good morning. we will remember. thousands attend an emotional memorial for the mass shooting in colorado, this as the gunman accused of killing 12 people and injuring 58 others set to make his first court appearance this morning. she's safe. that's what police are saying about michael jackson's mother katherine after she was reported missing over the weekend. where is she and why is michael's daughter paris saying she hasn't heard from her in a week. are there ready with the olympic games nour days -- four

days away. the count down has begun. the olympic torch has arrived in london and so have we today, monday, july 23rd, 2012. announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today," countdown to the olympic games with matt lauer, live from olympic park in london, england, and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning and welcome to a special split edition of "today" monday morning. i'm matt lauer in london's olympic park. good morning, everyone. i'm savannah guthrie in studio 1a. matt, it looks beautiful there. how is it going so far? >> it is nice. let me give awe lay of the land. i'm in olympic park. behind me you can see olympic stadium. by its side you see the viewing tower a lot of people love and a lot of people hate. just below that you see some of

the aquatic center and that will be the source of the scene of an awful lot of action over the next several weeks, savannah. i'll tell you, we're expecting your arrival on wednesday with great anticipation. when the calderon is lit, london will become the first city to host the olympic games three times, the second time as they were crawling out of world war ii. as with any event folks are already complaining, they like to do that around here, complaining about security and traffic and the weather. let me make a point, it rained 743 days since i arrived. since that time, voila, nothing but sunshine. >> i was going to make that point you arrived and the clouds parted and there was sunshine but good of you to make that point first. >> by the way, if you come on wednesday and it rains -- >> don't even say it. >> we're going to talk about those concerns and the final

preparations in a moment. a little lateroon we'll introduce you to the american athletes to watch including missy franklin. you'll hear a lot about her, the 17-year-old swimmer who could become the breakout star. we'll find more about her. >> we'll check in with you in a little bit. we want to begin with the latest on the tragic shooting in colorado, the search for a possible motive. the suspect is expected in court this morning. we're learning much more about him. nbc's miguel almaguer in aurora. good morning to you. >> reporter: the suspect 24-year-old james holmes has been in solitary confinement since his arrest on friday. he'll be in the courthouse for the arraignment. police say he is the man responsible for the massacre and ripping apart the city. they gathered by the thousands, shed tears for the victims. >> we will remember you. we will other than you by celebrating life. >> reporter: candles were lit

for the 58 who were injured. the names read of the 12 who died with a vow to never forget. >> this is our community. this is our city. you only find hope and peace here. >> reporter: sunday the president arrived in colorado meeting with the family of the victims, the president heard many firsthand accounts and then told the story of two young women he met, stephanie davies who helped save the life of her friend after she had been shot in the neck. >> stephanie, 21 years old, had the presence of mind to drop down on the ground with her, pull her out of the aisle, place her fingers over where she -- where allie had been wounded, apply pressure the whole time while the gunman was shooting. because of stephanie's timely actions, i just had a conversation with allie

downstairs, and she is going to be fine. >> reporter: today suspect james holmes heads to court. investigators say he had four high-powered weapons, purchased 7,000 rounds of ammunition and wore full body armor when he opened fire on the theater. law enforcement sources say holmes semiautomatic rifle jammed. the massacre could have been worse. four miles from the crime scene, detectives say holmes's apartment was rigged with explosives and wired with booby traps. it took police two days to safely disarm the apartment. "dateline's" chris hanson was given an exclusive look of video taken inside the suspect's home. >> in the middle of the living room there were dozens of softball-sized fireworks charges. he bought these, filled them with explosive powder and they

are all wired in a circle. then in the middle, two jars with liquid. there was a small device with a flashing red light. >> extremely dangerous environment. if a neighbor or unassuming pedestrian would have walked in that door, or god forbid a first responder, they would have sustained significant injuries or lost their life. >> reporter: across the street from the crime scene 12 crosses honor the dead as this community tries to heal its wounds, they all seem to have the same question. shooting victim michael white. >> why? what's going on in your life to the point you want to hurt other people? >> reporter: investigators hope that down the road that answer will come. today's court appearance is expected to be brief. the suspect is said to be uncooperative. savannah. >> all right. miguel almaguer, thank you.

local police are being praised for their fast response to the shooting. kate snow shot down with aurora police chief. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. he's been a voice of calm through the entire tragedy but it is still raw. when i sat down with the police chief i asked him to go back to early friday morning when there were hundreds of calls coming in and police radio traffic was chaotic. >> seven down in theater. >> i've got people running out of the theater shot. >> reporter: i listened to those tapes, hard to listen to those tapes. >> very hard. >> reporter: someone says i've got a child victim. >> i've got a child victim. i need rescue to the theater door now. >> reporter: we now know veronica is her name. do you know if one of your officers attended to her? >> yes. yes.

i met with that officer. we're all coping with this. >> i need a marked car behind the theater. >> we knew fairly early on we apprehended a suspect. >> reporter: they are saying we've got a guy all in black, armor, mask, guns are mentioned. this guy is armed to the teeth when you take him down. >> this guy is dressed like and could be received in a highly volatile tactical situation like a police officer. >> reporter: he's dressed like a s.w.a.t. member. >> these guys were sharp enough to see his outfit wasn't quite right and challenged him. >> reporter: did he say anything? >> we're not discussing admissions. based on what he told us, we were concerned about his apartment. >> reporter: we know he had loud music playing. we heard it was on a timer and set it to start playing around midnight. the question is did he start playing techno music to draw a

cop call? >> we can't possibly know what he intended to do right now. i've been told by the bomb experts if someone opened the door, it would have triggered the device. >> reporter: if that could have happened before the theater incident, it would have diverted the theater response. >> it could have been two simultaneous crisis. >> reporter: do you have a family? >> i do. my daughter was at the premier of batman at another theater. >> reporter: i didn't know that. another theater complex. >> another theater in aurora. >> reporter: have you had a chance to hug your daughter? >> oh, yeah. >> reporter: the reason he wanted to sit down and talk, he wants to convey how proud he is of his officers and the community is proud, too. last night at the prayer vigil, i saw a lot of officers getting hugs from strangers. at the end of the night, savannah, we saw a standing ovation for the police force

here. >> their quick response made a difference for a lot of people. kate snow, thank you. later on we'll take a look at the 12 people who lost their lives, including the youngest victim, just 6 years old. nbc will bring you live coverage of the court appearance expected at 11:30 eastern time. nor now a check of the other top stories from natalie morales. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. with the statue of joe paterno gone they face ncaa. joe isikoff has more. >> reporter: good morning. this school on edge as it awaits unprecedented sanctions announced in just a couple of hours by ncaa president. sources say those sanctions will include severe restriction on athletic scholarships, a multi-year plan on playing in bowl games, tens of millions of

dollars in fines. but it does not appear it will include the death penalty, suspension of the football season in its entirety. a lot of people here are saying the combination of these sanctions could even be worse than the death penalty severely restricting penn state's ability to recruit top athletes and maintain the kind of major college football program that's been so central to the school's identity for decades. all this comes at an emotional time. yesterday behind me penn state president ordered the removal of that iconic statue of the late coach joe paterno after findings of the freeh report paterno helped conceal sandusky's sex abuse for years. he said it would be a major obstacle for healing in the community and continuing wound for victims of child abuse across the country. >> michael isikoff in state college, pennsylvania.

thank you so much, michael. a horrific pickup truck crashed leaving 12 dead and injuring others south of san antonio, texas. the vehicle was packed with suspected illegal immigrants when it lost control and slammed into a tree along the highway. another similar crash left nine immigrants dead in april. today marks the single bloodyest day in iraq so far this year assignationwide attacks have killed people. al qaeda issued a warning it is regrouping. jury selection begins in drew peterson's murder trial for his third wife. the 58-year-old police officer is charged with killing kathleen savio in 2004. he's also a suspect in the disappearance of stacy peterson, his fourth wife. they have delayed the trial for three years. self-help speaker tony

robertson turned hazardous when people were treated for burns following his fire walking experience, a stunt oprah winfrey completed. thousands crossed the burning coals that reach temperatures of 2,000 degrees. they issued a statement saying they have provided the experience for 30 years and there's always been medical professionals on hand. an elderly woman said she confused accelerator and brake pedal when she drove through a parking lot and plunged headlong into a hackensack river. a car wash employee and customer jumped into the water rescuing her pulling her out of the window. said one of the good samaritans he's no hero for jumping in, he just thought of what would happen if it were his own mother. good fast thinking. you're up to date on other news. back to savannah and al. >> good philosophy.

>> good man. we heard how matt single handedly brought the sun out in london, what's he done for the rest of the country? >> not so much. let's see what we've got. unfortunately the heat continues again out west in the midsection of the country, big area of high pressure. the jet stream way up to the north. we've got heat advisories and heat warnings for 17 states. you can see we've got conditions with temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s. it will feel like 110 from phoenix, denver all the way east to st. louis. there you see the watches and warnings which spread across much of the midwest. that will continue really. we've got a risk of strong storms from the dakotas all the way into the northeast as a cool front tries to push into the warm humid air. look for anywhere from one to two inches of rain in isolated sections stretching across the >> good morning. t there is some drizzle in some

neighborhoods. expect a mixture of sun and clouds. it w and that's your latest weather. matt. >> all right, al. thank you very much. many eyes are on london as the games of the 30th olympiciad kick off in four days. the leadup has seen record rain and security concerns, actually big concerns. organizers are sticking to the plan and abiding by the british motto, keep calm and carry on. seven years in the making -- >> the games of the 30th olympiad are awarded to the city of london. >> and now just four days to go to the london olympic games.

the anticipation is building. the torch arrived in dramatic fashion friday night as royal marine martyn williams dropped from a helicopter rappelling into the tower of london bringing pageantry into the historic heart. as the symbol passes through the city's iconic site, london is poised to be a game of first. the london organizing committee hopes third time is the charm as the city becomes the first to host three times. the first amputee runner to compete in the games, women will outnumber men on the team for the first time. the ioc agreed saturday to allow u.s.-based marathon runner to compete independently under the olympic flag. the sudanese refugee has no passport and therefore no official nation.

most of athletes have arrived at the olympic village. in the park all eight venues sit ready for action with crews adding finishing touches to grounds and gardens. >> we're absolutely on schedule so we're right where we want to be now. >> the final days haven't been free of gaffes. security concerns loom as police and military fill in gaps provided by the understaffed security group. >> the world can be absolutely certain we will deliver a safe and secure olympics. we were let down very badly but we always had a robust back-up plan in place. >> on a brighter note sunny skies following weeks of rain have gyp hope to spectators and athletes who prepared for what was predicted to be the wettest olympics in history. rain or shine the olympic calderon will burn bright friday night as the games officially kick off.

bob costas is one of the main figures you'll be seeing in london. he'll join us all as he hosts the olympic ceremony. >> is it really several weeks? i'm only good for a few weeks. >> i'm sorry to keep you waiting so long this morning. bob walked into this set 11 seconds ago. what, are you trying to make me lose more hair? >> they called me 32 minutes ago. >> all right. anyway. >> i'm hanging around my room, minding like my own business. >> you sound like don rickles. >> come on. >> talk about news of the day. when you look around news of the day -- >> they didn't tell me you weren't wearing a tie. >> has a lot to do with security. much publicized gaffes and big concerns, are these games -- are they able to convince people coming here they can make them safe? >> well, they had this big thing with the private company they employed to provide about 13,000 plus security personnel. the head of the company admitted

it was a fiasco. they can provide less than half of that. they had to bring in police and military forces around the country. in fact, recalled some of them early from afghanistan to help out. what you have here, to be honest, you have the possibility of more indigenous radicals and terrorists than you would find in the united states. do we have some in the united states, obviously, yes, we've experienced it. for example the bombings that took place the day after, the coordinated bombings were by four islamic extremists, all of whom had been raised in britain. that's a serious concern. >> you talk about that but you talk to the organizers and they say these games would be secure. that's what they say and should. weather and traffic, the two other things you hear people complaining about. how have you found it getting around in do you expect the nightmares people are predicting. >> as you know, even outside the olympics, london for all of its wonders is a city where traffic kind of creeps through. that's going to be compounded during the olympics.

people have to figure a couple of extra hours getting to venues and queueing up and that sort of thing. today the weather is beautiful and long range forecast temperatures in the 70s, maybe touching 80 by the time we get to the opening ceremony. >> seven years ago if we had been sitting here, nothing. they basically created this olympic park from scratch. when people start filling these venues, what will stand out? what will make headlines. >> usain bolt against blake, maybe the world's two fastest human. bolt a star of the beijing games, although injured and no longer thought to be invincible. missy franklin on the american side emerging as an irresistible star who may win multiple medals. this may be the last dream time, only one in 1972, the maybe the second we've had. people are interested to see

that. >> four years ago we hosted in beijing and watched that spectacle unfold in front of us and said how are they going to try to outdo this. >> can we gave away -- we can't. >> do you think they can come close. >> they can do a good job on their own terms. i think everybody realized vancouver, the next olympic winter games, london, everyone subsequently, they will never have the unlimited resources that china had and the volunteers that china was able to call upon for six months prior to. >> bob did this, the volunteers, that you didn't see during the voice over. bob, it will be fun watching you friday night and over the next few days. thanks for getting here. >> i'm going to call you in the middle of the night and have you come on prime time. >> i will not answer the phone.

some athletes to watch. bob highlighted some already for us. first on monday morning, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, where is michael jackson's mother katherine. new details on her bizarre disappearance reported to police over the weekend. from here in london we'll catch up with 17-year-old swimming phenom missy franklin, the missile, after your local news and weather. domestic energy future that puts us in control. our abundant natural gas is already saving us money, producing cleaner electricity, putting us to work here in america and supporting wind and solar. though all energy development comes with some risk, we're committed to safely and responsibly producing natural gas. it's not a dream. america's natural gas... putting us in control of our energy future, now.

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[ male announcer ] eggo nutri-grain waffles. you know it's made with 8 grams of whole grain and is a good source of fiber. all they know is it tastes great. eggo nutri-grain waffles. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. new rules go into effect for abortion clinics across the state. clinics will now off to apply for licenses and consent to an inspection by state health officials. abortion clinics have been put uunder tougher scrutiny of late in the wake of botched

abortions. sarah caldwell is standing by. >> not a whole lot in the way of volume. watch for that fog as you travel in some areas. we have this problem, an accident in new windsor. further south, a crash clearing from the northbound side. another problem in the city, continued closures from light street and lombard showing water main break repairs. eastbound i-70, tapping the brakes to it marriottsville. live view in a couple of spots. harford, we see build up in the outer loop. coldspring lane, down towards 28 street. tony has a check on your

forecast. >> there is a little bit of fog out there this morning and there might be drizzle to go along with that. 69 in parkton. we're picking up showers and thunderstorms on the other side of the mountains. these become more numerous as we head into the afternoon. chance for showers and thunderstorms. we will have eyes in the upper 80s and low 90s.

they went through the air with grace, cut through the water at record speed and fly down the track. who are the members of team usa. watch as the olympic games get under way friday. we're going to introduce to you a few of them just ahead. good morning again, i'm savannah guthrie in studio 1a. matt already decided to head to london. matt, how is it going? >> you know, it's going great here. the weather is beautiful. the olympic park behind me looks like it's ready. as a matter of fact, some very last minute preparations are going on all around london, not only at olympic park.

not at the velodrome here a half mile or quarter mile from me. that cycling venue was the first to be completed. how about this, it came in under budget and ahead of schedule. you don't hear that very often. here is a tidbit about team usa. for the first time it will feature more women than men. we'll mention our most talked about athletes including a 17-year-old superstar. her name is missy franklin. you'll find out. she's got all these expectations on her shoulder, all this pressure. how is she managing to cope? we'll find out as we catch up with her in a little while, savannah. >> look forward to that, thanks. here a new debate over gun laws ignited by the tragic shooting in colorado. coming up an under cover report reveals how easy it can be for everyone, even violent criminals, to buy assault weapons, no questions asked. later we'll remember the 12 victims of the shooting and talk to a young man who was shot in the neck and miraculously

survived. we begin this half hour with new details on the reported disappearance of michael jackson's mother katherine. natalie is here with the details. good morning. >> good morning. authorities say they have located katherine jackson and she is safe and with a family member. the latest jackson family feud this time playing out in a very public way. katherine jackson, michael's mother and legal guardian of michael's three children was reported missing by police saturday night by trent jackson, a family member who lives with the 82-year-old family mat remark in california. in response, michael's brother jermaine tweeted his mother was fine and resting in arizona under doctor's orders. but that didn't stop the confusion. sunday paris jackson, the 14-year-old daughter of the late pop star tweeted, "my grandmother is missing. i haven't spoken with her in a week. i want her home now." raising concerns from katherine jackson's lawyer.

>> her grandchildren mean the world to her. she absolutely adores them and they her. she will never go more than 24 hours, if she ever does go away on a short trip, which is very rare in and of itself. >> late sunday night the l.a. sheriff's department investigating miss jackson's where about confirmed detectives have spoken with katherine. they say she's safe and with a family member. jermaine insists the trip was a planned vacation and told nbc news, how can our mother be missing if she's in arizona with her own daughter. this latest conflict began wednesday when an undocumented letter sent to the executor of the estate was made public. in the letter they claim their mother is manipulated by executors causing her health to be compromised. the estate has denied the

accusation. >> the jackson family has a history of in-fighting. it was there when michael was alive and continues dad. when you have one estate worth half a billion dollars, money is going to play a big, big role. >> the question remains, why has katherine jackson apparently not been in contact with her grandchildren since leaving home over a week ago. here is jermaine's latest tweet. no one is being blocked from speaking with mother. she is merely an 82-year-old woman following doctor's orders to rest up and destress. everyone has been well aware of this within the family. >> meanwhile jermaine jackson added his mother was told to stay away from the phone and computer. savannah, very bizarre story. >> bizarre is the word. natalie, thank you. let's take a turn and get a check of the weather from al. >> natalie, thank you so much. got a birthday girl here. this the birthday girl. what's your name? >> marilyn. >> where are you from? >> we're from the chicago area.

>> just in general, chicago area, don't want to nail it down too much. >> wheaton. >> didn't know you were in the witness protection program. let's check it out and see what we've got for you. the week ahead, we've got above normal temperatures midsection of the country, wet in the east, below normal temperatures out west. southwest heavy rain down through the gulf. midweek period we're looking for more heavy rain down through southern florida, central gulf, look for showers in the northern plains. below normal temperatures in the california coast, above normal for the plains, stretching down into the gulf coast. rain and below normal in the northeast, >> good morning. a little bit of drizzle in some neighborhoods. a mixture of sun and clouds.

all this heat to talk about, check out your weather any time you need, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. al, thanks. coming up next, following the tragic shooting in colorado, how easy it can be to buy guns and it's all legal. much more from london. matt catches up with one of the athletes expected to make a big splash there, 17-year-old missy franklin, but first these messages. these fellas used capital one venture miles for a golf getaway. double miles you can actually use... but mr. single miles can't join his friends because he's getting hit with blackouts. shame on you. now he's stuck in a miniature nightmare. oh, thank you.

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this morning on rossen reports, gun violence back in the news with the massacre in aurora. turns out colorado has some of the weakest in the country. how easy to get a weapon. good morning. how are you? >> good morning. turns out he had no rap sheet. he was able to buy his guns in a store legally. even if he had a violent criminal record he still could have bought them. this morning we're going to show you how easy it is for anyone, even criminals, to buy assault

weapons. inside this theater police say james holmes opened fire with a stash of guns like these. the same kinds of guns we were able to buy. no background check, no questions asked. it's this easy. hundreds of thousands of guns for sale on hundreds of websites. we responded to gun ads and set up meetings at popular shopping malls. >> how much was it we agreed on? >> 500. >> we bought the handgun similar to the one holmes used. >> he could be a dangerous criminal although you still sold him the gun with hollow point bullets. >> absolutely. >> assault rifle. holmes used one of these. >> you sold the man a dangerous weapon. what if he went and shot somebody with it. >> remember, at gun stores background checks required but here nothing. james holmes bought 6,000 rounds of ammo online. in most states like colorado it's completely legal. earlier this year we went online in phoenix, arizona, another

state where it's legal. within minutes we had meetings set up. our gun buyers, two security experts we hired posing as husband and wife. >> how are you doing? >> our hidden cameras are rolling as this man pedals a glock. we even hinted we were criminals. >> no paperwork, background check because i probably wouldn't pass one anyway. >> really. >> anyway, man, i appreciate everything. >> they shake on it. >> jeff rossen with nbc news. he told you he couldn't pass a background check. did that raise any red flags. >> slightly. when you need the money you need the money. >> people can get hurt. does that matter? >> yes. >> didn't matter to you? >> i need the money. >> we could hardly believe it but twists and turns just beginning. this seller shows up with a tactical shotgun, assault rifle and 7-year-old son.

>> i appreciate that. no background check because i probably couldn't pass anyway. >> watch as he hands the cash to his boy. >> jeff rossen, nbc news. >> not interested in talking to you. >> he told you he couldn't pass a background check and you still sold him the weapons. the most scary transaction of all came after dark in this pharmacy parking lot. the online ad for this 50 caliber sniper rifle, the most powerful gun legally sold in the u.s. it can pierce armored vehicles, even bring down a helicopter. but the seller is so laid back, you'd think he was hawking a used bicycle. >> enjoy. i know you're going to like it. >> once he got the cash, the gun was ours, no questions asked. we had some for him. >> this is the drug of choice for drug cartels. this can take down a helicopter. >> it can take down anything, 50

caliber. >> you know how powerful it is. doesn't it concern you you have no idea who they are. they could be terrorists? >> no. >> doesn't concern you? >> no. >> as the country mourns this tragedy in aurora, the country mourns again. >> the reason it happens over and over, it can be traced to weakness in our gun laws. this doesn't have to happen. >> there is legislation that would make it illegal to buy a gun anywhere without a background check, but it's been sitting in congress for over a year. the nra opposes the bill, savannah, saying that bill has many serious flaws. >> jeff rossen, thanks for the reporting. appreciate it. still new details on disappearance of two young cousins in iowa. why authorities believe both girls are still alive. up next we'll head back to matt with a look at american athletes who will be the stars of these games coming up right after this.

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we're back here at olympic park for more of today's countdown to london. over the next four weeks athletes from 10 countries, including 550 from the united states will compete on sports biggest stage. here are some from team usa you should keep an eye on. >> when you look at the olympics, you'll see team usa on pretty much every podium. >> i'm going to do the absolute best i can to hopefully make my country proud. >> a gold medal around my neck, it's my ultimate dream. >> gymnastics reigning world champion arrives at a favorite in the individual all around.

>> i feel like i have a lot of pressure on me but it's the same motivation. >> if she delivers the 17-year-old from dewitt, michigan, could cause serious weaver fever. another strong contender, gabby douglas. >> they call me the flying squirrel. >> the teenager phenom took first place in the u.s. olympic trials. douglas and weaver will lead a strong women's team aiming for their first gold since 1996. the men's gymnastics roster is also deep with young talent including cuban born danell leyva. 26-year-old allyson felix has long been a track and field star. in her third appearance she hopes to win one of the few prizes missing from her mantle, olympic gold. >> it's really what has driven me the last four years, to get that gold i want so bad.

>> hurdler lolo jones feels that same drive. she'll try to win the medal she missed last time around. she has one more goal in london. >> prince harry, i want to hook up with you. i'm single, you're single. let's make this happen. >> for two-time beach volleyball medalist, a return was in doubt since she injured her achilles and jennings gave birth to two sons. the sand isn't finish. they are going for the three-peat. >> i want to do what's never been done before. >> a new dmobl superstar could be born when teenager missy franklin hits the pool in london. missy the missile announced her arrival in 2011 putting the most elite swimmers on notice. >> for michael phelps to call someone a stud is -- for him to

do that was so sweet. it means a lot to me. >> despite the attention the down to earth colorado high schooler remains focused on enjoying the water and perfecting her british accent. >> would anyone like some fish and chips because i really do enjoy them. >> ryan lochte took home for medals in beijing but that performance just left him wanting more. >> i wasn't really satisfied. i knew i had to change some things. one of the things i picked up was that strong man competition. i've become a way better athlete than i ever dreamed of. >> the popular cover model has now emerged as one of the best swimmers in the world rivalling teammate michael phelps. >> we're good friends. at the same time when we got on that block, it's every man for himself. >> michael phelps will attempt one last assault on the record books in his fourth and what he claims to be his final olympic appearance. >> it's not about going out and swimming 15 events, it's about going out and capping off a

career. >> this time around, he'll swim in seven events. if he wins just three more medals, phelps will become the most decorated olympian of all time. and by the way, michael phelps tweeted moments ago and the wait is finally over here in london, so he has arrived as have so many other athletes not only from the united states but all around the world. phelps, of course, will get his job done in the venue behind me, the aquatic centre, the viewing tower. that's where a lot of the action will be, folks. >> save a seat for us, matt. >> looks beautiful. >> they really are. a lot of them -- go ahead, al. >> have you been tweeting, too? >> no. i've got to go run and do that right now. anyway, we look forward to you guys getting here wednesday. much more with 17-year-old

phenom missy franklin but first your local news. [ male announcer ] summer is here. and so too is the summer event. now get an incredible offer on the powerful c250 sport sedan. but hurry before this opportunity...disappears. the mercedes-benz summer event ends july 31st.

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>> this wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell. >> if you travel and walker avenue, getting word of an accident there. 295, crash being cleared. slowdown's developing on southbound 95. 45 miles per hour towards the beltway. you can see a little bit of backlights for more for road vicinity towards perring parkway. west side, 23 miles per hour.

we are in the summertime traffic pattern. we put that defog around the area. those delays stretch to liberty towards edmondson. franklin boulevard is not showing delays but showing fog there. >> visibility might be down 2 1/4 /or half-mile in some spots but not a big deal for the morning commute. 71 in jarrettsville. it is spring to be significantly warmer over the weekend. we could see a few thunderstorms to the west. mixture of clouds and sunshine, a chance for a shower or thunderstorm. high temperatures between 87 and 92. seven-day forecast, scattered

thunderstorms possible tomorrow as well. flood goes through on tuesday night. it will not make a big difference with temperatures. humidity will go down on wednesday. there could be a few scattered showers and thunderwals

it's the 23rd day of july, 2012, as we continue to count down to the ceremony of the olympic games here in olympic park. i'm matt lauer in london. we've got the gang back home in new york. guys, i want to give you the lay of the land. our studio on one of the major thoroughfares. it's empty now because technically not open to the public. when the games begin you'll need a ticket to one of the venues to get to this area. seconds ago there were people,

stragglers standing behind the fence, i walked over. they said, hey, matt, how are you doing? fine, how are you. they were americans. they were from north carolina. i said what are you doing here? they said, we're the diving team. yeah, they are olympic divers. >> what event? >> platform. >> i'm abe johnson, three meters. >> i'm kelsey bryant and i'm with abby. >> you're the team, together? >> what's your experience in london been so far. >> it's been really great. >> when do your events get under way. >> i start competing the 30th of july and have a little break and individual closes up and starts on the 10th again. >> i just think it's so weird you were hanging out here, just saying hi. we heard you were going to be here and came down. we wish you the best of luck. congratulations on making the team and we know you'll make us proud. members of the u.s. diving team,

folks. back to you. >> rustle some more athletes. coming up we'll remember the 12 victims that passed away including the youngest. >> we'll talk to survivors. stephen bart stopped in aurora, decided to treat a friend to a movie, ended up being shot in the neck. he'll share his dramatic survivor story in a bit. >> quite a story to tell. let's get the other top stories. natalie morales over at the news desk. natalie, good morning. >> good morning savannah and al. the suspect for friday's movie theater in colorado, 24-year-old james holmes is being held in solitary confinement. he's accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58 others during a midnight showing of the new batman film on friday. the toll would have been higher this holmes semiautomatic rifle

hadn't jammed. president obama threw to aurora to spend time with family of the victims and meet with survivors. officials in iowa believe two young cousins missing for a week and a half are still alive. john yang in evansdale, iowa, with the latest on the girls. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. this the site where the girls' bikes were found 11 days ago. this morning the mother of one of the girls is going in for a second polygraph examination in this case, which is now being treated as an abduction. posters and pink ribbons dot this community as the search continues for the two young girls. lyric's mother said they have done all they can. >> we've told all we can tell, done the polygraphs, done the cooperation. >> reporter: the girls were last seen 11 days ago when they set off on their bikes, which were later found at meyers lake.

an intensive search and draining the lake turned up no sign of them. one week after they disappeared, investigators announced they had evidence they were alive but offered no details. >> we're not sure about their evidence. they haven't disclosed it to us. we've always felt they were life. >> lyric and elizabeth grew up together. lyric has been raised by her relatives while elizabeth, estranged, spent most of the years in prison on drug charges. >> that's going to cause investigators to invest more time not only looking at parents but known criminal associates. >> reporter: lyric's mother says the past criminal past has nothing to do with the disappearance. >> we feel it's someone we do not know, someone who has seen them playing. >> whoever has them, let them go, please. >> reporter: the investigation is expected to expand beyond this local area. there's a $50,000 reward for information that would lead to

their return. natalie. >> john yang in evansdale, iowa. thanks, john. before the olympics begin britain celebrating a huge victory after bradley wiggins on sunday became the first british rider ever to win cycling's tour de france. wiggins said he would skip the traditional victory glass of champagne because he starts olympic competition next week. a quick round of what has you talking online. last night's teen choice awards are a hot google choice. justin bieber won trophy for male artist and taylor swift was named choice female artist. the favorite sing along song "call me maybe." this spectacular video of a close encounter with a glacier going viral on youtube. a tourist getting a closer look at one of greenland's natural wonders was nearly swamped by a large wave when a huge block of

ice broke away. one passenger said i have never been this close to dying before. and 19-year-old video artist barakdubs has another winner, singing one direction, "what makes you beautiful." ♪ >> he's a biochemistry major at the university of tennessee who takes up to three weeks to edit each video. that's a lot of video to go through. it is now 8:06. let's go back outside to savannah and al. >> i wonder how his grades in biochemistry are now. >> a lot of time. >> a lot of time but good work. >> some nice folks from greenville, south carolina. what's your name? >> lottie -- >> and --

>> the wises. >> nobody the wiser. pick city for today, just happens to be atlanta, georgia. afternoon thunderstorms, 94 degrees. as you check out the rest of our weather, strong storms making their way through southern florida. also some wet weather in the southwest, a front system bringing a risk of strong storms, all the way northeast and northern new england. plenty of sunshine pacific northwest. nice mild >> good morning. there is some drizzle in some neighborhoods. expect a mixture of sun and clouds. it wil

>> and that's your latest weather. >> al, thanks. coming up we're going to remember the victims who lost their lives in the shooting in colorado. a man who survived after being shot in the neck. his exclusive interview. back after this. ...but washington isn't talking to the american people. [ female announcer ] when it comes to the future of medicare and social security, you've earned the right to know. ♪ ...so what does it mean for you and your family? [ female announcer ] you've earned the facts. ♪ washington may not like straight talk, but i do. [ female announcer ] and you've earned a say. get the facts and make your voice heard on medicare and social security at earnedasay.org.

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the tragic mass shooting in aurora, colorado. in a moment we'll talk to stephen barton, miraculously survived being shot in the neck. first 12 people lost their lives on that fateful night. here are some of their stories. these are the faces of the colorado massacre. in these faces stories of bright futures lost and heroic sacrifices. among the heroes john blunk, he and his girlfriend were so excited to see "the dark knight rises." they had planned to go over a month ago. so the movie starts. then all of a sudden something is happening, something is wrong. >> i thought a kid had come in and thrown a firework. >> john knew? >> oh, yeah. he knew. he grabbed ahold of my hand and

pushed me on the ground. told me to get down and stay down. why? >> janson may not have known what was happening but he did. he served and wanted to become a navy s.e.a.l. >> he said someone has a gun and they are shooting people. i started thinking, this is it. i'm going to die here. >> it was john who died. you must love him so much at this moment. >> i love him so much, i can't imagine a life without him, you know. how can you share this with somebody and not have them around anymore? >> john separated from his wife shantel two years ago but she said he was an adoring father to his two children. >> tell them daddy loves them. he's not going to be coming back but he'll be watching over us.

she's unhappy that she left the theater not nothing for certain if john had made it, although many others were forced to do the same thing. she said she did the best she could in the most appalling of circumstances. >> i turned to john and i was shaking him and trying to get him up, and he wouldn't get up. i kind of pushed his arm and said, john, come on, and he wasn'ti wasn't moving. >> john wasn't the only one that served, an air force reservist on active duty at buckley air force base. and 27-year-old john larimer was a navy technician. >> he was an outstanding ship mate, a valued member of our navy team, and an extremely dedicated sailor. >> alex sullivan had big plans, he running in his 27th birthday with a night at the mows and was supposed to celebrate his first wedding anniversary sunday. 6-year-old veronica

moser-sullivan who loved to play dressup and read. >> just learned how to swim. >> that thursday night veronica went to the movie with her mother ashley. both were shot. ashley in the neck and abdomen. doctors worry she will be paralyzed and fearing she might not survive the news was only told saturday that her daughter didn't make it. twelve faces, twelve lives gone too soon. and 22-year-old stephen barton was inside the theater and suffered a gunshot wound to the neck. he's with us now from the medical center of aurora where he is recovering. good morning. it's good to see you. >> good morning, savannah. >> you have been through so much. i know you've had surgery. how are you doing today? >> i'm -- all things considered i'm feeling very good. i actually might be discharged later today. >> we hope you will be. i want to take you back to that

night. i know you just happened to be in colorado because you were on this cross-country bike trip. how long had it been when suddenly there was a shooter firing a gun in your direction? >> it was probably maybe 15 minutes into the movie. you know, even when the firing started, i didn't actually realize it was a gunman until i actually got hit in the neck. >> do you remember that moment? i mean, what was going through your mind as you were just laying there? >> even after i had been hit, it was such a surreal experience, i still couldn't believe it was happening, even as i was lying there. and you know, the thought certainly passed through my mind i thought i was on the verge of death. >> as i understand it, there was a part of you that didn't really grasp just how badly you were injured until you saw other people looking at you as you tried to leave the theater.

is that right? >> yeah. i mean, i put my hand over my neck. i was lucky enough to escape out the back exit. it wasn't until i saw the looks on people's faces staring at me in utter shock that i realized i had to get to a hospital very quickly. >> and it sounds like this bullet came perilously close to a major artery in your neck. >> yes. >> have you thought about how close you came? >> you know, every few minutes. i can't tell you, words can't describe how thankful i am that i'm sitting here talking to you today. >> you know, the physical injuries are one thing, and i know you've got also shrapnel wounds on your face, there is a recovery ahead. the emotional trauma of going through such a horrifying experience is something else all together. how are you doing on that? >> i mean, i think it's still

too early for me to say really how this is going to affect me. you know, i'm just taking it day by day. you know, i just hope that, you know, i'll be able to continue living my life as i was before. >> stephen barton, we are so glad that you made it and that you're able to be here and talk to us today and we wish you the best of luck in your continued recovery. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. we will be back right after this. hey parents, it's a big year. i'm not just teaching music. ♪ i'm teaching performance. here's what they'll need. ♪ get your backpack, your hoodies, harajuku, ♪ ♪ turquoise kinda purple orangish sorta blue. ♪ ♪ backpacks, yeow, ♪ to put their stuff in. ♪ graphic tees and denim, denim, denim, denim. ♪

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♪ [ male announcer ] venza. from toyota. welcome back to olympic park here in london. this morning on "today's" athletes to watch, 17-year-old sensation missy franklin. she's the first american woman to qualify for seven swimming events. a lot of people expect her to be the breakout star of these games. i recently talked to missy about

her journey to london. missy franklin appears to be like any other high school student, hanging out with her friends, studying for exams, fawning over the latest teen sensation. >> i'm a bleeber. one direction is coming up on my radar but all the typical teenager girl stuff. >> it turns out this belieber is a teen sensation in her own right, talents compared to the other superstar. >> as i start to scan the pages of the magazine and read the comments of the experts and analysts, they say we think this will be the breakout star of the olympic games. you're shaking your head. you're used to hearing that. >> everyone has something different to analyze and different to say. it's hard when you hear it from the different angles. that's when i have my family and

friends tell me go out there and do your best. >> missy's family has been there every step of the way. encouraging her to swim when she was just two years old. devoting much of their lives to helping missy realize her dream. >> i always want viewers to know this is a young lady who is the athlete heading to the olympics but this is a family heading to the olympics as well. >> it is. it really is. they have been the best support. i'm an only child. my parents are my best friends. we tell each other everything. knowing no matter how i do at any meet, if i do my best, they are going to be proud of me. >> as she prepares for her first olympic games, this 17-year-old spends as much time working in the pool as she doesous of it. >> what have you given up in terms of being a typical 13, 14, 15, and 16-year-old because of this talent you have? >> i would just say time.

i mean, swimming, there's so much effort that you have to put into it. you want to have the energy for it, because i love it. i want to go to practice and work hard. there's days when i can't stay out late. i can't go out with my friends. >> with her all american charm and winning record in the pool, missy has captured the attention of sponsors looking to capitalize on her success. but so far she's chosen not to go pro. >> i've interviewed a lot of young athletes in your position prior to olympic games. and most of them by this age are agented up and lawyered up and sponsored up and they have got the logos on them and you aren't that person. you have none of those things. why? >> no. swimming in college has always been a dream of mine, especially growing up and seeing older teammates go off to college and coming back on spring break and christmas and they love it.

i want to be a part of it. >> despite the fact swimming is mostly an individual sport is the team that motivates missy. >> it just feels like you're part of a family. that's one of the things that drew me to swimming. in the end you are working hard for yourself but you're also doing this for your entire team. you want to go out there and make them proud. >> the fact of the matter is, you also at times have to swim competitively against your teammates. so is that hard for you? >> absolutely. >> do you get upset when they don't do well. >> during the race, we're competitors. when we get up on the blocks and when we finish we're competitors. as soon as our hands touch the wall, teammates, friends, we're everything. >> she's 16, and she just got her driver's license. >> sitting and talking to you, everything i've read about you, it's almost as if you're too good to be true. you say all the things i would want you to say. i'm concentrating on being a junior in high school, olympics are just a date on the calendar, i like the team aspect more than

the individual aspect. at some point do you think the attention that surrounds you is going to have more of a dramatic impact on you? >> i hope not. i mean, right now, i've been able to meet so many incredible people and do so man things i never thought i would do. right now i'm doing what i love and that's what i want people to know. that's honestly the reason why i'm doing it. >> she is a sweet young lady. her enthusiasm is contagious. savannah, just a side note, missy, as you know, is from centennial, colorado. she practices in aurora where that shooting took place on friday. she tweeted, "praying for everyone hurt and affected by the theater shooting in aurora. i'm in total disbelief and shock. things happen so quickly. by the way, she'll join us live in london wednesday, savannah. >> i'm sure her heart is at home. it would be great for her to compete well and give them something to smile about. >> we're back after your local news.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> we have some problems out there. we have an accident and essex and back refer neck road and old eastern ave. but i-95 and fort mchenry prior to the toll plaza, we are hearing of a pot hole. southbound 29, we have an accident.

29 miles per hour on the west side outer loop. live view of traffic that security. things are flowing well at this point on the west side. and not seeing significant delays at the harbor tunnel to consider this as an alternate to 95. that is the latest traffic pulse 11. >> it is going to get better and the sunshine will break to the cloud deck into the late morning hours. 73 degrees in rising sun. the humidity is in the uncomfortable range. scattered showers and thunderstorms. those will be shifting in our direction later on today. the atmosphere becomes unstable and we will see a chance for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon.

highs in the upper 80s and low 90s. it's a little less humid on wednesday. >> we will have another update at 8:56.

the new santa fe steak melts. get extra grande flavor with the santa fe steak & bacon melt or add egg for a santa fe steak, bacon & egg melt, perfect for breakfast or any time of day. subway. eat fresh. 8:30 now on a monday morning. it's the 23rd of july, 2012. a very happy, boisterous crowd, already in the olympic spirit. i'm savannah guthrie alongside natalie morales and al roker. matt is already in london. matt, i know you've already given us a weather report, so next it's got to be a traffic

report, right? >> in one second. i had a brainstorm. al, running into these olympic divers, the women's synchronized divers gave me a brainstorm. i'm thinking you and me and speedos and 3 meters. this could end in the emergency room. >> there's no good that can come of that. there's nothing, nothing, other than manhood blooper tapes. >> i'll keep thinking. >> be careful with our imagination, we don't want to visualize that. >> get that image out of your head. there has been a lot of talk and worry about traffic. the traffic only affects you if you take to the streets in a car. our friend and adventurer ben fogle will show us from the thames and also some treasure

hunting. >> if you can't make it to london, some other ideas. five affordable destinations closer to home. they all have a bit of an olympic theme as well. >> then the rise of the manny with an m. families are choosing to hire male care takers to take care of their kids. what's behind the demand. >> the rock group was set to perform on friday. given the news out of colorado they performed for our crowd during breaks of the show. we'll bring you some of those later on. >> first let's get a check of the weather. >> see what we've got. starting today a risk of strong storms stretching from new england, northeast into the ohio river valley and up into the western plains. we've also got thundershowers through the four corner in the southwest. heavy rain down through southern

florida. tomorrow a risk strong storms mid-atlantic states, mid mississippi river valley. look for mild and sunny conditions in the northwest. sizzling record highs continue in the midsecti t >> good morning. a little bit of drizzle in some neighborhoods. a mixture of sun and clouds. don't forget, get that weather any time you need it, go to weather channel or cable online. when you need those smucker's birthdays, you go to uncle willie. let's do it. willie. >> here we are with birthday

buddies, cake and ice cream and punch. remember hawaiian punch. anyway, take a look, if you will, at katherine ambler from milford, pennsylvania, 100 years old today. her secret to longevity, lots of walking and chocolate. forget the walking, just bring on the chocolate. andrew bosco, teaneck, new jersey, 103. loves horse races and enjoys a martini before dinner. yeah, a little martini, keep you loose. here is delores stoudemire, from wilmington, north carolina, prettiest lady in the world, 101 years old today. received her high school diploma at age 100. let's hear it for her. that's terrific. benjamin holland of suffolk, virginia. i think that's the peanut

capital of the world. they have good peanuts. 100 years old today. favorite hobbies are reading, playing dominos. 107 years old, what a beautiful lady, mary frieling from holland, michigan. tulip capital of the world. keeps up with world news. she loves to watch sports on television. look at horace, isn't that great, great name, horace camp from hoover, alabama, 100 years old. he was a city policeman for birmingham for over 30 years. that's all. before they lock me up, i think i'll get out of here. >> all right, willard, thanks. coming up next, we'll head back to london with matt w has a unique tour of the host city but first this is "today" on nbc. hey, there's barely a line at space mountain.

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welcome back to london's olympic park. over the next couple of weeks the streets will be clogged with fans and athletes alike. so nbc's special correspondent ben fogle decided to take a different route through the city and i think he found a good one. good morning. >> good morning. what do you think of this weather? >> i did this. >> we had pouring rain. the river thames has seen the best and worst of life in london through the centuries. so i went paddling through the city's turbulent history and got an intriguing view from the waterline. down to the right. it's beautiful. you've got this massive sense of london, but very few people come out here. >> everybody had a right of navigation but it's difficult. the nature of the river is tidal, rises and falls as much as 7 meters. >> it was key to the development

of the city. >> this is why it's here because of the river. >> power station. >> very famous power staip station. >> that's where the u.s. embassy will be moving to. >> reporter: much of london's history lies under the surface, including most of its rivers. >> see on the left coming up to another archway, the river flows down. >> which is where the executions. >> paddle through. >> kayaking along here. >> bounces but a day like today, pretty benign. >> mi 6 here, james bond. >> this was in the film with pierce brosnan. we're now coming into what most people consider the beating heart of london. big ben. my namesake. >> you know why it's called big ben? >> no. >> neither do i. >> hey, how are you doing?

>> the low tide brings out the amateur archaeologists. they call themselves mud locks. >> you're usually head to toe. >> nick already found a bucket of treasure. >> a farthering. >> from around 1860. >> nearly 500 years old. >> yes. >> shakespeare's globe, that's about the same actually. someone in there watching a play may have which you could this over his shoulder. could be golden coins. those would have to be declared but it's got me going. a pipe. >> early 1800s. >> it's a real time capsule and more to come. >> the famous london brenlg you often see in drawings. that stood here for 600 years.

>> then it was bought by a texan. >> modern bridge before this was bought by a texan and lives in arizona today. >> i think i recognize that family up there. so this is the tower of london. >> originally called trader's gate where trade used to pass in and out of the tower. >> this the famous tower bridge with the london olympic rings. >> you've got it. >> wow, that's pretty special paddling through there, isn't it? >> in fact, if we carry down the thames like this, we'll rich the olympic site. >> from here it's about 10 miles down the river, yeah? this may be the best way to commute for the next couple of weeks but you have to be quite fit. this river is not for the feint hearted. >> got rough a little while. >> what happens is the water gets funneled through the different structures of the bridges, the actual foot holds, creates rough water. i was struggling to keep up a

few times. >> if a tourist comes to london, can they rent a kye okay or put in anywhere they want or are there rules and regulations. >> there are rules and regulations, diamond river jubilee has quite strict river rules. there are organizations you can go through with tours. the thames is a great way to see london whether in a kayak or other boat. >> these mud larks fascinate me. there isn't enough purell in the world. >> sometimes they are covered head to toe. >> when you find something is it finders keepers. you said you have to declare that. do you get to keep what you find. >> it's a bit blurry what you can and can't do. in theory when you find something of great value you should declare it especially if it's an actual gold coin or has value. there's so much down there. wherever you look you pick up items 2 or 300 years old. it's accepted if you find it you

take it with you. >> you live here in london. this is obviously a big week. we're counting four days to go to the opening ceremony. give me a sense of the mood of the people. >> it's unlike london i've ever experienced. the royal wedding we had a pretty exciting feeling here. this is different because so many nations are gathered here. london is really embracing this. i know there's been a bit of negative press that londoners are moaning about traffic. some great images, suddenly electricity. people are realizing this is a once in a lifetime experience and we've got to make the most of it. >> there will be no traffic headaches. you've guaranteed it. >> i don't think i've guaranteed it. >> ben, always good to see you. we'll see awe lot over the next several weeks. we appreciate it. up next, affordable olympic inspired getaways. they are a little closer to home. we'll talk to you about those. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

>> announcer: today's travel is brought to you by expedia, with more travel, whatever you're looking for, expedia can help you find yours. back now at 8:46. this morning on today's travel, olympic getaway. you don't have to go to london to get in the spirit of the game. director of travel & leisure magazine, spots that can create your own olympic experience and avoid that travel across the pond. >> good morning. >> the first spot, think of the winter games, lake placid, new york. >> what better way to get in the spirit than where they have posted two olympic games. lake placid. they are trying to make it easier to get into the olympic spirit by doing $32 olympic passport which let's you into all the olympic venues. there are a lot of them.

one thing people do not realize during the summer the winter sports folks are practicing. so there's a wet and wild wednesday. sounds like it could be anything. what it is, the aerialist, the freestyle aerial, crazy hot doggers, they are doing their training in a pool. they go down and jump into this crazy 750 gallon pool. can you watch. if you want to get into the spirit a little more and actually get involved you can bobsled yourself on the same tracks the olympians use, also super cool. a gold medal adventure for kids which combines activities, luging, biathlon with paint ball, which is fun and take the elevator to the top of the ski jump and you come down, which is good. >> next one is miami, florida, sort of an olympic theme in the hotels there. >> yes, taking the olympics and running with them. for kids from 2 to 14 or 4 to 12, what they are doing is lots of activities around the pool.

there's archery. they have lots of track and field, et cetera. if you want to watch the games, they have big tvs right at the pool so you can do dive-in movies. instead of olympics, cheer on the home team, which is great. it's a value, not expensive to stay there. >> working on your tan. next is caribbean destination, dominican republic. >> beautiful if you want a touch of caribbean with olympics, especially if you're a fan of horses. this is a great place to get your kids involved with a great equestrian program. they have three golf courses right on site and tons of activities. kayaking. we just saw kayaking in london. you can do that and lots of sailing. great time to go, great value. >> cheaper flight than to london. >> $300 from new york. next idea, resort called the homestead in virginia. >> allegheny mountains, beautiful part of the country, the homestead is one of the

grand dames of the area. archery scenery, a nod to the olympics. skeet shooting. they also have -- they have horse back riding as well. >> the last one is another venue we know well, vancouver, which, of course, hosted the last games. >> this is the closest you can get to olympic history, the last olympics, pose in the olympic calderon, rumor has it it will be lit a couple of times during the games, especially if canada brings home a nation. go where the "today" show was based and go to whistler and a summer biathlon. >> a lot of venues around. can you see them. >> yes. >> what a great idea to get us into the olympic spirit. thank you so much. up next, a performance from the hit band hot chelle rae. this is "today" on nbc.

>> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. we planned to have a summer concert from hot chelle rae but we were unable to bring it to you because of the tragic news in colorado. >> the band was here, though, and they performed for their fans on the plaza. they did not disappoint. we wanted to share some of it with you this morning. >> a good thing, they understood it was such a serious day, as did our fans on the plaza.

hot chelle rae were real troopers. they performed. we recorded it. we want to share it with you. here is hot chelle rae with their big hit. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ >> hot chelle rae. back with more "today" but first your local news and weather.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 is today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. u.s. transportation secretary ray lahood is in baltimore today to make a big announcement about funding to improve transit service in the city and county.

senator ben cardin and congressman elijah cummings will join him at 1:30 this afternoon. we will have complete coverage today on 11 news and wbaltv.com. today on 11 news and wbaltv.com. chances are, you're not made of money, so don't overpay for motorcycle insurance.

geico, see how much you could save. >> there is a little bit of fog to start the day, but that will burn off. warmer over the weekend. scattered thunderstorms. tomorrow, 93 with afternoon thunderstorm