good morning. drying up. the government's billion dollar cash for clunkers program may be nearly out of money. now thousands of new car buyers are wondering, will their deals be honored? mug shot. president obama, vice president biden and the t men involved in the arrest that ignited a firestorm of controversy, meet over beers at the white house. they agreed to disagree. so what was accomplished? and oh, boy. the 7-year-old who took off in his parents' car because he didn't want to go to church. well now he's praying his punishment won't last too long. he is here for a live, exclusive interview today, friday, july he is here for a live, exclusive interview today, friday, july 31st, 2009.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on this friday morning. you look at that little boy's face. you know he did something wrong. >> he's so cute. we can't wait to hear from him. you're meredith vieira. i'm ann curry in for matt lauer this morning. on another topic, looks like this cash for clunkers program is becoming a victim of its own success, and perhaps even the economy. it only started four days ago. >> already the government has set aside a billion dollars to encourage the drivers of old cars and trucks to buy new, more fuel-efficient vehicles. apparently so many drivers have raced out to take advantage of it, dealerships have a backlog of applications. we're going to have more on that and what's being done to keep the program up and running in just a moment. >> also this morning, the latest in the michael jackson case. a high profile meeting took place on thursday between police, prosecutors and the

coroner's office. just ahead what they talked about that could further delay the autopsy results. >> plus the latest on that dramatic rescue of a family trapped inside a burning suv that was captured on home video. it happened about two weeks ago in milwaukee. a mother and her two young children pulled to safety by complete strangers. that woman and her husband will join us later this morning. their 4-year-old son was badly burned in that accident. they're going to tell us how he is doing. >> and on a much lighter note, have you checked outside? >> fantastic. >> it's a mega crowd. it's a huge crowd. apparently one of the biggest of the summer season so far. to see one of the biggest bands in the country, kings of leon. they became extremely popular just a year ago and they're drawing concert crowds of 70,000 to 80,000. all of them showed up this morning. we've actually run out of vip tickets for this show before any other. >> 20,000? >> well, there's a reason. they're talented. a live concert a little bit later. >> we're going to begin with cash for clunkers program

already running out of gas. erin burnett is at the new york stock exchange with the latest. good morning, let me ask you. on thursday the transportation department told auto dealers to stop offering the rebate. but the white house says the program has not been suspended. so what is going on here? >> there is a lot of confusion, meredith, as to whether it's operating or not. the latest we've heard is that they're scrambling to keep it going. it appears that it was actually the dealers yesterday who said that they thought that we might exceed the quota. now the quota for the c.a.r.s. program, as it's called, is 250,000 cars. the government had allotted $1 billion to pay for the program. and as you know, basically you go in to a dealer, if you had a car that got 18 miles per gallon or less, you could turn it in immediately for a fuel efficient car, and the government would give you between $3,500, and $4,500 to do that. so that was the program. analysts expected it would last maybe until labor day. so they didn't think this would last a long period of time to get through the 250,000 cars. but the question is, where are we right now? and it looks like only about

50,000 cars have actually been sold. the dealers think that they'll very quickly get to the 250, which is why they suspended the program. they were worried maybe the government wouldn't be able to make good on some of those deals to buyers. so there was some confusion. but what we're hearing right now is they're scrambling to save it. there's a lot of debate as to whether it will get bigger or not. as of now we're not hearing that. but again, some real questions on the numbers here. especially given the concern about running out of cars is coming from the dealers, who certainly have a lot to gain by this program getting bigger. >> all right, erin burnett, thank you very much. >> thanks, meredith. >> now here's ann. >> all right, meredith, thanks. now that much-anticipated meeting at the white house over beers between president obama, a harvard scholar, and his arresting officer. and at the last minute vice president joe biden also joined in. so what was accomplished? nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd is at the white house with with more on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. i didn't see any beer cans, strewn beer cans around here. the place is cleaned up after yesterday's very much mined-up

event. the white house themselves, it seems like, for a few days was orchestrating this media hype for this beer and then yesterday did everything they could to disprove that they were trying to hype the beer. >> i notice that it's been called the beer summit. it's a clever term but this is not a summit, guys. >> reporter: but it had all the trappings of one. the table was set, the press was in place, there were refreshments, there was even diplomatic language. >> we had a cordial discussion. two gentlemen agreed to disagree. >> reporter: it was billed as an informal get-together between the president, his friend harvard professor henry gates and the now famous cambridge police sergeant james crowley. but it included an additional beer drinker, vice president biden, which gave the table racial balance. the press was kept 50 feet away, guaranteeing we wouldn't hear what the four men were saying. the president and vice president, munching on peanuts and pretzels in shirt sleeves looked much more comfortable than their two guests in dark

business suits. all four were served their beer of choice in clear mugs. professor gates a sam adams light. sergeant crowley a blue moon. president obama went with a bud lite and biden had a buckler. a nonalcoholic brew,s the vice president doesn't drink alcohol. >> this is not a university seminar. it is not a summit. it's an attempto have some personal interactio when an issue h become so hyped, and symbolic, that you lose sight of just the fact that these are people involved, including myself, all of whom are imperfect. >> rorter: both gates and crowley brought their families to the white house andhey all tour the et wing together beforehe sit-down. while the two men were having their be, their families got a tour of the west wing. it may have been the most anticipated presidential drink since franklin roosevelt signed the beer bill endg

prohibition, and ronald reagan hoisted a pint in a boston b in 1983. i'm not real sure this is really happening. >> reporter: crowley held a post happy hour press difrence at the head quarters of the afl-cio. >> did anyone apologize? >> no. >> reporter: gates issued a statement saying, the national conversation over t past week aboumy arrest has been rowdy, not to say tumultuous and unruly. but we've learned that we can have our differences witut demonizing one anothe there's reason t hope tha many people hav emerged with greater sympathy for the daily perils of policing, on the one hand, and for the genuine fears about racial profiling, on the other hand. both men agreed to meet again to move the issue forward. >> it was a very easy coersation to have. it wasn't a tough conversation. he's an easy man to speak with in that atmosphere. so, i guess we' just have to see how it goes. >> reporter: now, crowl wouldn't say what he and the present talked about. and obviously he says that there were no apologies at all giv on either de.

however, think about this for the president. nine daysgo he had that press conference, and he thought the story we'd be coverg by ts friday, the day that the house would go into recess, was the fact that the house of reesentatives would be passing a massive overhaul of the health care system. no bills coming today. and instead the president is still cleaning upfter this. ann? >> all right, chalk todd. let's get to that. because we've got david gregory, the moderat of "meet the press" now joining us. david, good rning. >> good morning,ann. >> i going to refrain from asking you what kind of beer you actuly prefer. but firstlet's get to whether or not this ended up being a tehable moment, or actually was it tually a photo-op to end the media frenzy, david? >> well, i think it's th, actual. i think as chuck mentioned, thi was a president who was trying to cle up after thi mess, trying to put some kind of end point to it. an trying to do it in a w wherthere can b more discussion abo it. i thk the president wted to talk about this. he wanted to do it as t first african-american president who knows th "a," this is a racially charged issue. and two, that he uniquely can begin some kd of discussion about it. he took this issue on during the

campaign, as well. the issue of race. so you know, talking to white house advisers, th said, look, th problem with issues like this is that people don't feel safe to talk about race in our country. so if anything se, this is a symbolicoment toayhat you can sit down coor heads c prevail, a you can have a serious conversation about it, and the hope is that the conversation coinues. >> that said, what chuck just intimated was that there might have been a political cost of all this by shifting the focus away from health care, the president's agenda there,o an arrest in cambridge? >> no question about it. inside the white house they're frustrated about it. ey think they got knocked off their stride. for fo days, they were counting. they weren't very happy with what they thought was an overreaction from the media. but they also miscalibrated how impactful the president speaking about this issue would actually be. so they are where they are. they don't like that. they're frustrated overall about how to get that health care message out. >> i wonder what they're thinki about the president's slide in the poll the latest nbc news/"ll street journal" poll has them down 53%,

to 53%, rather, 60% in bruary. so what's driving this? and is the administration concerned? >> they are concerd. i think the president himself is concerned, based on people've talked to inside the white house. that he's not able to get out in front of this argument both on the economy, and the deficit, with regard to health care. but also, the fea factor. people just feeling like they're gointo los their own benefits. he feels like he's behind on that. and you know, there are eerie similarities to the debate over this, the failed effort bthe clinton administration to get healthare reform through in 1993, and if youook at our latest poll, the president'so c popurity on this issue is very milar t where president clinton was bk in 1993. it's definitely a warning sign. >> talk about theear factor. this really quick question about this cash for clunkers progra we shodmention, this thi had $1 billion in its cofrs given to it by congress. the idea that it's run out in four days, essentially, what does that tell us about the ecomy, and what -- how -- how did the administration -- how much pressure is on the administration to actually put

morse money in this? >> itoes to a point of how big the hole is in the economy, even with the amount of stimulus that we have so far, that there gng be calls for more stimulus because e money can dry up. the consumer really doesn't want to spend unles there given tremendous incentive to do that. this was a program that was made to bolster sales for the auto companies which are hurting desperately. so to have a proam run out so quickly, a sign of success, but a sign of tremendous need, too. david, what's coming up this sunday on "meethe press"? >> more onhe economy, the future of theeconomy, the top economic adviser to the president, larry summers t g thug whether the stimulus is working and where we're headed. >> goo get, david gregory. thanks so much. once again here's meredith. >> ann, thank you. now theichael jackson case. thisorning there is new evidence that prosecutors and investigators are proumounting offensive together. we're learning more about the custody deal we first told you about on thursday. nbc's jeff rossen is in los angeles with more. odorng to you. >> hi, mereth. go morning to you.

in that agreementatherine jackson gets custody of the kids. debbie rowe will get visition. and so this morning the question, how often will she see them? and where will she seethem? sources close to the dea tell nbc ws, not even they know. a child psychologist will call the shots. when michael jackson was alive, debbie rowe said ts to british broadcaster gm-tv. my kids don't call me mom, because i n't want them to. they're notish-they're michael's children. >> reporter: but now, michael is gone, and debbie roweants another chance. under the custody deal, she'll build meaninul relationsp with her daughter pis and son prince, though the kids, incling 7-year-old blanket llive wh grandma katherine. sources involved in t case tell nbc news rowe gets nexa money in this deal. in fact, s and jackson will split the cos of a child psychologist, who will decide almost everything. the frequency o rowe's visitation, when to start

overnights, where to mee how to ieract. sources say both sides are woing so wel together, the deal is fluid. they trust each other. >> i think it's exceent. this new therast is a stranger sohe children will have to develop a relationship with the therapist, and when tha trusting lationship is deveped, the therapist will en sa now let me introduce your mother into the room. >> reporter: that could take months. after all, the kids just lost their father. the only parent they've ever known. now they suddenly have to meet and bond with virtual stranger, theimother. >> so finally, to s the t parents, if youwill katherine and debbie rowe, getng along, will go a veryong way in bringing stability into their lives,nd that'shat they need more than anything else right now. >> reporter: investigators looking into ckson's death are coming together, too. nbc news has confirmed on thursday the l.a. coroner's office and the lapd brought in prosecutors for a high-level

meeting. they've delayed the toxicology results again, for at least another week,laimg there is more to investigate. >> that signals to me that an arrest is imminent, and i suspect thate'll see a arrest, and the releasef the toxicology report,n the same y, as part of a coordinated effort. >> rorter: dr. conrad murray is the target of the manslaughter invest gapgs. and we're learning more about the raid at his luxury home in las vegas. the search warrant, obtaid by nbc news, reveals for the first time, authorities were specifically looking for records relating to the purchase, transfer, receiving, ordering live and storage of propofol. the anesthetic law enforcement sources say dr. murray gave jackson the very d he died. >> the problem for dr. murray is that with propofol, if that is the cause of death, is that you need someone else to administer it. it's not likthe death of heath ledger or anna nicol smith where they could die, essentlly at their own hand. here you had to have someby

else injecting michael with the ug. >>eporter: dr. murray's lawyer maintains his client did nhing wrong. poli walked out with evidence from his comter hard driv his saung cell phone, a blackberry, and his apple hone. court papers reveal he had serious money problems. dr. murray is facing foreclosure on his home, and from h past, this 1994 mug shot has emerged, taken wh dr. murray was arrested for domestic violence against higifriend. he was later acquitted. as we move into the weekend, the case takes a tu. here's what' hapning o monday. the custody deal goes before the judge for proval we are told katherine jackson herself will be there. this would be her first public appearance since the memorial service. also onmonday, theudge will try to sort out jackson's estate, valued at half billion dollars. so it'complex. it sure is. jeff rossen, thank you so ch. and for more o t jkson case watch a special edition of dlin, inside the final hours tonight at 9:, 8:0 central time right here on nbc. >> now a check of the res of

the morning's top stories from natalieorales in for me at the news desk. >> gd moing to you. bail this morning is set at $2 million for a woman accus o kidnapping a baby girlho was taken from herurdered mother's womb. prosecutors in massachusetts s the suspect convinced her family and friends that she was pregnant. president obama's hailing a far-reaching food safety bill that the house passed on thursday. notheeasure calls for greater oversight of food manufacturers and gives the fda new authority to order recalls. it comes in the wake, of course, of that recent salmonella outbreak in peanuts that led to one of the biggest product recalls in u.s. history. tens of thousands of people in ctral texas had to evacuate thursday after fire broke out at a chemical plant at a warehouse that processes highly explosive ammonium niate. morehan 30 people were treated at area hostals most evacueesere aowed back home last night. severe weather ripped through parts of mississippi thursd, tornadoes destroying

at least eight homes and damaging more than 50. there were no reports of serious injuries. president obama will award the meda of freedomo 16 people next month. ong them senator ted kenned who's being tated for brain caer. and former supreme court justice sandra day o'connor. and "the new york times" is reportinthat sluggers david ortiz and manny ramirez tested potive for performance enhancing drugs six years ago. the two were instrumental in helping the red sox win two world series tight ams. it's now 7:17. you're up-tdate right now. let's go back to meredith, ann and al. that's not good. >> no, a role mod for som of these kids. >> hmm.

>> here in town, it is cloudy, temperatures in the mid-70's. rain showers, and that storm system coming in. maybe severe weather later this afternoon. cloudy most of the debris will be in and that's your latest weather. an >> than. now to an update on a rooster taking on the law in miami

beh. mr. clucky has now had a day in court. nbc's michelle kosinski has the latest. michelle, good morning. reporter: good morning, ann. cock-a-doodldoo. the rooster has not beenuilty or not guilty, but poultryr not poultry. is mr. clucky, deed livestock, which is banned? or i he just treasured pet, no more annoying than say a paot or a big dog? wake up,verybody! ♪ ♪ i fought the law and the law won ♪ >> reporter: mr. clucky gets his day in court, complete with lega definition drama. mr. clucky is not livestock. >> reporter: complexase law. >> the 11th circuit city - >> at the time of columbus. >> reporter: and the all-important whisring. mr. clucky takes onity hall foris right to dwell in peace an freedom i an apartment, and on the handlebars of his owner. well, actually he wasn't allowed

inside the courtroom. >> he's out there. >> the noise resonating in the chamrs, which sounds like poultry. >> reporter: and, all right, he lost. poultry. poultry. >> reporter: clucky, the once injured rooster rescued fro the bushes by his pal mark buckley has become the famous feathered friend of south beach. >> i've known clucky for four years and he's a good citizen. >>eporter: and now, amid protests -- >> he's a local icon. >> reporter: candlelightvigils. an global media covege. >> the was al cane, scarface,nd n there's mr. clucky. >> reporter: he's justeen kicked out of this town that some might argue is full of strange birds. but the law state farm animals aren welcome in theseparts. so pretty mu anything else goes. he drinks bottled water for cluck's se and seems more at home at the corner pub than a

coop. >> i think he's more of a celebrit >> rorr: but wait, turns out this is not quite the end. clucky's dream team c now ask r exception to the law. farm animal? ! >> maybe we'll change this one. >> reporter: the bird with more suppters than any one of us would likely have show up in court seems t intone, you haven't seen the end of me. that's just how this law-breakin', city-sightin' rooster rolls. the mayor, yes, was interviewed on ts gripping topic, during which shy professed her love for . clucky. so maybe that's a good sign. maybe he'll get his exemption, you guys can liv in peace. and so can we. we can leave mr.uckyalone. ann? >> tha was fun, michelle. good to see, thanks. >> he should get a exemption, for sure. >> that's a fowl ruling. >> oh, geez. >> i'moing to get the cluck. >> sorry. >> still to come thisrning,

the ye-old who wen for a dre in his parents' car becaushe didn't want to go to church. we're going to meet m and his family. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come, a man and her son for trying to dig up dirt an sarah jessica parker and matthew broderick. >> plus a family rescued by strangers.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. here's a look of one of our top stories. constellation energy block to wait longer than they hoped before regulators rule on the sale of half the energy business to a french company. the commission had initially planned to make its decision on the $4.5 billion sale by september 17, but that has been pushed to october 16 after the maryland energy administration argued that it had not received enough information from constellation energy to make a thorough review officials say that they are disappointed but the delay and they have provided all the information necessary for the review.

let's check on the commute with kim dacey in for sarah caldwell. >> we have an accident at gwynn oak. the accident at the city is still there. frederick road and poppy on road. over in harford, we have an accident at belair, route 543. 95 and the white marsh area, things are moving ok there southbound. does not look like we're seeing delays just yet. the beltway and baltimore national pike, skycam shows things moving swiftly on the inner and outer loop. it is a hazy day. john has more on the forecast. >> there is a lot of moisture in the atmosphere. the ratings from hagerstown westward, light shower activity. take a look at the satellite image. this storm has had a history of producing severe weather in the southwest. there's a strong jet stream in

there. that just adds to the turbulence of the storm. looks like we have reined in the forecast today. not only rain, but strong storms. here was with a forecast calling for. mostly cloudy skies, thunderstorms likely 83 to 90 is the high. >> check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. and next live update coming your way at 7:55.

7:30 now on this friday morning, july 31st, 2009. and on the plaza, getting ready for the weekend. we have one of the hottest bands around here this morning, kings of leon. they'll be on our summer concert stage in just about one hour from right now. >> it is jammed. >> hopefully the rain, we had a little rain earlier, now the sun is coming out. it's soggy here. it doesn't even matter. these fans are going to stick around, no matter what. >> inside studio 1a, i'm meredith vieira, alongside ann curry, who is filling in for

matt lauer. coming up in this half hour the 7-year-old driver behind one wild ride. >> that's right. we showed you the video on thursday. this kid did not want to go to church. so instead he took a joy ride in his parents' car. just ahead we're going to meet this boy who was behind the wheel and speak with him, and his family. >> there he goes. there he is. >> he is cute. >> and fortunately he is okay. plus a troubling story out of ohio, involving a celebrity couple. two police chiefs and a mayor's son are accused of illegally intering the home of the surrogate who carried sarah jessica parker and matthew broderick's twin girls. they were allegedly hoping to find information that they could then sell to the tabloids. we'll have more on that in a moment. >> but we begin this morning at this half hour with the frightening scene caught on videotape in milwaukee. we showed you that home video last week. an suv on fire, a mother and her two children trapped inside. they were all rescued, but the 4-year-old boy was badly burned. we're going to speak with the parents in just a few moments.

and for the first time, we understand they're going to talk about what exactly they remember from happening that day. but first nbc's kevin tibbles has the latest. >> reporter: 4-year-old d.j. harper remains in serious condition at a milwaukee hospital, battling burns to some 30% of his body. >> burns are very painful. and we have to do dressing changes on his wounds, and you can imagine, with a 4-year-old, that's also very scary. >> there's a baby in there! >> reporter: just over a week ago, d.j., his mother, and sister had traveled to milwaukee from tennessee. >> did someone call 911? >> reporter: when their suv hit a tree, flipped on its side and burned, trapping them inside. >> whoa! >> reporter: in a remarkable rescue, caught on tape, two brothers, off duty firefighters, risked their lives to free d.j. from his booster seat, pulling him from the flaming wreck with their bare hands. >> you know, for that 1:17, kind of timed it out, that was my

son. i see the little boy. i hear the screams. we're just acting on what we've been trained to do. period. >> reporter: it's what happened since the rescue they haven't been trained for. d.j.'s family, uninsured and cash strapped, need help. so john and joel and their families are leading fund-raising efforts to lend a hand. there's a website fund to help with medical bills, and d.j.'s family has been flooded with everything from clothing and toys to cash donations. >> it means a lot to us. it really does. i mean, just from all over the world, from chile to california. >> reporter: in their room at milwaukee's ronald mcdonald house, his parents are overwhelmed. what's it tell you about your fellow man, fellow woman, the fact that these complete strangers have come to your aid? >> it tells me that there are still good people out there in this world, and that this world isn't all about violence and hurt. >> i can't ever repay them.

the only way that i'm ever to repay them is to pay it forward to another family, or another victim. >> reporter: doctors say d.j.'s rehabilitation will take years. >> we have a whole lifetime to think about. especially with the hands. we know how important that would be, just in case he wants to be a surgeon one of these days. >> reporter: for "today," kevin tibbles, nbc news, milwaukee. >> angela and chris harper now join us. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> let's get to d.j. he's, i understand, got burns over 30% of his body because of the accident. he's scheduled for a second skin graft this morning but on thursday he had a slight fever. chris, how is he doing today? >> well, this morning, as far as i know, he's resting comfortably and he's doing okay right now. we're just worried about the surgery. it's going to be a long surgery today. and he's going to need a lot of prayers. >> angela, i know it's been very difficult for you to talk about

what's happened, and of course, it's difficult, but there are a lot of parents who may want to understand what happened. it might be useful to them. what do you remember about that drive in milwaukee before the accident? well, before the accident, you know, i was just doing my regular things that i do during the day, you know. we stopped to gas up, and i was just looking for a park to have the kids play at, and you know, it just went from there. >> and you at one point were driving and i understand there are reports that you might have fallen asleep? is that -- did you fall asleep? >> well, i know that my eyes closed for a couple seconds while i was behind the wheel. it -- it's hard for me to talk about it. but you know, maybe just talking through it will help me, and you know, understand what has happened. >> and i understand that you noticed at one point after closing your eyes that your suv

had flipped over and burst into flames. what -- what happened at that point? >> i guess just really at that point, my first worries were to get my children out of the vehicle. >> and you saw people hosing down your son at one point. you saw them trying to reach -- did you actually see people trying to save or were you -- were you just in such shock you didn't know what was going on? >> i guess i was really just in shock, you know, over the whole situation. but i do remember seeing a couple gentlemen hosing down my son after they rescued him from the vehicle. >> and these two men, there were two of them in particular, these off duty milwaukee firefighters that we've been hearing about from kevin tibbles' report, john and joel reckless we understand that they had been amazing, and they suffered injuries in doing

this. what do you want to say about what you remember of what they did from that day? and how you've gotten to know them since. >> well, you know, what they did that day was just amazing. because, you know, if they weren't there, i don't think my family and i would have survived the accident. and they're just two wonderful men. they truly are. and they're my angels in waiting. and our friendship has gone beyond just the accident, you know. and we want to keep that friendship going with them as long as possible. >> chris, i understand that you had been living in tennessee before all of this. you were just in milwaukee for some work, and now, because of this, you're thinking about living in milwaukee or living in wisconsin? is that right? and if so, why? >> well, we feel that we want to

relocate up here, not only because d.j.'s going to be in the hospital so long, but we want to be able to pay it forward. we want to be able to help another family in our situation. that's the only way we know how to repay all the many people that have helped us and prayed for us is to help another family. help them get through a tragedy like this. and that's the only way we know how to repay people. so we want to do that. and we're making an adjustment to do that. >> as you and your family -- we were talk -- as you and your wife were saying in the piece you just really want to be able to give back and say thank you. i want to give you a chance this morning to someone who might be listening who donated to you, including the reckless brothers, what would you like to say to them this morning for all to hear? >> just we love you. we're so glad that you're a part of our lives. and we hope that we can continue to be a part of their lives, and the many people that prayed for us. the words can't express the gratitude that we have from our hearts for our little boy to get better. >> well i know that a lot of

people listening, chris and angela, are wishing the same back for you and -- and for your boy d.j. good luck to you today and all the days to come. and thanks for joining us. >> thank you. >> and now let's get a check of the weather mr. al. >> "today's weather" is brought to you by the build your own grand slam. only at denny's.

>> we will take a look at the hd doppler radar. clouds over here, but from hagerstown westward, shower activity. things could get busy as lynn chances increase after 2:00. temperatures nice lady. ohio, how are you? we've got "today" show staff actually in the crowd. that's how big the kings of leon are. they've been waiting since 4:00 in the morning.

ann? >> okay, thanks a lot, al. coming up next, the driver who took place on a wild ride, and, yes, he is just 7 years old. look at him. we'll meet him right after this. ( conversation ) garth, you're up. hold on, i'm at capitalone.com picking a photo...

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we are back at 7:44 with the joy ride that surprised even seasoned police officers. take a look at this dash cam video from a cruiser in plains city, utah, as an officer chased down a suspect driving erratically, running through two stop signs. the chase lasted for several miles, and when the car finally stopped, a 7-year-old boy got out, ran out, actually, from behind the wheel. his name is preston scarborough, he is with us exclusively along with his parents, daniel and melanie and his sister london. good morning to you all. what a day last sunday was for this entire family. dan, if i can start with you, you're downstairs around 8:00, 8:30 in the morning, melanie upstairs still sleeping.

you think the kids are upstairs sleeping as well. you hear sirens outside. then what happened? >> well, i heard sirens coming down the street, and i actually thought it was preston getting up, playing a video game or something like that. so, the sirens kept getting louder and louder and louder. and all of a sudden i hear him come across the floor upstairs and come running downstairs and said dad the cops are outside. and i'm like oh, they're like out in front of our house? and he's like, yeah. so i'm assuming it's something happening across the street. so i'm halfway up the stairs, and the cops are at my front door and i'm trying to find some pants to put on, some shorts or something, and by the time i did that and was going to the front door, the officers were coming through the garage door, my back door, and just informed me that my son just involved in a high-speed chase, they said. but it was high-speed for a 7-year-old, i guess. >> but it was no joking matter. he went on for several miles, right, left your house, went north, police tried to stop preston, he took turns down

various roads, ended up at the high school parking lot, and then came back. >> absolutely. and to be honest, for us, it was -- it now, we saw the video the day before yesterday, and that was really the first time that it became -- started to become a little bit funny to us, because for the first two or three days, we could be sitting here for a lot different reason right now. so we're happy it turned out okay and we're grateful, and if we could get anything out there, it's that, you know, cotton candy, all-american kid like preston can -- it could happen to anybody. >> preston, you ran downstairs, right? >> yeah. >> why? why did you go hide in the basement? >> 'cause i wanted to. >> i don't blame you, actually. after taking the car for a joy ride. when he came back upstairs, melanie, what did he tell you as to why he would do this? >> you know, at first he didn't know. he said, i don't know why i did it. and then he did tell the cops that he did it because he didn't want to go to church. but later he did tell us he just wanted to know what it felt like to drive a car.

so, he did it. >> obviously you've never driven a car, right? how did you know what to do? >> watch my mom and my sister. >> yeah, but how did you even see over the steering wheel, preston? were you kind of standing up and doing it? or how were you driving the car? >> sitting down. >> yeah. and when you heard the sirens behind you, did you think, i am in trouble? you did? you clearly knew that the police were coming after you? so why didn't you stop the car then? what made you keep going? you wanted to get home? now preston finally did get home, and as you said, it's not -- it's not a laughing matter. i know that you did take him to church that day. >> we did. >> you went to church. >> and prayed for what? >> and prayed for safety, i guess. you know, i mean, we're extremely grateful that he came home. because, in -- as it is light now, it was very heavy on us at

the time, and for a few days, and still is. you know, we see him go through those stop signs and it could have been a tragedy. not only for him, but for somebody else, and i can't imagine having to say i'm sorry to somebody else for my son doing this. >> so how are you punishing? there has to be repercussions, right, preston? >> well, let preston tell you. >> what is the punishment? >> grounded for four days. no tv, no video games. >> do you think that's fair? >> mm-hmm? >> you do? do you now understand what you did and that maybe it wasn't the smartest thing? >> mm-hmm. >> are you going to get behind the wheel of a car again? >> huh-uh. >> just model cars, maybe, from now on? >> no. >> not even a toy car. little cars from now on, yeah? >> yes. >> and london what do you make of all this with your little brother? >> i don't know. it's like a really big shock. it feels like a dream. it doesn't feel like it's really happening. it doesn't feel real. >> like you said, dan, there's a

lesson in all of this that we're so glad that he is okay and what you said, as well, that any little kid, you never know. >> right. >> what can happen. so thank goodness you're still an intact family, and i'll be seeing you at church, buddy boy. the scarborough family, thank you so much. still ahead, it may be the last day of july, but there's still time to plan a great summer vacation. we're going to show you where to find the best bargains. - ( car being crushed ) clu. offering up to $4500 toward a new car with an eligible trade-in. plus, toyota is offering factory incentives omany models for even more savings. with toyota being the most dependable and fuel-efficient car company in america, it's no wder 25 models in the toyota family qualify. so hurry in to your toyota dealer today. start your three-course meals with a shared appetizer. choose two entrees from over 15 chili's favorites,

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. let's get a check of the morning commute with kim dacey and traffic pulse 11. >> we have a serious situation in aberdeen. westbound 40 is shut down at maryland ave because of police activity. your alternate there will be old philadelphia road. a slew of accidents for the west. in essex, mountain boulevard and kelso drive. ellicott city, frederick road, lutherville, timonium, accident at greenspring valley road and falls road. we would give the lie to view of

the beltway west side. a lot of a volume there. there is a disabled vehicle, multiple disabled vehicles on the shoulder approaching a liberty road to the three cars, flat tires because of that debris we mentioned. watch out for that on the west side. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> warm, muggy morning this morning. rain shower activity about hagerstown and westward. it is coming from a much larger storm. let's take a look at the other computer. that will be coming in this afternoon. below is moving along the front. that will stir up activity. very likely some strong thunderstorms. slight risk of severe weather from new england across the chesapeake bay region. greatest threat is for win. a tornado would not be out of the question. we will keep you informed. mostly cloudy, thunderstorms

likely. mid-80's to near 90 for the high. much better day on saturday. >> we should check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. traffic information.

8:00 now on this friday morning, the 31st and final day of july, 2008. we have the plaza packed for a live concert with one of the biggest bands in the country, links of leon. and it is coming up in our next half hour. outside among the masses, i'm meredith vieira, with ann curry and al roker. and it is one rockin' crowd. >> matt has the day off. >> also ahead, on "today takes a vacation" we'll look back at the memorable moments on our trip to the new york adirondacks, key west, san antonio, and of course

las vegas, baby. >> in fact, we're going to help you have your own vacation, with some advice for you on the best places to choose, and we want to sort of inspire you to have a little fun. >> there is time. >> there is time. >> that's right. >> and it's not raining? >> no, ann, ann, ann. >> if you want to -- >> a little chaotic out here. >> if you want to make sure your family eats healthy you have to be a little tricky. joy bauer is here to show you how to slip the healthy stuff -- >> in the meantime, look at these beautiful faces. and they're all out in the raining. >> doesn't matter. kings of leon are loved by these folks. >> natalie morales is inside at the news desk. good morning, again, nat. >> good morning again to you all. good morning, everyone. the government is working to try to keep its popular cash for clunkers program up and running. the program offered as much as $4,500 in rebates to people who traded in their gas guzzlers for

more fuel efficient cars. but after just one week, the $1 billion program proved so popular, it is nearly out of money. the harvard professor and cambridge police officer who arrested him agreed to disagree and made no apologies after sharing a beer with the president at the white house. president obama invited henry louis gates jr. and sergeant james crowley to discuss the arrest in gates' home, which spurred a national debate on race. more than 50 oregon students and teachers are finally heading home today after being quarantined in china twice for swine flu. 12 students who tested positive for the h1n1 virus will remain hospitalized in china. a chaperone is also staying behind to look out for them. in baghdad today, multiple car bombings targeted three shiite mosques, killing at least 25 people. a cargo ship carrying more than 1,000 tons of oil is leaking after it ran aground in southern norway. the oil is washing up in a nearby wildlife sanctuary.

a tame tiger ended up wandering the streets of las vegas last night. it was captured in someone's backyard. a moose was on the loose. animal officials worried the 2-year-old moose was later returned to the mountain. it is:0. . time for a check of the weather with al. >> "today's weather" is brought to you by days inn. the best value under the sunun

>> this morning it is humid, temperatures in the 70's, cloudy skies. rain shower activity. none of that heavy, but we could get stronger storms in the afternoon and evening hours. afternoon and evening hours.

now to the woman we like to call bitty pants, meredith. >> thank you, al. still to come, what these fans have been waiting for, kings of leon, live at 8:30. first these messages. depression is a serious medical condition

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we're back now at 8:07. now the latest on the shocking and tragic crime in massachusetts. a 35-year-old woman arrested in connection with the murder of a pregnant woman whose baby was taken from her womb. this woman has appeared in court for the first time and nbc's mike taibbi is in worcester, massachusetts, with more on this. mike, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. behind me the crime scene and also a memorial to the infant girl who survived. last year a worcester police official told me we did the key things. we quickly found the suspect and most importantly we found the baby girl alive. now the inevitable questions, was anyone else involved in this horrific crime? and how and why would anyone who's not totally delusional do something like this? this is reality, not fantasy, for 35-year-old julie corey.

bail out of reach at $2 million, and that's just for the fugitive and kidnap charges related to the newborn she claimed was hers, when she was arrested in plymouth, new hampshire. a baby jane doe now safe and thriving back in massachusetts. >> she was a healthy 4 pound baby who at this time is getting the best of care. >> reporter: still pending, likely charges in the murd earp of a brutally beaten acquai acquaintance of corey's, 33-year-old darlene haynes from whose womb the baby was forcibly taken at about eight months gestation. >> not your classic preemie who needed an incubator. much closer to term babies are much more likely to be well. >> reporter: that's the extent of the good news. the awful fact is these kinds of crimes are hitting the headlines more frequently. >> happened enough time that it is called newborn kidnapping by cesarean section. and it is a form of baby stealing. >> reporter: not baby stealing from a nursery or played for laughs as in the coen brothers movie raising arizona. >> i need a baby. >> reporter: but baby stealing

as a desperate self-serving, life and death calculation. a stolen life, death meaning murder. setting it up by bragging about a nonexistent pregnancy. >> she told me, and i said wow, this baby's going to be big. and she was so happy and everything because she was pregnant. >> reporter: and then, as a growing collection of women have done in recent years, picking a very pregnant mother-to-be, and taking her life to take her baby. >> chances are these women looked at the pregnant women and are just enraged. why should she get to have it and not me? >> reporter: as for the baby, a quick dna test to confirm that she's, in fact, the daughter of darlene haynes on monday. a hearing in juvenile court to begin the process of determining custody. and as for the criminal investigation, likely continuing investigation with possible new charges, and possible new accomplices or suspects. ann? >> all right, mike taibbi, thanks. pat brown is a criminal p profiler. she joins us with more. >> good morning, ann.

>> we first should mention the woman arrested has not been charged with the crime of murder in this particular case. but this brings up the questions, especially as we just heard, that there have been more and more headlines like this case. give us a sense of why. why would someone do something like this? >> well, ann, it is one of those things most of us can't even imagine. it just seems ridiculous that anyone would go to that extent. but for these women, who are psychopaths, they want lots of attention in their lives. and they think, as women often do, that they're going to get that through their children. sometimes by being pregnant, people are going to say oh, you're pregnant, it's so wonderful, then you have your baby and that's exciting. and if they can't have that, they desperately want that because they don't like the fact that they aren't the center of attention and other people are. so they can't get a baby the normal way, well, just get it some other way. >> you're using the word psychopath. >> correct. >> does that mean that there is a mental illness involved? and if so, what would have caused this kind of psychological, i guess,

bizarreness, for lack -- i don't know what the words are. >> it's a personality disorder. it is -- the woman is not mentally ill. she's not delusional. it isn't that she didn't know what she was doing. she actually knows exactly what she's doing because she -- she has the personality disorder called psychopathy. that means she thinks she's entitled to what she wants. she's going to get what she wants. she has no empathy for anybody else in her life. this little child for her is something she wanted at that time. that other woman shouldn't get it. >> you said the lack of empathy. so there is -- are there certain sort of factors that would -- that a woman or i suppose even a possibility of a man, i guess, i mean, has a man ever been charged with this kind of a crime? >> well, only in helping his girlfriend, usually. men usually get their attention -- they're sickcopaths, too, but they get their attention in other ways. we'll see more men killing women to get rid of the babies because the baby is in the way. >> what kind of factors, to interrupt that, would need to be

in a woman's life that might lead her to this kind of behavior? what what would be the cause of the lack of empathy? >> well, she had that from very, very young. because you're already a psychopath by the time you're about 6 or 8 years old. you've grown up that way. all through your life the red flags are going up, that you become a manipulative person, that you lie a lot. that you think you should have everything and nobody else matters to you. and that will continue on. and it's just that these women decide at a certain point that this is the way they're going to get their attention. now, some women we call them munchausen sim dream by proxy will get pregnant and have that baby and kill it because they like the pregnancy, like showing the baby off, but then they don't want to take care of it. toy like to kill the kid and have a good funeral and do it all over again. this woman didn't have that option and decided to get the baby in another way. >> we don't know obviously the situation in this particular case, but at any rate we'll find out. pat brown thank you so much for your perspective this morning. and coming up next the latest on the two police chiefs and a neighbor's son who've been

arrested for allegedly trying to find tabloid fodder on sarah jessica parker and her husband matthew brad rick. ( music, toasters popping ) ♪ mmm... hot fudge sundae. ♪ ooh! frosted blueberry?!? ♪ over 25 flavors of kellogg's pop-tarts®. and they're all for fun and fun for all. pop-tarts®. made for fun.

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ohio, connected to matthew broderick and sarah jessica parker's new twin girls. billy bush is in los angeles. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. i visited with sarah jessica parker back in may and she was very concerned about the harassment the surrogate carrying her twin girls had been receiving. on june 22nd, the surrogate gave birth to twin girls. now, this past wednesday, and the story seemingly more hollywood than real, two ohio police chiefs and a mayor's son were arrested in connection with the case. martins ferry police chief barry carpenter, bridgeport police chief chad dojik and his father-in-law bruce callerik who is also the bridgeport mayor's son were arrested wednesday night in connection with an ongoing investigation regarding the surrogate mother for actress sarah jessica parker and actor matthew broderick. the three turned themselves in and were quickly released, apparently in a move to avoid attention.

>> -- paparazzi. >> reporter: they have not been charged with anything but are accused of illegally entering the house of the surrogate who was carrying the twins of sarah and matthew in may. allegedly, to find fodder for celebrity tabloids. >> if the allegations are true, that they were trying to somehow get some information to sell to tabloids, i mean, it's really taken it to a much different level. this is just absolutely outrageous. >> reporter: martins ferry chief carpenter in a phone interview with nbc station wtov maintained his innocence. >> i'm 100% innocent in this, as my department is, as well. >> reporter: the harassment was of serious concern to parker, when i spoke to her this past may. the woman who's carrying the twins has been identified, not only identified, she's been followed. >> i mean, really, the most unsavory things have been done. i mean, she's, you know, had her phone hacked, her personal

computer information hacked. she's had threats against her, and she's had people come to her door and say incredibly shocking things to her. >> reporter: officials in the two towns are taking a wait and see approach. >> if he's innocent, that's fine. if something else turns up, we'll handle it then. >> as far as i know it's nothing that's been made public yet. so, until my law director gives me a call, i know nothing. >> meredith, the special prosecutor presented the case to a grand jury on wednesday. the three men are scheduled to be arraigned today. >> billy bush, thank you very much. and now here's ann. this morning we're wrapping up "today takes a vacation" week. and we've got four experts with us who want to make your next trip as fun and exciting as ours. to kick things off, katie from

expedia.com. good morning. >> good morning. >> a lot of good deals out there right now, so let's get started. you say booking airfare and hotel together equals deals. >> absolutely. that is the number one thing i tell people to do. book your hotel and flight together, at the same time, and you can really stand to save, sometimes up to hundreds of dollars. >> can you give us an example? >> yeah. we're seeing these everywhere, but we're seeing a lot of really good stuff from chicago to orlando or denver to san diego. there are savings of $400, $500 sometimes on family trips for four when you book that hotel and flight together >> which is a fantastic savings. you also say there are certain cities in this country and elsewhere that are offering deep discounts right now. what are they and why? >> absolutely. what's happening is that, obviously, the economy's a bit down, so businesses are cutting their travel. and that means that cities that are usually full of business travelers during the weeks, like new york, chicago, san francisco, vegas, are down. >> they need to fill the rooms? >> absolutely. they're looking to leisure travelers to get in that door and offering really good prices. >> finally, now is the time to

paver yourself and upgrade? >> absolutely, four and five star hotels are down about 30% this year, so if there was ever a time where you want to try kind of that nicer property that you always wanted to stay at, now is the time to do it. >> all right, katie, thank you very much. and with the packing must-haves, here's ann. >> that's right, meredith. how to be a perfect packer. now we get advice from suzanne russ an editor at "real simple" magazine. listen, airlines are starting to charge fees now for checked baggage so we need to think about our luggage. >> it's all about the carry-on. you want to look for something that's strong, on wheels, that's light, and that has handled that you can lift up so you can go. >> this shape seems to be consistent in all your choices. >> yes, 22x14x9. it can fit in the maximum. there are some great items. >> sounds good, and they are strong. now when you have dirty clothes, because you don't have a lot of space, we want to make sure we separate our dirty clothes from clean clothes? >> there's a flight 001 go clean

back and it's got bacteria lined fabric. >> that's a good idea. also we want to compress our items. >> exactly. you can get with eagle creek, it packs everything, it compresses 12 items of clothing really flat and small. the same with these ebags, kind of a layered theory. you can put everything in thee different compartments. >> so that way then you don't have your underwear mixing with your shorts with your shirts. >> exactly. keep them all neat and in order. >> and one of the ideas you say, get all the things you have to pack and put half of it back. >> that is an excellent idea. because we always overpack. you can fit two pairs of shoes, two pants, five shirts, a couple of dresses or a suit if you're a guy, and really don't overthink it. just be simple. >> suzanne russ, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> now what if we just want to save stay vacation? >> we have the fine art of the stay-cation which so many people want to do.

the art is making the most of your own backyard? >> exactly. and it's using this time as a vacation. doing what you'd normally do on a vacation, not wasting your time running errands or washing the car. >> you turn our studio into a beach scene. this is something you can do in your backyard. >> exactly. if you can't afford to go to the beach, you can at least get it to you. target.com. less than $12. pose in front of it and you actually have the vacation photos. >> get some vacation pictures. >> it's kind of like the real deal. >> almost. >> pretend you're in the caribbean. >> exactly. and then over here, you talk about doing -- finding really what's in your own town sometimes, in your communities. often we forget that there's just a luxury of things we can do right in our backyard. >> i lived in new york for almost 20 years and i still haven't made it to the top of the rock. there are amazing things to do. >> we'll make sure that happens. >> check with your local visitors bureau, whether it's a minor league baseball game, or a museum, and then also go ahead and get some touristy postcards

from your town so kids can send them on to grandma and grandpa. over here i love this project, you have like a little nature getaway, or you're doing some trailing or anything. this is a great idea of a project. >> totally genius, and so easy. it's photo paper. all you do is you place a leaf, a key, on top of it, and then the sun creates the image in less than three minutes. what a love it, a 4-year-old could do it. a 34-year-old would be happy to have that hanging on their wall. >> instant artwork. >> and the nature thing is so big right now. sarah gray miller thank you so much. if you're going to hit the road, what will you need? for that let's turn it over to al. >> thank you, natalie. we know a lady who knows all about that, the features editor at travel and leisure magazine. how are you doing? >> i'm doing fantastically, al. >> you look fantastic. ready to go on vacation. a lot of folks are thinking about rvs. you can save a lot of dough? >> studies have said that we can save 61% on your family very

indication if you take an rv. and that's no joking matter. >> 61%? >> a great place to go would be to go rving.com. you can get everything you need to know about rvs. and there's a funny web site, families on the road.com and check out what families are doing in their rvs traveling around the country. >> and best routes? >> i love national parks and it's a great place to go, see the country and explore a little bit of our history. so go to nts.org to see the best. also, the scenic biways. that's 96 of the most beautiful roads in the country. so you can figure out what your route should be based on what's going to be the most stunning. >> and then, understanding a big trend, air stream hotels? >> we've actually just done a story, travel and leisure.com about this phenomenon. the idea of these retro air streams being used at hotels so you can stay in the air stream and pay as much as half off. there's a place called 10,000 ways -- you look a little.

in japan toy have the -- >> the air stream. >> the air stream. >> thanks so much. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am sarah caldwell. city homicide detectives are looking for answers into an overnight murder in southwest baltimore. just before 1:00, police found the body of a man shot and that at the intersection of east and and lehman ave no word on a motive or suspect. >> time for a check on the morning commute. >> we have a serious the situation at harford county and aberdeen. a hit-and-run accident that police are investigating. westbound route 40 is shut down at maryland ave. they are detouring traffic and directing it to the rte. 17 bypass could avoid that. you can.

otherwise around the area, we have accidents that just a few seconds ago cleared up. report of an accident in the city at walther ave and frankford ave. let's give a live view of the beltway, west side of liberty road. disabled bus on the shoulder, 3 disabled vehicles between security boulevard and the body. -- and liberty. cars have a flat tires after hitting debris on the roadway. something to be on the lookout for. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> we have to get through a chance of rain today. there are clouds overhead. the bricks and the clouds over the baltimore area. a few showers, hagerstown westward. heavier rain west of that. the whole thing is coming in, " front increasing the range chances for this afternoon and evening. some of it will be severe.

slight risk of severe weather. basic forecast is mostly cloudy. thunderstorms quite likely. temperatures in the upper 80s. >> thank you for joining us. we will have another update atpa

♪ 8:30 now on this friday morning. july 31st, 2009. if you like rock 'n' roll, plaza is the place to be. just ahead, a live concert by kings of leon. three brothers and a cousin who really know how to rock. look at the size of this crowd. >> i think it's the biggest one this season, ann. >> and it is raining. in fact, it's been pouring. and thank goodness -- >> the great thing is with all

of this, they're sticking together. they're all going to have to leave at the same time. >> a great way to wrap up "today takes a vacation." >> that's right. in fact, remember when your dad used to make your watch old slide shows of your vacation? we're going to do the same thing to you. we're going to make you look back at all the fun we had over this last week. >> also coming up this morning, we've got some tips, five easy ways to boost your family's

>> quiet whether this morning. breaks in the clouds over us. heavy clouds west producing a few showers hagerstown and mustard -- westward. strong thunderstorms after 2:00. strong thunderstorms after 2:00.

and that's your latest weather. >> i wish you could see what you do when they're seeing the local. >> we'll just rerack it. >> oh, i don't know. >> anyway, coming up still, the highlights of our "today takes a vacation" adventure. and, a live concert.

"today takes a vacation" is brought to you by expedia.com. this morning on "today takes a vacation," the fun we had, and did we ever have fun, from the shores of new york's lake george to the florida keys, san antonio, texas, to the bright lights of the las vegas strip. >> uh-oh. >> we are in beautiful lake

george, nestled in the adirondacks. >> al and i are in sunny key west, florida, this morning. >> texas is a big old party. >> las vegas, baby. >> i was hearing reports that you guys were learning to fly-fish, so ann, i'm happy to see you're out of surgery. ♪ >> we're going to scare the fish out of the water. >> i'm so sorry. >> ready to run some red lights? >> here we go. >> where are your hats? who wants some mist? >> here we go. >> come on, let's go, go, go! >> is that living? >> whoa! >> we're going diving for treasure. >> 400-year-old treasure. >> we've got our friends -- don't you -- >> oh.

>> one of the largest crowds we've ever had on a remote. >> we have a very nice crowd. ♪ are the luckiest people >> yeah, are we a team? ♪ >> it's noontime somewhere! >> to good old times. >> and cheers to the conch republic. >> cheers. >> so the guy says, ay, caramba, that's one hot tamale. ♪ >> those were low kicks. ♪

>> does this thing have gears? >> doesn't look like it. but you're doing fine. >> whoa. >> what the heck are you doing? sit down. >> this in like a 60 degree climate would be a lot of fun. >> yeah. >> 90, humid, not so much. >> yeah, you know, and with the misery index it's about 105. >> thanks, weatherman. >> here we go, annie. >> ooh! >> woo-hoo! >> you are one crazy woman. >> you know, something about the music. or maybe we're just joyful. >> did you see how much liquor we were all drinking? >> although i was in las vegas and i didn't have a sip of it -- well i had a little bit of a martini. >> you didn't really even get to sleep, really? >> no, two hours. >> can i say, i hope that

people -- >> no, i always do. >> get ready, okay? ready? >> get ready with the violins. >> what i want to say is this, i think that what we hope is that people at home realize that in this time that we're going through people need a little break. and even though we can't afford it, to have a little time to be with friends or family. >> that's it. >> spend some time just to you know, think about has going to make you happy, and -- >> we just showed in the last segment or whatever. >> that's right. and one of the -- the nondairy creamer. >> that's fun altogether. that bird, was that bird dangerous? >> no, bob was very -- >> the day before i was having breakfast. bob is drinking orange juice. but the best part is, any time we go on these trips, our crews and our staff is just amazing. it looks so simple. >> but we're not. >> we hope everybody can actually take our crew on vacation. >> you have to say, great home

videos. >> the heat in san antonio, and the heat in las vegas, what our crews have to put up with. they were breaking down, setting up for days before we got there. so really thanks to them. >> which also proves that we've got the greatest jobs going. >> yeah, i know. you can't really complain. >> and a big thank you to all the fans who came out. >> yeah. >> in the heat. >> sometimes at 3:00 in the morning. >> greatest people in america. >> and very appreciative because these places are hurting and they need support. >> they really need the help. >> so. >> let's do that next week. >> yeah! >> let's go. >> we want to go! >> to your place. >> okay, come on over. >> we'll go, we'll just have a little sack race. >> a rematch. >> if we don't get out of here we're going to get sacked. >> what?! >> the kings of leon live in concert.

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>> the "toyota concert series on today," brought to you by toyota. toyota, moving forward. >> are you ready? ladies and gentlemen, making their "today" show debut, the moment we've all been waiting for, kings of leon! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i've been roaming around always looking down at all i see ♪

♪ painted faces fill the places i can't reach ♪ ♪ you know that i could use somebody you know that i could use somebody ♪ ♪ someone like you and all you know and how you speak ♪ ♪ countless lovers under cover of the street ♪ ♪ you know that i could use somebody ♪ ♪ you know that i could use somebody someone like you ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ i want to see ♪ waging wars to shape the poet and the beat ♪ ♪ i hope it's gonna make you notice i hope it's gonna make you notice ♪ ♪ ♪ someone like me

someone like me someone like me ♪ ♪ someone like you somebody someone like you somebody ♪ ♪ someone like you

somebody ♪ ♪ i've been roaming around always looking down at all i see ♪ >> wow. we'll have more when we meet the kings of leon in just a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc.

their fourth album "only by the night" is burning up the charts. just certified platinum. kings of leon is made up of three brothers, nathan, caleb and jared followill, and their kousten matthew followill. your fans no exactly who you are. we had more than 20,000 fan requests for this group. i know when you're up at this hour it's because you never went to bed. how do you feel about that? >> it's awesome. if it was anybody over than our family out of that 20,000, we've got a pretty big family. >> you're huge in the uk. you're huge in australia. but spin magazine said about your fans, ecstatic overseas, muted at home. i don't think these folks are muted at all. i think you have quite a fan base.

and you are really poised to become the next u2 from what i understand. >> oh, that's pretty big shoes to fill. no. we're just -- we're still young, you know. we've only had four albums, and i think hopefully have a ways to go. a great compliment. >> when you started none of you were really musicians at all. so what made you think you could pull this off? i'll talk to the cousin in the group here? >> some of us played instruments. nathan played in church and i played guitar growing up. but i don't know. we just always been into music. and i think, i don't know, we just got together and i guess it worked out. >> yeah, i think it worked out really well. you're coming up on a tour? how many is it? >> 30. we've been touring for like well over a year now. so it's never feels like we ever get off tour. >> are you looking forward to it a little bit? >> oh, yeah, yeah. you know, finally to the point now where we get to play -- spend more time in america,

which is great, you know, because it's i little easier to travel around home. >> well, these folks are thrilled that you are back in america. what are you guys going to perform for us today? >> we're doing "notion right now. >> take it away. kings of leon. ♪ ♪ ♪ i got a notion to say what doesn't feel right ♪ ♪ got an answer in your story today ♪

♪ it gave me a sign that didn't feel right no ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ ♪ ♪ i just wanted to know if i could go home ♪ ♪ been rambling in day after day ♪ ♪ and everyone says i don't know ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ ♪

♪ got a notion to say what doesn't feel right ♪ ♪ i just wanted to know if i could go home ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it ♪ ♪ so don't knock it don't knock it ♪

♪ so don't knock it don't knock it ♪ now been here before ♪ ♪ don't knock it don't knock it you've been here before ♪ >> kings of leon. thanks. the boys will be back with one more song coming up. that's right after your local news and weather. thank you guys very much. let's hear it for the kings of leon.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am sarah caldwell.

new details this morning from the latest indictments against mayor sheila dixon indicate a stronger case is being billed based on information from a former boyfriend. the reinstated charges allege that she asked developer ronald lipscomb for money to help pay for expenses on a trip to chicago with him. the democrat he gave her thousands of dollars in to the -- the indictment claims he giver thousands of dollars in two separate payments. lipscomb is cooperating with prosecutors in the case against the mayor. >> he has given them a lot of information. is probably his information that is helpful in making the new indictment much richer. >> the indictments allege that the mayor of this used gift cards given for needy families for personal use. the mayor faces seven years in prison, but adds it is unlikely it is

>> let's check on the forecast with john collins. >> it is looking more and humid. it will stir things up during the day today. we could see severe weather, a slight risk around the chesapeake bay or region. a good chance for a thunderstorm. on the west, mostly cloudy skies. >> we will have another update at 9:25.