on this saturday night, battle for the south. big wins today for mitt romney and rick santorum. now it's an all out fight in the new battle ground on the trail. trouble in paradise. massive floods, mud slides, hail, even a tornado. one of america's most popular vacation spots in a state of emergency. bowling controversy. the powerful new movie aimed at kids and parents and a firestorm over its rating. rock star. $10 million, 100 nights, and 340 tons. tonight, the big move in l.a. and check it out. one man's way to honor his mom,

giving a whole new meaning to the neighborhood library. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. mitt romney and rick santorum went toe to toe again today. battling for delegates. this time in republican caucuses in kansas and wyoming. and once again, the results point to a long and uneven road to the nomination. tonight, nbc news declares santorum the winner by a comfortable 30%. and romney won contests today in guam and the other u.s. territories. while this is increasingly being seen as a two-man race, newt gingrich is counting on some big primaries this coming week in his native south to propel him back into the hunt. that's where we start tonight. nbc's ron mott reports from alabama. >> but we have had a very, very

good day. >> reporter: before tuesday's big southern primaries in mississippi and alabama, rick santorum got another run through his victory speech after winning kansas today. >> things have an amazing way of working out. >> reporter: he is set to challenge newt gingrich on what the former speaker hopes is his home turf. looking for a surge of his own to bring a bit of zip back to his campaign as the pace of the race begins to quicken. >> this has been the wildest roller coaster. you don't know where you have been, you're not sure where you are. but it's real exciting. >> reporter: with two primary wins in the south, gingrich donned the more casual look. calling on his southern roots to zing his northern opponent, mitt romney. >> i got it started with a biscuit and cheesy grits. >> if you don't understand grits you don't understand the rest of the south either. >> look at that. look at this little guy there. got him.

it wasn't really a cockroach, i promise. >> reporter: romney's campaign touts the scoreboard. he picked up by winning guam and the northern marianas islands. >> governor romney reinvents himself for whatever the political occasion calls for. >> reporter: for santorum, attacking romney has become a standard. again, going after him about claims never suggested president obama incorporate individual mandates in the federal healthcare law. >> ladies and gentlemen, we have one president who doesn't tell the truth to the american people. we don't need another nominated by our party do the same. >> reporter: rick santorum's easy win in kansas today is not expected to be duplicated here in the south on tuesday. polls in alabama and mississippi show a much closer race with newt gingrich ahead of the field. lester? >> thanks. for more, we want to bring

in the chief washington correspond end john harwood. does the south provide more drama or potentially thin the herd? >> it may thin the herd. the story of the race is the elimination of the runners to mitt romney. if newt gingrich does not win one of the two states, the roller coaster may stop. if rick santorum could win both of them, he could knock newt gingrich of the race. if mitt romney wins them, he could take a long step to ending this nomination race. >> thank you. rick santorum will be among david gregory's guests sunday morning on "meet the press." one week ago tonight, we were on the ground in henryvi e henryville, indiana, and west liberty, kentucky, was suffered widespread destruction. tonight, there's news from both hard-hit cities in west liberty we're getting our first look at what might be the most dramatic video yet of the twisters

ripping off a roof like a tin can. an incredible look at its sheer power. in henryville, teachers returned to the decimated school where they rode out the storm and they were unharmed. students will attend classes at schools in nearby cities for the rest of the school year. we turn to hawaii now which has been far from a vacation paradise this week. as record breaking storms sweep across the island chain. first, the good news. there are no reports of any deaths or injuries. but tonight, the damage is so widespread, hawaii's governor has declared a state of emergency. we get the latest now from nbc's mike taibbi. >> reporter: the hailstorm that peppered oahu is something that the locals say they have never seen. >> it came down from the heavens. it was big. at least the size of golf balls. >> reporter: while waterspouts

are not uncommon, this came on shore and morphed in the a tornado that ripped up solar panels, trees, even a trampoline into a debris funnel that carved a path of destruction a mile and a half inland. >> it twisted with everything inside. and just dropped it. >> reporter: the sheer volume of rainfall across the islands pushed rivers over their bank, swept up several weeks and ruined a lot of vacations. >> we thought it would be nice and sunny, get a nice tan. >> reporter: instead the lightning shows in the mornings have been the prelude to day after day of more storms. more than four feet of rain in the past week. four feet over oahu and kauai. it may not be over. there are more storms in the forecast. >> heavy rain is no big story for hawaii, but when you talk about hail and tornados that's well outside the average for the area. >> no reports of death or injury, but dismay over paradise lost for a full week so far. mike tee year by, los angeles.

the economy is showing increased signs of life. we learned yesterday that u.s. employers added 270,000 jobs in february, better than economists expected. it caps off the best three-month stretch of hiring in 12 years. though the unemployment rate remains unchanged at 8.3%. but now what? tonight's cnbc's brian shaktman reports. >> reporter: what was once a potential obstacle in the re-election bid it's fast becoming an asset for president obama. >> over the past two years, businesses have added almost four million new jobs. >> reporter: to find out exactly who is getting these jobs, all you have to do is go to obama's hometown of chicago. to duffy mcguire, that sound of clocking in is a welcome change. she was hired two weeks ago to work the front desk at this hampton inn. unemployed for six months, mcguire says things are looking up. >> i can't wait for my first

paycheck. i'm going to have my hair done, get my nails done. going to buy new shoes. i can't wait to spend luxuriously and freely. >> reporter: her turn around is one of 144,000 new workers but even where the better than expected job number, the up employment rate is at 8.3%, because half a million americans started to apply for jobs again. >> when we post a position online, we'll get anywhere from 200 to 400 resumes per week. >> reporter: that's because it's still difficult to get a job in america. especially for a person who hasn't worked in a while. more than 40% of the unemployed have been out of work for more than six months. >> the bad news is the people are getting jobs are not the people who lost their jobs at the beginning of the recession. long-term unemployment remains stubbornly high, discouraged workers are remaining high. >> reporter: but for duffy

mcguire, she is excited about moving forward. >> so far it's been, you know, the jackpot. >> reporter: there's no doubt that more americans working is a good thing, but a few other words of caution here. gas prices at $3.78 nationally could be an issue and economists say if jobs keep growing at this pace we wouldn't get back to a more comfortable 6% unemployment until around 2015. lester? >> thanks. overseas to syria and a high profile meeting in damascus today. as the fighting raged on around them, the former head of the united nations tried to persuade the embattled president to bring a halt to the bloodshed. john ray has the latest now. >> reporter: good evening, lester. for all his diplomatic clout it could be damascus is already a mission impossible for kofi annan. as he began two hours of talks with president assad, yet more fighting, including this, a

government assault on the rebel-held city in the north. acts there tell us there has been heavy shelling and the refugees are trying to make for the safety of the nearby border with turkey. and in homs the city which more than any other has come to symbolize the uprising, these images of rebel fighters apparently celebrating the destruction of a syrian army tank. now, kofi annan came arranged with a peace plan, humanitarian aid. but president assad said there could be no deal if armed gangs are causing chaos in the country. the two men are due to meet tomorrow, but hard to see any of this halting the serious slide to all-out civil war. now to japan. it has been exactly one year since that devastating earthquake and tsunami devastated the country, killing thousands and triggering a nuclear crisis. this weekend, millions of japanese are remembering that

awful day and the long road to recovery since. nbc's ian williams reports from japan. ♪ >> reporter: at last, a reason to celebrate. a year after the tsunami swept through their town, the fishermen prepare to take the fleet of ten boats from the u.s. >> it was a great honor to build the boats for you people. you show a strong sense of community. >> reporter: this region was one of the hardest hit, thousands died. and the raging waters also destroyed 90% of the fishing fleet. boats were swept from their moorings like toys and dumped inland. fishing had been the main stay of the local economy. >> a lot of the boats that were lost were like these smaller boats. a big need for those. >> reporter: mostly for gathering oysters, scallops and seaweed. there's such a huge need for new boats here that they had to allocate these by lottery. in which 170 fishermen applied.

this man was one of the lucky ones from the draw. i'm going to do a lot of fishing two this, he said. i lost everything. i'm starting with less than nothing. the boats were custom designed by general marine. a boat builder based in maine working closely with the fishermen. operation blessing a u.s. charity commissioned the boats in the u.s. because so many japanese yards were knocked out by the tsunami, bringing unexpected benefits back home. >> the u.s., the boat makers were out of work. so, you know, the japanese fishermen need boats. >> reporter: the ceremony today ended with a shower of rice cakes. designed to bring good fortune. >> to watch the people come back in this fashion, it's a great thing. >> reporter: sato was itching to get back on the sea. there were rich pickings to be had and no time to lose.

ian williams, nbc news, japan. there's a lot more to tell you about on this saturday night. the powerful new movie over bowling and why it's difficult for the intended audience, teenagers, to actually see it. later one guy's gift to honor his mom. now the talk of the neighborhood. welcome to new nutritionpossible.com... from centrum. its unique assessment tool... helps you find the multivitamin and supplements... that are right for you. so visit nutritionpossible.com.

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parents of school-age kids. it is greating great new -- it is about the brutal world of bullying as camera as rolled on those caught in the act. there's a controversy not so much about the subject, but about the film's rating. we get the story tonight from nbc's michelle franzen. >> they punch me, strangle me. take things from me. >> reporter: it is a shocking look inside the world of bullying. and its painful effects including suicide. >> some kids told him he's worthless, to go hang himself. i think he got to the point where enough was enough. >> reporter: for a year, the filmmakers followed families of bullied kids around the country in including 12-year-old alex libby. >> i feel kind offer nervous g to the schools. >> reporter: as the camera as rolled, the taunts continued. the film shows what happened when alex's parents turned to the school for help.

>> he's not safe on that bus. >> i have been on that bus. they are just as good as gold. >> reporter: for the producer and director, making the film was also personal. >> i was bullied as a kid, and i think as a filmmaker it was something that i really carried with me. >> reporter: the film's graphic language earned it an "r" rating. children under 17 need to be accompanied by an adult. some say that will make it harder for those most affected by the problem to see the film. the filmmakers and others including ellen degeneres are lobbying hard to get it changed to pg-13 saying the film could save lives. a michigan team and anti-bul anti-bullyianti-bull anti-bullying advocate delivered a petition to the ratings board. >> i thought it was a bad idea because the target audience for the movie is middle school and high school students. >> reporter: a media watchdog

group agree, saying kids as young as 13 should see the movie. >> it's the kind of movie that can be a real learning experience for kids around parents alike. and in a sense can be a teachable moment even though it's a painful topic. >> my voice is not going to fall silent. >> reporter: a necessary discussion that filmmakers hope will lead to change. michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. still ahead here tonight from l.a., the making of a heavyweight rock star.

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britain's prince harry is going the extra mile in the first solo tour. he led a thousand kids through rio, donning a william mask to poke fun at his older brother. he squeezed in some rugby on the beach and a lesson from a brazilian volleyball toustar. it's ahead of the queen's diamond jubilee and the london olympics this summer. an early morning spectacle today in los angeles as that city received its newest work of art. while it may be too soon to call it a masterpiece, it will be a huge attraction, renowned for the natural beauty. nbc's craig melvin was there for the arrival of the rock. >> reporter: a predawn welcome for a 340-ton party magnet. >> everyone started to cheer. >> reporter: and this rolling rock has become the biggest.

it's as if these people don't even know it's 4:00 a.m. in los angeles. >> quite bizarre. absolutely. and immensely unique. >> reporter: for the shrink wrapped rock it was a trickty 105 mile journey through four counties and 22 cities. a custom made 174 wheel trailer, taking up three lanes of traffic crept along at five miles an hour, narrowly missing bridges and power lines. >> we had places where we had no room. our tires are right up to the side of curbs. >> reporter: for 11 days, side shows and spectacles followed it. 20,000 played with the boulder in long beach. one man used it to propose. >> maybe that rock won't fit, but maybe this will one. >> reporter: it will be in the los angeles museum of art where it will become the centerpiece

of levitated mass. >> this granite will it is lightly on the two wall, such that it will sort of float. >> this rock will be here forever. when she's older she'll walk under the rock with her kids. >> reporter: and maybe remember when a chunk of ancient history rolled into town and became art. craig melvin, nbc news, los angeles. got to take time for the quick reminder, it's daylight saving time when we lose an hour of sleep for a night, but gain an extra hour of sunlight for next eight months. we spring forward at 2:00 a.m., so remember to set those clocks ahead before bed to avoid any confusion in the morning. up next here tonight, check out what's popping up all across america. you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job. so why are you doing his? only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious... like acid reflux disease.

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finally tonight, one guy's bright idea to start thinking inside the box spreading his love of reading the old fashioned way. you know, holding an actual book in your hands. as some libraries begin to disappear across america, neighbors are using pop-up libraries to fill the gap. we get the story tonight from nbc's rehema ellis. >> reporter: for the seventh grade masters of the internet age, a wooden box and what's inside can still excite. >> i like the feel of actually reading a book. >> the one i need. >> reporter: that's exactly what todd bowl hoped for when he made this to honor his mother june. a teacher with a passion for

reading, passed on to him. >> i created this little library that was a one-room schoolhouse that sat on a post outside my house. and that was it. i didn't plan on making any more libraries. >> reporter: but as is the case in many stories, that's a twist. >> last week i made my 800th sign. >> reporter: seeing the excitement around his library, he and his friend rick brooks started to offer support to people interested in having their own. the message -- take a book, return a book. what began in hudson, wisconsin, now spans at least 28 states and countries around the world. libraries have taken root at health clinic, stores, even bike paths. here in wisconsin, the dairy capital of america, this little free library was made using four milk crates and the hinges came from ice boxes. behives, old phone book, all

transformed into little free libraries. more than 75% of people build their own, so each is unique. but whether it's a living legacy or theme, made using store bought or recycled material -- a couple of shelves inside, the reaction speaks volumes. >> it's awesome. >> reporter: it's no longer just about books. >> the primary function is to bring people together. promote a sense of community and wow, does that work. >> reporter: just seeing them sparks interest. >> i peeked inside and thought, this is so cool. i love this. and so i brought it home to the family and said, i wonder if we could do this too. and we could and we did. it really is for anyone who walks by. it is not mine. it's all of ours. >> reporter: so the story of the little free library continues. written by people sharing them and the books inside.

rehema ellis, nbc news. that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. see you tomorrow morning on "today." have a good night, everyone. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com