>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and welcome to "today" on this friday morning. i'm natalie morales. >> i'm willie geist in for matt. more on this morning's jobs reported in a moment. meantime the brutal heat wave that's gripped much of this nation expected finally to come to an end this weekend. >> you may be feeling the impact of the summer scorcher long after this weather cools down. we'll explain straight ahead. >> new details on that fourth of july tragedy off new york's long island, three children killed when a yacht capsized. this morning we'll hear from the man who was operating the boat at the time and lost his nephew in the accident. then on a lighter note, we'll show you the pomp and circumstance in scotland as the queen bestowed the highest honor on her grandson, prince william. our plaza crowd is getting ready for a concert from one of the best selling rappers in the business.ad yes, flo rida. ready to perform. we begin this morning with the lackluster jobs roberts, employerings added just 80,000 jobs. maria bartiromo is here to explain. is this worst than what forecasters were predicting? >> it's a tough report, 80,000 new jobs, people were expecting 100,000 and we are looking at a very tough jobs report and an unemployment rate that is persisting. >> so in the next couple of months you don't see that moving from there? >> there's a lot of uncertainty there. businesses are unwilling to add people to the payroll. we have got an election year because people are not sure who's going to be in in the white house. we could see the regulatory policy change, at that time when you've got this so-called fiscal cliff, the tax cuts expire at the end of the year, and you also have spending programs expiring by the end of the year. when companies have to -- come to an agreement about these expiration of taxing and spending programs. >> what about the fed, when they see numbers like these, 80,000 jobs only. do they say it's time for another stimulus package here? >> the federal reserve has said many times that they will be there if the economy deteriorates further. they're not sure what the demand picture will look like, are customers actually going to be there to buy their products, given the fact that europe is a mess. that's a big customer too the united states. the fed has said that they will be in place if in fact things e deteriora deteriorate. this is a very tough story, unemployment is persisting, we see that in the numbers that things actually have worsened in the last three months. >> at least the gas prices have come down, but does that affect things. >> you have to believe that's a boost for people because they're not spending that kind of money filling up their tanks. having said that, the sentiment numbers have not been -- when you -- you're not going to buy big ticket items like autos and things like that, even with oil prices having come down, which is certainly a positive. >> you can turn to maria on cnbc. it's 7:05 pacific time. here's willie. >> it will be extreme heat from chicago all the to baltimore. this in a week that saw more than 1,000 record highs set. jon, it is relentless out willi. this morning officials in chicago are investigating a possible third heat-related death. meanwhile forecasters saying it will be one more day of triple digit record heat here. but within a couple more days, it will be 20 degrees cooler. in chicago, another day for the books. the official high, 103, a new record for the date. >> like louisiana weather. so hot, it's unbearable. >> must be something to do with this global warming they are talking about. i'm beginning to believe it now. >> reporter: one potential refuge, the shedd aquarium, no power. >> we don't have power at home either. we were coming here to get away from the heat. >> reporter: today there may be more kids cooling off in park fountains. chicago schools have canceled all summer school sessions. in st. louis, repairmen worked over time. >> every day it's been over 100 degrees. we never got a break yet. >> reporter: forecasters say relief is in sight as the weather patterns change. >> it's not going to be a major cooldown for the middle of the country or east coast for that matter. we're going back to the 80s. compared to the triple digits, i think we'll take that. >> reporter: it can't come soon enough for hundreds of thousands of people beginning their seventh day without power after ferocious storms. outside washington, d.c., some streets look untouched. >> we really don't know what's going on and when we're going to actually get power back. >> we're at our wit's end. six days is our breaking point. >> for farmers like dave in southern illinois, the hot, dry weather is just as frustrating, threatening their livelihood. >> this corn we're looking at should be 8 foot tall. >> said there couldn't hasn't been decent rain. the corn crop in the worst shape since 1988. >> the corn just about done so far. i expect the yield will be ridiculously low this year. >> reporter: forecaster say as east coast cools down, the west coast will heat up. >> john yang in chicago. thanks so much. it is 7:07. once again, here is natalie. now for a search that caused a boat filled with fourth of july revellers to capsize off long island to kill three children. investigators plan to interview more witnesses today. nbc's craig melvin has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. they plan to try to bring the yacht from the waters behind me today. all three of the kids who died aboard that boat wednesday night were under the age of 13. an uncle of one of the victims was driving the boat. we have his version of what happened. meantime investigators are looking at some other possible causes. >> it was dark. i didn't see it. >> reporter: one of the two men driving the yacht filled with fourth of july fireworks watchers tells news 12 long island that first he saw boats then a wave. >> there was two boats. i told my nephew, who was in front, did you see that. yeah, uncle sal. next thing i know, we were turning, and we just kept turning. everybody was in the water. chaos. >> reporter: sal's nephew was one of more than two dozen family members and friends tossed into long island sound. they could not get 8-year-old victoria gains, or this 12-year-old. police ruled out alcohol as a factor. but nbc is looking closely at how many people were on the 34-foot boat. >> we're looking at several avenues. one of which would be overcrowding on the boat. there was 27 people on this boat. that was a combination of adults and children. >> reporter: richard werner owns a firm. >> this is a few feet larger than the boat that sunk. and 27 people on this boat would be extremely tight. >> reporter: police investigators are considering other possible causes, including weather. >> when we first got the call before that, there was a violent rain storm that came in. it was just -- as quick as it came in, as quick as it left. >> reporter: from 10:30 wednesday night, shows a severe thunderstorm with 40-mile-per-hour winds in the area. officials are trying to figure out if the storm caused the yacht to flip over about three miles from the shore. they are also looking at whether another boat in the water could have created a wake massive enough to topple the boat. another concern, were there enough life jackets. >> it's a requirement on a boat, if you have five people on the boat, you need five jackets. so if you have 27 people, there's a requirement you have 27 jackets. >> reporter: at this point, it does not look like there were enough life jackets on board. a police spokesperson told me yesterday, one of the things they were looking at, they hope to find out definitively by talking to folks on board and nearby. we should note here we reached out to the guy who was driving the boat to ask him specifically about the life jackets and about the overcrowding, we didn't hear back from him. natalie. >> such a tragedy. craig melvin in oyster bay, new york. my heart goes out to the families that lost their kids. >> absolutely. let's get a check of the top stories. tamron hall at the news desk. tamron, good morning. >> hi, willie and fatly. good morning, everyone. the campaign trail heating up. president obama on day two of his bus tour to ohio and pennsylvania, two battleground states in the election. meantime challenger mitt romney is keeping cool on a family vacation in new hampshire. gop officials say the party raised more than $100 million in june, outpacing the obama campaign for the second straight month. in florida, a judge has set a high bar for george zimmerman's release from bail, granted $1 million bail as he awaits second degree murder in the shooting of unarmed teenager trayvon martin. in a ruling june lester questioned zimmerman's credibility having revoked his earlier $150,000 bail for allegedly misleading the court about his finances. judge lester also suggested zimmerman may have planned to flee the country with money donated online for his defense when he was first release freddie jail. the final report about what caused the 2009 crash of air france flight 447 shows the need for better flight training. french investigators blame a combination of technical factors that led to pilot error. the chief investigator said the two co-pilots at the controls never understood the plane had stalled and did not recognize they had lost complete control of the plane until it was too late. the plane crashed into the atlantic ocean killing all 228 people on board. thursday night in the disappearance of louisiana college student. she was last seen on may 19th. police arrested a registered sex offender on a first degree murder charge in connection with her disappearance. new video this morning from dallas, texas. the video from a toll plaza shows, look at this, a city bus plowing into four cars sending debris all over the road. two people were injured. the crash is now under investigation. it is unbelievable. a break in the searing heat out west has firefighters scrambling to gain ground on several blaises, crews making progress. investigators on the most destructive in colorado state history say they have located the site where that blaze started. they have yet to conclude what triggered the 12 day old wildfire. mvp while a new wildfire threatening evacuation and threatening homes in northern california. check out the official song of the 2012 london olympics. it is called survival and features a video showing moments of the game. ♪ >> while the song is taking some flack from music critics. officials say it will be played throughout the games when athletes enter the venue. 7:14, back to natalie, willie, stephanie. it is no "eye of the tiger" but i like the words. >> i love muse. they are an incredible band. >> everybody is a critic. >> we got that. >> tamron, thanks. let's get our first check of the weather. stephanie abrams in for al. still talking about the heat. >> it is going away for some people. let's first talk about where we have advisories, then the cooloff. the same area from the plains to the mid-atlantic on into the south and midwest as well. so more triple digit readings for places like chicago, kansas city and st. louis. but let's go to chicago. everybody look at this. 100 today. go down to the 80s. on sunday actually below average. i know that's very exciting for a lot of people. but not only chicago, >> as they cool off we heat up. good morning to you. last day of unseasonably cool temperatures, courtesy of the marine layer fully in force. you see traffic is light. we'll double-check with mike in a moment. 83 degrees inland. 76 bayside and 64 degrees at the coast. by this weekend the upper 80s return. then the 90s are back tuesday into wednesday next week. also getting a little more muggy with monsoonal moisture on the way. enjoy the cooler weather. willie, over to you. >> stephanie, thank you. that florida lifeguard who was fired for performing a lifesaving rescue outside his coverage area is looking for a new job this morning. this time it's his choice. nbc's mark potter explains. mark, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, willie. lifeguard tomas lopez was fired for helping a man down the beach. he's been offered his job back now but has said no thank you. 21-year-old tomas lopez said he got an apology and had a cordial talk with the lifeguard company that fired him earlier this week. but when he was offered his job back decided not to take it. >> i prefer not to work for the company. there's no malace with the company. i'd rather not work there. >> reporter: a man told him he was struggling in the water at a swim at your own risk area 100 miles away. he ran to help the man. when he got there, other swimmers were pulling the man out of the water. >> we met about halfway in the water. i grabbed him and another guest grabbed him by the feet. we lifted him out of the water. >> when lopez was fired two others were fired after saying they would have done the same. in protest, including the supervisor and lopez's brother quit. now the company is offering all of them their jobs back. but so far there are no takers. >> i wouldn't want to work for a a company that prevents lifeguards from doing their job, saving lifgs. >> reporter: contracted by the city of halan dale beach. the president said after investigation, he overturned firing lopez. >> i think he showed a lot of courage in what he did originally and definitely we would like to have him back to work. i hope he would reconsider. >> reporter: officials agree that lopez did exactly what he was supposed to do. >> it has always been the city's policy that if there's an emergency, whether in the protected area or outside that the lifeguard there would respond to it. >> reporter: no surprise here, lopez's mother says she is very proud of her son for doing the right thing. and as for what tomas lopez will do now, he plans to go back to school and might consider another lifeguard job but at another company. willie. >> mark, he chose saving a life over upholding company policy. hard to argue with that. mark potter, thank you so much. 7:18. here is natalie. so many used social media sites to stay in touch with friends. now a growing number of police departments are turning to them to help solve crimes. nbc justice correspondent pete williams has details. good morning, pete. >> reporter: this is the version to generate tips from the old days of wanted posters to crime stoppers on television, now social media. twitter, facebook and increasingly youtube. sheriff's deputies in hillsboro county, florida wanted to find a man who stole a canned drink and used it to attack this convenience store clerk. they posted the surveillance video on youtube. someone who recognized the attacker called in the tip. within two days he was arrested and has since pleaded guilty. just this week, police in akron, ohio wanted to know who was using stolen credit cars to buy things at local stores. they posted this surveillance video hoping to generate tips. it's part of a growing trend, police expanding their reach using social media to assist investigations. maryland posted this video vo of a flash mob robbing a convenience store and viewers helped identify who was involved. investigators say it's not just faces that can be recognized. >> it also helps because you can actually see the person move, how he walks. sometimes that's a characteristic identifiable to people. >> reporter: in philadelphia investigators put this on youtube after a woman riding on a city bus beat up a passenger. just two days after it was posted, investigators got a tip that led to an arrest. a survey by the international association of chiefs of police show 90% of law enforcement agencies use social media of some kind. many agencies have set up youtube sites, often posting crime scene surveillance videos that are internet ready. in prince george's county, maryland they use youtube as a channel to reach people directly with information. >> we'll put an entire news conference on youtube to include surveillance video or mug shots along with interviews from the various police officials. so the information is getting out to the public. >> reporter: videos have another advantage. they can be posted instantly helping to get the word out quickly and stopping criminals from attacking again. >> thanks. still ahead, a man who served four years in prison for the murder of his own wife during a trip to the caribbean. a conviction now overturned. he'll speak out in a live interview for the first time since his release. but first this is "today" on nbc. we're sitting on a bunch of shale gas. there's natural gas under my town. it's a game changer. ♪ it means cleaner, cheaper american-made energy. but we've got to be careful how we get it. design the wells to be safe. 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that's why my doctor recommends citracal maximum. until i had the shingles. i have never encountered such a burning sensation... it was like a red rash. like somebody had set a bag of hot charcoal on my neck. i had no idea it came from chickenpox. it's something you never want to encounter. for more of the inside story, visit shinglesinfo.com >> it is 7:26. good morning. i'm jon kelley. six teens in the hospital after a violent car crash. this happened after 1:30 on island drive. you can see, wow, the roof of the car torn off in this crash. police say five 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old were riding in the car when the driver lost control and slammed into a tree. the driver was rushed to the hospital with life threatening injuries, the other five were hurt but all expected to recover. police say the car belonged to one of the teen's parents and was used without permission. no word on what exactly caused the crash. >> meteorologist christina loren, yes, it is friday and i have a feeling it's going to be a spectacular weekend. >> take a live look at san jose, a beautiful start. this is the reason why, jon. we're going to be cooler than average today because of the marine layer pushed inland. spectacular sun rise from san jose. mostly cloudy in san francisco and along the coast. in the 50s to start. 57 san jose, 55 in livermore. oakland 56 and same for san francisco. throughout the day today we'll see those low clouds burn off by 10:00 a.m. in the south and the east bay. mostly cloudy until noon at the coast. sunny finish for everybody. the winds clear all of the cloud cover out of here and then the heat is on as we head to this upcoming work week. temperatures are going to soar. enjoy the 70s while they last in san jose and fremont, tomorrow, upper 80s inland. then we hit the 90s tuesday into wednesday of next week. let's check your drive. >> northbound 101, the big concern for folks out of the south bay up the peninsula. we have two issues, the two disab