her on what would have been her 100th birthday this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt. good evening we have been talking about this weather system since we last saw you on friday. and tonight it is still with us. winter weather alerts remain in effect across northern new england and the great lakes after the storm barrelled across and up the country as a major snow maker tens of thousands in its path are still without power tonight. the storm leaving double digit snow amounts in at least 11 states 27 inches reported in ashtabula, ohio. 22 in upstate new york des moines, iowa more than 14 inches, it's biggest snowstorm in more than a decade thousands of flights canceled over the weekend as snow, high winds and flooding took a toll from the carolinas into the northeast and now more brutal cold is on the way. emilie ikeda has the latest. >> reporter: chaos on the coast as a fierce winter storm brings a barrage of snow, freezing rain and high-powered winds this martin luther king jr. day. >> super windy a lot of stuff flying everywhere >> reporter: tonight tens of thousands are in the dark as residents dig out of double digit totals in at least 11 states a staggering 22 inches in upstate new york and 14 in des moines the city's worst snowstorm in more than a decade in pittsburgh, even first responders struggling to get around is this the most snow you have seen this season >> yes yes. by far. >> reporter: flakes falling at a fast clip, up to five inches an hour, making for treacherous conditions on the road in north carolina, this tractor trailer sliding off a bridge. >> this is a major recovery when you've got trucks hanging over the highway and you have got your guys working down below, you just got to make sure that when you're doing that type of recovery you have got it properly secured. >> reporter: and at least two people died after a crash on i95 >> take it easy. it's obviously more slick than it usually is. >> reporter: winds packing a punch. up to 70 mile an hour gusts in cities like new york and boston, powering monstrous waves in massachusetts and flooding coastal communities. >> it's amazing, you know, that it's reached this point. >> reporter: the day's long winter wallop impacting the majority of states from maine to florida where cleanup crews face a mangled mess after five reported tornados tore through dozens of homes. >> we made it inside and ten seconds later, it hit. >> reporter: tonight the travel nightmares persist. more than 1,500 flights canceled in the u.s. today after 3,000 were grounded sunday. >> it has been crazy really bad >> reporter: a winter weather beatdown that forecasters warn won't be this season's last. >> emilie ikeda, dare i ask: how do conditions look for the rest of the week >> reporter: lester, temperatures will plummet up and down the east coast with freeze alerts in parts of florida and georgia. that leaves the risk for roadway conditions to worsen overnight. lester >> emilie ikeda, thank you. dramatic new details tonight about that hostage standoff this weekend at a synagogue near dallas and how the rabbi and two others were able to escape from the gunman morgan chesky is there tonight. >> reporter: tonight from a texas synagogue to a town in england, the investigation into saturday's hostage crisis now international. authorities id'ed the suspect as malik abram a 44-year-old british citizen, who the fbi says acted alone when he took four hostages during shabbat services a senior law enforcement official sharing police in the u.k. questioned akram's two teenage sons who according to that official were in touch with the suspect at some point on saturday there is no indication they're being considered suspects. akram was in the u.s. legally arriving at jfk airport on december 29th. rabbi charlie cytron-walker said he didn't notice anything suspicion until he heard a click during one of the prayers and turned to see a gun. he spoke to cbs. >> it was terrifying it was overwhelming. >> reporter: stacy silverman was watching the live stream on her computer. >> we heard this man ranting for three hours. >> reporter: a tense 11-hour standoff followed fbi negotiators establishing contact early. akram's only request, the release of a federal prisoner once known as lady al-qaeda who in 2010 was convicted of attempted murder of u.s. military about seven hours into the standoff, akram released one hostage but as time went by, the rabbi said he only became more agitated, leaving the temple leader to rely on prior training for an active shooter. >> i threw a chair at the gunman, and i headed for the door and all three of us were able to get out. without even a shot being fired. >> reporter: the suspect died after the fbi moved in his family says he suffered from mental illness. jeffrey cohen was one of the hostages. >> at one point the -- the terrorist let us call our families. so i made three different calls to my wife, my daughter, my son and i basically told them, i'm here. he claims he has a bomb things don't look good right now. i love you and remember me. >> reporter: this attack highlights what rabbi andrew paley calls an ever-present threat for the jewish community. >> nobody wants to have armed security or other layers of security around them that's not the vision of the world that we want to live in. >> reporter: in 2019 one person was killed when a man with a machete attacked people at a hanukkah celebration in new york and in 2018, 11 were killed during a shooting at this pittsburgh synagogue. >> you have the embrace and support of the entire world of good decent people who reject this and say, no, this is not okay so you're not alone. >> morgan, have we learned anymore about how the suspect died? >> reporter: yeah, lester, we have. in fact, within the last hour, a senior law official confirming that suspect was shot and killed by the fbi hostage rescue team. and while it's unclear if the man opened fire, that same official says the use of force was warranted. lester >> all right, morgan chesky, thank you. let's turn now to the pandemic even as cases and hospitalizations climb nationally, there are signs now that infections have peaked in parts of the east that were hit hard at the outset of all this this comes as the government promises to make hundreds of millions of at-home covid tests available starting this week here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: tonight with more than 130,000 americans hospitalized with covid, there are signs of progress even among setbacks while cases are still rising in every state, in some regions first hard hit by omicron, states like new jersey, rhode island and connecticut, cases appear to have peaked. in new york, a drop of nearly 47% from earlier this month the most encouraging sign in weeks, though not widespread enough. >> we're in no way seeing a plateau or a decline. so the numbers are still going up >> reporter: as hospital networks like mass general brigham canceled thousands of surgeries every week so the overwhelmed staff can treat covid patients, the surgeon general says the u.s. may still be weeks away from a national peak. >> we have definitely seen an increase in our critical care patients. >> reporter: some hospitals turning back to the past. this one in virginia using its parking garage as a field hospital across california, patients are waiting hours just to be unloaded from an ambulance. >> as an ambulance is waiting in an er to transfer a patient, there are 911 calls that are still coming in there are still emergencies happening. there are still vehicle accidents. there are still fires and these crews are not available to respond. >> reporter: with more breakthrough infections expected, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general mark millie isolating at home with minor symptoms, this week americans can go online and start to order four free at home covid tests per household. but with delivery expected 7 to 12 days later, they may arrive at the end of omicron's surge. >> my hope is, yes, that omicron is the beginning of the end, but i am ready i'm ready to continue fighting if we have to. >> reporter: tonight our nation facing the promise of a better future while still battling a grim reality. miguel almaguer, nbc news. the nation's airlines are warning of a catastrophic disruption if the telecom industry goes ahead with plans to turn on new 5g wireless technology this wednesday that could affect a critical flight instrument on planes here's tom costello. >> reporter: just 36 hours before verizon and at&t switch on their new faster 5g cell systems, the nation's airlines today issued a stark warning. an urgent request signed by every major u.s. airline and cargo ceo for the government to keep the 5g ground stations turned off if they're within two miles of major airports the ceos write immediate intervention is needed to avoid disruption to air passengers, shippers, supply chain and delivery of needed medical supplies >> 50, 40, 30. >> reporter: the concern, those 5g ground stations could disrupt a plane's radio altimeter which provides precise altitude readings when pilots land in poor visibility as 5g goes live wednesday, the faa will prohibit pilots from using altimeters, including large airport hubs in dallas, new york, chicago and seattle. today the airline ceos warned, the vast majority of the traveling and shipping public will essentially be grounded, facing cancellations, diversions or delays. >> the faa has issued an airworthiness directive that would significantly impact our operations. >> reporter: the cell phone industry insists the technology has proven to be safe in europe it's already delayed roll-out twice and says it will turn down the power at ground stations near some airports. >> look, the wireless carriers are impatient to deploy technology that stands to make a big impact, a positive impact on our economy. but on the aviation side, we have also got to make sure that it's safe. >> reporter: tonight the airlines are warning they may have to ground planes and mass cancellations could start wednesday. lester >> i know you will stay on it tom, thanks very much. in just 60 seconds, on this martin luther king jr. day, king's family and others marching washington for voting rights. and the tributes to betty white on what would have been her 100th birthday echoes of the 1960s struggle for voting rights on this martin luther king jr. day. members of king's family making those comparisons while pushing for democrats' voting legislation though it is an effort that so far is not succeeding with more, here's blaine alexander >> reporter: on this martin luther king holiday, his son and namesake marching in washington, pushing for the very issues his father championed for years. demanding lawmakers deliver on democrats' voting rights legislation. >> democracy stands on the brink of serious trouble. >> reporter: in king's hometown of atlanta, at ebenezer baptist church where he once held the pulpit, the issue is taking center stage. >> we must mobilize everyone we know in this fight to save our democracy. >> pass federal voting rights. >> reporter: ebenezer's pastor and georgia's senator raphael warnock literally using his pulpit to apply pressure to his senate colleagues. >> we will be free some day we will get voting rights [ applause ] >> reporter: but in washington, the two bills are all but dead with every republican opposed, calling the legislation a partisan attempt to have the federal government take over elections. >> this is not about a fair election. this is about gaming the system and putting your thumb on the scale for democrats to try to keep control of the congress >> reporter: and two moderate democrats opposing a change to historic senate rules that would allow democrats to pass the bills on their own today president biden said passing the legislation is the only way to truly honor king's legacy. >> it is not just enough to praise him we must commit to his unfinished work, to deliver jobs and justice to protect the sacred right to vote. >> reporter: but now the president is under fire for once again failing to convince his own party to pass a key part of his agenda, and some allies are fed up. in a scathing new york times op ed, bishop reginald jackson of florida writes, the white house slept on voting rights and now our very democracy is at risk. and the senate is expected to debate tomorrow with votes on the rule change and the bills tomorrow neither expected to pass lester >> blaine alexander, thank you. and a man who gave us a firsthand perspective on dr. king and the civil rights movement has died photo journalist steve schapiro documented the marches, the protests and the leader of the struggle, including king at selma. and this king at his hotel room shortly after he was killed. schapiro also produced classic portraits of many celebrities in the 1960s and '70s steve schapiro was 87. and betty white would have turned 100 today. sadly, she died last month. before reaching that milestone, but fans are still finding ways to celebrate her here's joe fryer. >> reporter: we might be wishing betty white happy birthday, but this is the song we're singing. ♪ thank you for being a friend >> reporter: the very tune echoing through white's hometown oak park, illinois because she really did feel like a friend. >> betty white. >> betty white. >> betty white, ladies and gentlemen. >> reporter: her famous friends are paying tribute today in "betty white: a celebration. the one-day movie event featuring her final interview. while on social media, the betty white challenge is urging fans to donate to animal shelters and charities, a cause close to betty's heart. jeff was white's agent the last 21 years. did she understand, especially over the last couple years just how much she was loved? >> i'm not sure that she really grasped it, but she was a very humble -- she was a very humble lady. >> reporter: a humble legend who died 17 days shy of her 100th birthday yet, left us a gift, laughter >> do you prefer being called margaret or the mistress >> reporter: it's something vicky morris who starred with white on "mama's family" will always cherish. how do you think betty white wants us to celebrate her 100th birthday >> i know betty would say, oh, my gosh don't cry for me i had such a good time please laugh and carry on i know she would. >> reporter: joe fryer, nbc news. up next as we continue tonight, we're inside the rescue mission to save the florida manatees we learn about covid-19, the more questions we have. the biggest question now, what's next? what will covid bring in six months, a year? if you're feeling anxious about the future, you're not alone. calhope offers free covid-19 emotional support. call 833-317-4673, or live chat at calhope.org today. now to the race to save the manatees. kerry sanders with our broadcast exclusive as four young manatees from seaworld get a new home >> reporter: manatees that just arrived at the columbus, ohio zoo and aquarium today getting acclimated flown here because they're dying in unprecedented rate in florida. in just 12 months, more than 1,100 dead most starving to death. >> it's painful to watch an animal come in in these conditions they are starving. they're eating their own muscle >> reporter: seaworld orlando, the world's largest manatees hospital moving four female calves more than a thousand miles north. from orlando's 60 degree temperatures to ohio, where it will drop to 8 degrees this week, all to make room for more rescued manatees >> columbus zoo and aquarium was more than happy to help out. >> reporter: it is estimated there is only 6,000 manatees left in florida. they survive on sea grasses. a single manatees can eat as much as 300 pounds of it a day but for more than 80 miles along the east coast, the bottom has become a dessert like trees in a forest, the sea grasses need sunlight to grow. but pollution from waste water, leaking septic tanks and fertilizer from yards and farms have washed into the coastal waters of florida. those nutrients cause algae to grow. it's so thick sunlight can't penetrate to the seabed and without sunlight, sea grasses do not grow. >> we're talking being down 900 pound to three-quarters of your body weight gone. they're skeletons. >> reporter: in a first ever, florida wildlife biologists have tried to feed manatees but so far the lettuce that they love to eat with gusto when they're in a manatee recovery pool like this has not happened in the wild. >> at this point, the animals aren't recognizing it as food source as we adapt, we are offering lettuce in different forms. >> reporter: tonight racing the clock before even more manatees starve. kerry sanders, nbc news, orlando. >> a noble effort to save them. we're going to take a break. up next, remembering a legendary airman who flew into history. finally tonight, our tribute to a hero who served in three wars, soaring passed barriers and inspiring generations to come. charles mcgee was a fighter pilot with a legendary tuskegee airmen, the all black unit that broke racial barriers in the military, fighting for their country and for their country's respect. he amassed more than 400 career combat missions in world war ii and later in korea and vietnam. >> after my first flight, i was hooked. >> mcgee died on sunday at 102 years old. vice president kamala harris calling him an american hero. secondary of defense lloyd j. austin iii writing, i'm also incredibly grateful for his sacrifice, his legacy and his character. i spoke with mcgee in 2020 soon after he was awarded the rank of brigadier general by president trump. >> general mcgee, our nation salutes you thank you, sir [ applause ] >> has life changed a lot now that you are a general? >> a lot to be thankful for because of that. >> what are your most vivid memories of being a tuskegee airman at war? >> although we didn't change segregation, we provided a background and gave our air force the opportunity when they separated to bring them up equal access and equal opportunities to all. >> his message to young americans -- >> they can achieve if they believe in it themselves and don't let others tell them that they can't do something. >> a true honor to talk to general mcgee. that's "nightly news" for this monday. thanks for watching. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night ♪♪ thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer are living in the moment and taking ibrance. ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor is for postmenopausal women or for men with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole. ibrance may cause low white blood cell counts that may lead to serious infections. ibrance may cause severe inflammation of the lungs. both of these can lead to death. tell your 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news tonight. i'm raj mathai. on this holiday, maybe a f