if she has changed as a player. >> all right, justin. her final response there was what her expectations. what do you think as an analyst seeing the field and seeing her draw and where she is right now. what do you think? >> well, it's a big act. with so little preparation. she's only played two matches. but she's one of the greatest competitors in the history of the sport and she's such an amazing athlete. also her game translates so well to the grass. she's one of the best serves in the history of women's tennis. if anyone could do it it's serena williams. >> and she is loved there, too. that goes a long way.

justin, thanks. good talking with you. >> thank you, chris. >> have a good fortnight out there. >> i will. >> be well. >> coming up when we come back, more here on "the early show" here on cbs. stay with us. >> "cbs healthwatch" sponsored by tums. fights heart burn fast. ♪ [ female announcer ] we all want cleaner laundry. we all want a world with fewer chemicals. we all want the best of both worlds. introducing all free clear oxi-active. a powerful new detergent without dyes or perfumes that helps get out your toughest dirt and stains. its added natural cleaning boosters help get your whole family's wash incredibly clean. tough on stains. gentle on skin. new all free clear oxi-active. tough on stains. gentle on skin.

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if money was no object, you didn't have to pay for gas, where would you go this summer? >> central park. >> nice. but if you're staying domestic, here's the good news. so many -- because gas is so expensive, even though it's been dropping over the last few weeks, still near $4 a gallon in

right now at the marina in san ancisco. a body wa 8:25 now, time for some news headlines. there is some police activity going on in the marina in san francisco. we have a live picture from chopper 5 as we zoom in you can see police out there. there was a body found in the bay. at first it was believed to be a suicide. but now authorities believe they have found a long trail of blood on the land nearby and it is raising suspicions of foul play in the area. in the meantime, firefighters are still on scene of a fire along san jose state's frat row. they were monitoring the building for any flare-ups. investigators believe that it began in a laundry room around 3 a.m. at the kappa sigma fraternity. 28 students got out safely. and today is the first "spare the air" day of this year's hot weather season. this is because of poor air quality because of the high

temperatures that we are experiencing. people are being urged to use public transportation and to avoid barbecues as well as those gas-powered tools. traffic and weather coming right up. ,, ,, [ female announcer ] this is the story of sam, who made an unexpected arrival. [ woman ] he was 4 months early, weighing 1 pound, 12 ounces. [ female announcer ] fortunately, sam was born at sutter health's alta bates summit medical center. [ woman ] the staff was remarkable. they made me feel safe, trusting, cared for. [ giggles ]

they saved his life. i owe all of them my son. [ female announcer ] alta bates summit medical center and sutter health -- our story is you. westbound 237 is really backed up. we are dealing with a couple of

different accidents, sounds like they are both approaching great america parkway. umps traffic is stacking up to 880 so it's going to be slow out of milpitas. bay bridge busy day here, as well. back to the madoff, has been for a good hour or so. also word of a stall on the upper deck at treasure island, metering lights cycling slowly. san mateo bridge no issues toward hayward. that's your traffic. for your beautiful weather forecast, here's lawrence. >> no fog that's hanging off the coast. it may return tonight but today, we are staying fog-free and the temperatures heating up. 70s at the coast, 90s hot 100s inland. looks like we may begin to cool off toward tomorrow, much more cooling and fog on the way on thursday and friday. the internet on a plane! are you from the future?

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♪ we're off to see the wizard the wonderful wizard of oz ♪ ♪ we'll find he is a wizard a whiz if ever a whiz there was ♪ >> we're back. oh, we're on. >> you remember the yellow brick road? merry old land of oz? where did the idea for the yellow brick road come from you ask, christian? at least according to that town's historian. quite a theory, if nothing else, he's a wizard at marketing. oh! welcome back to "the early show," half past the hour, erica hill along with chris wragge. nice to have you back. i missed you yesterday. >> thank you so much. >> happy belated birthday. >> thank you so much. it was quite the birthday weekend. needed the day -- no. had a charity event yesterday.

took the day. thank you, good to be back. also ahead, could this be the mormon moment. with a tony winning broadway musical and two presidential candidates, the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is expanding its own marketing campaign right now, trying to change its image and correct what it calls misconceptions about mormonism. we're going to take a look at that project. >> also ahead for you in this half hour, summer travel discounts. we'd all like some of those, right? price of gas, still about $1 a gallon higher than it was last summer. hotels and resorts are starting to worry a little bit that that could mean you are not coming to visit. so they are offering everything from gasoline gift cards to free parking. and a few other goodies. we're going to show you some of the best deals available out there right now. >> a lot going on. >> first though, the future of greece's government is hanging on a vote of confidence later today. it's the latest complication in that country's debt crisis which threatens to cause problems around the world. cbs news correspondent elizabeth palmer is in athens this morning with the latest. liz, good morning. >> good morning, erica. yes, greece is the latest

european economy to be on life support. a decade of frantic overspending has left it roughly $400 billion in debt. and in order to get a loan, an emergency loan, just to tide it over, just so it doesn't default on its next round of payments, the government is going to have to impose some very punishing austerity measures on an already unhappy group of citizens. the citizens are fighting back. last week, demonstrators battled police in downtown athens. furious about tax hikes they've already suffered, as well as job losses, and an overall pay cut of 20%. unofficial estimates that the real number of unemployed young people, up 40%. that's almost 1 in 2 twentysomethings out of work. and with time on their hands, many have joined this protest camp outside the greek parliament. nick is one recent victim of greece's shrinking economy. what happened?

>> i lost my job. no job, no money, go. >> it isn't gold. no, no hope. >> reporter: this sign says that greece should just walk away from its massive debt. and it's an idea a lot of greeks support. the danger is that it could trigger a catastrophic and global financial meltdown. greece's prime minister george pappen dreao wants to avoid triggering a disaster like that. >> i'd like to say that as a government, to be on track with the program. >> reporter: he ordered an emergency cabinet to push through even more drastic financial reforms. but the politicians are also praying for mercy from their creditors. the country needs a $17 billion emergency loan, mostly from european banks and governments, by the start of july, just so it can pay the interest on its

massive debt. now it does look like they are going to get the money and the government will get the vote of confidence it needs tonight, but not without imposing more austerity measures on people who are suffering here. and that, of course, could trigger even more violence. erica? >> elizabeth palmer in athens this morning. thanks. back now to show us how the greek financial crisis could affect the u.s. and specifically you at home, cbs news business and economics correspondent rebecca jarvis. i mean, again, this feels, it's a terrible situation but it feels so far away. the reality of it is this could have a direct impact on the united states. how so? >> it could. and it has had a direct impact, at least as far as our stock market is concerned. since april of this year, or really the end of april, when things started to heat up again in greece, the stock market has lost about $1 trillion in value here at home. in addition to that there are so many companies here in the united states that do business with europe. they do business around the world, when europe suffers, or when greece suffers, all of a sudden, that means less demand

for the goods and services that our companies here in the united states create, and as a result, that can directly translate to jobs here at home. >> so that's one impact. but it also can have a direct impact on retirement savings for americans. >> yeah, absolutely. i mean if you think about what's happened in the stock market, and people go and look at their 401(k) and they look at their pension fund, all of a sudden, what you see is a decline in the value of those items. and so certainly here at home, that can have a ripple effect, as well, on jobs and the overall economy, as well. >> it's interesting, though, when you talk about this a little bit in the break, in some ways if this loan is approved and if this goes through, the u.s., and americans, are actually funding part of it. >> yes, we will through the imf. the international monetary fund is this international body that is in a position to help bail out, in some cases, countries that require capital, money infusions. right? the united states pays the international monetary fund, as well as countries around the world, and what you have right

now is a group of republican senators that are saying, that's not right. we as the united states citizens shouldn't be on the hook for greece's bailout. on the other side, people say, but this whole world is interconnected, and as you see what's happened in our stock market, as you see what's happened in our economy, if we're not thinking in a global way, then all of a sudden we leave ourselves at risk, as well. it's a real lly complicated situation. >> sounds like one of those darned if you do, darned if you don't. >> it's very true. and that's the problem policymakers are facing now. >> now here's jeff at the news desk with one final check for you of your headlines on this tuesday. good morning. >> erica, good morning to you. nato this morning says one of its unmanned helicopters crashed in libya this morning. it was on a surveillance mission at the time. nato's been operating american-made drone helicopters. an investigation is under way. two suicide car bombs exploded outside a government compound in southern iraq this morning. at least 21 people were killed, and dozens were hurt.

one attacker drove his car into a security checkpoint outside the provincial governor's house. the governor was not injured. the fbi is trying something new to track down one of its most wanted suspects. starting today, it will begin airing a public service announcement aimed at women. >> this is an announcement by the fbi. have you seen this woman? >> it will run during daytime tv and it hopes someone will recognize catherine greig the longtime girlfriend of fugitive boston mob boss james whitey bulgur who has been on the run for 16 years. the fbi is looking for tips to lead them to greig who will potentially then lead them to bulgur. this morning people in minot, north dakota, are preparing for catastrophic flooding. record breaking floodwaters are expected to top the levee system tomorrow or friday. thousands are getting ready to evacuate. in a scary moment for a little spotted fawn caught on tape in ohio, getting some attention online. the fawn tried to cross a

rushing stream, but it was washed away. struggling to stay above water finally, yeah, marysol says yay. found its footing. scrambled up the bank and the fawn is safe. 38 minutes past the hour. >> i mean, jeffrey, no one wants to see bambi go down no a hail of rushing water. >> i never wanted that to happen. i was cheering the whole way. as were you. >> rock on. feel good of the summer. and it is the first day of summer. erica, do you love that transition? i know you do. >> i do. >> here's a look at the lower

>> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. now over to chris. >> marysol, thank you very much. jon huntsman's decision to run for president may be a bigger event for mormons than for republicans. that's because now there will be two mormons in the race. as priya david clemens reports, the church is seize being the moment to brush up its image. ♪

>> reporter: the church of jesus christ of latter day saints has reason to rejoice today as one of its members, former utah governor jon huntsman jr., is expected to join fellow mormon mitt romney in the race for the white house. >> i think it's very positive for the church. i think it's positive that letting people know that we're willing to serve. >> reporter: but these two mormons aren't using the moment to preach their religion to the public. in fact they're doing quite the opposite. huntsman makes it a point to say that he has a family from diverse backgrounds. his wife was raised episcopalian and they've adopted a daughter from india and celebrate her hindu tradition. >> it's important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in america, we share a common creed of natural convictions. >> reporter: although romney has addressed his faith publicly, when asked he usually declines to comment, saying he is not a spokesman for the church. >> the less that romney can talk about it, the more de-emphasized

it is, the better chance he has of capturing the republican nomination. >> reporter: according to a recent poll, just 45% of the nation's voters have a positive view of mormons. only atheists and muslims rate lower. ♪ i believe >> reporter: no matter what people's perceptions are, it appears mormonism is having a moment. thanks in part to shows like hbo's "big love," the twilight trilogy by mormon author stefani meyer and the wildly successful broadway musical "the book of mormon." the musical is a record-breaking hit. but church officials are not amused. >> i think it's very -- but it doesn't represent who we are. >> reporter: so in an effort to redirect the conversation, the church is sponsoring a new ad campaign in new york city called, i'm a mormon. showing folks of all races surfing, hiking, and riding motorcycles. >> i'm emily, and i'm a mormon. >> reporter: the i'm a mormon campaign is a tacit admission that the church has an image

problem. but church officials say in this case, perception does not equal reality. >> i think a lot of people, more than half of the people in this country, know little or nothing about the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. and so when you ask the top of mind ideas, they'll say things like, well, polygamists, or secretive, or sometimes sexist. these campaigns are an effort to dispel myths. >> reporter: they say their research indicates, it's working. >> we laugh around the department that in our focus groups, that we went from weird to normal. in about 45 minutes. >> reporter: and that normalcy gives them what they want. the opportunity to tell people what they believe. >> more success in politics and business, and more coverage in the culture, you've seen kind of more prominence in america. >> reporter: a cultural shift, as two mormons are expected to

vie for the country's highest position. priya david clemens, cbs news, salt lake city. >> and now here's erica. >> chris, thanks. with gas prices around $4 a gallon for much of the country, plenty of folks are rethinking their usual summer road trip. the vacation plans in general. and that has many hotels around the country offering incentives to get your business. "early" show consumer correspondent susan koeppen has a closer look at some of the discounts for you, and the families taking advantage of them. >> reporter: rachael, nick and liliana amatuzzi are having a great time in the big apple. it's their first family trip to new york city. you won't remember any of this but trust me it was fun. >> we'll tell you about it when you're older. >> reporter: but the amatuzzis would never have left their house in virginia and boarded a bus for new york if it weren't for their hotel. >> we're really excited about the hotel and, you know, experiencing this city for the first time this summer.

>> reporter: thanks to a $75 gift card from the crown plaza in times square, this family's bus trip was completely covered. if the hotel didn't have this promotion, do you think that you would be here in new york city today? >> no. >> no, i don't think so. >> i mean, it was a real incentive for us to take this trip. >> reporter: with gas prices high, and families watching how they spend their money, thousands of hotels and more than 300 b and bs are now offering summer incentives. many of them focusing on putting gas in customers' cars. >> when you do a promotion and you want to take care of your guests, it has to be a two-way street that the customer gets value and the hotel gets a customer. >> reporter: the intercontinental hotel group is giving customers up to $300 this summer, just for renting rooms on the weekend. are you getting a good response to this promotion? >> so far, it's been great. rising gas prices alone have really -- it would have made people rethink their vacation. now they know, okay, at least i got that covered.

>> reporter: for nick and rachael, the thought of driving to new york city was out of the country. >> the total cost definitely was a number out there that we wanted to avoid if possible. >> reporter: but a bus trip, paid for by the hotel? just sweetens the deal. susan koeppen, cbs news, new york. >> summer travel deals range from gas gift cards and free hotel nights to kids eat free offers, even spa treatments and there are deals also for people who carpool or take mass transit. for more on get being the most out of your summer vacation dollars logon to our website at earlyshow.cbsnews.com. up next, follow the yellow brick road, from new york? we're going to visit the town that might have inspired that famous spot in the "the wizard of oz." stay with us. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. ,,,,

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walgreens. there's a way to stay well. and started earning loads of points. you got a weather balloon with points? yes i did. [ man ] points i could use for just about anything. ♪ ♪ there it is. [ man ] so i used mine to get a whole new perspective. ♪ [ male announcer ] the new citi thankyou premier card gives you more ways to earn points. what's your story? citi can help you write it. the hudson valley north of new york city has inspired books

ranging from jack kerouac's on the road. now michelle miller says the area may have inspired a legendary children's tale, as well. >> good morning. you read l. frank baum. i've read l. frank baum, noted author of the wonderful wizard of oz, and scores of other children's books. well he grew up near syracuse, new york. but for two years he moved further south to a town settled by the dutch. paved with dutch brick. that brick, known for its golden hue, just may have stuck with him for the rest of his life. peekskill, new york. it's not the emerald city, but the yellow brick road may have run right through it. ♪ follow the yellow brick road follow the yellow brick road ♪ >> reporter: anyone who's seen the 1939 classic "the wizard of oz" or read l. frank baum's children's book on which it's based knows the adventures of

dori gayle, a girl from kansas who awakens in a mysterious place and travels a golden path to an emerald city with a lion, a tin man and a scare crow. >> this yellow pavement dates back to at least the 1830s. >> reporter: if you ask peekskill town historian john curran, the man who penned the novel back in 1900 got his inspiration from this stretch of clay brick as a boy. so this is the yellow brick road? >> as far as we can tell from the maps and the documents, and frank's own accounts in the story, yes it is. >> reporter: as curator of peekskill's town museum, he has dug deep into the time baum spent here while attending the military academy in 1968. now it's just a block of golden pavement next to a parking lot. but then, it covered most of the town. and for a homesick kid of just 13 years old, curran says, the yellow brick may have represented a way out for baum.

>> if he's thinking, i want to get back home, well how do i do that? this is the way to go physically, and it may also be the way to leave mentally. >> reporter: it's a theory and as unprovable as it may be, the citizens of peekskill are running with it. fueling a campaign for a tribute to the author of oz-like proportions. >> these were done life size, people could walk amongst them. >> reporter: richard is a huge fan of the classic characters illustrated in the book. his plan is to place life-size bronze statues along the town's waterfront. >> and they're all headed out to the emerald city, all looking for something. mainly financing, right now. >> reporter: the price tag, $225,000. a lot of money for a small town. but one they believe could boost their local economy, and land scores of tourists who often just pass by on riverboats. ♪ anything can happen >> reporter: peekskill native

deb carlin's so positionate about the project she's written a song about it. >> what we're celebrating here is the imagination. and what we're laying claim to is factual. >> i would think the main inspiration. >> reporter: author evan schwartz says they're probably right. his book "finding oz" examines the origins of baum's great american story. >> it really came from the people, places and things that he experienced in his life. >> reporter: according to schwartz, the 1893 chicago world's fair inspired the emerald city. and the dark days baum spent as a young man in kansas are reflected in the book's opening scene. >> what he was really looking for, i think, was a place that contrasted with the colorful world of oz. and he picked the flattest, grayest, grimmest place he'd ever been. those were intense experiences in his entire life, show up in the book. >> reporter: peekskill historian john curran's convinced that he's got a national treasure in his backyard.

what if this isn't it? >> it has to be. >> reporter: so for him, there really is no place like home. well, baum's book has sold millions of copies and has been translated into more than 40 languages. and the judy garland version of "the wizard of oz" which didn't do so well back in 1939 is now called by the library of congress the most-watched movie of all time. it's that audience peekskill is hoping to attract. >> it's kind of a neat idea, actually, if you can imagine that strip of yellow brick road right there, with the lions and everything else, the sculptures. >> it just kind of puts the, you know, underlines the whole thing for you. >> why didn't you wear your shoes, dorothy, when you were walking down the yellow brick road. >> i did! those were feet-friendly shoes i had on. these are not feet friendly. >> god job, michelle. >> thank you. >> have a great day, everybody. your local news is coming up next. see you tomorrow right here on "the early show." follow the yellow brick.

a body has been found this morning at t authorities good morning. 8:55. i'm grace lee with your cbs 5 headlines. a body has been found this morning at the marina in san francisco. authorities have spotted a blood trail on buchanan street which ends near marina boulevard. at first it was believed to be a suicide. but homicide investigators are now at the scene. a large victorian home in oakland went up in flames this morning, two families inside escaped but with you firefighter injured his back. an investigation is under way into the cause of the fire. also, in oakland, a police standoff came to an end apparently without any violence. an armed man was inside a house on cairo street for about 5.5 hours. neighbors reported that he had brandished a shotgun and threatened to shoot them. no word on whether that suspect was arrested. it's going to be a hot day.

we are going to have a check of your traffic and weather coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

good morning. it is an exceptionally slow ride heading towards the bay bridge toll plaza.

it's been like this for much of the morning commute. still backed up well into the macarthur maze. the stall is what really backed things up. metering lights cycling slowly. westbound 4 is jammed from at least telegraph. you're looking at least 20 minutes to get on the bridge and then it's sluggish from the incline to the tunnel. heavy traffic as well coming out of downtown san jose. out of san jose towards cupertino, westbound 237, we had a couple of accidents near lawrence expressway still backing things up into milpitas. that is your traffic. busy day. here's a check of your forecast with lawrence. >> nice and quiet with the weather though, elizabeth. getting hot around the bay area. temperatures are soaring under high pressure, clear skies over the bay. fantastic out there. many of the numbers already in the 60s and 70s today. we are expecting 90s and triple digits inland by the afternoon. 80s and 90s around the bay and 70s beautiful out at the coastline if you can make it out. there things begin to change late tonight. maybe a couple of patches of fog at the coastline.

much cooler thursday and friday. ♪ home cooked meal: $28. ♪ 33. ♪ having time on your side: priceless. mastercard paypass. bringing you the most convenient ways to pay.