good morning. breaking news. a terrifying scene in russia overnight. a ten-ton meteorite plunging to earth, exploding in a blinding flash. debris and shattered glass injurying hundr i injuring hundreds of people and it was all caught on tape. nightmare over. thousands of passengers finally off that disabled cruise ship last night. we get a better look at what they went through on board. two passengers speak out in an exclusive live interview. head in hands, olympic spri sprinter oscar pistorius breaks down in court this morning as he is formally charged with the murder of his girlfriend. we're live in south africa with

more of that story this morning, "today," friday, february 15th, 2013. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from bosto boston. >> and you're looking at a live sh shot. i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie. we are on a friday field trip in boston this morning. >> we are inside this city's historic hall. we'll get into everything that makes boston such a great place. there's a great crowd outside all fired up. can't wait to get outside and say hi to them. meteorite coming out of russia, absolutely terrifying and frightening. >> this is something you expect to see in a weird movie. you can see that meteorite as

it's burning, streaks across the skies in the euro mountains overnight, 900 miles of east of moscow. seconds later you can hear that loud explosion. >> unfortunately there's been some injuries this morning. duncan golestani has more. >> reporter: traveling at 33,000 miles per hour, no wonder people were panicking. streaking across an early morning sky, a burst of light and an explosion of sound. unverified pictures appear to show russian's city's close shave with a meteorite. locals heard and felt the shock wave of it passing. people stunned sbun sure of what they had seen were left staring

at the meteorite's trail. this man said it lasted three, maybe four seconds. more than 400 are reported injured, many hurt by broken glass, windows popped out and a large part of this factory roof collapsed. this level of damage is rare, but meteorites are common. they're often smaller and burn up as they enter the earth's atmosphere. later today, an asteroid the size of an olympic swimming pool called 2012 da will pass by earth. >> we can say with extreme confidence there is no chance of it hitting the earth. >> reporter: in this part of russia, that will be welcomed news. some people are asking if that asteroid fly-by we're expecting later is somehow linked. scientists say no. they're calling it a cosmic coincidence. savannah?

>> duncan golestani in london, thank you. dr. neil degrass tyson is a scientist. good to see you. >> good morning. >> we have these incredible images. >> this could happen perhaps once a decade. in fact, in the 1990s there was an air blast, possibly of similar magnitude that occurred in the air space between india and pakistan at a sensitive time when they were talking about nuclear disarmament or rather a armament. most of earth is water. this happens over the pacific, no one would necessarily see it. >> well, right. and we see it happen in a populated area, one imagines the outcome could have been even worse if it hits a big city like

manhattan shall right? >> of course. it's a shockwave, basically. this asteroid is coming in. it hits earth's atmosphere and feels like a brick wall to it because of how fast it's moving. when you hit a brick wall you basically explode. that's what happened here, it explode in mid air that. shockwave shatters glass or anything franlg sbil breakable over a huge radius. oklahoma city bomb that destroyed the building it hit but, of course, much glass was broken in the surrounding area. that's the affect of a shockwave air blast of an explosion of this kind. >> this seems to have come without warning. is this the kind of thing that scientists aren't able to detect in the atmosphere? >> below a certain size asteroid, they come in without warning, exactly. above a certain size, our radar can detect them. the military certainlies had a smaller threshold for what they can see coming in. by the time you see these coming in, there's no defense against them. something this size is not going to render the human species

extinct. something large enough that we can detect would. that's what we're really focusing on at this point. >> let me let you weigh in on one thing. do you think this has no relation to this 2012 da-14 asteroid supposed to brush by earth today? >> that next asteroid will come by, as your graphic showed, dip below the orbits of our satellites. it's kind of like a buzz cut to earth. that will happen so many hours from now by my read of the solar system this happens to be a coincidence. if it were not a coincidence, you would see many more of these between now and when that big one comes by. what happens, you get an asteroid that breaks up from the gravitational stress as it nears bodies during its life. so the asteroid becomes a train of -- a train of objects that would then come and hit one right after another. this is so many hours before the next asteroid will hit, it's unlikely. >> all right. dr. neil degrasse tyson with our

science lesson for the day. >> we'll survive the day, i promise. >> good to hear that. matt, now it's back to you. >> words to live by, literally. savannah, thank you very much. the ordeal is finally over for the passengers on board that crippled cruise ship. the relef could clearly be seen on their faces as they streamed off that ship overnight. janet shamlian is in mobile, alabama, with more. good morning, janet. >> reporter: matt, good morning to you. it was after midnight when the last person stepped off the cruise ship. you're right, the relief could be seen. for everything that these passengers have been through, tired, hungry, in need of a shower. you have to say, the mood was fairly festive out here, people reuniting with family members, sharing stories of what they've been through and then very anxious to make a quick get away, ready to go home. finally, their ship came in. after five days of misery, a

night of relief. passengers streaming off the carnival triumph, carrying their luggage, tired, hungry, but mostly just happy to be back. >> glad to be on ground, everybody! >> united states, ain't nothing better. >> reporter: greeting loved ones with kisses, smiles and tears of joy. unprepared for temperatures in the 40s, many of the wayward vacationers wore boath robes to keep warm. some took buss to hotels, others opted to drive all night, impatient to get home. cell phone images painted pictures of an agonizing week they left behind, tent cities on the deck, makeshift beds everywhere. universal praise for the staff on board, including praise from the boss. >> i want to thank them very much. >> he apologized again. >> clearly, we failed in this particular case. >> reporter: and then went on board to apologize directly to

passengers. >> i would like to personally thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the last five days. >> reporter: but not everyone was in a mood to accept. and for some, their first cruise is their last. >> never again. never with carnival. never again. >> reporter: for those who did not take the bus straight back to texas, they spent the night in a new orleans hotel and this morning are chartering to houston. here in mobile, the crippled cruise ship is out of service for the foreseeable future. it will be moved today to a shipyard on the other side of the port. that is where the investigation will begin and eventually repairs as well. back to you. >> janet, thank you. friends brandy and julie were on that ship together. ladies, good morning. how do you feel? >> so much better to be back. >> glad to be back. >> have you guys had a chance to take the world's longest,

hottest shower yet? >> i did that last night. that was the first thing that we did. i got the kids in the shower and then it was my turn. >> i know you were also traveling with a friend, lorainne. she actually broke her ankle at the end of this cruise. talk to me about the circumstances. i know you nursed her the last couple of days. >> yeah. she took a nasty fall. the ship was dark and they were pushing us with the tugboats. the ship was moving a lot and jerking and it just so happened she got up to use the bathroom at that time and the ship jerked and she couldn't see. she lost her footing and when the paramedics came in from the medical center, they picked her up and her foot was actually hanging off her leg, so she's in pretty rough shape right now. >> i understand she's going to face surgery. you say -- i don't want to get too graphic here, because it is

a morning show. she got up to use the bathroom but in the last couple of days of this cruise that amounted to using a bag. talk to me about your experience. i'm not looking for all the gory details but how rough was it the past couple of days for both of you? >> it was -- >> it was really rough. >> it was bad. >> like post natural disaster but stuck on a boat with 3,200 other people and those poor workers, trying to clean up after everyone and deal with everyone freaking out. >> i'm glad you said that, those poor workers. yeah, yeah. i've heard a lot of praise for the crew of this ship. not only were you, as passengers, dealing with difficult conditions, but they were dealing with the same thing and having to care for your needs as well. talk to me about them. >> right. i mean, they literally are -- they're on the same boat. they're in the same boat with all the same issues that we had to deal with.

they didn't just have to sit around and get through it. they had to work and try to keep everybody as comfortable as possible, clean up after the lack of sewage and it was just horrible working conditions for them. they had to put in extra hours and keep a smile on their face. they were amazing. >> their cabins were in the lower deck. a lot of them were flooded. you could walk through the ship and see them sleeping on tables and on the floor and hallways. some were sharing mattresses, if they could find one that maybe was not so clean that somebody had already tossed because they had been soiled and so they would stack up blankets and towels that were used to lay on that. they were amazing. they just smiled and sang and danced. and they were awesome. >> i think they deserve a lot of congratulations as well. ceo of carnival has issued an apology. ladies, do you accept the

apology? would you cruise again? >> not with carnival. >> not yet. >> not yet. >> not yet. >> i accept his apology. i know that it meant a lot for lorrainne, he came and carried her luggage to the ambulance last night for her. that meant a lot. but not yet. >> we'll let a little time pass. >> it will be tough to get back on a boat. >> that's very understandable. we're happy you're on dry land and cleeped up. thank you for taking the time to talk to us again, ladies. >> thank you. >> thank you. now here is savannah. >> matt, thank you. we are learning more this morning about the murder case against oscar pistorius. he was formally charged in a south african court this morning in the shooting death of his girlfriend. michelle kosinski is there for us. good morning. >> reporter: hi, savannah. first court appearance this morning, oscar pistorius cried.

his face in his hands. needed to sit down and have some water while his father and brother comforted him. the olympic great is now charged with murder. the prosecutors call premeditated. olympian oscar pistorius, accustomed to the cheers of victory, keeps his head down, now shielding his face from cameras to and from court. today, the world press has gathered around him as the accused, charged with the murder of his girlfriend, reeva steenkamp, found shot four times, police say, in the head and body. pistorius' upscaled well-secured home around 4:00 am thursday. police say the gun, a 9 millimeter, was registered to him. neighbors had heard shouting earlier that night and there had been prior domestic disturbances there but wouldn't elaborate. his need for security, saying he kept a pistol by his bed, machine gun and bat as backup.

>> he talked about incidents that he had to come downstairs with his gun. >> reporter: shooting prowess, 96% head shot from 300 meters. steenkamp at 30, cover girl, law school grad, soon to be reality show contestant. >> i'm going home with a sweet taste in my mouth. >> reporter: was set to give a valentine's day park about empowering women. instead, her family talked about her. >> her life has been cut short. she's with the angels. >> reporter: the world is used to seeing oscar pistorius in all his glory, blade runner. now emotional, accused and staying in jail. so pistorius will have to stay in jail until his bond hearing

at least. that won't be until next week. early on there were these reports and questions raised, could this have been a case of mistaken identity? could she possibly have been mistaken for an intruder in the home? police emphasize that that information did not come from them. savannah? >> michelle kosinski in south africa for us this morning. thank you. >> it is, as you can tell, a very news morning. let's go back to new york. natalie is standing by with the other headlines. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt and savannah. good morning, everyone. senate republicans block a vote to confirm defense secretary nominee chuck hagel. chief white house correspondent and political director chuck todd has the very latest. good morning, chuck. >> good morning, natalie. president obama is standing by his embattled defense secretary nominee, chuck hagel as his former senate republican nominee put up that roadblock that is an attempt not just to kill the nomination but also delay it.

>> the ayes are 58. the nays are 40. >> chuck hagel came up short of a 60 vote filibuster roadblock that senate republicans demanded, delaying what could still be his confirmation vote by at least two weeks. president obama was emphatic in his defense of his embattled nominee. >> chuck hagel, who richly deserves to get a vote on the floor of the senate, will be confirmed as our defense secretary. it's just unfortunate that this kind of politics intrudes at a time when i'm still preside iin over a war in afghanistan. >> reporter: some republicans want more time because they say hagel hasn't provided enough information on speeches he gave in the last five years. others say they want more information from president obama about benghazi, something the white house provided in this letter thursday. but ultimately hagel's issues with his former gop colleagues are personal. >> there's a lot of ill will towards senator hagel.

when he was a republican, he attacked president bush mercilessly and was very anti his own party and his own people. people don't forget that. >> leon panetta, outgoing secretary of defense is still secretary of defense and he will stay on until chuck hagel or anybody else is confirmed to replace him, natalie. >> good to know. chuck todd in washington, thanks, chuck. mary thompson is at the new york stock exchange. it looks like warren buffet likes his cheeseburgers. >> and usually with a cherry coke. teaming up with g3 capital. largest ever takeover in the food industry. even though that's not helping the dow it's on track for its first back-to-back weekly declines. tiffany is suing discounter

costco for allegedly selling counterfeit engagement rings bearing the tiffany name. that may have a lot of women looking at their left hand this morning. >> that's a big story. mary thompson, thank you. 66-year-old has been charged with money laundering after a decade long gambling spree in which he won about $1 billion but lost even more, leaving her $13 million in the red. she attributes the behavior to a gambling addiction and brain tumor diagnosed in 2011. o'connor pleaded not guilty. it is 7:19 right now. i'm all by myself inside the studio, but al roker is outside with our fine crowd. good morning, al. >> good morning, nat. we've got birthdays here. sweet 16. what's your name? and we've got another birthday, 16. what's your name? >> lexi. >> happy birthday, and 12th anniversary right there. let's check it out for you. keeping an eye on this system for the northeast.

it gets itself together, moves along the coast. secondary system develops saturday that will bring snow along the new england coastline. cold air dragging out behind it. the different systems, the models kind of diverge a little bit. what we'll call 6 to 9" of snow from eastern long island. boston you're on the low end, 1" to 3". new york city, 1" to 3". we'll get to your local forecast in just a moment. but first this message. this is $100,000. we asked total strangers to watch it for us. thank you so much. i appreciate it. i'll be right back. they didn't take a dime. how much in fees does your bank take to watch your money? if your bank takes more money than a stranger, you need an ally. ally bank. your money needs an ally. >> good morning.

we're off to a quiet start. the clouds or thickening out. we could see some rain and snow this evening. >> that's your latest weather. i hear you have a big crowd there in boston. >> and now they're bearing gifts. look at this this lady here brought us a boston cream pie sliced into individual slices already. >> the original recipe. >> original recipe. have you smelled that? >> i'm not going to fall for that one. >> we're overwhelmed by this

crowd. it's very early this morning. we're here in boston. >> we want to thank all these people for coming out. we'll spend some time with them and show you around boston and we're going to talk, of course, about sports, food, music and that wicked boston accent. but first on a friday morning, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead on our friday field trip, why boston is a big draw for hollywood. to do the things that i wanted. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief

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i'll tell you what we do. i want you to go out on the field and look for anything with an "o". we will win this for mother russia! coach, eat a snickers®. why's that, chief? you get a little loopy when you're hungry. better? better. now let's go for it! [ male announcer ] you're not you when you're hungry®. snickers® satisfies. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. funeral services will be held today for the boys stopped to death at the ravens super bowl parade. deontae smith was stabbed to death after he got into a fight. police are searching for the

suspect. >> just a couple of problems wants to talk about, one northbound on the harrisburg expressway with the disabled vehicle at timonium road. also, a crash coming in to us at bel air on the topside. delays on the west side outer loop. it will take you 16 minutes down to 95. you can see the outer loop going away from us. 41 miles per hour in the area of par for road. -- harford road. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> mixture of the sunshine and clouds right now. 32 in parkton, 34 in chestertown. cold front out of the ohio valley is producing light rail

and snow in the southern part of ohio and will pass through here tonight. during the day, it will be fine, and mild. it will turn winter-wide over the weekend. 50% chance for snow on saturday. snow flurries on sunday, breezy. that temperature of 32. -- high temperature of 32.

7:30 now on this friday morning. it is the 15th of february, 2013. and we are on a friday field trip to the great city of boston. and you're watching a changing of the guards straight from the 1700s when british red coats occupied this city. the boston alarm company band playing along. good morning. i'm savannah guthrie along with matt lauer. >> technically speaking, back in the day, those two groups

wouldn't have been at the same cocktail party, but that's okay. they've come together for us this morning. and we've got a great, great crowd as well, gathered here at spaniel hall marketplace. they've been gathered since 4:30 in the morning. we truly appreciate that. we're happy to be here from new york city. something you may not know, savannah, new york yankees fan. >> oh, no! don't believe it. >> i'm kidding. i'm kidding. >> you know, we all know that you are the yankees fan, but apparently your death wish extends to me. needless to say, here in boston, people are wild for their sports teams, including the red sox. we'll meet three people who take the term rivalry to a whole new level. >> they certainly do. each and every year, when tourists come here they find a vibrant place known for its culture, its history and, yeah,

those red sox. the city on the hill. the cradle of liberty. the hub. >> this is boston. >> this is boston. >> this is boston! >> this is boston. >> boston, massachusetts, the largest city in new england. a unique blend of old and new, skyscrapers nestled next to historic landmarks, marketplaces lining cobblestone streets. these very streets tell the story of the american revolution. each year more than 4 million tourists walk the freedom trail, 2 1/2 mile hike through time, encompassing nearly four centuries of history. paul revere's house, old north church, the site of the boston massacre. >> i'm standing where we read the declaration of independence to the people of boston for the first time. >> the backbone of boston? its vibrant neighborhoods, each with its own distinct flavor, from trendy back bay to north end's little italy to south

boston, community built on strong family ties. born and raised in boston, this man used the city for his back drop of his best-selling books. >> there's no other place like it in the country. no place like it. i love the fact that it's a city where people very much walk the walk. they don't talk the talk much. >> regardless of where you live, seems everyone here is united behind one common cause, one reason for being, the boston red sox. sports here is a religion, then its cathedral is fenway park. you can't come to boston without coming to fenway park. this place is so cool, one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world. >> that's the grown monster right there. isn't that weird? >> i can't take you anywhere. we have a new yorker here! >> covering 48 square miles and

surrounded by a beautiful harbor, boston is a city of charm, a place where the past truly comes alive. it is a fabulous, fabulous city. coming up, we'll learn how to speak with a real boston accent, sample some chowder, right? first let's go back to new york where al has a check of the weather outside studio 1a. >> i can see in that shot there that they still have snow piles left. may get a little more this morning. arctic air returning in minneapolis. 18. 23 in alpena. afternoon highs up to 15 degrees below normal. as we move into the weekend we'll have lake-effect snow warnings and lake-effect snow watches from michigan all the way to western new york. snowfall amounts generally three to six inches, one to three

widespread. the rest of the day today, we are looking at snow showers around the great lakes, more heavy rain central and southern florida. santa ana winds kicking up again in southern california. snow showers in the northern rockies. air stagnation alerts in parts of interior oregon and you can expect a beautiful day in boston with a high of 49 under sunny skies. >> good morning. we're watching a cold front that will come through this evening. it will create some rain and snow showers. >> that's your latest weather. now back to savannah in boston. >> al, thanks.

the passengers of that disabled carnival cruise ship may finally be back on dry land this morning. given the conditions on board, some people could face a number of health concerns in the coming days. nbc's chief medical editor nancy snyderman is also in mobile this morning. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. the carnival triumph is docked behind me. a lot of people are on dry land. as we talked to people last night and they explained what conditions were, one of the big concerns is that over the next couple of days people may still come down with illnesses just because of what they were exposed to. this is, in essence, a floating petrie dish, if you will. >> what are some of the more serious conditions they might be subject to, given the circumstances they were facing on that boat? >> because they were exposed to so much raw sewage, the real concern is stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. it can take up to three to five

days and sometimes in children up to ten days to exhibit. so although everyone told us they got no instructions from the crew or the people who owned the liners, one thing public health people are saying is that for anyone who experiences any of those symptoms, see your doctor and not self medicate. most of these things are limited but there were young and children and elderly on the boat. some people were taken off in wheelchairs last night and some put into ambulances. it is very important for the young and elderly, who could become very dehydrated. >> i wonder about food poisoning. food was in very short supply. who knows how it was stored. i don't think there was much in the way of refrigeration on board. is that a concern? >> the refrigeration went early. everyone said milk was not just room temperature, it was warm. so a lot of people stayed away from food products. a lot of people were, interesting, cleaning their own

bathrooms, asking for bleach. they were cleaning their own bathrooms because the staff just couldn't get to their own quarters. of course, as we know, a lot of people were sleeping on decks. food poisoning would have hit early, within hours to a couple of days. those people who did get sick were isolated from everyone else on the boat and now the real risk as a delayed infection is the sewage. you're right. double whammy. food exposure first and fecal exposure second. >> a lot for people to deal with. i know a lot of people are happy to be back on dry land. thank you for your information this morning. >> reporter: you bet, savannah. only the top die-hard sports fans. you will not believe some of the people we found as our friday field trip to boston rolls on right after this. ♪ [ male announcer ] the machines are on the move. they're curious. because they've heard that there are new machines --

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and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? and with all the points i've been earning, i was able to get us a flight to our favorite climbing spot even on a holiday weekend. ♪ things are definitely looking up. [ male announcer ] with no blackout dates, you can use your citi thankyou points to travel whenever you want. visit citi.com/thankyoucards to apply. welcome back to boston and our friday field trip as we enjoy a performance from the dance team. >> that is dedication. these ladies have been out here for a while. it is no secret that people here

are passionate about their sports teams. we searched high and low, all across new england to find the biggest die-hard fans. take a look. >> i'm lynne smith and i'm the biggest red sox fan. i love the red sox and i like to show it. i have outfits for all occasions. this is my opening day hat. whoo hoo! there's just a feeling of being a red sox fan. it gets in your blood. my powder room is all red sox and we do have some wonderful toilet paper for all you yampgy fans. ♪ let's go red sox >> i'm the world's biggest patriots fan.

it's definitely in my blood. i kept adding to my out fit. over the years i got patriots jersey, hat, patriot pants and eventually came to the face paint. now it's become a ritual. it wouldn't feel right if i went to a game without my paint on. nothing would stop me from going to the game unless i was hospitalized. got to support the team. >> go, patriots! >> i am ag nechlt s novial, number one boston celtics fan. i think i was born with celtics blood in me and i bleed green for the team. i only miss games if it's a furm or wake of a very dear friend. this is my get-up. green earrings, pocketbook, suit and my shoes.

this is the most interesting part of the selection. my barbie doll, like myself, number one fan. i also have a parquet floor. and if you notice my hair is the same color as the basketball. one of my finest features. let's go, celtics! >> they love their teams around here. bob ryan is a columnist for the boston globe. how are you? >> i'm good. >> did you get a sharp, stabbing pain in your chest yesterday afternoon? i walk ed into fenway park with savannah. >> it's fine. >> when a yankee fan and another fan walk in there, into the cathedral, do alarms go off, biohazard alarms? anything like that? >> we have sensors. >> what is it about this town?

why are people so rabid about their teams? >> boston was a charter of the american league in 1901. red sox -- celtics were a charter member of the nba. bruins were a charter member of the nhl. it's just passing down stories from generation to generation. >> boston fans have long memories. give me your favorite boston sports memory ever. >> when they won the world series in 2004. the red sox won the world series. and illustration of this for the next year, in obituaries all over nupg there would be family members saying i'm so happy that grandpa ed or aunt ethle or uncle frank lived to see the red sox win the world series. >> do we have five seconds for the worst? >> people were hold iing up babs all over new england saying you're going to see them win the world series. one of those babies i just spoke to. he was 27 years old and he was one of those babies who was held

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[ male announcer ] kellogg's crunchy nut. it's super delicious! ♪ fishy-fishy ♪ fish...fish... mcbites...mcbites ♪ ♪ fish...fish... mcbites...mcbites ♪ ♪ take a trip to micky d's ♪ ♪ and get...get...get... get you some ♪ [ male announcer ] get hooked on mcdonald's new fish mcbites. catch 'em while you can. ♪ ba da ba ba baa welcome back to boston. who could forget the hit tv show, "cheers"? i am inside a replica of that famous bar where we got to know norm and cliff. look, a beer is waiting for me right here. 20 years after "cheers" went off the air, boston has become a hot spot for film makers looking for a bit of that new england charm. it takes that certain boston look. che

check. a unique neighborhood. check. and, of course, that unforgettable accent. >> we're not talking about his trainer, sweetheart. >> check and check. boston may not be hollywood east but it's quickly become a go-to location for a-list film makers. >> when i think about who i am and where i'm from, i still feel like the same kid i was in boston, for sure. >> ben and matt helped to put boston on the movie-making map with "goodwill hunting." >> well i got a number. how do you like them apples? >> dozens of boston-base hits have followed. mystic river, "the fighter." >> our locations are unlimited, the ocean, cobblestone, foliage. we have snow! they love snow in hollywood. >> reporter:. >> actor comedian lenny clark was born and raised in boston. he has agreed to give us an inside look into some of boston's most famous movie

spots. tour guide maria gracia. >> tell us why we're in a bar this early in the morning. >> a really important site for "good will hunting." the booth where matt damon takes m minnie driver's character. this is our first date, lenny. >> how do you like them apples? >> cheers. >> are you ready for this? >> yeah. >> big scene coming up. >> oh, from "goodwill hunting"? >> yeah. you'll be robin williams' character and i'll be matt damon. >> fantastic. are you kidding me? he won an oscar for this. >> i know. the pressure's on. >> what is this? >> do something we both have time to. >> you have no idea what you're talking about. >> let me tell you about this location. we saw martin sheen go in this

door, right? at the end of the scene, what happens? will leonardo dicaprio runs down and lands right here. do you want to re-enact the scene with me? >> sure. >> just lay down. this is it "departed" in 30 seconds. there you go. >> we're at "cheers." >> i want a double scotch rock. >> coming right up. >> let's go get a beer. just ahead, we're learn iin the boston accent. what makes your family smile?

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is kim dacey. >> westbound 100, a crash at oakwood road. also a crash with possible lane closures at belair approaching the beltway. putty hill and oakley, that crashed there. another one at eastern. delays on the west side outer loop, 23 minutes down to 95, and

you can see the camera at baltimore national pike on the outer loop. harford road, you can see it is very slow there. tony, over to you. >> you can see the sunshine on the traffic cameras. 33 at the airport, 32 in parkton, 38 in annapolis. we are watching an arctic cold front out of the ohio valley that is producing light rail and snow. this will attract with us in baltimore. as we go through the day, as the arctic boundary goes through, we will see a mixture of rain and snow developed. temperatures will change quickly after sunset. thickening clouds during the day. during the day tomorrow, snow will develop on the coast and it

may be close enough to give us accumulating snow fall. 50% chance of snow on saturday. breezy and cold on saturday.

we're back now, 8:00 on a friday morning, the 15th day of february, 2013. that's a great band. they're called the drop kick murphys, singing the unofficial anthem of the city of boston. i'm shipping us to boston from the great movie "the departed." and they're going to be providing some music for us in just a little while on this friday field trip for "today." i'm matt lauer, along with savannah guthrie, here in faneuil hall marketplace. such a big crowd of people that have been here all morning long. just want to give you this view, walk around and actually show

the people back home. thank you so much for coming. this crowd goes all the way to your side. >> we had to divide and conquer. we have so many great fans. i just met a lady who has -- skipped going to the doctor today because she had to be here. coming up, we are going to talk about all the things that make this such a great town. and, of course, including the famous boston accent. we're going to do our best to learn it. we've been practicing and we're going to sample some of the taste of the town, too. >> also ahead, boston native mindy kaelin is here, from "the office" and "the mindy project." what she loves most about this town. first, back to new york. al roker has a big announcement. al? >> that's right, guys. we have a nice crowd here, too, having a good time. our next friday field trip,

savannah, matt, natalie, willie and i are all jetting off to miami. we're going to south beach in miami for a little fun in the sun. and it just so happens south beach wine and food festival will be under way. so, we will have as many great chefs who will be cramming our set as possible. it's all going to be next friday, our friday field trip. we will be having a good time. guys? >> all right, al. that sounds great. thanks very much. look forward to that. let's go back to new york again. we're doing the hopscotch thing. let go into natalie who has all the top stories. natalie? >> good morning again, matt and savannah. danger from outer space when a ten-ton meteorite streaked across the sky and landed in a remote part of russia, 90 miles east of moscow. scientists say it is not related

to the 150-foot asteroid expected to pass within a near 17,000 miles of earth today. the disabled carnival cruise ship that became a floating nightmare for thousands of passengers and crew finally docked overnight in mobile, alabama. relieved passengers said they were looking forward to hot showers and working toilets. many had high praise for the performance of the crew after an engine fire last weekend left the ship without power. blade runner olympian oscar pistorius appeared today in court where his agent said he disputed the murder charge against him, quote, in the strongest possible terms. the south african aeth leet athlete wept openly as prosecutors said they would pursue a premeditated murder charge in the death of his girlfriend, reeva steenkamp. she was shot several times thursday inside pistorius' home. quick roundup of what has you talking online. brad pitt and angelina jolie are uncorking a new project. they're about to release the

first wine produced under their own label made with organic grapes from their estate in france, a rose debuts next month. whites and reds will soon follow. this viral video shows the awesome power of the ocean. jon hoover was diving off maui when a huge wave created a vacuum that pulled him backwards over the rocks. hoover, fortunately, was not hurt. new jersey banjo prodigy is picking and grinning during his foot-stomping version of "rockwood deer chase." ♪ johnny performs with brothers ravi on fiddle and tommy on guitar. they all got skills.

back touts al with a check of our weather. >> kind of a junior version of mumford & sons. like that. sunny, breezy, milder, temperatures in the upper 40s today. we do have some changes coming. meantime, more heavy rain down through central and southern florida. a few showers making their way through the mid and lower mississippi river valley. we're expecting plenty of sunshine in the pacific northwest. santa ana winds will be kind of breezy through southern california. look for a gorgeous day up and down the eastern seaboard. >> good morning. we're off to a quiet start. the clouds or thickening out. we could see some rain and snow this evening.

>> and let's head back to boston with savannah and matt. >> al, thanks. coming up from boston, we'll kick our friday field trip into high gear. what do we have here? >> positive ton revolution jerseys. >> personalized. love it. >> we'll also speak to mindy kaelin. >> and your top videos of the week all on friday. but first these messages. oh, steer clear of kristen,

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>> do you want to demonstrate? >> not in these heels. but, yeah, what a nice introduction. >> you have a gazillion fans. this is your hometown. >> yeah. >> where is the boston accent? >> i never had one growing up. everyone thought i was just from california. i love t i think it's kind of sexy actually. >> do you have any boston lingo that you still use? >> i say wicked. >> that's wicked awesome. >> yeah, for a woman in her 30s i say wicked probably more than i should. yeah, that's pretty much it. >> let's talk about some of what you've been doing. you've got "the mindy project," a great show. you play someone named mindy laheary, a doctor who is very successful but has, shall whoa say, a complicated romantic life. what did you have to do to get into this mindy character? >> because i am like a nerd, it

was really fun to play -- the character is so much more fun than me. she parties a lot. and, yeah, i have -- all my writers help me come up with crazy stories. >> everybody loves you on "the office," of course. we saw you in the season premiere, series finale. will we see you in the finale of "the office"? >> that's the plan. i have no idea what the story line is. i'm really excited to see how craig daniels and those guys write t i would love to be part of it. and that's the plan. >> tell me about growing up in boston. what is one of i don't you are favorite things about the city? >> i love that it's freezing cold out and i've been here since 3:00 in the morning. >> barely wearing a jacket, by the way. >> are they drunk? like they're so into it. that, to me, is so boston to me.

i don't know. that's just hard core fans, red sox, celtics. they're just like, do or die. >> there's so many great comedians that come from here, jay leno, amy poehler, dennis leary, conan o'brien. is it in the water? >> i think because it's so cold here all the time and people are terrible drivers. we have a lot of good qualities. you have to be a toughy here. >> mindy kaling, great to have you here. thank you for being with us. >> yeah. thank you. >> matt and i learn the fine art of that boston accent right after this. [ male announcer ] why is kellogg's crunchy nut so delicious?

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one of the first things you notice when you come here to boston is, some would say, distinct way people speak. >> just a little bit different. there's some strange vowels, missing rs. are bostonians really missing something? new york talks its own distinct talk. chicago has theirs. >> i don't have an accent. >> down south you'll find a familiar greeting. >> howdy. how are y'all doing?

>> while those out west are a little laid back. >> chill, man. >> do you want to put -- >> sometimes fear. >> and very often imitated accents. >> i don't know what your reputation is. in this town -- >> can be found right here in boston. >> i'm from boston, too. so you're looking great. good for you. you're not better than me. >> there is the upper crust boston accent made famous by the kennedys. >> ask not what your country can do for you. ask what you can do for your country. >> then the accent distinctly from south boston or southie. >> birds of a feather flock together. >> but no matter where in boston you're from, there's no denying there's a way of expressing yourself like no other. >> it's bizarre. >> it's impossible to find parking around here. >> are you trying to say how i say my rs, is that it?

>> not just the accent that's different. >> you won't find sprinkles in these parts. >> they're jimmys. >> don't bother looking for the water cooler. >> it's a bubbler. >> grocery bags are -- >> bundles. >> it's not a rubber band. >> it's an elastic. >> well-dressed man may hear someone say. >> don't you look dapper? >> and if you ask for direction s you might hear something like that. >> you see dunkin' donuts, you've gone too far. turn a u' y. >> it's kind of a calling card. it adds local color to speech and the more local color the better. >> the roots of the boston accent are as deep as this city's history. >> you can actually trace features of the boston dialect all the way back to the earliest settlements of new england. r dropping and other features have to do with areas of england that the prominent bostonians

were coming from. >> while some research suggests that regional accents across the country are fading, for now a party in boston is still -- >> a party. >> a party. where is the party? >> all right. let's get more of this. a native of these parts, wendy, also a speech pathologist. she will give us a lesson so we can learn the authentic accent. you can slip in and out of it, can't you? >> i can. >> give us the none and then the yes. >> okay. the non would be it's not hard for mark wahlberg to speak boston because he's our local star from dorchester. >> boston way. >> it's not hard for mark wahlberg to speak boston because he's our local star from dorchester. >> you train people to lose their boston accents but not because you think they should, right? you don't want to start a mob

scene here. >> no, we don't want to start a mob scene. some people feel a boston accent -- no accents are wrong but sometimes accents can be distracting. and when people speak, especially actors and actresses or people that have to make sure that their message is really being listened to closely and not how they're saying it but what they're saying. >> a couple of envelopes here. >> we do. >> you'll have us try a couple of phrases with my typical new york action intent then with your boston accent. >> all right. >> here we go. >> first one for you, matt. >> okay. will bobby wier be at the weird party? that would be bizarre. >> okay. >> or -- go ahead. will bobby orr be at the wier party? that would be bizarre. >> okay. >> now savannah's turn. >> you like it? >> absolutely. >> nan my tucson, arizona, accent. can we get pizza?

>> can we get some pizza in the north end? i'm starving. >> it's getting there. it's getting there, savannah. >> who wins the baked beans, me or savannah? >> the baked beans. >> it's a draw. >> wendy, thank you. >> thank you so much. i'll see you later in the rot d rotunder. >> good one. thank you. >> back to willie, natalie and al for "today's" top clicks. >> it is time for "today's" top clicks. you get to pick your favorite video of the week. >> al points out savannah sounds a little more like edith bunker, archie. she has a little bit of that. >> shekeep working on that, savannah. last week it was a land slide. a lot of us saw this one, little amaiyah fast asleep until her favorite song comes on the radio

and she turns from full ram sleep to full "gangnam style." ♪ i mean, who is going to beat that? >> i love the sister's reaction. >> her little sister kills me on that one. >> she gets an assist from her little sister on that one. big winner for you all last week. this week, pretty stiff competition. bakersfield condors, minor league hockey team, bring a live c condor on to the ice during the national anthem. what could possibly go wrong? ♪ banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪

>> hit the locker room, showers and all of that. >> into the locker room before they could finally corral him. >> getting his hand caught in the cookie jar or his entire face in the sprinkle jar. >> can you explain to me why the sprinkles are empty? >> they're not empty. >> look at me. did you eat those sprinkles? >> no, i did not. >> you know it's not nice to tell stories and to lie, right? look at mommy. you're not supposed to lie. tell me now. did you eat those sprinkles? >> no, i did not. >> deny, deny, deny. >> and he's taken that -- that's his story. >> evidence all over his face. >> he was actually on ellen this week and she posed a series of questions to him and he fibed. there may be a pattern developing. last, but not least, final jeopardy response to team

tourname tournament, the category, military men. >> and this is the clue. 1944, he said "the eyes of the world are upon you." now we go to leonard cooper, looking pretty happy. why? did he come up with -- dwight david icen ha isenhower? >> no, he didn't. >> the response was eisenhower. he didn't know, but he didn't need it to win the $75,000. let's recap, "gangnam style," condor, sprinkles or jeopardy. next your local news.

>> this is in wbal tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is traffic pulse 11 and kim dacey. >> we have a couple of situations to talk about. one is westbound 100 and oakwood road. a bit of the slow traffic leading up to that. several accidents in baltimore county. in randallstown, liberty at marriottsville road, crash coming in to ask there. northbound 95 at fort mchenry,

that has moved off to the shoulder. west side outer loop, big delays. 27 minutes down to 95. switching over to the top side of the beltway at harford road, delays on the outer loop are easing a bit. john, over to you. >> very nice morning in this morning. clouds in the ohio river valley producing and texter of rain and snow -- producing a mixture of rain and snow eventually some of the moisture is going to catch up with us. b.w.i., temperature is 36 degrees. forecast for today, high is up around 50 degrees or so. torbit evening, a fireball when

it can -- a variable winds at 10 miles per hour. into saturday, there could be an inch or two of accumulation. president state looks dry. >> back with another update

8:30 now on a friday morning, the 15th of february, 2013. we're on a field trip in boston, massachusetts, while al and natalie hold down the fort in new york. we have made our way inside the faneuil hall marketplace. we are at an institution here in boston, regina peep pizzaria.

can we get six slices of everything? >> absolutely. what would you like? >> take a big bite and we'll be on our way. >> excellent. >> we've got to eat. >> we will. >> love it. also, as he chews his food, come to boston, you've got to try the chowder. we're at boston chowder just across the way. we're taking the place down. nice to see you. this is classic new england clam chowder, right? >> right. and you have to say it right, chowder. >> boston roll? >> that's exactly what it is. >> there's no cream in there, right? >> no. >> delicious. on a cold day like this, that is perfect. can you pack up about ten of those to go? >> absolutely. >> i want to eat it but i'm afraid i'll wind up wearing it.

thank you. >> thank you. appreciate it. >> we're inside the faneuil marketplace that opened up. >> longest serving mayor. when you say sounds, we'll have some music from a great band called the dropkick murphys. they love this town and they are loved in this town. but first let's go back to al in new york. al? all righty. thanks so much. we've got our crowd here. they're looking pretty good. let's look at the weekend and see what we've got. starting off with tomorrow, showers in the pacific northwest. snow squauls around the great lakes. sunny and warm through the southwest. windy conditions continue into southern california. showers in extreme southern florida. sunday, sunday, look for snow in northern new england, windy conditions. snow showers around the great lakes. snow in the western plains. windy in texas. >> good morning.

we're watching a cold front that will come through this evening. it will create some rain and snow showers. >> what a cutie here. you made her cry. >> you're making her cry now. she was happy until you came over. >> no, you made her cry. >> you made her cry. >> no, you made her cry. >> matt and savannah, you made her cry. >> thank you very much, al. we appreciate that. also, we have run into boston's longest-serving mayor in his 20th year in office, thomas menino. sir, good morning. great to see you.

>> what a great show this morning. >> what makes this city so popular? >> the colleges, the vitality, health care. but just excitement happens here every day. it's not a boring city. things are happening. >> it wasn't boring last weekend when you guys got, as you would say, hammered here by a snow storm. you had a blizzard and you handled it really well. >> thank you very much. we did a fairly good job. we had some issues but i think overall it was an a-plus job. we take the hits when they come. >> i know you came bearing gifts. do you have a proclamation for us? >> i won't read it all. you don't want to hear that. but i do hereby proclaim february friday, february 15th, 2013 to be "today" show day in the city of boston.

congratulations. >> thank you, mr. mayor. >> great to see you again. >> boston globe said you had met 57% of the residents' approval here in the city. great to see you. we'll take a look at the quirkier side of this city. first this is "today" on nbc. o

we're back with more of our friday field trips here in boston at faneuil marketplace. we're going to see the quirky side of boston. we turn to ron mott, who makes boston his home. >> good morning. >> good to see you in your neck of the woods. >> because i spent so much time on the road last year, covering

politics, it's only now starting to feel like home. ever hear of the candle pin bowling? me either. i'm told it's the boston/new england pasttime. shoes, check. candle, check? time to roll. that is not how it's done. in worchester, massachusetts, candlepin bowling didn't spread very far, smaller balls, pins like candles, hitting them much harder than it looks, even for a bowler like peter flynn. what's the lowest scoring game? >> no one has ever rolled a perfect 300. that's perfectly okay with this crowd. >> it is such a tradition here. >> from the alley to the ice. this is boston commons, america's oldest park. if you spent any time in boston you'll wind up on a pair of

skates. the park has been here since 1634, the ice rink is relatively new. for a newcomer like me -- >> you know how to walk, right? >> barely. >> a helpful guide never hurts. hopping on to frozen ponds every chance they get. >> winters are tough up here. we try to make the best of it. skating and skiing are two ways. >> you have to keep straight. >> no two ways about it. >> doing okay. he's staying on his feet, not falling backwards. side to side. >> the bruins won't come calling. >> boston really is at the center of the world. that's why it's called the hub. no place is that more evident than right here, a hidden gem tucked away in the heart of the city. if i can remember where in the world i parked my car. >> got a little work to do on the accent. >> it's all right. >> the more i live here, the

more i love it. >> ron, thank you so much. >> you bet. friday field trip rolls on. we'll sample some great food. first this is "today" on nbc.

>> we're back now on a friday morning in the heart of boston, massachusetts. you can't come to this city without sampling some local food. >> we're going to make an easy one-pot dish, just a few simple steps. chef michael shoud here, a chef at a couple of restaurants here. >> where do we get started ? >> it doesn't really matter what time of day it is. you have the dubious honor of

cracking open -- >> dubious? that's huge. >> local shellfish. i started little carrots, onions, celery, garlic. little local cod in here. savannah, i've got a sharp knife here. >> you're going to give savannah a sharp knife? >> yeah. >> sorry. don't tempt me. >> the hospital is right around the corner from here. we'll be okay. >> how am i slicing it? >> i would like a little beer. >> i'll take a beer. >> all right. >> if you can pass me some of the shellfish. >> i've got it coming. >> hold on. i've got the knife! >> thank you so much. what we're going to do with this. >> i'm just slicing. >> put this in the order they're going to cook. clams are first. >> no cream in this? >> no cream. >> tomato based. >> it's a dish from italy, strong italian population in boston right by the north end.

this has some local clams, mussels, shrimp. i'll ask you to take that tomato and put that right in here. >> just pour it all in? >> most of it. about three-quarters of that. i'm going to give you this back, matt, if you don't md. >> what is this, tomato sauce? >> pureed italian tomatoes or canned. it's cold here. we don't always have the best weather to grow tomatoes. canned tomatoes are always consistent. >> a dash of everything? >> good pinch. always season it later if you want. rosemary and thyme in here. if there's something you don't like or you can't get locally, substitute whatever you want. what's nice about this is putting the local cod in, it thinkens the sauce as it cobbings. beautiful local bread. we have a red flannel hash. >> what is that? >> it's an interesting idea. red and gold beets, potatoes.

this was a way to utilize last night's corn beef and cabbage. i tried to rup update it by not cooking it to death. i did homemade pastrami to give it some spice. so this cooks for about -- each dish, each component of it, a minute or two until it starts to open up. you don't want the clams and mussels to cook forever. they sort of shrink up then and get tough. you just want them to open up until it looks like this. beautiful shellfish stew. >> that's beautiful. >> served with beautiful grilled bread. >> you grill your bread. >> or put ton the bottom and it can be a thickener as well. it's a one-pot dish. chopped parsley? >> i will. will you tell us about these cupcakes? >> instead of boston cream donuts we did boston cream

cupcakes. chocolate with boston cream on the inside. how does that taste? >> this is really good. >> i'm glad you had the version he made and not my version. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> great to have you here. coming up, we'll get some music. the dropkick murphys are here. first this is "today" on nbc.

>> announcer: the toyota concert series brought to you by toyota. the dropkick murphys have been entertaining our crowd all morning here in boston. "shipping up to boston." they are out now with their eighth album. we're thrilled you guys have either stayed up late or gotten up early to join us. thanks so much. >> good to see you. >> what is it about this city that inspires you? >> it's just where we're from, where we came out of. i don't think many cities in america could spawn a band like us, for better or worse. we've been doing it for 17 years. we're like bed bugs. they can't get rid of us. >> you started in the basementative barber shop in quincy, mass. you were traveling around in, i think you called it, a crappy van. >> crappy van to say the least. >> have things changed a little

bit since then? >> the van's gotten a little less crappy but not much. >> you have big followers. fans here in the rotunda, chanting all morning long. people like the boss, bruce springsteen love you, mumford and sons. >> if you only get to know one popular guy, it might as well be bruce springsteen. it's nice to meet the people you look up to and not have them be jerks. sometimes they are, but bruce is everything he seems to be. >> pops in boston, pretty huge, right? >> it's like a homecoming, when you're away on tour as much as we are, you come home to boston. all your friends, family, relatives frrks my youngest child, who is 3, to my 89-year-old grandmother there and everyone in between. it's a nice thing. >> that album is called "signed and sealed in blood." eighth album from the dropkick murphys. ladies and gentlemen, here they are. take it away.

♪ the pictures tell the story this life has many shades i'd wake up every morning and before i'd start each day i'd take a drag from last night's cigarette that smoldered in its tray down a little something and then be on my way ♪ ♪ i traveled far and wide and laid this head in many ports i was guided by a compass i saw beauty to the north i drew the tales of many lives and wore the faces of my own i had these memories all around me so i wouldn't be alone ♪ ♪ some may be from showing up others are from growing up sometimes i was so messed up and didn't have a clue i want winning no one over i wear it just for you i've got your name written here

in a rose tattoo ♪ ♪ in a rose tattoo in a rose tattoo i've got your name written here in a rose tattoo ♪ ♪ this one's for the mighty sea mischief gold and piracy this one's for the man that raised me taught me sacrifice and bravery this one's for our favorite game black and gold we wave the flag this one's for my family name with pride i wear it to the grave ♪ ♪ some may be from showing up others are from growing up sometimes i was so messed up and didn't have a clue i ain't winning no one over i wear it just for you i've got your name written here in a rose tattoo ♪ ♪ in a rose tattoo in a rose tattoo i've got your name written here

in a rose tattoo ♪ ♪ in a rose tattoo in a rose tattoo i've got your name written here in a rose tattoo ♪ ♪ this one means the most to me stays here for eternity a ship that always stays the course an anchor for my every choice a rose that shineses down from above i signed and sealed these words in blood i heard them once sung in a song it played again and we sang along ♪ ♪ual always be there with me even if you're gone you'll always have my love our memory will live on ♪ ♪ some may be from showing up others are from growing up sometimes i was so messed up and didn't have a clue i ain't winning no one over i wear it just for you i've got your name written here

in a rose tattoo ♪ >> the dropkick murphys here in boston. check them out on tour. check out their new album, signed and sealed in blood. guys, thank you so much. really appreciate it. >> we have the best time in boston. we've been here, i don't think we've had a bad meal yet. personally, i'm walking right back to the chouda, to the pizza, to the seafood stew. thank you for coming out, everybody. >> you know what? fenway park to here at faneuil hall, i worked here in the past. it's great to be back. the people have been so warm. we really appreciate it. we have to come back here for another show in the near future. >> you guys are sweetheart. >> they are. let us take a look now at a little bit of the week that was. thanks for watching.

can't say this is unprecedented for a pope to just step down but you have to go back 600 years to find another example of it. >> i'm as started as the rest of you and as anxious to find out exactly what's going on. investigators spent the night of what's left of a cabin where that massive manhunt for christopher dorner came to an end. >> he ran after her. >> terrifying scene in russia overnight. ten-ton meteorite plunging to earth. the ordeal is finally over for the passengers aboard that crippled cruise ship in the gulf of mexico. one of the brightest stars of the london games and he has been charged with murder. >> pistorius was taken into custody. received the medal of honor this week. congratulations. >> thank you. in that moment you just knew you had to rally the guys. we had to stick together as a team like we've done time and

time again and dig deep. ♪ some nights i stay up cashing in my bad luck some nights i call it a draw ♪ ♪ some nights i wish that my lips could build a castle ♪ >> you guys can go. i'm going to get the plane. >> steve harvey is in the house. >> super model naomi campbell stop i stopping by. >> guys are quite interested in the show today. >> kate upton right now, al, being photographed. life is good. >> yes. >> we are on a friday field trip in boston. >> will bobby orr be at the wier party? that would be bizarre. taking over the internet, it is the harlem shake. ♪

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. john leopold will not be getting a new trial. judge dennis sweeney rejected the request for a new trial, saying it was without merit. sentencing is scheduled for

>> this morning we have sunshine, but a couple of friends out to the west. they promise to get some rain or snow out to buy this afternoon or evening. by later in the afternoon or more likely in the evening hours, a chance of rain or