good morning. breaking news. a major storm hits the mid-atlantic overnight, leaving at least two people dead and millions without power, as half the country prepares for triple-digit temperatures and the heat fuels new wildfires in colorado and utah. celebrity shocker. tom cruise and katie holmes splitting up. so, how did their fairy tale romance turn into mission impossible? and crime and punishment. the students who bullied that school bus monitor in upstate new york finally learn their fate. the latest twist in a story that horrified the nation, today, saturday, june 30th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

and welcome to "today" on this saturday morning. i'm jenna wolfe. >> and i'm jeff rossen. lester has the morning off. and really, the weather is wreaking havoc across the country. >> it really has. 25 states are going to see 100-plus-degree temperatures today, and they are widespread power outages from indiana to new jersey, all across the country, potentially dangerous ones in this heat. >> yeah, a lot of people are tweeting who are actually in the line of these storms and it was pretty severe. we'll get to that in a moment. the scorching temperatures have already caused misery across the country, shattering records all over, and it's not done yet, not by a long shot. that also means there is more risk for violent storms like the one that hit washington, d.c., and the surrounding area overnight. we will cover it all live for you in just a moment. and then we're going to head to colorado, where the heat also fueling those wildfires. president obama traveled there friday for a firsthand look at

all of that devastation. also ahead, george zimmerman, the man who shot and killed an unarmed teenager, back in court on friday asking for a judge to release him once again. it looked like a mini trial. so, does zimmerman think he'll go free? we'll ask his lawyer, live. then, there's been another chimp attack. this time, it's an american graduate student who's the victim in south africa. the chimps dragged him by his feet for more than half a mile. we'll have an update on his condition. plus, some health news. the dangers of mixing dietary supplements and prescription drugs. and later, something i'm sort of dreading. >> i don't know why. i absolutely don't know why. >> jenna has set up this weird fitness boot camp for us. i don't know why. >> take the word weird out of that. it is indeed a fitness boot camp, complete with push-ups, reply metrics, ab work, little torture. lester survived it. >> barely. >> so, jeff rossen will 100% be able to come close to thinking about maybe possibly surviving it as well. >> lester has good movement on

the legs. whatever. >> i would love you to tell lester that to his face. we will begin with the big story this morning, the weather. the weather extremes all across the country. we have four reporters standing by this morning. we're going to begin with the deadly storms that struck overnight in the washington, d.c., area. julie carey is with our nbc station wrc. she joins us this morning. hi, julie. >> reporter: this is the kind of mess that people are waking up to this morning, and not hundreds, but thousands of homes across the washington metropolitan area. yesterday around 11:00, a powerful bank of storms came across this area, hitting virginia, washington, d.c., and maryland. down came tens of thousands of trees, and along with them, power lines. this morning, some 2 million people are still without powpow and power crews are just starting to fan out and assess the damage. this storm has also had very tragic consequences. two people were killed in northern virginia. one man was driving along in his car when a tree fell on it, killing him instantly.

another woman was killed inside her home when a tree fell on top of that. but for the vast majority of people, this is what they're going to have to contend with today, lots of cleanup, houses damaged, trees on roofs and a lot of power lines that are going to have to be repaired. with so many people without power, temperatures are supposed to reach 100 degrees again today, so that's going to also create a dangerous situation for people who are stuck inside hot homes. but the power companies are saying people are going to have to be patient. it is going to take days to clean up from this storm and to restore power. back to you, jenna. >> julie carey, thank you very much. meantime, the heat has fueled these storms and continues to grip much of the nation today. temperatures expected above 100 degrees in at least 24 states. the weather channel's julie martin live for us in atlanta. julie, good morning. how bad is it going to be? >> reporter: yeah, good morning, jeff. it is going to be another brutal day after a brutal week for millions of people, all the way from atlanta up through the

mid-atlantic today we are going to be seeing those triple-digit temperatures topping out everywhere you look. take a look at just how many people will be affected by this heat today. 25 states will see 100-plus-degree temperatures. that is an estimated 47 million people across the nation going to have to be dealing with this heat, trying to stay safe in it. and it comes after another brutal day yesterday. on friday, at least 25 states from the midwest to the south to the mid-atlantic did see those 100-degree temperatures. our nation's capital, washington, d.c., 104 degrees yesterday. that broke a 138-year-old record. columbia, south carolina, 107 degrees. and charlotte, 103 degrees. so, today in atlanta, we are expecting another record-breaking day. we could see temperatures hitting 106 degrees. that would break the 105 set back in the 1980s. keep in mind, a heat advisory in effect here.

we're already around 75 degrees at this early hour, and that heat index is going to continue to rise, jeff, so definitely a dangerous situation we'll keep following. jeff? >> julie martin, thanks so much. >> considering it's not even july yet, and we're talking about these conditions. the hot weather is bad news for firefighters battling the dangerous wildfires out in colorado today. nbc's miguel almaguer has more now from colorado springs. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: jenna, good morning. after burning for a week, we now know that this fire has claimed at least two lives, while several others are still missing. yesterday, the president toured the destruction in the damage zone here. he pledged some federal funds as well as thanked firefighters for all of their efforts. he was on the ground here for a couple of hours. he wanted to tour the devastation himself. in all, more than 346 homes have been either damaged or destroyed. the destruction is certainly widespread in certain communities. this fire has already torched more than 17,000 acres. today it is still burning, it is still on the move, and roughly

25% contained. so, when you think about that, that means most of this fire, 75% of it, is still burning out of control and unchecked. crews here on the ground are going to certainly have a long day ahead of them. the temperatures, again, will be hot, in the 90s. there will be some light gusty winds. but the good news is, crews have been getting the upper hand on this blaze. they still have a long fight ahead of them, though. jenna, back to you. >> yeah, they can't seem to catch a break. miguel almaguer, thank you very much. >> so, how long will this heat wave last? that's the big question and bill karins, hopefully, has some answers, upstairs with the forecast. hi, bill. >> well, good morning. yesterday was by far the peak of the heat wave, from the rockies all the way to the east coast. we all got a taste of this amazing heat. doesn't mean it's over with, though. it may relax a couple degrees, but this is going to go right through the weekend towards the fourth of july. you can actually drive from outside of philadelphia and i-95 today all the way down through the carolinas, south carolina into georgia without getting off i-95, and you're all in dangerous heat, excessive heat warnings. the strong upper level ridge, the big "h," that's what's

responsible for this stagnant, hot air all over the country. it looks like it will, again, relax a little bit, but there's no long-term relief in sight. instead of 105, maybe we'll go back down to 100 in many spots, but we could see the hottest temperature ever recorded in atlanta today, a forecast of 106. charlotte could once again be 104. and notice sunday, we took the temperatures down about one or two degrees. you probably won't even notice it. the humidity levels are creeping up, especially in the southeast. and again, you saw how many people lost power, millions yesterday, especially in the washington, d.c., area. jeff and jenna, the biggest thing they want to do is stay aware. check on your elderly neighbors and put them in the ac. that's today's big concern. back to you. >> it is dangerous out there today. bill, thanks. we'll get the rest of your national forecast in a moment. time now for a check of the other morning's top stories from ron mott at news desk. >> good morning, everyone. the students in upstate new york caught on video bullying a 68-year-old bus monitor will be

suspended for a year. but because the boys must be in school, a suburban rochester school district will transfer them to an alternative school and also will ban them from regular bus transportation. a vacation fund set up for karen klein has raised nearly $700,000. violence is raging across syria as world leaders meet in geneva to find a political solution. nbc's ayman mohyeldin is monitoring the violence. >> reporter: good morning. they're trying to come up with a plan to end the conflict in syria. the u.s. plan sponsored by kofi annan is calling for transitional process, but syrian oppositional activists say they will not accept any plans in which the current president, bashar al assad, will remain in power. now, syrian president and russia say they are not going to abide by any plan that is going to be imposed on the syrian people by western powers. it comes on a day activists say was one of the bloodiest since the uprising began. close to 190 people were killed in violence in cities across the country. here in egypt, this country is

going through its own transition. today the egyptian people inaugurated for the first time president mohamed morsi. he is now egypt's first post-revolution president since president hosni mubarak was ousted from power last year. ron? >> all right, ayman mohyeldin covering that from cairo this morning, thank you. key election-year legislation is its way to president obama for his signature. the bill extends federal funding for highway and infrastructure projects for two years. it also provides a one-year extension on current student loan interest rates, which are now set at 3.4%. despite being convicted on 45 child molestation charges, jerry sandusky may be able to collect a $59,000 pension. this is because the crimes the former penn state assistant football coach committed are not included on the list that would force him to give up the benefits. sandusky is expected to be sentenced this fall. british singer adele is celebrating another milestone, expecting her first child. the 24-year-old grammy winner broke the news on friday on her

official website, which crashed due to the huge response after the announcement was made. the father is boyfriend simon kinecki, who adele has been dating since january. it is not known how far along adele is, but there is probably a hit song or two coming out of that. that's the news. back to jenna, jeff and bill. >> happy baby song will be a little weird. the other songs -- >> all about her love and problems with love. >> interesting. >> bill karins is here. it is bad out. yeah, the one thing we didn't get a chance to mention because there's so much going on is the drought. that's also the cause of fires, of course, but the drought conditions and affect on your prices at the grocery store just continuing to get worse. we need the rain in areas of indiana, ohio and all through the midwest, and it just hasn't happened. we are getting a little bit of relief. we do have a couple lines of thunderstorms that are going to go through south dakota, looks like iowa, through illinois, maybe indiana, but this is not the soaking rains we really need to conquer the drought, which has just continued to getnu

>> good morning. a hazy morning. another hot, humid day up near 100. again today, we could and coming up next half hour, i'll let you know who's going to get the severe storms today. back to you, jenna. >> all right, bill, thanks. both president obama and mitt romney are behind closed doors today trying to figure out what the landmark supreme court decision on health care means for the upcoming presidential election. nbc's mike viqueira is at the white house this morning. hey, mike. >> reporter: hi, jenna. you know, that surprise, that dramatic announcement on thursday coming out of the supreme court certainly a win for the president on the policy, preserving the legacy of his signature achievement, but with

the election little more than four months away now, it remains to be seen whether it was also a win on the politics. after a month of political setbacks and fresh concerns about the economy, mr. obama's aides welcomed the surprise ruling on health care. >> the american people win, it makes the middle class stronger, are americans stronger, are they more secure because of this law? and the answer to that is yes. >> reporter: though the decision is seen as a victory for the president on the policy, the political fallout is not yet clear. this week's nbc news/"wall street journal" poll released before the ruling was announced, shows more americans think the law is a bad idea than a good one. and the decision could provide a boost for mitt romney. though conservatives didn't get the repeal they wanted, the ruling has already energized the gop base. in the 24 hours after the ruling, the romney campaign said it raised more than $4.5 million online from more than 47,000 donors. >> i think the health care decision for republicans is like

a big energy drink. >> reporter: in an effort to tamp down gop enthusiasm, the president's allies are reminding voters the law was modeled after romney's own plan, which he passed as massachusetts governor, and which included an individual mandate. >> mitt romney's got a checkered record on health care with conservatives, but he's aligned with them now. he hopes for a revitalization, like what happened in 2010, tea party two, where conservatives rise up to support him and defeat the president. >> massachusetts lost 40,000 manufacturing jobs. >> reporter: romney's record in massachusetts is also the target of an obama tv ad attack, this time on jobs. >> we've heard it all before. >> i know how jobs are created. >> romney economics. it didn't work then and it won't work now. >> reporter: experts say the attack is taking its toll where it matters most. >> in the battleground states, mitt romney, more people react negatively to his business experience than they do in even democratic states or in

republican-leaning states. >> reporter: and jenna, politics and the economy are going to collide in a big way next friday. the unemployment rate, we all know, from may was 8.2%. the new numbers for june come out on friday, and where will the president be? campaigning. he's got a two-day bus tour through the swing states of pennsylvania, ending up on friday in ohio. jenna? >> mike viqueira. mike, thanks. chuck todd is nbc's chief white house correspondent and political director. good morning, chuck. >> good morning, jenna. it's the only place to get air conditioning. >> basically. i would stay there for the next couple weeks. voters are going to get a chance, chuck, come november, to express their opinion on this health care law. they're going to choose between president and republican candidate mitt romney. how is this ruling going to impact the election? will this issue even be a hot topic come november? >> well, i think for a lot of races, it will be. for senate races, for house races. on the presidential level, it will always be there. the question is, will it be the centerpiece? and that's where i have my doubts. when you talk to strategists from both campaigns, president obama, they certainly believe

that they're going to be talking more about the economy, and mitt romney, the best days he has on the campaign trail, the best weeks he has is when he's talking about the economy. and you know, mike brought up the jobs report. i have a feeling by friday, depending on what the jobs report is, that could be the topic of conversation, and we might say, wait a minute, what happened to the health care talk? >> well, let's stick with this health care talk just a little longer. both campaigns are trying to capitalize on the ruling. romney's already said he'll repeal this law if he takes office in november. his campaign release numbers said they raised $4.5 million in the 24 hours after the ruling. the democrats said they raised money as well. who stands to benefit the most from this? >> well, i think the base energy, you look at the right, is going to be there. but you can't overlook the fact that president obama would have taken such a huge political hit had any part of this law been overturned, that he's benefiting from simply not being hurt by the way he would have about had

this ruling gone the other way. this was a major hurdle he had to clear if he was going to win re-election in november. i don't think people understand how badly this would have damaged him politically had this ruling gone the other way. >> well, according to a "usa today"/gallup poll conducted after the ruling, i want to show you some numbers here. 44% of americans have an unfavorable view of the health care law. only 37% saying they have a favorable view. can the president change anyone's mind in the next four months, really change their minds? >> i think he's got about a week, to be honest, where i think there is some -- when you look in there, there is a surprising number of people in the middle who have had mixed feelings about this. in our own polling, we have noticed that. there's a hard core conservative base, that 44% number about represents that. but there is this middle number, anywhere from 15% to 25% of the public, who will listen. they believe that health care was a problem. they just didn't like this bill. the president will -- they'll listen for another week or ten days. the question is, does he move numbers? i wouldn't be surprised if

numbers move a little bit in his favor, simply because the supreme court ruling got so much attention. >> all right, chuck todd. chuck, thank you very much. stay cool there. >> okay, yes, ma'am. >> in the studio. once again now, here's jeff. >> jenna, thanks. u.s. attorney general eric holder just made history, becoming the first sitting cabinet official ever to be held in contempt of congress. it's part of the investigation into the antigun operation known as "fast and furious." now the veteran agents who ran that operation is speaking out for the first time with nbc news. here's national investigative correspondent michael isikoff. >> to my knowledge, not one crime was leaked to anyone intentionally. >> reporter: in his first tv interview, the agent in charge of "operation fast and furious," an attempt to stem the tide of illegal guns to mexico, speaks out to clear the air about what he says really happened. >> the notion that we somehow intentionally let guns walk is insane. never happened. >> reporter: between mid-2009 and january 2011, atf agents watched as nearly 2,000 weapons

were bought at arizona stores by suspected straw-buyers, middle men believed to be purchasing the guns for someone else. they were hoping to track them to the sinaloa cartel, mexico's most powerful drug organization. >> they had the greatest impact in stopping what they were doing is you have to cut off the head of the snake. >> reporter: but the task of following the weapons proved daunting and went horribly wrong in december 2010, when u.s. border patrol agent brian terry was murdered in the arizona desert. two weapons found at the scene were guns that the agents were tracking. >> there was evidence that they knew that, in fact, weapons had already ended up in mexico. that's before brian terry was killed. >> reporter: newell was at home when he got the call about terry. >> hit me very hard. hit a lot of us in phoenix very, very hard. >> reporter: newell believes he did everything he could, presenting evidence to federal prosecutors of hundreds of illegal purchases of guns, but was told he needed more evidence

of the buyers' intent to charge them with a crime. >> i think it's unconscionable the delay that occurred between august to january to bring the charges against these individuals. >> reporter: and that was the fault of? >> the u.s. attorney's office. >> reporter: house republicans lay blame across the board. >> one of the things that's so offensive about this case is that our federal government knowingly, willfully, purposefully gave the drug cartels nearly 2,000 weapons, mostly ak-47s, and allowed them to walk. >> reporter: today, newell says his career has been shattered and that field agents have been deterred from taking risks to stop gun trafficking for fears of being second-guessed by congress. >> not only mexico and the united states, but criminals, and the people that are laughing all the way to and from the gun stores and to and from mexico are the criminals. >> reporter: the justice department friday declined comment but said in a letter to house speaker john boehner it will not prosecute the attorney general. for "today," michael isikoff, nbc news, washington. 20 minutes past the hour. once again, here's jenna.

>> all right, jeff, thanks. the new york yankees just wrapped up hope week. it's a chance to give back to the community by saluting some great people. matt lauer spent some time with the team. >> the 3-2. >> reporter: heroes don't get any bigger than this. >> 3,000! >> reporter: but even heroes need some inspiration. and this week, the new york yankees found some right in their backyard. >> reach for the sky! >> reporter: this may just look like horsing around, but for 9-year-old owen atkins, it's a chance to be like everyone else. flying manes provides riding therapy to children with special needs, like owen, who has cerebral palsy. >> kind of opportunities to help you get through the hard times, you know? >> reporter: and this day, yankees first baseman mark teixeira is trading his gold glove for a day in the saddle. >> stole home! >> reporter: stealing home and hearts. >> get in there for the real thing, girl, come on! >> reporter: seniors at east haven nursing home were stunned. these longtime fans treated to makeovers and manicures.

folks like 100-year-old selma gelberg, filed, buffed and polished by none other than right fielder nick swisherer. >> just to spend time with people like that and hear the stories they have to tell, i think that's what it's all about. >> reporter: finally, my special hope week buddy. 5-year-old andy fast has albonism. the condition usually keeps him out of the sun and leaves him legally blind, but like any little boy, he dreams about playing baseball. and now that dream has taken him all the way to yankee stadium, throwing the first pitch, high-fiving the team after the victory. >> the easy way is to give money, but i think if you look at people who give their time, i think that's cherished a little bit more. >> reporter: even when it's giving a 5-year-old something as simple as some water. >> what do you say? >> thank you. >> all right, little buddy. >> reporter: years from now, he'll look at the buddy and he's going to say, i asked derek jeter to give me an ice cold water. >> but the thing is, derek jeter

got it for him. >> reporter: and that's the beauty of hope week. >> without a doubt. >> well said. still to come, george zimmerman waiting to hear today if a judge will let him out of jail for a second time. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

still to come here on "today," health news. why you need to be careful when you mix dietary supplements and prescription drugs. plus, tom cruise and katie holmes calling it quits. >> live, local, late breaking, this is wbal 11 tv news today. >> from searing heat to a stormy night, violent storm swept to

maryland last night, uprooting trees and knocking out power. at the height of the storm last night, bge reported 60,000 power outages. right now, 500,000. let us check in with john collins for the very latest. >> there is another one out to the west. we will have to see if it holds together. we have a similar set up today as yesterday. our old storm is leading. we are dry right now. unit. not raining. here is another one developing to the west. a little further along in the track and there is another one in iowa. we will have to see what happens. they are riding along the top of this moist, humid air. let us switch over to our main commuter -- computer. elide west wind at about 3 miles an hour. here is the boundary of these storms trouble all along. here is the one in ohio moving

along to the east. all of this is riding along the ridge. hot, humid air. here is another one developing in iowa. a or forecast today, hot, humid. 95 to 105. >> , right. thank you. we want to update you on the latest numbers of outages. baltimore county has most of the customers in the dark with more than 122,000. baltimore city, 98,000. anne arundel county, howard county, 120,000 customers in the dark. we will be back in a moment with a look ata

betsy welcome back. police have made an arrest in the shooting of a woman. darrion walker faces charges. he shut tiffany unguarded drive. they both exchange phone calls before her death. a motive is not been determined. walker is being held at the detention center without bail. police are searching for a suspect after a shooting in west baltimore. officers responded to a call at clifton avenue just before 10:00 p.m. last night. they found a 41-year-old man lying in the street. the victim was taken to trauma where he later died. we want to thank you for joining us. we are back in 25 minutes with another update.

we are back on this sweltering saturday morning, june 30th, 2012. a great crowd out on the plaza getting ready for a heat wave out here in the east and in many parts of the country. i'm jeff rossen inside studio 1a alongside jenna wolfe. lester has the morning off. >> i don't know if you can say sweltering until we actually go outside. otherwise, i feel bad. >> yeah, i don't feel that bad, but -- >> will you use the word sweltering when you get outside? >> it's almost chilly in here, almost too much. >> you're terrible, awful, awful. we'll be outside in a few minutes. coming up, george zimmerman tries to get out of jail. the neighborhood watch volunteer who killed trayvon martin was back in court friday, seeking his release from jail for a second time. what's zimmerman's state of mind? we'll ask his lawyer, mark o'mara, when he joins us for a live interview in just a moment.

later, tom cruise and katie holmes, you probably heard, are getting divorced. the announcement was said to be a surprise to the "rock of ages" star, so what led to their split? we'll get the inside scoop from "people" magazine. plus, a bit of a blast from the past. jimmy walker gained fame on the '70s sitcom "good times" with a popular catch phrase "diynamite" he'll join us to talk about his life on screen and off. >> never gets old to hear him saying it. but we begin this half hour with accused murderer george zimmerman. he remains in a florida jail this morning. the 28-year-old who admits he shot and killed unarmed teenager trayvon martin wants his freedom until he goes to trial. prosecutors want zimmerman to remain behind bars. and as nbc's kerry sanders reports, the bond hearing took a unique turn. >> reporter: george zimmerman entered court in civilian clothes, and for the first time, he was not in handcuffs. the parents of the teenager he shot and killed also came to court friday and quickly learned the procedural bond hearing would become something of a mini

trial. with bloody evidence photos -- >> a cut here. >> reporter: police video of zimmerman's injuries, even a call from a neighborhood who had dialed 911 and captured the sound of the single, fatal gunshot. >> so you think he's yelling help? >> yes. >> all right, what is your -- [ shot ] >> there's gunshots. >> reporter: and for the first time, zimmerman's lawyers explained why he shot the unarmed 17-year-old -- self-defense. >> mr. martin was shot because he had broken somebody's nose and he had gotten him on the ground and he had smashed his head against a cement walkway, at least twice. >> reporter: a fight that defense attorney mark o'mara claims trayvon martin started. >> then he got shot and he was killed because of his own doing. >> we're not here today all either to have a stand your ground or self-defense hearing. i welcome that. because quite frankly, that would require the defendant to take the stand and explain.

>> reporter: but george zimmerman did not take the stand. his father did. >> yes, sir. >> reporter: robert zimmerman testified when he heard the 911 call, he knew who that was screaming for help. >> were you able to identify whose voice it was screaming for help? >> yes, sir. >> and whose was it? >> it was absolutely george's. >> reporter: trayvon martin's mother has told investigators that call for help was her son. >> usually, the state is trying to present its evidence to keep somebody in jail. here, the defendant was doing it in reverse, trying to show how weak the state's case was to get a defendant out of jail. >> reporter: will george zimmerman be allowed to go free until trial? the judge did not issue a timetable for his decision, but he could rule as early as monday. for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news, sanford. >> mark o'mara is george zimmerman's attorney. mr. o'mara, good morning to you. >> good morning, sir. how are you? >> thanks for joining us. i'm doing well. this bond hearing really did surprise a lot of people, as that expert had just told us, usually it's the prosecutors on

the offensive. thyme it was you. you called four witnesses, introduced evidence, including a 911 call. do you think it worked portraying your client as the victim? do you think he'll be released? >> well, i think we had to respond to the judge's order in that way. the judge had suggested in a previous order that the evidence was strong against my client. we obviously disagree with that. and because the judge has said that, we had to respond to show at least some of the evidence that shows the weakness of the state's case. >> you actually, you sort of had a unique tactic with the judge. you asked him, i will call my client to the stand, george zimmerman, up, if you question him yourself, but i don't want him to be cross-examined by the prosecution. the judge said no and i think you understand why he did at a news conference later. but why not let prosecutors cross examine him, if he has nothing to hide right now? >> well, because of procedural requirements. a defendant's right to remain silent, to only testify when he wants to, is paramount in our system, and we will have a hearing or trial in this matter, and i would imagine that george is going to testify and tell his

story at that point. but at this point, with a bond hearing, the only purpose is whether or not he should get out, as i believe rules and law says he should, it just wasn't worth it at this point. it was a tactical decision we made. >> the reason we were having the bond hearing in the first place is because the judge revoked bond because mr. zimmerman and his wife were in those jailhouse tapes discussing, and many say in code, and i think there was a news conference after the bond hearing yesterday where you admitted they were speaking in code about the money they had. was that deception? >> well, no question, they were not completely honest with the judge when the issue of how many money was available to them came up. shellie did not acknowledge it and george did not state that shellie hadn't acknowledged it. the question really was, if you look at those codes, who they may have been trying to hold the money from, and there is not one point in 30 hours of tapes where there's any suggestion of deceiving the courts. >> why do you think the judge reversed his ruling and release your client?

>> why should he? because the law so suggested. the criteria to look at is whether or not he's a threat to the community. no evidence of that, and he's not. whether or not he's a flight risk. no evidence of that, because he's always come back to court. and his financial circumstances. the money that did exist is now being segregated out and is with a trustee. >> i know people across the country continue to donate money to his defense fund. how much money does george zimmerman have right now? >> i think there's about $211,000, and of course, we're spending the money right now at a very accelerated rate, because now that the defense is sort of getting going, we have a lot of expenses coming up on the defense side. and of course, we still have living expenses for george. >> this trial is going to come down to credibility, as you know, of course, the evidence as well. but will the jury believe george zimmerman over the prosecution? do you think this has all damaged his credibility? do you think he could get a impartial and fair trial with the jury in that area? >> one, i think he's damaged his credibility because of his silence. two, without question he can get a fair trial with a jury of his

peers and we look forward to that. >> mark o'mara, thank you so much for joining us this morning. >> sure thing. bill karins is out on the plaza with another check of the weather. bill, good morning. >> good morning, jeff. we had those horrible storms rolling through the ohio valley. of course, it's hot everyone, including here in new york, but these thunderstorms, this is a deratio weather event, a strange term. you probably haven't heard it. it refers to storms traveling a long distance. these traveled about 600 miles from chicago to washington, d.c., with wind damage reports all along that path, including millions of people without power around the d.c. area. the weather pattern hasn't changed. that's the bad news. the power crews are trying to get the lines up and getting power and air conditioning back on in this heat wave and we have the chance of more strong storms and we could see another weather event similar to yesterday, hopefully not as bad, of course. but any thunderstorms without yourut >> good morning. the storm's forecast center has put this yellow. in the slight risk for severe weather we will be

and gabrielle here made a very wise decision. you left st. louis. you flew here. was it hot when you left? >> yes. >> and it got worse and you came to new york, where, now we can deal with this, right? >> yeah. >> you seem smart. went to weather.com and got the five-day forecast when she left st. louis. if you want to do something similar, plan out your july 4th holiday weekend forecast, go to weather.com. >> we will need that. still to come, sitcom star jimmy walker talks about his dynamite "good times" on screen and off. first, up next, how safe are your dietary supplements? what you need to know before popping your next pill, after these messages. s.

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a great clean doesn't have to take longer. i'm done... i'm going to read one of these. i'm going to read one of these! [ female announcer ] unlike sprays and dust rags, swiffer 360 dusters extender gets into hard to reach places so you can get unbelievable dust pick up in less time. i love that book! can you believe the twin did it? ♪ [ female announcer ] swiffer. great clean in less time. or your money back. ♪ if you're like millions of americans, you probably take dietary supplements to improve your health. you might think they're harmless, but if you're also taking prescription drugs, you need to be very careful. ron mott is back with more on that story. hey, ron. >> hey, jenna. good morning again to you. they come as pills, powders, capsules or liquids, and can help with your nutritional needs, although people usually take supplements in an effort to feel better, some may actually endanger their health by using them. >> reporter: it's a growing

industry with more than 53% of americans buying in. dietary supplements are quick and convenient, so they may seem like an easy way to meet nutritional needs, but doctors say along with potential benefits comes potential hazards. >> natural simply means that it's over-the-counter and you do not need a prescription item, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's safe. >> reporter: even if a supplement is safe, doctors advise you to consider your existing regimen before adding to it. if you're already taking prescription drugs, experts say you should be cautious about what else you take. an herbal supplements could impact how the drug performs. >> this is not a criticism of the herb. it's just simply a farm clojic statement -- drugs and herbs alter the metabolism or excretion of many common drugs. >> reporter: a consumer study showed problems mixing common drugs and supplements. >> dietary supplements definitely interact with prescription medications. these patients are well documented and they're actually increasing in awareness. >> reporter: experts say if you're taking blood thinners,

adding echinacea to your regimen could cause a dangerous rise in the drug's potency, making its effects much stronger. other supplements can reduce a drug's effectiveness. experts say if you're taking an oral contraceptive, a garlic supplement could reduce the protection you get. allergy drugs are common this time of year, but mixed with st. john's wart, the drug could become stronger than it's meant to be. and for diabetes patients, green tea supplements can reduce the impact of some diabetes drugs. drug and supplement combinations won't prompt the same reactions for everyone. experts say your body may be able to handle a little of both without negative results. the key, they say, is to check with your physician and control your doses of each. and before buying a supplement, look for signs that it's been approved. the doctors we talked to said a usp label, which means a supplement has met the u.s. pharma standards for safety and efficacy is a good guideline, but the council for responsible

nutrition, which represents supplement manufacturers, says some reputable companies do their own testing instead of certifying through third parties, like the usp and marketing with that field. this means even if it doesn't have a field, it could still potentially be safe to use. overall, experts say do your research and consult your doctor. now, doctors and researchers we spoke with stressed that dietary supplements should be thought of as their name states, supplements to a balanced diet. that means you should still eat your fruits, veggies and healthy foods, just like mom always said, jenna. >> all right, ron, good advice. thank you very much. still ahead, jimmy walker talks about his iconic role as a.j. on the '70s sitcom "good times." that's right after this. we charge everything else... maybe it's time to recharge the human battery. only the beautyrest recharge sleep system combines the comfort of aircool memory foam layered on top of beautyrest pocketed coils to promote proper sleeping posture all night long.

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♪ [ camera clicks ] ♪ it's hard to resist the craveable nature of a nature valley sweet & salty nut bar. jimmie walker gained pop icon status as this is role as j.j. evans on the 1970s sitcom "good times." it was developed by norman lear and was funny and groundbreaking. walker was willing to laugh and be laughed at in a role that earned him two golden globe nominations, not to mention a very big fan club and one unforgettable catch phrase. >> one taste of these lips and they'll follow the leader of

kiss, dynamite! [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> jimmie "j.j." walker is now out with his memoir called -- how could it not be called this -- "dynamite." we thank you so much for being with us this morning. thanks for joining us. >> thanks for having me. >> so, when people see you now, do they always expect the character or do they know who you are as the man behind the character? >> it depends on who they are. there's different kinds of fans. there's fans who love the show and that's their thing and they want to see the show thing. >> how many times in your lifetime have you said the word dynamite? >> not that much! >> come on. >> no! you know, i tell people, the biggest question we get is where is the rest of the cast? what happened to those guys? we love those guys. that's the biggest question we get. that's it. >> really? >> yes. >> so, let's talk about the evans family. how much would you relate your personal experiences growing up? you grew up in the bronx. to the evans family in the projects in chicago? any similarities? >> yeah, 50% kind of, kind of,

yeah. i think our thing was a little more violent and visceral, my life. that was a more fun kind of situation with the evans family. finances, which actually leaks in to now economy, was our biggest problem. >> so, there are people who said j.j. was a negative portrayal of a young black man. agree or disagree? >> i think it was a fun portrayal of a young black guy. you know, i grew up with a lot of guys who were like that, so i think those guys are still out there, and you'll see them when you walk out here in the streets, just crazy, wacky, cooky guys that hang out. >> it's one of my friends, one my best friends. why did you write this book? you wrote this a while ago, right? >> i wrote this book 30 years ago. >> 30 years ago? >> this is how things work in the business, which you're young and you find out. there are things that happen. you write a book and then you have to sell a book and people throughout that time and through the next 30 years were not begging for a jimmy "j.j."

walker autobiography. >> but they are now. >> they are and we got a deal and that's all that counts. >> you're doing stand-up comedy now. were you doing that as a kid? >> i was doing that since before you were born, 1967. >> trust me, i'm a lot older than i look. >> i guarantee you were not born in 1967. >> i was not -- >> thank you very much. >> i thank you for saying that. but you were funny right off the bat, funny kid? you wanted to get into comedy? >> no, no. >> oh, okay. >> it was one of those things, i read my first book when i was like 17, 18 years old. it was by dick gregory, and that's the one that got me into comedy, that book right there. >> and it's been a semi-smooth road ever since? >> i've been more stuck in the middle of the road as the boyz 2 men would say. it's been a bumpy ride. >> again, the book is "dyn-o-mit," author jimmie [ male announcer ] millions of dollars for new schools and teachers...

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baldwin? find out his secret plans to get hitched. plus, as one couple gets together, another one breaks up. we're going to look at why tom cruise and katie holmes are headed for divorce court. ♪ [ ding! ] losing your chex mix too easily? time to deploy the boring-potato chip decoy bag. then no one will want to steal the deliciousness. [ male announcer ] with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix is a bag of interesting. she would help her child. go! goooo! [ male announcer ] with everything.

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there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first. get more whole grain than any other ingredient... just look for the white check. >> live, local, late-breaking, this is wbal-tv 11 news today. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. from searing heat to a stormy night, violent storm swept through maryland, uprooting

trees and knocking out power. at the height of the storm, more than 500,000 customers lost power. across the state, crews rushed into action to respond to the damage. stephanie rawlings like activated the emergency operation center. officials are reporting numerous down trees in city roadways. the mayor is asking residents to exercise caution throughout the morning. let us check in with meteorologist john collins for an update on the storm. >> we have the same set up today as we had yesterday. storms off to the northwest. a pathway is about the same. slight risk category today. the storms are moving to indiana and ohio. ahead of yesterday's's schedule. more developing in iowa, as well. we could duplicate. it would be rare to see two nights in a row like that. we will see what happens. a hot and humid day. well into the 90's.

a few places around 100. it will feel like below hundred's. by afternoon and evening, cloudiness and the chance for some severe thunderstorm activity. all of the advisers for heat are out. especially in the urban areas. the only difference is we have folks who do not have power at the moment. seven-day -- 100 tomorrow. a very similar set up once again. we could see scattered storms. temperatures back off into the early part of next week. we might see some natural

>> come back. many laws are taking into effect -- the flesh tax will go to $5. the increase will be used to update sioux's treatment plants. a measure of for septic tanks is also going down. the law and tax baltimore city and nine of the largest counties. >> this package of legislation is going to make sure there are sufficient funds that every committee can have water they deserve. >> taxes on smokeless tobacco will also increase on sunday. to see the other laws that will go into effect, go to wbaltv.com. thank you for joining us. we are back in 25 minutes with another update.

we will see you then. and welcome back to "today" on this saturday morning, the 30th day of june 2012. nice crowd out on the plaza. bracing the heat, waving hello to friends and family back home. our thanks to them for spending part of their saturday morning with us. we're going to head outside in a little bit. but first, inside studio 1a, i'm jenna wolfe alongside -- sorry. >> i'm not lester. >> it rolls off the tongue. jeff rossen because lester has the morning off. >> making a huge impact on you, which is great. >> he's probably up watching right now, so what's up? coming up in this half hour -- and you do make a huge impact on me. >> thank you. >> an a-list hollywood couple splitting up. big news overnight.

>> they've made a big impact, haven't they, on hollywood. tom-kat, tom cruise and katie holmes, calling it quits. people blindsided by the news. we'll get the scoop from "people" magazine. but as one couple splits up, alec baldwin may divert attention away from the paparazzi long enough to say his vows, but the actor is keeping all the details on the down low. we'll have more on what may be a big day for alec baldwin. yeah, then a big announcement from the queen of southern cuisine. paula deen, she's lost 30 pounds in just months after telling the world that she has type 2 diabetes. so, will her new, healthier lifestyle be bad for her brand? we'll delve into that, coming up. but first, we begin this hour with the extreme weather gripping most of the country. at least two people are dead after violent thunderstorms swept through the east. another 2 million people are without power, all in the middle of a massive heat wave. from heat to wildfires, we have three reports this morning. >> let's begin with the weather channel's julie martin, sweating

it out in atlanta, for real. hey, julie. >> reporter: hey, there, jeff. yeah, good morning. we're already up in the 80s at this early hour, and we could see a record-breaking day here, but that heat holding on. yesterday, some 25 states saw the century mark, and today 47 million people should be bracing for the same. thunderstorms triggered by the extreme heat tore through pennsylvania, west virginia and indiana, where over 150,000 homes lost power late friday night. ohio reported 500,000 people without power, and the d.c. area reports more than 350,000 customers with no electric service. and the heat goes on. nashville. >> it's almost unbearable. it's really unbearable. it's scary. it's really scary. >> reporter: indianapolis. >> it makes you feel like, you know, you're going to melt. >> reporter: and washington, d.c. >> ice cold water, $1!

thank you, young ladies. >> reporter: where 104-degree temps broke a 138-year-old record on friday. >> i'm suffocating from this heat. >> reporter: at least 20 other cities across the u.s. also reported record highs. today, forecasters expect 25 states to top 100 degrees with conditions not letting up until after the july 4th holiday. some towns say the hot, dry conditions aren't safe for fireworks. meanwhile, farmers across the plains are concerned the extreme heat could damage crops. >> there's going to be a point to where this corn will not be able to recover. >> reporter: with relief still days away, many are banking on a simple formula to beat the heat. >> drink a lot of water, stay inside, stay in the shade. that's what i do. >> reporter: and here in atlanta, we are under a heat advisory until tomorrow evening. temperatures expected to top out at a record-breaking 106 degrees

today. that would beat even temperatures set back in the dust bowl in the 1930s. one of the only saving graces we'll have here, jeff, is the humidity level's a little hard to see here, but they're not going to be too oppressive. we are going to be in the 50s and 60s for humidity levels, versus those 80s and 90s, which would make it just totally unbearable. but still, some dangerously hot conditions across the south and the mid-atlantic for the next couple of days. >> all right, stay safe. julie martin, thanks so much. >> the hot temperatures in colorado are making it difficult for firefighters as they struggle to contain those raging wildfires. nbc's miguel almaguer is in colorado springs for us again this morning. hey, miguel. >> reporter: jenna, good afternoon. or good morning to you and jeff both. here in colorado, this fire has now taken at least two lives, while several others are still missing. there's not an exact count on how many folks have been missing because police still are trying to figure out who has come back, who has been accounted for, but they are sweeping through several neighborhoods. the destruction is certainly widespread. the president was here in colorado springs yesterday to tour the damage, to see the

devastation for himself firsthand. that will help free up some federal money for firefighters who are here on the ground, some 1,100 firefighters. more than 346 homes have been destroyed or damaged in this fire. this blaze has charred some 17,000 acres. it is 25% contained. so, crews are going to be on the ground today trying to extend that fire line around more of this fire. they are hoping for better weather today. they have had that the last few days. the big concern weatherwise is going to be those winds. this fire is fueling on dry brush, so when it has winds to its back, it certainly can explode and expand in size. but so far, crews say they should make progress today here on the front lines, jenna. >> all right, miguel. thank you very much. >> so, how long can this heat wave last? bill karins joins us now with a look at the national forecast. bill, good morning. >> good morning, everyone. this is an historic heat wave. that's not understating this heat wave. yes, it's summertime, it's supposed to be hot. it's not supposed to be this hot and it's not supposed to last this long. remember, it was in the middle of the country earlier this

week. now it's made its way to the east coast, and then it's going to bounce back to the middle of the country again and ping pong for the next week or two with no relief. today, heat advisories and warnings pretty much anywhere from kansas city to the east coast. it's going to be extremely hot during the day today. just count on it. some areas even worse than yesterday, which is pretty unbelievable for areas like nashville and st. louis and also down into atlanta. and the big "h" in the middle of the country, until that moves and changes and goes away, we're not going to see this weather pattern changing. we're going to end up with a very hot june out there, and even into july, right through july 4th into the july 4th extended weekend, it doesn't look like this is going to let up, guy. i mean, we're talking about a historic heat wave, one of the hottest periods of june we've ever measured in our country. back to you. >> not what we wanted to hear. bill karins, thanks. we'll get the rest of the forecast in just a moment. but time now for another check of this morning's other top stories, and for that, we're going to head over to ron mott at the news desk. hey, ron. good morning, again. >> hey, jenna and jeff. good morning. four middle school students caught on tape bullying a 68-year-old bus monitor in

upstate new york are being suspended from their regular school. the boys will be transferred to an alternative school and banned from regular bus transportation for a full year. world leaders are meeting in geneva today, seeking a political solution to a 16 months of brutal violence in syria. islamist mohamed morsi was sworn in today as egypt's first freely elected president, succeeding hosni mou br hosni mubarak, houstoned 16 months ago. charges have been filed against tour de france winner lance armstrong. the antidoping agency accuses him of using performance-enhancing drugs throughout the best years of his career, 1999 to 2005. armstrong denies the charges. the 2012 tour de france begins today with coverage right here on nbc. an indiana woman who lost both legs shielding her woman from a tornado walked arm in arm with president obama into the oval office on friday. stephanie decker visited the white house less than four months after the twister wrecked her home. decker had thrown herself on top of her kids when falling debris crushed her legs. she now uses prosthetic limbs to

get around. a young baseball fan in texas shows you don't need a glove to make a memorable catch. take a look at this one. nationals player schaffer fouled this out and a young man held up his popcorn bucket, and despite fans around him also reaching for the ball, he's the one who snagged a great souvenir. so, you can no longer call that young man butter fingers. that's the news. let's head back over to jeff. >> thanks, ron, appreciate it. bill karins on the plaza with a check of your forecast. >> jeff, we talked about the amazing storms. this is the bishop family of northwest ohio. their born was destroyed. what happened to it? >> we got a call that half of the roof blew away in the wind and it's lying on our driveway now. >> that's as you left yesterday for new york city. that's the storm through d.c. that left millions without power, too. today we'll watch another chance, the same areas. unfortunately for the bishop family of northwest ohio or everyone in the ohio valley to the mid-atlantic, a chance of more severe weather today.

that's at cleanup crews are trying to get power back on to millions in the he >> good morning. a hazy morning. another hot, humid day up near 100. again today, we could we want to send our best wishes to your friend alyssa, who got hit by a car. i know you're sad about that, but you brought her your good wishes and hopefully, she'll get better soon. let's send it back inside to jenna. >> all right, bill, thank you very much. hollywood a-listers katie holmes and tom cruise are calling it quits. after five years of marriage, holmes has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

more now from nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: it all started with that bizarre theme on oprah's couch. >> yes! >> reporter: now, after nearly six years of marriage, it all ends in court for tom cruise and katie holmes. holmes filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences and asked for sole custody of their daughter, suri, now 6. a statement from holmes' attorney said "this is a personal and private matter for katie and her family. katie's primary concern remains, as it has always been, her daughter's best interests." a statement from cruise's rep said "tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children. please allow them their privacy to work this out." >> if she tries to have full custody, it could get ugly because tom loves that little girl. >> reporter: and so ends this very glitzy, whirlwind romance. from their first appearance as a couple in rome in april 2005 and word tom popped the question just two months later. to the announcement they were expecting a baby shortly after. then, the first glimpse of suri

on the cover of "vanity fair," followed by that lavish wedding ceremony in november 2006 at a 15th-century castle in italy. it was a marriage also constantly the subject of tabloid rumor and innuendo. a love story some said was truly made for hollywood, because cruise is one of the world's highest paid actors and she's a starlet 16 years younger, because he's a scientologist and she converted to the religion after being catholic, and because love and marriage happened so fast. >> tom was already of a certain age when they got together. katie was in her 20s. sometimes people grow apart. >> reporter: after years of being there for each other on the red carpet, earlier this month cruise attended the premiere of his latest film "rock of ages" alone. and while their relationship weathered breakup rumors before, this one came seemingly out of nowhere, cruise telling "people" magazine just days ago his perfect day is the time with kate. >> but this is a man that looks to be in love.

it's shocking. >> reporter: another breakup, another hollywood ending. for "today," ron allen, nbc news, los angeles. >> "people" magazine's senior writer joins us now. joey, good morning. >> good morning. >> i've got to ask, what happened? whether you believed in this fairy tale romance or not, they were together for a while. what happened here? >> yeah, this was a total surprise. you know, everyone thought that they were really a solid couple, so devoted to their daughter, suri, and then this news comes out. >> five years together. are you surprised they lasted that long? i think there were some doubters when they first got together. >> absolutely. when they first got together, everyone talked about the age difference and, you know, how they were really so publicly affectionate and it was very over the top. but over the years, they really settled in to what seemed to be a really nice marriage. >> katie reportedly cited irreconcilable differences. she also filed for sole custody of their 6-year-old daughter, suri. is this going to be a nasty divorce? that what we're looking towards here? >> you know, tom cruise is a

very private guy and i think they would both probably like to keep this very civil, and you know, under wraps, and they'll make it go smoothly. >> now, reportedly, there is a prenup involved, as you might expect. katie's entitled to $3 million each year that she's been married, a total of almost $18 million. what else is at stake here besides the money? we don't think the money is really the big issue here for katie holmes. >> absolutely not. you know, i mean, with all of these celebrity marriages, they work these things out in advance. so, you know, they have houses and things, but really, for her, i think it's about gaining her independence back, and you know, a source told "people" that she had seemed unhappy. so, maybe this is her way of kind of getting herself back. >> how much did scientology play a role in all of this, if any? >> you know, she was really into it when they first started dating. she was taking classes and everything, so she's very supportive of that and really was part of that in his life. >> and what about the time apart? i mean, i know we're just picking at straws to find reasons here, and we're all so curious about it, but you know, we heard in that report right there she wasn't with him for

his "rock of ages" tour, and she hasn't been with him for the last couple of months. did the time apart with him working play a factor at all? >> you know, they had always traveled to different locations with each other, so they really made an effort to spend time together. recently, they were spending more time apart, but she was with him in iceland where he's filming just a few weeks ago. >> so, we heard that he was completely surprised and shocked by that. are we? do we walk away from this thinking, is anything going to work anymore? >> you know, i mean, i think with all of these celebrity marriages, you hope it's going to last, and they really seemed like a great couple. and so, this is really surprising. >> all right. joey. joey, thank you very much. you can read more at people.com. from divorce to marriage, he's trying to keep it hush-hush, but will alec baldwin say "i do" today? also up next, paula deen sheds 30 pounds. we're going to tell you about her new outlook on life and on food. it's right after these messages.

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past the hour. nearly six months after revealing that she has type 2 diabetes, celebrity chef paula deen has turned her life around. here's nbc's gabe gutierrez. >> is that heaven, kids, or what? >> reporter: once known as the queen of butter -- >> mm-mmm, mm-mmm. can't resist it! >> reporter: paula deen is now serving up a surprise. the chef, entrepreneur and tv host tells "people" magazine she's lost 30 pounds less than six months after publicly announcing she had type 2 diabetes. >> i do. i was diagnosed three years ago. >> reporter: at first, she faced criticism for continuing to eat poorly and for keeping it quiet for so long. she explained why on "today." >> i wanted to bring something to the table when i came forward, and i've always been one to think that i bring hope,

because i've had lots of obstacles in my life, y'all. >> reporter: so, how'd she do it? dean told "people" magazine she's tossed some of her favorite foods, like fried chicken and mashed potatoes, in favor of greek salads and baked fish. the weight loss not surprising to some nutritionists, who say dean has lots of room for improvement. >> someone like paula deen, who had a lot of weight to lose and who wasn't eating healthy to begin with, has a lot of places to make changes, so, i'm not surprised she's lost one-plus pounds per week since she's started trying to lose weight. >> reporter: sounds simple, but she had more motivation. earlier this year, fellow tv chef anthony bourdane blasted her. "thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business," he tweeted, "so i can profitably sell crutches later." many critics thought her brand would take a huge hit, and they say this latest revelation might not help. >> i think paula deen has her

work cut out for her in rethinking her brand. it's going to be hard to take healthy recipe advice from a woman who's known for making incredibly fried food. >> i'm going to wrap it in bacon and we're going to deep-fry it. >> reporter: a superstar chef once unapologetic about her eating habits -- >> honey, i'm your cook, not your doctor. >> reporter: -- now must convince her fans to rethink their appetite. for "today," gabe gutierrez, nbc news, atlanta. >> good to see her doing well. still ahead as we continue on this saturday morning, a bizarre chimpanzee attack in south africa leaves an american critically injured. we'll have a live report. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," alec baldwin clashes with another photographer as he

prepares to get married in secret tonight. find out how he's keeping details under wraps. plus, many people are still looking for love. see how they're turning to reality tv to find it. but first, these messages. today, we stand against the tyranny of single mile credit cards. battle speech right? may i? [ horse neighs ] for too long, people have settled for single miles. with the capital one venture card, you'll earn double miles on every purchase, every day! [ visigoths cheer ] hawaii, here we come. [ alec ] so sign up today for a venture card at capitalone.com. and start earning double. [ all ] double miles! [ brays ] what's in your wallet? can you play games on that? not on the runway. no. pleeeeeeeease... [ female announcer ] betty crocker fruit flavored snacks. pleeeeeeeease... less than 100 calories and made with real fruit pleeeeeeeease... thanks mom! [ female announcer ] betty crocker fruit flavored snacks.

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>> live, local, late-breaking, this is wbal-tv 11 news today. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. from searing heat to a really stormy night, violent storm swept through maryland,

uprooting trees and knocking out power. close to 500,000 customers without power. across the state come the emergency crews rushed into action to respond to the damage. stephanie rawlings blake operated the emergency centers. numerous down trees in city roadways. residents exercise extreme caution brought the morning. let us go ahead and check in with john collins for an update. more on the way? >> that is right. the setup is the same as yesterday. what went through yesterday is referred to as a particular type of storm. here we see it breaking up over the atlantic ocean. at the moment, we are clear. the senate today is the same as yesterday with a stalled front. this huge area of high pressure. hot, humid air. storms developing to the west. they ride along the ridge. the track is about the same as

yesterday. our forecast is very similar. hot and humid. a chance for scattered jars and thunderstorms. some possibly severe. probably not as high as yesterday but in the 100 range with the humidity bringing us to about 100. here you see this path again. just like yesterday. the slight risk goes into the mid-atlantic --. everybody is in the same boat. temperatures in the 90's. temperatures in the 90's.

>> welcome back. the flesh tax will double, going from $2.50 to $5. the increase is used to upgrade sewage treatment plants. a measure to curb septic tanks to use is also on the books. local jurisdictions will be required to set fees to fight storm water runoff pollution. a lot impacts baltimore city and nine of the largest counties. >> this package of legislation is going to make sure there are sufficient funds that every committee can have the clean water they deserve. >> taxes on little cigars and smokeless tobacco will increase on sunday. to see all the laws, had to wbaltv.com. thank you for turning us. 11 news saturday morning starts in just 25 minutes.

we are back on this saturday morning, june 30th, 2012. our thanks to the great crowd for sticking around with us on what's shaping up to be another sweltering hot day here in new york city and around the country. out on the plaza, i am jeff rossen along with jenna wolfe. lester holt has the morning off and he's catching up. he just tweeted that he's catching up on getting some sun, so -- >> can't he stay away? he's on vacation. >> he has to brag. >> he is on vacation. >> we have a lot coming up this half hour, including a serious story about another chimpanzee attack on an american graduate student in south africa. >> it happened overseas. two chimps grabbed a student by the feet, dragged him about half a mile. we will have a live report on that coming up in just a little

bit. then we'll switch gears and talk a little about alec baldwin, "30 rock" star. apparently, there are secret plans for him to get married today, just one day after yet another scuffle, as you saw, with the paparazzi. we'll get into that in just a moment, too. and with your kids home from school, hanging out this summer could be a little more expensive when it comes to your grocery bill. we're going to show you how you can shave some money off of that when it comes to going food shopping. and i'm dreading this. our summer saturday series continues. they call it fun. here it says "fun." no fun here. jenna has a boot camp set up for all of us on the plaza and i'm not looking forward to this. >> i'm not dreading this. i'm going to put my colleagues through some regular plio my pl fun. >> and bill karins, my colleague in crime on this boot camp thing -- >> colleague? wait, my prompter said co-anchor. >> we'll see how big you are when we're on the plaza doing all ha. >> i'd rather be changing diapers. good morning, everyone. some beautiful people behind me.

if we didn't say happy birthday to you, you could go home. 11th birthday. let me take you through the weekend forecast. we had horrible storms last night in the ohio valley, down to d.c. we have a chance for more today, hopefully not as bad as yesterday, but still, the heat is oppressive throughout the country. that's the big story. i don't want to forget about the pacific northwest. they're probably the only spot, along the north coast to the northwest, they're still waiting for summer to wear the tank tops and shorts. they've been in the 60s and 70s. there's always an exception and that's it. everyone else continues to sizzle and bake >> good morning. the storm's forecast center has put this yellow. in the slight risk for severe weather we will be

you wake up every morning on watch nbc at 4:00 a.m. in the morning. >> definitely so. >> if it wasn't for that mets hat, we'd be best friends, but that's all right. >> all right, i'll get rid of it. >> oh, thanks a lot! let's go back to jeff inside. >> bill, thanks. an american graduate student is fighting for his life this morning after he was brutally attacked by chimpanzees in south africa. nbc's duncan golestani has the latest from london. duncan, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, jeff. andr andrew oberle went to south africa to study chimpanzee and behavior, but now is in the hospital in critical condition. a spokesperson told us he has injuries all over his body. andrew oberle had dreamed with working with chimpanzees since seventh grade. that dream came true at the goodeall sanctuary in johannesburg, the graduate student getting to work up close with the primates. but on thursday, they attacked

him. oberle was giving a tour when two chimps grabbed his feet and pulled him under a fence into their enclosure. they dragged him for at least half a mile while they bit his ears and hands. the chimps only scared off when the manager fired a gun into the air. >> he was brought in with multiple injuries and he was taken in with a number of doctors, physicians, surgeons assisting in theater. he's in a critical condition, remains in a critical condition, and he's under close observation in intensive care and the doctors say the next 24 hours are absolutely crucial. so we'll have to wait and see. >> reporter: oberle certainly knew the dangers. he posted this picture of a co-worker who had a rock thrown at her head by a chimp. [ screaming ] >> reporter: the goodall

sanctuary is a haven for chimpanzees and students come from around the world to study their behavior. in a statement, the sanctuary said "all our thoughts and prayers are with this young man and his family. we have never had an incident like this and we have closed the sanctuary to investigate how we can ensure it will not happen again." both of andrew's parents are trying to get to south africa as quickly as possible to be with their son. andrew's mother is quoted as saying the last thing he would do is blame the chimps for this. she says when all is said and done, he's going to go right back into it. jeff? >> duncan golestani. duncan, thanks. now here's jenna. >> all right, jeff, thank you. it's wedding season, and one potential celebrity marriage has been clouded by some recent dust-ups with the paparazzi. alec baldwin will reportedly wed here in new york city later today. but yesterday, baldwin's attention was not on his bride-to-be but on the photographers following the couple's every move. nbc's michelle franzen has more on this story.

>> reporter: today could be wedding day for alec baldwin and fiance hilaria thomas. >> they couldn't be more different. alec is in his 50s, big movie star, tv star. his fiancee is in her 20s, yoga instructor, someone we had never heard of before. he fell head over heels, and one year later he's getting married. >> reporter: and if today is the big event, the fireworks came a day early. >> want you to shut the [ bleep ] up and get out of here. >> reporter: as baldwin confronted a photographer outside his new york apartment friday morning. >> you little girl. >> reporter: baldwin tweeted after the incident "reporters are stalking outside my house and following in their car only to harass and disturb. if only a meteor would hit that car." just last week, baldwin was leaving new york's marriage license bureau when he had this run-in with a "new york daily news" photographer. he says baldwin punched him. baldwin took to twitter then, too, posting "a photographer

almost hit me in the face with his camera this morning." he defended his actions once again last week talking to david letterman. >> no one got punched, by the way. >> nobody got punched. >> nobody. >> and i said that from the first -- >> i think if i had punched him, i would be in jail right now. >> yes. >> reporter: baldwin has been protective of his bride-to-be after threats from two different stalkers. >> alec is a very private celebrity. he actually gets rather insulted when the press pry into his private life. >> leave my neighbor alone, okay? >> reporter: despite these recent scuffles, today will be a time to celebrate at the couple's super-secret ceremony. >> there have been some reports that he's trying to keep this so private that even family members, such as his brothers, are not going to have details of the wedding until that morning, and he's going to send them a text and say this is where you need to be. >> reporter: another guest sure to be in attendance, alec's 16-year-old daughter, ireland, who he had with first wife kim basinger. a family affair that baldwin

will try to keep private from the paparazzi. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. up next, saving money on your summer groceries. but first, these messages. [ male announcer ] every day, thousands of people are choosing advil®. here's one story. i'm keith baraka and i'm a fire fighter. it's an honor to be a fire fighter. my job involves life or death situations and it's very physically demanding. if i'm sore, i have a headache, i'm not at my best. advil® is my go to. it's my number one pain reliever. advil® just works for me. [ male announcer ] make the switch. take action. take advil®. and if pain keeps you up, sleep better with advil pm®. these are sandra's "homemade" yummy, scrumptious bars. hmm? i just wanted you to eat more fiber. chewy, oatie, gooeyness... and fraudulence. i'm in deep, babe. you certainly are. [ male announcer ] fiber one.

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this morning on "today's consumer," saving on your summer groceries. with the kids home from school and lots of weekend barbecues, which we all love, stretching your dollar at the supermarket may be a bit of a challenge. here with some simple tips on how to save big on your next grocery bill is "woman's day" health director amy brightfield. amy, good morning. thanks for joining us. >> good morning! >> look, your basic message is buy in bulk, don't buy package. >> yes, exactly. those are two of the messages. so -- >> start with the lettuce. >> the lettuce, if you get a clam shell of mixed greens, it's about $5, versus the heads individually, which are about $2 a piece, and the mixed greens is more expensive because you're paying for someone to have

already washed the leaves, put them together and in plastic. >> you're paying for the labor cost. >> yes. so when you buy the heads of lettuce, to keep them fresh, wash and dry the leaves thoroughly and put them in a zip lock bag that you've poked holes in. >> and the savings is deep. you say buy four 1-pound heads of lettous and save $32 a month. >> yes, because each head is only $2 and the whole thing is $6, and that doesn't feed that much. the clam shell -- >> this does. >> you get a lot more for your money. >> graze on this for days. >> yes. >> move to the tomatoes. same sort of theory here. >> right, well, cherry tomatoes are also more expensive than regular tomatoes. regular tomatoes can be 50 cents to $1 cheaper per pound because cherry tomatoes are actually harder to grow. that said, regular tomatoes are easy to grow, so if you want to save money, grow them yourself. >> and you say you can save $4 by buying four pounds a month. >> because they are about $1 cheaper per pound. >> and they taste the same.

>> yeah. >> avacados, big savings here. >> go to a latin supermarket, where you can get three for $1, versus at a regular supermarket, they can be as much as $1.99 apiece. >> why is that? >> well, at a lot of supermarkets, they know they're going to move and they know that the people who are coming there are using them a lot in their cooking, so they have to price them well. so, it's ptwo prongs there. at the regular supermarket, they might be sitting there a while, so they price them higher. >> right, so go for the smaller ones. >> right. >> corn. >> get the unshucked corn versus the shucked corn. >> why? >> again, you're paying for the labor. the unshucked corn is about 33 cents apiece versus this in this package. this package could be as much as $4. >> you're paying for the labor once again, the factory cost. >> you're paying for the labor, to shuck it, clean it, package it. and at the barbecue, that's all the fun, getting people together and shucking it, cleaning it. >> by the way, i think it tastes better when you put the shuck on the barbecue. >> yeah! >> it tastes better that way. >> right. buy the unshucked corn the day you're going to use it, because it does get less sweet the

longer it sits. >> your tip is to buy 12 ears at 33 cents instead of $1 each. >> yeah. this pack can be as much as $4. >> saving dollars there. >> yes. >> talking about the ham, this is a really good tip you were telling me about. >> this is again the idea of buying in bulk. instead of going to the deli counter and having them slice it and getting individual slices, you want to go to the refrigerated section, buy a two to three-pound ham, take it over to the butcher and ask him really nicely with a smile on your face to slice it for you. and of course, you want to do this when it's not that busy. you don't want to go at the busiest time because they're not going to want to do it. >> save by buying in bulk once again. >> about $1 per pound cheaper. >> and they'll slice it? >> go at a nonbusy time and again, be upbeat and with a smile. if it's busy, come back. >> well, you're so bubbly, of course they'd cut it for you! >> thanks. >> i want to end on the meat because that's important, especially for all of us carnivores to love to throw this on the grill. >> this is a huge saving. buy an entire chuck roast and have the butcher cut two steaks

out of the first two inches of the eye of the chuck roast. >> okay. >> then have them ground the rest into hamburger meat. so you're buying in bulk. you have two steaks and the hamburge versus the rippey. this is about $3 to $5 per pound versus $7 to $11 per pound for a rib eye. again, you're buying in bulk, buying an entire chuck roast and getting two different things out of it, versus buying just the rib eye for the steak. >> all right, you're saving us a ton of money. we appreciate it our crew's loving it, too, because they have barbecues this weekend that i have not been invited to, by the way. thank you. for seasonal items you can save on this summer, head to our website, today.com. up next, romance and reality tv. why are viewers so in love with dating shows? but first, this is "today" on nbc.

summer is here and love is in the air when it comes to

reality tv. new dating shows are popping up all over the place, so why are viewers love-struck when it comes to watching others look for romance? nbc's veronica de la cruz takes a look. >> reporter: the drama. >> you act like a 5-year-old child! >> i do? >> reporter: the suspense and the heartache. >> this is not okay. >> reporter: if you've seen it once, you've seen it again and again and again. >> jeremy, i love you. >> reporter: viewers seem to have fallen hopelessly in love with reality shows about relationship. >> thank you! >> there is absolutely more of them and they're airing more frequently. >> reporter: so, what is it about these kinds of programs that prove so irresistible for tv producers? >> they're not that expensive to make. you have maybe a host -- >> meet my millionaire! >> reporter: but you're not paying for talent. >> all you have to pay for really is renting out a restaurant and providing the alcohol to all the people that are on these shows.

>> i'm so happy. >> the rate of return is just so high. >> reporter: searching for love on tv is nothing new. >> and here they are! >> reporter: the tv classic "the dating game" first aired in 1965. >> why do girls love to kiss you? >> well, i have a boyish face, but it's extremely handsome. >> reporter: "the bachelorette" hoped to make a love connection by posing questions to hidden suitors. now years later, bachelorettes have gotten bolder and more aggressive. >> i have six tattoos that are hidden, but if you turn that chair around -- >> wow. >> -- i'll show you where they are. >> reporter: with a dozen dating shows already on the air, this dating season has seen an even bigger explosion. >> go! >> reporter: jenny mccarthy's new series "love in the wild" adds a little adventure. while comedian george lopez tests his match-maker skills with "take me out." >> single man, reveal yourself! >> reporter: there's dating shows with a southern twist, an iron fist --

>> i just want to make sure that your relationship with willie is real. >> reporter: and everything else in between. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: this winter, eva longoria puts her producer cap on with "ready for love," hosted by married couple bill and julian y y ygiuliana rancic. >> i think the reason people go on dating reality shows has expanded and evolved from the pure, maybe i'll meet someone. let's be honest, people go on because they want to be on tv. >> reporter: whether people are looking for a soul mate or just their 15 seconds, reality dating shows continue to keep viewers watching. for "today," veronica de la cruz, new york ♪ don't you want me baby and we'll be right back with my fitness boot camp. prepare yourselves. first, these messages. [ female announcer ] when skin meets goddess... romance happens. confidence happens. ♪ when skin meets goddess, anything can happen. introducing venus & olay, a match made in skin heaven. olay moisture bars release skin conditioners

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it's about time we made our homes work for us. for strong, healthy hair with life, so let's make our dryers do the ironing. have our fridges cater our parties. and tell our ranges to whip up dinner. let's plug in to summer savings before they're gone... ...without wasting an ounce of energy with smart machines that turn housework into house play. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, save $600 on this maytag french door refrigerator, just $1,598. ♪ all right, this morning on "today's summer saturdays," it's time to shape up or ship out, as

the expression goes. last couple of weeks, we've had some fun on saturdays with hobbies and different trips and different fun things -- >> they're fun! >> -- we like to do in our spare time. so, i'm a personal trainer when i'm not doing this. i like working out. so i thought i'd bring some of the fun skills to my -- >> yeah, fun. >> -- happy-go-lucky, eager colleagues. i did it with lester last week and he learned a lot. >> he's pretty buff. >> you guys are like negative nellies. >> he was complaining about you to me. >> we haven't even started yet and you guys are all negative. all right, so, let me show you the four exercises we're going to do, then you guys will have 20 seconds each. we'll speed through all of them. >> and you said these are hard, you said. >> yeah, these are challenging. four exercises, each 20 seconds. this is a quick little fun thing. the first one is shouldercise. don't do them yet. i'll show you. we're going to go back and forth to the sides, okay? next, plyo push-ups. these are fun. you'll come down and clap for 20 seconds.

>> there is no way. no way. >> or if you want them more challenging. >> oh, yeah. >> number three, these are kick drops. you're going to do a simple kick, a headstand and then -- >> you're joking, right? >> oh, we're doing the works. >> it's back. >> number four, you're going to take a 10-pound weight, if you want a little ab workout. this will be fun. grab the weight, use your core -- >> that's craziness, too. >> go up and back down, okay? >> by the way, that guy is subbing for me. all right. >> is there like a rest period in between? >> no rest. >> wow. >> 20 seconds each. we're going to go for the full two minutes. >> which one are we doing first? >> shoulder side-to-sides. >> i forget what that is. >> i need three new colleagues! >> all right, let's go. >> ready, set, go! left, right. >> going the wrong way. >> all right, nice try, guys. keep going! bill karins! i love it! you're doing a great job.

>> i'm falling down. >> all right, 20's up. >> all right. >> next up, we have plyo push-ups. >> okay. >> push-up position. here we go, guys. >> oh, boy. >> show them. yeah! >> this is the money-maker. how about just regular push-ups? >> okay, regular push-ups. one-armed push-ups, if you can. >> okay. >> yeah. >> oh, knuckle, okay. >> knuckle? [ buzzer ] >> all right, what's the last one? >> no, we've got two more. kick with the right leg. watch. kick. kick. here we go, handstand -- ♪ physical, physical >> let's do it. >> handstand. >> keep going, guys. way to go.

way to go. that's pretty good. >> we won't even do the last one. >> looking good. [ buzzer ] >> bye! >> i'm going to kill you! >> is that it? >> live, local, latebreaking -- this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. next morning. i and jennifer franciotti strength of violent storms swept through maryland had last night. hundreds of thousands were knocked out of power. wind caught 60 miles an hour in some places. baltimore mayor stephanie rawlings-blake has operated the emergency operations center and we will have an inner tube in a few minutes. if you smell a strange order which older, who do not be scared. if it is blamed on the low

oxygen levels, the hydrogen is creating the motor, and bad elegy is turning the water green. if it was the official last day on the job for dr. joe harris and, if the retiring superintendent. he turned in his company vehicle. he finished packing a few boxes, before heading into retirement. he stepped down after 12 years. 8:57 -- severe weather and wreaks havoc throughout our state, and we have seen coverage. if >> and downed trees and power lines are making a mess around the state. i'm kerry cavanaugh with the latest. >> it is really interesting. after all of the stormy weather, the sunshine is out, the humidity is up. >> new laws are set to take effect.

[captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> live, local, latebreaking -- this is wbal-tv 11 news saturday morning. >> did you hear them last night? violence storm sweeps through maryland, knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of people. good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. from a heat to a stormy night, the weather is the bior