NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, March 2, 2025

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

State of emergency in South Carolina as wildfires prompt evacuations; Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to sign rare minerals deal with U.S.; White House faces growing backlash over cuts to federal workforce; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the state of emergency in the South and the battle to get wildfires under control. Multiple fires erupting across the Carolinas. This wall of flames, look at that, exploding overnight. The largest, more than 1,000 acres not far from Myrtle Beach. For some, panic in the rush to get out. What the f*** is going on? We're live in the danger zone. Breaking news tonight, Ukraine's president says he's ready to sign a rare minerals deal with the U.S. after that Oval Office showdown with President Trump.

Europe rallying behind Ukraine, and here at home, angry demonstrators at the vice president's ski trip. New backlash to cuts to the federal workforce, growing demonstrations at national parks, and the legal fight that could land in front of the Supreme Court. Protests flaring up after a black man was shot and killed in Florida, while some are now calling for justice. A deadly pileup shutting down an Arizona highway after warnings of a windy dust storm. The new security measures in place for Mardi Gras after that New Year's Day terror attack on Bourbon Street.

Our exclusive one-on-one with Chipotle's CEO and his plan to try to keep prices stable. If it starts to cost you more for your avocados, you're not going to pass that cost on to your customer? And there's good news tonight. Hollywood star Debbie Allen and these dancers helping a community rise from the ashes. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. We are coming on the air tonight with the state of emergency in the South. Firefighters in the

Carolinas now racing to get a handle on the wildfires burning thousands of acres, with some people forced out of their homes. And you can see why. Look at this wall of flames surrounding a neighborhood just north of Myrtle Beach. You can see how close it's getting to these houses here, with an urgent response to a wildfire that has exploded in size in just the last day. Further north, you have smoke filling the sky in parts of North Carolina, too. The fires hitting both states hard, with more than 175 in South Carolina alone.

Our Emily Akeda has made her way to Myrtle Beach and starts us off. Tonight, a state of emergency as wildfires rage across parts of South Carolina. The largest, more than 1,000 acres, burning out of control near the popular Myrtle Beach area. Many forced to flee. Hurry, baby! You can hear the panic from residents in the danger zone. It's definitely nerve-wracking. The flames fueled by dry conditions and strong winds. A rare red flag warning issued Saturday.

We saw this fire really flare up. We could even see flames from our studio here in Myrtle Beach, five miles away. Now, an urgent effort to attack the flames from every angle. Choppers and planes seem making water drops throughout the day. Russell Hubright is with the state's forestry commission. The problem here, really, that we're trying to handle as best we can is you have some woods that

are very flammable. Wildfires also spread out across hundreds of acres in North Carolina, including the Melrose Fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Thick smoke can be seen for miles, the flames slicing through this hillside. Officials are asking the public to stay vigilant with burn vans in place across both states. Back in South Carolina, residents on edge tonight, watching and waiting for any signs of relief. We were definitely pretty concerned it was going to blow this way. And then when it did, that's when it really got hectic and stressful.

Well, even in just the last couple of minutes, we've watched these flames multiply. And the concern for fire officials moving into the next couple of days is they are expecting the winds to pick back up and they could carry embers and flames to new dry ground. Hallie. Emily Akeda, thank you. Let's get right to WNBC meteorologist Matt Brickman. And Matt, there may be some good news later on this week for the crews battling these wildfires, right? Yeah, Hallie, rain eventually, but it has been such a dry start to the year, moderate to severe drought across the Carolinas, that dry vegetation. And then yesterday, a front goes through with 30 to 40 mile an hour winds. That is the setup for dramatic wildfire spread, which is what we had a day ago. So we need rain.

We're dry Sunday, dry Monday. Tuesday, system is shifting east, but triggering severe weather for parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. You can see tornadoes and damaging winds along with hail. By Wednesday, that system moves into the Carolinas, but it's a quick hitter. It's not going to solve those drought concerns, likely less than an inch of rain all totaled and could bring some severe weather to the East Coast as well. Hallie. Matt Brickman, thank you. To breaking news tonight and European leaders rallying around the Ukrainian president who says he's ready to sign that rare minerals deal with the U.S. just days after a stunning clash in the Oval Office with President Trump. Vaughn Hilliard reports.

Tonight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he would be open to restarting dialogue with President Trump and is ready to sign a critical minerals deal with the U.S. This after Zelensky turned his focus toward more than a dozen European leaders. This is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing today they will now work on a draft Ukraine-Russia peace proposal. We've agreed that the U.K., France and others will work with Ukraine Announcing today they will now work on a draft Ukraine-Russia peace proposal. We've agreed that the UK, France and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting.

Then we'll discuss that plan with the United States. The meeting comes after Friday's contentious Oval Office exchange. You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having plain cards. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the U.S. hasn't communicated with Ukraine since Friday. And two White House officials tell NBC News Trump is considering withholding any future military and financial aid. That's what Zelensky did, unfortunately, is he found every opportunity to try to Ukraine-splain on every issue. The contrast in Europe's approach, stark. Starmer saying he told Trump by phone this weekend about Europe's plans to now take the lead in initiating a deal. A spokesperson for the Kremlin in remarks published today, hailing Trump's skepticism of the current world order, saying, quote,

the new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy blasting the White House's handling of negotiations. Now the White House has become an arm of the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Vice President Vance's ski trip to Vermont, drawing hundreds of demonstrators, some holding Ukrainian flags in support of the country. Americans now also fractured over the path forward, as some congressional Republicans increasingly question Zelensky. Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table

in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do that. Vaughn Hilliard is joining us near the president's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. And Von, all of this comes as the president prepares for a big speech to the nation this week. Hallie, that's right. We expect the president to address the war during that speech to Congress. But his own national security adviser just today expressed skepticism that the U.S. could get Russia and Ukraine both back to the negotiating table. Hallie. Von Hilliard, thank you. To the fallout tonight from the president's push to slash the federal workforce and a new legal setback. Yamiche Alcindor joins us now. And Yamiche, that's a case that could end up at the Supreme Court. That's right. Last night,

a federal judge ruled that President Trump's effort to fire Hampton Dellinger, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, was unlawful and that Dellinger must be allowed to continue serving his five-year term. Meanwhile, over the weekend at Yosemite National Park in California, more than 100 protesters gathered to express outrage over the staff cuts at national parks and forests. The demonstrations were part of a national effort dubbed Protect Your Parks Protest. Protesters also gathered in San Francisco near the Golden Gate Bridge, in Montana at Yellowstone Park, and in Kentucky to support Camp Nelson. Hallie? Yamiche Alcindor, thank you. Overseas now, Israel has paused all humanitarian aid entering Gaza

today. You see the long lines of trucks right there waiting to get into Gaza through the Rafah crossing along the border with Egypt. The move coming after Hamas refused to accept Israel's proposal to temporarily extend a ceasefire deal there. The Israeli prime minister says they stopped the aid because he says Hamas steals it. Hamas is slamming the move, calling it blackmail. Here in the U.S., anger building in parts of Florida after a black man was shot and killed there. His death now sparking new calls to investigate what happened as a hate crime. Here's George Solis. We need justice. We need accountability.

Tonight, anger growing over the death of Jakeem Williams, who was shot and killed at a Central Florida apartment complex late last month. Winter Garden Police arresting 57-year-old Ralph Hensel, who now faces first-degree murder charges. He's pled not guilty. According to an arrest affidavit, surveillance video from the complex shows the suspect walked from the leasing office with his firearm, walked around a nearby building, lying in wait as a 32-year-old father rode past on an ATV. Witnesses telling police they observed two loud shots and then overheard Hensel saying, I killed him. Police said Hensel self-surrendered when they arrived on scene. I shouldn't have to bury my son. Williams' mother, inconsolable.

Local police say they've responded to ATV complaints at the complex at least four times this year, but it's still unclear if the pair had any prior encounters in the past. He must be convicted of first-degree murder. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is now representing the family. This white man took the law into his own hands and killed this young black father. Hensel remains in custody. Our baby took his first steps the day after his dad's passing, and he never got to witness that moment.

Tonight, there are growing calls for the case to be investigated as a hate crime as the family mourns. George Solis, NBC News. In Arizona, a deadly chain reaction crash killed at least four people and shut down a highway for hours. And as our Morgan Chesky reports, a dust storm may have been to blame. Flaming wreckage covering an Arizona freeway. This video capturing the aftermath of a fatal pileup just west of Phoenix. Rescuers arriving 1 p.m. Saturday to a fiery scene as a massive dust storm moved in. You've got one, two, possibly three semis. There's a lot of heavy blowing dust out here.

Visibility is down to a quarter mile. This traffic cam with the video sped up, capturing the dust blowing through around that time. Investigators believe a single accident created a domino effect on Interstate 10, with both cars and semis slamming into each other. Officials confirming four people died and eight others were injured as conditions grew worse. The National Weather Service issuing multiple dust storm warnings, posting a significant plume of dust is seen on satellite and is crossing I-10. Investigators now examining conditions as a potential cause.

Just months ago, weather also blamed for this 50-car collision outside New Orleans, where an incredibly dense super fog led to a nearly mile-long pileup, injuring 33 people. Tonight, with two survivors in critical condition and others recovering, investigators pouring over charred remnants, trying to piece together the tragic scene. Morgan Chesky, NBC News. Still ahead for us tonight, how New Orleans is ramping up Mardi Gras security to historic levels after that New Year's Day terror attack. With Mardi Gras now just 48 hours away, tonight the city is taking no chances, ramping up security to an unprecedented level after that deadly terror attack on New Year's Day. Jesse Kirsch reports.

In New Orleans tonight, the beads are flying. The bands are blasting because Mardi Gras is back in the Big Easy. Security beefed up like never before. The big concern, parade routes that stretch for miles. Is this a harder challenge compared to the Super Bowl to protect? Yeah, I would say so. Several blocks, lots of open spaces. So we strategically put teams at certain areas. So again, if there's a call for us, we can rapidly hit those situations. After a deadly terror attack here New Year's Day,

Mardi Gras now has more federal resources than ever. And like during last month's Super Bowl, officials are again patrolling on the water and in the skies. And Bourbon Street, the site of the New Year's Day attack, is heavily barricaded and patrolled. Meanwhile, back on the parade routes. What advantage does a vehicle like this give you in case of an emergency? Well, it's a lot smaller, a lot more maneuverable. We can hit curves, jump on sidewalks. It's a lot more versatile and just faster than a normal patrol car.

New Orleans police say tens of thousands of people are attending these parades, and you can see in here security is at an all-time high to help keep these crowds safe. The festivities continue tonight straight through Tuesday. Hallie. Jesse Kirsch in New Orleans, thank you. We're back in a moment with an inside look at Chipotle's plan to fight rising prices. Our exclusive one-on-one with the CEO as he tries to keep costs down and quality up. We are back with an NBC News exclusive.

After Chipotle raised menu prices a bit last year, a new commitment now from the CEO, trying to keep costs level for customers, even in the face of potential tariffs that could affect the price they pay for ingredients. Chips. The head of Chipotle these days feeling optimistic. The model at their 3700 restaurants across the country, fresh food served with a smile at a fair price. And it's the price, whether at Chipotle or anywhere else, customers think about. We're all vying for share of wallet with the same consumer. CEO Scott Boatwright, near Chipotle headquarters in Newport Beach, says that's the kind of thing that keeps him up at night.

Economic pressures like inflation and the potential for new tariffs on Canada and Mexico. President Trump now signaling those tariffs could roll out as early as this week, which may mean higher prices on things like avocados and tomatoes. We don't think it's fair to the consumer to pass those costs off to the consumer because pricing becomes permanent. So if it starts to cost you more for your avocados down the road, if tariffs go in place, you're not going to pass that cost on to your customer? I can't say we wouldn't ever, Hallie, but I'll tell you it is our intent as we sit here today to absorb those costs.

Boatwright's also thinking about immigration and how new policies might affect the company and its workers. We believe in a sustainable solution for immigration reform long term. Have you seen an impact or do you anticipate an impact from this current immigration crackdown on your business and on your labor pool? I haven't today, but I think it would be naive to believe as leaders in any organization that there aren't cohorts of people that aren't impacted, whether that's directly or psychologically. And I think it's a really important moment for us to connect with all individuals in our organization as a mental check-in to say, hey, how are you doing? How are you feeling? Is there anything we can do to help or support? And while there's been a divide in corporate America over commitment to say, hey, how are you doing? How are you feeling? Is there anything we can do to help or support? And while there's been a divide in corporate America over commitment to diversity,

equity and inclusion programs, Boatwright says to him, it's not about the labels, but the work itself. It was just a belief in how we do business. And that belief is still constant. But no plans to bring in another DEI officer, for example. Not at present. Behind the scenes, Chipotle says it's working on efficiency to make it easier for workers to serve customers. The company employs more than 130,000 people. 23,000 of them promoted internally last year. And now? We're going to hire 20,000 people here leaning into burrito season.

Burrito season is springtime for us. It's when people get out and they enjoy. I did not know there was a burrito season. There's a burrito season is springtime for us. It's when people get out and they enjoy. I did not know there was a burrito season. And this year, it'll include a new limited time only offering, Chipotle honey chicken rolling out at stores nationwide within the month. Cheers. And we got an exclusive first taste. I hope you're ready for this, Hallie.

I'm kind of nervous. That's good. It's got a kick it's got a kick and like many companies chipotle is working to harness the power of ai in their case by using a hiring assistant nicknamed avocado to speed up the hiring process and testing a burrito bowl robot helper for digital orders. All of it to Chipotle, a recipe for success. I think the future is incredibly bright and there's more fun to be had. And much more to come here on this show. When we come back, there's good news tonight about Debbie Allen's mission to help L.A. get down and rise up after those devastating wildfires. There's good news tonight about some pretty solid dance moves helping one community move forward. You want to become a dancer? You're going to have to work. Debbie Allen's fame has inspired generations of fans. Congratulations, sweetheart.

And the award-winning star of the big and small screen. Nice to see you today. Now spreading joy. Go in there and have a good class. In a new way, by bringing free dance classes through her dance academy to communities devastated by January's deadly California wildfires. I said, I have to create something for the people that are suffering. And if we could bring so many different communities together to commune, to dance, we could make a difference.

For Debbie, helping here is not just a privilege, it's personal. When California's Palisades wildfire roared near her home, she, like so many others, had to evacuate. You know, we're used to fires, but this one was different. My mom is 101 years old, and there was no taking pause to be safe with her. I could see from the backyard the red sky and the fires. And I said, baby, we got to get out of here. We got to go. But now Debbie and the others here slowly bouncing back with music, love and laughter. These classes, a blessing for Trish Bryant and her sister-in-law, Linnell. Oh, my gosh. Whoa. After fire took their longtime family home.

For an opportunity to take a dance class with such renowned choreographers just offers healing. We are gone. I feel so much better. I've been very sad. But we know that we will rebuild. And we will go back. For high school sophomore Emma Stevens and her friends, this is a chance to try something new.

They haven't been back to their school since parts of it burned down. The dancing itself is very grounding. So many people have been going through such a hard time and I think that coming to a class like this will just lift your spirits up. Like Los Angeles itself, resilient and resolved. Buildings can burn, they can destroy physical things, but you can never destroy the spirit. And so it is keeping that spirit alive is what's important. That's what we're doing. And Debbie plans to keep those spirits up through May. That's nightly news for this Sunday.

Lester will be back tomorrow. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC, thanks for watching and have a great week.