foreign power. the growing calls for him to resign even in his own party. also tonight, tropical storm ophelia taking aim. the path from north carolina up the east coast. the united autoworkers expanding their strike across 20 states. how it could impact you if you need a car repair. and the invitation to president biden. will he join the picket line? new images of the surge at the border. we're inside a shelter talking to migrants. why they say they converged on one small texas town. news on that f-35 fighter jet that went missing. the 911 call after the pilot ejected and landed in a backyard. you'll hear what he and the stunned homeowner told the dispatcher. the deadly bus crash involving a high school band. the band director and a retired teacher killed. the investigation. and ukraine's stolen children. one mother's 3,000-mile journey to bring her son home. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening, and welcome. a high-ranking democratic u.s. senator, who is no stranger to facing down federal prosecution, is proclaiming his innocence against serious new charges tonight. new jersey senator bob menendez and his wife nadine indicted by a federal grand jury in new york, accused in a sweeping bribery scheme. according to the indictment, the couple accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in the form of cash, gold, luxury cars, and mortgage payments meant to secure the senator's power and influence for the benefit of three new jersey businessmen and the government of egypt. menendez prevailed in a separate 2015 corruption indictment when the government dropped its case and responding to the new indictment, menendez in a statement said today, prosecutors have misrepresented the normal work of a congressional office. our nbc news chief justice contributor jonathan dienst has details. >> reporter: a stunning corruption indictment tonight against senator bob menendez. prosecutors laying out what they say was a wide-ranging bribery scheme by the new jersey democrat, saying he and his wife accepted gold bars, piles of cash, and a mercedes-benz, all in an illegal effort to help three businessmen and egyptian officials. >> the senator and his wife accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for senator menendez using his power and influence to protect and to enrich those businessmen and to benefit the government of egypt. >> reporter: one of those businessmen, fred daibes, is an admitted fraudster, who allegedly paid menendez and his wife with these gold bars. gold, the indictment says menendez went online to search how much of one kilo is worth. >> three these kilograms together are worth approximately $150,000. >> reporter: during a search of menendez's home, prosecutors say they found $480,000 in cash, including these envelopes stuffed into one of his suits. more hidden in a safe and in closets. according to the indictment, senator menendez also abused his powerful position as chairman of the senate foreign relations committee. >> senator menendez allegedly provided sensitive, nonpublic u.s. government information to egyptian officials. >> reporter: senator menendez and his wife both deny wrongdoing saying, forces behind the scenes are trying to silence him with false claims. there's been an active smear campaign of anonymous sources. the excesses of these prosecutors is apparent. they have misrepresented the normal work of a congressional office, attacked my wife for the long-standing friendships she had before she and i even met. while many democrats are remaining silent tonight, new jersey's governor saying the allegations are deeply disturbing and calling on menendez to immediately resign. >> and jonathan is joining me in the studio. menendez is stepping down his position as chair of the senate foreign relations committee. >> that's right, lester, and all defendants are expected in court wednesday where they're expected to plead not guilty. this is the second time in a decade he has faced corruption charges. last time it ended in a hung jury, and the charges, lester, were then dropped. >> jonathan, thank you very much. tropical storm ophelia is taking aim expected to bring drenching rains and potential flooding this weekend. bill karins is tracking it for us. bill, what's the latest? >> good evening, lester, ophelia is trying to be a memorial storm increasing in intensity more than expected almost at hurricane strength and take this into north carolina as we go throughout the overnight hours. we have tropical storm warnings that extend all the way from the wilmington area back up through southern portions of maryland and delaware. it'll weaken rapidly during the day saturday but still bring gusty winds and flood threat through southern portions of virginia. the biggest concern is storm surge. two to four feet from virginia beach all the way down to emerald isle, but that is near high tide and very problematic for the albemarle and pamlico sound. as much as seven inches of rain in north carolina and up to four inches over the weekend in areas of the northeast. >> all right, bill karins. let's turn to the strike expanding the walkout with president biden about to get involved. jesse kirsch is in pontiac, michigan. jesse, the president is headed there. >> reporter: lester, president biden saying he will join one of these picket lines tuesday just hours before former president donald trump's expected speech to union workers in this state. meanwhile, the potential consequences of this strike are growing. tonight, the united autoworkers' historic strike now stretching coast to coast. >> reinforcements are coming. >> reporter: the union said it's made real progress but just with ford, so it's following through on its threat telling general motors and stellantis workers to strike at all distribution centers from new york to north carolina, texas, colorado and california. >> they're going to need serious pushing. >> reporter: among those walking off the job eric shorter. he says he was also part of a 40-day strike against gm in 2019 with his family feeling that financial strain. are you ready to go 40 days again? >> yes, sir. absolutely, absolutely. >> why? >> because we deserve it. we deserve a fair, reasonable wage. >> reporter: but that fight for higher pay could soon hit americans far from the picket line. >> this will be days that we will feel the impact and consumers will feel the impact. >> reporter: scott runs 40 dealerships and they stocked up on high demand parts like brake pads, but new engines could be harder to find with distribution centers on strike. >> if the union really wanted to put more pressure directly on the companies, was this the best next step for the union? >> this tactic seems to put more pressure on the dealers and consumers than the company. >> reporter: in a statement general motors accusing union leadership of manipulating the bargaining process. for their own personal agendas. stellantis writing, we question whether the union's leadership has ever had an interest in reaching an agreement in a timely manner, but the union says, it's closer to a deal with ford highlighting the company's offers on issues including cost-of-living adjustments and the right to strike over plant closures. tonight ford says there's more work to do. jesse kirsch, nbc news, pontiac, michigan. tonight no letup in the latest surge of migrants illegally crossing the southern border. officials telling nbc news, most migrants are being released into the u.s. tom llamas spoke with some of them in eagle pass, texas. >> reporter: from early this morning through the afternoon migrants still pouring into eagle pass, texas. >> this group right here just crossed the rio grande. [ speaking in a global language ] they say they've been traveling for a month and three days. packing freight trains, riding anywhere they can, this week they've come by the tens of thousands. floeb gloeb this man saying he's too weak to continue. he needs water. part of a surge of migrants that took border towns and homeland security by surprise. in just the last 24 hours, there were 8,200 illegal crossings over the southern border, 2,600 in eagle pass alone. >> how many of you guys rode the train? [ speaking in a global language ] everybody rode the train. the train was full. [ speaking in a global language ] a thousand people. the trains were full, they tell me. enrique barrios was one of them. he tells me you had to hold on tight, because if you fall, you die. [ speaking in a global language ] this man tells me he tried following the new rules using the biden administration's app, cbp1 to apply for asylum, but the app crashed. [ speaking in a global language ] this as nbc news has learned most migrants who have crossed illegally since those new rules were put into effect in may have been processed then released into the u.s., not deported. the border patrol union says just in september, more than 100,000 migrants have been released into the u.s. the biden administration sending 800 military personnel to help process new arrivals, but local leaders say they need a different type of assistance. >> that doesn't help. they need to surge immigration judges, and people need to get their cases heard in day, not years. >> and tom joins us now. tom, tell us about this key meeting on the border this weekend. >> reporter: lester, tomorrow the dhs secretary, alejandro mayorkas, will meet with the president of honduras here on the border to discuss, quote, reducing irregular migration and highlighting lawful pathways as an alternative to smugglers. lester, just this week alone, at least 40,000 migrants have crossed illegally. >> all right, tom llamas, thank you. we're learning more about that bus that crashed northwest of new york city killing two people and injuring dozens of students heading to band camp. here's emilie ikeda. >> reporter: tonight, new details on the harrowing moments before a bus packed with band students went careening off the roadway. >> i heard the bus, like, start to, like, roll over the hill, and then i heard everyone started screaming. >> reporter: officials say the crash landed virtually everyone in the hospital. >> the kid next to me was covered in blood. >> reporter: farmingdale high school's beloved band director, gina pellettiere, died along with her close friend, 77-year-old beatrice ferrari. her daughter says the retired teacher chaperoned the trip for three decades. >> my mom's impact on so many people throughout her time as a teacher and just her time in the community was profound, and the reason i'm talking tonight is to honor that. >> reporter: among the seriously injured, natalie and ashley betty. their mom sharing natalie found her sister, ashley, and screamed to get her out from under the bus suffering a broken clavicle, jaw, ribs and partially collapsed lung. >> the bus rolled over. >> reporter: the bus moved to police barracks in orange county, new york, as investigators zero in on a faulty front tire. >> when a steering tire blows when you're traveling at a high rate of speed with a vehicle that is the mass of the bus, it can be difficult to steer. >> reporter: and police say five students are still in critical condition as a memorial outside of the school here continues to grow. lester. >> emilie, thank you. now to the cost of climate change hitting home. california is considering new rules that would allow insurance companies to consider climate risk in their policies. as miguel almaguer reports, it could send people numbers soaring. >> reporter: home to some of the nation's most coveted real estate, tonight the cost of insuring a home in california could soon dramatically change. for the first time, the state's insurance commissioner is moving to let insurance companies factor in future climate risks when setting new policy prices. >> we are truly living in unprecedented times. >> reporter: after decades of disaster insurance commissioner ricardo lara says the move is aimed at keeping insurance companies from fleeing the state. >> there is no doubt that california is at an insurance crossroads making insurance more available is becoming critical for our entire economy. >> reporter: but critics say allowing insurance companies to spike premiums based on the threat of floods and wildfires in the future is a disaster of its own. >> the insurance companies are using climate change as an excuse to make changes in rules that have saved californians literally, not exaggerating, hundreds of billions of dollars in the last 35 years. >> reporter: with the new study projecting more than 39 million americans could soon face skyrocketing insurance premium, some insurers have already walked away from hurricane and flooding-prone states like florida and louisiana and high-risk areas of california many are already priced out. >> i just received a bill, and it's double what it was last year. >> reporter: in allowing insurance companies to look ahead when setting rates, the state will also require those same companies insure more homeowners who live in areas of high risk. tonight, the fight to keep californians insured, if they can afford it. miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. in 60 seconds, the words of the pilot who ejected from that f-35 jet that crashed in south carolina. the 911 audio after he came down in a backyard just released. came down in a these hands used to hold me as a little girl. would comfort me. but now, they've become aggressive. this mouth used to sing me lullabies. now, it's unrecognizable. if your loved one with alzheimer's dementia has become agitated, it's not their 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[sneeze] dude you coming? ♪ alka-seltzer plus powermax gels cold & flu relief with more concentrated power because the only thing dripping should be your style. plop plop fizz fizz winter warriors with alka-seltzer plus. 911 audio just released reveals stunning new details about the minutes after the pilot ejected from that f-35 fighter jet. the pilot heard on the phone after landing in a backyard. here's blayne alexander. >> reporter: as a $100 million military fighter jet tore unmanned through the south carolina sky, tonight for the first time we're hearing from its pilot in a 911 call moments after he parachuted to safety. >> we had a military jet crash. i'm the pilot. we need to get rescue rolling. >> reporter: the 47-year-old pilot was flying an f-35 sunday but had to eject landing in the backyard of a north charleston home where a stunned homeowner called 911. >> i guess we got a pilot in our house and says he ejected from a plane. see if we can get some ambulance, please. >> i'm sorry. what happened? >> we got a pilot in the house, and i guess he landed in my backyard. >> reporter: the pilot describes his harrowing escape saying incredibly his only injury is back pain. >> how far did he fall? >> i was at 2,000 feet. >> what caused the fall? >> an aircraft failure. >> reporter: he urgently tells the dispatcher the plane is likely going down. >> i'm not sure where the airplane is. it would have crash landed somewhere. i ejected. >> i understand, sir. >> reporter: it was ultimately found some 80 miles away after crashing into a field. officials have not said what went wrong but just this week, the government accountability office released a report on the f-35 program saying the fleet's mission capable rate was about 55%, consistently failing to meet performance goals. it comes after this stunning crash landing last december in texas where an f-35 pilot had to eject on the runway. and officials say the investigation into this latest crash will take several months. lester. >> all right, blayne alexander, thank you. when we come back, the question on the rise at maui, and it's a tough one. is it even worth rebuilding? the climate challenge is next. type 2 diabetes? discover the ozempic® tri-zone. ♪ ♪ i got the power of 3. i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. i'm under 7. ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. i'm lowering my risk. adults lost up to 14 pounds. i lost some weight. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. living with type 2 diabetes? ask about the power of 3 with ozempic®. you can't leave without cuddles. but, you also can't leave covered in hair. with bounce pet, you can cuddle and brush that hair off. bounce. it's the sheet. dove invited women who wanted their damaged hair trimmed. yes, i need a trim. i just want to be able to cut the damage. we tried dove instead. so, still need that trim? oh my gosh! i am actually shocked i don't need a haircut. don't trim daily damage. stop it with dove. 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>> about 40 of them up right now. >> reporter: hydrologist chris schuller says dry grasses spike fire risk. >> the grasses respond really fast when it rains, so if we have a wet winter, they'll grow up, and if we have a dry summer, then they'll die and turn into a really large fuel load. >> reporter: here in what's considered the wet part, the lush greenery and waterfalls fueled in part because of 300 inches of rain that this island sees every year. on the dry side it's dramatically different with some areas getting as little as 11 inches of rain. that trend is expected to increase. climate research from the university of hawaii shows the wettest areas seeing as much as 75 inches of additional rain by the end of the century as the dry areas get even drier with more places expecting rainfall levels equal to arizona's deserts. >> we're looking at a year as really dry conditions. >> reporter: across the island, community discussions are already swirling over the best way to rebuild. >> we need to move forward in building back in those ways that keep our land and community safe without relying on volunteerism to try to retrofit. >> reporter: with the promise of a worsening climate, pamela says that won't be simple. >> i wish none of us went through this, but everyone needs to figure out what could we do so this never happens again because not just fire but other parts of climate change is happening to us here. >> reporter: a dream to build back, lahaina strong, for the future. steve patterson, nbc, maui. coming up, children of war, a ukrainian mother's struggle to bring back her kidnapped son next. struggle toring back b i'm walt. i have relapsing ms, and a lot going on. that's why i take kesimpta. kesimpta is the only b-cell treatment for rms you can take at home, once-a-month. and it was proven superior at reducing the rate of relapses vs aubagio. for me, a once-a-month treatment just works for my schedule. don't take kesimpta if you have hepatitis b, and tell your doctor if you have had it, as it could come back. kesimpta can cause serious side effects, including infections. while no cases of pml were reported in rms clinical trials, it could happen. tell your doctor if you had or plan to have vaccines, or if you are or plan to become pregnant. kesimpta may cause a decrease in some types of antibodies. the most common side effects are upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and injection reactions. ask your doctor about treating rms with kesimpta. personalized financial advice from ameriprise can do more than help you reach your goals. i can make this work. it can help you reach them with confidence. no wonder more than 9 out of 10 of our clients are likely to recommend us. ameriprise financial. advice worth talking about. salonpas, makers of powerful pain relief patches for 89 years... believes in continuous improvement... like rounded corners that resist peeling, with an array of active ingredients... and sizes to relieve your pain. salonpas. it's good medicine. your shipping manager left to “find themself.” leaving you lost. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. visit indeed.com/hire so i didn't think i needed swiffer, until, i saw how easily it picked up my hair every time i dried it! only takes a minute. look at that! the heavy duty cloths are extra thick, for amazing trap & lock. even for his hair. wow. and for dust, i love my heavy duty duster. the fluffy fibers trap dust on contact, up high and all around without having to lift a thing. i'm so hooked. you'll love swiffer. or your money back! 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[ speaking in a global language ] >> "saving nikita: the fight to return ukraine's children" is an nbc news digital documentary available now on nbcnews.com. that's "nightly news" for this friday, everyone. thank you for watching. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night. - [narrator] every day, our lives are filled with choices, both simple and life-changing. what's not a choice? addiction to opioids like fentanyl. but even with opioid use disorder, you still have a choice. by choosing treatment, you choose family, your career and your life on your terms. choose change, california, and find medically proven treatment options at choosechangeca.org. nbc bay area now streaming live on peacock. >> four and a half hours and counting. part of a major south bay highway is set to close. what you need to know heading into your weekend. good afternoon. i'm audrey asistio. welcome. arraign coal will be giving us everything we need to know about the highway closure in just a few nt