at such an early stage. we're just gonna keep living by our motto -- respect earth and party on. "the news with shepard smith" starts now "the news with shepard smith" starts now \s america reopening. big moves across the nation. i'm shepard smith. this is the news on cnbc. new york city wide open by july. >> we're ready to take that pathway to a full reopening. the mayor's bold projection and the long feud with the governor. >> the mayor of new york, i don't know what he's indicative of. biden went down to georgia with a blue collar blueprint, on the road drumming up support the biggest challenges for

american families. call for 12 weeks in paid leave, now gauging court support. summer shortages on deck a run on chlorine for the pool. >> we won't last until probably my maid. loads of gasoline, but not enough drivers to get it to the pumps. >> makes me want to park my car. a wildfire was lit to cover up a murder, the military base at the top of the world. and the real-life pain of working from home. >> announcer: live from cnbc, the facts, the truth, "the news with shepard smith." >> good even president biden says america is on the move again. now states and cities are taking notice, and governors and mayors from coast to coast forging ahead with reopening plans after more than a year, the new york city mayor says he plans to fully reopen the big city by july 1st a major milestone for a city

once at the epicenter of the pandemic neighboring massachusetts aiming to open up before august governor baker says it could be soon fer more people continue to get vaccinated oregon, which this week extended its state of emergency due to a surge of cases, intends to fully reopen before july by the end of the summer, a total of at least 13 states are on track to reopen the moves largely focused on reviving the economy and getting businesses back up and running the momentum appears to be there already. jobless claims fell, we learn today, 553,000 the lowest level since the pandemic, according to the labor department another step in the right direction. but to keep it going, the president is now on the road, sets the jobs plan he pitched just last night. more on that in a moment first contessa brewer on new york city's comeback. >> reporter: the bright lights

of the big city are about to come back on. >> this is going to be the summer of new york city. we're all going to get to enjoy the city again people are going to flock here from all over the country to be a part of this amazing moment in new york city. >> reporter: the big apple is coming back. the shopping, the night clubs, the museums and the parks. >> we are in for one of the biggest recoveries ever, and i truly believe the hospitality, the way we make people feel in the city is what will lead the way. >> reporter: it's an uphill climb. tourism plummeted in 2020, an even steeper drop in foreign visitors now the city is spending $30 million on a marketing campaign to remind visitors all that new york has to offer, more than a vacation destination its contribution to u.s. gross do domestic product greater than any other city, and reopening fully means more people back at

work it marks a milestone in the recovery from coronavirus. after all, this time last year, new york city was the hardest-hit city in the names. times square empty, hospitals and morgues full to overflowing. and panic over the pandemic spreading beyond new york's borders. now new york governor andrew cuomo says full reopening may happen before july 1st. >> i'm so excited. i don't have words to say it enough i love that we'll be able to come back strong. >> reporter: one nose, the u.s. still has significant travel restrictions on visitors so that's a challenge for new york city. broadway's goal is to reopen by september, which means those who book for the summer likely won't get to see a big show, shep. >> contessa, all the hope about opening up soon is so excited, yet the mayor and the governor are still at this crazy feud

>> yeah, i mean here you have the governor and mayor ostensibly on the same side, same goals, but listen to how the governor responded to the mayor's target reopening date of july 1st. >> i am reluctant to make projections. i think they're irresponsible. july 1st, you have may, you have june you know, what happens in may? what happens june i would like to get the reopening hopeful, hopeful reopening date before that. >> he followed that up with a suggestion that, hey, why don't you ask new yorkers for your opinion of the mayor "new york post" reports this afternoon it asked the mayor's press secretary for a response to the governor, and he answered, and i'm quoting here, serial sexual assaulter says what the governor, of course, is under investigation by his own attorney general for multiple

accusations, but cuomo denies he's ever sexually assaulted anyone. >> the tabloids deepen this one. the traditionally red state of georgia helped seal his victory. mr. biden followed last night's speech to congress with a drive-in rally in duluth, georgia, as he takes his sales pitch for a massive spending plan on the road. >> we have more to do. that's why i proposed the america's job plan it's a once in a generation investment, the biggest session world war ii. >> and president biden's vision for rebuilding the economy and infrastructure is pacing a lot of pushback from republicans, including mitch mcconnell, who today called the president's speech last night a lengthy, liberal day dream. kristin welker is live tess

white house. kristin, the president wants to go big any concerns about going too big? >> reporter: the white house and the president says there are concerns about not going big enough they say this is a unique moment coming offer of the pandemic the economic crisis, and that now is the time to seize on that and to move forward. they say it's not just about recovery, but about rebuilding and being competitive in the future but this is fundamentally reimagining government as role in people's lives, shep. go back to the '90s when former president bill clinton said the era of big government is over. this is president biden saying big government is now back he is proposing some $6 trillion that would fund everything from expanded childcare to free college tuition, expanded paid family leave, expanded tax credits for children this is just reimagining the

entire way that government plays a loyal in people's lives. to your point, you have moderate democrats and republicans who are saying, hey, wait a minute, this is too much too soon, they're not going to sign off on all of this spending what does this mean? where is the middle ground, if anywhere it is possible what you'll see, shep, is this big proposal get broken down into smaller pieces. that's what we'll be watching for. based on my conversations with republicans and moderate democrats on capitol hill, there is a real appetite to try to get something done with the president here. >> on another matter, sonar tim scott in the republican response said, america is not racist. the president weighs in today? >> reporter: he did. that prompted a backlash online, so fierce that twitter had to shut some tweets down. president biden was asked by our

own craig melvin if he believes america is racist. >> the junior senator last night, tim scott, he said among other things that america isn't racist is it? >> no, i don't think the american people are racist, but i think after 400 years, african-americans have been left in a position where they are so far behind the eight ball, in terms of education, health, in terms of opportunity, i don't think america's racist, but i think the overhang from all of the jim crow and before that slavery, have had a cost and we have to deal with it >> reporter: now, all of this comes against the back drop of president biden setting a new deadline for police reform, callingon congress to pass the george floyd bill by the one-year anniversary of his death. that's may 25th. >> kristin, thanks so much the united states is the

only developed nation in all the world that does not give workers any paid family or medical leave. as a result, millions of americans are left to choose between their jobs and caring for their families president biden's now pushing for the government to cover a full 12 weeks of family leave, the first formal call from an american president in history, according to the advocacy group paid leave for the u.s >> you shouldn't have to choose between a job and a paycheck or taking care of themselves and their loved ones, parent, spouse or child >> the appropriate fix would cover at least two thirds of the weekly paycheck with a cap of $4,000 a month ylan mui is here are businesses getting behind this movement? >> reporter: that's right, shep, there is a growing consensus in the business community that paid leave is not just good for the

workers, it's also good for the brand and good for the bottom line third love is one of those popular instagram retailers, and the very first person to take left was the ceo and cofounder. >> if we don't give people some basket amount of leave, then they're not going to bring their best selves to work, they won be as productive, and the business suffers. >> reporter: they offer 16 weeks of paid leave, part of a broad coalition of over 200 businesses pushing for a national plan. households names like spotify, pinterest and levi's, and economists say it's about time the u.s. caught up with the rest of the world, especially since 2 million women have dropped out of the workforce since the pandemic hit. >> it questioned us how we're balancing everything in our

lives. there's a role for employers there's a role for our own person decision-making, but there's also a goal for government >> reporter: paid leave was critical to her physical and mental health after having her first daughter he second daughter kinsley was born in august. >> it was very important to have that uninterrupted time with my daughter that i didn't have to work about bills i didn't have to worry about my income you know, those are the things that i did not have to worry about, so i could focus 100% on my newborn >> reporter: but, shep, to be clear, paid left seasonal just for moms it's also for dads, and anyone who have to step away from their job to put family first. prosecutors say a college fraternity pledge drank nearly an entire fifth of hard liquor

as part of a hazing ritual he was dropped off at his apartment and later die. today a string of students indicted. memthol is the last flavored cigarette on the market. the fda with a new plan to take them off the shelves for good. lady gaga's dogs remember her dogwalker shot in the street and her valuable dogs taken? today, five arrests. and an attempted murder charge. >> announcer: the ♪ ("don't stop me now" by queen) ♪ ♪ don't stop me ♪ ♪ 'cause i'm having a good time, ♪ ♪ having a good time ♪ ♪ i'm a shooting star leaping through the sky ♪ ♪ like a tiger defying the laws of gravity ♪ if you're 55 and up, t-mobile has plans built just for you. switch now and get 2 unlimited lines and 2 free smartphones. and now get netflix on us. it's all included with 2 lines for only $70 bucks!

only at t-mobile. ♪♪ the thing about freedom is... freedom has no limits. there's no such thing as too many adventures... or too many unforgettable moments. there will never be too many stories to write... or too many memories to make. but when it comes to a vehicle that will be there for it all. there's only one. jeep. indictments today after the death of a fraternity pledge a grand jury indicting eight peep, seven students, one currently not enrolled at bowling green state university investigators say this 20-year-old, stone foltz, died

last month after fraternity brothers forced him and other pledges to drink an entire fifth of hard liquor, and then dropped him off alone. his roommate found him unconscious. the fraternity members face a variety of charges >> i want this to be the only and last time that this type of case is prosecuted in wood co county, and please, god, let it be the last time it's prosecuted in the united states. >> his blood alcohol level was 0.35 well, the fda announced today it's moving forward with a plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. the surgeon general says it's a

move to save lives. >> we still have millions of children using these to bako products, and flavored cigarettes is the reason why >> for decades companies have aggressively marketed menthol cigarettes for black users, in particular cdc records that black men/the highe rate of lung cancers in the nation this is the first step in the process. it plans to propose the new regulations next year, but will likely face legal challenges from tobacco companies. a nationwide chlorine shortage could make it much more expensive than effort.

more americans stayed home last year, and demand for swimming pool skyrocketed that created an even greater need for chlorine. second, there was a chemical plant fire in lake charles, louisiana. so what does this shortage mean for pool owners and lovers sea to shining sea here's cnbc's seema mody. >> reporter: the worth shortage the country has ever seen is set to rock the summer pool season. >> it's been a concern for us. cody has never seen anything like it in the 17 years he's running his business he's traveled far and wide in search for chlorine and other supplies. >> we've been to about six states and about 15 cities. >> in howl, michigan, alan curtis has been in the bit for 34 years this is the first sometime he's stockpiling chlorine. >> we started buying way early

and stockpiled as much as we could. we won't last until about mid may and we'll by out of it >> reporter: rudy writes for "pool pro"magazines. >> they won't be finding what they need some summer. >> reporter: in some parts of the country, prices have already doubled, experts say there won't be enough. >> a tip wall 50-pound bucket would run anywhere from $75 to $85. within the last year it's increased to $140 with the proposed price of $158. >> reporter: one alternative owners are considering, converting a pool from chlorine to salt. it work for mallory. >> it's better for us for our skin, for our hair, for pool, for main nance costs. >> reporter: experts say converting is not different.

it requires a small unit and electrical work, but depending on the market, it could cost $2,000. >> the only problem with converting is getting your hands on a saltwater system. everything has gone in high demand. >> reporter: what advice do experts have >> people are going to have to get smart with how they use their pools, not let pets in the pool the dahl in a pool is equivalent to 50 people swimming in the pool. >> frequent water changes help use the mineral packs in addition they cut down on chlorine use up to 50%. >> reporter: if you're worried about public pools. >> these families need to be aware that they've been inspected by city inspectors, and they're sanitized properly. >> reporter: for our viewers at home who own a pool, our experts say contact your local pool professional to discuss alternatives from mineral packs to uv and saltwater systems. the shortage is expected to

continue through next year >> seema, chlorine might not be the only thing we're short of. ahead in the news, the problem with the pump, not about the supply of gatt, but getting the gas to the stations. the russian opposition leader alexei navalny in court, his first appearance since ending the hunger strike, still openly criticizing vladimir putin. the family of george floyd on capitol hill today, along on capitol hill today, along with a bipartisa i'm ordering some burritos! oh, nice. burritos?! get a freshly made footlong from subway® instead. with crisp veggies on freshly baked bread. just order in the app! ditch the burgers! choose better, be better. subway®. eat fresh. ♪ ♪ strip away what you don't want, like added sugars and preservatives, and what's left is the good stuff. the real fruit and vegetable juices of naked.

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makes it easy to switch and save hundreds. it's possible we're seeing the beginning of the end of america's longest war. withdrawal of troops from afghanistan is now underway, president biden aiming to pull all the service members out of the country before september 11th the white house reports the pentagon is sending in extra firepower to afghanistan, including a task force of army rangers. the jailed russian opposition lead er alexies navalny, a pealing a defamation sentence he got. prosecutors saying he insulted a world war ii veteran

he didn't. he protests what he says is a lack of medical care his treatment sparked protests covering from our sister network, sky news, and their reporter diana magnan. >> reporter: navalny lost his appeal, for the final he was handed down for defaming a world war ii veteran rejected. it was interesting to see him for the first time in three weeks. he's very much a diminished figure his lawyers said he lost 48 1/2 pounds in the three weeks he stopped eating he sat there via video link beamed into the courtroom, and with the shaven head of a convict. there was a touching moment when

there was a break in the court proceedings, and he said to his wife who was there, please stand up so i can see you. she went and stood up, took off her mask he characteristically gave a very fiery final speech in reference to putin, he said your king is naked, the crown is dangling around his ears he also said you are turning russians into slaves, deprived of any prospects, deriding essential what he sees as the way putin has economically driven this country into the ground he finished off by saying your option of power will end soon. this hearing came on the same day as a case to consider his movement, he anti-corruption movement extremist, and it was announced they would be disbanding, because the

extremist designation makes it too difficult. the authorities are trying to also crush his foundation, the organizers and all who support it. russia, you know, has been pulling thousands of troops from the border with ukraine. that drawback follows massive military drills ordered by the kremlin. it all worried government from kiev to washington richard engle now from the front lines in southeastern ukraine. >> reporter: warm-up biggest foreign policy changes president biden is facing is playing out here these are trenching dug by the ukrainian military they prevent russian troops and russian-backed militias from taking more ukrainian territory. the united states doesn't want that to happen the u.s. backs the ukrainian

soldier who is dug and manned these changes, but vladimir putin is pushing how far he can go, trying to see what kind of reaction he will get from president biden, the new administration earlier this month, putin deployed tens of thousands to this area. it got president biden's attention. president biden warned putin not to invasion, but also in a attention to de-escalate the situation, promised a summit you can see the push and pull, the testing of the boundaries playing out right here. >> richard, our first line of defense against russia is a small base in a remote area of alaska more tore the a-- monitoring th argument i can't the former president and vice president stirring up talk, the possible ♪ (ac/dc: back in black) ♪

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is out there. and the alzheimer's association is going to make it happen by funding scientific breakthroughs, advancing public policy, and providing local support to those living with the disease and their caregivers. but we won't get there without you. join the fight with the alzheimer's association. amazonreports blockbuster earnings that's what's topping cnbc's on the money. amazon sales soared 44% year over year in the first quarter to $108 billion, far competing wall street's expectation. the income more than tripled to 8 billion bucks. the cloud computing services

greatly needed during covid, amazon made more money in a year of covid than the three previous years combined nbc's peacock, free as a bird, reaching 42 million signups. that is a 27% increase from the fourth quarter comcast, the parent company, says the office and its exclusive deal with the wwe, helped the numbers grow. comcast is also the parent company of this network. the cdc announcing cruise lines could be set to sail mid july one big condition, though, 98% of the crew and 95% of passengers must be fully vaccinated on wall street, a sea of green,the dow up 240, nasdaq u 32 i'm shepard smith on cnbc. it's the bottom of the hour,

time for the top of the news the former vice president back in the political spotlight with an eye on a potential 2024 presidential run right now mike pence is giving his first public speech since he left office in columbia, south carolina it's a critical early state for presidential primaries speaking to a crowd of conservatives. tickets started at $175. we're told his speech will attack the current administration for what he calls an avalanche of big government and liberal policies if he were to run, he would have his old boss to contend with the former president hasn't ruled out a run of his own, and they haven't seen eye to eye the former president today saying he would consider ron desantis as his 2024 running mate annie karni, thank you for

joining us how serious does your reporting indicate it may be and what is his pitch? >> well, this speech is notable. pence has skipped cpac, the rnc. this is the first time we've heard him address a big crowd. so we'll see where he's positioning himself among all the republicans that are keeping their options open for 2024. pence has a unique issue, in that he -- his entire political brand is connected to trump, even though they had a falling out at the end of the administration that was the gamble he made for four years that's the gamble he still has to make. any popularity he has with republican-based voters is because he was seen as a trump loyalist until he wasn't i think it's true if trump decides to run himself, pence

won't have a lane. >> the former president has named lots of republicans he sees as future leaders, but not mike pence, not once how much of pence's future depends on what his former boss says and does? >> a lot that's partly because his political future was sort of over when donald trump chose him to be his running mate as compared to someone like nikki haley, marco rubio, or other republicans who had their own brand. mike pence, as the governor of indiana, was kind of at the end of his line. he got a lifeline from donald trump there was a resuscitation of a political career that was really over we'll see what he says tonight there's obviously been a big rift i don't put much stake into trump's comments i think he likes the guessing game and keeping the entire field frozen and on their toes all of them on some level have to wait and see what trump does.

>> annie karni from "new york times," thank you. president biden giving congress a deadline to pass police reform. he told lawmakers he wants the george floyd justice in policing act passed by may 25th, one year after derek chauvin murdered george floyd congress is getting to work. they're continues negotiation on the hill today also george flowed's brother, attorneys and family members of other black people who were killed by police, they all met with legislators. >> they got to hear directly from the families whose blood will be on the legislation that is being proposed, and they promised them that they were going to try to make meaningful legislation in their family's

names. meaningful legislation must include getting rid of qualified immunity for police officers, which would make it easier to sue and prosecutor them. that remains one of the sticking points the bill has already passed the house. it would also ban police from using choke holds, holds that cut off blood supply to the brain, and no-knock warrants we now now the names of the sheriff's deputies involved in the deadly shooting of andrew brown, jr., in elizabeth city, north carolina we've been following the kay today the sheriff released their names. he said a total of seven deputies were there at brown's home to execute a drug-related search warrant, but that three actually fired their guns, as they moved in to arrest him why he was in his car. those three are still on administrative leave they are investigators daniel meets, five years with the sheriff's office deputy sheriff robert morgan, also five years on the job, and

corporal aaron lieu wellen, just two years. the lawyer for the men say the shooting was justified, because brown's car hit the deputies the sheriff says the rest of the deputies who did not fire their weapons are now back on the job. a vote not to unionize at an amazon factory in alabama could be overturned. 23 complaints were lodged, saying the company prevented employees from free and uncoerced exercise of choice they allege amazon collected to close the warehouse if they did vote in the union. the national label remgz board announced enough evidence does exist to have a hearing, and if it finds amazon illegally interfered, it can order a new vote that would have been the first of any amazon factory in the united states, but about 70% of

workers voted no millions are ready to hit the road fully vaccinated, but they may be in for a shock at the pump prices are rising. some stations may not even have enough gas to go around. here is nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: as american families pile into their cars and head out onto the highway this summer, finding a place to fill up might be tougher than usual. >> there's enough gasoline it's just a question of getting it to the station as quickly as consumers are filling up. >> reporter: all because there's not enough certified tanker drivers to deliver what may be needed they were facing a shortage before the pandemic, according to the carriers organization last last year with fuel prices dropping, many drivers we are laid off. >> enter 2021, things have rebounded. demand for gasoline is up. >> reporter: fuel tankers

require more certifications and training, but many driving schools were shut down, so hiring new drivers may take some time up to 25% of tankers are currently sitting idle the summer, analysts say, some tourist destinations may have trouble keeping up. >> think orlando, yellowstone, yosemite some don't have gas stations or truckers to immediate what could be a very high summer for gasoline consumption. >> reporter: triple a says an average is up from a year ago. >> $20 used to get me, you know, a good half a week, and now $20 gets me home and back. >> it makes me want to park my car, take up my bike. >> and driving up entertainment venues, with the traffic jams that come with them. >> they're outrageous. last year no one drove at all, wasn't going anywhere.

>> reporter: for driving, a down side to the return to normal for the news, i'm tom costello. it's kentucky derby this weekend. small businesses are hoping to score a win of their own we're live at churchill downs. adjusting business plans to survive a pandemic, our americans comeback series stops in milwaukee police say they have nabbed the people who stole lady gaga's if you're 55 and up, t-mobile has plans built just for you. switch now and get 2 unlimited lines and 2 free smartphones. and now get netflix on us. it's all included with 2 lines for only $70 bucks! only at t-mobile.

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the american comeback, now it's trendy to shop local these days, from produce at farmers markets to shopping at mom-and-pop shows. how much of an impact does it really have? it turns out independent retailers returns half of their

revenue to the local economy at the start of the pandemic, cnbc spoke with three small business owners in milwaukee, they are struggling. now almost a year later, we're checking back in to see how they're doing. cnbc's andrea day with their stories. >> the one word that best describes this last year is chaotic. >> for me it's challenging. >> for me it's transformational. >> reporter: one town, three small businesses, all of them holding on. >> we weren't sure we were going to make it through. >> just four months after amy opened her restaurant, the pandemic hit hard. >> we really had to pivot. we stayed open for takeout only. >> reporter: her frozen em empanadas took off. >> sales shot up 150%. >> reporter: the dining room is

now back open. across town, sherrod bad the brews company just weeks before covid hit. >> our customers just stopped buying all the bars, our beer sales went down. >> reporter: while beer sales were down, the soda business was taking off. >> people gravitated to though, to use as mixers, maybe an affordable indulgence. >> we're like we're on the to something and added more people through the pandemic, which is the hardest thing to do. >> reporter: and it's paying off. >> people thought we would go under. we came back swinging, and better i'm a new immicitizen and this dream come true. >> all of a sudden our customers got softer with their purchase orders

my wife and i were ready to forgo our salaries >> reporter: but he kept the entire stef on board. >> we painted everything, cleaned everything. >> reporter: with business ramping up, the big issue, finding more people to hire. >> there's a war for talent. >> reporter: each other than said they learned big life lessons. >> the excrete is just showing up. >> if we just stick to it, we can overcome anything. >> rely on your people the future looks very good. >> we're not going anywhere. >> we're all in and we're swinging for the fences. >> reporter: shep, that soda business has been around actually 35 years, but they have never, ensevere sales skyrocket like it has the past year. the biggest seller guess what root beer. it's brewed like real beer. >> hmm, beer thank you, andrea. here's a normal thing we missed when everything was abnormal last year

the kentucky derby odds for this weekend's race is are out. here are the front-runners essential quality leads the 20-horse field, then rocked your world. hot rod charlie, but this year's betting has much bigger stakes for the businesses in and around the track. cnbc's frank holland is live at churchill downs. frank, where is your hat [ laughter ] >> reporter: shep, you know, i'm not really a hat person, but i promise tomorrow when you see me, i will be derby dapper one word -- pastels. when in rome i won't be the only one. a lot of people will dress up for one of the first large public events since the pandemic here public health officials, government leaders, especially business owners, are chomping at the bit to be fast out of the gate

we are hopefully in the final stretch of the pained, the kentucky derby returning to the first saturday in may, putting louisville ahead of the nation by a nose in the reopening >> i liken it to watching your child take its first steps you know that they have to do it it doesn't mean you're not nervous while they're doing it. >> reporter: dr. jason smith is a partnership as it welcome. no on-site covid testing, but there will be social distancing, about two thirds in reserve seating, all exclusive and cashless. >> if you look at what makes it a success, we don't see a significant spread of cases associated with the derby itself. >> it's ot super bowl and black friday for sure. >> reporter: for locals like lee wagner, a diner just across the street from the iconic churchill

downs, derby week is almost 20% of its revenues. >> the gravy on top of the business that helps us get in the black. >> reporter: but with capacity as less than half, the race for the roses is forecast to only give louisville a fraction of the normal impact. still, it's better that 2020 with no fans in the stands. >> it was truly devastational. >> alison meyers, the co-owner of a shop that sells fascinators, souvenirs and other derby-related items. >> we had two christmases. i could say the derby is around 30%. >> reporter: merchants are now racing themselves to adjust to the new normal >> how much do you invest? how many people do you hire? really the workforce here in kentucky has been a real struggle, with so many out of

the workforce, finding the workers to make sure we pull off the weekend has been a struggle. >> reporter: they struggled to find enough help also how churchill downs has handled testing. they'll be watch by the organizers of other big events, that generate billions in economic activity. >> frank holland, you're the man. catch the 147th running of the kentucky derby on nbc. the show starts this saturday, 2:30 eastern it was one of the biggest wildfires in california last year started small, merged with others, burned hundreds of thousands of acres, and now -- now police say it was sparked to cover up a murder. working from home has changed a lot, including your posture. not in a good way.

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alaska and russia, at the narrowest point of the bering st strait, are about 50 miles apartment, and u.s. soldiers are constantly on standby to intercept russian jets, keep them out of the american space they're our eyes and ears, but they hardly speak to the media kevin tibbles traveled to anchorage for a rare look inside the remote base. >> reporter: high above the top of the world, u.s. f-22 fighters ready to intercept just look at the globe from bottom you can reach most major cities in under ten hours elmendorf richardson is the tip of the defensive speer. >> we average about in 2020 we had 14 interception.

>> reporter: radar covered the north like a blanket >> i can think where they've been one within 40 miles of their vote. >> reporter: this is typically what they find what does it feel like to do an intercept? >> if it happens at 2:00 in the morning, it sure is. the russians are training. they're looking for ways to compete with the united states, so they want to get close. >> reporter: ieach time norad makes an interception, a red star goes out wall on the flight line, down time quickly switches to the job at hand the jets are scrambles how close do you get >> close enough to identify and close enough for they no know

our presence we have much more punch if needed. >> and the delicate refueling. a maneuver all controlled by hand >> 16,000 pounds of jet fuel, eight f-22s, takes about two minutes to fill even one up. >> this is the busiest probably last 14 to 18 months we have seen really the russians come closer and closer to our airspace. >> reporter: the more foreign posturing, the more need to show a norad presence >> i can tell you there's novak consume up here. >> reporter: it may often by a dark and cold place, but interest in it is heating up there was a time in the not too distant pass during the cold war this sort of instrument would be used to track what the russians are doing. today on this side of the room

it's all computerized, very exacting, and this time of equipment is in place to perhaps ensure another cold war or something worse doesn't take place. back to you had. >> kevin, thanks. a wildfire investigation reveals a murder story in california the deadly markly fire bag in office was deliberately set to hide a murder, according to the sheriff's office in solano county officials say a suspect killed a 32-year-old woman, then set her body on fire to cover it up. the flames from that spread and merged with a larger fire, killing two other people in their homes. the suspect all right in custody, and now he faces two additional murder charges and arson. well, it was march of 2020 offices shut down, schools closed workers were suddenly forced to go from cubicles to working in a laundry room you wouldn't even have to leave

your zoom meeting. grab a 24-pack of toilet paper or paper towels. there's a shortage hop in the back of your pickup, or grab a spare recycling bin, and a work-from-home set up. the fluffiest desk ever. but all that home work has done a number on our next and spines bertha coombs with the back story. >> albert has a pretty good home setup, but after a long day of teaching and meetings, the professor felt something snap. >> when i got up, i felt a spike of pain shoot up through my back i had to go to the doctor when it didn't go away. >> reporter: he got a cortisone shot, but the pain cam became. it'sing difficult.

it's also difficult for my students. >> reporter: the shift from office workstations has literally been a pain in the neck chiropractors saying they've seen more patients needing treatment for neck pain, lower back pain and tension headaches. most often, all three. the big culprit. the -- laptops. >> what i recommend is peel rett their ilbos on their chest. >> reporter: using a more tore, a keyboard, and ergonomic shares sailed s just getting up and moving more helps, too. >> now that the weather has gotten better, going outdoors a bit has made the pain much more manageable. >> reporter: it really does

help as someone who has had disc problems off and on, last year i invested in a monitors, a standing desk converter, and a chair, and i do back exercises most of all, i keep mom's voice in my head -- sit up, don't slouch bad posture can beat the best of setups. >> you are talking to a guilty party. thank you. the biggest story of the day. lady gaga's dog nappers caught five people under arrest, three arrested on suspicious of robbery and attempted murder one of them shot the dogwalker, according to police. they say at least four suspects are known gang members back on february 24th, a group confronted the dogwalker, shot him and snatched two of his french bulldogs. she offered a reward

days later a woman said she found the dogs in some alley somewhere. police say that woman, jennifer mcbride, 50 years old, was actually in a relationship with one of the accused dog nappers and returned the pups just to get the award. she will not instead she's now a suspected accessory after the fact the dog walker survived and the dogs are back home 30 seconds left on a race to the fun. new york city's mayor says he plans to fully reopen the city july 1st it's a major milestone for a city once at the epicenter of the pandemic. the pandemic. the fda is moving to ban finding new routes to reach your customers, and new ways for them to reach you... is what business is all about. it's what the united states postal service has always been about. so as your business changes,

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