mara barrett, nbc news >>> thanks for watching "early today.have a great weekend and a safe >>> the 2024 presidential race is heating up. but where will mr. trump be on the ballot that's the question as one of his competitors faces a day of damage control the fallout from nikki haley's answer when asked what caused the civil war. >>> a major change in tone from israel

mara barrett has more. >> this was our 8-9-foot area over here, and they're all empty. >> reporter: forpping in christmas trees from a farm in north carolina and selling them to the people of chicago but this year, year, the penu ' show up. in 9 to 10 footers don't exist anymore. 8 to 9s, we got shorted. >> reporter: most americans' trees come from oregon, north carolina, michigan, pennsylvania, wisconsin and washington but retailers like ivey all across the country have faced a short supply across the years. >> people definitely want to cut it own tree, but we can't grow them fast enough >> we open bit first weekend >> reporter: why is there a tight supply in. >> it goes back to 2008 and the recession. there was an oversupply of trees. and growers were having a hard time selling them. and because of that, they didn't plant back as many trees >> reporter: this tree's about 7 feet tall. that takes about 15 years to grow that was likely planted around the time of the 2008 recision. here they sell for $200, doubling the mark average of $80 to10 $100 a tree nearly seven in ten growers say i

nbc's mara barrett has more. >> reporter: the battle for the future of reproductive rights escalating across the country. ripple effects from lawsuits in texas and kentucky and reversal of state law in michigan while state supreme courts in new mexico and wyoming hwill hea abortion arguments this week kate cox learned the baby she's carrying has a fatal abnormality, now planning to go across state lines for her abortion, according to her attorney >> they're forcing me to continue the pregnant is he, the pain and suffering, put me through the risk of continuing the pregnancy, it's cruel. i want to get through this, and i want to heal, and i want to try again for another baby >> reporter: cox saw her request for an exemption from the state ban granted, but then it was halted after the attorney general filed an emergency stay. her attorney writing the that's week of legal limbo has been hellish for kate her health is on the line. she's been in and out of emergency room and can't wait any longer meanwhile, in kentucky, a woman who is eight weeks pregnant filing a lawsuit alongside planned

mara barrett spoke with the drone pilot who helped bring closure. >> this is the pond. >> reporter: this is the remarkable moment a youtuber broke open a case that had been unsolved for a decade. there in the water, a car belonging to 59-year-old donaldedonald irwin. what went through your mind? >> i went through all the mosts. but at the same time, i flew i h knew i /* knew knewly had a job to do. >> reporter: he and his team used a drone for the aerial search hingele taking out his kayak >> i have sonar equipment mounted. and that sonar equipment allows us to see when's actually down inside the water. >> it is confirmed it is a vehicle. >> reporter: after identifying the hyundai elantra as a match, the camden county, missouri sheriff's office and cadaver dogs found remains in the pond along with an artificial hip consistent with the one irwin had. >> the land oern had just baled up hay around this pond and was sitting at the top of the hay, and by itself, it rolled down the hill and went into the water. that hay bale acts as a filter and cleans up the water. if that hadn't happened, i

joining us now from chicago o'hare airport where things are a lot calmer than usual, mara barrett.ngs looking at the airport today? i know there were some ten snowstorm warnings yesterday. >> yeah, richard. i think this is definitely appreciated here. as someone who lives in chicago and is here at least once a week, i've never seen the airport this calm. it's a little weird. the screen line for general boarding says a five-minute wait and this was a big question mark for a lot of travelers coming into today after the christmas holiday because we did see hundreds of cancellations by southwest over the weekend because chicago experienced a severe fog so dense that pilots weren't able to see. southwest said their operations have since stabilized. they haven't experienced any severe delays or cancellations today. i spoke with some travelers who got here way ahead of time for their flight because they were nervous and said they were pleasantly surprised. >> are you surprised? >> is there a reason for that? something weird happen? >> usually the day after christmas, it's crazy. >> i thou