ron allen, nbc news, new brunswick, new jersey. >> great story.t's our broadcast for this friday night and for this week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. lester holt will be here with you this weekend. we hope to see you right back here on monday night. in the meantime, have a good weekend. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com . >>> this has the got to be the most despicable day in oakland. >> outrage, the rally begins after the sentence. johanas mehserle will be out of jail in less than a year. good evening, everyone. i'm tom sinkovitz.

our education nation report tonight from nbcs ron allen. >> the class of 2010. >> reporter: this year, the entire senior high class at chicago's urban prep graduated. 107 students, all african-american young men. while at the same time, according to a new report, most black male students performed worse than their peers by almost every measure. in fourth grade, only 12% do well in reading compared to 38% for white male students. by eighth grade, only 12% of black male students are proficient in math. compared to 44% of their white peers. nationally, less than half of all black male students graduate from high school. far below the 78% national rate for public schools. after that, among college students, only 5% are black men. >> african-american males are simply not getting the instruction, the qualified teachers, the resources, the materials that they need to succeed. >> reporter: the study says the obstacles begin before the school bell rings. black families have higher unemployment. only one-third of parents have high school diplomas, factors that often make african-american studen

our own ron allen in philadelphia tonight. ood evening. >> reporter: good evening, to you, brian. the first lady michelle obama is here on the campus of the university of pennsylvania, because pennsylvania looks like it could be a big problem for the democrats. the president has been here three times himself. despite that, it looks like the republicans are going to win a senate seat and the governorship. that despite the fact that president obama won the state by ten percentage points just two years ago. and the democrats have 1.2 million more voters than the republicans. on the republican side, the senate candidate pat toomey has been running a campaign that says everything the obama administration has done needs to be reversed. that message seems to be resonating. >> all right, ron, we'll be checking back in with you tomorrow night. ron allen in philadelphia. >>> given the size of delaware, their senate race has captured a lot of press and public attention. janet, good evening. >> reporter: brian, we have more drama tonight i

here's nbc's ron allen. >>> manny pacquiao! >> reporter: he's been called the greatest boxer ever.ver. that's the huge around manny "pack man" pacquiao. 5'6", less than 150 pounds. when he squares off against antonio margarito in dallas, he's expected to win his eighth championship belt. each victory over bigger and bigger opponents. a feat no one else has come close to achieving. >> pacquiao is a force of nature. he so strong, hits so hard, he is so fast and athletic. >> reporter: but the greatest ever? >> yes. it is possible that pacquiao is the greatest fighter who ever lived. >> reporter: impossible because his rise was so improbable. his story begins in the slums of the philippines. pacquiao left home at 14, determined to be a fighter, more out necessity than to chase a dream. >> we were so poor and didn't have money to buy food. and that's why i decided to focus on boxing and to help my mom. >> ten -- >> reporter: now he's perhaps his country's most famous personment ledperso person. legend has it, everyone stops to watch his fights on tv. churches cancel mass, even criminals

ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> and when we come back here tonight, some big changes announced today for two american icons. [ woman ] alright, so this tylenol 8 hour lasts 8 hours. but aleve can last 12 hours. and aleve was proven to work better on pain than tylenol 8 hour. so why am i still thinking about this? how are you? good, how are you? [ male announcer ] aleve. proven better on pain. to bring you a low-price medicare prescription drug plan called the humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. it's a new plan that covers both brand and generic prescriptions and has the lowest-priced national premium in the country of only $14.80 per month and in-store copays as low as $2. when you could save over $450 a year, you can focus on the things that really matter. ♪ go to walmart.com for details. okay, now here's our holiday gift list. aww, not the mall. well, i'll do the shopping... if you do the shipping. shipping's a hassle. i'll go to the mall. hey. hi. you know, holiday shipping's easy with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in

hospital built over in alameda county, and we recruited him here, so our lead project manager is ron allen need a. i want to acknowledge 10. -- ron alameda. he is leading a great team devoted public servants in the department of public works. they are supported by edgar lopez, our head of project management, and our city engineer and deputy manager. it is with them and me that we are committed to doing as mitch said, which is bringing this project, delivering it to you on time and on budget as we promised when we got the support of the voters back last november. i also just want to mention that we are not only just building a hospital, but we are building a hospital that will meet the seismic requirements, very stringent seismic requirements that state law requires, and that san franciscans desert to make sure that we will be safe in the event of the earthquake that we know is going to come. we are delivering this building to be a lead certified building, which means that over the life of the building, it will perform better, use less energy and water and other resources -- much less than

ron allen reports. >> reporter: what you are watching is one of the greatest boxers of all time achievesomething no one else in the sport has ever done. manny pacquiao, the smaller man, is devastating antonio margarito, the much bigger man. when it was over, pacquiao -- also known as the pac-man -- had won his eighth boxing title in eight different weight classes, each against a significantly larger opponent. a feat that's had the world of professional boxing in awe. >> we are watching something in manny pacquiao that may not be just once in a generation but maybe once in a lifetime. maybe just once, period. >> reporter: he's also known as the filipino phenom because he rose from poverty to become one of the richest athletes. he's 31, perhaps nearing the end of his boxing days and just beginning a new career. last may, elected to his nation's congress. now being mentioned by fans as a possible president. there was concern he was too distracted to fight. >> it's going to be a good fight on saturday. don't miss it. it's going to be fun. >> reporter: as he won the latest title the congress

here's nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: what yore watching is one of the greatest boxers of all time achieveomething no one else in this sport has eve done. the smaller man is devastating ant tone yo margrito, when it was over he had won his eighth boxing title in eight different weight classes, each against a significantly larger opponent. a feat that has had the world of professional boxing in awe. >> we're watching something in manny that is -- ma may not be just once in a generation, once-in-a-lifetime, maybe once period. >> he's known as the filipino phenom because he rose from the poverty to become one of the world's richest athletes. he's 31, perhaps nearing the end of his boxing days, and just beginning a new career. last may elected to his nation's congress. now being mentioned by fans as a possible president. there was concern he was too distracted to fight. >> it's going to be a good fight on saturday, so don't miss it. it's going to be fun. >> reporter: as he won his latest unprecedented title, the congressman showed a bit of heart and compassion looking to the referee to stop th

for "today," ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> little guy packs a punch though. >> apparently so. >> just ahead the partridge family. why they were my insration to learn how to play the bass. just like danny. or so i thought. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ ♪ [ dad ] yeah! [ cheers and applause ] [ male announcer ] achievement gets points for living life. earn pnc points for your credit andebit card purchases. ♪ find out more at pnc.com/getpoints. pncfor the achiever in us all. >>> still to come, she's everywhere. sarah palin, hitting the roads, a new tv show. but is she also, many say, on the campaign trail? >> plus hisublic duties have been increasing but everyone wants to know when will wills marry kate? the increasing signs. [ female announcer ] you won't believe your eyes. you won't believe your taste buds. you won't believe it's fiber. benefiber. clear, tasteree, and dissolves completely. what a beautiful way to get fiber everyday. that's the beauty of benefiber. acidic foods can cause a sofning of the enamel. once you lose enamel, it's gone for good. for those who want wh

for "today," ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> little guy packs a punch though. >> apparently so. >>t ahead the partridge family. why they were my inspiration to learn how to play the bass. just like danny. or so i thought. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] the turn changes everything. ♪ the turn will make you think. ♪ make you re-examine your approach. change your line. innovate. and create one of the world's fastest-reacting suspensions, reading the road 1,000 times per second. it's the turn that leads you somewhere new. introducing the new 2011 cts-v coupe. from cadillac. the new standard of the world. but this is warm, fresh-baked strawberry toaster strudel. [ music ] see the difference? pillsbury toaster strudel, the one kids want to eat. than ltening there'to our favorite songs. there's nothing we love more than listeng our favorite songs. but our favorite thing isating tono's pizza rolls. buour vorite thing eating tono's piz rolls. ♪ we're the kids in america oh,h ♪ >>> still to come, she's everywhere. sarah palin, hitting the roads, a new tv show. but is s

more now from nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: what you're watching is one of the greatest boxers of alle, achieved something no one else in this sport has ever done. manny pacquiao, the smaller man, is devastating antonio margarito, the much bigger man. when it was over, pacquiao, also known as the "pacman" had won his eighth boxing tight eighth different weight classes each against a significantly larger opponent, a feat that's had the world of professional boxing in awe. >> we're watching something in manny pacquiao that may not be wasn't in a generation but maybe once in a lifetime, maybe once period. >> reporter: he's also known as the filipino phenom because he rose from that country's poverty to become one of the world's most richest athletes. he's 3 #, perhaps nearing the end of his boxing days, and just beginning a new career. last may elected to his nation's congress. and now being mentionnd by fans as a possible president. there was concern he was too distracted to fight. >> it's going to be a good fight on saturday, so don't miss it. it's going to be fun. >> reporter: as he w

ron allen has more. >> reporter: they've come together to celebrate. back to rutgers university in new jersey where they trained for what was a new volunteer program almost 50 years ago. a group of 62 young men without a real good idea of what they were getting themselves into. >> it's decision time and you're invited to go to colombia. well, yeah, let's go! when's the plane leaving? >> reporter: they all say they signed up after hearing a young president's call to action. >> we'll send americans abroad who are qualified to do a job. >> reporter: what do you think those two years meant to your life? >> for me, there's no question. it was life changing. at 19, 20, 21, i had no direction. i didn't think about what i wanted to be when i grew up. >> i got to live in different places and meet different people. i loved every minute. >> reporter: they served in colombia, south america, where nbc news first met mike wilson in 1962, riding a forth to work. >> we built roads, basketball courts, wells, water supplies. >> reporter: the group known as colombia one

tonight, ron allen has the story of the first u.s. volunteers to venture back in. >> jessica now does without so many things she took for granted in new hampshire. she draws on well water for a mornings in a bucket shower. breakfast is a fried chicken. away fromrd being home. waking up and thinking, i want starbucks. >> she is among 37 u.s. peace corps volunteers in sierra leone. a desperately poor nation, devastated by civil war, that so dangerous even the peace corps pulled out. 15 years later, the first american trainees are back, learning a local language, preparing to be teachers in schools so ravaged students often do not even have books or pencils. scotts order was a firefighter in northern california. >> when things are hard, they are good, and that is what the peace corps is about. >> the most important step is learning to live like the people they are here to serve. >> i wanted to be in a situation where i could when my skills to people who need it. there is no better place than here. >> he has his positions in missing quote

tonight, ron allen has the story of the first u.s. volunteers to venture back in. >> jessica now does without so many things she took for granted in new hampsre. she draws on well water for a rnings in a bucket shower. breakfast is a fried chicken. away fromrd being home. waking up and thinking, i want starbucks. >> she is among 37 u.s. peace corps volunteers in sierra leone. a desperately poor nation, devastated by civil war, that so dangerous even the peace corps pulled out. 15 years later, the first american trainees are back, learning a local language, preparing to be teachers in schools so ravaged students often do not even have books or pencils. scotts order was a firefighter in northern california. >> when things areard, they are good, and that is what the peace corps is about. >> the most important step is learning to live like the people they are here to serve. >> i wanted to be in a situation where i could when my skills to people who need it. there is no better place than here. >> he has his positions in missing quote -- hi

tonight, ron allen has the story of the first u.s. volunteers to venture back in. >> jessica now does without so many things she took for granted in new hampshire. she draws on well water for a mornings in a bucket shower. breakfast is a fried chicken. away fromrd being home. waking up and thinking, i want starbucks. >> she is among 37 u.s. peace corps volunteers in sierra leone. a desperately poor nation, devastated by civil war, that so dangerous even the peace corps pulled out. 15 years later, the first american trainees are back, learning a local language, preparing to be teachers in schools so ravaged students often do not even have books or pencils. scotts order was a firefighter in northern california. >> when things are hard, they are good, and that is what the peace corps is about. >> the most important step arning to live like the people they are here to serve. >> i wanted to be in a situation where i could when my skills to people who need it. there is no better place than here. >> he has his positions in missing quote -- h

tonight, ron allen has the story of the first u.s. volunteers to venture back in. has the story of the first u.s. volunteers to venture >> jessica now does without so many things she took for granted in new hampshire. she draws on well water for a mornings in a bucket shower. breakfast is a fried chicken. away fromrd being home. waking up and thinking, i want starbucks. >> she is among 37 u.s. peace corps volunteers in sierra leone. a desperately poor nation, devastated by civil war, that so dangerous even the peace corps pulled out. 15 years later, the first american trainees are back, learning a local language, preparing to be teachers in schools so ravaged students often do not even have books or pencils. scotts order was a firefighter in northern california. >> when things are hard, they are good, and that is what the peace corps is about. >> the most important step is learning to live like the people they are here to serve. >> i wanted to be in a situation where i could when my skills to people who need it. there is no better place than here. >> he has his pos

tonight, ron allen has the story of the first u.s.lunteers to venture back in. >> jessica now does without so many things she took for granted in new hampshire. she draws on well water for a mornings in a bucket shower. breakfast is a fried chicken. away fromrd being home. waking up and thinking, i want starbucks. >> she is among 37 u.s. peace corps volunteers in sierra leone. a desperately poor nation, devastated by civil war, that so dangerous even the peace corps pulled out. 15 years later, the first american trainees are back, learning a local language, preparing to be teachers in schools so ravaged students often do not even have books or pencils. scotts order was a firefighter in northern california. >> when things are hard, they are good, and that is what the peace corps is about. >> the most important step is learning to live like the people they are here to serve. >> i wanted to be in a situation where i could when my skills to people who need it. there is no better place than here. >> he has his positions in missing quote --

oakland certainly used to the spotlight with so- called celebrity mayors like jerry brown and ron dellums and allen, jean quan may be more of a local household name now, but when she takes office and makes history, i would be willing to bet that the spotlight is going to stay right here on the city. >> big agenda. sherry hu, thank you. >>> a chemical weapon is being used in a string of robberies in san francisco and this crime spree stings literally. but police are reluctant to talk about it. simon perez is where the latest attack happened. >> reporter: it's a strange series of robberies, three on wednesday night two last night and basically here's how it goes down. the robbers will come up to the victim, spray them with pepper spray, and then run off with their purses backpacks and wallets. >> i heard a scream first and foremost. >> reporter: the first attack happened in the san francisco mission district on florida street near the spca. the attackers made off with the victim's cell phone. trey smith heard the first attack wednesday night around 9:00. >> they looked very organized so i'm not shock

. >> while ron and i were checking out the slope in the front yard, allen and tim have been scoutinghores we're taking care of in the backyard, the underside of their deck has been wrapped with lattice, but it was probably done in a bit of a hurry, because there are a lot of raw edges and odd transitions. >> who put up this lattice, anyway? ( laughing ) >> kristen: are we rolling? >> allen and tim are working on a plan to smooth those out and still let matt have access under the deck. down in the basement workshop, they check out the available options to power that extra light matt's looking for. >> he doesn't need that. i would just cut that off. >> ( laughing ) just-- okay. >> i mean, it's pretty, but, uh, we don't need that. >> ...and plan a path to wire the outlet he wants over his workbench. meanwhile, matt has joined me in the front yard, and whe we're talking over ron's plan for the slope, the heavy equipment starts arriving from the local john deere dealer. these guys are ready to move some dirt! they've got a track-mounted excavator... a compact tractor with a front-end load

ron klein, let's look at the numbers. congressman klein at 45%. he was challenged by allen whoast has 55% of the vote in that south florida district. >> you're right. klein is one of the most formidable fundraisers among the house democrats. it's how he got to congress four years ago by just raising an enormous amount of money. mr. west, i believe, will be one of -- at least now two african-american republicans in the new congress. very conservative guy. and that one would be sort of a referendum on traditional down the line democratic voter versus insurgent conservative. >> and another democrat, looks like she will be losing in the florida 24th congressional district, being challenged by sandy adams with now 60% of the vote and almost half reported. >> i'm sorry, i can't see. is it kosmas we're talking about? that one just in terms of people trying to identify trends, kosmas had sort of fallen into underdog stat us in the last couple of weeks. -- status in the last couple of weeks. she voted for a couple of piece it's of the obama agenda and never could live it down. >> jo