good morning. supreme impact. president trump gearing up to replace justice anthony kennedy, rallying supporters with prises of a rock-solid conservative who could serve for decades. >> we have t pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going to be there for 40 year 45 years. >> on citol hill, the battle lines drawn. >> this is the most important supreme court vacancy for this country in at least aon generati. >> could a new court overturn controversial rulings on abortion or gay marriage? what will it mean for presidential power? we're live at the supreme court and the white house with the decision that could reach ever corner of america. re> to the scue? members of the u.s. military arrive in thailand overnight to

join the desperate search for a young soccer teamrapped in a cave. the boys and their coach stuck underground for nearly a week with the clock ticking, can crews reach them in time? the heat is on. temperatures soaring from coast to coast, as tens of millions brace for a pre four of july heat wave. al has the very latest forecast. plus, royalty in the holy land. prince william visiting the holiest sites this morning as he aps up his tripo the middle east. remembering joe jackson. the controversial life and legacy of the jackson family patriarch. and world cup stunner. >> goal for south korea. >> defending champion germany oc knd out by two last-minute goals. >> germany around the world cup. >> a german loss, a win for mexico. and they're headed to the next

round of this year's wild world cup today. ursday, june 28th, 2018. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." it is thursday morning. whappy to havelie along, as hoda takes some time off. as politic stories go, this is an earthquake. the retirement of justice anthony ke iedy. >>is. if yesterday was any indication, we're in for a bare-knuckle fight over this nominee. >> let's get to the retirement ofustice kennedy and the showdown over his successor. >> this will be president trump's second supreme court pick, and it could lead to a historic shift to the right for the high court. the president says he'll b sin thrch immediately, working off a list of 25 potential nominees he used to select justice neil gorsuch last year. >> democrats are demanding

confirmation hearings be delayed until after november's mid-term elections, citing the republican's refusal to vote on m merrk garland. >> they vow to confirm jusce kennedy's replacement this fall. >> regardless of when it happens, the impact will be felt across this country for decades to come. we have complete coverage for you this morning. let us start with nbc's justice correspondent pete williams at the court for us. hi, pete. good morning. >> repnnter: sa, it is impossible to overstate this. this vacancy allow donald trump to reshape the united states supreme court. to make it solidly con skevtisa for years to come. thit is sure to be one o lasting decisions of his presidency. present trump praised justice kennedy for his 31 years of service on the supreme court and says he is eager to get to work on nominating a successor. >> we have to pick a great we have to pick one that's going

to be there for 40 years, 45 years. we need intellect. we need so many things. >> reporter: on virtually every controversial case in recent years, anthony kennedy has been the decider. the man in the rddle. withest of the justices evenly divided between conservatives and liberals. heoined the conservatives to allow corporate and union money inpolitics, to give new life tod seco amendment gun rights, and gut the voting right act. he joined the liberals in trimming back the death penalty, upholding abortion rights, and affirmative action i schoolings. the 2015 decision made same-sex marriage thela law of th. now, a search is on for a successor. it'll be somebody from the list of potential nominees made public earlier. someone who is a judge. >> i think it giv president the opportunity to shape the supreme court in terms of having justices on the court who really are committed to the constitution as it is written. >> reporter: among judges said to ben the short list, brett

cavanaugh of washington, d.c., hardiman, barrett of indiana. justices often say they'll step down when their successor is confirmed. by leaving july31st, justice kennedy puts pressure on the process to get the next justice on the court by m the firday in october, when the court's new term begins. willie? savannah? >> pete williams, thank you. president trump had plenty toay about the future of the supreme court during an overnight rally in north dakota. while bac in washington, a contentious fight over the fure nominee alrea underway. nbc white house correspondent kristen welker hasf that part the story for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. all of washington i poised for a bruising battle with democrats arguing the process should be delayed beyond the mid-terms. republicans, who don't technically need any democratic vote, wt quick action. overnight, president trump saying he's ready for the senate

battle ahead. j >>tice kennedy's retirement makes the issue of senate control one of the vital issues of our time. democrats want judges who will rewrite the constitution any way they want to do it and take away your second amendment. >> reporter: butemocrats are already gearing up for a fierce fight, with roe v. wade, gay rights, and voting rights at stake. p >> if thesident nominates a right-wing, fringe idealog -- >> reporter: republicans locked former president obama's pick,k merricgarland, in 2016. at the time, republicans, led by senate leader mitchne mcc, argued the critical vote should wait until after the upcoming presidential election. now, democrats are turning the tables, saying the process shld be put on hold until after this year's mid-term elections. >> our republican colleagues in

th senate should follow the rule they set in 2016. not to consider a supreme court justice in an election year. >> reporter: but republicans argue, since voters aren't electing new president, mr. trump's supreme court pick should have a hearing. mcconnell vowi ining swift activ >> we willote to confirm justice kennedy's successor this fall. >> reporter: republican s technically don't nee any democratic votes to confirm the prest's nominee. party leaders changed the senate rules last year to nominate the president's first supreme court pick, neil gorsuch, with a simple majority. but the gop can only afford to lose one vote. some igpro-abortions republicans say roe v. wade will be critical. >> i view roe v. wade as being settled law. it is clearly precedent. i always look for judges who respect precedent. >> reporter: now, the president

alsod uhat rally in north dakota to call on voters to put more repubcans in officn the mid-term elections. notine inning the razor t major his party has right now. on another major topic, the bord battle, first lady melania trump is e aected to mather trip to visit immigration facilities as early as today. >> kristen welker, thank you. chuck todd is with us here in new york to talk about the politics of this. from washington, we have tom st gon, a lawyer who specializes in supreme court litigation. he's also the founder of th award-winning scotus blog. good morning to you. >> morning. >> to you gothe supreme court wired. i know you know everything there is toou know it. for folks who don't follow it as closely, explain why this partular retiremen is such a big deal. in the past, you've had a liberal replacing a liberal. nservative replacing a conservative. this has the potential to reshape the urt. >> that's exactly right. justicete kennedy is the n the center.

he's a conservative. but on questions of, do you permit affirmative acti, can same-sex couples get married, he'd join with the liberals sometimes. now, president trump and conservatives have the chance to y ke aeally solid five justice conservative majorat could change the law in those and other areas. >> tom, i think that's the issue for a lot of thpeople. look at the abortion ruling. they look at the gay marriage ruling. depending on where you sit, you'd like to see some b change there. is it possible the court could reverse thosede sions? >> well, anything is possible. technically,ld roe v. wade c be overruled. even if it isn't, it could be cut back a lot. certainl affirmative action in higher education in public schools could be eliminated. you could have more resictions on voting rights claims, employment discrimination claims. even thoh the supreme court is very conservative, it still has a long way it could go further. >> chuck, let talk about this nomination process now. senate majority leader mitch mcconnell says we'll have a vote by the kll. chchumer and other

democrats say, let's play it by your rule from 2016 and say we have to wait until after the election before this nominee is oted on. what's this nexthree, four months going to look like? >> i think it is going to be extraordinarily ugly. i think you have a bunch of senate democrats still angry at how the supreme court opening, the scalia anseat, wased in '16 and '17. i think there's going to be some fopt of att revenge, but i don't know what that is. i don't know other than beating your chest and jumping up and down, what more chuck schumer and senate democrats can do. that said, i do think it is interesting here. mitch mcconnellants to march forward. you could make a caseli cally, it'd be better for the republicans to have the open seat on the ballot. nothing rallies the right like anpen seat. but there is a gamble. >> right. >> if they lose the senate. >> if the left was energizing people, saying, i'll vote in the midterms. now i care because i see what th stakes are. i mean, you only need 51 votes

toonfirm a supreme court justice now. i mean, is there really any suspense? >> sure. i think susan collins is going to care what the justice has to say about abortion. i think jeff flake is a wild card, a retiring senator, threatening to block some judges, all three republicans. he could gum things up. let's say mueller has new things coming ou he could be something that gums things up. remember, witho john mccain's vote sitting there, they can only lose one vobl on the rean side at all and still hope to get there. yes, there will be some pressure on democrats, like joe manchin. in north dakota and indiana, there will be pressure there. those will be, i think, the six senators that wil feel the most pressure. >> tom, you said last night, i believe it was, that this nominee could get 56 votes in the accept gnasenate. when do you think the vote will take place? nominee any chance this is not actually sat on the

bench? >> well, i think there is a chance, if some unexpected discovery came out. t bus list has already been vetted pretty well over the past couple of years. i think t gt you'll to that number of votes in all likelihood. when demratsealize they can't block the nominee unless there's some great surprise then the democrats running for office right now in states that trumped car really have no reason not to go ahead and vote for the person. i do think you'll see something ere it is not a razor thin vote in the end. >> tom goldstein, always good to have you. .huck, you, as well. thank you so mu of course, chuck will have a lot more this sunday on "meet the " pres there's a lot more to get to, including the desperate afort to rescue members o youth soccer team trapped for days now inside a flooded cave inisthailand. morning, members of the u.s. military are joining that rescue attempt. nbc's kelly cobiella has that story. good morning. >> reporter: hi. good morning, willie. this really is a desperate situation now. the water rising 6 inches an hour overnight.

the team and theiroach have been trapped somewhere in this huge flooded cave system for six days no rescuers still don't know where they are. this morning, a team of 30 from s. pacific command are in the mountain jungle of northern thailand to help look for 12 missing schoolboys and their coach. >> we're able to run 24-hour operations, and we have fks to assist the thai authorities. >> reporter: the group went missing saturday after a soccer match. th went to the cave for an adventure. they'd been there before. in local media, pictures of the boysn a previous trip. this time, floodwaters cut off the way out. their bicycles and shoes, the only sign of them. >> you don't know what kind of provisions, what kind of clothing these boys were wearing when they went in. >> reporter: the cave complex is deep in the jungle. six miles long.un rground, a maze of wide chambers andarrow tunnels. until now, searches focused on a

four-mile stretch to the left of the entrance. this morning, with floodwaters rising, they'll explore a short wpath to the right insteah the help of british cave divers who know the lay of the land. they're in the rig place, they could survive for five, six days. the flood is getting higher and higher.he this cav, the entrance, willclose. >> reporter: this mom calling out forer son. for parents, praying outside, the wait is taking. to the hope, that the boys have found dry ground and have enough fo and water to survive. local media inan tha say the boys may have gone in with flashlights. they may have a first aid kit, as well.r th25-year-old coach is a trained medic. all positive signs. searchers areoptimistic, as well. this has actually happened before. tourists trapp for days and rescued once the waters receded. savannah?

willie? >> let's hope they find the boys. kelly, thank you verow much. to the latest developments surrounding the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old boy in east pittsburgh last week. surveillance video giving a clearer picture of the drive-by shooting that happened minutes before antoine rose killed. a shchevy approache the intersection. a person in the backseat fires a gun. rose was n the shooter. police stopped the vehicle 13 minutes later. officials say police shot rose three times as he and another teen ran away. 30-year-old officer rosfeld was charged withho cide. officersay he was not threatened. stunning upset wednesday. germany, the number one team in the world, needed a win over soutkorea to advance. south korea scored in the 92nd minute to take a 1-0 lead. they'd score an empty net goal a

couple minutes later and holdn,n to 2-0. germany eliminated from the world cup. it is the first time everge any has not made it out of the group stage. it was great news for mexico, who advanced to the round of 16 thanks to korea's big win. mexico's fans celebrated a chanted, "korea, korea," to show their thanks. nice assist from the koreans to the mexicans. >> new fans. f tens millions are feeling the heat. temperatures are soaring across the country. al has theca fo. we find him in st. louis this morning. hi, al. good morning. >> good morning, >> hey, good morning, guys. we're literally in the thick of it and we're going to tell you why we're here. part is the beautiful gateway arch, but boy the heat is on and is going to be on right through the weekend. let's take ak. l excessive heat watches, warnings, and advisories for 55 million people pr minnesota, down to the deep south and parts

of the southwest. the way it feel 160 meal people will feel like it's over 90. tomorrow 210 million people feel like it's over 90, 90 million feel like it's over 100 and saturday the numbers rise exponentially as we wake our east. today is hot and humid. peak indexes that feel like 106 in it jackson, miami100, kansas city 110. tomorrow, look at that. lo at how hot it gets as far north as chicago. orland 99. austin 105. saturday it really starts to heat up. detroit 108. 96 in tampa. as we move on into sunday, in new york it will feel like over 100 degrees. baton rouge, 100. 107 in laredo. guys, we're not looking at any relief.

his is going to be into the beginning of next week. your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. good morning, i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. clouds and sunshine erhead this morning. still one or two raindrops across parts of northern fauquier county and eventually into the city, if they last that long. this cluster has been drying up farther east, so can't ruleop o

a r two in the next hour. it will be a warm day today, high near 89, into the 90s starting tomorrow. >> guys, we have severe weather to talk about, as we'll do that coming up in the next half hour. back to you. >> al, thank you so much. straight ahead, a complicated man leaving behind a controversial how joe jackson's family is remembering their patriarch this morning. > and the revealing look at controversial new technology, using family trees to solve cold cases like the suspected golden state killer. first, this is "today" on nbc.

coming up, the new documentary on the life and loss of whitney houston. revealing long-kept family secrets. h we'llear from the pop star's sister-in-law. a rossen reports warning before have you noticed everything has a day? for instance, january 21st is national hugging day. but anyone can give a hug

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phew. third time's the charm... this is a nbc4 today news break. >> 7:26 is your time now on this thursday, good morning to you. >> in the news thisin mo d.c. police need your help finding this man. you'll see him in a secd in a blue shirt. he walked up behind a woman and reached under her skirt before walking away. >> it was in the middle of the day. policeselieve tan could be involved with other case that's including a woman being attacked late sunday night. if you recognize the man, call police. we'll have more on the story throughout the day n ons 4. today crews begin construction to ease your commute on i-66.

they are adding another eastbound lane. it will run from the duls connecter to fairfax drive. the improvements will also be made to the trail in that areon constructi expected to wrap up by 2020. here's a look t at traffic. >> good morning. still have a alert he in gaithersburg. that ramp to southbound 270 still shut down. overturned tractor trailer. if you continue on37 turn arnold on southbound 270, but it is really a mess there. through lanes there, crash on the left side. >> all right, melissa, thank you. t >> check on your forecas up next.

good morning, everyone. >> good morning, hello. there's your city camera view. it will be a sunny day today.

morning, evacybody. we're at 7:30. it's thursday morning, the 28th of o jujune, 2018. we'd all recognize that anywhere. the iconic gateway arch in st. louis. co ing up, al, w there, is going to give us a sneak peek at some really big changes ahead of next week's grand re-opening celebration. al is out inui st. willie is right here. hoda is taking some time off. and goodg, morncraig. we just did roll call. >> good morning. good to see you both. >> been up in the arch? >> yes. >> really coolal. >> they're re-opening that. ide don't think al has ever do that. it'll be cool to check? >> really cool. supreme court showdown. supreme vacancy. >>e have to pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going

to be there for 40 years, 45 years. >> president trump now deciding who to nominate to the supme court, as key swing vote justice kennedy announces his retirement. giving the president an opportunity to shake the court for generations. >> this was anthony kennedy's court because you couldn't get a major issue decided without his vote. up in smoke? nortykorea reportedltill expanding its nuclear facility, raising questions about kimident trump's claim that jong-un has agreed to disarm. this as the rue regs accused of executing a top army officer for giving troops extra food in the wake of the su pit. aying their respects. the 15-year-old bronx teen who was brutally murdered, laid to rest in an emotional funeral omrvice, as the cnity continues to call for justice. flipping out. a shirtless man climbs a highway sign in los angeles, stopping rush hour traffic to protest pollution, then back flipping down before being arrested.

and dropping the ball. >> tough play. nobody gets it! wow. >> arkansas misses the opportunity to win the college world series on a pop-up ifithe l inning. opening the door for oregon state to rally back. this one is deep. this one is gone! >> for aciding game three today, june 28th, 2018. >> that is a hearreaking. ey make the catch, arkansas wins the college world series. >> what's happeng? it's you. no, you. >> they all have tough angles to get there in the first place. somebody should call for it and take they get another chance tonight to redeem themselves and win it. >> all right. let's turn to the life and legacy of one of music's mos influential and controversial figures. >> joe jackson, patriarch of an american musical dynasty, father to michael, janet, and their siblings, as well, died yesterday. he was 89. natalie is in a leles with more on that this morning. hey, nat. >> reporter: good morning,gu .

joe jackson had been battling terminal cancer. he passed away ely wednesday morning at a hospice in las vegas. leaving behind though a complicated legacy. ♪ abc, easy as 123 >> reporter: from the moment his children hit the stage, joe jackson commanded a share of the spotlight. born in the south and raising a family i the violent poverty of gary, indiana, joe jackson saw his kids' musical talent as a pass to a better life. ♪ baby, baby >> i raised the largest entertaining group to ever walk the face of the earth. >> reporter: even the jackson five would take aks bt to michael. as his solo career took htflig, michael fired joe, accusing him of physical and psychological abuse. chael telling oprah in 1993 that joe regularly beat him and his siblings. >> i love my father, but i don't know him. he wasery hard.

just a look would scare you. there's been times when he'd come to see , and i would get sick. i'd start to regurgitate. >> reporter: janet and othersed shimilar stories. joe called it discipline, not abuse, but didn't apologize. >> i'm glad i was tough. look what i came out with. i came out with some kids that everybody loved all over the world. >> reporter: joe was at michael's side during his legal battles and sat front and center at his public memorial. after michael's sudden death, the singer picked only his mother, catherine, to raise hish dren, leaving joe out of the will. >> how often do you see the kids? >> i seem t enough. >> reporter: the jacksons coming together again in memory of the family patriarch. michael's daughter, paris, posted a photo holding hands with her grandfather. and prince raise his willpower and dedication., addiou showed me strength

and faearlessness. latoya saying, i'll never forget how much you cared. janet paid tribute to hro the stage. >> to my beautiful mother and my beautiful th, and my entire family, your love is unbreakable. >> reporter: and again just days before he died. >> my father, my incredible father, drove me to the best i can. >> nat, as you acknowledge, he was a complicated man with a complicated legacy. how is the family choosing to remember him thisg? morn >> reporter: over the years, we've heard so many of thosehe stories fromackson children themselves about their home life, how difficult it was, abuse. some of those stories very, very dark. in these last few weeks, asck n's health was failing, his family chose to rally behind him. they chose to focus on the good in what he created, as you saw with the words from his evgrandkids and children. his ex-wife, catherine, also was

ere at his bedside throughout nt health problems in re years. >> natalie morales, thank you. we move to al. he's in st. loui >> hey,go guys, thanks so much. we have pretty good thundetorms firing up through our west in st. louis. hopefully they hold off until we finish off, butth i meantime let's show you what we have going on. on the rada you can see we are looking at storms out to the west pushing their way, but also heavy activity through eastern tennessee and in the northeast there have been some airport delays thanks to strong storms pushing their way through. they are going to t continue push their way through during the afternoon and early evening hours. so much so, a lot of wet weather today, into this afternoon. could be some fla flood watches in effect later today for parts of new england a the heavier rain pushes up. we are looking for rainfall amounts two to three inches,

locally could be as much as five. that's what's going onround the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. goomorning, temperatures right now in the 70s. 77 degrees. mostly sunny skies. as we go through theafternoon, nice and dry, mix of sun and 75, 73 in frederick, also pretty humid, as we go through the day today, we could see a passing shower by 8:00 a.m. that about it. during the afternoon we'll be heating up to near 90 degrees. if you're heading to the beach this weekend, looks good. sunny skies and temperatus in the s. inland will be feeling like 100. >> reporter: that is your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you so much. still ahead, a revealing new look athitney houston's rise and fall. >> the expectation that she's supposed to be this perfect hrson, that's a lot of pressure for one toave to deal with. >> the music icon's sister-in-law opening up about her private struggles. a stunning newre family s

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♪ ♪ for the hustle, for the grind. introducing 1850 coffee. inspired by the year the folger coffee company began. fire-roasted and steel-cut, with a bold yet smooth taste. new 1850 coffee. begin boldly. welcome back. genealogy has been aopular way r people to learn about their ancestry. >> lately, it's become a major asset for police, as welljo fryer joins us with that story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. when investigators track down suspected golden state killer joseph deangelo, theyeld on genetic genealogy. since the arrest, off four more cold cases across the country have been solved using

the same technique. three in jus the past week. those cases, authorities worked with a lab in virginia, which gave us an in-depth look at this new technology when gary hartman appeared in court this week, accused of murdering a 12 -year-old girl back in 19, the victim's family was there. >> you never expect the face of somebody that's done something this terrible to look normal. >> reporter: michelle was killed ma, washington. the suspect, hartman, a 66-year-old nurse with no criminal record, pleaded not guilty. poce identified him using cutting-edge crime-solving tool, genetic genealogy, hunting down suspects through dna a family trees. they worked with a team that helped crack four cold cases in just the past few eks. >> people typically come to us because they have a case where theyave dna but no leads. >> reporter: they gave us an inside look at one of its which led to the arrest last

month of 55-year-old william talbett, accused of murderingr couple nattle in 1987. they uploaded information to ged match, a public genology pebsitpebsitwe website. they found who relatives of the killer.gr they worked band to the great grandparents, then forward to where the trees intercepted. detectives then got dna from a cup discarded from the suspect and say it matched the killer. he pleadedotguilty. >> i suspect we'll be able to put dozens of cold cases to rest. >> reporter: like the 1992 murder of a teacher. authorities were steered to a popular disk jockey known as d.j. freeze. dna from a plastic water bottle and gum linked him to the crime. he has yet to enter a plea.

>> he's been free longer than she lived her entire life. >> reporter: after hartman was pinpointed as a possible suspect, detectives followed him, collecting a brown paper napkin left behind at a rest ranre -- aurant. it tied him to the murder. >> you'd think he'd step out and say, you know, i need conviction on this. absolve my guilt. obviously, that didn't happen. i'm glad for dna. >> reporter: the company has uploaded dna from about a hundred crime scenes to ged match. 20 of them looked very promising. in 30 others, detectives can hopefullyarw down the suspect list. >> incredible to see how the technologys workin joe, thank you. ahead, prince william's touching tribute to a loved one overnight to a trip t o some the world's hol ♪ it's time for the 'lowesicen

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we are back with today's royal roundup. >> yee-haw. >> first time i've seen that. >> toyals and the cowboys. don't know how thosetogether. but prince william wrapping up his historic trip to the middle

east. keir simmons is in jerusalem for us. >> good morning. >> reporter: morning, guys whil here, prince william receiving news from back home about his grandmher. buckingham palace saying this morning that the queen is feeling, quote, under the weather and will n able to attend an engagement today. doesn't appear to be cause for concern. you know, guys, what it does underscore is that what we are witnessing is the shifting of royal generations. the future king inside those incredible walls of the old city of jerusalem behind methere, getting a lesson today in the most complex cultural place. walking on sacred ground this morning, prince william on a pilgrimage to some of the world's most sensitive religious sites. every step protected.nd surrou by heavily armed security. close by, the western wall. for jews, part of an ancient holy temple. where the prince paused in

lent reflection. finally, visiting the historic church of the holy sepleca. christians believe jesus was buried here. the streets have seen clashes just this year. prince william, after meeting with israeli leaders this week, visiting the palestian territory. >> history in the making right there. >> reporter: shaking hands with the palestinian president and telling his people -- >> you have not been forgotten. it has been a very powerfulri exce to meet you and other palestinians t living west bank and to hear your stories. >> reporter: there have been personal moments. william, this morning, visiting his great grandmother's tomb. she helped rescue jews during the holocaust. and a little fu too. kicking balls on a tel-aviv beach. and playing with kids in the west bank.

even meeting israeli's supermodel.ca politilly, william has appeared unaffair raid to speak mind. a future king perhaps finding hisie voice even in this st land, where words can start wars. willia o is a plane back home now. this was a long-awaited but largelyymbolic trip. people here, guys, are really waiting for that whiteouse ace plan. william spoke a lot about peace. of course, actually making peace is a good dealr. toug i imagine he enjoyed meeting the supermodel. >> of course. >> wouldn't you? >>hi.i just wanted to tell you that chevy won a j.d.power dependability award for its midsize car-the chevy malibu. i forgot. chevy also won a j.d. power dependability award for its light-duty t the chevy silverado. oh, and since the chevy equinox and traverse also won chevy is the only brand to earn the j.d. power dependability award

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this is a news 4 today news break. >> 7:56 is your time now t ons thursday, june 28th, 2018, good morning to you, i'm eun yang. we want to see if there are any problems on the roads, melissa. >> still have this issue, webound 370, ramp to southbound 270 still closed, overturned tractor trailer. you can head west on 270, turn around there andet on to 270 southbound. two things on the beltway. interloop after connecticut 29ght lane blocked by a crash and crash on the left side. >> all right, melissa, thank you. we'll take a quick break and check your forecast next. stay with us. whoooo.

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ever changing selection. ever amazing prices. homegoods. go finding. thursday morning. temperatures in the mid to upper 70 80 in annapolis, heating up to 89 degrees. mix of sun and bclouds, we stay dry. if you're heading to the beach for the weekend, loong great, temperatures in the mid to upper 80s at the beach. inland, 90s, feels like 100 or more. >> all right, sheena, thank you. nother update for you in 25 minute for you back to the "today" show.

it's 8:00n "today." supreme court shakeup. justice anthony kennedy announced he is stepping down after 30 years on the bench, opening up a seat that couldhe shapeourt for years to come. >> we have to pick a great one. we have to pick one that's going o be there for 40 years, 45 years. >> now, the race is on to name his successor, as republicans g and democrar up for a fight. >> we will vote to confirm justice kennedy's successor this fall. >> hypocrisy for the majority leader to move forwa v on ae now. >> we're live in washington with the latest. plus,ehind the music. whitney houston's sister-in-law opening up like never before

about the perstar's downfall and death. >> did you say, whitney, you are goin to die? >> there are interventions. everybody always went to her. >> the family secrets she's now revealing. and "wingman" wanted. "top gun 2" is coming to the big screen and looking for a co-star. who can you expect to see alongside tom cruise in the highly anticipated sequel? we'll take a look at the front runners today, thursday, june 28th, 2018. >> happy birthday! go, astros. >> from houston, texas. >> we love you, mom and dad. >> hi from cali mrnia. wherey guests and i watch the "today" show every day because al quacks us up. ♪ shut up and dance with me >> we're from oceaiaside, califo >> hi to all my loved ones back in the north of england. >> i'm here with my daughters

from lexington, kentucky. >> representing the big blue nation. >> go cats. ♪this woman is my destination welcome back to "today" on a rainy thursday morning. o say hello you. good morning. willie and craig are with us as hoda enjoys some time off. we broughtome guests inside so they're not poured . the president could face a monumental confirmation battle as he gets ready to nominate a replacement for retiring justicd ke white house correspondent hallie jackson has the latest for us. good morning. >> reporter: goo you.ning to yes, this will be a m legacy-defininent for donald trump. as the president gets ready to pick a newustice who could shift the court further to the right, something that could last a generation. but none of that will happen without first a summer of bitter political fighting on capitol hi ll. the president now rallying

arou a retirement and a replacement for justice anthony kennedy, stepping down after 30 years on the bench. >> i'm very honored that he chose to do it during my term in office. because he felt confident in me to make the right choice and o carry his great legacy. >> reporter: in north dakota overnight, president trump highlighting the power in his pick, as kennedy's retirement triggers what will be the biggest shift in power on the supre court in decades. in the senate, republicans are ready for a vote in a matter of months. will vote to confirm justice kennedy's successor this fall. >> reporter: mitch mcconnell brushing off democrats' demands he wait until after the mid-term elections to vote. his political opponents pointing to republicans' refusalo hold a vote on then president obama's pick, merrick gaand, in 2016. >> hypocrisy for the majority leader to move forward on a vote

now. >> reporter: the democrats can't do anything to stop the picsif republictick together. it is an if, with moderate republicans holding the cards, thanks to the gop's razor thin majority. >> the president, under the constitution, has the authority to put forthupme court nominees, and then we have our job to do in considering them. >> reporter: he swing justice for more than a decade, kennedy was often the deciding vote in many high-profile cases. like the travel ban and voting rights, when he sided with conservatives. but siding with liberals for marriage eequality. ext justice will almost certainly be more conservative, leading to excitement on the right and fear on the left that the n court could overturn, for example, a key abortion rights ruling. >> who will you pick to replace him, sir? >> we have a list of 25eople that i actually had during my election. >> reporter: on that list, abouz two conservative leaning judges, along with u.s. senator lee,lawyer, republican mike believed to be on the short

list. brett kavanaugh and pennsylvania's thomas hardiman. that is going to be a high-stakes decision fd don trump. we are also learning more about something else that's pretty high stakes. a summit between president trump andnt russian presiladimir putin. we are just learning this morning the date and location for that talk has been set. it will happen july 16th in thelsinki, finland, j after the world cup. savannah? >> hallie jackson, thank you very much. the department of homeland security is askingta the pn to house up to 12,000 undocumented migrants to help keep family members together. ite migrants would be kept at established milary facilities or in temporary camps. 2,000 of those spaces are needed within 45 days. the trump administration would prefer t hold the families in texas, arizona, new mexico, or california, where most of them were apprehenapprehended. on tuesday, a federal judge ordered the u.s. to stop detaining parents without their children and to reunite those who had been separated.

the u.s. military has sent a special operations team to help search for a boy's soccer team that's lost in a mountain cave in the 12 boys and their coach have been missing since saturday. that's when they entered the cave complex after a game. it is several miles of narrow passageways a wide chambers. heavy rainfall has causedmany of t to flood. officials remain optimistic because tourists trapped in the been by past floods hav rescued after the water receded. hoda is so i get to do the boost this morning. we know summer vacation justst ted. one florida girl is already working to help other kids when school starts again in the sefa. nd grader aniya da noticed a classmate needed new shoes but couldn'tor a them. she convinced her dad to buy a pair. gift cards came in from all over. she collected enough to help just about everybody in her

school who will need shoes this fall. she's hoping to expand the ogram to the entire country. good for her. >> nicely done. >> yeah. coming up, a revealing new look at the lifef music superstar whitney houston and what led to her tragic death. we'll be hearing from her sister-in-law. plus, the warning about buried fees beforeur you book summer vacation. >> reporter: good morning. i'm jeff rossen. you got a good deal on a hotel room. owe in the fine print, you them more money. sometimes a lot more money. resort fees on the rise. what are they? ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ for the hustle, for the grind. introducing 1850 coffee. inspired by the year the folger coffee company began. fire-roasted and steel-cut, with a bold yet smooth taste.

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we're back. 8:10. today's talker. jenna and sheinelle are here. who has the er? >> i have the talker this morning. we'll talk about pop star whitneyouston. once in a generation talent, obviously. there is a new documentary tha explores her meteoric rise. the directors claim it' address the questions you asked and the queerions you n knew. as i found it, it doesn't make the answers any easier to hear. ♪ i have nothing, nothing, nothing♪ >> reporter: revealing famy secrets, shedding light on whitney houston's tragic and death in 2012, is the theme of the new documentary, "whitney." with haunting, never before seen footage of the singer, and interviews with family members,a friends, associates. even hearing from whitney herself. >> there were times when i would look and go, why is this

happening to me? >> reporter: sat dowith pat houston, whitney's sister-in-law, a producer on the documentary, and asked that very question. why did this happen to her? why? you know, it's the choices that you make. we look ateb cties like they're immortals, and they're not. the expectation that she's supposed to be this perfect person, that's a lotressure for one to have to deal with. >> reporter: was it a burden for judgment? >> definitely a burrn. a few days before she passed, that's wha she talked about, why do people judge me? >> reporter: new details on houston's drug addiction. her brothers revealing a bag ofe gave her marijuana and cocaine for her 16th birthday. 16 years old. who is watching out for this girl? >> back then, ee was trying it and doing drugs. it was a recreational thing. they weren't thinking. they were just thinking abo

having fun. >> reporter: what did you do? i mean, did you her aside?, pull what did she say? did you say, whitney, you're going to die? >> there were intntions for her. everybody always went to her. >> reporter: also revealed, disturbing allegations that whitney and her brothers were sexually molested by cousin didi warwick, who has since died. sister to famed singer dion warwick. >> such a sensitive subject, you know. i still have my mother-in-law, and dion, who are still with us, and they're both veryab hon women. >> reporter: let me ask you about bobby brown. he was interviewed and asked about the drug use. he says, i don't want t talk about the drugs. that's not what killed her. what ds hemean? >> you'd have to ask him that. i have no idea. you ow, bobby is bobby. >> reporter: the family discusses houston's final days, saying, whitney was happy,ven an hour before she was found dead in her los angeles hotel

room bathroom. clear it up. what happened, in your opinn? >> only her and god knows that. only her and god knows that. >> reporter: perhaps the most heartbreaking t is about houston's daughter, bobbi kristina, who died at age 22, in an eeril similar way to her mother. whitney's former age said krissie had never seen a normal life. she was theompanion of an alcoholic and drug addict, and that's what she learned to be. about your opini whitney as a mom? >> she was present, as present as she should be. she did try at the end, but it was a little bit too late.te >> rep are you at peace? >> i'm at peace because i know she'spe at e. she doesn't have to deal with all of this anymore. she was giv to usor one moment in time. she served herpurpose. we want to mention, we reached out to both dion warwick andouston regarding didi warwicand the molestation

allegations. houston is declining comments. we didn't hear back from warwick. it opens in theaters july 6th. >> you watched it. >> i watched ittwice. both times i watched it before going to bed, and it was heavy. i we up the next morning, twice, and it is still haunting. there were a lot of things we didn't know. i talked a to pat forut an hour, and i'll try to put them on today.com. a p lot ople feel like, in some ways, it was really hard for her. did she stand a chance? i don't know. she could go to rehab, but whe she'd come back, come back to reality, all of the things that haunted her were sti there. >> yeah. all of those people were still surrounding her. >> there were people whobu love her you know, sometimes, it's hard, we all know, with addiction. this movie, i have a feeling, a lot of people will be talking about it after july 6th. >> can't wait to see it. >> very well done. >> sheinelle, thank you very much. we will send it

>> that's right, we're celebrating the reopening ofga way park, but nobody is celebrating the temperatures that are going to be just oppressive over the next several days. we've got 55li m people at risk from the upper mississippi river valley to the southwest. heat advisories, heat watches, heat warnings. besides the feels-like temperatures, the records are going to be very dangerous, as well. look at some of these records today, casper, wyoming, denver, pueblo, colorado. alosa looking at a record of 91 degrees. then as we shift to the east, temperatures continue to possibly set records in nchester, burlington, rochester, allentown, and on sunday, the hottest d probably in the northeast, we're going to see the potential for records in new york city, binghamton, and that's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist

chuck bell. most of the sprinkles are coming to an end. maybe a few dropsn the city o fairfax, but even that's not going to last longer. once the sun is out, idmperatures will jump. already in theo upper 70s. afternoon temperatures well into the upper 80has, p near 90 degrees. definitely above 90 starting to90rrow and mid s over the weekend. heat indexes could be near 100 starting on saturday. >> reporter: that's your latest weather. coming up in the next hf hour, we take you to the top of the gateway arch. it is spectacular. see you then. >> al, thank you so muow. n to more of our special rossen rorts summer survival guide we're doing t this morning, an important warning for everybody taking a vacation. >> there's something you need to look out for when you're booking your hotel stay. "today" invtigator correspondent is here. jeff rossen, good to see you. >> good to seeyou. summer is in full swing, but we're all working.

hope you get time off. u, too. when you do, you want to go on vacation. you find a great deal on a hotel. suddenly you see it, the mandatory fee. hotels call it the resort fee. it is on t rise. experts say more hotels are charging thisvehan before. they're charging more than ever before. according to a watchdog site, in resort ars, the average fee has increased by 23%. what do you get for that fee anyway, and what should you do before you book? this morning, we got you covered. i'm going on vacation. welcom i'll show you. >> reporter: sun, sand, and summer. but you'll pay for it. acrding to a recent study, in 2017, consumers paid an estimated $2.7 billion in hotel fees. we found that hapning all over. first stop, sunny san diego. here's the lobby. .time to check see what happens. online, we get a great rate of $199 a night. only when you click on this small details button beneath

taxes and fees do you see it. sandwiched between the san diego tourism marketing district fee and the california tourism fee, you see the resortfee. a whopping $39 a night. that's a hefty resort fee. that's pretty hefty. $39. the resort fee is a few dollars less, but youe taxed on the fee. a tax o think about that. and it is even pricier at the next vacationot hot sp. >> are you ready? atlantat ntis. >> reporter: the bahamas. i'm about to book the beach at atlantis. look at that appealing price. $175.50. love that. at first glance, i don't see anything aboutor rt fee. see that button, learn more? click that. there it is. $49.95 daily resort fee. bahamas. when i get to the hotel. checking in, jeff rossen.ou

turns the resort fee is even more. it is $53.70 a night bause of the pesky resort fee tax. you see the $175 for the room, and you're like, it is a great price. but when you get the bill the resort fee kills you. what do you even get for these resort fees at many hotels, itncludes erything from local phone calls to coupons, to the fitness center, board game rentals,bo led water, and you know the small coffee maker in your room that you thought was complemen complementa complementary? no, you're paying for that, too. the biggest surprise, here inga las s. at the circus circus hotel, popular with families. on the website, the resort fee plus $36.ha. more the room itself. >> your room today was actually $25. the resort fee is $36. hat'e $1s8, and the r esort fee

$33. >> i think these are ridiculous and unfair. g reporter: experts say we all need to smarter, faster. what are we supposed to do as cowhumers? 's your advice? >> the advice is know what you're buying. you have to look at what the big price is that they tell you about, and then you've got to find out later on whether or not there l an additiona resort fee. >> reporter: read the fine print. >> read the fine pri y. that's wha have to do. f youother tip for you, don't feel like pouring through the fine print -- we hate doing that -- call t front desk before you book and get the exact cost for taxes and fees. you can make aed info decision. yet another tip -- i got them all in my pocket here. not every hotel charges a resort fee. if your firsthoice does, check other hotels in the location. ng what's being done about these fees, not much. he called the fcc. they told us don't have anything to say on this currently. the industry group representing hotels does. the american hotel and lodging associationelling nbc news, transparency and guest sttisfaction are the core of the

hotel in's business model. hotels are careful to disclose resort fees. >> a lot of times you don't realize there is fee until you're checking out. you start looking through the bill. you say, what is that $50? i think there should be a room rate, and that's what it is when you buy airline tickets, then the airport fee. tell me the bottom line. >> let me know what i'm paying. >> we're all sufficiently angry. thank you getting us riled up. sheinel has new jewelry in the spotlight. >> a wedding pposal can be an amazing and memorable experience. it can also come with a lot of pressure, especially when it comes to picking out the perfect ring wel well, hellsburg diamonds think they have the solution. place holder band can be given at the proposal, and you can pick out the ring together. for $50, you get a ring subscribed with the words, in

the -- this is a ring, but not the ring. the first of man thinge'll do together. we have a lot ofinpu love this idea. genius move. sandy says, i don't this idea. i like the fact that my husband picked it o morut special. we asked on twitter. what do you think of the "will you" ring concept? look at the results. >> wow. >> 50% disapprove. 50% approval. for those of you worried about having to payor a third ring, there is a solution for th. if you return the "will yo ring to any of the stores, the couple will get a $400 discount off the engagement ring. how about that? >> wow. >> here's the thing, with the 50/50 t,spli'm interested in what you have to say.em do you remr back in the day, they had promise rings? >> i mean, i never received one. >> i didn't either. >> did you have a bff ring?

>> never had one of those. >> no. s one?t about t >> i like that my husband picked out the ring. i think it put thought into it. it is part of our job to listen when you talk about other people's rings. by the time you go to buy the ring, you kind of know what she likes. >> how many times did you try on somebody else's ring fun, savann savannah? >> oh, look at this. >> mike picd it out all by himself. it was cool. >> women i know helped. before he proposed, may have thpointed out sog. >> did you? >> he knew what i liked. >> i bet he did. >> moving to pop start. first uo leona dicaprio and brad pitt. the first look a u "oncen a time in hollywood." we see them dressed in '60s ga h

garb. they're struggling actors but have a famous friend. the film includes an alstar cast. margot robbie, dakota fanning, and bert reynolds to name a few. it is dicaprio and pitt's first er, too.e it comes out august 9th, 2019. >> next ar. >>rfect. >> we can plan. >> a year to wait. put these glasses on. can i see the w prompteh this? >> sure, you can. >> you look the part. >> more updates about the op gun 2" sequel. tom cruise is working on the second installment, titled "maverick." ice man is coming back for the sequel the story line will resolve around navigating the skies in the age of drones. now, we also know the movie isl ing to cast an actor to play goose's son. you may call, goose was maverick's wingman and passed away in the film. the sequel will featuregoose's son all grown up. per the "hollywood reporter," three a in the running for

the role. they're all being considered. interesting to see where the character takes the story. thank you so much. this is a 4 news today news break. >> good morning, everybody, it's 8:26 now on this thursday, june 28th, i'm aaron gilchrist. let's start with ak l at the commute this morning. >> good morning. inhe gaburg, that ramp again, southbound 270, still closed. you can continue on 370, turn around and get back on southbou 270 that's an overturned tractor trailer. on the beltway,ight side t ihis morning. beltway before gw parkway, take a look at c that, y see delays there. >> thank you. a check of your forecast when we come back. stay with us.

♪

wow! ♪ find a world of inspiration. find something you love today. ever changing selection. ever amazing prices. homegoods. go finding. skies are clearing out this morning. most of the rain is done, 99% done. one or two drops left in fairfax county. highs today upper 80s. tomorrow into the 90s we go. dry tomorrow and through the

weekend. if you're beach bound friday, sa,rday, sund greater idea. cool. >> thank you. get the latest news and weather in the nbc washington app.

♪ high, high hopes for living 8:30 now. it's a thursday morning. it is june 28th, le2018. icky, rainy one out on our plaza this morning. we're so happy to have people along with us. we have t take a selfie. ready? one, ttwee. got a little birthday selfie going. ys it raining or not raining? >> it's actuaot that bad. >> i guess it's fine. >> we'll put it right. he

>> want me to get that for you? >> why? does this seem awkward? >> there go. >> panic! at the disco is going to be here tomorrow, guys. they'll beur taking over summer concert stage. if you're in the area, come on down. >> should be funmorning. next friday, july 6th, lady antebellum will be here. they want you to pick one of their songs that day. choices are,"i run to you," "american honey," and "we owned the night." share your pick using the hashtag aady. today. speaking of stars, check out what sunny got to do. our puppy with a purpose was the guest, meeting the mets,ev and en delivered the ball for the first pitch. >> how about that? hoda isn't here, so i'll take the crowd moment. i'll try too d it justice here. five sisters from californ. oh, this is great. sis one, sistwo, sis three, sis

four, sis five. where are you from? >> california. >> all over? >> san dieg >> l.a. >> where is sis four? >> in virginia. we miss you! >> you ladies do a trip every year? yes, we . >> in honor of our mom, dorot dorothy's daughters. >> i love this. looks like you'll set the town on fire.fu be ca okay? >> yes. >> we should give you something. if hoda were here, she'd give you something. hoda isn't here. t i have nothi give you. i'll give you a hug. how about that? >> we'll take a picture, as well. >> just what they wanted. >> we want your t-shirts. >> how do we ord the t-shirts? >> sis one and sis two. ahead, helicopter parents, there is a new trend, and you won't like it. adventure playgrounds where parents aren't allowed. >> apparently, power tools are allowed. >> power tools, yes. parents, no. >> i hav w no ideahat's about to happen. i can't wait to see. in the mood for meat, fish,

or ies? when you're grilling, you don't have to choose. we're going to throw it all on the grill this morning. now, let's go to mr. roker. oh, baby, this is what we do for our crowd. weive out pizza. yeah, pizza. there you go. help yourselves. good times. let's see what we've goyo weekend outlook for you, here's what we're shaking out. starting off with friday, hot and humid weath in the western eastern two-thirds of the country. triple digits in the southwest. saturday we exp to see plenty of sunshine in the southwest. stormy weather in the upper er mississippi r valley and sunday, sunday! hot weather in the northeastern states, probably see somes. reco triple digit heat in the southwest. wet weather from the great lakes

down to the gulf coast. how's that pizza? all right. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happeningr in y neck of the woods. >> well, this morning we're warm and humid. temperatures in the mid to upper 70oms in spots. as we get closer to lunchtimeda mid 80s by the afternoon, near 90 and als on the d side this afternoon. if you're heading to the beach this weekend, beautiful weather. it's going to be heating up, though. saturday close to 90 degrees at thech. sunny skies, stay hydrated. if you're stayingarther inland, we'll be in the 90s. humidity feeling around 100 degrees. >> reporter: that is your latest weather. guys, one of the reasons we are here is to pay tribute to this beautiful national the gateway arch. it opened up 50 years ago. closed.een it has just re-opened. i got a shot to take y to the top of the arch.

here in the shadow of greatness, they've been busy. with the gateway arch looming overhead, construction crews have been working to revamp the museum. the first major renovation since 1976. >> a lot of pride in their work. >> reporter: eric and mike helped bring about the changes. why is this so important? >> this is our national monument towards westward expansion. this i a st. louis icon. this is what people in st. louis identify themselves with. >> reporter:hy is this arch so iconic? >> it is the our country, but it's also one of the really true wonders of the world. >> reporter: i don't think people realize that it is actually a national monument. you think, in a way, this monument kind of gets short tripped? >> yeah, we're hoping to fix at. >> reporter: we begin the tour of this new multi-level,

interactive museum with ranger rhonda. >> would you lik a little tour of the history? >> reporter: would love it. >> we'll show you what theh gateway a represents. >> reporter: all right. >> 201 years of american history. this is theia col st. louis exhibit. this helps share the story with our visitors about the early days of st. louis. >> reporter: rhonda, i notice, looking at this wall, thelt al and racial diversity that was here. >> this is a real objective of ouex museum rience, is we want to share american history fromultiple perspectives. this model represents the rebuilt city of st. louis in is52. >> reporter: thi representation of that? >> it is. >> reporter: it's the tallest manmade monument in ate united stes. g course, we had to go to the top. there, it is a cozy four-minute tram ride up. >> hang on to your hats. we're picking up speed. >> reporter: picking up speed now,baby. the view is spectacular. 630 feet high. >> here's your 30-mile view into

the state of missouri. >> reporter: wow. a stunning look into what, for many, began t journey into the american west. until now, the arch had been cut off from the rest of the cit by i-44. now, connected by this stunning, new park, a jewel that makes it ssible to walk from riverfront to th oldth ouse. wow, what a view. park ranger donald took me inside. where are we now, donaldar >> w on the fourth level of the courthouse. >> reporter: built in 1828, this was the place where former slave, dred scott, and harriett, foughtor their freedom. you are going to give us a very rare tour, access up there? >> 19 feet up. >> reporter: let's try. >> let's do this. >> reporter: lead on. we got exclusive access all the way up to the top of the rok . that's a h a view. very few people, i'm nggues

see the arch from this vantage point. revealing the work just completed to complement this american treasure.d that was a hclimb, but it is worth it for the view. donald, is there an elevator down? >> no, sir. >> reporte dang. i have to tell you, it is worth the climb. thish a is spectacular. just a few of the rangers who you will meet and know everything about it. you'll enjoy it. guys, one of the things i find fascinating is that the people of st. louis and the surroundi ar voted for a tax increase, over $90 million, to helith the renovation. that is something you don't see happening eve day. really cool. >> yeah. big investment in their communitrk >> land >> al, thank you so much. coming up next, would you let your kids play unsupeised with saws? the new playgrounds who moting wh -- promoting risky play and the surprising benefits.

jen thna has tha

we're back now with a helicopter parent's worst nightmare. antu advus kid's dream. >> jenna, you are exploring the risky play. of we have to hear this. >> i'm not good with saws myself, and we know this is summer. ki play hours on devices. now, we're tradingor software hardware, making toys out of hammers and saws in so-called adventure playgrounds. while it may seem dangerous, ay experts s there are benefits for children and their parents. >> reporter: with the swing of a hammer and the grinding of a saw, a new type ofd playgro where kids use actual tools to build not only whatever they can imagine, but also character. >> you can do whatever you want withts no paren bossing you around. >> i have an idea. >> reporter: the yard, one of ew america's f adventure playgrounds, inviting children

as young as 6, to turn 50,000 square feet of junk on new york's governor's land, into an opportunity for risky play. >> ts is the new york city version of what some of us grew up with.u' yo able to play with whatever was hanging around. >> reporter: the main rule, no ults allowed. king the yard a no fly zone for so-called helicopter parents. >>y're not being watched. they're not bei supervised. they're not being told what to do. they have to figure it out f them themselves. >> reporter: a product of the free-range parenting movement. adventure plaunds like the yard first became popular in the uk, before popping up across the u.s., answering a growing call to expose kids to more risk. >> it ismportant for kids to learn to take tir own risks and to risk-assess their own behavior, so they can grow up td be fully roudults who know how to trust themselves and make their own decisions and choices. >> drink water. it is really hot. >> reporter: the call for more

risk addressed in a recent study, suggesting overprotective parents can diminish their child's ability to regulate emotions and behavior. resechers from the university of minnesota who followed more than 400 children ove an eight-year period, found that the more children were coddled early in life, the more likely they struggled in school and with making friends. in other words, children can benefit from the freedom of plrisky ay, which can build social skills and courage creativity, according to experts. >> overprotectivent pa helicopter parents, can often interfere with a child's ability to learn how to self-soothe, how to take care of themselves. the problem with that is, they never actually learn how to regulate emotions for themselves. >> reporter: still, like mosts, pareome say they struggle with letting go. especially when their children's newfound indepdence comes with items that aren't exactly child proof. >> we have to stand outside the gate. it is okay. i'm a little nvous watching them, but it is all about

learning. orter: an important life lesson forid parents ands alike. >> they have an incredible capacity to entertain themselves indefinitely, without adults telling them what to do. >> all rit. , there are some adults there with the saws. there are play workers who are trained in first aid. the executive director tells us, since the playgrounds have opened, no serious injuries have really occurred. there's been rare cases. >> i love it. i love it. >> now, who is the helicopter parent? >> my wife -- and i'll get in trouble, i know, again -- but i wouldn't call her a helicopter parent, but her nicthame around house is safety patrol. she'd never let our kids go to that. >> no. wouldn't? >> your kids are little. it's not for toddlers. >> he's 4. >> as young as 6. i rem throwing tantrums into the air-conditioning vent, trying to get my parents'nt atn, and they didn't give it to me. i had to learn how to self-soothe. >> did you have the tantrum with a saw inour handthough? >> usually, a hammer. a hammer into the door. >> it's great. >> i like the idea, but the

little fingers with the saw -- can we take the saws out? en i'm in. >> saws make me nervous, even for myself. >> exactly. >> to find out more -- and the backlash to overprotective ha parenting, w a report on nbcnews.com. >> thank you, jenir. we'reg up the grill with chef lamonico. hio recipes keep you stuffed all summer long. >> great. >> first, this is "today" on nbc. th whoooo.

finding best hotel price is now a safe bet. because tripadvisor searches... ...over 200 booking sites - so you save up to 30% on the... ...hotelock it in. tripadvisor.

it we're back "today" food and a specialor treatou outside. insi inside, good weather. good time to get your grill going. michael lamonico is a chef here in newtork city. gro see you. >> great to be here. thank you. >> i have to say, i'm not a paid spokesman, but porterhouse is one of my fnorite places new york. >> so nice. >> great room. great food. look at the park. it i amazin let's talk about surf and turf. >> this is a great surf and turf. it actually is swordfish.

it is a great fish p to on a grill. it cooks so great. swordfish, tuna, great grilli i fish steaks. swordfish, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs. >> beautiful. let's start with the fish. >> marinade the swordfish with a little bit of a spanish paprika. can be sweet or hot. i like it hot. the big thing about it is it's smoked paprika. it is a beautiful flavor. we'll let i marinade. marinade it overnight. you can -- i just think an hour is enough. an h in the refrigerator. >> okay. >> cut some vegetables. >> beautiful. vegetableslavorful i like to cut them in a steak cut, not too think sts thick. i like it for the grill because it cooks so well. when it grills, it caramelizes so beautifully. tomatoes roast great on a grill. >> little olive oil, salt, pepper, is that it? >> that's it. a little olive oil. don't forget to seasn them, you said. want to hit the pepper? >> yes. >> i'll put some right on the

grill. >> i like that you keep it simple. olive oil, salt, pepper, on most of your stuff. >> those are the flavors. that's the wayet to it where you really want it. especially summer cooking, if it is overcomplicated, it just -- it doesn't work. this is party food. >> exactly. >> this is for fun. >> good colors on the grill going, too, right? >> yes. >> okay. >> whether inside or outside, a i live in an apartment. this is how i do it. >> got to have it. >> yeah. >> now, a marinade for the steak. >> i try not to put too many things on it, but i like parsley and garlic. this, i like to marinade overnight, kind of like a tuscan steak marinade. it is a dry marinade. we'll p the oil on later. i just take some thyme and rosemary. it releases t essential oils. >> you like the way you put it on. >> i'll let it go overnight in the refrigerator. they'll begin to release.t

have it resn them, and it releases the flavors. >> let's say, for example, i haven't thoughthead to do that overnight. >> an hour is fine. >> okay. >> you can brush it or rub if you rub the herbs on it, it is a great way to get the flavor out. >> great. ll take the herbs off. i try to scrape off the garlic. flavor has done its job. >> we're getting ready tocook. the oil. >> really hot pan. that's a key thing. make suret is ho liberal salt. it is a thick cut. you want to season it so iis liberally seasoned, so it cooks well. >> it'll give you an extra hand with that, as well. >> exactly. i'll take off some of the garlic so it doesn'tburn. it did its job. it flavored it. >> how are we doing, guys? ?like >> minus savannah dropping four things on me, everything is going good. >> manners. >> it is slippery with the olive oil. it is delicious. very delicious. >> italians, we have to run on olive oil, you know? c how do youve this? >> yea g

>> we haveat salad. mediterranean with feta cheese, cucumber cucumbers. ason it with olive oil, not too much. lemon juice. >> you are the expert on cooking steak. if you want it medium or rare, how do you know? that's the mystery on the grill. >> this steak will be at temperature before we took it 10 or 15 minutes so it doesn't hit icy cold, the outdoor or indoor grill. the pinch testworks. i tell everybody, if you're not sure, have a meat thermometer. instant read thermometer really works on things you're cooking. you'll get the instant temperature. you know, i cooki medium rare is not tricky. it is a matter of time, but also depends how hot your fire is. when i carve it, slicing -- because this surf and turf on the salad is a shareable dish. i like to jus carve it in nice, thick slices. >> you're coming in a little

sideways. >> a little on the diagonal. >> spilled it all over her shirt. also shared my fork. it'sokay. you guys are a mess. >> i'm a wrecking ball today. >> we're all family. it's fine. >>hee can do same. >> oh, my goodness. >> swordfish or ta would slice well. >> yeah. >> it would. >> stays in tact. >> it's notdelicate. michael, beautiful. we love having you here. thank you so much. happy summer. grilling. >> have a great summer. >> michael lamonico, thank you. head to today.com/food for the recipes. recipes. we're back in a ♪ recipes. we're back in a wow! ♪ find a world of inspiration. find something you love today. ever changing selection.

ever amazing prices. homegoods. go finding.

we all really can't believe willie dragged himself in this morning. >> yeah. >> he was up late with andy cohen. you were in the clubhouse on "watch what happens live." we all know what happens there. andy tried to booze up our friend.et trying to secrets out of him. take a look. >> o of my greatest joys is

when someone appearing on morning television comes to the clubhouse, and i can get them drunk enougha they're probably tipsy getting up for work the next day. willie is filling in for hoda the next morning. >> i'll be with savannah. >> who is your favorite, hoda or or kathie lee? okay. which typically has more hungover people, "today" show or "morning joe"? >> "today" show by a mile. >> i disagree. >> everyone at the table knows it is true. i'm looking over here. over here. >> exactly. we it doesn't count. st. >> the game was, tell the truth, or take a sip of your cocktail. i tried to tell the truth. a couple mes, i had to sip the cocktail. >> we wondered why your eye were blurry this morning. >> is it showing? >> coming through your eyes. >> andy has no respect for morning tv. tequila shots. i made it. >> jenna and sheinelle, you'll do the fourth hour. >> filling in for hoda and

kathie lee. >> that'll be this is a news 4 today news break. >> 8:56 is your time nows on t thursday, june 28, 2018. right now we look at the roads with melissa and your first 4 traffic. >> gthersburg westbound 370, the ramp to 270 southbound still closed there, overturned tractor trailer. you get back on to 270 if you

needo. inner loop and outer loop of the beltway, crash is cleared butti delays hanging around. as we zoom in here to the 14th streetbridge, inbound very slow, 13 miles per hour. >> melissa, thank you. we'll take a quick break and check your back.st when we come stay with us.

good thursday morning. many areas getting closer to 80 degrees now. 79 washington, 79 in frederick, but for today we'll be nea90 this afternoon. mix of sun and clouds, humid, and as we go into th weekend, beaches going to be great, sunny skies, temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. farther inland, 90s,ng fee like 100. >> get the latest news and weather any time on the nbc4 washgton app.

good morning, everyone. welcome to the program. i'm megyn kelly. we begin today with huge n cs thatld change the direction of the supreme court for a generation ofamericans. 81-year-old justice anthony kennedy, who served on theco hi t for more than 30 years, announcing he plans to retire next month. the news immediately had democrats, republicans and, of course, president trump, positiing themselves for the bitter battle that will lie ahead to fill hisat vacant any time a justice steps down, it is a big deal, but justice kennedy was often a key swing vote in critical cases. he is a conservative but a moderate, so he's voted with the liberals many times important