• Chocolate dipped with sprinkles

    Lester Holt

    NBC News' Clare Kim and Anne Wallace enjoy their ice cream (and the air conditioning) on an sweltering day in New York.

    With the heat index in Manhattan at 100 degrees, I declared an ice cream break this afternoon. A group of us bugged out of the newsroom a little while ago to hit the Mister Softee truck at the corner of 49th Street and 6th Avenue. It not only satisfied our collective craving for something cool, but hopefully also provided a shot to the local economy.

    There was an item in the New York Times reporting that sales of Mister Softee ice cream are actually down this summer. In case you're not familiar with them, Mister Softee trucks are a ubiquitous part of the Manhattan landscape, and operate primarily in the Northeast. However the prolonged heat wave may have gotten the best of them this year. According to the man who manages Mister Softee distribution, it's been too hot this summer for New Yorkers to venture out. Can you believe it, too hot for ice cream? He speculates folks are either holed-up in their air conditioned homes or at the pool. Apparently other ice cream companies are also reporting a slump in sales. On behalf of the Weekend Nightly News staff let me simply say we stand ready to do our part to help the ice cream industry stay afloat (did somebody say ice cream float?).

    The weather, on several fronts is our big story today. First, former Tropical Storm Bonnie has weakened, allowing containment vessels and personnel to start returning to the oil operation in the Gulf. The storm may have fizzled but it still cost them valuable time in their efforts to "kill" the well. Then there is the oppressive heat gripping not just the Northeast, but parts of the South and Midwest. On top of that the Midwest has been clobbered by violent storms that dumped more than seven inches of rain in the Chicago area and triggered severe flooding.

    We've also got a update to a story we first reported here last Saturday about the surge in pets being turned into Louisiana animal shelters by owners who have landed on hard times because of the oil disaster. I think you'll like how this is turning out.

    I hope where ever you are you are staying cool today. Thanks for checking in and we'll see you tonight on NBC Nightly News.

  • 'To Kill a Mockingbird' at 50

    I can't recall exactly when I read "To Kill a Mockingbird." I do recall that as for many of you, it was required reading at some point in my education. I also remember its raw and layered portrait of the Jim Crow era South – told through the voice of a child – resonated with me for a long time. Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning work turns 50 this weekend. Unfortunately I have forgotten some of the key plot twists, and thought this might be a good time to re-read this American classic. But I have to admit I was a little surprised to find Amazon.com customers gave it only 4 out of 5 stars. Certainly a good rating, but I guess not what I expected for a cherished literary piece. I'll read it again and judge for myself. In the meantime, we'll take a few minutes on tonight's broadcast to look back on "To Kill a Mockingbird," and examine why it endures – 4 stars not withstanding – as a must-read for so many Americans.

    Also, NBC News science and environmental expert Jeff Corwin is going to join us live from the Gulf to show us how scientists are desperately trying to save already endangered sea turtles from the ravages of the oil slicks now covering their habitat. We'll also have more encouraging reports coming from BP on progress being made on two fronts to both contain the leak and plug the well.

    I hope you'll join us tonight for NBC Nightly News.

  • One step forward, two steps back

    The video feed from below the Gulf of Mexico is even more sickening to watch today. The oil is now flowing unchecked into the water after robots removed the containment cap that was helping to capture some of the escaping oil. It could flow like that for a couple more days. Okay, that's the glass half empty assessment. Now for the glass half full. By removing the cap, BP engineers will now position a new, better fitting cap that -- if all goes perfect -- could effectively contain the leak by early in the week. There are plenty of ifs and wiggle room built into the timetable of this operation, but it's hard not to get the feeling that the end game, as far as stopping the flow, could be in sight. Our Anne Thompson, who has been on this story from the beginning, will tell us what the game plan is, and update us on where it stands.

    We'll see you later for NBC Nightly News.

  • The only good thing to come out of this...

    Mos Def, Lenny Kravitz, the Preservation Hall Band, Trombone Shorty, and Tim Robbins teamed up recently to record "It Ain't My Fault," to benefit Gulf Aid. Check out the video below: