NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, August 21, 2026

Episode Date: August 22, 2026

Tornadoes rip across Northeast; Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction for now; New details in Hayden Panettiere’s final moments; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, new severe storms pounding parts of the south right now after rare tornadoes ripped through the northeast. Heavy rain slamming the Carolinas. After this scary scene in New York, a waterspout turned twister tearing through a beach club. This one ripping the roof right off of a motel in Delaware. And another ripping the roof off this school in Pennsylvania. You can actually see the desks in the classroom below. Plus the new tropical storm taking aim now at Hawaii. Just in tonight, the Supreme Court saying President's, Trump can keep building his White House ballroom, at least for now. New details about Hayden Panettiere's final moments, her boyfriend's brother,

detailing the efforts he says they took to try to save her life. The deadly plane crash in Alaska all laid on board kill what we're learning tonight about the victims. A teen soccer player stabbed to death, allegedly by her boyfriend and his mother accused of helping to cover it all up, what she said as cameras were rolling. And our series, Great Americans, the veteran helping others heal the wounds of war by going deep below the surface. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas.

And good evening on this Friday. I'm Sam Brock, in for Tom tonight. We begin with the severe storm threat heading into the weekend after a massive system just swept through the northeast. Heavy rains are pounding the Carolinas as we come on the air tonight. With severe thunderstorm watches in effect in the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and even parts of the Gulf Coast. And we're getting new images of those rare tornadoes like this one, touching down just outside of New York City, tearing through a beach club. We saw another twister smashing through a motel in Delaware and another ripping the roof off this Pennsylvania school. Look closely there, you can even see the desks inside. And the threat is far from over.

The Northeast could be seeing more storms this weekend, along with parts of the Midwest. West. While in the Pacific, there is a new tropical storm gaining strength near Hawaii. Just a week after Hurricane Lala slammed the big island. We'll have the latest forecast in just a moment, but we begin with Valerie Castro and that dangerous storm threat. Tonight, a new round of severe storms striking the east, heavy rain across the Carolinas. That's really bad. This after a frightening scene just outside New York City, as many as two waterspouts spotted, at least one moving on shore as a tornado. striking Atlantic Beach. Oh my God. Watch as the storm sends chairs

somersaulting across the sand. This beach club taking a direct hit. Firefighters searching cabanas for anyone trapped inside. This is the Sun and Surf Beach Club in Nassau County that sustained some of the heaviest damage from these storms. Take a look at this debris, littering the sand, beach chairs everywhere. In New York City,

nearly two inches of rain falling in just one hour, soaking subway stations and severely disrupting service. Riders climbing these stairs as water cascades down. In Dover, Delaware, a dash camera capturing this rain-wrapped tornado, watch as it rips the roof off of this motel. Aerial showing the aftermath, vehicles in the parking lot covered in debris. Really scary, to say the least, things start flying, a thing hit a telephone pole, hit our sign, and knocked it out. And west of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a tornado striking this high school. There are some rooms where you walk in and you can see the blue sky. So the roof has totally been peeled off.

You can see into those rooms right there what appears to be computers on the tables next to the wall, papers and debris littering the floor, duct work dangling from what's left of the ceiling. It is a stunning visual. Valerie Castro joining us now from outside New York City where that tornado hit. And Valerie, officials there are just grateful no one was seriously hurt. Yeah, Sam, that's right. And take a look at the piles of debris that are still here on the sand all around me. This looks like some roofing materials, but officials say they're grateful people left when they saw that storm coming. And because of that, no one was seriously hurt. Sam.

All right, the damage telling quite the story there. Valerie, thank you so much. Let's get to meteorologist Bill Cairns and Bill after a rough few days of the threat here, still very much active tonight. Yeah, a lot of regions are dealing with damaging winds. You've already had 60 damaging wind reports. Another 100,000 people without power from these storms today. The worst of it's heading for the coastlines of the Carolinas, Georgia, also throughout areas of the south. In northern Illinois, we have scattered, isolated strong storms. It hasn't been that concentrated. Flash flooding is also a huge issue. Slow-moving storms through North Carolina. Some areas could pick up as

much as six inches of rain tonight, so that'll be a big localized problem. And now, the Hawaiian Island, six days after you got devastated by that hurricane, a tropical storm is going to move just to your south as we go throughout the weekend. This will not be a repeat of Lala. This storm is going to stay about 200 miles south of the big island, but still enough, Sam, for the possibility of flage flooding. Okay, still hopefully some good news there. Big picture. Thank you, Bill. To Washington now where the Supreme Court just gave the go-ahead for work to continue on President Trump's White House ballroom, at least for now. Monica Alba explains. Tonight, the Supreme Court allowing President Trump's massive ballroom project to move forward

for now. Chief Justice John Roberts pausing a lower court order that said work on construction above ground needed to stop by midnight tonight. The president's celebrating the move. saying he's grateful. I just want to thank the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice, and we have a ruling that it's proceed. When they say proceed, I think that's a good thing. But the fight's not over. The court's decision lets work go on while it considers next steps, unclear when a final ruling will come down. The whole project, according to the Trump administration, is already 65% complete, at issue whether the ballroom can be finished, with critics arguing the press. President didn't have the authority to build it. The underground complex below it, five stories deep, is not being contested.

It includes secure locations and medical facilities. The president argues the two are one in the same, and essential to national security. This will be the greatest military complex slash ballroom anywhere in the world. New renderings show a planned drone port on top, large seals on the outside and inside gilded walls. This is a gift to the United States of America. The ballroom just one part of the president's many changes to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Nice job, fellas. Including a brand-new helipad and granite paving on the south lawn for Marine One, set to be complete a month from today. This will be here long after we're gone.

No matter what happens with the world, this is not moving. And Monica joins me now from the White House. And Monica remind us who's expected to pay for all this construction? Well, Sam, the president insists that the $400 million price, tag is being covered by private donations, but Secret Service funds have also been redirected to cover security enhancements for the White House complex overall, which could apply to this project as well. Sam? Monica Alba, thank you so much. Now to the latest in the investigation into the shocking death of actress Hayden Panetteer, including the efforts to try to save her life.

Steve Patterson reports on new details about her final moments. Tonight, a new narrative in the harrowing final moments of actress Hayden Panetier. The brother of the actress's on and off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, telling TMZ, Brian gave her Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal drug. Zach Hickerson says he went to the Greenville apartment they were staying at after not hearing from them, in that he knocked loudly, which apparently woke Brian up from a nap they were both taking on the pull-out couch bed in the living room. When we went in and tried to wake Hayden up for lunch, we realized she was unconscious.

Also recalling he immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan. We then jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until fire and EMS arrived. At that point, we watched as they tried every measure possible to save her life. Overdose. CPR's in progress. NBC News has reached out to Hickerson, but has not yet heard back. The coroner's office yet to determine a cause of death, the account coming on the heels of the DEA joining the investigation. I'd want to talk to the doctors. I'd want to look at the illicit drugs that were found in the location, if any, were there,

and probably most importantly, put a rush on the medical examiner's report, because again, that report is going to be key to deciding if there's a criminal case here. Penitier has recently been candid about her struggle with addiction, writing in her new memoir. At one industry event, when I was around 16, a former rep pulled me aside before I stepped onto the red carpet. Here, take one of these, she said, placing a pill in my hands and holding out a bottle of water. It's a happy pill. On what should have been, a celebration of Panettiere's 37th birthday, investigators instead, working to piece together what triggered her tragic death. Steve Patterson, NBC News. We have new details tonight about a plane crash that killed eight people in Alaska.

Courtney Kuby is following this story for us tonight. And Courtney, the NTSB, we understand, just gave an update on what happened. Yeah, that's right, Sam, the horrific crash killing two pilots and six passengers. Now, the Army Corps of Engineers chartered the Cessna 441 to fly from Anchorage to a remote station about 450 miles away called Camp Newham Long Range radar site. It's part of a network of radar sites like this one that track aircraft in Alaska's airspace. The NTSB says pilots could not see the runway and had to rely on their instruments to land. they believe the plane crashed on its second attempt. A U.S. official says the group was there for a routine inspection of the fire suppression

system at the station. In a statement, the airport is calling this a devastating loss for military families and calling the individual's dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Sam, two of the passengers were employees of the Army Corps of Engineers, but the others are still unknown. Just devastating details there. Courtney Kuby, thank you so much.

Now it's at the killing of an 18-year-old college student allegedly stabbed to death by her boyfriend in Pennsylvania. Now, his mother is charged in the case as well, accused of going to incredible lengths to try to cover it up. Our Emily Aketa has all the details. In all white and handcuffs, 18-year-old Royce Moser facing charges for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death this week. Did you kill your girlfriend? Shortly behind him, his mom, Rachel, accused of helping him cover up the killing that's rattled a small West. Pennsylvania town. Initially, she denied playing a role before apologizing. I'm sorry. Our Pittsburgh affiliate, WPXI says she then said,

Tell us why you're sorry. My son took a life. Penn West California soccer freshman Caroline Hines was found in her Jeep Cherokee early Thursday near campus. Hours earlier, police say the young couple was together, parked outside of Royce's father's house now being searched by authorities. That's where during the conversation, Royce got angry, according to court documents, explaining to police, he had a demon takeover telling Heinz, wait, I have something for you. He goes inside and grabs a large knife from the kitchen. Comes back out and proceeds to stab her in the chest area. After the stabbing, authorities say he called his mom about what happened, and the pair allegedly tried to clean the car.

It's unclear if they've retained an attorney. Police say the two were later captured on surveillance video wearing blue latex gloves and driving towards campus where they left the Jeep with Heinz inside. The 18-year-old victim's soccer team posting today, there are no words to describe the immense pain and sorrow we feel. She was a beautiful soul. Emily Ikeda, NBC News. And when we return in 60 seconds, the new food outbreak, dozens of people across the country.

sickened with salmonella and ecoli. And he served our country as a Marine. Now he's taking the plunge to bring this underwater world to wounded warriors. And welcome back. It has been obviously a nonstop summer of outbreaks and recalls. Well, now the CDC says an outbreak of E. coli and salmonella has been linked to alfalfa spreads. At least 55 people have contracted either disease and formed them have been hospitalized. The latest outbreak has been linked to a company called Everything Spret in Minnesota. And intense flames engulfing a tour bus that was on fire early this morning. That's on a freeway east of downtown Los Angeles. Now, it's not clear how it started, but it appears to have begun at the back of the bus. Look at the intensity of those flames. One person was killed.

In the daylight, you can see just the charred hull of the bus to keep that busy stretch shut down for hours. And Prince Harry and others have now been ordered to pay millions in legal fees after losing an invasion of privacy case. Harry, Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and others are liable for some 13 million due in one week. This comes after their unsuccessful case against the parent company of the Daily Mail, claiming an invasion of privacy. But Harry and the others could be on the hook for even more money down the road. When we come back, a small act of service brings wounded veterans up close and personal

with the world's biggest fish. This week's Great American is coming up next. Finally tonight, our series, Great Americans, where we talk with those who have achieved so much throughout their lives and for this country. Tonight, we meet a man who has dedicated his life to service and to helping his fellow veterans. Our great American tonight, Marine veteran and advocate, Jason Bush. Here's Tom. What I love most about being an American is the only place in the world where you can be who you want to be, love who you want to love, believe in what you want to believe in. The sky is the limit.

For Marine veteran Jason Bush, service has been a lifelong calling. I think it's really important to live my life for others. Today, that calling is taking him below the surface, helping fellow veterans heal from the wounds of war through water. As veterans, those that deal with both visible and invisible wounds of war, there's a lot of noise. It turns all of that off to where you have no choice but to be in the moment. Bush enlisted in the Marine Corps at 19, what he calls the proudest moment of his life.

His unit, part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and his commitment to this country never wavered, coming more into focus as he returned home. Not knowing that I would ever make it home. And then landing in California, there's a lot of people that had flags. And we're welcoming us home. in the United States. I had a sense of pride that I never had before. That pride pushing him to give back, even after the war,

working for a decade as a firefighter, then answering another call, now helping injured vets through the military salute program at the Georgia Aquarium. Bush battles PTSD and understands what it's like to return home with wounds no one can see. Why did I come home? And why did my brothers or sisters didn't come home?

That answer belongs to something much bigger than us. I challenge myself and my fellow veterans to find that why. Bush's why now looks like this. Swimming with veterans alongside schools of fish, rays, and even a whale shark. It's just a sense of peace that is something that can't be found as easily above water. On this day, he's helping vets from the Wounded Warrior Project. I have completely forgotten about everything goes away. The most rewarding part of this job is to give them hope.

We don't just change an afternoon. This program has changed the entire outlooks. Just a beautiful story and a beautiful effort. The pain sometimes just below the surface, so two in this case is the empathy. That's nightly news for this Friday. I'm Sam Brock. Thank you so much for watching. For all of us here at NBC News, have a great Friday night.