homes, flipping over a semi, and the new tropical threat we're tracking tonight russia saying it's recovered the black boxes from the plane crash that reportedly killed mercenary chief yevgeny prigozhin and what the kremlin is saying about allegations it was behind the crash caught on camera, the neighbor allegedly injecting chemicals under the door of a family's home. why they say he did it and 50 years ago she won a victory for equal pay. the legendary billie jean king on the impact of the battle of the sexes >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt good evening, and welcome. former president donald trump appears in some ways to be owning the distinction of being the only president or ex-president to be photographed for a mug shot the trump campaign today fund-raising off the historic jailhouse photo that overnight became the icon for a period unlike anything this country has seen. mr. trump and 18 co-defendants in the georgia election case all now arrested and booked ahead of today's noon deadline. for the former and potentially future president, his fourth arrest since the spring, leaving him to face a combined 91 criminal counts. mr. trump still facing arraignment in georgia next month where he will face a judge and enter a plea on charges of being part of a conspiracy that used unlawful means to try to overturn his 2020 election loss there. blayne alexander reports tonight from atlanta. >> reporter: tonight, former president trump is speaking out about that unprecedented photograph seen literally around the world. his mug shot, a historic first after surrendering at a georgia jail. >> i was treated very nicely, but it is what it is. i took a mug shot, which i never heard the words mug shot that wasn't -- didn't teach me that at the wharton school of finance. >> reporter: mr. trump spent less than 20 minutes inside the fulton county jail where he was booked, his information already presubmitted, height, weight, and hair color, strawberry blond. he was then released on a $200,000 bond afterward saying he's only being charged because he's the republican front-runner. >> i did nothing wrong. what they're doing is election interference. >> reporter: with the deadline of noon today now passed, all 19 defendants have officially surrendered in georgia they are accused of running a criminal enterprise to try and overturn the state's 2020 presidential election results today, the first court appearance in the case harrison floyd was denied bond appearing by video from jail. >> there's no way that i'm a flight risk. >> reporter: meanwhile, president biden had this reaction to his predecessor's mug shot >> handsome guy. wonderful guy. >> reporter: trump's republican rivals are weighing in too. >> i mean, the idea that we're seeing a mug shot of a 77-year-old former president, i mean, how did we get to this point? >> i think it is a shame that our nation is going -- is forced to go through these politicized persecutions. >> reporter: mr. trump is looking to turn it into a political asset. within hours, his campaign started selling t-shirts. the caption, never surrender, and he posted the picture on x, formerly twitter, his first post there in more than two years following his suspension after january 6th. >> so, blayne, when could we see mr. trump go before a judge for the actual arraignment? >> reporter: well, lester, the d.a. has requested arraignments for the week of september 5th after labor day, but a judge has not yet signed off on that request. and meanwhile, of course, it's alway possible the former president could appear virtually or waive his appearance altogether. lester >> blayne alexander, thank you. also developing tonight, a storage tank fire at an oil refinery in garyville, louisiana. one of the largest in the country causing a massive plume of black smoke and forcing the evacuation of residents within a two-mile radius. marathon petroleum said the fire started after a chemical used in making gasoline leaked from a tank the evacuation was lifted after several hours. a firefighter was examined for heat stress parts of the midwest are cleaning up tonight after violent deadly storms ripped through the region with a tornado outbreak now confirmed. maggie vespa has late details. >> reporter: mayhem across the midwest after a sweeping round of deadly storms barreled through southern michigan and northwest ohio overnight. >> look at it. it flipped right over. >> reporter: the system packing ten confirmed tornadoes, one with wind speeds up to 125 miles per hour huge trees ripped up by their roots >> this is the most intense storm i've ever witnessed in my life. >> reporter: in lancing, one person died when this tree fell through a house another person was killed, several more injured after dozens of cars wrecked on i-96, and near grand rapids, three more deaths including two children after authorities say this car hydroplaned. the storms at their peak knocking out power for more than 500,000 between the two states. >> we heard crash and boom and glass breaking >> reporter: near lancing, a farm destroyed. residents evacuated from a nursing home. >> the roof was ripped off the building, and they had people trapped inside. >> reporter: the storms follow thursday's torrential flash floods in michigan, a state of emergency officials noting in one county, hundreds of homeowners have reported damage. >> we pull together. we're a community. we know how to support each other, and we're here for each other. >> reporter: another round of recovery under way as america's summer of severe weather continues. maggie vespa, nbc news. meanwhile, millions of americans tonight are facing scorching temperatures michelle grossman is here michelle, you're tracking heat, also a tropical disturbance. >> yeah, we're tracking a lot we're looking at that dangerous heat continuing 104 million americans under heat alerts. we're going to kick off the weekend with excessive heat warnings for st. louis, dallas, jackson, and new orleans. this is why. we're looking at temperatures into the 90s, into the 100s and you factor in the humidity, it's going to feel like 111 in monroe, feeling like 109 tomorrow in montgomery and feeling like 111 in tallahassee. that's dangerous heat and also watching the storm system is an area of low pressure we expect to impact florida at the earliest tuesday or wednesday. this is why. it's going to enter the gulf and be realy warm waters, bath waters into the upper 80s. that's going to be fuel for the storms and expecting a landfall along the west coast of florida anywhere from tuesday into wednesday lester >> michelle, thank you. 2 1/2 weeks after those wildfires on maui brought so much death and destruction, there is a new estimate of those missing tonight, and there's growing outrage and worry as those who lost everything now face a housing crisis sam brock reports from maui >> reporter: lahaina's excruciating wait for loved ones has taken another turn tonight, the fbi releasing nearly 400 verified names of those still unaccounted for, a decrease from what was once estimated to be more than a thousand as chilling new details emerge about the fire's youngest victim, 7-year-old tony takafuya, killed trying to escape with a car full of relatives. it comes as residents like pakalana phillips face dual hardships. >> it's been a home that four generations have lived in. >> reporter: figuring out where to live as she steps over the crumbled pieces of her home while mourning the loss of a beloved uncle. pakalana says her government-funded hotel room expires in a few weeks with no idea what's next >> what is the scale of the challenge you're facing right now? >> where do you find a place to live? in lahaina it was hard to find a place to even rent, and then because so many families are displaced, how do you stay in lahaina after all of this? >> reporter: pakalana's position is hardly unique in this devastated community. >> none of us have time to grieve when you have to worry about where you're going to live, how can you even have time to grieve how can you plan a funeral? >> reporter: tahani gomes and her mother sally gomes lost their family matriarch, donna, in the flames and have received no guidance from state or federal officials. >> i'm in the airbnb until the 11th, and then i don't know what happens after that. >> fema has not given any reassurance really besides apply at the end of september. >> reporter: tonight, fema referring us to the governor, who we pressed for answers. >> we've had residents who've told us they're in the dark right now. how long are you guaranteeing housing for? >> we intend to have a plan ready in the coming days to show people that they'll have the first essential six months covered, and then we'll extend for the better part of 18 months. >> is that a promise that you're making to residents? >> yes, it's a commitment. >> reporter: the scale of the housing crisis daunting >> we just have water and some fruits and vegetables. >> reporter: even as people like pakalana put aside those concerns to hand out supplies to others. >> we're not going to be buried in the ash we're going to help rebuild. this is one of the most beautiful places on earth to live, and it's not because of the beauty, it's because of the people. >> reporter: as for all those hotel rooms currently housing displaced residents, the governor insists they'll keep paying the bills to keep them there, but it's not a message that's reached all those displaced families lester >> sam brock in hawaii tonight, thank you tonight the kremlin is denying any connection to the private jet crash that is believed to have killed russian mercenary leader yevgeny prigozhin after u.s. officials said it's possible a bomb may have been placed on board. richard engel now with the latest >> reporter: russian investigators say they've recovered the flight recorders from the corporate jet that crashed suspiciously on wednesday evening and are using genetic testing to identify the remains of the ten passengers and crew. u.s. officials say the mercenary leader, yevgeny prigozhin, once a loyal aide to president putin, who rose against him two months ago, is likely among the dead the jet was ripped to pieces at 28,000 feet. the pentagon assesses that it was most likely destroyed by a bomb on board. today, russian social media showed what appeared to be the wing ripped off in midflight landing nearly two miles from the rest of the debris president putin, who many believe ordered prigozhin's assassination, isn't giving any hints today he was back at work chairing a national security meeting. his spokesman said, any suggestion that putin was involved is western speculation and a complete lie putin has said a russian investigation will reveal the facts, but can it if this was an inside job? the kremlin is moving quickly to take over prigozhin's powerful mercenary army, the wagner group, and tonight issued a decree requiring all wagner fighters to pledge their loyalty to russia and its leadership lester >> richard engel, thank you. also breaking, the united autoworkers voting to authorize a strike in the weeks ahead. jesse kirsch now with what it all means if you're in the market for a new car and how it could put a bump in the road for electric vehicles too. >> reporter: in a summer of strikes, tonight united autoworkers could be the next ones walking off the job. today the union overwhelmingly authorizing a strike against the big three, ford, general motors, and stellantis a strike isn't guaranteed, but now the union has the green light to strike if needed. demands include a nearly 50% pay bump, traditional pensions, and the right to strike over plant closures >> we have went backwards in wages, backwards in conditions, and so they're signaling that they're tired of it. >> reporter: negotiations coming as the industry moves toward an electric future >> for the big three, they need those profits in order to fund the development of electric vehicles it takes fewer people to build an electric vehicle than it does an internal combustion engine vehicle >> reporter: when uaw's contracts expire mid-september, roughly 150,000 workers could strike nationwide slamming the brakes on production not ideal if you're looking for a new car. >> our supply is going to last for a couple of months. >> reporter: in the chicago suburbs, car dealer john crane says if a potential strike lasts longer than that -- >> what could you potentially not be able to find >> nearly everything is going to get tougher to find as time goes on. >> reporter: stellantis writing, discussions with uaw are constructive and collaborative. ford looks forward to working with the uaw on creative solutions. tonight, thousands of jobs, billions of dollars, and your new ride on an uncertain road jesse kirsch, nbc news, niles, illinois. in 60 seconds, growing concerns about that new covid variant. we'll tell you what you need to know. and the alarming video. a man under arrest after allegedly squirting chemicals under his neighbor's door making them sick. we're back now with new concerns about covid. officials warning a new strain of the virus could pose a threat even if you're vaccinated or had covid. miguel almaguer joins us now miguel, what are experts saying about this >> reporter: well, lester, covid cases around the country are slightly on the rise, though not at a troubling rate, say officials, but authorities warn of the new variant ba.2.86. so far it's only been reported in a dozen cases worldwide. a handful of those infections, though, have been here in the u.s. ba.2.86 is a subvariant of omicron that appears to be more capable of causing infection even if you previously had covid or have been vaccinated while that's troubling, it doesn't appear the new variant makes people any sicker than before this comes as we get an updated booster rolling out next month. even if they're able to evade that vaccine, you'll still be better protected from severe illness, lester. >> all right miguel almaguer with important information, thank you. we'll turn now to the shocking alleged crime caught on camera in florida. a tampa man accused of injecting a liquid opioid under the door of a family who lives upstairs the family saying the chemicals sickened their infant daughter. they believe he did it over noise complaints. he has pleaded not guilty to multiple felonies. up next for us here tonight, as kids head back to school, the critical teacher shortage what's behind it, and how some districts are responding as school starts across the country students are heading back to school, but will there be enough teachers in the classrooms shannon pettypiece now on the last-minute scramble in districts nationwide. >> one, two, three ♪ >> reporter: it's back to school time in mifflin county, pennsylvania, but one thing that will be missing from some classrooms, fully certified teachers. >> definitely a sports town. >> reporter: mifflin county's superintendent, vance varner, has spent the final days of summer scrambling to find staff. >> has it ever been this hard to find teachers >> no. i'm very scared. i'm worried. this is a real emergency in public education. i think everyone needs to pay attention it's going to take more than just the educational system to fix this >> okay, were you able to find somebody? >> reporter: to start the school year, he's hired nine nonprofessional teachers with no classroom experience, and a high school english teacher job remains vacant across the country teacher and other staff shortages fueled by the pandemic are showing no signs of easing there were more than 300,000 education jobs open as of june, up 38% from this time in 2019 students say they're feeling the effects of a trend that's been building >> i think it would be pretty rare to not have four, five substitute teachers a week. >> at one point we had a teacher quit at the beginning of the year, and we just were, like, switching substitutes every day. >> reporter: neil and katie brennaman, whose kids will be entering seventh and ninth grade, have seen the staffing shortages firsthand. neil, a local pastor >> that's how we do hills. >> reporter: and the cross-country team coach will be driving a school bus for a second year because of a shortage of bus drivers. >> so, was that intimidating getting in that seat behind the wheel for the first time >> it is, it is, because it's larger than my little honda civic. >> reporter: katie, a reading teacher, has had to juggle her job while also filling in for vacancies at her elementary school. she says she's seen growing burnout among her colleagues >> there's a lack of respect of teachers, and that is very frustrating, especially when you're dealing with a parent and you're dealing with a child that is disrespectful, that is very hard on teachers. >> there you go. >> reporter: as a parent, she worries about what it means for her own kids. >> i just always kind of hope and pray that it's going to be somebody that's good in the classroom and is going to treat my kids with kindness. >> and you have to hope and pray for that you don't feel confident. >> i don't i don't always you know, i just don't know who is coming in. >> go slow if you need to. >> reporter: an uncertainty she and so many parents will be facing for yet another school year. shannon pettypiece, nbc news, mifflin county, pennsylvania up next for us here tonight, 50 years after the battle of the sexes, andrea mitchell speaks with tennis legend billie jean king. her new message on equality next. with the u.s. open under way, we're remembering one of the most watched matches of all time, 50 years ago, the battle of the sexes pitted billie jean king against bobby riggs. our andrea mitchell spoke with king about its lasting impact >> the tennis battle of the sexes, billie jean king versus bobby riggs. >> reporter: 29-year-old billie jean king was at the top of her game in 1973 bobby riggs was 55 the self-described male chauvinist had been ranked number one and was convinced he could beat her. >> the male is king. the male is supreme. >> reporter: 90 million people watched around the world >> look at that crowd. >> what did you need to prove in that match 50 years ago for women? >> i knew the match was much bigger than a tennis match i knew it was about social change. >> reporter: king shut down the doubters beating riggs in three straight sets. >> after i won, he came up to the net and said, i underestimated you. >> people underestimated you a lot as one of the very early pioneers. >> i think people underestimate women in general, and i'm sure they underestimated you too. >> reporter: king's victory that day cemented her status as one of the greats. >> every day since that day, someone has brought the match up, so i know that it affected a lot of people, so i think it did help change the hearts and minds of people to believe in women more, to help them more, to just get in there >> people still come up to you 50 years later. people remember this >> they do, and it's vivid for them. >> reporter: king holds 39 grand slam titles, but it's her advocacy for equality including winning equal prize money for women at the u.s. open that is her most enduring work. >> you know, i stand on the shoulders of the people that came before me, and then the younger ones stand on our shoulders. >> reporter: even bobby riggs eventually got it. >> we stayed friends up until he passed away he finally understood, because i kept saying, bobby, this is about history. this is not about money for me this is about making history and doing the right thing, and he got it then. he said, we really did make a difference, and i said, yes. >> reporter: a difference being felt by new generations every day, andrea mitchell, nbc news, new york and that's "nightly news" for this friday. thank you for watching i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night