emilie ikeda explains. >> reporter: single mom jamie bunges has relied on free or reduced price lunches for her fourth grade son since he was in kindergarten >> what does that extra money mean for you? >> savings i can put it toward groceries or my gas tank >> reporter: she said paying for his lunch would cost her more than $1,000 a year >> i added it up and it was $118 a month and you do that times nine so it was over $1,000 a year so to me it was, oh, my gosh, because i have to buy groceries. >> reporter: it's a lot of money for families already tight on cash, especially those impacted by the end of the federal free school lunch for all program, a pandemic-era initiative that's now expired. >> when you heard that program was ending, what was your reaction >> i was stressed. very stressed. >> reporter: more than 26 million free meals were served every day because of the program. now families must apply for meal coverage and only those meeting certain income requirements will receive the free lunches. nationwide, around 1 in 6 students don't always know where their next meal is coming f

officials ramping up security as rushdie's agent says the author's road to recovery has begun emilie ikedac news, chautauqua, new york >>> still ahead tonight, the movement to get more guns into schools to keep those schools safe >>> plus, will this be liz cheney's last stand? the republican congresswoman battling to hold onto her seat. the republican congresswoman battling to hold onto her seat. >>> she is the most visible and most defiant anti-trump voice in the republican party in congress now liz cheney is in the fight for her political life, trying to hold onto her seat in a gop primary in wyoming this week. ali vitali is on the campaign trail >> reporter: the last stand for a wyoming political dynasty. >> the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen is insidious. >> reporter: congresswoman liz cheney making her closing pitch to voters, straight to camera, and taking on former president trump. >> we are stronger, more dedicated, and more determined than those trying to destroy our republic >> reporter: she faces a steep climb to re-election against trump and his hand-picked

emilie ikeda, nbc news, queens, new york >> all rooting for her. >>> still ahead, the man on a mission to honor world war ii heros with his powerful portraits >>> there's good news tonight about honoring the past, and the photographer who has set out to capture images of world war ii veterans along with their stories. jeff reese is on a mission, with a passion project. >> hello, jeff good to see you. >> dedicated to honoring our country's heroes from world war ii he calls them portraits of honor, the alabama photographer taking as many pictures of these veterans as possible before it's too late you take these portraits, and then you give them to the veteran, yes >> i do. this is all -- it all started as my way to give back to them. >> your portraits are beautiful. you can just see the life experience in their faces. >> many of them are 100 years old or older. >> reporter: it's not just photos. jeff also interviews them and posts their conversations on his portraits of honor youtube channel so everyone can hear their remarkable stories. the project, funded in part by donations. since 20

open, knowing that any match could be her last mani emily ikeda has more >> reporter: serena williams is gearing up to say good-bye after decades of dominating center court with her power >> what a serve. >> reporter: strength and grit the tennis legend wing the australian open in 2017 when she was two months pregnant. now she hopes to grow that family telling "vogue" she's hanging up her racket. i've never liked the word retirement the evolution expected to begin after the u.s. open. >> this might be our last time seeing serena play a real match. >> reporter: fans flocking from around the world >> she got me to play tennis >> reporter: serena's last stand playing out in the very place she won the u.s. open at just 17 years old. does this feel like a ful full-circle moment >> absolutely. >> reporter: she is helping her prepare. >> i am the first person to say never say never when it comes to serena williams. >> reporter: her farewell tour to include a sister special, teaming up together for the first time in years to play doubles. >> this whole journey is going to be emotional. i've b

nbc's emilie ikeda has more. >> reporter: tonight, acclaimed author salman rushdie remains in critical condition but is showing signs of improvement, according to his son writing in a statement to nbc news, though his life-changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty and defiant sense of humor remains intact the 75-year-old was taken off the ventilator and able to say a few words a day after he was stabbed an estimated 12 times, just as he was supposed to give a lecture on freedom of speech >> i have a hard time even falling asleep that nigh because it was just right there. and you don't take your eyes away from it >> reporter: today, governor kathy hochul in western new york >> a man with a knife cannot silence a man with a pen [ applause ] we'll never allow anyone to harm the ideals of this institution >> reporter: the accused attacker, 24-year-old hadi matar faces second degree attempted murder and assault charges, but pleaded not guilty two law enforcement officials tell nbc news the suspect was inspired by iran-related extremism. some muslims considered the there have been calls

they're hungry >> reporter: back to school bringing back challenges in feeding america's children emily ikeda, greeley, colorado >>> could it be a bitter cold winter this year the farmer's almanac thinks so the annual predictions say the northwest from chicago to denver will be a frosty zone. across the country, the almanac says the northeast will be snowy and slushy while the southeast will see a drier than normal winter with all that in mind, let's head over to michelle grossmann once again what do you think about the farmer's almanac prediction? >> it tends to be true on weather patterns i don't know if it's going to be cold in the northeast it better snow, that's all i have to say. we're looking at 9 million people impacted from texas to louisiana, arkansas, mississippi, even into alabama today. that slow-moving system bringing that very heavy rain we're looking at really heavy rain early this morning. where you see the brighter colors, oranges and reds, that's where we're seeing torrential downpours. we'll track them throughout the day. by the time it'sai s plains. and the temperatures w

>> emilie ikeda, thanks very much. >>> tonight, dangerous extreme heat to report. tens of millions under alert from the plains to new england. in downtown washington, d.c. the heat index made it feel like the low 100s. al roker is tracking it all. al, what can we expect going forward? >> reporter: well, also ter, it feels a lot like las vegas only a lot more humidity across much of the country. 78 million people from the plains, the southwest, into the mid-zplakt northeast into new england feeling heat advisories, dangerous heat. in fact, you have the jet stream to the north, hot humid air being pumped up around that high pressure. triple digit feels like temperatures. selena, oklahoma city, washington, d.c. and raleigh for tomorrow. and going into the weekend we've got temperatures that are not going to cool off very much. it's going to stay pretty warm. and the bad news is we are going to be looking at these kind of conditions due to this big heat dome and a jetstream to the north into the late part of august. lester? >> all right, al, thanks. >>> the white house

back to you. >> emilie ikeda, thank you. >>> a january 6th rioter was sentenced on friday.ke against a police line and yelling at officers. simon said he helped incite the crowd and lied about his actions. more than 800 people have been charged with federal crimes for actions on january 6th, 2021. about 100 have received a prison term. >>> just outside washington, a scary moment for people inside the local pub when the car slammed into the building friday night. 14 people were injured when the car tore through the store of the arlington, virginia restaurant and bar. the status of the driver is not known. a server at the pub said it sounded like an explosion and she ran for her life. >> disturbing video there. >>> we could all use a boost. this one is about a first real-life meeting for young friends who had only seen online. the two boys have been virtual friends playing video games for three years. that all changed recently. ♪♪ ♪♪ >> what's this for? >> how sweet is that? i love how he is jumping up and down. clearly they are overjoyed to see each other. >> that's how i'll

nbc's emilie ikeda has her story. >> reporter: in the acting career spanning three decades, marisol nicholsceos. >> i have a ton of work. >> reporter: she is best known for work on "riverdale." >> no longer tolerated. not by me. >> reporter: it is her role out of the spotlight she is most proud of. described as an undercover operative. what does that mean? >> undercover to infiltrate scenarios. >> reporter: she helps crackdown on human trafficking. $150 billion industry that involves forced labor and sexual exploitation. one in four victims of modern slavery are children according to the international labor organization. leaning on acting, she posed as just about everything to lure perpetrators in. even a young child seen here. >> what was going through your mind? >> i'll never forget one who said hey, kiddo. you want to reach through the phone and annihilate this person. you can't. i need to make this guy and these men come out of hiding who have done this so many times and used to doing this, by the way. i need them to show up because i've got a roomful of law enforcement next to me and w

back to you. >> nbc's emilie ikeda reporting. thank you. let's go ahead and turn to derek thompson, staff writer for the atlantic. derek, want to take a look here at the cost of buying a home. whether we're in a housing recession, is it relevant here? does it mean that prices will start to fall? >> well, your segment just before covered it very well. we're looking at a problem of supply. we didn't build enough apartments in the 2010s, and we're looking at a problem of demand as more people realize they can't buy a house. well, they have to live somewhere, one hopes. so they're probably going to remain in the rental market. there's one more aspect i want to look into, which is very important and very interesting in that reporting on why rental inflation has been so high. it's because there are many more single-person households that formed after the worst parts of the pandemic. the single-person households rose by 80% since 2020. that's people that hunkered down during the worst of the pandemic, had a lot of roommates, went back to live with

investigating whether the suspect had any kind of connection to the government of iran jose >> emilie ikeda, thank you. >>> there is a dire situation unfolding right now in a popular tourist hot spot just south of the border in tijuana. americans are being warned to stay out as cartel violence rips through the region >> reporter: a city under siege. at least 24 cars set on fire in tijuana, mexico, friday night the u.s. consulate warned americans to avoid the area and shelter in place until further notice announced 3,000 armed police and military personnel responded to the incidents. she assured a message is being sent to organized crime not to attack innocent working citizens the federal government today announcing the arrest of 17 people, three identified as members of the hulease co new generation cartel it's just the latest in a string of violent attacks throughout mexico a prison riot killed 11 on thursday burnt out buses and cars seen, too back in tijuana tens of thousands were attending two nearby events while the violence broke out the baja beach music festival and a professional soc

emilie ikeda reports on where the market could be heading next. >> reporter: more signs the red-hot housing market is chilling existing homes are selling at the slowest pace in nearly seven years, with the exception of the start of the pandemic. how would you characterize the current housing market >> well, several experts have said the housing market is in a recession. >> reporter: home sales are down 20% compared to last year. what's behind the slowdown >> the slowdown is simple it's just because of affordability. >> reporter: affordability hammered by prices up 10.8% from a year ago, limited supply, and rising mortgage rates. when sofia silva started looking for her home in chicago, a 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered around 4%. by the time she closed on her new place, that number hit 5.5%, meaning a difference of several hundred dollars in her monthly payments >> i kind of panicked and thought maybe i shouldn't do it anymore. >> reporter: now the 28-year-old social worker is relying on a second job to make ends meet. >> i have a great career, 9:00 to 5:00, where i have my masters that

still ahead this morning, emilie ikeda is here with the travel forecast.you eager to get away this fall >> good morning, get ago way is more affordable and it could mean the difference of saving hundreds of dollars. if you're looking to travel in the fall season, the time to start tracking prices is now we'll have that and more. overnight about the fiery crash involving actress anne heche and she remains in a coma and her parents say goodbye. >>> what day is it? >> fri-yay the plaza is back for a concert. ladies and gentlemen, jack harlow, one of the hottest names in rap, in all of music, rocking the plaza. (host) more and more cat parents are feeding tastefuls from blue buffalo because it's tasty and healthy. and now blue tastefuls comes in single serve portions. just snap it, peel it, pop it, chop it. pick up tastefuls singles and find out why one taste is all it takes. inflation's no match... ♪ ♪ pick up tastefuls singles for kohl's biggest clearance event of the year! get up to 70% off... must-have summer styles for the family... and stretch your budge

nbc's emilie ikeda is here to break it down for us. >> reporter: a very different homes are selling at slowest pace since 2015 aside from the beginning of the pandemic. steep mortgage rates now pushing more americans out of the house hunt this morning, lack of affordability is weighing down the housing market as would-be home buyers pump the brakes on signing a deed existing home sales fell for the sixth month in a row, and dropped 20% compared to last year >> several experts now have said that the housing market is in a recession. >> reporter: house hunters are being sidelined by sky-high prices, up nearly 11% from a year ago, limited supply, and rising mortgage rates. >> there's no way i'd be able to afford this without a second job. >> reporter: sofia silva nearly backed out of buying a home in chicago when mortgage rates surpassed 5% it tacked on an extra several hundred dollars to her monthly payments >> it was the panic of realizing how having to work a second job is going to be just a part of my reality now. >> reporter: rising costs put this minneapolis couple who built their h

. -- >> emily ikeda, thank you for your coverage in erie, pennsylvania.with the lives of real people in the stain in american history that is the family separation policy. no heavy perfumes, and no dyes. finally, a light scent that lasts all day. downy light! i would say that to me an important aspect is too... meta portal with smart sound. helps reduce your background noise. bring that sense of calm, really... so you come through, loud and clear. meta portal. the smart video calling device that makes work from home work for you. open. it's a beautiful word. neighborhoods "open". businesses "open". fields "open". who doesn't love "open"? offices. homes. stages. possibilities. your world. open. and you can help keep it that way. ♪♪ for months now the texas governor, greg abbott, has been bussed saying migrants and refugees from the southern border to cities in the northeast in response to the biden administration's decision to lift title 42. that was the pandemic era policy that allowed officials to deny entry into america. so far, texas has bust more than

for the news, i am emilie ikeda. >>> a guilty plea in the raid that led to the shooting and killing ofer louisville police detective fessed up to. >>> student loan forgiveness . the decision expected from the white house. why critics say, the good news for some, could mean bad news for everybody else. >>> as we approach the bottom of the hour and the top of the news on cnbc . s1p receptor modulator approved for uc. don't take zeposia if you've had a heart attack, chest pain, stroke or mini-stroke, heart failure in the last 6 months, irregular or abnormal heartbeat not corrected by a pacemaker, if you have untreated severe breathing problems during your sleep, or if you take medicines called maois. zeposia may cause serious side effects including infections that can be life-threatening and cause death, slow heart rate, liver or breathing problems, increased blood pressure, macular edema, and swelling and narrowing of the brain's blood vessels. though unlikely, a risk of pml--a rare, serious, potentially fatal brain infection--cannot be ruled out. tell your doctor about all your medical

emilie ikeda has more on his recovery. >> reporter: the author salman rushdie is in critical conditionns of improvement according to his son. writing in a statement to nbc news, though his life changing industries are unclear, his humor remains in are intact. he was taken off the ventilator and able to say a few words after he was stabbed 12 times as he was about to be a lecture on freedom of speech. >> you don't take your eyes away from this. >> governor hochul in western new york. >> the man with a knife did not silence a man with a pen. >> the accused attacker, the 24-year-old, faces second degree attempted murder and assault charges. pleaded not guilty. two law enforcement officials tell nbc news, the suspect was inspired by iran-related extremism. there have been calls for rushdie's after the publishing "satanic verses" which some russ mims claim blasphemous. >> jk rowling says the police are involved. >> in the at scene of the attack, officials ramping up security as the author's road to recovery has begun. >> our wishes for a full recovery for mr. rushdie. >>> still ahead on "wa

emilie ikeda is in new york at the federal reserve bank with more on what it all means. emilie, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, kristen. the fed chairman was brief and blunt on friday, underscoring the central bank's goal of beating inflation, while acknowledging their methods could bring some, quote, pain to consumers and businesses, with more rate hikes on the horizon. this morning new fears about the state of the economy. a day after the fed chairman said he'll do whatever it takes to slow down inflation. >> price stability is the responsibility of the federal reserve and serves as the bedrock of our economy. >> reporter: but a warning that the road to lower prices may be rocky. >> while higher interest rates, slower growth and softer labor market conditions will bring down inflation, they will also bring some pain to households and businesses. >> reporter: jerome powell's highly anticipated speech comes amid early signs that inflation may have peaked. a key gauge shows price increases slowed in july. but the current index is still far from the c

emilie ikeda has more. >> reporter: signs of the worsening conditions are all around us, from the formerly flowing rivers that are now trickling streams to what we have here, crispy brown grass. officials are urging residents to play their part and cut back on water usage as nearby sources of water nearly run dry. bone-dry conditions that have long plagued the west now gripping the east coast too. brown grass, depleted rivers and stunted crops evidence of a brutal summer, and it's getting worse. >> a tree just like a human will turn around and protect itself when it gets stressed. so part of that stress is to drop fruit prematurely. >> reporter: keith bishop has witnessed the impacts firsthand on his family farm in connecticut. parts of the state entering an extreme drought this week. >> as you can take and see, the berries are not the size of a dime like they normally would be and they drop off very easily. >> reporter: similar scenes in new jersey under its first statewide drought watch in six years. >> this was a beautiful cornfield that was at least this tall last year by this time. it

emilie ikeda is here with ways to cheer on your favorite teams without breaking the bank.te grill hot dogs instead of chicken, take public transportation instead of driving, the bottom line, rooting for your team on a budget is all about having a game plan. >> looking to the end zone and it's caught. touchdown! >> reporter: nfl preseason games are in full swing so are tailgate traditions. >> getting the food ready, tent. >> packing loading. >> reporter: but this year rooting for your favorite team is more expensive. >> we wish it was lower prices but you just have to adjust and go with the flow >> it seems like the same stuff you buy, it's an extra ten dollars the next week and then the following week another ten dollars. >> reporter: chickens, rolls, snacks and pickles, double digit price increases. groceries as a whole 13% increase from last year. >> we haven't seen prices rise evenly across all foods and drink. >> reporter: and that's where experts say you can save swap out those pricy picks with food less affected by inflation. hot dogs and pork ribs only up slightly a

>> emilie ikeda has everything you need to know emilie, good morning >> good morning.low supply and high demand unfortunately, we don't expect to see significant improvement until next year. there are a few things to do in the meantime to make sure you're driving away with the best deal. >> reporter: for those in search of a new car, labor day weekend is traditionally a bargain hunter's paradise. but this year -- >> the biggest gorilla and discounts, that is gone. >> reporter: lingering supply chain slowdowns are thinning out car lots and leaving buyers empty handed >> we're seeing challenges with microchips and tires and paint, the wiring harnesses and the list goes on and on. >> reporter: a new report shows the majority of cars this month have sold within just ten days of arriving at a dealership. the lack of inventory and high demand are driving up the average new car price. more than $46,000 in august. a record with more interest rate hikes on the horizon -- >> they'll also bring pain to expensive. what wasr ouacretion to the pricetag again, you need a car. >> repo

should you go for the best deals and is it best to book your trip now or should you wait nbc's emilie ikeda same experience, first we saw the mask mandates and then vaccination requirements that excluded some families from setting sail now a lot of companies are scaling back requirements and offering deep discounts to get more people on board this morning it's full steam ahead for cruisers most lines relaxing their vaccination and testing requirements and reservations are through the roof at norwegian ticket sales for next year up 40% compared to prepandemic levels and at carnival bookings have nearly doubled. >> there's been a massive surge. at our agency we're looking at a 2 to 300% increase of bookings from two weeks ago. >> reporter: vaccine requirements were important last summer most passengers had to show proof of a negative test too but last week the cdc relaxed covid guidelines, on top of dropping the mandates that cruise lines had to report their cases. most companies loosening their rules. allowing the unvaccinated on board with proof of a negative test >> we're just ready for ev

. >> nbc's emilie ikeda with tips to navigate a very complex market. >> good morning.xperts to find out what you need to know about this roller coaster market a blazing hot housing market beginning to freeze over from frenzied bidding wars to sellers slashing prices at record rates signs of a slowdown parking uncertainty about the future. >> it's a rocket that's gone straight up, hit the apex, rolling over and the next thing we will see is coming back to earth. >> reporter: a result of a staggering spike in mortgage rates, down more than 5%, doubling since last year, coupled with the ongoing pain of inflation. home sales declining by 21% since january. and while in some areas the cost of homes are still astronomically high, there are early indications of change. the growth of home prices fell by 2% in june. the biggest single month drop in 40 years july numbers are not out yet, but declines are expected to be even steeper san jose, seattle, and san francisco are seeing some of the most dramatic price slowdowns. for homebuyers - >> we have to think something has to chan

. >> that was nbc's emilie ikeda reporting.arah palin. we'll go to alaska. "morning joe" is coming right back. o alaska "morning joe" is coming right back for adults with generalized myasthenia gravis who are positive for acetylcholine receptor antibodies, it may feel like the world is moving without you. but the picture is changing, with vyvgart. in a clinical trial, participants achieved improved daily abilities with vyvgart added to their current treatment. and vyvgart helped clinical trial participants achieve reduced muscle weakness. vyvgart may increase the risk of infection. in a clinical study, the most common infections were urinary tract and respiratory tract infections. tell your doctor if you have a history of infections or if you have symptoms of an infection. vyvgart can cause allergic reactions. the most common side effects include respiratory tract infection, headache, and urinary tract infection. picture your life in motion with vyvgart. a treatment designed using a fragment of an antibody. ask your neurologist