Norm macdonald, the former snl stars long, private Health Battle Announcer this is Nbc Nightly News with lester holt. Good evening, everyone as a hurricane, it was shortlived, but now tropical storm nicholas is still delivering a dangerous punch along the Gulf Coast tonight, water and lots of it 5 Million people living under Flash Flood alerts, Rain Amounts as high as 20 inches possible as the storm makes a brutally slow crawl across parts of texas and louisiana after its landfall not far from houston early today with 75mileanhour sustained winds. In this very active tropical season, nicholas the 14th named storm, the 8th to make a u. S. Landfall, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses Morgan Chesky is in the Storm Zone for us tonight with late details. Reporter tonight, nicholas on a Gulf Coast Course crash first slamming into texas as a Category1 Hurricane more than 90mileanhour winds knocked out power to 500,000 texans its Storm Surge ripping asphalts right off neighborhood roads. My windows were vibrating. My house was shaking and for a minute there, i did get a little nervous reporter Nicholas Drenching galveston in 13 inches of rain, swallowing streets whole. In neighboring houston, where high Water Rescue Equipment was ready we were prepared, but quite frankly we were blessed reporter a sigh of relief as nicholas turned east, taking aim at louisiana, now bracing for its second tropical system in just two Weeks Hurricane ida devastated the region, leaving more than A Million without power. Now nicholas is expected to crawl across several southern states over the next few days, forecast to bring near nonstop rain to already battered communities. Of the 19 storms that have struck the u. S. Since last year, this one, the ninth to hit texas or louisiana one of the most distressing parts of this is the heaviest rain now is expected to fall in the areas that were most devastated by Hurricane Ida. Reporter millions of people already under Flash Flood watches or warnings along the coast, including in New Orleans and Lake Charles. This has been home for how long since late February Reporter her home was left unlivable after Hurricanes Laura and delta. Her family slept in her car until getting their own fema trailer. People have been leaving your city. A lot a lot. A lot of people have left a lot of family and friends have moved and theyre not coming Back Reporter theyre supposed to move back home in two weeks, but nicholas may now be changing that. You just have to keep on going. You cant give up. When you have kids, you cant show them that youre scared you just have to put a smile on your face and keep on going. Morgan joining us now from Lake Charles. You mentioned that community has been hit so many times by hurricanes recently. Whats the biggest concern going into the night . Reporter yeah, lester, any sort of sustained rain could become a major obstacle here because there are so many communities just like Lake Charles where the only protection from the elements are those telltale blue fema tarps, and these are not from Hurricane Ida but Hurricanes Laura and delta, which, hard to believe, hit nearly a year ago lester Morgan Chesky, Thank You. This latest storm is going into a dangerous slow motion. It will be around for days with millions at risk of severe flooding Al Roker is here al, this one wants to stick around it sure does, lester, and we do not want it. Right now its about 50 miles east of houston, texas, 40mileperhour winds. Its moving East Northeast at 6 miles per hour, Bu The Problem is its slowing down it will have travelled about 200 miles today, but by tomorrow we cut that in half the flooding will continue as we move into thursday, this thing slows down so much you could actually walk faster than nicholas and thats going to mean the flooding is going to continue. In fact, weve got a Flash Flood threat for the next three days, a severe risk, a high risk from the texas louisiana border, moderate risk all the way to mobile, alabama. Were looking for 5 to 10 inches of rain out of this thing over the next several days with isolated amounts, lester, of 20 inches and thats going to lead to Flash Flooding all right Al Roker, Thank You, sir. Now to covid and the new surge in the number of infected children and the growing battle over Vaccine Mandates one new York Hospital halting Maternity Care after dozens of workers quit rather than get the shot. Heres Kristen Dahlgren Reporter in the small town of lawville in new yorks north country, women will soon have to go up to 50 miles away to give birth after 42 healthcare workers resigned over the States Vaccine Mandate and another 120 have still not complied at the end of business on the 27th, if you are not vaccinated, unfortunately, you Cant Work here anymore. Reporter already faced with a staffing shortage, the hospital is pausing its Maternity Services after next week and reevaluating other departments. What does that tell you about Vaccine Mandates it works. We went from 63 in midaugust when the mandate was first announced, and now about four weeks later, we are at 81 reporter nationally, covid cases have finally started to dip, although hotspots like West Virginia and kentucky are still rising today the American Academy Of Pediatrics warning cases in kids have increased exponentially. New data shows children accounted for nearly 30 of all new cases last week, though only a fraction of those led to hospitalizations let us make our own Decisions Reporter there are Battle Lines being drawn across the country. In union county, north carolina, where there is no mask mandate, the School Board voted to halt Contact Tracing and most quarantine procedures. The mall has a mask mandate, so i feel safer there than at school, and it should be the other way around reporter while parents are split over the best strategy to protect our kids, the fda is warning parents to not seek unapproved shots for children under 12, who remain too young to get vaccinated, saying children are not small adults, while pointing to ongoing pediatric clinical trials. A vaccine is expected to be approved by the end of the year. And breaking News Tonight a new York Court has issued a temporary Restraining Order blocking enforcement of the states hospital Vaccine Mandate when somebody claims a religious exemption. The state has until the 22nd to respond. Lester kristen, Thank You. Also breaking tonight, stunning revelations in a new book that americas top Military Officer was so concerned former President Trump might spark a war with china in his final months in office, he took extraordinary actions. Here is chief Washington Correspondent Andrea Mitchell with tHat Reporter as reported in Bob Woodward and robert costas book peril, joint Chiefs Chairman Mark milley called His General Li twice in the closing months of the Trump Presidency to tell him the u. S. Would not strike china. Milleys first call last October 30th was prompted by intelligence that china thought the u. S. Was prepared to attack because u. S. Carriers had carried out military exercises in the south China Sea and trump was berating china for the coronavirus. We must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world, china. Reporter two days after the January 6th insurrection, Milley Called General Li again. Woodward and costa write, li remained unusually rattled, putting the two nations on the Knife Edge of disaster and its in the aftermath of that he sits down with commanders at the pentagon and goes over with them the procedures for how a Nuclear Weapon can be used reporter also alarmed after January 6th, speaker pelosi, who called milley to ask, according to a transcript obtained by the authors, what precautions were available to prevent an unstable president from initiating Military Hostilities or from accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear Strike Milley ends up assuring her, i know the system, and we are okay the president alone can order the use of Nuclear Weapons. One person can order it several people have to launch it. And the Book Reports Mike Pence initially sought a way around counting the electoral college votes, calling Dan Quayle who had played that role in 1993, who tells pence, mike, you have no flexibility on this. None, zero forget it. Tonight, former President Trump told Newsmax For Milley T Say He was going to attack china is the most ridiculous thing hes ever heard. General milley is not commenting, but people familiar tell Nbc News a number of cabinet officials agreed to keep close watch on the president s national security decisions at that time lester Andrea Mitchell in our Washington Newsroom Thank You. High political drama and high Stakes Tonight in california where people are still voting on whether to recall Governor Gavin Newsom Jacob Soboroff is there for us tonight in the City Reporter the Stakes Couldnt be higher for california Governor Gavin Newsom. Were not done campaigning. Reporter tonight voters will decide whether he keeps his job or if the state goes in a different direction. The question is, can they close that huge 2to1 Gap with democrats . It looks like a very big lift, but its California And Anything can happen. Reporter at a last Minute Campaign Stop in San Francisco, we caught up with Governor Newsom. Polls dont vote. People vote. And thats what were doing, getting people to leave nothing out, leave nothing to Chance Reporter Recall elections are rare newsom landed on the ballot after opponents were able to gather nearly 2 Million signatures from unhappy voters among the issues, frustration over covid mandates, wildfire management, the homelessness crisis, rising crime, and the worst economic inequality in the nation definitely time to change i was not going to miss this one. Reporter but not everyone holds Governor Newsom responsible. I cant put the blame on him reporter before the pandemic, bernadette commuted six hours round trip because of the Cost Of Living she and her son had been victims of violent crime, too this would be something to definitely keep him on his toes, put a little interest in areas that need more attention. Reporter like . Homeless, covid, things like tHat Reporter newsoms leading opponent, conservative Talk Radio Host larry elder, says he understands those struggles. Were living in a state, california, with more inequality than any other state in the Union Part of it is because of the high Cost Of Living in california the average price of a home in california just hit 800,000. Reporter mailin ballots were sent to every california voter, but some are opting to vote in Person Tonight in an overwhelmingly democratic state, the key will be turnout. Despite Polls Tilting in his favor, Governor Newsom told me here in San Francisco today hes leaving nothing to chance and continues to campaign until the last minute. Those mailin ballots will be counted first. Then inperson votes will be tallied. The polls close at 8 00 p. M. Local time today. Lester jacob, Thank You. In minneapolis today, Derek Chauvin and three other former Police Officers pleaded not guilty to federal charges that they violated the civil rights of george floyd. Chauvin appeared from a prison where hes serving 22. 5 years for murder in floyds death. The other officers want their federal trial separated from chauvins. In just 60 seconds, a shocking twist in the assassination of Haitis President. The man prosecutors now want indicted. And the newest iphone rolled out amid Security Warnings about apple devices. There are new Twists Tonight in the killing of Haitis President back in july a top prosecutor has asked a judge to charge prime Minister Ariel Henry in the Assassination And Ba him from leaving the country, citing evidence he spoke with a key suspect shortly after the murder there was no immediate comment from henry back in the u. S. , Secretary Of State Tony Blinken grilled for a second day on Capitol Hill over president bidens handling of afghanistan. And blinken acknowledging at least 100 americans are still trapped there. Our Richard Engel is back inside the country, where the taliban is rolling back womens rights. Reporter Secretary Of State Tony Blinken again facing a barrage of bipartisan criticism, slamming president Bidens Pullout from afghanistan. Mr. Secretary, the execution of the u. S. Withdrawal was clearly and fatally flawed president biden has described the evacuation from afghanistan as an extraordinary success. This has to be the lie of the 21st century. Reporter Blinken Insisting president biden inherited a deal with the taliban and its May 1st Withdrawal Deadline when president biden took office in january, he inherited an Agreement Reporter but he was pressed why president biden, who postponed that Withdrawal Date to august, didnt delay it again to get all americans and afghan allies out you didnt inherit the date the date was May 1st, and you pushed it to august 31st. Why didnt you push it much later we took some risk in terms of what the taliban would do or not do after May 1st its a risk with other people we took the risk was on people we care for. Reporter in kabul at a university, young women are already suffering under the talibans Rule Classes largely empty, most students too afraid to show up. This 20yearold hoped to be an ambassador one day. What is it like to have a dream and to have a plan and then suddenly see it disappear . We are so unlucky that we are afghan. Sometimes. So, its so hard everything was not good reporter the hardest thing in the world is to lose hope. You know, i didnt cry for my goals if someone told me that your country will be safe and in peace, you die, i will prefer to die reporter so why are you crying now our country is done you know it. With this taliban we can build our country . No thats sure. Reporter in addition to those 100 u. S. Citizens, Secretary Blinken also confirmed that several thousand legal permanent u. S. Residents also remain stranded here in afghanistan. Lester fascinating conversation with that young woman. Richard, Thank You up next the surprising reason the nations restaurants are struggling to keep items on the menu. I see trees of Green Red roses too i see them bloom for Me And You music so i think to myself oh What A Wonderful World another big Announcement Today from apple, unveiling several new products the new Iphone 13 comes in four different versions standard, mini, pro, and pro max. They boast a longer Battery Life and a new camera with a cinematic mode for videos the announcement comes a day after apple rolled out an Emergency Update to protect its devices against spyware vulnerability. The nations restaurants have suffered greatly during the pandemic. But now just as many find their footing again, theyre facing a major new challenge. Stephanie ruhle has tHat Reporter miss Delta In portland, oregon, serves up southern Style Cooking fried Chicken And Baby back ribs, if Chef And Owner Marcus Oliver can find them we cant get Baby Back Ribs right now, so we had to switch to spare Ribs Reporter after struggling to stay in business during the pandemic, restaurants like his face yet another challenge not enough Truck Drivers to keep up with deliveries. What has it been like trying to get supplies very challenging. Weve had to change our menu quite a few times due to not being able to get items. If i could hire 50 drivers, id have it Today Reporter Michael music is president of Baldor Specialty foods that delivers to restaurants across the northeast. Sales recently hit a record high, and they could do even more if they had more drivers. I have done more creative ideas to recruit people than i ever have. Reporter that includes a 3,000 Signing Bonus for new Truck Drivers and a driver training program. Trucks transport 70 of all goods moved across the country, yet for years there havent been enough drivers. The pandemic made the Labor Shortage worse, with many retiring the average age of someone behind the wheel is 48. There are now calls to allow people under 21 to drive everybody is looking for drivers to be able to get the produce out. Reporter but until there are more drivers, many restaurants are left scrambling to find their own supplies every single day im having an issue with something coming in were not going to be able to servicing your account ultimately the businesses take the hit. Customers come in, they think were not prepared reporter another detour for restaurants on a long road to recovery sometimes we want to go have our favorite meal, and we cant get it so, stephanie, we keep hearing these shortages are temporary. Is that the case well, lester, this lack of Truck Drivers, slower production, these are the very Supply Chain issues causing the shortages weve been talking about. The good news, we got new Inflation Numbers today, and while prices are still high, theyre not going up as fast as they were, which is a hopeful sign of a return to normal we like hope. Stephanie, thanks very much up next, tributes pouring in for comedian Norm Macdonald. A giant of comedy has died Norm Macdonald, who was best known as anchor of Weekend Update on Saturday Night live. Heres Miguel Almaguer live from new york, Saturday Night reporter Norm Macdonald could play anyone, but he was perhaps most famous for delivering the news on Saturday Night live. As Weekend Update anchor in the 90s, he began to cement his comedic career the Rock Group crosby, stills and nash was inducted into the Rock N Roll hall of fame. In addition a special lifetime Achievement Award was presented to david Crosbys Liver Reporter a Standup Comic from canada, macdonald first found stardom on snl. His impression of burt reynolds, legendary. Yeah, i saw this backstage. Oversized hat. Its funny no, its not. Sure it is. Funny. Its funny because its bigger than a normal Hat Reporter appearing in multiple films Whats Today . October reporter and a regular on the late night circuit. After his passing, conan obrien said, i will never laugh that hard again. Mcdonald did Face Controversy for a comment that appeared to downplay victims of the Me Too movement, for which he said he was misconstrued and later apologized a new museum later dedicated to Broadcast Blah [ bleep ] my farewell performance. Reporter losing his nineyear battle to cancer today, for decades, Norm Macdonald made millions of americans laugh, but tonight he leaves many in tears Miguel Almaguer, Nbc News thats nightly news for this tuesday. Thank you for watching everyone im lester holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night every single day, were all getting a little bit better. Were better cooks. Better neighbors. Hi. Ive got this until you get back. Better parents. And better friends. No no thats why comcast works around the clock constantly improving americas largest gigspeed broadband network. And just doubled the capacity here. How do things look on your end . Perfect because were building a better network every single day. Im raj mathai. Next on Nbc Bay Area News Tonight, the Recall Election is here. Will Governor Newsom keep his job, or will voters decide to replace him. Early vote totals to be released soon after the polls close. Well show you how the vote is going, how ballots are being safely counted and what Governor Newsom and his leading challenger, larry elder, are doing at this hour. Good evening. This is Nbc Bay Area News Tonight. Im raj mathai. This all started two years ago