Is laid to rest. Dont stop until it matters that dignity, justice, and equity are a reality for all black lives. What mlks daughter had to say to his children. No crime. The fbi finds nascars Bubba Wallace was not the target of that noose hanging in his talladega garage stall finding it had been there for months. Wallace reacting overnight. Whether it was tied in 2019 or whatever, it was a noose. And this morning wallace is with us for an interview. Sound familiar . Complaints of illegal fireworks skyrocketing from coast to coast. It goes on all night. Why its happening and what cities are doing to crack down. All that plus play ball. The Major League Baseball season finally gets the green light. Training camps opening next week. The first game set for next month, and legions of thrilled fans are on deck. Today, wednesday, june 24th, 2020. This is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a live in rockefeller plaza. And morning, everybody. Welcome to today on this wednesday morning. Its nice to have you with us. Hoda, just anything that takes us back to some sense of normalcy and makes us feel good and baseball is coming back. It may be a shortened season, but fans are like, who cares. I know folks are going to be happy about that story. Absolutely. To the highest levels in two months. Take a look at this map. Single day records were set in five states yesterday. California, nevada, arizona, texas, and mississippi. And during yesterdays hearing on capitol hill, dr. Anthony fauci warned this is still part of the pandemics first wave. Were now seeing a disturbing surge of infections that looks like its a combination but one of the things is an increase in Community Spread. Dr. Fauci also expressed concern that as states reopen, social distancing is increasingly falling by the wayside. But he did have some encouraging news when it comes to the timeline for a vaccine. I still think theres a reasonably good chance that byo vaccine, well have it by then. We do have complete coverage for you this morning. Were going to start with Kerry Sanders. He is in florida. Thats one of the states dealing with a dangerous surge. Hey, kerry. Good morning. Reporter good morning. This morning there are no rules requiring people to wear masks. But that will change at 5 00. In a state theyre averaging close to 150 new covid diagnoses every hour, some are now questioning what is taking local governments so long to establish rules . It has been nearly two months since several states started reopening. Now there are growing concerns that some may have moved too fast too soon. With summer in full swing, coronavirus hot spots have migrated to states across the south and west including florida where theres also been a major shift in whos contracting covid19. Half of these positive tests are in that 34 and under age group and the bulk of the tests were seeing are really the 25 to 34yearolds. Reporter texas just reported its highest daily increase. Nearly 5,500 new cases. Governor abbott saying the spread is so rampant the safest can be taxes. These hospitalizations last longer on average like a week at least, two weeks. Maybe more. And thats a really long time for a patient to be isolated. Reporter the recent spikes also raising concerns about hospital capacity. Arizona says 84 of its icu beds are currently occupied. Part of the problem, a false sense among some young people that the virus wont seriously affect them. In some cases it can be deadly. Recently claiming the life of a 17yearold High School Student in the ft. Myers area. And the other cases, the dreaded delayed diagnosis. After a rite of passage trip for graduating seniors to myrtle beach, 19 people from the Small Community of bel air tested positive for coronavirus. The group returned home about ten days ago. And by tuesday, the number of covid positive cases going up to 19 including two more people who came into contact with the beachgoers after they got back home. Despite the warnings, not everyone is taking precautions. You are how old . Im 45. Reporter and . Im 35. Reporter and both of you fall into that group that increasingly folks are showing up with coronavirus. But the idea of wearing a mask im very comfortable to not wear a mask in public in certain situations. Im not wearing a mask unless it is mandatory. Reporter while others say its about keeping everyone safe. Wear the face cover. Then youre not infecting anybody and youre taking care of your neighbor. We dont protect ourselves, well never get better, right . Reporter when the new rules go into effect here, folks will have to wear masks when theyre indoors in businesses. But in other cities most notably miami, folks have to wear masks even when theyre outdoors. Its a patchwork of rules confusing some people in a state that is rapidly becoming an epicenter. Hoda . All right. Kerry, ill catch it. Thank you. We move now to the president s visit to arizona for a Campaign Rally as that state deals with a major increase in case of coronavirus. Nbcs Kristen Welker joins us from the white house. Good morning. Reporter hi. Good morning to you. President trump is back at the white house this morning after trying to energize young voters with his trip to arizona on tuesday. Its a sign of how competitive the race for the white house is. Arizona has been a republican stronghold but recent polls show the president trailing joe biden there. For his part, biden held a mega fundraiser with barack obama. Their first together of the 2020 campaign. President trump in arizona trying to reset his campaign after recent missteps rallying young republicans at a phoenix megachurch lashing out at protests going on nationwide. Left wing extremists have looted businesses, violently assaulted innocent civilians and brutally injured hundreds and hundreds of Police Officers. Reporter billed as an official white house trip, the event had all the hallmarks of a campaign stop. The president repeating his racist name for the coronavirus. Its got all different names. Wuhan. Got wuhan which is catching on. Coronavirus, right . Kung flu. Yeah. Reporter the president also ticking through what he sees as his biggest accomplishments even returning to an issue that helped him return a white house in 2016. Border security. Just come from the arizona border. Where we marked the completion of over 220 miles of brand new beautiful border wall. Reporter but the president saved his sharpest jabs for his rival joe biden. Could you imagine if sleepy joe ever became president , this country would be a mess. Reporter he also lashed out at former president barack obama who held his first joint fund raiser with biden tuesday. But mr. Obama firing back blasting the Trump Presidency without mentioning him by name describing a white house he says has shaken the very foundations of the democracy. That suggests facts dont matter. That a deadly disease is fake news. That sees the Justice Department as simply an extension, an arm of the personal concerns of the president. Reporter obama also describing it as a shambolic presidency. Biden vowing to continue the obama legacy. Meanwhile, a new New York Times poll shows biden is currently leading President Trump by 14 percentage points. Biden gets 50 in this poll. Compare that with 36 for President Trump. Now, digging into the numbers a little deeper, they show biden has taken advantage among women, nonwhite voters, and biden has been making inroads with some traditionally republican leaning groups. Reporters will likely press the president on all of this when he holds a joint press conference here today. All right. Kristen welker at the white house, thank you. Craig joins the table now closely following a couple of stories. Good morning to you. First we start with the Louisville Police officer who shot and killed Breonna Taylor in her own home three months ago. That officer has now been fired. This as Rayshard Brooks who was killed by police in atlanta was laid to rest during an Emotional Service on tuesday. Nbcs blayne alexander was there. She joins us with the latest on both stories. Good morning. Reporter well, craig, good morning to you. It was a stirring and somber Memorial Service yesterday morning for Rayshard Brooks who was laid to rest, bid farewell by his family. Soon after that service ended, officials in kentucky announced new developments in the case of Breonna Taylor who was shot to death by police in her own home. This morning one of the three Louisville Police officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor is now officially off the force. In a termination letter to Brett Hankison, he writes, i find your conduct a shock to the conscience. I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion. You have never been trained to use deadly force in this way. Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself and the department. Taylor a 26yearold emt was shot to death in her home when three officers used a noknock warrant to enter her apartment. The march shooting is still under investigation as calls grow for all three to face charges. That it took the Police Department over three months to come to that same conclusion that we were able to come to quickly is beyond disturbing. Reporter for many demanding police reform, Breonna Taylors name has become a rallying cry much like Rayshard Brooks laid to rest tuesday in atlanta. The 27yearold was killed by an atlanta Police Officer 12 days ago in a wendys parking lot. Take me to the king his family dressed in white remembered the father of four. I look at my grand baby right there. She looks just like him. And when i look at her, i know that hes not gone. Because i see her. Afraid of losing his liberty, he lost his life. This is much bigger than the police. This is about a whole system that cries out for renewal and reform. Reporter the funeral held at the Ebenezer Baptist church once pastored by Martin Luther king jr. His daughter spoke to the family. I know the pain of growing up without a father and the ongoing attention around his tragic loss. I am and will continue to pray for each of you. Reporter and guys, also new this morning, police have arrested a woman they say is responsible at least partially responsible for setting fire to that wendys where Rayshard Brooks was killed by police. Her name is natalie white. Shes been arrested for first degree arson and her attorney denies her involvement in that fire. Meanwhile, we have reached out to Brett Hankison the officer and his attorney in louisville and have not heard back. Savannah . All right. Blayne alexander, thank you so much. Voters heading to the polls yesterday to vote in key primary races. In kentucky the race to decide which democrat will take on Mitch Mcconnell in november is too close to call at this hour. Amy mcgrath has the edge over charles booker. Alexandria ocasiocortez has been renominated for another term. And a Real Estate Investor won the republican nomination to fill the congressional seat that was vacated by white house chief of staff mark meadows. Madison cawthorne. Beating meadows handpicked successor. 7 14, hoda to you. We got a lot more to get to including big news, good news overnight in the world of sports. Major League Baseball officially announcing its plan to return to play although with a shortened 60game season. Other sports are now seeing setbacks as they prepare to get back on the courts. Miguel almaguer has it covered for us. Hey, miguel. Good morning. Reporter good morning. The only thing certain about professional sports is nothing is certain. The nba and nfl are trying to salvage their season. This as mlb says its time to play ball. This morning americas pastime making a comeback from the coronavirus. Majone60game season. That means umpires could shout play ball by late july. The schedule will largely feature divisional games with teams playing other clubs that are geographically close to reduce travel. The big move comes after several baseball Training Facilities were shut down amid covid concerns. There wont be fans in the stands to start, and its not clear theyll be there by the time the world series rolls around. The league says its working with Health Experts on a comprehensive approach to keep everyone safe, but not everyone is convinced it can be done. My personal sense of things is were trying to rush something that we have no real power over. Theres a global pandemic. The idea that you can assure the safety of any professional sport is beyond my comprehension. Reporter on the court in croatia, it was covid that finally stopped novak djokovic, the best player in the world, hosting his own tournament amid a global pandemic. There was little social distancing and few fans wearing face masks. Days after some voiced concern, djokovic, his wife, and other stars tested positive leading to a suspension in play. The 33yearold saying in part, we were wrong and it was too soon. I cant express enough how sorry i am for this and every case of infection. Just days earlier, djokovic posted a video at a concert and appeared to attend clubs overseas without a mask saying this earlier in the month. You know, life goes on. I think we as athletes we are looking forward to play and compete. Reporter the scare in the tennis world comes as pro golf, hockey, and football stars all test positive for covid. The Nfl Players Association is now urging an end to private workouts. Meantime, nba players have begun mandatory testing as they hope to finish their season at disney world in an isolation bubble. The league like many others taking a shot at getting back on the court in the middle of a pandemic. Back to baseball. That 60game season is going to play out in 66 days. The first game starts in a month from now. Guys, back to you. All right, miguel. Some reason to be optimistic, but not a hundred. No. Ill believe it when i see it. Thanks, miguel. All right. But you know what . Someone whos not too good to be true, mr. Roker. Lets get our first check of the weather. Hi, al. Good morning. So good seeing you yesterday in hudson, savannah. Right now looking, weve got a downpour out here in the hudson valley. What were also looking at, downpours down through the south and the gulf coast. This big plume of tropical moisture is getting pushed into the gulf but its being stopped by this stationary front. Were going to look at heavy rain towards houston and atlanta. As we look at the radar now, houston right now flash flood watches in effect. Also parts of mississippi looking at heavy rain. That is going to push north and east along this front as the storms move across the gulf coast. Heavy rain today in southeastern texas. Tomorrow that stationary front stretches from texas all the way into the carolinas with storms bringing heavy rain. The heaviest rain will be along the texas louisiana border. Some places there may see upwards of 5 inches of rain. Were going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. And of course, trudys sweet island chicken sliders. And if you want to share even more this summer, join us and no kid hungry in our fight against childhood hunger. Learn more at kingshawaiian. Com kings hawaiian. What an irresistibly delicious idea. Good morning. Im meteorologist kari hall. A live look outside in dublin as we start out with hazy sun rise and our start to the day, at least we have some cool temperatures, but its going to heat up again this afternoon for the inland valleys. As we reach up to 87 in morgan hill, a high of 91 in concord. 101 in clear lake and San Francisco mostly staying in the 60s today. As we go through the forecast our valleys will stay hot but then cool down just in time for the weekend. If you listen if you listen closely, you can hear my lawn smiling guys we do we hear the rain coming down, al thank you so much. Coming up in a few moments, overnight developments on that noose found in Bubba Wallaces garage at a track in alabama the fbi now saying its been there months this morning a live interview with craig and is this a familiar sight in your neighborhood a lot of complaints over fireworks in cities across the country and what officials are trying to do to crack down on illegal displays but first this is today on nbc. [upbeat music] today was the day that i put everything in perspective. I fell asleep but when i woke up. boy hi, do you want to share my sandwich . vo good feeds our connections. Good feeds us all. Hormel Natural Choice lunch meats. Get a load of my southwest cheddar cheeseburger. Let menutaur make it a doubleeee, yeah its beautiful say what . I said its bea. Try my 5. 99 southwest cheddar cheeseburger combo and make it a double for a buck more. Order now with no contact delivery. Just ahead, youve got a 2020 celebration that is not to be missed. My gosh this principal at a new York High School made it his mission to give their seniors a sendoff they deserved. I was lucky enough to be part of that celebration we cant wait to show you these kids in the drivein theater getting their diplomas that and more after your local news thats cool three derm ingredients in one cream dont settle for less. New revitalift triple power with proretinol plus hyaluronic acid and vitamin c. It visibly reduces wrinkles. Firms. And brightens. Now thats triple power. Revitalift triple power moisturizer from loreal. The wind in your hair. The feeling of freedom that drives us to go out and discover. With confidenc