you love the german tuned suspension. you love not having to pay for scheduled maintenance,you- i love what you've done with your hair. we'll take it. on the broadcast tonight, the final journey begins for senator edward kennedy as family, friends and the people he served say good-bye. out of the blue -- 18 years ago this 11-year-old girl disappeared. now the mystery may be solved by the woman herself. money in the bank, but how much? what to do to make sure your money is safe. and, battle lines in the fight against swine flu. we take you behind the scenes as a potential big new outbreak

approaches. a potential big new outbreak approaches. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. i'm lester holt in tonight for brian williams. we're coming to you from the john f. kennedy presidential library in boston where the body of j.f.k.s youngest brother, senator edward kennedy now lies in repose. thousands have joined the line to pay the respect to the senator who died late tuesday evening. many here can't remember a time when there wasn't a kennedy representing this state in washington. the senator's body accompanied by 85 members of the kennedy family arrived here late this afternoon. after a touching journey from his home in hyannis port. past waving crowds. and through some of the places in the city that he cherished. to most of us kennedy was an iconic, bigger than life political figure. but here it was something much

more. nbc's andrea mitchell is here to start off our coverage. it was an incredible outpouring today, andrea. this line, we should note is just the beginning of a very, very long crowd. >> exactly, lester. many more, thousands, lined up behind, well beyond. it is going to go all night. what we are seeing here tonight and what we have been seeing all day is an outpouring of affection for a politician. that in itself is rare in this day and age. but teddy kennedy was one of a kind. >> reporter: ted kennedy began his final journey from the house where a political dynasty was born. a military escort. and the family. so soon after burying eunice shriver. enduring a second funeral in as many weeks. his wife, vicki who shepherded him through his battle with cancer, helping him survive long enough to witness one last political victory, the election of barack obama. his first wife, joan. jean kennedy smith, now the sole survivor of the original family.

caroline saying good-bye to her uncle and surrogate father. another reminder that the public man was also because of past tragedies the patriarch of a vast extended family. a family never forgetting those who serve. and as they headed out, the neighbors sharing memories of a sail across the sound on a cold thanksgiving day. >> it was about 25 degrees. you know he decided he wanted to have oyster stew on nantucket. off he went. pull up the blankets sang irish ballads the whole way to stay warm. >> reporter: and strangers. >> our hearts are here and with his family that has given so much. >> he has done so much for so many. he has been a blessing to us. >> reporter: crowds clustered along the road for the 70 mile drive to boston. the senator's familiar route past landmarks a park named for his mother rose in the nord end neighborhood where she was born and raised. nathaniel hall where the senator launched his ill-fated presidential challenge against jimmy carter. today the people he served,

returned his love. >> i have gotten a lot of people stopping me saying hey, i like your button. so -- it's my small way of respect. >> reporter: finally his last arrival at the presidential library he helped build to memorialize his brother jack. dedicated with his nephew john jr. and jackie kennedy onassis in 1993. now all are gone. and tonight, a final salute past two rows of his senate staff as the family invited the public in to pay respects to the senator lying in repose. the last of the original kennedy brothers will remain here tonight and tomorrow. members of the kennedy family will be here throughout to thank members of the public for coming to express sympathy and respect. we should note we are beneath the approach course to boston logan airport. you will hear jets. the political veteran would have understood better than most people amid all the mourning there is a cold reality to this.

that brings us to the political piece to senator kennedy. he held his senate seat since the early 60s. and our kelly o'donnell is here with us with more on the scramble for what has become known as the kennedy seat. >> good evening, lester. just want to upon the out members of the kennedy family have now come out to greet those who are in here. of course in addition to these remembrances, there is also a big question hanging in the air. who will come next? while no one can replace ted kennedy, someone will have to take over his seat. the name game has begun and speculation is running high. >> reporter: for more than half a century it was a political fact of life, this was the kennedy seat. first held by john. >> who takes the 5th amendment. >> reporter: when he won the white house, ted was too young to serve. not the required 30 years of age. >> i am teddy kennedy's brother. >> there was a plan, jfk's former roommate, benjamin smith was appointed and stayed until ted was eligible and won himself

in 1962. >> this is the man for massachusetts. >> reporter: but will another kennedy come forward now? rfks oldest son joe who has served in the house remains visible in boston. with his business that provides heating oil to low income families. >> no one should be left out in the cold. >> reporter: political wives have often stepped in. but aides say victoria, a lawyer and ted's closest adviser is not interested. >> if either joe kennedy, former congressman, or vicki kennedy, the widow of senator kennedy should decide to run, i think it would seriously affect the field. >> reporter: the field could fill with several current and former members of congress. poised to jump in. the state's attorney general is on the so-called short list. but the biggest intrigue is over a move encouraged by kennedy himself to change current law and allow the governor power to choose a temporary replacement. massachusetts law is different from most states. and requires that kennedy's seat remain vacant for about five months until a special election

must be held after 145 to 160 days. >> given the significance of the proposals before the congress right now, massachusetts needs two voices in the united states senate. so i think if that bill comes to me i will sign it. >> reporter: and behind us right now in line, caroline kennedy and her family, robert f. kennedy, jr. members of the kennedy family here to greet those who have come to pay respects to ted kennedy. lester, as we talk about the politics, certainly great focus tonight on simply remembering the man. the politics will come down the line. >> you noted members of the kennedy family here. there will be a member of the family for the entire viewing over the next couple days. thank you very much. after lying in repose tonight and tomorrow. a funeral mass for senator kennedy scheduled for saturday morning here in boston. brian williams anchors our coverage at 10:00 a.m. eastern here on nbc. we have a stunning story to report out of california tonight. a story that began 18 years ago with the disappearance of an

11-year-old girl. what happened to her? that mystery may now be solved. we have late details from nbc's george lewis in california. george, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. jaycee dugard was 11 when taken. 29 years old today and may have had two children by her abductor. police have been briefing the press about this 18-year-old cold case with a happy ending. in june of 1991, jaycee lee dugard was taken from a bus stop near her home in lake tahoe, california. her mom made an emotional appeal for her return. >> i need her home. i need her to come home tonight. jaycee, you hear mommy. i love you. and i want you to come home tonight. safe and sound. >> reporter: police began searching the area near the dugard home. witnesses said they saw a couple in a gray car race off with jaycee. one witness was the girl's

stepfather. >> i jumped on my bike realized i couldn't catch them. i heard her scream. came back down the hill. called 911. within two minutes of what happened. >> reporter: this is a computer simulation based on childhood photos of what jaycee might look like as an adult. her parents had all but given up hope of finding her alive when the word came last night she had amazingly shown up. >> now to get her back alive it is like winning the lotto. >> reporter: police arrested registered sex offender phillip garrido on kidnapping, child molestation and conspiracy charges. this afternoon as investigators began searching the garrido's house. neighbors said they had long been suspicious of the couple. >> we already knew he was a registered sex offender. and you have a feeling, something not right going on over. >> i don't know if she was actually there or not. if she was there that is kind of a real shocker. >> reporter: now tonight, jaycee dugard is starting over getting reacquainted with her family. apparently an alert parole officer tipped police that

garrido was acting strangely and led to the conclusion of this case. lester. remarkable story. george lewis tonight. thank you. in southern california tonight the story is weather. extreme heat and next to no wind compounded by a rash of wildfires. all this creating a smoky, hazardous mess. nbc's chris jansing has more from california. good evening, lester. the air quality around los angeles is so poor that millions of people are being advised to stay indoors. you can see smoke billowing from one of the fires behind me. and the high temperature in the region today hit 106. in other words, it's hot, it's dry, and it's dangerous. >> reporter: smoke and ash hang over much of greater los angeles like a toxic cloud. two wildfires are burning in the angelos national forest northeast of l.a. while water-dropping aircraft and more than 1,000 fire fighters have kept the flames away from suburban homes, officials say the air is seriously polluted.

state scientists have been making the round of air quality monitoring stations. >> we have very poor air quality right now due to the wildfires. in fact it is unhealthy for a large area where 2 million residents live. >> reporter: for a second day. >> red flag warnings still up and smoke advisory now extended. >> reporter: warnings are going out over the airwaves, advising people to stay indoors. the l.a. school district issued a memo ordering suspension of all outdoor physical activity including physical education and after-school sports. even young healthy athletes are at risk. so practice fields at local high schools are empty. >> it is difficult to breathe, obviously we don't want the kids out there getting sick. we don't want the kids out there developing problems. >> reporter: even student registration had to be moved indoors because of the smoke. >> it makes you feel a bit dizzy and a little bit drowsy. since you can't breathe. >> reporter: and the problem is likely to get worse before it gets better. the los angeles basin bounded on the north and east by mountain

ranges and the thick smoke from the fires is settling down into the valleys. weak winds have kept the smoke from dissipating so a layer of pollution grows hour by hour. the area closest to the fires, normally draws huge crowds of hikers, mountain bikers and campers this time of year. now campgrounds are closed and a group of boy scouts had to be air lifted to safety. more fire fighters are on stand-by in san diego to come up in case they're needed. and the forecast calls for triple digit temperatures into the weekend. lester. chris jancing. thanks. back here in boston. weather on the minds. it could be a messy weekend here and in other parts of new england depending on what happens over the next several hours to the newest tropical storm called danny. danny is churning tonight in the atlantic. and trying to decide if it is going to move closer to shore. the good news, however, is that the national hurricane center now says danny will not become a hurricane. still ahead as "nightly news" continues on this thursday -- behind the scenes with a flu tracker, trying to

stay on the trail of h1/n1 and plan a strategy to stop it from spreading. later what some of the people in this city are telling us about why ted kennedy was special to them. i'm okay with cutting back a little, but i still want to put my best face forward. with crest whitestrips advanced seal, i get whiter teeth that lasts for 12 months. all from one little box, i say that's a pretty good deal. crest whitestrips advanced seal. the no slip white strips. as we get older, our bodies become... less able to absorb calcium. he recommended citracal. it's a different kind of calcium.

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have a heart to heart with your doctor... about your risk. and about lipitor. health news now as we have been reporting. there are growing concerns about a dangerous resurgence of swine flu this fall. health officials are mobilizing across the country and the nerve center for those efforts is in atlanta georgia at the centers

for disease control. our chief science correspondent robert bazell gives us a look behind the scenes. >> reporter: at the cdcs emergency operations center in atlanta. reports arrive 24 hours a day. >> good morning, cdc emergency operations center -- >> reporter: some are rumors of new outbreaks. some are reports of small events like a sick airline attendant. officials say that a major defense against swine flu is constant surveillance. scientists are keenly aware that this is the first pandemic in history that they have been able to observe almost in real-time. with the new virus the concerns are where is it striking? how severe is the disease? what are the strains on the local medical system? and is the virus changing. at the cdc's labs, 2,000 samples of human and animal flu virus from around the world arrive every month for genetic and structural analysis. >> cdc was originally

communicable disease center. >> reporter: dr. michael shaw is assistant lab director. how different is this from anything circulating for a while in the united states? >> it's extremely different. this particular combination of genes that has never been scene in humans or animals anywhere ever before. >> reporter: so far there is some good news. as the virus spreads throughout the world, it is changing very little. that means three critical things. it should continue to cause mostly moderate or mild disease. the vaccine now being developed against it should work well. and it is still treatable with the anti-viral drugs tamiflu. the lab studies show the virus spreads more by touch and not so much through the air like seasonal flu or the common cold. but flu being flu is subject to change unexpectedly. so we have to be alert for something that might change that picture. >> reporter: it is that risk of change that worries scientists most. robert bazell, nbc news, atlanta.

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last year, 25. so far this year, 81 have gone under. shrinking the fdic insurance fund from $45.2 billion a year ago to $10.4 billion at the end of june. the lowest since the savings and loan crisis in 1992. >> i think that you will see more banks get into trouble but keep in mind in the s & l crisis we had between 1,500 and 1,600 banks go under. >> reporter: the number thought in trouble, 416 with assets of nearly $300 billion. today the fdic insisted customer deposits are safe. >> the fdic was created specifically for times such as these. our resources are strong. your insured deposits are safe. >> reporter: here is how it works. its insurance covers deposits up to $250,000 for individual accounts per bank, up to $500,000 for joint accounts. checking and savings accounts, cds and money market deposit accounts, not mutual funds all

count toward the cap. any money over that limit is at risk. and experts say now is the time to move it to safety. >> either moving some of the money to a separately titled account to lift your coverage ceiling, or just move some money to a different bank that way you can maintain full coverage. >> holding both individual and joint accounts, a couple can protect up to $1 million in one bank. the fdic insures americans deposits at some 8,200 banks and financial institutions. no insured depositor has ever lost a penny. and the fdic says no one ever will. tom costello, nbc news, washington. on wall street today, the dow extended its rally for an eighth straight day up 37 points. when we continue tonight from boston. ted kennedy's friends from the neighborhood, he had a lot of

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kennedy will end saturday afternoon in washington when he is buried near his brothers in arlington national cemetery. for 46 years, washington was his seat of power. but the source of that power and the heart that drove it will forever remain here in massachusetts. here is nbc's mike taibbi. >> reporter: in boston many will tell you ted kennedy was one of theirs, like jimmy sullivan at the oyster house where the senator was a frequent unannounced visitor. >> you are sitting face to face, back to back with all the regular people. >> reporter: it was how kennedy practiced politics that bound him indelibly to the voters who returned him to the senate eight times and in 1970 with 62% of the vote barely a year after chappaquiddick. he wasn't just a colleague. >> he had 10,000 best friends because he made people feel that way. >> reporter: he heard what they said and knew what they needed. >> he had a passion to help and a capacity to love that was

extraordinary. >> reporter: the family chose this church for the funeral mass in one of the mixed and struggling corners of the city, kennedy made it his life work to know. >> the neighborhood embodies the type of people he served his whole life. >> reporter: there were plenty of people who couldn't stand ted kennedy's politics or for goef his flaws not in these neighborhoods where he focused his political craft. >> you know he overcame a lot of his problems. and, excelled to be a great man. >> i loved him. i don't know what to say. >> reporter: one example when money was needed so more inner city kids could join programs at the boston's children's museum, kennedy left this voicemail for museum president. >> lou, ted kennedy. out of the labor committee. >> reporter: no press release. just done. another chunk of the $3 million he directed towards the museum. >> i felt i was at congress when you got to talk to him. >> reporter: at the dead kaegs of the library where he lies in

repose, he had spoke any bout his brother jack. >> he was an irresistible force that made immovable objects move. >> reporter: words many are now saying about him. mike taibbi, nbc news, boston. and that is our broadcast for this thursday night. thank you for being with us, everyone. i'm lester holt, reporting tonight from the kennedy library in boston. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.