good morning. fresh misery. tornado ravaged communities in the midwest dealing with a new concern this morning -- snow. adding to the difficult recovery from the outbreak of twisters blamed for 39 deaths in five states. super show down. mitt romney and rick santorum set toattle it out in ten states on tuesday and a new poll shows the most important prize up for grabs is still too close to call. and good time prince. prince harry shows off dance moves in the caribbean. the latest on his royal tour moves in the caribbean. the latest on his royal tour today, monday, march 5 a, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. you're looking at a scene in henryville, indiana, where a blanket of snow now covers the damage from friday's deadly tornado over there. >> two inches fell overnight. it doesn't sound like a lot but it could weigh down damaged structures making the work for cleanup crews more dangerous. the tornado in henryville was the largest of as many as 79 twisters that hit the region on friday and saturday. meanwhile, the death toll rose on sunday when a 15-month-old girl who was found in a field after a tornado destroyed her home and killed her family was taken off life support. coming up, her neighbor who risked his life to try to save

them all will speak out in a live interview. >> compelling story and a new wall street journal poll on the eve of super tuesday that could be good news for mitt romney. and then the tragic death of an 18-year-old girl killed in an accident moments after she texted from behind the wheel that driving and facebooking is not safe. her parents are turning the loss into a mission to save others. coming up, they will share their emotional story. >> also ahead on a lighter note, how much will lindsay lohan's comeback on "saturday night live" help the troubled actress? the reviews are in. we'll talk with you about them later on. we begin with the devastation and recovery from the deadly tornadoes from the south and the snow slowing things down. lester holt is in henryville, indiana. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. the snow adding a surreal quality to the destruction around us.

all weekend people were here trying to cleanup, sharing stories in many cases of amazing survival. there is profound sadness over the loss of life, at least 39 people killed in a storm that could be one for the history books. >> right in front of the house? >> oh, my god! >> reporter: the terrifying seconds before a tornado struck henryville, indiana. danny o'shea shot it through his basement window. >> there it goes. >> i seen the tornado coming. i didn't realize it would be that severe. a trash can hit it is window hard. >> reporter: in seconds, much of henryville was in shambles, including the school where thankfully students had been dismissed early. a few who remained amazingly survived unhurt. >> everybody just laid their heads down. a lot of praying. >> reporter: the ef4 twister was the largest of a string of tornadoes, as many as 79, that touched down across a dozen states on friday and early saturday moving across the ohio

and tennessee valleys. the largest outbreak ever recorded for the month of march. in indiana where at least a dozen are dead, officials have now ended the active search for survivors. >> when you're down here and you see the total devastation, it's only by the grace of god we don't have hundreds of fatalities. >> reporter: one of those who didn't make it, 15-month-old angel babcock found alone in a field, clinging to life. on sunday she lost her battle to live. her parents and siblings also died. over the weekend, survivors began to pick up the pieces of their lives and take stock. among them, janet clark who told me how she huddled in the bathroom of her house listening to homes around disintegrating. >> i was feeling the pressure build in my ears. i could hear it coming. then everything started shaking. i could just hear stuff

exploding. >> reporter: did you fear the house was coming down around you? >> i did. >> reporter: a similar scene in kentucky where at least 21 is are dead. in west liberty, new youtube video of a tornado 's ter identifying force. >> no, no, we're all right. >> reporter: and there were stories of improbable survival. >> i thought i was going to die. there at the end i thought, you know, it was over. >> reporter: throughout the region, crews are trying to restore power and phone service. >> total destruction. >> i have food and water, guys. >> reporter: while relief groups and volunteers extend helping hands. >> they know they're not alone. >> reporter: on sunday, indiana's u.s. senators got a firsthand look at the devastation. any doubts that they can rebuild and recover here. >> they'll recover. very confident in that. >> i think one of the great things about america is that in times of disaster, everybody rallies. >> we're going to rebuild and go forward. that's the story of america. >> reporter: and the story that janet clark embraces as she

reflects on her own second chance. >> when we came back yesterday to start the salvage process it was like, oh, my god. i actually survived this. this could have very easily have taken my life as well as the homes around me. >> reporter: we learned over the weekend the big tornado in henryville was on the ground for some 50 miles. there was a second smaller tornado that came through on the heels of that. overall the weather experts are trying to chart how many tornadoes there were on friday into saturday. apparently there were so many criss-crossing lines it's a slow process to come up with a final number. ann, back to you now. >> lester holt, thank you so much. jason miller lived next door to angel babcock's family in indiana and was racing to help them when he was picked up and thrown by the tornado. he joins us from the university of louisville hospital. good morning, jason. >> good morning. >> i understand that you saw the

babcock family lying face down, holding hands and praying. you went outside to try to ask them to come to your mobile home. is that how it happened? >> well, what actually happened was when i stepped outside the door to see how close it was, i saw what i thought was a funnel cloud coming down. i just shouted out, "tornado" and i heard somebody yell. i looked over and they were outside of their house. so i ran over and i told them to come. they were in a trailer. i said, come over here. we had a double wide, but i thought it would be a little safer. i grabbed a little girl and they each grabbed a child and we ran over. i told them to get in the hallway. we dropped down in the hallway. i wasn't quite aware of how close it was. i went back outside. when i saw how close it was, that's when i went back inside. i told everybody to grab hands.

we started praying and it just crushed us. >> what do you remember about being picked up by the tornado? >> well, i blacked out pretty quick. i do remember the wind hitting the building, the house. i remember popping. i remember there was a point when i realized the house was going to be gone. i do remember being sucked up into the air, knowing the house was going up. the entire house was sucked up. then i don't remember anything other than opening my eyes at one point when i was way up in the twister. at some point during me being in the twister i opened my eyes and somehow remember looking down and realizing i was 50 feet in the air, spinning in a twister. i don't remember anything until i was found a while later. >> you were found some 400 feet

away from where you were. what are your injuries? we can see that they seem extensive. >> yeah. i think my arm is broken like really high. a main bone is broken. there's a second break a little lower. that goes into my elbow. my back is broken. i have five broken ribs. my right arm, as you can see, is just bruised. it's a miracle p my legs are fine. that's what i'm most -- you know, i can't quit saying how thankful i am for my legs and my good arm. i'm in pain but i'm very lucky. >> as you know, i will give you this opportunity to speak about the babcock family you tried to save, especially hearing now that little 15-month-old angel has now died. what would you like to say about

them? >> yeah. i just found out last night. i saw on the news to know that happened. i can't express how it makes me feel. you know, they were next door neighbors. you know, just knowing that all five of them didn't make it. i'm the only one that did is really hard on me. i feel some sense of guilt for bringing them into my house and then they died from there. but at the same time i think their trailer would not have been safe. it also disappeared. i wish i could have done more. i guess i just mainly feel thankful that i'm alive. i can't believe it was me and the rest of them didn't make it. it's very saddening to hear that the whole family passed away and i was holding their hands just seconds before they died. it's very devastating. you know, i'm thankful to be

here and thankful for people who prayed for me. yesterday was sunday. i believe a lot of people said a lot of prayers for me. that's something that's kept me up. that's when i found out she had passed away. it was later after that. i felt the strength that came from everyone praying and i appreciate that from all across the country. i want to thank everybody for that. that's what we need and what we continue to need for that. >> i'm sure after hearing your comments a lot more people are praying for you and your community and would congratulate you for trying your best to save them. jason miller, thank you so much. our best to you. >> thank you very much. >> it's now 7:11. here's matt. >> to politics now. the gop presidential candidates are fanning out across the country on the eve of super tuesday. more than 400 dell graegates ar for grabs with ohio the state to watch. peter alexander is in canton this morning.

good morning. >> reporter: good morning. mitt romney and rick santorum will be campaigning ahead of tomorrow's super tuesday. romney arrives with a head of steam after winning the washington state caucuses. the senior adviser for the romney campaign says they are hoping a strong performance tomorrow during super tuesday will give them an advantage in the race. >> remember the song, born on a mountain top in tennessee, greenest state in the land of the free. >> reporter: stumping for votes ahead of super tuesday, mitt romney got nostalgic about the frontier past. >> davie crockett. remember? [ cheers ] >> i said this is the greenest state in the land of the free. >> reporter: it's ohio, tomorrow's symbolic prize that the candidates will focus on in the final hours. rick santorum returning here after stops in oklahoma and tennessee. the latest nbc news/marist poll shows romney gaining ground in ohio. the two now neck and neck.

but because santorum failed to complete the paperwork he may not be eligible for more than 15% on tuesday. >> this is a game of survivors. we're doing as well as anybody. in all the races we're first or second in most of the states. that's a good super tuesday for us. >> reporter: newt gingrich is counting on a good super tuesday in georgia. >> we really worked hard to make sure we can carry georgia and the polls indicate we will. >> reporter: meanwhile, ron paul is up north in alaska looking for votes. >> do i believe i can win? yes. do i believe the chances are slim? yes. >> reporter: romney is rounding up establishment support. receiving the endorsement of eric cantor, the number two republican in the house on "meet the press." >> mitt romney is the only candidate in the race who's put forward a bold pro growth, pro jobs plan for the future. >> hi. this is barbara bush. >> reporter: also throwing her voice behind romney, barbara bush who recorded a phone message for voters in ohio and

vermont. >> we have known the romneys for years and believe mitt is the best man to lead the country for the next four years and ann will make a great first lady. >> reporter: mrs. bush scaled back the romney campaign script that initially said, i'm supporting mitt for one simple reason. america cannot survive four more years of barack obama. despite some of the big name endorsements it appea to be an unhappy republican electorate. the poll shows 46% of the likely republican primary voters in ohio wish there was another candidate on the ballot. >> peter alexander in canton for us. chuck todd is nbc's political director and chief white house correspondent. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt. >> you have a lot of polling results to share. let's get into it. we asked people, if you were voting in the gop presidential primary now oh which candidate would you support?

this is the best news we have seen for mitt romney in a long time. >> and the best news in the poll. we'll get to more of it later. he's at 38%, the highest number we have recorded for him among republicans. the primary reason is just as you are seeing national conservatives starting to coalesce, you are seeing conservatives start to come to romney. he doubled his tea party support in the poll. still doesn't win among tea partiers, santorum is the choice. he's now up to 35%. same with southern republicans and evangelicals. >> often times we talk about a candidate's negative ratings. a, why is that so important at this stage of the race and where do mitt romney's negatives stand as compared to some other gop candidates in the past who went on to win the nomination? >> he's upside down now. 28% positive, 39% negative. it's been a gruelling primary and that shouldn't be surprising, but it's worse among

independents. now compare mitt romney on the cusp of becoming the republican nominee should tomorrow go as well as he thinks it will. look at the last four major party nominees who lost the general election. john mccain, john kerry, al gore, bob dole. romney's negative rating is lower than theirs were at this time on the cusp of becoming their nominee. he's digging out of a bigger hole than even other candidates were at this point in time. primarily it's with independent voters. he has almost a two to one negative vote among independents. >> in the state of ohio, the big prize on tuesday. it's a great area for rick santorum you would think with the blue collar voters, ev evangelicals bordering his home state of pennsylvania. >> right. >> how big of a deal is it if he doesn't win ohio?

>> it ends any path he would have to potentially becoming the nominee. it would end his candidacy. maybe he stays in the race but any idea he has of becoming the nominee would be over. that's good news for mitt romney. you don't have to win ohio to get to the nomination. rick santorum does have to win. another state i would be watching is tennessee where mitt romney was last night. he pulls an upset in tennessee. he combines ohio and tennessee. you would have the entire republican party saying this guy will be the nominee. he even won tennessee, the most moderate southern state for a republican. >> chuck todd, thanks for your insight. we appreciate it. >> now a check of the top stories from natalie morales at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. vladimir putin is headed back to the kremlin for six for years after winning in russia's presidential election. jim maceda is in moscow.

good day to you. >> reporter: hi, natalie. a huge win for vladimir putin who is usually an unemotional guy but was seen teary-eyed last night when he claimed victory. with the counting now finished he's won almost 64% of the vote. his closest rival came in some 50 points behind him. you would think that kind of knockout blow would give the government a confidence boost. it looks like the opposite has happened, natalie. thousands of riot police have been brought into months row. they are bracing for trouble tonight as the opposition has called for another one of those mass protests. the opposition says there was fraud. there is an independent watchdog who admits there was a lot of fraud, but not enough to change the outcome of the race. they are really protesting against a system which doesn't allow for real candidates to

emerge. they are middle class protesters. they say they are fed up and as leaders, they are determined to keep the protests going. back to you. >> thank you, jim. president obama meets with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu today. he issued a stern warning to iran speaking to a pro israel lobby group saying he wouldn't hesitate to attack iran to prevent it getting a nuclear bomb as a last resort. the president said diplomacy comes first and warned of too much loose talk of war which he said benefitted iran by driving up the price of oil. caremark pharmacies investigating how children in a town were given breast cancer drugs instead of prescribed fluoride pills. the drug was given to as many as 50 families between december 1 and february 20th. the drug blocks estrogen but

children who may have taken it likely won't suffer any health problems. protesters are on a march from selma to montgomery, recreating the famous 196 # 5 march of the civil rights era led by martin luther king, jr. the marchers are protesting alabama's voter i.d. and immigration laws. if you're looking to get the famous pippa middleton figure all it takes is the occasional 56-mile cross country skiing marathon. she finished the historic swedish race in seven hours and admitted the trek she completed for charity wore her out. maybe if she had more energy she could have fought off the admirer who stole a kiss. meantime, prince harry is in the bahamas on his first official solo tour. he broke at least one heart in belize after dancing with a local girl during a traditional

street party. he's got moves like jagger. 7:20. now back to matt, ann and al. >> thank you very much. now a check of the weather from mr. roker after a busy end of the week and weekend. >> absolutely. to add insult to injury, more snow for the tornado-ravaged parts of the mid south into the mi midatlantic states. basically one to three inches. out west another storm system approaching. this one not as vigorous. it's bringing rain and mountain snow. generally about a quarter to a half inch of rain along the pacific northwest coast into northern california. >> good morning. it will be a chilly start to the work we. temperatures will be in the 40's appear we have a chance for a couple of rain or snow showers

that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thank you very much. coming up, the war of words between christie brinkley and her ex-husband peter cook, four years after their bitter divorce. why they could end up in court again. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this is an angus steak and egg sandwich. it's a tremendous morning. angus, man! angus! dunkin's new angus steak and egg sandwich makes any morning special. try one today. just ahead, some average americans are stock piling for the end of the world. >> and how did lindsay lohan do on "snl"? your reviews after your local news. ♪ super for the fiber that helps fill us up. super for the energy it gives to get us going. super for the oats that are so good for our hearts.

♪ super for how it makes us... super. quaker oats. energy. fiber. heart health. super people eat super grains. energy. fiber. heart health. 11 years playing the outfield, and i got no plans to retire. [ female announcer ] aging may slow a dog down, but iams helps keep dogs playing year after year with our age-specific nutrition. and now, even for dogs 11 and older with new iams senior plus. it helps boost the immune response to that of an adult dog and helps fight signs of aging. [ dog ] i'll never be a bench-warmer. [ female announcer ] new iams senior plus. see the iams difference or your money back. [ dog ] i am an iams dog for life. but one is so clever that your skin looks better even after you take it off. neutrogena® healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% saw improved skin. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics.

made with only milk... cream... a touch of sugar... and pure natural flavors. coffee-mate natural bliss. from nestle. add your flavor naturally. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. here is a look at one of our top stories. baltimore city police detectives are investigating the mysterious death of but 13-year-old baltimore girl. the family of monae turnage reported her missing sunday morning when she never returned from world skating with friends saturday night. her brother found her body under trash bags in an alley soon

after. her body shows signs of trauma but they are awaiting the results of autopsy today. let's get a check on the morning commute. >> good morning. tracking a few problems at this hour. we will start in fort meade at 175 and i-95. there is an accident wrapping up there. another one on the outer loop of 295. 34 on average there. 22 miles per hour approaching 40 towards eastbound i-17. we will update you on our cameras. northwest corner, not too bad. we are intermittent leasing delays, but heavier towards edmondson. so far so good on northbound and southbound here. delays on was down 100 from pretend and 97. >> quiet start for us this monday with high, thin clouds.

34 at the airport, 23 in westminster. this storm system is coming out of the mountains. northern fringe, we might wind up with a couple of rain or snow showers. best chance will be south of baltimore city. high temperatures between 41 and 46. seven-day forecast looks good, and then 50 on tuesday, 60 on monday. chance for rain late thursday and friday morning. and friday morning.

♪ we will rock you >> 7:30 on this monday morning, the 5th day of march 2012. it's a sunny morning in the northeast. a little cold. we're checking out the view from the top of the rock. looks like a lovely day. meantime down on the ground the plaza is packed with friendly faces, all bundled up. we're saying hello to family and friends back home. meantime inside studio 1a i'm ann curry along with matt lauer. we'll be talking about a new face of survivalists. >> a growing number of ordinary

americans are stocking up on everything from water to canned goods to batteries. why do they have a grim outlook for the future? we'll hear from them coming up in a couple of minutes. >> also ahead, a teenager killed in a tragic accident a short time after she texted that driving and facebooking is not safe. now to help cope with the grief her parents launched a new campaign to make sure other people make wiser choices behind the wheel. their daughter died less than four months ago, i understand. this is very brave of them to speak out now. >> i look forward to hearing from them. on a much lighter note, did lindsay lohan's appearance on "saturday night live" help or hurt her chances at an acting comeback? we'll check some of the reviews. >> we begin with a bitter new battle between christie brinkley and her ex-husband. michelle franzen has details on this. >> reporter: good morning. the divorce was final nearly four years ago but kristy

blinkry and peter cook have to communicate on matters involving the children. documents of the divorce and custody agreement are sealed but that hasn't stopped details of the disagreements from going public with each side now blaming the other for the leak. america's supermodel sweetheart, kristy blinkry whose beauty launched her to fame in the '80s is back in the headlines. but it isn't pretty. the story, her bitter divorce from her fourth husband, architect peter cook, the former couple's ugly feud now public again. both have filed court documents in a battle over child support paymen and what brinkley's attorney claims are dozens of abusive e-mails from cook. >> she wants to stop the bullying. >> reporter: cook's latest tactic according to brinkley's attorney is his insult-filled complaint filed last week reportedly calling brinkley a narcissistic egomaniac that made

it into the tabloids. she quietly filed four months ago to stop the intimidation and ongoing smear campaign she's been subjected to since her divorce. brinkley claims cook owed more than $6,000 in back child support and $32,000 in school costs for their children sailer and jack. she's also asking for a fine of $140,000 on cook for violation of a court order that bars either from insulting the other. >> mr. cook, in his papers, is seeking over $200,000 in penalties because of ms. brinkley's inflammatory and pejorative communications with him. >> reporter: cook has paid the child support. his attorney said cook didn't think he had to pay for the months he was caring for the children while brinkley starred in "chicago".

>> he realized it was a misconception, wrote the check and paid her. >> reporter: the war of words is the latest round of verbal blows between the once happy couple. at the divorce trial in 2008 cook admitted to having an affair with his 18-year-old intern diana bianci and spending thousands a month on internet pornography. >> it was extremely insulting, especially for a woman who built her career on her looks and beauty. for it to happen to her was huge. >> reporter: the public divorce feud ended with an agreement giving brinkley sole custody of the children. her attorney says the 58-year-old former supermodel's main focus now is being a super mom to her children. >> my client wants it to stop. she just wants to get on with her life. >> attorneys on both sides say they hope to work out differences outside of court but they seem prepared to let the latest feud go before a judge to decide. ann?

>> michelle franzen, thank you so much. savannah guthrie is our legal correspondent and david schwartz joins us. >> good morning. >> it looks like these alleged harassing e-mails are front and center. what does the law allow or not allow regarding this? david? >> clearly there is a court order in place. the parties can communicate but they have to communicate civilly. if there are harassing e-mails there could be criminal sanctions. there are certainly sanctions within the court order itself where both parties could be fined up to $5,000 per e-mail. >> the legal system can order civility. >> here a judge said if you make dispar rajjing remarks to each other i will fine you $5,000 for each instance. that's what the latest dust-up is about. she's claiming multiple instances of him saying pejorative things to her in

e-mails and otherwise. he filed a counter claim saying, you have done it, too. ultimately they are airing dirty laundry in a court of law. >> for anyone in a divorce, a lot of people are angry and send off e-mails. so what constitutes harassment? >> the court order is not meant to protect one party. it's meant to protect both parties. you cannot use a court order as a sword. it must be a shield. if there are harassing e-mails going back and forth to both parties that's in violation of the court order. and harassing e-mail could be anything. we can only imagine what's being said in the e-mails. >> you can complain to each other. what's harassment? >> first of all, you have a court order that says you can't send e-mails that are dispar rajjing or pejorative. we're not talking about criminal harassment or stalking. i don't think there is an allegation that it rises to this

level. they have a court order that set it is barlower saying if you send these nasty e-mails the court says, i will fieb you $5,000. both sides are trying to get the judge to step in and say, that's enough. i've had it. and perhaps fine them s. >> we need to look at the volume. are there 20 e-mails in five minutes? supposedly there are hundreds. but until we see it, we don't know. there could be testimony on this. the judge should rein them in. >> none of us have seen them. it's hard to judge about who's right or wrong. it's the judge's job. >> so let's stop talking about it. david and savannah, thank you. now a check of the weather from al. >> thank you very much, savannah. we've got engineer students. how are you? >> great. >> where do you go to school? >> virginia tech. >> where's your train?

oh, engineering students, not engineer. the jet stream goes way up to the north out west. denver, 19 degrees above normal. dipping in the northeast. watertown is 22 below normal. pittsburgh, 11 degrees below normal. teens and 20s throughout the great lakes and new england. 70s and 80s. flurries through the plains. look for morning snowshowers in the midatlantic states. sunshine in the south. gou gulf coast, warm air. do you have the new york city to do list? central park, times, meet al. >> good morning. a storm system will pass south of us. the best chance will be south of baltimore city.

don't forget. you can get your weather any time day or night on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> coming up next, why a growing number of ordinary americans are stocking up for the worst case scenario. that's coming up right after this.

we are back now at 7:42. are you ready for the end of the world as you know it? an increasing number of americans are preparing for the worst by stocking up for long-term survival. nbc's janet shamlian has details on that. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, matt. in this era of bulk shopping at warehouse stores it's not unusual for families to keep stocked with extra boxes or cans of the basics, but what you're going to see is more extreme and is becoming more common. in fact, someone you know could be gearing up for the end. by the looks of it, lisa bedford is stocking the shelves for a super sized family. but all this for a family of four? what's she thinking? >> when times get tough it's so important for moms just to get tougher.

>> reporter: called the survival mom with a popular blog and a book on the way, lisa is what's known as a prepper. >> a prepper is someone who is preparing for the unexpected. >> reporter: the unexpected ranging from a crisis everyone could imagine -- losing their job -- to something that's pretty far out there, doomsday. >> i would say we are preparing for the end of the world as we know it. >> reporter: the end of the world? >> the end of the world as we know it. >> reporter: this phoenix-area home is stocked to the court of appealing with food for a year and supplies in case of a nuclear or biomedical attack. he turned the backyard swimming pool into a fish pond. they drop a line when they want tilapia for dinner. and they will provide fresh milk for their three children the same way they do now -- from a backyard goat. >> i'm sure people think i'm crazy. everybody is entitled. i think they're crazy for not being prepared. >> reporter: dennis and lisa are

part of a growing trend of people planning for the unknown. hugh vail is president of the american preppers network. there is such a group. >> a decade ago there was estimated a couple hundred thousand. today there are over 3 million plus. >> reporter: dale says the shaky economy, natural disasters and even the upcoming mayan calendar doomsday account for the dramatic surge. >> the end of the world as we know it. >> reporter: like anything the movement has a reality show. >> doomsday bunkers. >> you have to have things to protect yourself and your family, if not you're in trouble. >> we can sleep four to six people. >> reporter: in extreme cases families built bunkers like this one in utah. >> i have medical supplies. this is an air intake. >> these cans will last at least 25 years. >> reporter: more conservative preppers are satisfied with a mere three months of food and water. >> mainly i do it for peace of

mind. >> reporter: as for the survival mom she doesn't anticipate the rest, but is ready should it come. one theory lisa subscribes to is if tomorrow is uncertain, today eat dessert. for the bedfords, that's possible without power. solar baked brownies, fresh from the backyard. being prepared is a government recommendation but fema suggests a three-day supply of food and water plus an emergency kit in the house. these people are taking it to an extreme. the numbers are now topping 3 million families preparing to greater extent. >> it will be a rush on spam. janet shamlian, thank you very much. we appreciate it. up next, the critics weigh in on lindsay lohan's hosting job on "saturday night live" this weekend. we'll tell you about it right after this. so, you guys grew up together. yes, since third grade...

what are you lookin' at? i wasn't... not looking at anything... we're not good enough for you. must be supermodels? what do you model gloves? brad, eat a snickers. why? 'cause you get a little angry when you're hungry. better? [ male announcer ] you're not you when you're hungry™. better. [ male announcer ] snickers satisfies. hi, i just switched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401(k) into a fidelity ira. man: okay, no problem. it's easy to get started; i can help you with the paperwork. um...this green line just appeared on my floor. yeah, that's fidelity helping you reach your financial goals. could you hold on a second? it's your money. roll over your old 401(k) into a fidelity ira

and take control of your personal economy. this is going to be helpful. call or come in today. fidelity investments. turn here. ♪ jump in on big savings... during the petsmart spring into savings sale. save up to 25% on hundreds of items, and save up to $5 on blue dog & cat foods, including new grain-free blue freedom™. at petsmart®. ever since i can remember. my name is paul fabry, and i grow oranges in florida for tropicana. my grandpa taught me that there's no orange like a florida orange. they're grown in just the right soil... with the perfect amount of sunshine. see, that's how you get that beautiful colour and ripeness. tropicana pure premium is made with 100% florida oranges. because the best oranges make the best juice. ♪ girl the sale started at 6am! well girl it's only 8:20!

[ thinking ] why so early? [ alarm buzzes ] has it always been this way? rise and shine joe! it's 6am! we have to get to the sale! [ ellen ] have you lost your marbles? why do we have to get up so early!? won't the same things be on sale later today? [ audience laughs ] why is that so funny? [ audience laughs ] ♪ is it was billed as lindsay lohan's big comeback. how did she do hosting "saturday night live"? natalie? >> the show may have brought in the second highest ratings of the season but lohan isn't

receiving high marks for the performance. >> lindsay lohan! [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: lindsay lohan got an enthusiastic welcome back from the audience and cast and proved willing to poke fun at herself. >> the studio feels -- [ alarm ] >> the alarm goes off if i leave the stage. >> reporter: a skit imagining the real housewives of disney got big laughs but the reviews haven't been kind. >> the feedback to her performance was overwhelmingly negative. people magazine gave it a positive review. everybody else seemed to trash it. >> i'm lindsay lohan. >> reporter: critics say she flubbed lines and relied heavily on cue cards. >> first you're hanging with the mean girls and then accused of stealing a diamond necklace? >> reporter: this was her fourth time hosting snl. her first time in 2004 as a fresh-faced red head. in 2005 she poked fun at her

increasingly bad girl image. >> who are you? >> i'm you. [ laughter ] i've come from the future to tell you to cool it with the partying. >> reporter: she's still only 25, but anna david from the addiction recovery website the fix says lohan's issues have taken a toll on her looks. >> she looks really different. when you pack a lot of hard living into a few years that can age you. she's lived hard. >> looking at myself in a mirror. >> reporter: in her interview with matt lohan said she's sober, healthy and ready to work. only time will tell if the high profile gig will prove to be a successful first step on the comeback trail. >> i thought her opening monologue was funny and i loved the housewives of disney. that was hysterical. she was rapunzel. and they were doing the housewives thing.

i'm not sure i did that well. they're nasty to each other. >> right. >> that was the highlight of the night, think. >> i didn't get to see the show. i am always surprised at what a full contact sport online critiques have become. i did read some comments and people are just -- >> brutal. >> they even have a name. they're called the haters. when you have a name for behavior online it says so much. >> it was smart that the cast did most of the heavy lifting on the show. >> it's interesting also. >> look at that. >> there seemed to be relief even that she was there on time. showed up for the job. >> they had jon hamm waiting in the wing spms keep going, lindsay. keep trying. much more coming up after your local news.

stop standpoint. achoo! nasal allergy symptoms like congestion, runny nose, itchy nose and sneezing can hit you year-round, indoors or out. prescription nasonex is clinically proven to help relieve nasal allergy symptoms any time of year. [ female announcer ] infections of the nose and throat and slow wound healing may occur. do not use nasonex until your nose has healed from any sore, surgery or injury. eye problems, including glaucoma or cataracts may occur. have regular eye exams. nasonex can increase your risk of getting infections. avoid contact with infections like chicken pox or measles while using nasonex. side effects may include headache, viral infection, sore throat, nosebleeds, and coughing. nasonex is there for you, anytime of year. ask your doctor if nasonex is right for you.

nasonex is there for you, anytime of year. the difference between hiding my skin and showing it off? jergens ultra healing moisturizer. even my driest skin looks healthier, instantly. jergens is the difference between i'm here, and here i am. jergens®. the beautiful difference.

everyone wants to be the cadbury bunny. cause only he brings delicious cadbury crème eggs, while others may keep trying. nobunny knows easter better than cadbury! (belhi.ings) good morning. big news. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry... and banana/blueberry. we're telling everyone. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. try some. mmm! two flavors. in harmony. yummy. four nutritious grains and two big fruit flavors to make your day bunches better.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> tracking delays on the west side. speeds around 14 miles per hour on 795 down to edmondson. accident on 175 and 9-95 still in the clearing stages. westbound 100 and pretend to i- 97. looking at a slow-go on the north side.

28 on southbound 95 out of white marsh. here is a live view of traffic. we will update you aren't security. pace of things on the west side. we are looking at a pretty smooth the ride on the harrisburg expressway. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> so far so good as far as the morning commute goes. 27 in parkton, up 31 at the airport. watch the storm coming out of the mountains right now. for the most part, going to miss us to the south. moderate snow around the central part of virginia. here is that 30, up 40% chance we might get brief passing rain or snow showers during the middle of the day. accumulating snow will miss baltimore to the south. high temperatures between 41 and 46 degrees.

southern maryland getting accumulating snow. looking good over the next couple of days. sunshine on tuesday and wednesday. 60 on wednesday. there will be a chance for r

♪ we're back now. 8:00 on a monday morning, the 5th day of march, 2012. you're listening to just one of the hits from the boy band one direction. this is our way of letting you know and reminding you that they will be out rocking our plaza a week from today in a live concert. that is monday, march 12. if you've got a teenager in the house, you will be dragged in this direction because that's going to be a big show. we're looking forward to it monday, march 12, one direction live on the plaza. >> my daughter is lobbying for a

late start to school. >> that's cool. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. what's coming up? >> a serious story about texting and driving. 18-year-old taylor was with a friend. she wrote, i can't discuss this now. driving and facebook b isn't safe. she died in the accident a short time later. now her parents are hoping to turn the loss into something positive. we'll talk to them coming up this morning. >> also ahead in studio we have fran dresher, one of our favorite people. the former star of "the nanny" has a new sit com out called "happily divorced" and the plot mirrors her own life in many ways. we'll catch up with fran. kisses to you, too, in just a little while. >> love that laugh. how would you like to buy designer clothes for just a few dollars or get 90% off

electronics? coming up, why you might want to think about secondhand stores. >> a big rush now to secondhand stores. lots of great stuff in them. a check of the top stories now from natalie morales who's standing by. >> good morning, everyone. storm survivors say tornado warnings saved an untold number of live this is weekend when as many as 79 twisters struck the south and midwest. the tornadoes are blamed for at least 39 deaths in five states. in indiana where snow fell overnight officials have ended the active search for survivors. among the fatalities there, toddler angel babcock found badly injured in a field after her family was killed, she died on sunday. all eyes are on ohio on this last full day of campaigning before super tuesday voting in 11 states. the latest poll shows mitt romney neck and neck with rick santorum. in ohio, tomorrow's symbolic prize, newt gingrich is counting on a strong showing in georgia.

meantime for more fallout today for conservative talk show host rush limbaugh, at least seven advertisers have pulled ads from his show despite his apology for derogatory comments about a female student who testified about birth control policies. rescuers are searching for survivors after deadly explosions in the republic of congo capital. a weapons depot caught fire causing blasts that killed 200 people. passengers faced delays and long waits on the phone this weekend as united and continental merged operations. united continental holdings admits it fell short of the 80% on-time goal saturday but inched over the mark on sunday. a nearly $8 billion settlement announced by bp include as new system to monitor and compensate people who develop health problems linked

to the 2010 gulf oil spill. bp faces potential government claims for environmental damage and possible criminal violation. now for a look at what's trending today, our quick round-up of what has you talking online. the real housewives of disney sketch from "saturday night live" featuring lindsay lohan has been a top search on google as we reported. lohan also poked fun at her own legal troubles during her comeback gig as host. taylor swift and zac efron are trending on yahoo thanks to the voices they provided for "the lorax." the film scored the biggest weekend box office opening of the year. the claws are out in virginia where hank the cat is running for the u.s. senate. now he's the target of a super pac-style attack ad. >> hank wants your vote for senate. but what do you know about hank? hank never released his tax returns, his birth certificate

and never responded to allegations that he used catnip. >> not to worry, hank. the negative ad was based by a comedy group. it is 8:05. now back to al for a check of the weather. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by trifexis. learn more and get exclusive money saving offers at trifexis.com. >> this young lady says if you get on tv your brand ma will pay your tuition this semester. >> yeah. >> what's your name? >> krista. >> where do you go to school? >> ferris in michigan. >> nana, pay for the tuition. >> let's check out our weather. pick city today, davenport, iowa.

kwqc. 38 degrees. as we check the rest of the forecast you will see we are looking at wet weather in the pacific northwest with mountain snows as well. we expect to see plenty of sunshine along the east coast although the low pressure system is pushing out a quick clipper bringing snow. sunny and breezy with flurries in the northern plains. >> good morning. it will be a chilly start to the work we. temperatures will be in the 40's appear we have a chance for a couple of rain or snow showers and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thank you very much.

coming up, a teenager's final text on the dangers of texting and driving, moments before she died in a tragic accident. what her parents are doing to make sure their daughter's death is not in vain. we'll talk to them after this. ♪ [ upbeat ]

[ announcer ] who could resist the call... of america's number-one puppy food brand? with dha and essential nutrients also found in mother's milk. purina puppy chow. it's time to get real about what happens in the bathroom. and start talking about what you really want from your toilet paper. it's time to talk about clean. feeling clean is so important. i use quilted northern. quilted northern soft & strong. stronger than the leading rippled brand. for a confident clean.

are hidden in the contours of your teeth & tongue. introducing a breakthrough for aquafresh. new extreme clean pure breath action. its micro active foam penetrates those hard to reach places. and it now contains a mineral compound that captures and neutralizes bad breath odors giving you 80% cleaner, purer breath. for all the confidence of pure breath try new extreme clean pure breath action from aquafresh. ♪ ♪ wow... ♪ [ female announcer ] sometimes, all you need

is the smooth, creamy taste of werther's original caramel to remind you that you're someone very special. ♪ werther's original caramels. aflac! ha! isn't major medical enough? huh! no! who's gonna help cover the holes in their plans? aflac! quack! like medical bills they don't pay for? aflac! or help pay the mortgage? quack! or child care? quack! aflaaac! and everyday expenses? huh?! blurlbrlblrlbr!!! [ thlurp! ] aflac! [ male announcer ] help your family stay afloat at aflac.com. plegh! back now at 8:10 with an 18-year-old's final facebook message that was tragically prophetic. taylor posted to a friend that she had to stop writing because she was driving.

soon after, she ran into a tanker truck and was killed instantly. her parents are turning their loss into a mission to save others. we'll talk to them in a minute. first, here's nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: the only thing brighter than taylor sauer's smile was her personality. >> she had such a big life. >> reporter: there was no ignoring taylor. >> always bubbly, high spirited and crazy. >> reporter: she was a champion softball player. once got the school to raise money for breast cancer research and when she was is named distinguished scholar last year she told the local tv station her plans. >> leave and go farther. take on the world. >> reporter: she was studying to be an elementary teacher. on january 14th, driving home from college on a lonely and straight stretch of idaho's interstate 84, taylor was facebooking. a fun conversation about the denver broncos and then one final post. "i can't discuss this matter

now. driving and facebook ing is not safe, ha, ha". >> there was no evidence of braking. >> reporter: taylor hit a semi truck. the truck was going just 15 miles per hour. taylor, more than 80. >> i felt like it was my fault. >> reporter: mike didn't know his friend was driving until he got the last message. >> you picture your heart with a big chunk of it gone. >> reporter: for her family, the pain is indescribable. >> it's quiet. it's really quiet. >> reporter: but they soon realized taylor might have one more thing to tell the world. >> this is how it can end. >> reporter: just weeks after her death, they took the message to the state capitol. >> what is if that one person was your daughter? >> reporter: idaho is one of 13

states still without a ban on driving and texting. opponents claim the state already has inattentive driving laws. taylor's mom compares it to the seat belt law. there was a time many thought the government shouldn't force us to buckle up. now it's second nature. >> i don't know if it would have saved taylor. but i know it will save the younger ones that grow up with it being a law. >> reporter: a family still fighting together, inspired by the daughter they will never forget and the final words they want everyone to remember. for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, boise, idaho. >> taylor's parents join us now. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> i is see by what you are wearing on your wrist that she's close and you're thinking of her. it's been less than two months. >> january 14. >> yet here you are. why? why are you here now speaking

out? >> it's what taylor would want. she was very driven in wanting to do the right thing for people. we just feel like everything was lined out for this is what she wants us to do is make awareness of it. >> reporter: she was a distinguished scholar who wanted to take on the world. she was not a stupid kid. what she did was stupid. >> she made a mistake. >> and she knew it. >> she knew. >> so what do you want to say this morning about teenagers, about anybody who texts and drives? >> it's not worth it. there was a time when we all were able to get into a car and drive and listen to the radio or talk to our family. now we feel like we have got to just get everything done in the car. i feel we need to be a little bit more simpler.

>> police said taylor was texting one text about every minute during her four-hour drive. >> yeah. we think she was probably using it to stay awake. she was tired. but that's not a reason to do it. the kids think they are in invincib invincible. to them, they are so proficient at texting they don't feel it's distracted driving. >> you think kids have a sense of immortality. >> yes. >> which means we as parents have to be more diligent when it comes to the risk of this. >> yes. >> how can we be so diligent, diligent enough given how much this has seized our children -- facebooking and texting? >> we need to bring awareness and educate the kids and educate adults and us as parents. we didn't realize it was as bad as it was either. >> in fact, you want to even go further. you want the state of idaho to pass a law that would ban all use of texting devices,

facebooking when they are driving. and this vote is happening this week. >> yeah. it's passed the senate. it will be brought to the house this week for a vote. >> hopefully tuesday or wednesday of this week. it will go before the house for a vote. >> some states have a ban like this. but idaho is one of a number of states that does not. >> we have an inattentive driving. but you can't be pulled over unless you're doing something wrong. if you're a good texter and haven't made a mistake, it's fine. >> so if you are living in a state that doesn't have this kind of ban are you suggesting other states should have this ban as well? and do you really think this law will make a big difference? >> yeah. i think every state should have this law. and part of this law is it might not make changes right now. it will be the younger generations that it will be an

educational tool like the seat belts. we all fought seat belts. but now all kids wear their seat belts. everybody does. the kids will be trained and learn from a young age they can't text and drive. >> your girl sounds amazing. what did the world lose in losing your daughter? >> she just loved everybody. she was an amazing friend. but she really -- like on that clip, she wanted to take on the world. and she would have. >> the two of you are going to make sure her legacy is strong, it's clear. it's lucky that she has you. thank you so much for joining us. i know everyone agrees with me, i hope you can heal from this. clay and shawna, thank you. we'll be right back after this.

[ male announcer ] take a dull morning... ♪ ...and make it wild. ♪ introducing wild fruit fusion pop tarts all the fruit flavors you love... in a tasty new combination. [ laughing and cheering ] pop-tarts. joylicious. delicious gourmet gravy. and she agrees. with fancy feast gravy lovers, your cat can enjoy the delicious, satisfying taste of gourmet gravy every day. fancy feast. the best ingredient is love.

but what about your wrinkles. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair. it has the fastest retinol formula available. it's clinically proven to visibly reduce wrinkles in just one week. "why wait if you don't have to." rapid wrinkle repair. neutrogena®. recommended most by dermatologists. aflac! ha! isn't major medical enough? huh! no! who's gonna help cover the holes in their plans? aflac! quack! like medical bills they don't pay for? aflac! or help pay the mortgage? quack! or child care? quack! aflaaac! and everyday expenses? huh?! blurlbrlblrlbr!!! [ thlurp! ] aflac! [ male announcer ] help your family stay afloat at aflac.com. plegh!

he thinks you're naked. it just looks like my milk chocolate is showing. only a fool would think i'd actually show up naked. so it's that kind of party...hit it! ♪ i'm sexy and i know it ♪ look at that body ♪ i'm sexy and i know it what do you get when you with this weekend?depot the cure for cabin fever. because with get-it-done savings on everything we need... ...we can turn this weekend into a fresh floor... ...or an updated bathroom... ...or a brand-new look. so let's hit those orange aisles, and make today the day, we make a big difference - no matter how big our budget. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. lay down a better floor for less. new pergo xp laminate, starts at $2.74 per square foot.

we're back at 8:20 with fran dresher, star of "happily divorced." she plays a woman struggling to reenter the dating world after the end of a long marriage. in wednesday's season premiere she has to deal with a former classmate at a reunion who asks, where's the ring? take a look. >> well, i don't really like wearing it so much because it's so flashy. >> so we are having it made into a necklace, earrings and a tiara. >> i love you. >> fran, welcome back. >> thank you. >> mor kbgan fairchild was in t? >> yes. >> how cool is that? >> she plays my nemesis from college. we get together for the reunion. that was a fun episode to shoot. it's the premiere episode. >> people need to realize you are not just a pretty face.

this show was your idea, as was "the nanny," by the way. you're very much a driving force behind these ideas. >> absolutely. i wear so many hats on these shows. it's my great pleasure to do it. i would be bored if i had only one job. so i created it. i executive produced it. i write on every episode and i star in it. >> and it is art imitating life. this character you play, fran, is coming out of a long-term marriage, dating again. after finding out the man she was married to for a long time -- >> is gay. >> that's what happened to you. >> yes. my marriage to peter jacobson, turns out that he's gay now. we didn't actually break up. >> he didn't say it until two years after you were divorced. >> yes. at some point through the marriage he was in therapy and

got in touch with the fact that he thought he was bisexual but loved our marriage together. never acted upon it and wanted to stay married and was actually opposed to the divorce. i just felt suffocated by the relationship. and i needed to find who i was. it was a garden variety midlife crisis, but upon reflection he realizes that a lot of his controlling issues stemmed from the fact that he was stifling his authentic self. >> he worked with you on "the nanny" and he works with you on this show. here you have art imitating life and it's personal. what's it like working together on story lines that were so much a part of your life? >> it's wonderful. i mean, i always write about what i know, even on "the nanny." so much of what inspired each episode was to write from what i was going through in my life. and "happeily divorced" is

inspired by the fact that this woman after 18 years of marriage finds out her husband is gay. now the show has taken on its own life. the characters have taken on their own life. >> it's moved beyond the initial point of inspiration. >> still. whatever story we break sort of begins with something that's real and authentic, even amongst my writers. they don't pitch ideas unless it happened to you, a friend or a relative. otherwise it feels made up to me. >> there are story lines about dating. and you are back in the dating world? >> i am, indeed. >> is it fun or a drag? >> i have had two big romances since the divorce. >> what are you looking for in a man at this time in your life? >> i have decided it's the five s's. after a lot of experience. he's got to be sexy, smart, successful, single, and straight.

>> how are you doing on that so far? get a couple of s's but not the whole package? >> it's hard to find. i never used to care if a guy was successful. but the dude has to feel like the dude. when you're a successful lady you need a man who tops you. otherwise it compromises his ego eventually. >> you think you're intimidating to guys? >> i don't try to be. i'm really nurturing, loving. i like to feed them and bring them breakfast inned b bed. i'm good in bed, generous. >> modest. >> but eventually when they get called one too many times on the red carpet "mr. dresher." nobody wants to be called that unless they're my daddy. >> you're a delight. >> you know i'm officiating a gay wedding tomorrow night? >> i heard about that. >> we're back after your local news.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> i am sarah caldwell. let's look at your traffic. we will start with the west side. 10 miles per hour is the heaviest spot. creating a back up on southbound 795. pikesville, watch for an accident. delays on the southbound j.f.x. around northern parkway. caton avenue, disabled vehicle taking up the left lane. another one clearing still at

fort meade, 175 and 9-95. here is what looks like a security, and going away from us. that is the pace of things down the west side. padonia, in contrast, were looking at a nice start. middletown to mount carmel. pretty good shape here towards the beltway. >> clouds have been thickening up the last couple of hours. we will hold off on any precipitation to the drive time. 32 in sykesville. 30 degrees in parkton. storm system out of the mountains, this clipper storm, producing moderate snow across portions of the central part of a virginia. some of that will sneak into southern maryland. they could get accumulating snow in st. mary's county. we will be on the northern fringe of that in baltimore. we will put a 30% or 40% chance

of rain or snow showers. every book house, high temperatures sneaking into the 40's. -- a variable clouds, high temperatures sneaking into the 40's. we are back in 25 minutes with another update. your home and auto policies and save. don't worry, tiny people. flo is a gentle giant. bundle home and auto at progressive.com.

8:30 now on a monday morning. it's the 5th day of march, 2012. we've got a wonderful crowd out on the plaza this morning. very happy kicking off a day of sight-seeing in new york city, no doubt. we're happy to have them with us. meantime, i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer and natalie morales and al roker. just ahead, we are going to go

bargain hunting. now more stores are trying to attract your business by lowering prices on everything from designer clothes to electronics. and with the times we are in i'm sure a lot of people are using them to find great stuff. we'll talk about it coming up. >> also ahead, we love salads. you know how to mess up a good salad? >> put bacon on it. >> the dressing. it's filled with calories, fat and salt. you have just ruined that healthy meal. joy bauer is here to tell us what we can do. >> we'll meet remarkable creatures and talk about what's being done to help hold them back from the edge of distinction -- i should say extinction. they are very distinct. >> so cute. coming up later, jon hamm is stopping by to talk about what

he's teaming up in. >> it was fun to see him on snl saturday night. >> cameo appearance. >> meantime, let's say hello to jermaine paul. hi. from the hit singing competition "the voice." let me see if i have it right. charlotte and jermaine, you're on team blake shelton and tony is on cee-lo's team. what's the rivalry like? >> we don't get along at all. >> barely can stand here together. >> we love each other actually. everyone's friendly and we hang out. >> at the end of the day, we're all here to sing, spread love. >> yes. >> we have to remember while you're on the same team now, eventually you have to compete. >> bring it on, jermaine. >> i'm going to put this microphone on you, as i ask you

a question. you recently serenaded alicia keys. you were a backup singer and she's now supporting you? >> she is. she's been a very strong support for me. pushing me every step of the way. i have been here a couple times with her actually. we have done morning shows. it's cool to be here for myself. >> charlotte, you were wanted by all four judges. how did you make the choice? >> oh, gosh. i was so overwhelmed. they're all amazing. i thought i was going to pick cee-lo or christina. blake is genuine, sincere and a lot of fun. he can hang with a jersey girl. >> tony, a broadway veteran. what's it like? you have been on the big stage. what's it like to be on this big tv stage on "the voice"? >> i was a recording artist before i came to new york and did a lot of theater.

this is my desire to get back to be a recording artist. i have been with amazing bands like queen and green day. this feels like the next step careerwise. >> thank you. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> we should probably mention -- >> check out "the voice" tonight at 8:00/7:00 central time on nbc. >> the battle rounds. now as far as your week ahead, chilly along the east coast. pacific northwest, above normal temperatures mid section of the country with mountain snows there. midweek warmer conditions along the coast. look for rain from the great lakes to the gulf coast. snowshowers in the central rockies. latter part of the week, normal along the east coast with rain. below normal through texas. western great lakes through the plains. above normal with rain in the pacific northwest.

>> good morning. a storm system will pass south of us. the best chance will be south of baltimore city. don't forget. get your weather day or night on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. >> we're talking bargains when we come back. digital cameras for $15. designer clothing for $7. where to find those bargains and more. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now with today's consumer.

this morning we're getting thrifty at the hottest stores to score a bargain or two. janice lieberman is here with details. good morning. >> good morning. in this down economy thrift stores had a 7% growth last year alone according to the national association of retailer professionals. now second hand stores are competing by offering incentury i -- incentives. money is tight and savvy shoppers are willing to sacrifice buying brand new merchandise in favor of getting a steal on resale goods. >> what greater value than to find second life designer names for incredibly great prices? >> to compete with retailers, resealers are offering coupons and memberships to lure shoppers from all economic background. >> we could afford other things but why would you? the value is better. >> reporter: according to america's research group almost 18% of americans will shop at thrift stores, up there with 21%

who shop at major department stores. >> we are trying to bring the thrift store into the retail way to do business. at b thrifty outside washington, d.c. shoppers get a free membership card and save 30% on all purchases. >> all kinds of stuff here. i didn't know it existed. >> reporter: on the day we visited rg everything was half off. check out this designer tadashi gown for $3.50. >> in some cases it's hard to judge whether a product has been worn or used. >> reporter: while it may be a civilized way to shop true bargain hunters hit new york city's housing works by the bag sale. the first 100 customers pay $5 in advance for a power hour early access. check the long line outside when we arrived. what are you looking for? >> designer clothing. they also have vintage. >> i have to be on my hands and knees. i'm prepared. >> reporter: this is what the warehouse stocked with presorted

donations looked like before the shoppers hit the ground running. minutes later, it looked like this. >> for $25 today people can fill a bag with as many clothes as they can. >> reporter: who's the typical shopper? >> the fashionista to a frugal mom to a guy trying to find great style at a good price. >> reporter: i hit the bins myself. ralph lauren, the real thing. ted baker. i was a novice compared to this seasoned shopper. she knew how to stuff her sack. >> we are rolling it up to fit more into the bag. that way the clothes fit better. >> reporter: all proceeds go to the homeless and those with hiv. at the end of the day, everyone profited. >> part of the fun is to see what you will discover. it's worth it. >> wow. great things. >> treasure hunting. >> best way to shop. >> first of all, wear tight clothes so you can throw things on top of you.

make sure when you inspect something, siis it damaged? something you will wear? smell it. is it worth dry cleaning? maybe it's good for a friend or for a kid can. you have to be careful. you don't want to throw it out again. >> show us what you found. >> the other tip is to bring batteries with you. you can't return. these are great deals. we have a digital camera, $50. sells for $160. here's one for $15. we got it at b thrifty. toys for kids. people don't even open the boxes. you may as well get it for your kids. a garmin nuvi, $50. they go for over $1 is 00 and t don't break. some call it thrifty, i call it vintage. >> that's the ted baker. these things were found in the bag. this is less than $6. snk and that would look really

cute belted. that's a great color for the season is. i'm telling you. you can find great things. what's old is new again. might as well. >> we have a cavalli, ralph lauren. the bag is $25. if you hit some of the stores and you have frequent cards and a key fob from them it's 30% off. >> the point you made earlier is there was a stigma once and there isn't anymore. >> it's fun and you're recycling. people are happy to do it. >> great story, janice. >> let's go shopping. >> let's do that. up next, the right salad dressings so you don't sabotage a healthy meal. first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are back at 8:44. today on eat smart today, the truth about salad dressing. you may lose salads to lose

weight and get healthy but your dressing could have more fat and calories than a double cheeseburger. joy, nice to see you. >> good morning, matt. >> i do it all the time. i think, i will have a salad and then i grab a bottled dressing, put it on and i defeated the purpose. >> everybody does it. the serving size is two tablespoons. we do four to six tablespoons. just to put it into perspective when you order that wedge of lettuce with the blue cheese dressing in a restaurant, more than 500 calories. that's the calorie equivalent of eating a hot dog with french fries. here's the kicker. >> that's just the side salad. >> the calories all comes from the dressing. it's more than 1,000 milligrams of sodium which is the equivalent of more than 20 cups of salty popcorn. >> just for the dressing. rule of thumb, the creamier dressings are obviously the worst? >> yes, caesar, russian, creamy

italian. >> ranch. >> right. except that the thin ones aren't always a bargain because the oil is calorie dense. >> you want people to go to the supermarket. there are so many options. the dressing aisle is huge. >> overwhelming. if you're watching your weight you want no more than 50 calories per serving. no more than two grams of saturated fat. no trans-fat. ideally 140 milligrams or less of sodium. that's the hard part, the sodium. even the low calorie commercial brands are loaded. >> the good things you should be looking for on a salad dressing label are what? >> we'll show you two labels so you can get an idea. the bad label, uh think we have a graphic. >> this is generic. >> just a generic bad label. you can see the calories are too high. the saturated fat is more than three grams. sodium is high. but there are lots of good labels out there as well. >> let's see a good label.

>> again, generic. you can see the calories are low. look at the sodium. 140 milligrams or less. i found a lot of good bottled brands. >> the brands you like. >> first was the bolthouse farms chunky blue cheese. what i like about it is they use yogurt which drives down the calories and saturated fat. >> does it taste like blue cheese dressing? >> try it. people gave it two thumbs up. it's only 35 calories per two tablespoons. >> delicious. >> this is from trader joe's. it's a balsamic vinaigrette. nice combination of tangy and sweet. it's ridiculously low in salt compared to other balsamic vinaigrettes on the market. annie's light honey mustard. i like that the honey adds substance and creaminess. i use it instead of mayo on a sandwich and i can marinate chicken in it.

this is the 365 brand by whole foods. raspberry vinaigrette. bright, fruity and fresh without the cloiing after taste. it's good with salads garnished with fresh or dried fruit or nuts. of course the salad spritzers, a little bit goes a long way thanks to the pump. there are a lot of them. >> say is we have our favorite dressing but it's high in calories and fat. how do we lighten it up? >> take any commercial brand of vinaigrette. put it in a large container and depending upon what kind of vinegar is in there. this is red wine. you can tell from the color. dilute it with straight red wine vinegar. you can dilute it up to 50%. >> okay. >> start with one or two tablespoons. then shake it up and it's absolutely perfect. you have increased the volume so it's a bargain as well. >> when it comes to a creamy dressing? >> take any ranch or caesar, put it right in your container. again, start with a couple

tablespoons. nonfat or low fat buttermilk. it will thin it out a little bit. it won't change the taste. you have lowered the calories, fat and sodium. >> we'll make sure on the website we have other ideas for making dressing at home better than what you can find in the store. >> super healthy balsamic vinaigrette and ranch. >> joy bauer, thank you. up next, amazing animals and what's being done to protect them. first, this is "today" on nbc. hey, what are you drinkin'? i'm drinkin' dunkin'. definitely dunkin'. you know, i need to get that jolt in the morning, but i want something good to do that. i love the aroma, i love the taste. you can't mistake the flavor. i run on dunkin'! america runs on dunkin' coffee.

this morning on today's call of the wild, protecting our wildlife and their habitats. sea world and busch garden animal ambassador julie gardenia is author of "wildlife heroes, 40 leading conservationists and the animals they are committed to saving." good morning, julie. >> good morning. >> you're here to help us be committed to saving the animals including the lorus who is so cute but he's a mammal who sven mouse. >> the fact that he's cute is the problem. people think, o i want that as a pet. you know, every single lorus has been taken from the wild. this is a confiscated animal. because they are venn thousand they cut or pull their teeth as well which causes almost 90% of

them to die. >> there are superstitions associated with these animals. >> you know how we have the rabbit's foot and things, they have the eyeball is the charm. >> aw. >> in southeast asia there are a lot of medicines. and the illegal wild life trade is a huge trade. as large as guns or drugs. people out there, one of the he rows in the book steve galster is working to stop illegal trade. he's worked with other organizations as well. it's something everybody needs to realize. jeff locken and i have seen wildlife declining around the world. people need to realize it takes individual personality. >> behind you. >> this is a crane? >> a beautiful sandhill crane. this is a rescue from down in florida. basically cranes are one of the most imperilled species of

birds. >> why? >> first of all, they need wetlands to survive. wetlands have been declining all over the world. they are a social species. at one point there were only 15 whooping cranes left. i don't know if you realized that. it really take as concentrated effort because they don't have off spring readily. our hero, george archibald works at the international crane foundation. they used novel techniques like getting in crane costumes and trying to get the cranes -- well, to get them into breeding fitness and all that, lay the eggs and try to make sure. >> the lorus is leaving. >> where's he going? >> it's ironic that the crane is endangered. in japan it's a principle symbol of long life. >> they are looked at as

beautiful but it is an endangered species. we need to save the wetlands. >> go ahead, natalie. >> we have the cotton top -- >> oh, cute. >> we have another adorable primate. they are only found in one spot in the world. matt, you want to hang onto that one? >> she always has you hold on. >> usually before she says, yes, and these are also venomous. >> you always attract them, matt. >> matt, you seem to draw the animals to you. >> animal magnetism. >> really cute. >> i think -- oh, look. >> ooh. >> he's giving you a greeting there. >> all right. found in columbia. they are only about 6,000 left in the wild. if you think about the fact that there are 7 billion people and 6,000 of these. very important for people to save the trees, the forests out

there. there is an organization with our hero in the book which is rosamira gillian. local people need to realize they don't have to take forest products or these to be pets as well. >> are they house trained or is this the last time i'm wearing this suit? >> they are definitely used to people. but you never know. >> last but not least. >> okay. we're going to bring -- >> our favorite. i don't know how they will get along with the crane. >> the crane will move out of the way. >> the crane's hanging out. >> we do feature penguins in the book. these guys represent climate change. climate change is most drastic at the poles. penguins are all from the southern hemisphere. because of climate change the way fish congregate. the way they move is now

changed. where these guys normally would be feeding there are no more fish. they have to travel further. they can't bring enough fish back to the chicks. the chicks aren't making it. some populations of penguins have disappeared all together. others declined by 80%. >> i love your books. these are real heroes our kids should be emulating. not the he rows we tend to label. >> we hope so. >> more on how to save the animals will be online at today.com. coming up, jon hamm after your local news. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. school officials in baltimore city say at testing monitor will be on hand at each school and in a string the state assessments. it is part of an ongoing effort

to address cheating scandals. andres alonso was taped

>> variable clouds as we head into the afternoon. chance for a rain or snow showers. high temperatures in the 40's. >> we will have another update