NBC Nightly News Full Episode - May 1

BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. SPIRIT AIRLINES ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE WITH LATE WORD THE. BUDGET CARRIER COULD SHUT DOWN IN A MATTER OF HOURS. SO DOES THAT MEAN PASSENGERS WILL BE STRANDED THIS WEEKEND? THE AIRLINE COULD HALT OPERATIONS AS EARLY AS. TOMORROW MORNING WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT BAILOUT MATERIALIZING, RISING FUEL PRICES SQUEEZING THE COMPANY. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'VE BOOKED A SPIRIT FLIGHT THIS WEEKEND OR THIS SUMMER? AND IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT BETTER ON THE ROADS. GAS PRICES WITH. THEIR BIGGEST ONE DAY JUMP SINCE THE WAR AGAINST IRAN BEGAN.

HOW HIGH WILL THEY GO? ALSO BREAKING TONIGHT, THE US PULLING THOUSANDS OF TROOPS OUT OF. GERMANY AFTER THAT COUNTRY'S LEADER BLASTED PRESIDENT TRUMP. WHAT COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A MAJOR STRATEGIC SHIFT. INTENSE AND DANGEROUS WINDS SLAMMING SOUTH TEXAS. LOOK AT THIS FLASH FLOODS LEAVING DRIVERS STRANDED AND ROADS UNDERWATER, AND THE THREAT TONIGHT FAR FROM OVER. WE'RE TRACKING IT ALL. DEADLY BANK HEIST. POLICE SAY AN ARMED 18-YEAR-OLD STORMED A BANK,

LLING TWO WORKERS. HOW THESE PHOTOS HE POSTED LED POLICE TO THE ALLEGED KILLER. DID JEFFREY EPSTEIN WRITE A SUICIDE NOTE? YOU'LL HEAR DIRECTLY FROM A FORMER CELLMATE WHO SAYS HE FOUND IT. AND THE QUESTIONS AROUND WHY IT HASN'T BEEN RELEASED. OUR INVESTIGATION AFTER THESE DEVASTATING WILDFIRES. WHY DID ONE FEMA OFFICIAL GET HIS CLAIMS PAID? BEFORE SO MANY OTHERS WHO LOST MUCH MORE. STUNNING ERUPTION, THE BLAST AT YELLOWSTONE, YOU SEE IT THERE, SENDING DEBRIS SKY HIGH,

PLUS THE FAST MOVING FIRES FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE IN ITALY. AND OUR SERIES GREAT AMERICANS, THE MAN REINVENTING BASEBALL, HOW HE TURNED HIS AMERICAN DREAM INTO THE. BIGGEST PARTY IN SPORTS WITH THE SAVANNAH BANANAS. NIGHTLY NEWS STARTS RIGHT NOW. THIS IS NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH TOM YAMASS. GOOD EVENING, I'M HALLIE JACKSON IN FOR TOM, AND WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH NEW REPORTING. A BIG US AIRLINE MAY BE JUST HOURS AWAY FROM COMPLETE COLLAPSE.

BELEAGUERED BUDGET CARRIER SPIRIT AIRLINES COULD. HALT ALL OF ITS OPERATIONS TOMORROW. THE LOOMING SHUTDOWN, A MAJOR BLOW TO THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY. AND A MAJOR HEADACHE FOR TRAVELERS WHO COULD END. UP STRANDED THIS WEEKEND OR HAVE SUMMER VACATIONS CANCELED. THE AIRLINE HAS DEALT WITH FINANCIAL STRUGGLES FOR YEARS, BUT NOW. THOSE HISTORICALLY HIGH FUEL COSTS BECAUSE OF THE. WAR IN IRAN MAY BE SEALING SPIRIT'S FATE. PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY FLOATING THE IDEA OF A GOVERNMENT BAILOUT PERHAPS,

BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKELY. AND ON THIS FIRST DAY OF MAY WE COULD BE. STARING DOWN THE START OF A FRUSTRATING SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON. LOOK AT THIS TODAY ALONE, THE BIGGEST GAS PRICE JUMP SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, UP 9 CENTS OVERNIGHT. OUR BRIAN CHUNG STARTS US OFF TONIGHT. IT MAY SOON BE THE END FOR SPIRIT AIRLINES, WHICH COULD SHUT DOWN AS SOON AS SATURDAY WITHOUT A LAST MINUTE INTERVENTION, ACCORDING TO AN INDUSTRY SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH THE SITUATION. YOUR FIRST THOUGHTS WERE, UH, THIS IS CRAZY.

THAT SOURCE SAYING CONATIONS ARE ONGOING FOR THE TROUBLED AIRLINE. AS PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THE GOVERNMENT HANDED THE COMPANY A FINAL PROPOSAL. WE'RE LOOKING AT SPIRIT. IF WE CAN HELP THEM, WE WILL, BUT. WE HAVE TO COME FIRST. WE'RE FIRST. IT'S AMERICA. FIRST. THE COMPANY HAD ASKED THE GOVERNMENT FOR A $500 MILLION LIFELINE, A DEAL THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE US. EVENTUALLY OWNING AS MUCH AS 90% OF THE AIRLINE, A PROPOSAL MET BY SKEPTICISM. BY SOME RANK AND FILE REPUBLICANS. SPIRIT AIRLINES DECLINING TO COMMENT, BUT A SPOKESPERSON SAYING SPIRIT IS OPERATING AS USUAL.

RIVAL BUDGET AIRLINE FRONTIER SAYING IT WILL HELP CUSTOMERS AS UNITED SAYS. IT'S READY TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES IMPACTED IF SPIRIT SHUTS DOWN. AMERICAN AIRLINES ANNOUNCED THEY'RE CAPPING PRICES FOR MAIN. CABIN FARES ON ROUTES THAT SPIRIT FLIES. AND WHAT SHOULD TRAVELERS DO IF THEY'RE HOLDING A SPIRIT AIRLINES TICKET RIGHT NOW? IF YOU'RE HOLDING A SPIRIT AIRLINES TICKET. AND THE COMPANY DOES GO OUT OF BUSINESS, CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD, SEE IF YOU CAN GET YOUR MONEY BACK FOR YOUR TICKETS. IF YOU HAVE A TICKET FOR THIS WEEKEND, AND YOU'RE POTENTIALLY. LOOKING AT BEING STRANDED AT THE AIRPORT,

UH, HAVE A BACKUP PLAN. THE TROUBLED AIRLINE HAD FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY TWICE IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, AND HAD BEEN GRAPPLING WITH SOARING JET FUEL COSTS COMING FROM THE WAR WITH IRAN, AS THE PRICE OF THE PUMP ALSO JUMPED 9 CENTS TODAY, THE BIGGEST ONE-DAY INCREASE SINCE EARLY MARCH. OH MY GOODNESS, GAS PRICES ARE RIDICULOUS. LISTEN, GAS PRICES MAKE YOU WANT TO WALK. AT $4.39. ON AVERAGE, A GALLON OF REGULAR NOW COSTS 47% MORE THAN IT DID WHEN THE WAR BEGAN.

BRIAN CHUNG IS JOINING US NOW FROM LAGUARDIA AIRPORT WHERE AT. LEAST FOR TONIGHT SPIRIT FLYERS ARE TAKING OFF AND LANDING. BRIAN, THIS IS HAPPENING SO SUDDENLY IT SEEMS TO BE CATCHING PEOPLE OFF GUARD. YES, HALLIE, TRAVELERS THAT WE SPOKE WITH HERE AT LAGUARDIA. APPEARED CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE NEWS HERE, AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM ONE EMPLOYEE HERE THAT SAID THEY HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM. THE AIRLINE. AGAIN, FOR THOSE THAT ARE WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH TRAVEL, CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY. IF YOU DO INDEED HAVE SOME SORT OF CANCELLATION AS A RESULT OF ANY FAILURE.

OF SPIRIT AIRLINES AND AGAIN ALL OF THIS UNDERSCORING THE UNAINTY. AROUND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SPIRIT AIRLINES. HALLIE, WE'LL BE WATCHING IT, BRIAN. THANK YOU. NOW TO THAT MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PENTAGON. THAT THE US WILL WITHDRAW 5000 TROOPS FROM GERMANY. IN THE LATEST MOVE IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ESCALATING. FEUD WITH EUROPE OVER THE WAR AGAINST IRAN. HERE'S COURTNEY KUBE. AMID THE PRESIDENT'S GROWING CLASH WITH EUROPE OVER THE WAR WITH IRAN, THE PENTAGON IS SET TO PULL THOUSANDS OF US TROOPS OUT OF GERMANY. A SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCING THE WITHDRAWAL OF.

APPROXIMATELY 5000 TROOPS FROM GERMANY. THIS DECISION FOLLOWS A THOROUGH REVIEW OF. THE DEPARTMENT'S FORCE POSTURE IN EUROPE. PENTAGON OFFICIALS TELLING NBC NEWS IT INCLUDES ONE BRIGADE COMBAT. TEAM BUT WON'T IMPACT MASSIVE MEDICAL SUPPORT BASES LIKE LANDSTUHL. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 38,000 US TROOPS IN GERMANY, THE MOST IN EUROPE, AND THE REDUCTIONS WILL BRING US FORCES DOWN. TO 2022 LEVELS BEFORE RUSSIA'S INVASION OF UKRAINE. IT COMES AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PUBLIC. RIFT WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERTZ. EARLIER THIS WEEK.

THE PRESIDSAYING THE US WAS QUOTE. STUDYING AND REVIEWING THE POSSIBLE REDUCTION OF TROOPS IN GERMANY. AFTER MERZ SAID THE IRANIAN REGIME HAD HUMILIATED THE. US DURING NEGOTIATIONS AND THAT AMERICA HAS NO STRATEGY. BUT AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S THREAT TO REMOVE US TROOPS. MERTZ QUICKLY BACKTRACKED, SAYING. IRAN MUST COME TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. IT MUST NO LONGER HOLD THE ENTIRE REGION AND ULTIMATELY THE WHOLE WORLD HOSTAGE. ALL OF IT IS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS RECENTLY SLAMMED NATO ALLIES.

WE SPEND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR ON NATO, HUNDREDS OF PROTECTING THEM, AND WE WOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR THEM. BUT. NOW BASED ON THEIR ACTIONS, I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE TO BE, DO WE? COURTNEY IS WITH US HERE ON SET IN WASHINGTON, AND COURTNEY, YOU HAVE SOME NEW REPORTING TONIGHT ON THE TIMING OF ALL OF THIS. YEAH, HALLIE, THE 5000 US TROOPS WILL LEAVE GERMANY OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 12 MONTHS. NOW ASKED WHY NOW, A PENTAGON OFFICIAL. TELLS US THAT EUROPE HAS NOT STEPPED UP WHEN AMERICA NEEDED THEM, AND QUOTE, THIS CANNOT BE A ONE-WAY STREET. HALLIE,

COURTNEY KUBE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE ALSO TONIGHT TRACKING SOME DANGEROUS STORMS POUNDING THE SOUTH AS WE SPEAK, WITH PARTS OF TEXAS BLASTED BY DEVASTATING WIND AND A TON OF RAIN, AND IT COULD GET WORSE SOON. ANGIE LASSMAN HAS THE LATEST. FLASH FLOOD WARNING TODAY IN SAN ANTONIO. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYING MORE THAN 30 ROADS WERE FLOODED IN THE AREA. AUTHORITIES REPORTING AT LEAST 1 PERSON DIED IN THE FLOODWATERS NEAR DOWNTOWN. THAT IN SOME PLACES ROSE AS HIGH AS 3 FT DEEP.

A FEW HOURS TO THE EAST IN COMFORT, TEXAS, INCREDIBLE WINDS. AND SIDEWAYS RAIN, THE SEVERE WEATHER TEARING THE SIDING RIGHT OFF THIS BUILDING, A TREE UPROOTED FROM THE GROUND. AND LANDING ON THIS HOUSE, AND IN HOUSTON, THIS CAR FLIPPING OVER ON THE SLICK ROADS, THE YOUNG MAN INSIDE LUCKY TO MAKE IT OUT. DRIVERS ACROSS THE STATE FACING DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. AND A STARK REMINDER WHEN NECESSARY TO TURN AROUND IF WATER IS ON THE ROAD.

AND THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT ONGOING TONIGHT ACROSS SOUTH, STILL DEALING WITH FLOOD ALERTS FROM TEXAS TO LOUISIANA THIS EVENING. THAT HEAVY RAIN WORKING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AS WE GET INTO TOMORROW, HOPING TO PUT A DENT IN THAT DROUGHT THAT IS ONGOING FOR THE REGION, HALLIE. ANGIE LASSMAN, THANK YOU. NEW DETAILS TONIGHT ON AN AUDACIOUS BANK ROBBERY THAT LEFT. 2 EMPLOYEES DEAD AND SENT POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED CHASE. HERE'S MAGGIE VESPA. THESE ARE THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND PICTURES THAT THE FBI SAYS. CRACKED THE CASE OF A DEADLY KENTUCKY BANK ROBBERY TURNED STATEWIDE MANHUNT.

ACCORDING TO THIS CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, IT CAME DOWN TO INVESTIGATORS MATCHING THE ROBBER'S WHITE SNEAKERS. AND GRAY PANTS TO THE ONES WORN HERE BY, THEY SAY, 18-YEAR-OLD BRAYLIN WEAVER. AUTHORITIES WRITING. AROUND 2 P.M. THURSDAY, WEAVER WALKED INTO THIS US BANK IN BEREA SOUTH OF. LEXINGTON AND IMMEDIATELY SHOT AND KILLED A MALE VICTIM, THEN A TELLER. THE VICTIMS IDENTIFIED AS 42-YEAR-OLD BRIAN. SWITZER AND 35-YEAR-OLD BRIANNA EDWARDS.

PROSECUTORS SAY WEAVER THEN CHECKED MULTIPLEWERS AND DROVE OFF. WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE VIGILANT. YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO START GETTING DARK HERE SOON. KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED. 6 HOURS LATER, PER THE COMPLAINT, WEAVER POSTED AGAIN THIS TIME AN IMAGE OF AN ALIEN HOLDING CASH. THE FBI ULTIMATELY SPOTTING HIM DRIVING ROUGHLY 1 HOUR SOUTH. OF THE SCENE AFTER A CHASE WITH SPEEDS REACHING 130. MPH. AUTHORITIES SAY WEAVER CRASHED, RAN. AND WAS FINALLY ARRESTED AROUND 3 A.M.

NO RESPONSE FROM WEAVER'S ATTORNEYS TONIGHT. HE'S DUE IN FEDERAL COURT ON MONDAY AND FACES THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE IN PRISON. OR THE DEATH PENALTY. HALLIE, MAGGIE VESPA, THANK YOU. TO THE LATEST NOW IN THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN CASE AND NEW. REPORTING ON A SUICIDE NOTE HE MAY HAVE LEFT BEHIND. TONIGHT YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE CELLMATE WHO SAYS HE FOUND IT. STEPHANIE GOSK REPORTS. NEW TONIGHT, DID ACCUSED SEX TRAFFICKER JEFFREY EPSTEIN WRITE A SUICIDE. NOTE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE? THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTING THAT A NOTE MAY EXIST.

AND IS BEING HELD UNDER SEAL BY A FEDERAL JUDGE. EPSTEIN ALLEGEDLY WRITING, IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE. ACCORDING TO THIS MAN, CONVICTED MURDERER NICHOLAS TARTAGLIONE, A FORMER. NYPD OFFICER WHO SHARED A CELL WITH EPSTEIN IN 2019, TARTAGLIONE SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR IN A PODCAST LAST YEAR. JEFFREY EPSTEIN WROTE A SUICIDE NOTE. HE SAYS HE DISCOVERED THE NOTE AFTER EPSTEIN'S. APPARENT SUICIDE ATTEMPT WEEKS BEFORE HIS ACTUAL DEATH.

IT WAS IN MY BOOK, YES, WHEN I GOT BACK INTO THE CELL, I OPENED MY BOOK TO READ, AND THERE IT WAS. TARTAGLIONE ADDING, IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE FBI, YOU KNOW, LOOKED INTO ME FOR MONTHS AND FOUND NOTHING. NBC NEWS HAS NOT SEEN THE NOTE AND THE TIMES SAYS IT HAS NOT EITHER. IN A STATEMENT, THE DOJ SAYS IT IS HARD TO COMMENT ON A NOTE IT HAS NOT SEEN, ADDING THE DEPARTMENT UNDERWENT AN EXHAUSTIVE EFFORT. TO COLLECT ALL RECORDS. EPSTEIN'S DEATH, WHICH THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE DECLARED A SUICIDE, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE SCRUTINY,

WITH MANY SPECULATING WITHOUT PROOF THAT EPSTEIN WAS MURDERED. A SUICIDE NOTE COULD POTENTIALLY DISPEL THE CONSPIRACIES. THE NEW YORK TIMES IS ASKING THE FEDERAL COURT TO UNSEAL THE ALLEGED SUICIDE NOTE, WHICH IS CAUGHT UP IN TARTAGLIONE'S LEGAL PROCEEDING. THE TIMES ARGUING HE TALKED ABOUT THE NOTE IN THAT PODCAST, AND PUBLIC INTEREST IN EPSTEIN. IS IMMENSE, HALLIE. STEPHANIE GOSK, THANK YOU. WHEN WE RETURN IN 60 SECONDS, OUR INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED AFTER. A DEVASTATING WILDFIRE WHEN A FEMA OFFICIAL.

GOT HIS MONEY FROM THE AGENCY BEFORE A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS. BACK NOW WITH AN INVESTIGATION BROUGHT TO. US BY OUR NBC AFFILIATE KOB4 IN ALBUQUERQUE. AND THE ACCUSATIONS OVER BIG PAYOUTS GOING TO THE VERY LEADERS MEANT. TO HELP FIRE VICTIMS WHILE THOSE WHO LOST EVERYTHING ARE STILL WAITING. HERE'S RYAN LOUGHLIN. IT WAS THE BIGGEST WILDFIRE IN NEW MEXICO'S HISTORY. A BOTCHED PILE BURNED BY THE US FOREST SERVICE BECAME.

THE HERMIT'S PEAK CALF CANYON FIRE OF 2022, BURNING MORE THAN 340,000 ACRES AND 900 STRUCTURES. EVERYTHING GONE. JUST DEBRIS. ANDREW VIHILL LOST EVERYTHING. HIS HOME BURNED, AND TODAY HE SAYS HE'S STILL WAITING FOR MONEY. FROM THE $5.5 BILLION PROMISED BY THEN PRESIDENT BIDEN. AND CONGRESS FOR FEMA. TO HELP PEOPLE BURNED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS FEMA PROGRAM.

PROMISE FOR US TO BE WHOLE. BUT TO ME IT SEEMS THEY PUSHED US DOWN. FEMA STOOD UP A LOCAL CLAIMS OFFICE IN PART. TO HELP WITH TOTAL LOSS CLAIMS LIKE VEHICLES, BUT WHEN MONEY FOR LESS DAMAGING SMOKE AND ASH CLAIMS STARTED GETTING PAID OUT, SOME WITH INSIDER KNOWLEDGE BEGAN SPEAKING OUT. WHY CHOOSE TO BE A WHISTLEBLOWER? THERE'S MISMANAGEMENT WITH THE CLAIMS OFFICE. THIS SOURCE WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE OFFICE.

AGREED TO SPEAK WITH US ONLY IF. WE REPLACED THE PERSON'S VOICE WITH SOMEONE ELSE REPEATING WHAT WAS SAID. IT'S JUST GOTTEN WORSE IN REGARDS TO HOW THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING THAT MONEY. THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEMA OFFICE AT THE TIME, JAY MITCHELL, A ONE-TIME AIR FORCE COLONEL AND THE FORMER HEAD OF. THE NEW MEXICO HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, A NEW MEXICO NATIVE, MITCHELL HAS A HOUSE IN THE MOUNTAIN OASIS OF ANGEL FIRE, ABOUT 12 MILES FROM THE BURNS CAR. INTERNAL DOCUMENTS WE REVIEWED SHOWED HE AND HIS WIFE PUT IN PERSONAL CLAIMS,

ULTIMATELY FOR. OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR SMOKE AND ASH CLEANUP. AND BUSINESS INTERRUPTIONS FOR HIS WIFE'S REAL ESTATE BUSINESS. THE DOCUMENTS SHOW MITCHELL'S CLAIMS STUCK FOR MONTHS, SUDDENLY. MOVED QUICKLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM TO BE PAID WHILE OTHER FIRE VICTIMS SAY. THEY'RE STILL WAITING FOR RELIEF. AND MONTHS LATER, NEW MEXICO'S US SENATORS SENT HIM A LETTER RAISING. CONCERNS OVER SO MANY NEW MEXICANS STILL AWAITING COMPENSATION. YOU FELT IT WAS WRONG.

YES, IT IS WRONG, AND IT'S HURTING PEOPLE WITHIN THE BURN SCAR. WE TRIED REPEATEDLY TO GET ANSWERS FROM MITCHELL WHEN. THE CLAIMS OFFICE QUIT RESPONDING BY PHONE AND EMAIL, WE WENT IN PERSON. DIRECTOR MITCHELL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION RIGHT. YOUR COMMUNICATION PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED COMMUNICATING WITH US. THE FEMA OFFICE REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE PAYMENTS. DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT CONFRONTATION, AN INTERNAL EMAIL SHOWS THE DIRECTOR AND. ANOTHER FEMA ADMINISTRATOR WITH A SIMILAR SIX-FIGURE PAYOUT.

WERE PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WITHOUT SPECIFYING WHY. THE EMAIL FROM A FEMA OFFICIAL IN WASHINGTON NOTING THIS STEP DOES NOT REFLECT. THE FINDING OF WRONGDOING. WHEN ASKED, FEMA WOULDN'T ELABORATE. NEITHER SUSPENDED OFFICIAL RESPONDED TO OUR RENEWED REQUEST FOR COMMENT. MEANWHILE, PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WENT UP IN FLAMES STILL WAIT FOR AN EXPLANATION. AND THE HELP. THEY WERE PROMISED. FOR NBC NEWS, RYAN LAUGHLIN, SANTA FE,

WE ARE BACK IN A MOMENT WITH THE FIRE FORCING. EVACUATIONS FROM A POPULAR TRAVEL DESTINATION FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS. AND THE WORLD WATCHED THEM HATCH. NOW. THE BIG DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MOST FAMOUS BALD EAGLE CHICKS ON EARTH. WELCOME BACK. WE ARE FOLLOWING FAST MOVING WILDFIRES IN TUSCANY WHICH HAVE FORCED. NEARLY 3000 PEOPLE TO EVACUATE OVERNIGHT IN THAT PART OF ITALY. THE FIRE NOW BURNING ACROSS NEARLY 2000 ACRES.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CREWS TRYING TO SMOTHER IT FROM ABOVE. AND SOME INCREDIBLE VIDEO OUT OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. LOOK AT THE BLACK DIAMOND POOL THERE. SUDDENLY, THERE IT GOES, ERUPTING, STEAM AND WATER SHOOTING INTO THE AIR. SCIENTISTS SAY IT'S THE HOT SPRING'S BIGGEST EXPLOSION IN YEARS, AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED THE. BIG BEAR EAGLES, JACKIE AND SHADOW ON THEIR LIVE STREAMS AS THEY WAITED FOR THEIR CHICKS TO HATCH. WELL, NOW. THOSE CHICKS HAVE NAMES. THE WINNING PICKS FROM A CONTEST DRAWING 63,000 SUBMISSIONS,

LUNA AND SANDY. WELCOME TO THE WORLD. SANDY IS IN TRIBUTE TO A LONGTIME CHAMPION OF THE BIG BEAR WILDERNESS, SANDY STEERS, WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY. WHEN WE COME BACK, OUR SERIES GREAT AMERICANS. THERE'S BASEBALL, AND THEN THERE'S BANANA BALL. TOM CATCHES UP WITH JESSE COLE, THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE SAVANNAH BANANAS. FINALLY TONIGHT AS WE GET READY TO CELEBRATE 250 YEARS OF THIS COUNTRY, OUR WEEKLY SERIES IN CONVERSATION WITH SOME GREAT AMERICANS.

ABOUT HOW THE US CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR SUCCESS. TONIGHT TOM SPEAKS WITH ONE MAN PUTTING A. DECIDEDLY MODERN TWIST ON AMERICA'S FAVORITE PASTIME. OUR GREAT AMERICAN THIS WEEK, THE FOUNDER OF THE SAVANNAH BANANAS, JESSE COLE. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT AMERICA? OPPORTUNITY. 11 YEARS AGO MY WIFE AND I WERE SLEEPING ON AN AIRBED. WE HAD TO SELL OUR HOUSE. WE WERE DOWN TO NOTHING. WE JUST HAD THIS DREAM. OF. CREATING SOMETHING SPECIAL.

THIS. JESSE COLE DID JUST THAT WHEN HE AND HIS WIFE. FOUNDED THE SAVANNAH BANANAS IN 2016. A RISKY MOVE THAT PUT THEM NEARLY $2 MILLION IN DEBT, BUT IT PAID OFF. BANANA NATION, IT IS TIME. THE LITTLE TEAM FROM GEORGIA BECAME BASEBALL'S VERSION OF THE. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS AND ONE OF THE HOTTEST TICKETS IN TOWN. BACKFLIP CATCH, YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.

BASEBALL GAMES FULL OF STUNTS AND CHOREOGRAPHED OVER THE TOP DANCES. SELLING OUT SOME OF AMERICA'S BIGGEST STADIUMS, ARE YOU READY. WITH FANS THAT JUST. CAN'T GET ENOUGH. KNOWN FOR HIS SIGNATURE BRIGHT YELLOW SUIT AND TOP HAT, COLE BUILT A NEW SPORTS PHENOMENON IN AMERICA.

WITHS OF MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND MORE THAN A BILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE. I PLAYED MY WHOLE LIFE. WHAT I REALIZED WATCHING THE GAME. IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IT'S A LITTLE TOO LONG, TOO SLOW, TOO BORING, AND I WAS JUST LIKE, IT CAN BE BETTER. THE TALLEST ATHLETE. IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. BANANA BALL IS A FAST-PACED VERSION OF BASEBALL. AIMED AT KEEPING THE PLAYERS AND THE FANS ON THEIR TOES. WHAT A SNAP.

YOUNGSTER. IN BANANA BALL, A FAN CATCHES A FOUL BALL, IT'S AN OUT. AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE THE GREATEST FAN EXPERIENCES, THERE ARE MORE FANS. WEARING GLOVES. AT OUR GAMES. THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. BECAUSE. THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY IMPACT THE GAME. I'M SURE ALONG THE WAY AT SOME POINT. SOMEBODY SAID, HOW DARE YOU TAMPER WITH AMERICA'S PASTIME? EVERY DAY. DO YOU, DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THOSE INSTANCES AND WHAT DID YOU, WHAT DID YOU THINK? OH YEAH, EVERY DAY. BASEBALL TRADITIONALISTS HATE WHAT WE DO. THEY SAY IT'S A JOKE.

YOU KNOW THIS IS A FAD, THEY'LL BE GONE SOON, AND THAT FIRES ME UP. COLE APPROACHES THE LEAGUE WITH A FANS FIRST MENTALITY, WHICH INCLUDES. KEEPING TICKETS AFFORDABLE. I REMEMBER AS A KID MY DAD AND I WOULD GO UP, SIT UP IN THE BLEACHERS, $5 SEATS, AND. WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO SO MANY GAMES BECAUSE IT WAS SO AFFORDABLE, AND I THINK. NOW. THE LIVE EXPERIENCE IS SUCH A COVETED EVENT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. WE'VE BEEN TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN YOU CAN CHARGE SO MUCH MORE, YOU CAN MAKE MILLIONS MORE.

I DO NOT CARE. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CREATE SHORT-TERM PROFITS. WE WANT TO CREATE LONG-TERM FANS. I'M NOT FOCUSED ON THE NEXT QUARTER. I'M FOCUSED ON THE NEXT QUARTER CENTURY. WHAT DO YOU THINK EVERY AMERICAN WANTS? I THINK IT'S THE MOMENTS, THE MEMORIES AND THE EXPERIENCES. I LOOK BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD. I DON'T NECESSARILY REMEMBER THE GIFTS. I REMEMBER GOING TO DISNEY WORLD. WITH MY PARENTS. I REMEMBER GOING. TO FENWAY PARK. I REMEMBER THE MOMENTS AND I THINK. WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILIES, IT'S THOSE EXPERIENCES. WITH YOUR KIDS, WITH YOUR PARENTS,

THAT'S WHAT STANDS UP FOR ME. BASED ON THE WAITLIST FOR TICKETS, HE'S RIGHT. COLE REIMAGINED AMERICA'S PASTIME, PROUDLY BRINGING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN FAMILIES. TOGETHER AT THE BALLPARK. I THINK WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT AMERICA, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU STARTED, WHERE YOU CAME FROM, WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS, I THINK THE IMPOSSIBLE IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE IN AMERICA. WHEN YOU GO FOR IT AND YOU DREAM BIG, AND.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT COME TO FRUITION OVER THE LAST 11 YEARS, AND THE CRAZY THING IS. I BELIEVE WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED, AND THAT'S ONLY POSSIBLE IN AMERICA. A COUNTRY WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. THAT'S NIGHTLY NEWS FOR THIS FRIDAY. I'M HALLIE JACKSON. FOR ALL OF US AT NBC, THANKS FOR WATCHING. I'LL SEE YOU SUNDAY.