news app and the cbs evening news is next. >> we'll be back here on the kpi ♪ ♪ ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs >> whitaker: tonight, a major milestone in the race to vaccinate america, and as the new school year approaches, the debate over masks in the classroom heats up. covid cases among children skyrocket, and frustration boils over in florida. the governor there banning schools from making masks mandatory. plus news about a plan to provide booster shots. raising the stakes: a former aide to governor cuomo files a criminal complaint, accusing him of groping her. the governor's lawyers fight back. roaring inferno: dramatic video of california's relentless dixie fire growing bigger by the hour. >> reporter: two towns erased from the map in 24 hours.

>> whitaker: plea deal: a former m.m.a. fighter, known as "wild man" is the first to plead guilty to assaulting an officer in the capitol riot. airline meltdown, passengers in limbo as spirit cancels hundreds of more flights. we press the c.e.o. for answers. >> reporter: what do you say to those passengers? >> whitaker: olympic streak. allyson felix sets a record for medals on the track and the american women reign supreme on the sand. and "on the road." cbs' steve hartman on how a young intruder stole a homeowner's heart. >> this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell, reporting from the nation's capital. >> whitaker: good evening to our viewers in the west, and thank norah is off tonight. i'm bill whitaker.

we begin tonight with the sobering news that for the first time in six months, the u.s. has topped 120,000 covid cases in a single day, a strong signal that the summer surge is only growing. but as we head into the weekend with the pace of shots picking up, today the country crossed the half-way mark in the race to get every american fully vaccinated. still, the spike in cases among children is fueling a fierce debate over whether to require masks in schools. it's reaching a boiling point in several states, like florida, where the governor is dead set against mask mandates. cbs' manuel bojorquez begins our coverage tonight from miami. manny, how fast are cases rising in florida? >> reporter: well, bill, today, florida broke records, not just for new covid-19 cases, but also hospitalizations. they are the highest numbers

since the pandemic started. in the last week, the state has also reported more covid-19 pediatric hospitalizations than any other state, but requiring masks in schools remains controversial. an emergency rule in florida will allow parents to use vouchers to transfer children out of public schools that require masks. meanwhile, florida governor ron desantis is threatening to withhold funding from districts that require them. >> the decision to try to withdraw funds or withhold funds from school districts who are trying to make the decisions in the best interest of public safety is really disturbing to me. >> reporter: sarah leaonardi is a school aboard member in brevard county, where opponents have been vocal. >> one choice for a sense of personal liberty, not based in science and fact, should not impede on a right of a student or an employee to stay healthy and alive. >> reporter: covid cases in children are rising nationwide, with more than 71,000 reported last week, an 86% jump from the

week before. eight states have measures banning districts from requiring masks in schools, but tonight in arkansas, a judge temporarily blocked the state from enforcing the ban. illinois and new jersey became the latest states to mandate masks for k-12 students. >> if you have a lot of disease in the community, you may get disease in the school. the whole point is to have disease not transmitted in the school. >> reporter: and it's not just school-aged children. in houston, an 11-month-old girl had to be airlifted to a hospital 150 miles away because the pediatric hospitals were too full to admit her. infectious disease specialist dr. aileen marty says this time around, much of our attention has to be focused on the young. >> it's pretty clear that we were really good about protecting our children last year. and last year's virus was not as dangerous as this year's delta variant. and we need to add as many layers of protection as we can.

>> reporter: for people who were vaccinated early on, including seniors, those who live in long- term care facilities, and healthcare workers, the f.d.a. says a plan to provide covid vaccine booster shots could be unveiled next month. bill. >> whitaker: manny bojorquez in miami. tonight, new york governor andrew cuomo could be facing even more trouble. a former aide has now filed a criminal complaint, accusing cuomo of groping her. the governor refuses to step down, and now he's fighting back through his lawyers. here's cbs' nikki battiste. >> reporter: while governor andrew cuomo appears to lie low, the heat is turning up. just two days after an independent investigation concluded that cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, one of his accusers is the first to file a criminal complaint with the albany county sheriff's office. the woman, identified in the report as executive assistant number one, tells cbs news and

the "albany times union," "what he did to me was a crime. he broke the law." the assistant claimed in 2019 and 2020, the governor engaged in close and intimate hugs on multiple occasions, including one inciden reachder blouse anr breast. during another incident, while the assistant snapped this selfie, she says cuomo put his hand on and then rubbed and grabbed her butt. >> let me be clear: that never happened. >> reporter: today, cuomo attorney rita glavin says the investigators acted as judge and jury. >> this investigation was conducted in a manner to support a predetermined narrative. the governor deserves to be treated fairly. this was one-sided, and he was bu >> reporter: the bar for criminal prosecution remains high. cbs news legal analyst rikki klieman: >> there are two incidents here, one of the groping of the breasts, the other of the grabbing of the buttocks. so, each one carries a year in

jail as a misdemeanor. it is not likely that he would spend time in jail, but it certainly is possible. >> reporter: a new york state assembly impeachment probe is underway, and cuomo's attorneys have a week to furnish evidence. a cuomo spokesperson says the governor is cooperating. members of the new york state assembly say they have the votes to impeach and that there could be a trial in about a month. at least one accuser plans to file a civil lawsuits. bill. >> whitaker: thank you, nikki. on monday, cbs news and the "albany times union" will have an exclusive interview with executive assistant number one on "cbs this morning." california's largest wildfire continues to grow as it destroys almost everything in its path. the dixie fire, now the third largest in state history, has reduced yet another community to ashes. cbs' jonathan vigliotti reports

from the fire zone. >> reporter: as the town of greenville lay in ruins, the dixie fire kept roaring. this is what it looked like thursday night on the road to canyon dam in the mountains of northern california. everything-- trees, cars, homes, and more homes-- in flames. this fire has shredded everything in its path, including the town of canyon dam, less than 10 miles away from greenville. we're talking about two towns erased from the map in 24 hours. greenville had thrived since the rush.of the california gold >> say good-bye to greenville. >> reporter: it took just for now. >> reporter: it took just an hour for these buildings to be incinerated, all from a fire that's now burned for more than three weeks, starting small near the town of paradise, and then, growing exponentially this week, it exploded, now becoming the third largest wildfire in california history.

of the state's seven biggest fires ever, six have occurred in the last year. >> we're seeing truly frightening fire behavior. we really are in uncharted territory around some of these extreme large fires. >> reporter: it's also leaving behind a trail of misery. >> we'll be okay. they'll get new toys and everything. but it's just memories. >> reporter: and tonight, more towns threatened and new evacuations. >> the fire goes over kitty ridge, then we will leave. >> reporter: if all signs point to it's coming here, you're ready to get out of here? >> right, if we see flames, we're gone. >> reporter: and for good reason. we're standing in front of what used to be a general store. the smoke here is so thick at times it looks like night. officials here believe this fire is going to continue to burn for several weeks. bill. >> whitaker: jonathan vigliotti in canyon dam, california. stay safe out there, jonathan. tonight, two more guilty pleas in the capitol riot, the first

for assaulting police officers. one of the men pleading guilty is a former mixed martial arts fighter who could face 3-4 years in prison. cbs' jeff pegues has more on this. >> reporter: o this. >> reporter: on january 6, scott fairlamb, seen here in camouflage, was right in the middle of the mob that attacked the capitol. >> we ( bleep ) disarm them, and then we storm the ( bleep ) capitol! ( bleep ) you! >> reporter: verbally assaulting capitol officers. >> you have no idea what the ( bleep ) you're doing! >> reporter: and striking one on his helmet. fairlamb would later claim that he didn't assault officers, that he was trying to help them. investigators allege that fairlamb is a brawler by nature. they highlight his days as a mixed martial arts fighter whose nickname in the so-called ring of combat was "wild man." to date they have arrested more than 550 people involved in the insurrection, if including an

increasing number of suspects who assaulted officers. fairlamb, along with 28-year-old devlyn thompson from seattle, washington, who also pleaded guilty today, are now the first two rioters to plead guilty to assaulting police on january 6. legal analyst harry litman: >> and you're going to see from here on in not just other perpetrators of violence, but they are going to be making their move up the ladder toward the actual coconspirators who plotted this and came to do violence. >> whitaker: jeff pegues joins us now. jeff, mr. fairlamb has extensive connections to law enforcement, even in his own family, right? >> reporter: he does. his father was a new jersey state police trooper. also, his brother in the secret service. bill, fairlamb, also known as "wild man," is going to be sentenced in late september. jeff pegues, thank you. >> whitaker: tonighot

spirit airlines. for the sixth straight day, it's canceled hundreds of flights, leaving customers stranded or forced to pay more on other airlines. so, what does spirit's c.e.o. have to say? here's cbs' errol barnett. >> this has not been our finest hour. >> reporter: spirit airline c.e.o. ted christie told us his company's week-long meltdown stem from pandemic staffing, weather, and technical issues. >> we've been in this line for six hours! people have been here nine hours! >> reporter: some of the thousands stranded for days nationwide slept in baggage areas, others paying out of pocket for hotels or flights on other airlines. >> that's time and money we don't have. >> reporter: alex helderman stranded in orlando today after finding out his flight home to indianapolis was canceled, he and his mother stuck in this crowded line after enjoying a trip to disney world. >> this line has not moved for about 45 minutes. no social distancing going on.

later on down the line, this may be the one key thing that i remember from this trip. >> reporter: what do you say to those passengers? >> it starts with an apology. we were clearly overwhelmed. we're going to do everything in our power to earn back their confidence and trust. >> reporter: for helderman, it's too late. >> i will never be flying spirit again. >> reporter: since sunday, spirit has scrapped at least 2,000 flights with christie expecting more cancellations through the weekend. >> it's been a catastrophe. >> reporter: also new tonight, united airlines announced all of its staff must be vaccinated by october 25, at the latest. and frontier airlines announced a similar policy for its employees as of october 1. bill, the other major airlines do not have similar mandates, but, of course, that could change. >> whitaker: errol barnett at thank you, errol. today, italy launched strict new covid rules. anyone who wants to go inside a bar, restaurant, or tourist site will have to show proof of

vaccination. the new rules are coming soon to new york and possibly other u.s. cities. cbs' chris livesay reports from rome. >> reporter: want to see inside the coliseum? our how about the sistine chapel? not without a covid pass. as of today, it's italy's golden ticket for most indoor venues, from movies and museums to pizzerias. brad carlson is a texas tourist visiting just before the new rules took effect and without getting vaccinated. how would you get into restaurants and things like that without your vaccination here in italy? >> ( laughs ) i wouldn't be able to. >> reporter: if he got tested, a negative result from the past 48 hours would also do the trick. for the vaccinated, your c.d.c. card is just as good. >> i think it's a good idea, really, actually, because it makes the people who have been vaccinated feel a little safer. >> reporter: for italians, some have taken to the streets, calling it a violation of civil

liberties. but for the vast majority, it's a way to ensure italy, once the epicenter of the pandemic, never returns to the hell of last year when they ran out of space to bury the dead. indeed, vaccination rates have tripled in some regions shortly after the new rules were rolled out. this after a slow vaccination start in europe, but today, more people are getting vaccinated in the e.u. than in the u.s. bill. >> whitaker: chris livesay in rome. there is more ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news." why you will have to wait longer for the mail to arrive. and american allyson felix runs into the record books. -yes, p. [ chuckles ] don't get me wrong, i love my rv, but insuring it is such a hassle. same with my boat. the insurance bills are through the roof. -[ sighs ] -be cool. i wish i could group my insurance stuff.

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and save at trelegy.com. >> whitaker: what would you do if you spotted an intruder on your property? one homeowner did the unexpected and wound up starting a national movement. here's cbs' steve hartman "on the road." >> reporter: dave palazzolo of salt lake city got one of those smart security cameras, and as we first reported last year, it went off almost immediately. >> you get the alert and you have an immediate sense of anxiety-- someone is going to do harm to me. >> reporter: that imminent threat? a four-year-old on a joy ride every night like clockwork.

>> ping, person at driveway. you're like, who is it? it's just that kid again. you're interrupting my netflix. >> reporter: how old are you? >> i'm almost 50. >> reporter: you're a little young to be doing the whole "get off my lawn thing." >> i know, right? >> reporter: but dave said something had to be done. so, under the cover of darkness he went out on his driveway and wrote a message to the boy that basically said, "kid, you win." the next day... >> you can almost see the look on his face when he gets it, and then he just charges into it. >> reporter: from that day to this, dave's driveway racetrack has remained. whenever weather washes it away, he simply draws another. he even built this contraption to keep the lines straight, and now researches famous race courses for track authenticity. the guy really is serious about his sidewalk chalk. >> make sure i get the intersection right. >> reporter: you know, there's a chance you're more into this now than he is. >> it's entirely possible. >> reporter: actually, let's call it a draw.

>> there's a new one, dad! >> reporter: this is quinn, discovering dave's latest creation. you should know, before the security camera went off that first time, dave had never met quinn or his family. yet, all summer he helped raise the boy in this small way. >> it's been amazing. >> reporter: quinn's dad, josh: >> just that we can be a part of something like that, that we can see the good side of humanity. it feels good. >> reporter: and now that goodness is spreading. after we first told this story, others stopped by in all seasons, and other tracks began popping up across the country, dozens following the lead of dave palazzolo. >> you're totally beating me! >> reporter: who knows the true measure of a man is not how he raises his own kids. it's how he raises the village. >> you totally won. >> reporter: steve hartman, cbs news, "on the road." >> whitaker: the good side of humanity. now, that's something we like to

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for norah o'donnell, i'm bill whitaker. have a gre weekend. go right now at 7:00 -- >> it hit me like a ton of bricks. if you have respiratory problems, i would suggest you get out here. >> we knew it would hit us eventually, and now it has, after weeks on the right side of the wind. the bay area is heading into the weekend under a shroud of smoke. >> you can see that shroud of smoke as we look out from the top of mt. diablo. now the question is when does it get out of here. tracking improving conditions in the forecast. >> hopefully doesn't -- i don't know, i just can't see how, not beinhe as thousands flee the raging wildfires producing that smoke, one man describes defending his home from disaster. >> it was a cross between apocalypse now and wizard of oz. there was propane tanks blowing up left and right. plus, a new warning about

vaccine mandates from one law enforcement group. >> it's going to impact our staffing and it's going to even impact public safety even further. and as you make your weekend plans, we ask a medical expert what activities are too risky these days, even if you are vaccinated. right now on the kpix 5 news at 7:00 and streaming on cbsn bay area, after weeks of blowing the other way, that wildfire smoke is now rolling right into the bay area is somewhat like fog. good evening, i'm ken bastida. >> i'm juliette goodrich in for elizabeth. check out the hazy conditions in contra costa county. some people still wanted to be outside, despite all the unhealthy air. we found people getting in their workouts on the tennis and basketball courts in walnut creek