walmart devastating some commute. and long lines for gas. and rachel maddow gets to the flint, michigan. >> i'm erika hill, just four days in the iowa caucuses and drurp is standing his ground this morning. not participating in the fox news debate tonight. he appeared last night where host bill o'reilly pleaded with him to reconsider. >> mr. youwill you consider. think about it. well look. >> even though you and i had an agreement that you hadn't ask me that, which we did. i will therefore forget that you asked me that. >> o'reilly also tried to play the religion card.

>> in your christian faith there is a very significant tenant and that is tenet of forgiveness. don't you think that is the right thing to do. >> it probably is. but, you know, it is called an eye for an eye also. you can look at it that way. >> no no no. >> bill you are taking it. >> the christian, the eye for the eye rule goes out. >> bill, you are taking this much more seriously than i am. i'm not taking it seriously. i'm going to have a wonderful time tomorrow night at 9:00 at drake university. >> so that event will benefit veterans. trump is holding ate the at the same time saz the gop debate a short distance away. ted cruz is doubling down on his challenge of a man-to-man debate with trump asking his twitter followers to help him out. tell him to accept he writes. #ducking donald.

the cruz campaign web page. donald trump's head superimposed on the disney character skrooj mcduck. super pacs also want to make the debate happen offering a donation of 1.5 million dollars to charities helping veterans. and trump's response? ted cruz wants to debate me again. can we do it in canada. >> reporter: trump possibly betting the risk of a no-show is better than the risk of a poor performance. in response, trump's opponents are piling on. ted cruz not so ittally tweeting that trump is a coward. the drama making national head lines but not here in iowa, where locals want to get it over with. >> i don't think he's credible candidate. i wouldn't vote for him if he

>> more drama. more petulate behavior. >> he's heard enough. >> wouldn't you want to see another debate to really be able to -- >> i don't need it. >> it's that some voters in iowa may say this is immature. but i think that risk is relatively small. >> though polling suggests the bigger the turnout, the better trump will do caucus night there is still little sign the campaign has followed through on its get out to vote effort. >> a new maris poll says donald trump garnering the support of 32% of likely iowa caucus goers. marco rubio is solidly in third. over on the democratic side, hillary clinton and brernds neck and neck within the margin of error.

took time off the campaign trail for a meeting with president obama. >> it was a private conversation. so i'm not going to get into it. but i think if there is anybody in the world who understands whether campaigning in iowa, in new hampshire is about and putting together just an extraordinary gras roots movement that took him to victory, that is barack obama. moment the new hampshire leader is hosting a debate next week. bernie sanders tells nbc he debate yet. hillary clinton says she's in. i hope senator sanders will change his mind and join us. and i think the dnc and the campaign should be able to work this it. i've said for, you know, for a long time that i'd be happy to

and i hope we can get this done. >> to the latest in the occupations at the oregon wiefld refuge. >> the groups leader who was arrested on tuesday sent this message to his attorney. >> to those remaining at the refuge. i love you. let us take this fight from here. please stand down. >> nbc's joe friar has more. >> authorities are tightening their grip around the refuge. blocking roads and setting ingting check points. inside some of the militants remain. >> peaceful resolution is what you keep hearing and pieceful resolution is what we expect. >> many of the leaders are now occupying a jail cell.

for stopped by the fbi and state police. one vehicle drove up and hit a snow bank. then lavoy finicum emerged brandishing a firearm. another milton, ryan bundidy wasy dywas shot in the arm. another occupier jon ritzheimer was in arizona after returning home to see his family. now the fbi says those remaining need to pack up and go and won't be arrested. >> if people on the refuge want to leave they are free to do so. >> that was nbc's joe friar reporting. >> in florida, indicted by a grand jury on excessive force charges. the incident caught on video in 2014. he was arrested on a drug warrant in marion county. in the footage he appears to surrender. at no point resisting arrest.

repeatedly kicking and punching him. following the incident jurrell was fired. he faces civil rights violations, up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250 thousand if convicted. the other four deputies resigned. >> by the end of the day walmart will have shut down almost all of the 150 stores he targeted for closure around the nation. nbc's gabe gutierrez takes us to one of the many communities that will now struggle to find fresh food after walmart leaves. >> in tiny oriental north carolina, population 900. everything changed when the giant came to down. >> it was bad. i mean immediately it effected us. >> it kills me. >> right for 44 years renee ireland smith's family ran a grocery store here. and then a walmart game along. and seven short months later

now walmart is closing 150 stores in the u.s., turning oriental into a food desert without a single grocery store. >> anybody here that wants to buy an onion now has to drive about a 40 mile round trip. >> walmart's ceo points out the company plans to open 300 new locations around the world. closing stores is never an easy decision he says but it is necessary to keep the company strong and positioned for the future. >> they weren't really in the right location. and the product mix just wasn't right. >> rebecca anderson was laid off when walmart opened near the mom and pop store where he worked. >> just all about the people. and they were all about us. and when walmart game, it was no more. >> she and so many others are wondering what will fill the void now that the giant is leaving down. >> let's get a check now of your thursday forecast from nbc

>> we're soggy in the northwest and in florida. how about this yesterday in south florida. think didn't have a lot of severe weather but a couple of small tornados enough to pick up and flip a couple of vehicles in broward company. one injury reported. in the northwest wore getting drenched from the olympics to the cascades. especially in washington state and newport north ward and heavier rains are making their way towards northern california. we've been in this weather pattern a while. most of the focus on the big storms has been through this region and that continues now. we're going to time the front out. we'll get a break. the worst this morning the northwest. snow in the intermountain region will continue throughout tonight and then tomorrow looks like we're going watch another frontal system towards the coastal areas. the next storm arrives and we're going to have a little snow level. the passes could be a little difficult. the rainfall amounts the next three days.

california. 1-3 south of there you should be okay. steady soaking rain especially in or first half of the day and another storm close to the weekend. the reservoirs are filling up which is great. >> they need that precipitation. thanks. big earnings and a few mood changes ahead for facebook. plus if you want to own a brand new dloren? you're in luck. opportunity to go off script. so if i wanna go to jersey and check out shotsy tuccerelli's portfolio, what's it to you? or i'm a scottish mason whose assets are made of stone like me heart. papa! you're no son of mine!

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>> we are continuing to focus on a vietnamese gang that is active in westminster and garden grove. >> around 250 law enforcement officers are searching for the three violent inmates. one of whom who say nary has been called hannibal lecter because he's accused of cutting and then torchering a victim with a blow torch. >> how about gas? last time prices were that low? 1969. as congress prepares to hold hearings on the water crisis in flint, governor snyder said replacing the city's pipes is not on his short-term agenda. however residents are desperate for help to fix the corroded toxic system.

held a town hall, talking to local leaders about the impact. first she spoke with a master plumber about the economic impact. >> part of mixing this problem in flint is replacing that service line. how big a job is that? >> for something like this, probably 3 to 5 grand just to get the new line in there. without an upstairs roughly $4 thousand just for inside the house. another thousand for the water heater and you are over 10,000. >> a pediatrician who helped expose the elevated blood levels. [ applause ] [inaudible] >> if we don't act for these kids now we will see those consequences. >> democracy needs to be restored in flint. that's what happened. that's how we got here.

under emergency manager, when you are elected you are supposed to speak up and speak out on behalf of the people that got you here. >> we are going to do everything possibly federally to help. however -- [ applause ] -- it does not take the place of the state. the state has a surplus and a rainy day fund. they caused it. they have to step up and fix this. >> democratic senators in congress say they plan to add an amendment addressing the crisis to an energy bill currently being considered. let's get down business with landon dowdy. >> good morning, it is baa back to the future for this auto maker. dlorn is resurrecting the past with plans to build 300 replicas of the fox from the fanned franchise.elorean is resurrecting the past with plans to build 300 replicas of the fox from the fanned franchise.

dollars when they go on sale next year. meanwhile facebook soared 12% late wednesday. they beat forecast on continued growth for mobile ads. they are exploring a site just br catching videos online and is adding six new emoticons. and new yorkers can no longer take their hover boards on the subways. they are banned from subway, trains and buses. concerns over fire hazards and employees. >> just ahead. serena williams on her way to winning her seventh australian open title. ooh. sports next.ave money on your medicare part d prescriptions, walgreens says, carpe med diem. seize the day to get more out of life and medicare part d.

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this morning on today, the workplace emergency series. continues with what you should do if there is an active shooter at work. plus what typical desk items could save your life? >> let's get you caught up on sports with our own shannon mulaire. good morning. >> serena williams finds herself pursuing her seventh australian open title and 22nd grand slam title. williams will face angora kerber

to hockey, a blindside hit. "cross check"ed this linemen into the boards. no penalties were called. weidman later said the hit was unintentional and that he had apologized to henderson. we'll see what happens when the nhl rules on the maneuver. and a big upset in college hoops. this loss in arkansas, 74-71. quite the year in college basketball. just ahead, guess which highly anticipated album was accidentally leaked. and harrison ford gives us the scoop on disney's new "star wars" land. you're on to the next thing. clinically proven neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair. it targets fine lines and wrinkles with the fastest retinol formula available.

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and tyra banks, thanking the surrogate mother calling ler an angel of a woman. and amazon's first ever super bowl ad released a teaser yesterday. this is "early today." i'm erika hill. e trade is all about seizing opportunity. so i'm going to take this opportunity to go off script. so if i wanna go to jersey and check out shotsy tuccerelli's portfolio, what's it to you? or i'm a scottish mason whose assets are made of stone like me heart. papa! you're no son of mine! or perhaps it's time to seize the day. don't just see opportunity, seize it! (applause) it's just a cough. if you could see your cough, you'd see just how far it can spread. robitussin dm max soothes your throat and delivers fast, powerful cough relief.

choose the one new revlon ultimate-all-in-one. our revolutionary mascara delivers 5 lash-transforming benefits. volume, length, definition, lift, and intense color. choose love new revlon ultimate-all-in-one mascara. leading the news in the los angeles times, orange county sheriff's deputy loses ar-15 rifle. public help sought in search. thth rifle was lost tuesday after he was placed on the lid of the patrol car's trunk. >> can you imagine? >> no.

missing, get there, nearly eight hours later. a search for the rifle continues. anyone with information is asked to call the department. australian accuse of planning to pack kangaroo with boom. prosecutors say a teen and accomplice discussed setting the kangaroo loose on police officers. ordered to stand trial today, the teen pleads not guilty to those charges. 30 years ago today the challenger exploded over the atlantic ocean less than two minutes after takeoff climbing the lives of all on board. >> reporter: it was a bitter cold but sparkling clear morning. here are the last seconds of the countdown. >> four three two one. and liftoff. liftoff of the 25th space shuttle mission. it has cleared the tower. >> all the communications

control indicated everything was going fine. there was a sense of relief that the much delayed flight was finally under way. >> engines at 65%. three engines running normally. three good fuel cells. three good apus. engines throttling up. engine at 104%. >> challenger go with throttle up. >> it>> reporter: it happened just over one minute into flight. >> 1:15. velocity, altitude, down range distance seven nautical miles. >> from mission control, silence. then the bland, chilling report. >> we have a report from the flight dynamics officer that the vehicle has exploded. confirms that. we are looking at checking with recovery forces to see what can be done at this point.

but nana the keek ju may be cute but for one in miami perhaps not as cute as she might have thought. she woke with banana curled up on her chest. it apparently snuck into her home monday night. now happily banana has been returned to its own. >> it's more associated with the raccoon family if you were wondering. >> breaking news this morning. two double shootings here in las vegas. details on the victims involved. >> a standoff in oregon continues to unfold after bundy was arrested. coming up what he's asking his followers to do now. >> donald the ducker ducking that is outs of that republican

later all the criticism he's received since his announce that want he's a no show. 2. >> good morning to you on this friday eve. >> look ever look at that gorgeous shot of our las vegas strip. >> we're happen foye have you. we're filling in this morning for the wagners who are off. we have a lot going on this morning. >> we're going to send it over to cole i did to see what is going on outside. >> temperatures are in the 40's so you want layers. we're going to warm up fast and more than we did yesterday. 50 by 9:00 a.m.

got the upper 60's on the way