an admitted killer who escaped from a psychiatric hospital in hawaii. new video emerging of his cab ride to freedom. >> are you going to work? >> uh, kinda, sorta. >> before boarding a flight to california. how did a man labeled a psychopath pull off such an elaborate escape. all that, plus -- >> are you donald trump supporters? >> those three ucla basketball players arrested for shoplifting in china arrive home overnight. a huge bird slams into a passenger jet, leading to panicked moments on board. and it's blake. the country superstar named "people's" sexiest man alive. >> what? >> how his reaction is melting even more hearts today, wednesday, november 15th, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> and good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." nice to have you with us on a wednesday morning. matt's on assignment this morning. good to see you! >> there are a lot of folks out west surmising that had that school not been on lockdown, this shooting would have been far worse. >> it's our top story, the investigation into yet another mass shooting. as craig said, this time in northern california. a gunman killing at least four people, injuring at least ten others before he was killed by police. as we mentioned, one of the shooter's multiple targets was an elementary school. nbc's steve patterson has the latest for us now. hi, steve. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, craig and savannah. police say they recovered a semiautomatic rifle and two handguns on that suspect in an incident that's now described as a bizarre and murderous rampage. early tuesday morning a gunman opened fire in seven different locations throughout the rancho tehama reserve, killing four and injuring ten, including at least two children. the gunman's family identified him as kevin neal. to nbc's sacramento affiliate kcra. >> this guy was on a killing rampage. he was driving up and down the street shooting at passerbys and uninvolved residences. >> reporter: the first shots were fired just before 8:00 a.m. on the gunman's own street. authorities say an earlier dispute between the suspect and a neighbor turned deadly. >> in january of this year, he was arrested and charged with an assault with a deadly weapon on that person. that person is a deceased victim today. >> reporter: officials say it appears neal shot a second person at that location before going on what's described as a random killing spree. a mother and her three kids were inside this truck on their way to school when he fired shots through the car door, seriously wounding the woman and hitting one of her children. the shooter then headed to rancho tehama elementary school, crashing his vehicle through the school's locked gate before firing dozens of shots into classrooms from outside the building. 6-year-old alejandro hernandez was shot in the foot and chest. >> he's tiny. he's in first grade. and it's like, why would somebody go for the kids? why would somebody go to the school and do that? like, what kind of person does that, you know? >> reporter: police say a quick decision to put the school on lockdown likely saved many lives. after leaving the school, neal returned to the road, crashing into cars, randomly shooting at people, and eventually stealing a vehicle. while he was chasing another car and shooting at the driver, police rammed the shooter's vehicle. 45 minutes after it started, the gunman was dead, shot in a standoff with police. investigators now hoping to build a better profile on neal, all in an attempt to find some semblance of a motive here, yet, investigators still believe those targets, including the school, were chosen at random. craig and savannah? >> steve patterson starting us off, thank you. there is a lot to get to, including u.s. embattled senate candidate roy moore. he continues to dig in his heels amid new pressure to drop out over sexual misconduct allegations. the republican talked about the scandal at a late-night event. nbc's gabe gutierrez has the latest on that. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: craig, good morning. the republican national committee is essentially cutting off the moore campaign. no more field operations, and more importantly, no more money. in a bizarre twist, jeff sessions' name is actually coming up as a potential replacement, but the moore campaign is not backing down. overnight, roy moore taking center stage in a packed church in jackson, alabama, as defiant as ever. >> why do you think i'm being harassed by media and by people pushing forth allegations in the last 28 days of this election? >> reporter: this morning, the senate candidate is facing a new deadline for fox news host sean hannity. he was first criticized for seeming to defend moore but now has questions. >> for me, the judge has 24 hours. you must immediately and fully come up with a satisfactory explanation for your inconsistencies. you must remove any doubt. if he can't do this, then judge moore needs to get out of this race. >> reporter: moore flatly denies allegations first reported by the "washington post" of improper sexual advances with teenage girls decades ago when he was in his 30s. >> obviously, i've made a few people mad. i'm the only one that can unite democrats and republicans. [ laughter ] because i seem to be opposed by both. >> reporter: now the senate's top republican is publicly floating the idea of attorney general jeff sessions as a write-in alternative to moore. >> he's totally well known and extremely popular in alabama. >> reporter: sessions now says he believes moore's accusers. >> i have no reason to doubt these young women. >> reporter: the rnc now pulling its resources from alabama. >> if he cares about the values and the people he claims to care about, then he should step aside. >> i'm a lifelong republican, but i just can't do it. >> i can't vote for roy moore. >> reporter: moore's opponent, doug jones, running this ad, hoping to capitalize. >> we have said all along that roy moore is not qualified to be in the united states senate. >> reporter: in gadsden, alabama, where moore was a district attorney, some residents say he often hung around this local mall. greg lagat used to work there in the early '80s. he says it was his understanding moore had been banned from the mall, and he remembers speaking with a local police officer about it. >> he said, if you see him, let me know, i'll take care of him. and after he left, i asked my manager, and he said he had been bothering the girls in the mall. >> reporter: senate majority leader mitch mcconnell says that the gop plans to discuss its options further. now the president's overseas trip is over, but moore again insists he is not dropping out of this race and he is now threatening to sumida organizations for what he calls political attacks. back to you. another story breaking overnight. an apparent coup in zimbabwe may have ended the decades-long rule of that country's president. lucy kafanov has more. >> reporter: a bloodless correction is how supporters of the military praised this takeover after a brutal rule that lasted nearly half a century. robert mugabe this morning is under house arrest. >> wow! military police and a tank. military police and a tank. >> reporter: on the streets of zimbabwe, a bloodless end to an era. armored vehicles rolling towards the capital, the military announcing what amounts to a coup in all but name, as robert mugabe, the world's oldest leader, is president no more. >> comrade robert mugabe and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed. >> reporter: at 93 years old, mugabe has been in power for nearly four decades, ruling the african nation with an iron fist since securing independence in 1980, counting on loyal support from the military, until now. >> we knew that a day such as this one was inevitable. it was only a matter of time. >> reporter: during his regime, mugabe plundered zimbabwe's resources. its economy now in shambles, the people growing tired of a brutal regime, running out of cash and food. but the controversial leader planned to run in next year's elections, recently firing his right-hand man, the influential vice president, nicknamed the crocodile for his survival instincts. that move paving the way for his much younger and unpopular wife, known in zimbabwe as gucci grace for her exorbitant spending, to step in. amidst this turmoil, an american woman now trapped in the african nation. 25-year-old martha o'donovan, accused of plotting to overthrow the government. her trial postponed today. her fate now tied to a nation in chaos. her alleged crime calling mugabe a selfish and sick man from an anonymous twitter account officials claim she had access to. the new jersey native arrested earlier this month on charged of subversion, her passport confiscated, facing up to 20 years behind bars. now, there are unconfirmed media reports this morning suggesting that grace mugabe may have fled the country for namibia. her husband, meanwhile, remains confined to his home under heavy guard, according to south africa's president, who spoke to mugabe by phone. the american embassy, meanwhile, urging all citizens to shelter in place as the crisis continues to unfold. craig and savannah? >> lucy kafanov, thank you. meanwhile, here at home, the hot-button issue of sexual harassment was under the microscope on capitol hill tuesday, and it led to bombshell accusations against at least two sitting members of congress. nbc's kasie hunt has more on that. kasie, good morning to you. >> reporter: craig, good morning. sexual assault allegations have rocked the media, state houses across the country, hollywood, but on capitol hill, it's largely been kept quiet because women have been afraid to come forward and tell their stories, but that might be starting to change. this morning, a reckoning on capitol hill. >> the present system may have been okay in the dark ages. it is not appropriate for the 21st century. >> reporter: a congressional hearing focused on how sexual harassment is investigated, crossing party lines and reaching the highest levels. >> in fact, there are two members of congress, republican and democrat, right now, who serve, who have been subject to review or not have been subject to review but have engaged in sexual harassment. >> reporter: republican barbara comstock in graphic detail telling one former staffer's story about a current member of congress, left unnamed. >> this member asked a staffer to bring them over some materials to their residence, and the young staffer is a young woman, went there and was greeted with a member in a towel. it was a male who then invited her in. at that point, he decided to expose himself. >> reporter: missouri senator claire mccaskill sharing her own experience as a congressional intern in the '70s. >> back when i was an intern in capitol hill, i felt like i had to worry more about how i was being perceived in terms of my future career, and i was afraid. >> reporter: the newspaper "roll call" surveyed capitol hill staffers last july. they found just 10% of women said they were aware of any structure for reporting allegations, but 40% said sexual harassment is a problem, and one in every six said they had personally experienced harassment or assault. but right now, the interns, there's hundreds of them that come up every season, and they have no protections at all, if they're harassed. >> that's correct, no protections for probably the most vulnerable population. >> reporter: former hill staffer kristen nicholson started circulating a letter demanding more training. >> we've circulated this for four days and got 1,500 former staff to sign when we thought maybe we'd be lucky to get 100 is a testament for how pervasive it is. >> reporter: an open secret for women on the hill for decades now in the spotlight for the country and their male colleagues to see. >> i mean, i guess i'm naive, but it's just -- it's been startling to me that there are that many pigs out there. i mean, i don't know how else to put it. >> reporter: after yesterday's hearing, house speaker paul ryan announcing he'll mandate sexual harassment training for all members and staff. critics say that's a good start but that it doesn't go far enough. and today on capitol hill, two women lawmakers will introduce a bill that's aimed at trying to make more dramatic changes to an outdated system. craig, savannah. >> kasie hunt on capitol hill for us. thank you. now to those three ucla basketball players accused of shoplifting in china. they arrived back in los angeles overnight. so, the question now is what, if any, punishment they will face here at home. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer has the latest on it. hi, miguel. good morning. >> savannah, good morning. all three players are expected to read statements about the incident at a press conference later today. it appears they won't be taking any questions from the media, but this morning many are demanding answers. >> how was the chinese jail? >> why would you guys take that stuff? >> reporter: arriving in los angeles but not answering any questions at l.a.x. liangelo ball, cody riley, and jalen hill are expected back at ucla today after accusations of shoplifting louis vuitton sunglasses in china. the freshmen could have faced up to ten years in prison, where shoplifting is considered culturally dishonorable. >> that was not something that should have happened. >> reporter: aboard air force one, the president confirming he personally spoke to china's president about the matter while in asia. >> what they did was unfortunate. you know, you're talking about very long prison sentences. they do not play games. >> reporter: the brother of los angeles lakers rookie lonzo ball, liangelo, is the middle child of a family comprised of basketball stars. >> going to be a college man at ucla. >> reporter: with their outspoken father, lavar. >> in the house, baby! >> reporter: the balls are used to the spotlight, but this embarrassing incident is making waves overseas and here at home. bill walton, who was in china, is a former ucla bruin. >> i am sad, disappointed, and embarrassed. this is a very big deal. the noble purpose here has been stained. >> i think a lot of the athletes here are sort of catered to, so it kind of gives them a sense of entitlement. >> reporter: this morning, the student athletes will be back on campus learning a lesson overseas as they face a crush of cameras and tough questions here at home. it remains unclear what disciplinary action the freshmen will face. and while there may be no legal ramifications stateside, the players could be sanctioned by the ncaa, by the coaching staff, or by ucla. savannah? >> all right, we'll all be watching today, miguel. thank you. let's get a check of the weather. mr. roker has made his way to stop number two on his lend a hand today tour. he's in puerto rico. good to see you, al. >> hi, al. >> reporter: hey, good to see you guys. we're on this island of 3 million people that are still struggling. less than two months ago, hurricane maria's almost category 5 storm devastated this island, and we're here to lend a hand to a very deserving school that really is the centerpoint of this community. but let's show you what's happening stateside as far as our weather's concerned. we're talking about a system in the midsection of the country bringing rain in the sections that are in the mid and lower mississippi river valley, but as you get up into the u.p. of michigan and parts of the northern great lakes, we're looking at snow. as this system moves across the midwest, moderate rain. northern snow continues by thursday into the northeast and new england and then pushes off the interior sections of new england. could see a mix of ice and snow along the coast it will be heavy rain. that's what's going on around the country. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. a pet in need. 60 million meals! that's so much food. petsmart - for the love of pets. good wednesday morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. heavier rain later this evening and a wet drive this morning for the north bay. into the south bay, light sprinkles expected this morning. heavier rain moving in with the time line picking up after the evening commute with gusty winds and continues tomorrow morning. >> that's your latest weather. in case you're wondering what's for lunch, we have free range chicken on the menu. >> good to know, al. thank you so much. coming up, the frantic multistate search for that escaped mental patient. we're live with developments in the manhunt. also, the new device that claims to tell police if you're high behind the wheel. does it work, though? our "rossen reports" team puts it to the test. first, this is "today" on nbc. for mild-to-moderate eczema? it can be used almost everywhere on almost everybody. the face of a fisherman? the hand of a ranch hand? the knee of a needle pointer? prescription eucrisa is a nose to toes eczema ointment. it blocks overactive pde4 enzymes within your skin. and it's steroid-free. do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. the most common side effect is application site pain. ask your doctor about eucrisa. still ahead, one of hollywood's fastest rising stars, gal gadot, wonder woman herself, will be here live. what have you got? >> we can't wait to see the lend a hand surprises mr. roker has for the victims of the hurricane in puerto rico after your local news. 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problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i can do more with my family. talk to your doctor today. see if lyrica can help. use pantene shampoo together with 3 minute miracle daily conditioner. their pro-v formula is like a multi-vitamin. making your hair 2x stronger see the difference when you add 3 minute miracle daily conditioner. we )re in a microclimate a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. we are in the microclimate weather alert this morning. a new round of rain is supposed to intensify today. a live look of highway 101 at san rafael. commuters are dealing with the wet roads. let's get the latest on the conditions from meteorologist, kari hall. >> the radar is covered in the north bay and pockets of heavier rain moving in. most of the activity is fairly light. that's what we'll see the next couple hours. it extends to the peninsula and the bay area seeing a little bit of wet weather. it is heavier for the north bay. we will see this for at least the late morning to early afternoon hours, then a break before the line of more intense rain and gusty winds move in later this evening. by 2:00, 3:00, itd is moving into san rafael and extending to the north. for the south bay, we may not get the heavier rain until tonight and tomorrow morning. it will last several hours because this is such a slow moving system. we'll have more updates on that as we go throughout the morning. mike is tracking the commute. >> i am tracking a very slow commute. westbound 92, see way off in the distance, the flashing lights in the service lane? being serviced is a crash there. that is the problem. look at the map. that's what's jammed up here. use the dumbarton bridge. the volume of traffic is holding steady, despite the wet roads. the south bay is seeing a burst of traffic. we are at 70 minutes, over an hour from highway 4 to the bay bridge toll plaza where things are packed in. back to yu. >> we'll be back with another low call update in a half hour. see you then. good morning, everybody. welcome back. it's 7:30. it's wednesday morning. smack-dab in the middle of the week. craig is pitching in because matt is on assignment. and hoda. >> good morning, all. >> we have a lot to get to this half hour, starting with the morning's headlines, and that deadly shooting spree in california. >> a gunman opens fire across a northern california community, killing four and injuring several others, including a child, while trying unsuccessfully to break into a local school. police are searching for answers behind what sparked the killing spree. >> he's a bad guy. i'm not going to glorify him in any manner whatsoever. he attacked my school. no more. rnc cuts off funding to roy moore, as top republicans urge him to drop out. moore, defiant as ever overnight. >> i made a few people mad. i'm the only one that can unite democrats and republicans because i seem to be opposed by both. jeff sessions hammered on capitol hill for not revealing his contacts with russia during the trump campaign, as the attorney general vehemently defends his previous testimony. >> i will not accept and reject accusations that i have ever lied. stolen. a thief swipes a car while the driver pumps gas. the latest in an chicago area carjacking. and bird strike. a huge bird slams into the front of a miami-bound flight, staying lodged in the nose of the plane, all the way to the gate. today, november 15th, 2017. sometimes you're the windshield. sometimes you're the bug. >> the bird. now, to a multistate search for a man who escaped from a psychiatric hospital if in hawaii. one man says he fits the profile of a serial killer. >> reporter: good morning, guys. he was found not guilty by reason of insanity, walked out of the hawaii state hospital on sunday. he caught a taxi and flew to san jose, california, before authorities in hawaii were alerted he escaped. now, u.s. marshals are trying to figure out where he is now. this morning a manhunt is under way for a psychiatric patient described as extremely dangerous. the man, walking out of a psychiatric hospital outside of honolulu and fleeing to california after being committed for more than 30 years. new video overnight, confirmed a man matching the description was picked up at a park about a mile away from the hospital. >> how are you? >> great. oh, my god. >> reporter: asking the driver to go to the hospital. on the call, making a call on his cell phone. the taxi driver dropped him at an airport anger. and using an alias, he used cash to get him to hawaii for san jose. multiple law enforcement sources he bought that ticket on travel osty and got through security using the same alias. the 59-year-old was committed in 1981 after being acquitted of the reason by insanity of a murder. the woman selected at random was shot in the face and stabbed. her body was found in her car at a honolulu shopping mall. he was diagnosed as a sadist, a neck fe person who had fantasies of killing women. >> he has abilities to commit another murder. >> reporter: authorities say he does have family in california. but it's unknown if he is still there. >> that's a scary story. joe fryer, thank you. let's go down to al. he's in puerto rico for "halend hand." good morning, again. >> good morning, guys. we have a system that's going to affect almost the entire country, that's pounding the pacific northwest and northern california. atmospheric river of moisture is going to be bringing copious amounts of rain into the northern california area, as the storm moves in. heavy mountain snows will push in behind it as the return comes through tomorrow. as we make our way into friday and saturday, the ohio valley and the northeast, strong, gusty winds, over 40 miles per hour. this pushes into the northeast. and new england continually causing problems. with heavy know behind it. and by monday, we are looking for some heavy lake-effect snows, starting to develop sunday, right on into monday. that's what's going good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are starting to see some of that rain moving in. as we look in san francisco, mostly light rain. it is covering the whole radar for the north bay and pockets of a little heavier rain in parts of the north bay and moving to the peninsula as well. for san jose, a couple sprinkles as of now. we will take a break from the rain for a while. the heaviest rain along with the strongest winds will be moving in later this evening in time for the evening commute. >> that's your latest weather. don't forget. anytime you need your weather, turn to our friends on the weather channel on cable. coming up, our big reveal how we're lending a hand here in puerto rico. much more ahead, including blake shelton's priceless reaction to being named "people's" sexiest man alive. >> we called it. plus, gal gadot is here to talk "justice league." and al's big surprise for a puerto rico community in need. first, a new device to make the streets safer. >> i'm jeff rossen. you heard of the breathalyzer to catch drunk drivers. catch drunk drivers. now, the cops' now weapon the ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ for those who know what they're really building. always unstoppable. be ready for thanksgivingekend at kowith an extra 20% off!sale get everything to cook the ultimate feast throw pillows for a festive home and soft towels for all your guests this weekend at kohl's friends and family sale give joy, get joy at kohl's. fast like stop staring atcaps help youthe clock fast,st, like stop worrying about your boss fast, like wow, you're already asleep fast. when life keeps you up... zzzquil helps you fall asleep in as little as 20 minutes. every day, on every street, in every town, across america. small businesses show their love to you. with some friendly advice, a genuine smile and a warm welcome they make your town... well, your town. that's why american express is proud to be the founding partner of small business saturday. a day where you get to return that 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rossen with more on that. good morning. >> this is an important one. this could be the cops' new secret weapon. you've heard of the breathalyzer. now, we're about to show you the drugalyzer that can sniff out pot on the spot. marijuana is legal in 29 states and washington, d.c. and car accidents are on the rise where drivers are high. in colorado alone, deadly crashes have spiked by a whopping 145%. how does the drugalyzer work and can the cops force you to take it? crash after crash. we've seen the dangers of drunk drivi driving. but now, experts say marijuana and other drugs are causing accidents like this, too. >> in fact, in the united states, the number of people under the influence of alcohol has been eclipsed by those driving under the influence of drugs. >> reporter: police are turning to this new device. the drugalizer. so small and light weight, cops can use it for you during a traffic stop. it tests for thc, the active ingredient in pot. it can detect if someone has smoked or eaten pot up to six hours earlier. are police departments using it right now? >> they're using it right now. we see it as a national potential. >> reporter: do you think this can save lives? >> i think it has saved lives. >> reporter: it's in use in police departments nationwide. does it work? we're setting up an extreme experiment, inside this home near denver, where marijuana is legal. two volunteers are getting high. and two aren't, they're staying sober. can the drugalyzer tell who is who? brian has been outside. he has no idea who is getting high and who isn't. with our volunteers feeling the effects -- >> these are tasty. >> reporter: -- we're ready to go. first up, danielle. you have no idea if danielle is high or sober. >> i'm going to administer the test just like it does in law enforcement. >> reporter: he tells her to swab all around her cheeks. >> the results are in. and cannabis is negative. >> reporter: is that right? >> that's right. >> reporter: next up, dave. >> we're taking saliva from your mouth. >> reporter: and you can detect pat. and not just pat. the results are in. >> a cannabis result that's positive. is it true? >> yes, sir. high as a kite. >> reporter: that's right. dave had been smoking a joint. so far, the drugalyzer is spot-on. now, it's jamie's turn. >> it's negative on cannabis. >> reporter: but the biggest test, karen. she didn't smoke the marijuana. she ate pot candy, instead. will the drugalyzer get it right? >> cannabis-positive. >> reporter: the drugalyzer getting it right in all four of our tests. this accuracy is so important. people's lives will be in the balance. >> we don't want to make a false allegation against people, either. >> reporter: as for the volunteers that got high, we did make sure they didn't drive and got home safely. here's the question, do you have to swab if you are pulled over? in most states, no. you can refuse. but some states are changing that. in michigan, for example, la there's a law on the books right now requiring you to take the test if the officer asks. and the maker of the drugalyzer says more states are to follow. >> how about that guy? high as a kite. jeff, thank you. we move over to carson. >> high as a kite, savannah. thanks so much. guys, coming up next, apple's nearly unbreakable face i.d. what is this? when we love someone, we want to do right by them. but some things we can't control like snoring. 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"oh, i'm late for work. i have to go." your dunkin' doesn't make you, you, but it helps. dunkin' donuts coffee. pick some up where you buy groceries. ♪ i'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain ♪ ♪ what glorious feeling i'm happy again, ♪ anyone ever have occasional y! constipation,diarrhea, gas or bloating? she does. she does. help defend against those digestive issues. take phillips' colon health probiotic caps daily with three types of good bacteria. 400 likes? wow! try phillips' colon health. seed to the oat ♪ ♪ to the o, to the bowl, to the spoon ♪ ♪ bowl to the spoon ♪ ♪ to the mouth for the boy in a room ♪ ♪ room for that goodness inside the bloom ♪ good goes around ♪ ♪ and around and around ♪ ♪ seed to oat, to o in the first day of school ♪ ♪ schoolin yo sister on why ♪ and just how to be cool ♪ ♪ cool if she hangs ♪ ♪ you can show her what's good ♪ good goes around ♪ ♪ and around and around ♪ speaking of good you'll love new chocolate peanut butter cheerios so, this new feature on the new iphone x is supposed to be impossible to hack. carson says not so fast. >> one of the features on apple's new iphone x is the face i.d. recognizable technology. that's the ability to unlock your phone just by looking at it. apple said the possibility of a random person to unlock your iphone using the face i.d. is one in a million, as opposed to the touch i.d. on the previous model. the woman and her son seem to have found a loophole. take a look at what happens when she hands her phone to her 10-year-old son. >> this is my mom's phone. as you can see, this is locked. and i'm going to unlock this phone, using this handsome face. tada. it's unlocked. >> had to throw the dab on it, too. the two discovered this by accident when ammar grabbed his mom's phone, picking it up and playing with it. and, boom, it opened up. others are going at great lengths to crack the face technology. researchers used a 33d printer o build a mask that was able to fool the face i.d. technology. we reached out to apple for accident. but the apple support page says the possibility for face i.d. is different for twins and siblings that look like you and children under the age of 13 because distinct facial features may not have been developed. while most are okay for family members gaining access, and a 3d mask not being practical, this has raised questions about the face i.d. technology on that new iphone. >> i think i'll sleep all right at night. coming up, blake shelton. >> we called it. >> crowned "people's" sexiest man alive. big news from advil, advil liqui-gels minis. our first concentrated pill that rushes powerful relief. a small new size that's fast, cause it's liquid. woohoo! you'll ask, what pain? new advil liqui-gels minis. ♪ so... you like it. little bit. nothing gets a reaction like a gift from kay jewelers. where everything is 25% off. save 25% off all rings, all necklaces, and all bracelets. that's 25% off everything! november 17th through 26th. at kay, the #1 jewelry store in america. dad? ♪ every kiss begins with kay wheyou know your holidayt of tshopping is complete., it's time to celebrate. [♪ ] [♪ ] be sensational! lash sensational full fan effect mascara from maybelline new york. our unique fanning brush reveals layers of lashes for the sensational full-fan effect. lash sensational mascara. make it happen ♪maybelline new york everything is honest and out in the open. wow, that'll give you confidence. it does. that's why the prices are clearly marked, our sales associates get paid the same no matter what car you buy, and you can estimate your monthly payment on carmax.com. what, wait, what, so carmax doesn't hide that stuff? nope, not a thing. that's great for cars. yes. not great for ventriloquism. well that's your opinion. no, that's everyone's opinion. my doctor recommended i switch to miralax. stimulant laxatives make your body go by forcefully stimulating the nerves in your colon. miralax is different. it works with the water in your body to hydrate and soften. unblocking your system naturally. miralax. ♪ ♪ good wednesday morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. we have a microclimate weather alert. heavier rain and potential of flooding and strong winds late they are evening. right now, the radar is covered. parts of the east bay and san francisco. as of now, san jose not seeing much of the rain. we have seen spotty, light sprinkles moving in. over the next several hours, as the rain continues in the north bay, then the rain lines up and moves north to south. by the afternoon, the rest of the bay area, once again, not seeing the rain until later this evening and possibly tomorrow morning. this is a slow moving system and it will bring in some rain for several hours. we'll still see that chance of showers by early tomorrow morning and clearing out in time for friday as well as saturday. mike, what's happening for the commute? >> look at this. a jam up north 880. the coliseum, things are getting slow. look at the map. a hazy look. the green, slicker roadways and rain around. peninsula side getting into and out of san francisco. now, we are going over to a sig-alert that chp says will take a while to clear, 680 southbound. be careful over there. the rest of the bay is slow. we have a slower drive for the south bay. back to you. >> thank you so much, mike. we are keeping a close eye on the north bay. flash flood watches are in effect as the storm intensifies. crews work overtime. pete suratos is there tweeting updates. kari hall telling us the sierra is due for serious snowfall. wind gusts that may approach 50 miles per hour. details and sign up for weather alerts with the nbc bay area app. we are online for you. another update for you in a half hour. see you then. i thought i knew everything about garth brooks. well, it turns out she doesn't. but now i do. i just finished his new book. yes, he wrote a book. i'm so proud of him. it's not a book. it's "the anthology part 1" of a part 5 series. it's a... it's a book with cds in it. and stories like i've never heard before. pictures i've never seen. in a really sweet package. i know what i'm getting everybody for christmas this year. (announcer) 240 pages, 5 albums, and hundreds of never-before-seen photos. available now at amazon. and honey, there's some things in here that i don't think i would've told. it's 8:00 on "today," coming up, no joke. >> i'm the only one that can unite democrats and republicans because i seem to be opposed by both. >> roy moore defiant as ever, even after the republican national committee pulls funds from his campaign and gop leaders openly discuss a potentially high profile replacement on the ballot. plus a league of her own. >> shall we? >> wonder woman herself, gal gadot gives an inside look at "justice league." >> i'm blake the bombshell, people's sexiest man alive, none other than our blake shelton. how adam levine feels about sharing that title, wednesday, november 15th, 2017. ♪ >> tess wants to wish somebody a happy birthday. >> happy 63rd birthday, dad. >> we have awesome brothers here from north carolina. >> good morning, charlotte. >> car lean is celebrating her birthday and -- >> i'm here to see charlie! ♪ >> we are celebrating here. >> 41 years of marriage. >> we have a couple here who is just married. >> honeymooning in new york city. >> congrats to all on our plaza. we'll get out there and do the honors ourselves in a few minutes but welcome back to "today." nice to have you all. >> nice to be here. >> let's get right to the news at 8:00. roy moore refusing to budge as he faces new pressure to drop out of the race for alabama's open senate seat. nbc's gabe do you thigutierrez following the story for us. >> reporter: good morning. a republican national committee is base he canalically cutting field campaign, no more money. roy moore told a packed church in jackson, alabama, he's being harassed by the media and joked that he can unite democrats and republicans because he's opposed by both. senate majority leader mitch mcconnell is publicly floating the idea of a possible write-in alternative to moore, attorney general jeff sessions, sessions for his part says that he now has no reason to doubt moore's accusers but mcconnell says the gop will further discuss its options now that the president's overseas trip is over. savannah? >> gabe, thank you very much. police in california say a gunman that went on a deadly rampage chose his targets at random. the attack lasted 45 minutes. police say kevin neil killed four people before dying in a shootout. he wounded ten others, including a child shot inside a school. witnesses say neil spent six minutes trying unseuccessfully o get in the building and sprayed walls and classrooms with bullets but teachers had put the school on lockdown. authorities praised actions as monumental in save being lives of children. a fourth deadly shooting in the same tampa neighborhood, the potential work of a serial killer on the loose. nbc's kerrie sa y sanders has n information. >> reporter: good morning. hoda, most disturbing is tampa police say they are baffled by this one. they don't know who the suspect is and they have very few clues. the fourth victim was found yesterday morning undercover of darkness. this man was walking alone. he's been identified now as ronnie felton. he is now the fourth victim. all four victims here do not appear to have any connection to each other. they range in age from as young as 20 to as old as 60. the victim from yesterday, white, black, hispanic, famale d female. authorities believe at this point that they are suspected serial killer has an urge to kill and is killing when he sees the opportunity. there is one piece of video, a security video that the authorities have released. they believe this is a person of interest but they are not sure whether this is indeed the serial killer. but bottom line, this is a community anxious during especially night time and early morning hours because that's when all of these killings have taken place. hoda? >> so disturbing. kerry, thank you so much. texas state university suspended all fraternity and sorority activities after the sudden death of a 20-year-old student there. sophomore matthew ellis was found unresponsive when police arrived at an apartment complex on monday morning. police say thetending a fra ter an event on sunday night. an official cause of death has not been determined but authorities say alcohol may have been a factor. it's if latest in a string of similar deaths at colleges across the country. >> let's see what hoda kotb has for us. >> this morning is proof that overprotecting patients come in all shapes and sizes and species. this 4-year-old golden retriever just fathered a litter of pups this this is what happened when the owner tried to shake the little pup's paw. he was having none of it. he even offered his own paw as consolation. turns out the rest of the litter had already been given away or sold. so he was saying no, no, i am hanging onto this little guy right here. look at that. that's love right there. >> when you have a newborn you're like -- >> much more ahead on this wednesday morning including blake shelton, officially the sexiest man alive. surprised that the honor didn't come sooner. plus, we've got wonder woman herself, gal gadot live in studio 1 a. today we have an exclusive. natasha henstrij, very popular actress speak out for the first time on camera about what she calls a sexual assault by brett ratner. the people of puerto rico. first, these messages. every day, on every street, in every town, across america. small businesses show their love to you. with some friendly advice, a genuine smile and a warm welcome they make your town... well, your town. that's why american express is proud to be the founding partner of small business saturday. a day where you get to return that love, because shopping small makes a big difference. so, on november 25th get up, get out, and shop small. 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"how can i help?" hello. so...it's a phone? well it's a phone by google. ♪ people would stare. psoriasis does that. it was tough getting out there on stage. i wanted to be clear. i wanted it to last. so i kept on fighting. i found something that worked. and keeps on working. now? they see me. see me. see if cosentyx could make a difference for you- cosentyx is proven to help people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...find clear skin that can last. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting cosentyx, you should be checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms. or if you have received a vaccine or plan to. if you have inflammatory bowel disease, tell your doctor if symptoms develop or worsen. serious allergic reactions may occur. never give up. see me. see me. clear skin can last. don't hold back... ...ask your dermatologist if cosentyx can help you find clear skin that lasts. ♪ we're back. it is time for trending. is everyone prepared? >> ready. >> trending on fwiter right now, blake shelton. love theater day and hashtag hidden under my bed, which i would like to discuss but we have a different topic today. do you all know what a side hustle is? >> you've got like four. >> it's a side job in addition to your full-time job. according to the new york post the side hustle is on the rise. 50% of millennials have a side hustle. that got us thinking we've all had side hustles back in the day. i thought it would be fun to do a little game. we're going to put up a list of three jobs and one of them we actually did and the rest we didn't and we have to guess. have you been a bouncer a telemarketer or a dog walker. ? >> i'm going with telemarketer? >> me too, telemarketer. >> that actually kind of offends me. >> i was going to say bouncer. >> you're right, tell marketer. calling just to let you know that the troopers are currently in the process of -- this year all of the funds raised -- >> all right. you would actually get that far? >> no. >> hoda what are you three? >> retail associate at spencer gifts, pizza delivery girl or sports referee? >> not a ref. >> spencer. did you really work there? >> i was a referee, basketball referee at fraternity games. i did it when i was in college. i remember thinking it would be a great way to meet guys and get dates. all i did was get screamed at. this is my worst job ever. terrible. >> my three options are mobile dj. did i earn a little extra cash giving golf lessons or washing cars? >> golf lessons. >> i'm going with mobile dj. >> mobile dj it is. >> bring it on! >> mobile dj -- >> i bring my music whether it needs to go. i do parties, whatever. on the side, make a little extra money. >> my three choices are aerobics instructor, court tv researcher or boutdty a lon reviewer. >> is this a d all of the above? >> yes. >> i knew you were an aerobics instructor. >> a putinty salon reviewer? >> short lived but i would get to go get a employee-out and write a review. >> was that fun? >> it was awesome. there is no one who side hustles more than our next guest. kathie lee gifford. >> just like every day -- >> and we drink wine, hey! this is today. cds. >> i was at the chart house restaurant in dana point, california. you were having a wine tasting thing there. kathie lee gifford is everywhere. >> she is also atop the billboard charts. she has a hit song. >> is it still on there? >> it's still on there. >> wow. >> it's called kwtd he saw jesus" about frank. >> after all these years in the huge industry, i get my first record but it's about my husband who's passed on. that's weird. >> congratulations. >> thank you. is that it? >> you make side hustle so much fun. >> even when i was a little kid, my sister and i did the children's newspaper and i had a corner store. >> where did that sb entrepreneurisbre pen -- spirit come from? >> my dad had three jobs. >> you knitted that sweater. >> i ran out of thread. >> guys, pop star today. we're going to give with "downton abbey." if you're a super fan of the hit show, introducing now we've got "downton abbey," the exhibition. this is the first time fans can actually have the real downton experience, walk through the official set and view thousands of artifacts. the multicity tour kicks off in new york city on november 1th. blake shelton has been named people's sexiest man alive. ladyings, do we approve? >> yes. >> savannah said our inside info was our eyes. >> eyes. >> yes. >> when the magazine asked blake what he thought, he said, y'all must be running out of people. check out how he broke the news to his buddy, adam levine, on "the voice." >> ready? >> yeah, i'm ready. >> just peek. >> read that. that says sexiest man alive. that means i am the sexiest man that's living right now. >> proud of you, buddy. >> not going with this one -- let adam live that down. adam was sexiest man alive 2013. >> once or twice, too. >> other people honored, men of the year, prince harry, idris elba, and joined by jess cagle. >> was the criteria highest amount of uric acid? he said he has gout. >> we left that out of the story. >> he's a regular guy. he th is a guy that will stop and help you fix a tire. >> yeah. you know, it's a very stressful time in the world. you know, there's a lot of stuff going on. and so, when we got -- when it came down to do this silly sexiest man alive thing, we wanted somebody who was going to have a lot of fun with it and embrace it. and mostly, we wanted to see adam levine's face. and we just did. >> what did gwen -- did he talk about gwen stefani? we ask him about it and he brushes it off. >> it was interesting. in the interview with julie jordan and melody, he spoke movingly about their relationship more than he ever has. when they both met, he was really -- both of them, really felt at rock-bottom. they were going through a very hard time, coming out of other relationships. and this friendship sort of developed between them opinion and that blossomed into this. and he's now very close with her three boys and he talks about that. >> honestly, if christian bale didn't gain 100 pounds to play dick cheney right now, did he have a chance? >> well, there's a lot of them. there's a lot of them in line to be sexiest man alive. i think christian bale, certainly, has never been it. idris elba has never been it. >> we work with some of the honorable mentions. >> hot off the dress, they call it. willie and lester. >> jimmy fallon, too. >> jimmy fallon is in there. >> did blake mention hoda and me at all? >> he didn't mention you. but he was thinking about it. >> i'm sure. >> he was distracted. must be why. >> exactly. >> excellent choice. >> he's a great guy. we love you. thanks. appreciate it. you can find more, by the way, about blake, on "people" tv i have a "daly click." made fast friends with the gorilla because of his iphone. he's showing him photos of female gorillas on his phone. a little slide show. show me another one there. keep moving on. >> no. >> apparently he was captivated because this video has been liked and retweeted almost 500,000 times already. there's your fun "daly click" for today. >> tinder for gorillas. >> that's hilarious. we have exciting news around here. big news from hoda. miss haley joy has inspired a little passion project. hoda has written a children's book. it's coming out in march. and you have a big reveal this morning. >> i feel like i put my heart in a book jacket and put it out there. this is called i've loved you since forever. i used to scribble that in my journal. i knew she was out there. it has an illustrator, suzie mason. before birds flew over rainbows and monkeys swung on trees, there was you and there was me. it's inspired by haley. but it's for any kid. >> is it written and done? >> it's written and done. it comes out in march. >> can we preorder now? >> you can. you can do it at today.com/shop. >> we can look at it? >> a mock-up. >> okay. >> thank you for looking at it. >> it's beautiful. >> is it for -- >> it's for little kids. and i think the refrain of there was you and there was me is an easy thing for kids to get into. >> and mommies love to read those books, too. >> i'm so excited. thank you, guys. >> congratulations. >> that's a side hustle. >> total side hustle. al is down in puerto rico. hi, al. >> hey, guys. we're in front of the martin garcia gusti school. we will be giving nice things to these kids. first, we want to bring you your weather. it was september 20th when maria hit. devastating this island. we have animation that shows just as it made landfall and then made its way up the coast. this thing was just brutal and they're still trying to recover from it. we're here to lend a hand today with just a small portion. a lot of the schools can't open because they're used as community centers and homeless shelters. we're going to show you what we have going on in a little bit. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are in a microclimate weather alert as we start out this morning with some light rain and it will get heavier this evening. so we are going to see some very soggy conditions at times and mostly some lighter rain as we get a look at what's happening in the south bay. most of the rain is just north of san jose. and we will have a couple of waves of this light activity throughout much of the day and then a break before the next round of rain moves in. that's set to arrive for the north bay in time for the evening commute. >> things may have been damaged here but there's no lack of spirit. we'll show it to you guys coming up in the next half hour. back to you, savannah. >> thank, al. we're here with wonder woman herself, gal gadot. these teaming up with fellow super heros. take a look. >> here's the potential perp. >> okay. >> the demons must have caught the scent of another box. they carry people away to find out what they know. so i have correctly pronounced your name. >> he yyes, succession! >> people call samantha all the time. do you correct people will >> no. but it's different. savannah and samantha is easier to pronounce. gal. >> it means wave in hebrew. it's a beautiful thing. >> thank you. >> i saw "justice league" this week. i got a sneak preview. was it fun to reprise wonder woman after the entire wonder woman movie under your belt. you have to come in with some swagger with these superheros. >> i finished shooting wonder woman. and the day after i came back to set. and it was same, same, but different. but i started to shoot "justice league" the day after i wrapped. >> you didn't know how "wonder woman" would be perceived. >> no. i was having an identity crisis. i thought i was wonder woman, by shooting her for so long. >> wait a minute. i think you might actually be wonder woman. as i understand it, you were pregnant when you were shooting "justice league." >> i got pregnant, yeah. i was pregnant for the last three months shooting "justice league." >> how did you do that? >> i have -- well, me and my husband -- >> yes. this is a morning show. >> do you really -- >> no, no, no. fast-forward. >> it was challenging. but i just did. i wanted to have a second baby for a while. and i knew i could not do it on "wonder woman." but it was so nice to be able to share the stage with other talented, so wonderful, people, who helped me. you know, we all carried this carriage together. it was great. >> i know the character means so much to you. and when you did wonder woman, you wanted her to be a real modern woman, even though she's a fantasy and she's a superhero. >> so, i watch -- we all watch, you know, a lot of movies. and i always get upset in the movies when the strong woman is immediately, you know, she immediately becomes cold and distant and tough. >> not womanly, necessarily. >> exactly. that's not the way it is. you're strong and successful and independent and you're so loveling. it's like loving and lovely. you're loveling, you're wonderful, you're warm and great, right? i wanted to capture -- both patty and i wanted to capture -- wow, it's early for me. we wanted to capture this. you can have a strong woman, who is strong in her default. but she is also full of compassion and she loves everyone and cares for them. that's something that was important for me. >> i wanted to ask you, there was a report in the press. we should clear it up. it said that you said that you didn't want to work with brett ratner on the next "wonder woman" and you weren't going to do it if he was part of it. is that true? >> so, at the end of the day, a lot has been written about my views and the way i feel. and everyone knows the way i feel because i'm not hiding anything. but the truth is, you know, there's so many people involved in making this movie. it's not just me. and they all echoed -- ecoed? >> echoed. >> echoed the same sentiments. everyone knew what was the right thing to do, and it was not for me to come and say because it was already done before this article came out. >> gal gadot, such a pleasure to talk to you. i )m - -... we )re in a microclimate weather alert - a new round of wet weather is scheduled to intensify today. this is a live look at downtown san francisco - good morning, it's 8:26 and i'm marcus washington. we are in a microclimate weather alert. a live look in downtown san francisco where you can see from the drips on the camera there that they have already had some weather pass through that area. let's go to meteorologist kari hall, who's been tracking all of this. >> it starts out this morning with light rain and there will be a break and time for us all to get outside and try to get some things done. but it's still going to be hit or miss, even for late morning, early afternoon, and then mostly cloudy skies. the winds start to pick up as the storm system approaches from the north. in the north bay by the evening commute we'll have pockets of really heavy rain here and that starts to slowly spread its way into parts of the east bay, the peninsula and the south bay may not see that rain until late tonight and early in the morning. let's check in with mike for an update on the commute. >> things are really slow wherever the rain travels. even if it's light rain, folks are tapping on their brakes. ease off, folks. look at all that red. this is because of a sig alert southbound 680, lanes still blocked. all but one at bollinger canyon road as well as on both sides of the san mateo bridge. and the south bay is not quite so bad but we have a slow drive for 87 and 85 from where they split out of san jose. back to you. >> all right, thanks, mike. i'll have another local news update for you in half an hour. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ new york for christmas and that christmas tree ♪ ♪ it's christmastime again we're always happy when ♪ ♪ it's christmastime again in nyc ♪ ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ] okay. now, that's how you get the holidays started. the rockettes. they need no introduction. we'll give them one anyway. nice to have you with us. and danielle, nice to have you here. this time, it didn't rain on the plaza. can we get applause for that, amen? >> we'll take the cold weather. >> danielle morgan has been high-stepping for several years now. what's new this year? >> we have completely reimagined the show. we have a huge technological aspect we're excited about. we've done an overhaul where the entire ceiling, all of the arches of radio city have amazing digital projections. if you're in the front row or the last row, you're immersed in christmas. we're so excited. >> this is your 12th year, right? >> 12 years, yes. >> what's the best part of being a rockette? >> that's a really hard question. i have to say i get the opportunity to perform for 6,000 people day in and day out. and i also have this amazing opportunity to be on the "today" show with you guys. >> yes. >> it's really something special. >> is this one of those things that all of you have dreamed about since you were little girls? >> absolutely. i'm from new jersey. i grew up coming to the christmas spectacular. and i had a dance teacher, miss mary, who was a rockette. to follow in miss mary's footsteps is something special. >> megyn kelly thinks she can high-kick higher than all of you. >> there is no jiggling. just muscle. blood, muscle and bone. >> awesome dancers and athletes. thank you so much. you can catch the christmas special, now, through january 1st. get your coats, ladies. there's a lot of people that wish they were up here. i have a dancer, part of my special crowd moment. where is tori? tori is celebrating her 15th birthday. she's a dancer, you guys. is this the first time we've seen the rockettes in person? >> yeah. >> where are you from, honey? >> d.c. >> i think we can do better than watching from right here, which is awesome. we have rockettes that have a gift for you. what do you have for them? >> happy 15th birthday, tori. >> we wanted to invite you to come to our radio city spectacular tonight to come celebrate your 15th birthday with your mom. >> how does that sound? >> thank you so much. >> that's amazing. thank you. >> ladies, thank you. y'all make dreams come true. >> awesome. happy birthday, sweetie. thank you so much. all right. what else is coming up, craig? >> before all of the guests descend on your house? do you have projects to tackle? we're going to make the work easier with some of the newest and hottest gadgets and tools on the market. >> the longest tease as the rockettes are freezing. what's coming up today? >> we have an exclusive with natasha henstridge, who is speaking out against director brett ratner. this is a big one. not going to be easy for her. we'll go through it together. and we have dermot mulroney. he gets confused with dylan mcdermott. he has a christmas special. you'll see him on our show. before his big "lend a hand" surprises in puerto rico, al, let's get the weather under way. okay? >> yeah. it's interesting to think, you have the rockettes out there. it's about 87 degrees with a 70% humidity here. let's see what's happening back stateside and what's going on as your weather today. big, big storm moving into the pacific northwest. northern california, with heavy rain, mountain snow, warm and dry through the southwest. cool and sunny along the eastern seaboard. wet weather making its way through mississippi and ohio river valleys. tomorrow, we expect the wet weather to make its way into the northeast, with heavy rain into new england. we're looking at really above-average temperatures in the central plains. rain and snow in the pacific northwest. sunshine t good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're starting out the morning with some foggy weather for much of the bay area, and some times of slightly heavier rain, but the rain has been drying out before reaching the south bay and also the peninsula seeing some off-and-on light rain. as we go through the day, our rain becomes a lot heavier and the wind will pick up. we could have gusts up to 30 and possibly 40 miles an hour. this will continue into early tomorrow morning and then drying out in time for friday as well as saturday. >> don't forget, get your weather anytime you need it. check out our friends at the weather channel on cable. guys, coming up, in the next several minutes, we have our big reveal. "lend a hand today" from puerto rico. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ this is the new comfort food. grown right here in california, with absolutely no antibiotics ever. a better way to grow, a better way to eat. and it starts with foster farms simply raised chicken. california grown with no antibiotics ever. ♪ it's been nearly two months since hurricane maria slammed into puerto rico, as a nearly category 4 storm. at least 50 dead. they expect the death toll to go higher. billions in damage, water in short supply, electrical systems still down. and for the youngest citizens, schools still inoperable. for some of the greatest need, these kids, they want nothing more than to be back in school. months after hurricane maria ripped through puerto rico, as a category 4 hurricane, the u.s. territory is still crying out for help. with the majority of the island still without power, millions of puerto ricans are desperate for a sense of normalcy. >> we feel helpless. we are trying to do as much as we can. >> reporter: were few many of puerto rico's 345,000 students, normal life still seems far off. of the 1,100 public schools on the island, at least 70 were too damaged to reopen. 190, serving as community centers and 100 have been acting as shelters for families who lost their homes. by late october, signs of progress. >> hola. >> reporter: as some schools in the capital begin opening their doors. but many remain closed. at this school, teachers continue to gather every day. some driving over an hour to prepare lessons. even though, they have no official start date. >> the main thing in the school is the students. and we don't have any students to teach. >> reporter: a school without students. and in many cases, students without a home. >> they are traumatized. most of the students lost everything. >> the whole room is gone. >> reporter: antoa baja principal hoped to reopen his school. but like many, was forced to relocate his students. the move to martin garcia justi is a positive development. but he still worries. even before the storm, many of his students living below the poverty line. >> many of them, we come to the school, we don't have nothing to eat. we are here for the student. they are the listen for us to be here. >> and so, with our partners belfor, wohl mart, staples and d duracell, we packed up a plane and came to puerto rico. we're going to load up this plane with supplies for these kids. what's your message for them? >> you have not been forgotten. and when we leave, we're not forgetting you because i know we will be back. >> we are now outside of the martin garcia justi school. a few hundred of their students. first, all of, miguel luna, you met him during our story of the neighboring school next door. it has to be mixed emotions. your kids are now in this school. but your heart is still with them. >> yeah. i'm feeling so happy to have all my students back over here. you see, they are all so happy. we're looking for the better future. >> absolutely. edwin toro, the principal here, you have some new students with you. just making your community that much bigger. >> that's true. we're very happy to have them here. we're honored to have them. and we made accommodations and we're all one, big, happy family now. >> it's tough right now, isn't it? >> at times, yeah. with the hurricane. but we made the best of it. and we've got back in shape. and we've opened our doors for students to come back into our school. >> julia keller, you're the secretary of education here in puerto rico. what's the biggest need? >> electricity would help. but the spirit compensates for anything that might be lacking. >> for some of the things that are lacking, we have a good friend here. mr. sheldon yellon. you have something special. >> we at belfor have been in touch with al. and we heard about the spirit and the kids. as you know, on the island working. and we told you we are committed the puerto rico and the school system. so, we have a little gift here for you. we have a check for $100,000. >> wow. [ applause ] >> thank you very much. >> i want you to know that we're here and we're not leaving until we've got you well on your way. >> and to help -- thank you so much, sheldon. that is terrific. come over here. we have this big, old truck. right now we want to open this truck up. and we have 35,000 pounds of great supplies from our friends at belfor, duracell, walmart and staples. come on. let's load 'em up. thank you, sheldon. there you go. we will be distributing all this, coming up, for all these kids to make sure they get the school supplies they need to get started. guys, we'll be back to you. we'll be back in a little bit to show you how it's going. back to you. >> that's awesome, al. >> school supplies. >> good to see kids smiling. >> thank you, al. thank you to our sponsors. up next, want to take your home to the next level? from high-tech light switch covers, to the lawn mower of your dreams, we got you covered. first, this is "today" on nbc. for mild-to-moderate eczema? it can be used almost everywhere on almost everybody. the arm of an arm wrestler? the back of a quarterback? the face of a fairy? prescription eucrisa is a nose to toes eczema ointment. it blocks overactive pde4 enzymes within your skin. and it's steroid-free. do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. the most common side effect is application site pain. ask your doctor about eucrisa. what if home security was different? what if it looked different? what if the measure of working, was that you never had to think about it. ♪ what if it was so easy to use, you actually used it. [alarm] you have 3 minutes to exit. what if it gave you time, and what you really need from home security. a sense of security. ♪ if you're looking for do-it-yourself projects to freshen up your space, listen up. the editors of "our house" magazine is looking at 100 new projects on the market. kevin conner is the host of "this old house" and "ask this old house." thank you for coming in. let's look at these gadgets. what do we have here? >> this is water fitation. our editors went through thousands of products. we're showing you eight right here. walt walter filtration. you put this on the sink. you want filtered water, you do that. that's more effective than if you have a pitcher style that's always running out. and what's nice is it will filter out 70 contaminants like lead and mercury. but it's only in as good as the filter. who changes the filter? this one is connected to your smart phone via bluetooth. it will tell you when the filter needs to be changed. it will give you a sense of how much water you're going through. >> how much is that one? >> $45, pur.com. these are tape measures. traditional tape measures. inches, halves, three-quarters. but only 16 feet. if you have a do a bigger distance, this is a laser tape. and so, there's a little laser right there. when you push the button, you can get a quick reading up to 50 feet. imagine if you're trying to get the square footage of a room, this is a perfect device. if you want to estimate the materials, this is a good one, as well. 40 bucks. >> this is awesome. are you a phillips? a slotted? a square? >> some would say square. but i prefer to think of myself as a phillips. >> you will always be looking for the bit. look at that, huh? >> that's pretty hot. >> 13 different bits, double-sided, gives you 26 options. and then, i guarantee you're not going to find a screw head you can't work with that right there. >> and this makes it harder to lose them, as well. >> they're going to stay right there. >> that one is $56 bucks. that's a good gift right there. >> hope my wife is watching. >> maybe we'll leave one of those behind. night lights. you have to plug in a night light. this is the new thing. these are the cover plates. this a light switch. and what's beautiful, there's no wiring required. you take this outlet cover. you take the old one off. these two little prongs will make a connection to the box. when you actually cover that up right there. >> it automatically tushes on. it has a photo eye. what do you do with an old lamp? >> throw it out. >> keep it because your wife loves it. buy this device right here. and now, you have control of your lamp right there. you can turn it on and off with your smartphone. there's the button right there. >> and a remote. >> and voice control. siri and alexa, you can talk to it and say, come on. >> this may be my favorite. >> wi-fi cameras are all the rage. you mount them outside of your house. and you can see who is coming and going. the problem with most of them is they have to be hard wired because you need power. this one, the camera has a cord. and it plugs into a minisolar panel. you're just done. you can control this from afar. >> all you need is wi-fi. >> you have two-way talk. you can talk back and forth to the person you see. it has an alarm and the spotlight. >> i can say, kevin, what are you doing here? >> i'm dropping off your laundry, sir. >> this is the splurge. >> look at this. a ride-on mower. has a 38-inch deck. with most ride-on mowers, gas, mile, emissions. not this one right here. battery-powered. >> who makes this? >> ryobi, they sell it at home depot. 2,500 bucks. >> 2,500. you be careful. >> look at that. that's what we got for you. >> you can barely hear that thing move, until you back it up. >> perfect for the studio. >> kevin o'connor. thank you so much. we're back with much more on a wednesday morning. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ al is doing all kinds of work down there. he's in puerto rico with a stop on his "lend a hand today" trip, where he is knee-deep in pa backpacks. a lot of smiling kids. hey, al. >> hey, guys. that's right. we want to thank our friends at belfor, walmart, staples, d duracell, as well. a terrific group of folks. we're leaving here to go to the virgin islands to deliver medical equipment, thanks to mike bloomberg. and then, to key west, to continue to lend a hand. thanks so much to all of our staff here that got this together. just a tremendous effort on a lot of folks' parts. >> a lot of folks doing a lot of good down there. >> so good to watch al making all these stops with these people who need it desperately. >> al, thank you. the lend a hand truck rolls on. "megyn kelly today" is up next, good morning. right now at 8:56 we are in a microclimate weather alert as we track around the rain, actually two rounds. the first one moving in right now with light activity in the north bay and it's extending into the peninsula as well as the east bay, a few pockets of heavy rain has been seen as well in the north bay but mostly light showers for the south bay. very hit-or-miss activity starting out and we'll have a break as we go into late morning, early afternoon for most of the bay area. still a chance of rain at any point today. the heavier rain starts to move in later this evening and continues into early tomorrow morning. we'll have more updates throughout the morning. marcus. >> thanks, kari. happening now, we're going to keep a close eye on the north bay. that's where flash flood watches will be in effect as that storm intensifies. it comes as crews working overtime to clear areas devastated by last month's firestorm. pete is there tweeting out updates. kari hall also has been telling us that the sierra is due for some serious snowfall from the latest storm, not to mention wind gusts that may approach 50 miles per hour. link to details on our twitter feed and sign up for weather alerts with our nbc bay area app. i'm marcus washington. more news in an hour. climate weather alert: overnight, our crews will be fanned out across the bay. kari will be tracking the timing of the rain down to your door step. and mike will bring you live drive times for your commute. when you join us tomorrow morning from 4:30-7. this morning on "megyn kelly today," speaking out. actress natasha henstridge is here live, on camera for the first time, with what she says movie director brett ratner did to her. and then, almost gone. a teenager finds a secret friend and then finds herself in grave danger. and then, actor dermot mulroney is here. and he has a new film that will fill you with holiday spirit. all that on "megyn kelly today," right now. [ applause ] hi. hi. hi. good morning. [ applause ] hey, everybody. hi, there. hi. welcome to the show, everybody. i'm megyn kelly. so h