Happening Today: St. Patrick's Day Parade, Wiretaps, Budget, SNL, McDonalds

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256th St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC

Hundreds of thousands of revelers and marchers are set to turn Manhattan's Fifth Avenue into a sea of green Friday for the 256th New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. It will kick off on 44th Street and proceeds up Fifth Avenue to 79th Street. Check the street closures here. A live stream of the parade will be broadcast on NBC 4 New York from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and at NBCNewYork.com. Alcohol is banned from Metro-North and LiRR trains. MTA police will enforce the ban on Friday through 5 a.m. Saturday, the agency said. MTA service changes are also in effect.

No Indication of Trump Tower Wiretapping: Senate Intel Chiefs

The White stood by President Trump's unproven accusations that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper, despite growing bipartisan agreement there's no evidence to back up the claim and mounting pressure to retract the statement. Angrily defending the president's statement, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters Trump "stands by" the four tweets that sparked a firestorm that has threatened Trump's credibility with lawmakers. Spicer's comments were a rebuttal to the top two members of the Senate intelligence committee, who released a statement declaring there is no indication Trump Tower was "the subject of surveillance" by the U.S. government before or after the 2016 election. 

Budget Losers: School Programs, Research, the Arts

Military spending would get the biggest boost in President Trump's proposed budget. Environmental programs, medical research, Amtrak and an array of international and cultural programs would take big hits, among the many parts he'd put on a crash diet. The budget proposal is a White House wish list; it'll be up to Congress to decide where money goes. If Trump gets his way, there will be more losers than winners among government departments and programs. Gov. Cuomo called the budget proposal a “wrecking ball.”

Since-Deleted Tweet Calls Trump 'Disgusting Excuse of a President'

The official McDonald's corporate Twitter account was not loving President Trump for a few minutes. A tweet sent that has since been deleted called Trump "a disgusting excuse of a President" and took aim at the size of his hands. The account later tweeted that Twitter alerted McDonald's the account was compromised. Trump, who has sent some insulting tweets of his own over the years, has not yet responded on Twitter.

Falls Are Taking a Huge and Rising Toll on Elderly Brains

Elderly people are suffering concussions and other brain injuries from falls at what appear to be unprecedented rates, according to a new report. The reason for the increase isn't clear, the report said. But one likely factor is that a growing number of elderly people are living at home and taking repeated tumbles, said one expert. But what may seem like a mild initial fall may cause concussions or other problems that increase the chances of future falls — and more severe injuries, she said. Whatever the cause, the numbers are striking, according to the new report.

'SNL' Going Live Across All Time Zones for First Time

This time 'Live' means live for everyone. Beginning on April 15, the show will broadcast live to all time zones for the first time in its history and will continue with all three original episodes in May. "'SNL'— enjoying its most popular season in two decades — is part of the national conversation, and we thought it would be a great idea to broadcast to the west and mountain time zones live at the same time it’s being seen in the east and central time zones," said Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment.

Jonathan Lipnicki Reveals Battle With Depression

Jonathan Lipnicki is reminding fans that being a child star isn't all glitz and glamour. More than 20 years after starring in "Jerry Maguire" as Ray Boyd, the Hollywood star is opening up about the years of bullying he endured after his big-screen project. What Lipnicki experienced in school partly contributed to his battle with anxiety and depression. While Lipnicki is open about sharing his story, he doesn't want to be viewed as a "victim." Instead, he hopes his personal story will help fans experiencing something similar.