iowa, a crucial early battle ground. nbc's kelly o'donnell is in des moines. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. the summer heat is not only about hillary clinton's day at the iowa state fair. there are democrats who are watching and worried. some are saying there is time for another democrat to emerge in this race with hints that joe biden or al gore should jump in. hillary clinton should not only go after republican rivals. sometimes a family reunion. >> hillary clinton is the best. >> reporter: brings uncomfortable tensions to the surface. for hillary clinton, her e-mail controversy is making some democrats nervous. >> it would be nice to have somebody else to put their foot in. >> reporter: friday night, clinton tried to smooth anxiety. joking about her new social media account on snapchat. >> i love it.

those messages disappear all by themselves. >> reporter: at this iowa summer party, called wing dings, four democrats appeared on the same stage. a surging bernie sanders bragged about his big crowds. >> we have been generating an enormous amount of enthusiasm all over this country. >> reporter: clinton came out fired up and defiant. explaining she turned over her private e-mail server to the fbi. but blamed republicans for playing politics. >> i won't get down in the mud with them. i won't play politics with the national security. >> reporter: at the iowa state fair, republican jeb bush told me clinton needs to quote come clean. >> mrs. clinton seems not to be able to have integrity and tell the truth. if she has not done anything wrong, be honest.

>> reporter: and donald trump amped up the rhetoric. >> i don't think it will be hillary hillary. >> reporter: trump said the e-mail controversy could force hillary clinton out of the race. >> this has been brutal for hillary. i think at some point she perhaps will not run. it will have to end her campaign. >> reporter: that's a pretty bold statement, but that is what you might expect from donald trump. hillary clinton was particularly energized last night saying she is in it to win it. so imagine this, erica, hillary clinton will be touring these grounds and meeting voters. donald trump will be here too. he is expected to arrive in the area by helicopter, that one with his name emblazoned on the side. while he is running for president, he will be reporting for jury duty on monday in new york. >> i bet he is excited about that one. yesterday, we heard chances of

vice president joe biden may run for president. a rumor of less than 50/50. now there is more meat here there is more strategy behind the scenes. what are you hearing? >> reporter: vice president biden has given a timeline publicly. he would make a decision by the end of this month or early september. he has days off with his family in south carolina. that may be part of his strategy. those close to him reaching out for potential donors who have not committed to hillary clinton and a pathway in new hampshire where clinton and bernie sanders are showing a lot of strength. the vice president considering his options and looking for political will, but is there a map to get him in the race. we will watch it. today he will go to chattanooga, tennessee to honor the service members who were killed in the attack.

>> kelly o'donnell in des moines. thank you. extreme heat is fueling the dangerous situation out west. fuelling the number of wildfires and forcing firefighters to battle them in triple digit temperatures. it could be the start of the difficult few months as the godzilla el nio ramps up. this is the area where people are used to extreme temperatures. >> that el nio could play a huge role in what we see happening in california in the fall. i'll get to that in a second. before we talk about that, we have the huge dome of high pressure sinking air and causing it to warm up. we are seeing outrageous temperatures. yuma, arizona, 117 degrees today. the old record is 115. phoenix should hit 116. breaking the record of 112. watch what happens as we go into the next several days. the heat to continue in sacramento which will stay above 100 degrees as we go into tuesday.

same for las vegas. 110. will we see relief in california with the drought? normally you have warm quarter down near the equator in the pacific ocean. the trade winds weaken and the water is not pushed west in the el nio. it lines up along the equator and changes the pattern across the globe. one pattern is the increased jet stream. in california, that is good for storms, but might not be cold enough for snow. that is what helps california. we will see how that plays out in the winter. we have a chance for texas to have a wet er ter winter. elsewhere across the northern half of the country is drier and also warmer. we might not see as many snow storms. maybe more ice storms this winter. >> it is amazing how that effects everything. >> this could be the biggest one

we have seen since 1997. >> dylan, thanks. turning to china where the death toll is climbing in tianjin. nbc's ian williams and his team evacuated that scene. he joins us from by eijing. good morning, ian. >> reporter: good morning, erica. the authorities ordered evacuation of everybody within 1.8 miles of the blast area. they are afraid of chemical contamination. this follows reports that police have found a large stack of sodium cyanide, which is a particular volatile and toxic chemical. it also underlines the fact they don't know what they are dealing with. officials have said at this point, they don't know what dangerous cocktail of chemicals were in the warehouse that exploded. and today an alarm with fresh

explosions and fresh fires. this appears to be cars bursting into flames and not chemical explosion. another survivor today. this person, 56 years old, was found in the wreckage of the shipping container. he was taken to hospital with severe respiratory burns. many firefighters died in the blast, 21, many are injured. we saw a protest today as relatives of fire workers demanded more answers. erica. >> scary stuff. ian williams, i appreciate the update. sheinelle is here with a look at a tragic accident at yosemite national park. >> yosemite national park is filled with sadness when a tree limb fell on two campers as they slept. there was nothing the family could have done to avoid the accident.

the park closed a second campground after squirrels with bubonic plague. there was a wild shootout in a new york city neighborhood with police and high ranking gang member. it started over probation violation and turned into a six-hour standoff and the suspect grabbed a gun and shot a firefighter responding to the scene. the suspect's mother in by helicopter was brought in to talk him out. it ended in a shootout with the s.w.a.t. team. the suspect was killed. new details about kayla mueller. the american aide worker in syria. the 26-year-old was repeatedly sexually assaulted by the terrorist leader. kayla mueller was kidnapped in 2013. the u.s. confirmed she died in isis hands.

the 19-year-old college basketball player was shot apparent killed by a rookie police officer in texas. video shows christian taylor at the dealership, but the investigation is not yet complete. the u.s. flag flies over the embassy in cuba as the two countries take the next steps in the relationship. nbc's gabe gutierrez joins us from havana with the details. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: sheinelle, good morning. now the u.s. flag flying at the embassy in havana for the first time in 54 years, diplomats are set for talks next month. the u.s. and cuba disagree on democracy and human rights. secretary of state john kerry during his historic visit on friday, said he hopes progress would be neighborhood. the u.s. trade embargo which only the congress can lift. that is not expected to happen soon. many travel restrictions in place.

more americans are visiting cuba. the number is up 54% this year. the u.s. is authorizing more sea invoice voyage voyages. on friday's flag raising ceremony was symbolic. in this country, following decades of mistrust, symbols matter. secretary kerry saying the u.s. now considers cuba not an enemy or rival, but a neighbor. >> thank you, gabe. a store video is getting played this morning from florida. on it a woman and girl appear to show the young girl being coached, if you will, in the technique for shoplifting alcohol. she puts the bottle behind her back and then scoots out of the store. officials are looking for the two. here in new york, hundreds gathered in times square to recreate the iconic world war ii image of the sailor killing -- excuse me -- kissing.

that would be horrible. kissing a nurse on the day japan surrendered. the couples came about and many seemed to enjoy reenacting the scene as often as possible. that is the trek i take to work off the train. it is an attraction. huge. people were around it. i don't know why i tried to change the story. >> we knew what you meant. dylan is back with a closer look at the weather. it was wild at the pga championship. jordan spieth was on a roll, but look at the scoreboard. the winds gusted up near 50 miles per hour. i think tiger woods is all right if that scoreboard went down. just saying. >> a lot happening to him. >> a lot of debris as the storms hit and play suspended at 6:30 yesterday. it will resume today. the weather is fine in wisconsin. really most of the upper midwest.

you go back to the northern plains. we could see isolated storms and heavier rain thanks dylan. good morning everyone. lots of sunshine on storm tracker. another high pressure day. another dry weekend ahead. starting out today mild start and temperatures in the 70s. it's hot today and more humid than yesterday. it's starting to feel a little sticky with a high temperature of 90 degrees. tomorrow much more humid. that's uncomfortable. sunday's high temperature 91. a great weekend to go to the beach, the pool or the barbecue. that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you. now to a major announcement in the world of sports. michael sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an nfl team, saying he is stepping away from the game. most recently, he has been playing in canada. now he says the pressure is just too much.

nbc's gadi schwartz has the story. >> michael sam! >> reporter: in college, michael sam rumbled with confidence. fast and powerful. he made history as the first openly gay player drafted in the nfl. >> the st. louis rams select michael sam. >> reporter: he celebrated with a kiss. suddenly he was pushed into the spotlight accepting the arthur ashe award for courage. the same award caitlyn jenner received this year. after the disappointment with the rams and cut and then the canadian football league, he pulled back and said the last 12 months have been difficult for me and to the point i became concerned with my mental health. because of this, i will step away from the game at this time. online, many responded with the

same hate sam has faced for years. >> it takes full health to be focused on a sport. >> reporter: but sam's concerns over his mental health show he could be facing something more dangerous. in his tweet, he says he hopes to be back on the field soon, but experts say that will be tough. >> it is unfortunate to say that, but i think in order for it to stick and work, the next openly gay player will have to be a superstar. >> reporter: among his supporter, his love of football has changed the game. for "today," gadi schwartz, nbc news. the prime minister of britain is offering support this morning to the royal family. the royal family is taking on the paparazzi again. 2-year-old prince george is being stalked with tactics that have gone too far. nbc's kelly cobiella has more from buckingham palace. good morning. >> reporter: good morning,

erica. prince william does not make it secret he wants his family to have a normal life. it seems the paparazzi have followed them to the country. just recently, one spotted hiding in the trunk of a car all day long near a playground waiting for prince george. his parents say these photographers have crossed the line. prince george is only 2 and already the paparazzi's number one target. kensington palace is accusing them of harassment releasing a scathing letter saying they are going to extreme lengths to get the money shot and creating a security risk and using tactics. >> people hiding in trees and camouflages them selves. it is unacceptable. >> reporter: they lured other children to get prince george in the frame.

it sells magazines. >> we use a picture showing george or charlotte and sales rise 30% or 40% for that week. >> reporter: unofficial shots can sell for thousands. sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. to magazines in the u.s. and australia. as long as the picture is taken in public, it is legal. >> that's the thing. none of them are breaking the law. they can't be arrested. >> reporter: it is not just about privacy, but also security. prince william's mother died while chased by the paparazzi. >> long lens are involved. the entrapment of using other children. how sick is that as a project to do that in the first place just to get a photograph? >> reporter: the palace says george's parents will happily share family pictures with the world. in return, they want george to be allowed to play in peace. the palace realizes their hands

are tied legally. they hope to appeal to the better nature of publishers and you and me. when we see a cute picture on the magazine and we know what is behind it, we will be less likely to buy. erica. >> kelly, thank you. up next, a look back at the week's biggest stories from the giant shark caught on camera ton the sketch comedy of tom brady.

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tianjin, china. a warehouse storing flammable materials exploding not once, but twice. hospitals, emergency services overflowing trying to cope with the hundreds wounded. >> daybreak revealed a post an apocalyptic waste land. >> at 22%, eight points higher than ben carson. still the clashes continue. >> i probably identify more as a democrat. >> rand paul released an ad on the tycoon for being a phony conservative. >> and releasing more barbs at hillary clinton. >> it is a criminal situation. >> meantime, the clinton camp doing damage control. >> agreeing to turnover the private e-mail servers after top secret information. >> a very personal message from former president jimmy carter.

>> i have cancer that now is in other parts of my body. >> earlier this month, carter had a small mass removed from his liver. >> since he left the white house in 1981, he has done anything but retire. >> my wife and i have been lucky enough to be leaders. >> gossip girl kelly rutherford in a real life drama. >> the judge ordered her children back to europe where her husband has raised them since 2012. rutherford summoned in court after keeping her kids four days past the court deadline. the environmental disaster in colorado where a toxic spill turned the animas river yellow. >> 3 million gallons of sludge released from the gold mine in colorado. as the epa, the very agency tasked with protecting the environment, triggered the

breach during clean up. and surfacing on the web, stunning footage of video shot several years ago of what is believed to be the biggest shark caught on camera. >> the female shark so close, you can see her sharp teeth. she's known as deep blue. about 20 feet long and 50 years old and very pregnant. >> and tom brady, an internet sensation, once again. brady in federal court appealing his four-game suspension, but it is not what he said. it is the picture. >> here is brady going in to court and here is the sketch. to compare the two is not close. >> the internet went wild releasing the memes of the sketch. >> here he is as e.t. and then the "thriller" video. >> i have to apologize to his fans because i did not make him

pretty enough. >>s that with a the funnyest story. >> i don't know if you can make a sketch of him pretty enough. >> he didn't look like that. pressure was mounting. >> the other thing she said, she said it was hard because he was looking down all of the time.

it is hard to get a concept of . good morning. it's 26 minutes after 7:00 and 74 degrees as we take a live look there. it's august 15th, i'm pat battle. a firefighter shot during a police stand off could be heading home from the hospital as early as today. fdny lieutenant was shot in the calf and the hip by a rue putive gang member who later died in a gun fight with team members. they were forced to shoot him has they ran out of the home. hostage negotiators talked with him for some six hours and flew his mother in from delaware hoping to convince him to surrender. >> raphael here with a look at the forecast getting warmer. >> you can see lots of sunshine behind us. a dry weekend. we can't believe we've had so much luck here this summer.

the heat is on. 90 for your high and tomorrow is hazy hazy, hot and humid for sunday. of course, we can help clear the shelters this weekend. if you're not clearing the shelters, go to the beach. >> all right. sounds like a plan. we're coming back in 30 minutes with another sup update. don't forget we're gin joining you at 8:30 instead of 9:00. we're going to keep on clearing the shelters. right now, we're going to take you back to the today show.

this is pretty big. this sus ay, donald trump is expected to appear on "meet the press" hosted by his long rival chuck todd. people say they are going to argue, specifically about who has the best barber. >> that is not funny. that's mean. chuck has great hair. >> look at you? >> i love chuck. >> i love chuck, too.

>> do you have a crush on chuck? >> dylan dreyer, good one. dylan dreyer for the win. >> he's no cheater. ll tell you that much. >> coming up, we will meet some of our f ends on the plaza. are they team chuck or team tom brady brady? it is saturday morning, the 15th day of august. we will see those folks in a bit. one husband's journey to honor his wife. he is completing his trek with the help of a number of strangers. and coming up, i'm hitting the road and testing extremes. testing temperatures from all around the world without leaving the airport. you have to see that the country hopes to get more people traveling. first, another frightening bear attack. sheinelle is here with the story. >> t california man recovering after being nearly mauled to death by a black bear.

now search is on for the bear before it strikes again. >> this bear's going to kill you. >> reporter: that is what larry epez thought when he came face-to-face with a 250-pound black bear. the 66-year-old vietnam vet woke up in the morning to go to the bathroom and went outside after hearing something and the bear was in the trash. >> he came toward me. a big plastic pot filled with dirt. i hit the bear on the side with it. >> reporter: epez thought he would scare the bear away, but instead the bear pounced and knocked him to the ground. then the clawed at his face and biting his hands and face. >> i realize i don't have enough punch to knock out a bear. kicked him and got him off me. >> reporter: he ran back into his house and the bear took off. he said he felt no pain during the attack.

he credits his marine training with helping his fight to survive. >> don't ever stop fighting. >> epez did have help fighting the bear. his yorkshire terrier bingie distracted the bear. he drove to the hospital with the dog by his side. if the bear is found, it is expected to be euthanized. >> i'm surprised he could drive himself. >> he said it was an adrenaline rush. >> he didn't feel ic in the moment. we are glad he is the mend. dylan dreyer on the plaza hanging out with folks who showed up to watch us. >> good morning. great crowd out here. i found folks from erie, pennsylvania. you know that is where i started my tv career 12 years ago in erie. love it there. i went back this winter for a snow storm. we an adam turning 8. where are you from?

>> dublin, ohio. >> you are having fun celebrating? >> yes. >> happy birthday. let's look at the weather across the upper midwest and northern ains. we have the cold front moving rough to trigger thunderstorms eastern and north and south dakota. we wil see hail, up to 2 ipches in diameter. in florida, heavy downpours and lightning and isolated damaging wind gusts and downpours. that will help with the drought, but it could lead to flash flooding. in the northeast, a couple spotty storms. otherwise hot and humid up and down the east coast. we are seeing monsoonal moisture in the southwest. it is hot down through texas. thanks dylan. good morning everyone. another great start to the weekend weekend. you can see on storm tracker loads of sunshine alreadys rom e hamptons to fire island.

great day to head to tex beaches. mild outside and 74 degrees. it gets uncomfortaple later on today. a high temperature of 90 degrees. we're seeing humidity creep backweinto the picture this weekend. sunday's high temperature 91 sizzling degrees. keeping it hot early next week. and that's your latest forecast. craig. >> dylan, thanks. up next, to stockholm we go. in just this one moment, your baby is getting even more than clean. the scent, the lather, even the tiny bubbles of a joh on's ath are helping to enhance the experience. the nouch of your hands is stimulating her senses. nurturing her mind. and helping her development. so why just clean your baby when you can give her... so much more ? johnson's . so much more .

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back now on a saturday morning with a swedish adventure. e airpobl helping travelers to know what they wear when they jet set around the world. >> and a boondoggle with a capital "b." >> sometimes you get a story and sometimes you don't. thank you, matt. it all has the purpose of one of the hardest parts of traveling is knowing what to pack. imagine testing out the weather of the destination you travel too before getting there. at the airport in stockholm, sweden, you can do that. a different way to travel. the climate portal. pull back the curtain and press a button. you are transported to a new environment. you can go hot. go big and visit a city.

or go cold. it's a chance to see what the weather will really feel like at your destination. but is it the real deal? as a dedicated meteorologist, i just had to tryout this contraption. i left the big a le for ockholm, sweden. >> i know what it is like to be cold. i want to get cold out of the way first. i'm headed somewhere in greenland where it is 28.4 degrees. wow! it's like windy in here, too. i can see my breath right now. it feels that cold right now. and i'm not dressed for it. no joke, shivering right now. i don't need to go to any of those places. i'm freezing. look at the goose bumps right now. m going in the hot one to warm up, but i'm dressing for the occasion.

i'm more prepared for some place warm. let's go to vegas, baby. now this is what i'm talking about. wow! it just got hotter in here. i'll take this over snow any day. much warmer now. but to be honest, a little too hot. that one's way too cold. as a city girl, i feel to go big will be just right. ther bye's no wind. this is what the city feels ke. sounds like home. i'm dizzy just looking at it. not only does this feel like the it. one. some 60,000 people have tried out the climate portal since how cold? >> it was like freezing. like walking into a freezer. hotter climate. it was really nice. >> you went to tel aviv? >> started in tel aviv and ended in australia. >> airport officials hope it brings out the travel bug

whether it is bdoking a flight to another destination or walking over to the duty free shops. it makes yda want to buy an extra t-shirt or sweater. is that what you hope to do? >>95 of course, we want them to buy so they don't get cold. >> that's the only reason? >> that's the only reason, of course. >> was it cold? >> yes. it was very cold and you think it is winter. >> how cute. when i thought you typed in the zip mpcode of where you are traveling and it gives yuu the feels like temperature there. all of the places range between 26 and 32 degrees. it rotates. the hotsones in tel aviv and las vegas and egypt. it mimics the patheger. it was really, really cold and was really, really hot. you know if you travel to those

places, that is what it is like. >> it is free? >> it is free nd it is past security. you have to get past security to get it. >> put it in a department store. >> and my closet closet. >> you don't have room in your apartment.'ll have more from your swedo h adventure tomorrow. up next, theatorce is definitely with him. one oun's emotional [music] jackie's heart attack didn't

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a parade of "star wars" storm troopers will take to the golden gate to pay tribute to a man's late wife. >> a unique story.enbc's hallie jackson has more. >> reporter: this storm trooper is a few steps away to finish his mission. one that took him to a galaxy far, far away at comic-con in san diego. he stood out. because only he walked here. from a northern california "star wars" museum down the coast up back north. 2 million steps. every one of them for a purpose. >> i'm walking for my wife eileen. it's been a tough road without her. >> reporter: kevin doyle met his wife at a star wars party. at their wedding in 2010, everybody recognized the ring

bearer. two years later, eileen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. >> you cannot sit at home and self destruct. you have to honor that person. >> reporter: he has been raising money for kids with cancer in honor of eileen. along the way stopping for selfies and stopping for traffic and every step, a place to stay and somewhere to ride. by the time he made it to comic-con, he was a celebrity. it was not the droid they were looking for. just kevin. >> i heard of your story. >> reporter: what would eileen say about all this? >> she would say you are such a dork. >> reporter: after comic-con, he headed back to where he began. the bay area where he will finish his walk today at the

golden gate bridge. crossing with dozens of storm troopers. >> as long as you can find a face and inspiration to beat this thing. whatever type of cancer. >> reporter: the force may be strong in this one, but the power of love even stronger. hallie jackson, nbc news, san diego. >> i don't think eileen would say he's a dork. >> no. such a beautiful story. so relatable for so many. it is hard to find one person in the country who hasn't been touched by this disease. >> fantastic tribute. still ahead, 57 years old and not afraid to bare it all. actress sharon stone.

but first this is " still ahead here on saturday morning, gangster goes gold at the box office. you know what movie we're talking about?

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taking a live look at the brooklyn bridge, good morning. i'm carry berry. a are you put i have gang member has died after a gun fight with police. a chaotic scene. look at that. police say they were forced to shoot him. he ran out of his home firing at police with an ak47. hostage negotiators talked to him for hours and flew his mother in from delaware hoping to convince him to surrender. right now a check of weather with raphael. it's kbaering up to be a warm one today. >> yeah, a hot stretch. lots of sunshine. not too humid.

you'll notice it's not as dry and comfortable as yesterday. a couple of storms possible later on north and west. otherwise, dry conditions dominate this weekend. hazy, hot and really talking about the humidity. tomorrow's temperature 91 degrees and sticky. a great day to head to the shelters and adopt a pet. >> we'll talk a lot about that. we're back at 8:30 with today's stories and lauren joining us live with the clear the shelters campaign. see you soon.

and good morning to you. it's 8:00. all eyes on iowa this morning. a crucial early battle ground state where the presidential candidates are stumping at the state fair. this as hillary clinton fires back over e-mails and speculation grows about joe biden's future in the race. firefighters in california are facing temperatures of up to 100 degrees as they battle new wildfires out west.

new evacuations have been ordered in some areas as thousands of acres continue to burn. and the first openly gay player in the nfl says he's leaving football. michael sam making the announcement citing concerns for his mental health. "today," saturday, august 15th, 2015. welcome back to "today." fantastic out on the plaza. the crowd quite lively. >> can we start cheering yet? >> you can cheer. do it. >> i'm craig melvin alongside erica hill and dylan dreyer. we have newly engaged folks. some folks from south carolina over there. >> we have the 15th anniversary here. >> and lots of birthdays. lots to celebrate on the plaza. anytime you want to celebrate, we love to have you. we have a lot to get to in this half hour. let's get to sheinelle who is following the deadly explosions in china.

>> good morning. hundreds in china are evacuated in tianjin. officials are concerned there could be more explosions and they are having difficulty fighting the fires because of the mix of chemicals involved. the death toll has climbed to 85, including 21 firefighters, with more than 700 injured. a massive chemical fire in conroe, texas. explosions rocked the chemical plant rocking the three-alarm fire. officials issued a shelter in place order for several hours. while that has been lifted, there are concerns about hume fumes. a passenger ferry caught fire in the philippines. passengers scrambled for safety with some climbs ing down from the upper deck. 554 people were on board when the vessel caught fire. incredibly, they were all able

a miami police officer has been suspended after a video surfaced showing officers handcuffing a man and then walking him to the squad car and beating him. the video went viral and the police department has opened an investigation. it looks like a scene out of "jaws." beach goers staring out to sea. this shark is about 20 miles from the beach where a great white shark was spotted killing a seal. and finally a moment of frustration that golfers recognize, dylan. at the pga championship, john daly did not have one, not two, but three tee shots land directly in the water. when he finally got one shot on the course, he angrily sent a

club into lake michigan and quickly scooped up by a fan. >> hey, i'll put that on e-bay. >> some days. >> tossed many a club in his day. >> not his first one. dylan is back with the final check of the forecast on saturday. >> it is extremely hot in the southwest with a big dome of high pressure in control. it will keep it hot for several more days. we have a chance of breaking records as the heat advisories and warnings are in effect. it is warm in the southeast. in the northeast, it is starting to heat up with temperatures above 90 degrees. this could be a heat wave. you need three days at highs of 90 degrees or higher. we should get four. humidity as well. washington, d.c., it feels like it is 100 degrees. especially into early next week. it hasn't been that hot of a summer in the northeast. in the southwest, monsoonal moisture and stronger storms in the northern plains. through florida, chance of stronger storms because of a stalled front.

that could bring heavy rain to eastern florida. tomorrow, we have a chance of strong storms back to the eastern rockies. isolated large hail and damaging wind gusts. that should not be widespread. the northeast is thanks dylan. good morning everyone. lots of sun on this saturday. looks like another great weekend ahead. that trend continues right now. temperat es already in the 70s. 75 degrees up to 86 by noon. today's high temperature a toes toasty 90 degrees. we're really feeling the mugginess tomorrow. 91 and steamy with 93 on monday. and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you. a political sex scandal is brewing in michigan this morning. the drama started with disclosure that two married

lawmakers having an affair, but it is how one of them tried to cover it up that's grabbing national headlines. nbc's christine dahlgren is here with more on that. >> reporter: good morning, craig. when you think you have seen it all with political scandals. this may have you scratching our head. the politician todd courser likened it to a controlled burn. the woman tangled up in all of this is speaking out. >> my husband is here, joe. i have three children. sorry. >> reporter: it was an emotional news conference for michigan representative cindy gamrat. >> i am sincerely sorry i disappointed so many by my actions. >> reporter: apologizing for the sex scandal and would not resign. she had nothing to do with the e-mail concocted by the fellow lover and representative todd courser. todd courser laid out his plan

to an aide. send an e-mail to distract from the affair with something more salatious. >> remove from caucus several weeks ago due to a male on male paid for sex. >> reporter: the aide who made the recording questions his boss. >> are you serious? what are you talking about? it is re s is ridiculous. >> i need it to be over the top. >> reporter: in a statement on the web site, courser says he, too, will not resign. he sent the e-mail because a blackmailer threatened him. >> it was not my finest moment. it is the only option. >> reporter: there was a time when a sex scandal would have ended a political career. presidential candidate john edwards with a child out of wedlock. governor eliot spitzer and anthony weiner. and whether courser's career

survives, there is one thing they all have in common. late night laughs. >> can you believe how many people are getting male prostitutes? i was kidding. i was having an affair. >> well courser and gamrat are being investigated for firing their aides, including the one who made the recording. as for their relationship with each other, gamrat calls it professional. she and her husband were in counselling a month before this story broke. thank you, kristen. let's get to dylan dreyer with "today's life hacks." >> we have kylie and kelly johnson. your son, mitch, is stationed in djoubti? yes. >> hi, mitch. >> we are at home talking about life hacks for the kitchen. the first one is involving keeping the chips fresh.

you know the plastic hangers that are breaking and snapping. if it snaps and you are left with this, you can clip this to the chip bag. we have another one for the freezer. it is always a mess. well, we have frozen vegetables. you know these little folder things. if you stack these sideways, you can keep everything nice and neat. i think this is a good idea. i never do it, but it would help the freezer. we have one more for you. this involves the area under the kitchen sink. if you put a tension rod and hang it across the cabinet, all you can do is hang the bottles because they hang by the trigger. we are trying to keep you organized on saturday morning. now we got through that, i'll let you toss to break. >> still to come on "today," a love story for "toy story." >> but first these messages.

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you are surrounded, like a guppy in a shark tank. it just feels like, car salesmen want to sell whatever car is best for them, not best for me. there's gotta be a better way. as long as people drive cars carmax will be the best way to buy them. back now with what's trending today. a look at the most talked about stories this weekend. first up, nbc, you may have heard, today is clear the shelters day. a nationwide pet adoption initiative. our nbc stations are pairing with local animal shelters to help rescues. participating shelters are offering no cost or reduced adoption fees. to celebrate, plenty of us here

have shared photos of our adorable shelter pets. here is lester with his buddy bailey and there's mine. that's jake the wonder dog. then jake and his sister lulu, our stray cat. >> love that. >> to find a shelters, go to #cleartheshelters. >> we apparently had success. here is a story we have been following closely. first we brought you grumpy cat. then we brought you grumpy puppy. now i present to you the latest in grumpy faces. grumpy baby. it was just a matter of time. look at this adorable baby with his parents calling the grumpy face. >> oh, that is good. it's the eyes. >> that's a scowl.

he is holding on to that. that is adorable. >> we get a little smile at the end. >> he is focused. he is learning. >> focused baby. not so grumpy, this next one, the white house released president obama's summer playlist. he put two of them together for spotify. one is for daytime and one for nighttime. he has an eclectic collection of songs. we have "ain't too proud to beg." a classic. we're a little off here. this is "paradise" by coldplay. >> what do we have here? >> either way, i was going through the list. a lot of the songs i didn't recognize. i'm sure if i heard them, i would say oh, that song. it was a real mix. >> the president is listening to

nappy roots. he has little old school. >> and erica bandu. >> you need a range in life. amen to that. sharon stone, nearly 60. not shy about stripping down. sheinelle has that and more in the pop start. >> first "straight otta compton." the hit movie from universal pictures brought in $23 million friday night making it the firth highest opening day for august release ever. it is also dominating online ticket sales. in other movie news, two favorite animated movies. disney announced "toy story" and "finding nemo." woody, voiced by tom hanks, will leave the toy box in search of

his lost love bo peep. then dory will embark on a journey. >> will tom hanks and ellen degeneres be the voices? >> i think so. >> i think ellen signed a while ago for dory. >> thank you for your question. and now to the steamy pictures that has everyone -- now you're interrupting. >> that was the monty voice. >> i'll get you. sharon stone left little to the imagination in september's "harper's bazaar." she shares details of she is still dealing with the effects of the near fatal brain aneurysm she suffered in 2002.

she says she has a hard time finding a date. >> it is probably hard to find a date with sharon stone. you want to be selective. then maybe finding people you would like to date. where do you meet them? >> she cannot find a good date. >> #prettyhurts. >> you're on fire this morning. >> am i finished? >> you are done. >> i listened to every single word. >> good job. >> sheinelle, thank you. up next, the food network comes to the plaza. the wheels have been lost off our bus. we will make s'mores. >> but first this is "today" on nbc.

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the food network's show "cut throat food" has the spin off and this morning we are putting ourselves to the test. we are making s'mores. let's talk about the show for a second. how is "camp cut throat" going to be different than the other "cut throat kitchen?" >> it is outdoors. we get to do the things you do when you go camping. we get to make fire and water and mud. all of the things you cannot do in studio. i get to wear a beret. learning how to work a beret is not as easy as it looks. i'll give you 60 seconds because everything is timed to make s'mores.

you are all sabotaged. you will do it one handed. you will grill the marshmallows. we have to use the giant swiss army knife. straight from the kitchen set. don't worry about it. you are getting to use this grater. you will assemble the s'mores, but wear a blind fold when you do that. you will fish out the marshmallows. you take that and put it on the graham cracker. you reach to the left and get chocolate and make it. are you ready? >> no. >> you got 60 seconds. go! you need more than one. one hand. get them on here. you should be familiarizing yourself with your station by feel.

there's another one. you have 60 seconds. get that on there. not in the fire. you never made a s'more before in your life? >> what do we have? >> start over again. >> we need more. >> you have to feel it around. put another graham cracker. that's one. you are falling down. rotate them. >> never been camping. >> in your life? you should set something on fire. go, go, go. that's the way. you have this with one hand. more, more. more marshmallow. that's not a s'more. you would not make it on "cut throat kitchen." you are cheating. [ buzzer sounds ]

>> amazing. keep going. >> hold out your hand. >> you are the one that can get out of hand quickly. >> erica hill is killing it. >> how did we do? >> that was horrible. >> what a disaster. >> they're not melting. >> that is because she has never been camping. >> thank you so much. >> they should have looked like this. >> it airs wednesday night on the food network. erica hill. >> thank you. >> this is it on saturday morning. tomorrow on "today," rewriting the history books with warren g. harding. [ female announcer ] knows her way around a miniskirt. can run in high heels.

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>> reporter: live on staton island where an f.d.n.y. lieutenant, some say was ambushed, could be released today from the hospital. we'll have the details coming up. >> today is a special day for all animals in need of a home. dozens of shelters around the area are reducing and waiving adoption fees in an effort to clear the shelters. stay tuned. things are about to get real cute and furry around here. >> more sunshine heading our way this weekend. also major humidity. that's on the way. we'll take a look at the 7-day forecast coming up. >> all that in a few moments. >> today in new york your saturday edition coming your way next.

. live from studio 3c in rockefeller center, this is today in new york. >> the.380est on the firefighter shot friday during the stand off on staton island. >> if you plan to see the pope next month we have important information for you. something you need to take care of today. >> and today is the day that we want to get those dogs and cats out of the shelters. clear the shelters and give lots of loving pets the homes they so desperately need. good morning and welcome back to today in new york on this saturday morning. so glad you're joining us, i'm pat battle. >> and i'm carry berry in for gus. today is the day the shelters are offering wildly reduced adoption rates. we'll be talking about that and introducing you to dogs and cats that need homes as well. >> first let's go to raphael and see what kind of weather we're looking at.

>> perfect weather for heading out to the shelters. it is another beach weekend. we've been so spoiled this summer so far. we're doing it again. sunshine and temperatures back to the 80s and near 90. unfortunately, dry and comfortable. that's coming to an end. it starts to get muggy out there and majorly muggy tomorrow and we're looking at a possible heat wave over the next several days. if you see, we have sunny skies from the hudson valley down the jersey shore. temperatures are in the 7 07s. back to the 80s by lunchtime and a high temperature of 90 degrees. feeling that humidity by the afternoon and it gets down uncomfortable over the next few days. we'll take a look at the possible heat wave in a few. >> thank you, raphael. in the news this hour, the firefighter shot friday during the staton island stand off is expected to get out of the hospital today. >> good morning cat.

>> reporter: carrie and pat, good morning to you, indeed. we're learning lieutenant jerry hayes could leave the hospital at some point today. he is known to friends and family as jimmy and his family has been by his side. we want to show you the aftermath of the stand off of the standpoint who shot lieutenant hayes. a gun battle for a suspect and police left the suspect dead. gang leader and wanted by federal marshalls. 38-year-old had been in a stand off for nearly six hours. he shot fire lieutenant hayes twice in the leg. it began before 6:00 a.m. yesterday when marshalls tried to arrest him on a parole violation. they thought h sta ted a fire. when firefighters arrived bullets started fl ing.

lieutenant hayes managed to get to safety after being shot during negotiations. his mother and other relat, es tried to get him to surrender but he ran out firing at police. his mother explained herat son's violent past. >> we still need him if he's in jail or out. he said i know, ma. i'm going to come out. >> when you in jail, you have a choice. you can get raped, you get your [ bebleep ] beat or you join a gang. >> reporter: startling details about the fire that was not a fire at all. vestigators learned there was no fire. he set off a smoke grenade. lieutenant hayes, a 31-year veteran could go home today. we'll send it back to you. >> that is great news, catherine. thank you so much for the update. mayor de blasio is dismissing criticism he did not respond as quickly as he should have.