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Severe Weather to Hit Southeast; Missouri Girl, 7, Killed by Tornado
Aired March 01, 2007 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
T.J. HOLMES, CO-HOST: And I'm T.J. Holmes. Kyra and Don are off today.
And weather is the news today. The CNN weather center, CNN reporters, our affiliates all across the nation are all over it. And you are live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: March comes in like the proverbial lion. A huge storm that could affect millions of us is working its way across the nation and bringing heavy snow to the north, tornados and other severe weather farther south.
A suspected tornado destroyed a mobile home in Caulfield, Missouri, killing a 7-year-old girl.
Chad Myers is in the CNN weather center. And he tells us watches and warnings are in effect for a wide area. We're also watching reports from our affiliates so we can keep you up to the minute on where the storm has been and where it is now and where it might be going next -- T.J.
HOLMES: And as we said, the CNN weather center, that is the spot today, the busy spot. And Chad Myers is all over this.
Chad, we've been watching this all morning. Getting into the afternoon now. Give us the latest.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: All right. And I asked Chad about Montgomery because we're about to get the mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, on the line here. His -- his town certainly in the direct path of some of these storms. We just saw that live picture there, hearing Chad talk about it.
But Bobby Bright is the mayor of Montgomery, Alabama.
Mr. Mayor, thank you for being here on the line with us. Tell me, I guess we're seeing the live pictures, and it looks a bit ominous. But tell me how you all are preparing for what appears to be some nasty stuff about to come your way.
BOBBY BRIGHT, MAYOR, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA: Well, we are -- T.J., I appreciate this opportunity. We're having some rain right now and some light showers. It's -- we've got our EMA activated. They're on stand by. They are monitoring the weather very closely out of Birmingham, Alabama.
And we're kind of getting ready, prepared for some pretty severe weather coming our way. And hopefully, we will avoid any damage. But we've got plans -- and hopefully everybody will be OK. They're getting plenty of warning by way of CNN and what you're doing for us this morning.
HOLMES: Do you want -- are you getting kids out of school as well and trying to get those school buses off the road before, I guess, the worst of this possibly hits you?
BRIGHT: We are. We are. Some of our adjoining counties that are in the path of some of the bad weather already that we're seeing on the radar, they're closing at noon or have closed by now. And getting the children home, getting those buses off the byways.
HOLMES: And are you giving your citizens a place to meet up, and maybe tell them now where they could go if they don't have a spot, any kind of a shelter to go to at their home?
BRIGHT: Yes, we have shelters that we activate as the weather comes in. And we have -- many times here, they can meet here at city hall, even right now where I'm standing. If anyone has any fear whatsoever, they can meet at any of our community centers.
Specifically the one that we activate, normally to begin with would be over at the Chisholm community area. But also, I'm here at the city hall. City hall's a pretty sturdy structure. So if they need to and they need to get into a comfortable place, they can come here.
HOLMES: All right, well, Mayor Bobby Bright of Montgomery, Alabama, a town here in the direct path of this -- some of these nasty storms happening today.
Sir, thank you. Good luck to you and your town. Hope you guys make it through this thing just fine.
BRIGHT: Thank you, T.J.
WHITFIELD: Well, the National Weather Service storm prediction center is keeping a close watch on Montgomery and all other points that are in the bull's eye. Our Jacqui Jeras is there, as well.
Jacqui, what are you seeing and hearing?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Fred, right now, that same area that you were just talking about, the NOAA storm prediction center here has just issued what we call a mezzo scale discussion. It just kind of a little discussion, a little additional information about the area that they're most concerned about right now, and that includes much of central and southern parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Conditions there becoming increasingly unstable. And they're very concerned at this hour, over the next couple of hours, as well, for those long track, long lived tornados, the really big ones that can cause a lot of destruction.
So it's great to hear that they're getting those kids out of school and getting them to a safe place.
If you can hear all the bells and whistles beside -- behind me, we're alerted hear every time something changes, every time something new comes in. And you can see, that is a new tornado warning that has just been coming in. There's some damage reports, as well.
These guys have their finger on the pulse of everything severe here today. They're the ones that issued the tornado watches when conditions are favorable for tornados to occur. Your local National Weather Service office is the ones that issue the additional warnings themselves.
And as things continue to break here, Fred, we'll continue to bring you more information.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jacqui, thanks so much. And we'll continue to check with you. Thanks so much -- T.J.
HOLMES: Of course, one death, actually, today we've heard confirmed so far with all these storms. This was a child in Caulfield, Missouri. And Sara Sheffield of CNN affiliate KYTV is there.
If you can, I guess, just update us about all we know or as much as we know about the circumstances surrounding the death of this child and just how bad the damage is there in town.
SARA SHEFFIELD, KYTV REPORTER: Yes, just a tragic event, a 7- year-old little girl. She was about seven miles northeast of Caulfield. This is in Howell County, Missouri. She tragically died. Her two brothers were injured. Both of her mom and dad were also injured, and they are in critical condition.
Not just lives but homes and businesses everywhere are destroyed. This was a gas station. Kind of a gathering hub. The roof has blown off, and all the merchandise is on the floor. And then outside, you can kind of get a glimpse of how strong the winds were.
Right over here was a gas pump that has just been blown over, laying on its side here. This was actually temporarily a closed business, and they were kind of redoing the inside of it, reorganizing and getting ready to open back up.
This was a small garage on the side of the building, a car shop, if you will. And everything in here is also down. The shelves, actually, here against the walls are still standing, but everything else has blown over. Because three of the walls were taken down.
So just a devastating event here in Caulfield. Earlier in the day, a lot of people were gathering in here, trying to get everything cleaned up, back to normal. But once they heard of the fatality in this town, all of them now are with her. A very, very small community. It's actually -- on the population sign, it doesn't even read a number. That's how small this place is.
But everyone is really pulling together, just trying to get life back to normal.
HOLMES: And Sara, to make sure I got that right, the little girl that died, her two brothers, and the mom and dad, they are all -- are all in critical condition?
SHEFFIELD: Two of them are in critical condition. All four of them are in the hospital in Springfield, Missouri. They were taken there by air, we're told. Right now two of them confirmed in critical condition. I'm not sure if it's the two brothers or the mom and the dad. But all four are injured.
HOLMES: OK. Well, Sara, thank you so much for that report from a town certainly devastated and a family certainly devastated today. Thank you so much.
WHITFIELD: We're able to get a lot of this information by help of our affiliates. Veronica De La Cruz of CNN.com is watching the weather feeds that are coming from many of these affiliates throughout the storm areas.
Joining us now to tell us what you're seeing -- Veronica.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN.COM: Hey, there, Fredricka. We are keeping track of the web sites. We're also keeping track of all the video that is being fed into us.
Let's take a look at different tower cams across the country, starting with WSFA in Montgomery, Alabama. Definitely a gray day there, the roads looking pretty slick.
This is KATV in Omaha, Nebraska. Lots of snow. That seems to be the big story there.
WSB, Atlanta, Georgia. Take a look at this picture. There is so much cloud coverage you can't even make out what the shot really is.
And then WMC, this is Memphis, Tennessee, where it doesn't look too bad, but we do know that there is a tornado watch and that is in effect until 6 p.m. And that is east of the Mississippi River.
Now, online, KCTV 5, this is one of our local affiliates there, the big story there is the tornados.
And then if you look over here, this is Milwaukee, Wisconsin, WTMG. That is our NBC affiliate there. The big story there is the snow.
Fredricka, take a look at this, see if you can find the reporter in the story. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know if I know where I am actually. When it got here, in Fort Washington, nothing was going on. I mean, nothing, literally, all we had was the wind.
Less than 20 minutes later, this, if you can believe it. We've got the snow coming down so fast. And it's coming down on an angle, which you know, of course, is the most painful snow to come down.
Check out some video we've got for you, too, where the roads are snow covered now here in Fort Washington. So if you watch us this morning and are heading out, first of all, bundle up, because that wind making it feel very, very cold.
And next, give yourself some extra time, because these roads are snow covered. I did see a couple of plow trucks and the salt trucks out earlier. They're trying to do the best they can. But this snow is coming down very, very quickly. So they're having a tough time keeping a handle on things.
So definitely be careful out there as you head out to work and get the kids ready for school this morning. Coming back out here live, and you can see it's really whipping around out here, and it really does feel so cold out here.
So reporting live in the meantime from Fort Washington, Diane Matthew (ph), today CNT-4 (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: Wow, you kind of have to feel bad for her there. That was our local affiliate there in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Fredricka, we are keeping track of this story from every angle: Online, as well as from all our affiliates. And as soon as we get more, we'll get back with you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Veronica. Severe weather all across the board. You want to keep it right here to be informed.
So when weather becomes the news, you, too, can become a CNN correspondent. If you see severe weather happening, send us an i- report. Go to CNN.com and click on "i-report" or type "iReport@CNN.com" into your cell phone and share some of your photos via cell phone, or video.
HOLMES: We'll be talking about rocky weather. Well, it's certainly rocky, as well, on Wall Street. Another rocky ride today. A lot of eyes on the Dow after Tuesday's plunge of more than 400 points and this morning's plunge of more than 200.
Live now with the very latest, CNN's Susan Lisovicz, who has been on this rocky ride with the traders at the New York Stock Exchange. Hello.
(STOCK REPORT)
HOLMES: All right, thank you so much, Susan.
WHITFIELD: Our coverage of the severe weather sweeping across the country continues in just a moment.
Plus, i-witness to a twister. Straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, we'll talk to an aspiring meteorologist who stayed up late last night to do what? Not just watch it, but chase the storm. And he also caught some pretty dramatic pictures, this being one of them. All that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, now, it is a quarter past the hour. Here are a few of the stories we are working on for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Weather. And some more weather. And then a little more weather. Huge storms pouring rain, snow, hail, tornados, you name it, and it is all in that stream for you somewhere in there. Millions of people could be affected. Yes, millions.
Metropolitan Atlanta is one of those places in harm's way. Trust us -- you'll have to trust us, since we are the most trusted name in news, trust us that that is Atlanta.
And also, will today be a day for a verdict in the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial? Our legal team is on standby for us on that story.
WHITFIELD: So as T.J. warned you, it's out there. Rain, hail, severe tornados. It's wreaking eastern Kansas last night, as well.
Quite a few buildings were damaged and power lines were pulled down. Storm chaser Matt Chatelain, well, instead of him taking cover, he decided to get out there and take these very dramatic photos. He's now at the storm prediction center in Norman, Oklahoma. Glad to say that he is safe and sound. And we've asked him to tell us a little bit of what he saw.
First of all, before I ask you what you saw, why were you out there?
MATT CHATELAIN, STORM CHASER: Well, we were out there just because we thought there would be a chance of tornados on yesterday afternoon. We weren't really planning on chasing at night. But it just kind of occurred at night so just kind of followed the storm.
WHITFIELD: So most folks take -- most folks take cover when they hear severe weather. You actually decide you want to get out there.
CHATELAIN: Yes. WHITFIELD: Explain why. Why is it so important for you to see it firsthand and be able to report back to your colleagues there at the storm -- severe storm center?
CHATELAIN: Just because we're meteorology majors, and we get, like, huge adrenaline rushes from extreme weather. And so we get out there and get video. We love just watching it, what we witnessed, as far as the weather goes.
WHITFIELD: So matt, we're looking at some of the images that you took. And you know, clearly, very frightening images in terms of the proximity you were to the storms.
Is there ever a point where you say, "OK, we're a little too close right now, based on what we're seeing. Let's make a run for it"?
CHATELAIN: Yes, if we're in the path of it. At night it's a little different because, like, you're just relying on lightning. But usually we're -- I mean, during the day it's a lot more safe and we can pretty much -- we've never been in trouble during the day. At night, well, that can be a different story, but we're fine...
WHITFIELD: When you take these images, what is it exactly you're trying to capture? What is it that some of these images are able to tell us about what the storm is about to do, what it did, what you can learn from it?
CHATELAIN: Well, I mean, we're out there to warn people, as well. And that's one part. And just, like, we got -- in order to understand what's happening with the weather, we've got to get out there and see what's going on. That's part of the reason we're out there, as well, and for the adrenaline.
WHITFIELD: Am I looking at -- when we looked at some of those images, the formation of the funnels? Or is there something more definitive about some of these cloud formations, something else that it's telling us?
CHATELAIN: There's actually -- there's a tornado on the ground in some of those images, I believe, illuminated by lightning. So yes, that's pretty much what you're seeing in those pictures.
WHITFIELD: OK. And you seem really nonchalant about it all. I mean, this is what you do. This is what you study. No big thing.
CHATELAIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: But at the same time, you know, it's got to be very, very fascinating to keep you as engaged and take these chances to get out there and take these images.
CHATELAIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: So tell me about what drives you here. CHATELAIN: Yes, I mean -- it's just our meteorology passion pretty much, just wanting to get out all the time, every chance we get. We've gone as far as South Dakota to chase these things. We're actually thinking about chasing them today. But we're pretty -- we're too tired to go back to Arkansas and Louisiana.
WHITFIELD: OK, well, that's a smart move. You want to be alert.
CHATELAIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: You don't want to further endanger your lives there. It's enough to actually be out there face-to-face. So we're glad you're making a conscientious decision there.
CHATELAIN: Yes. Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right, Matt Chatelain, thanks so much. And good luck in your continued studies and best of luck as you continue to chase these storms, as well.
CHATELAIN: All right, thank you.
HOLMES: Well, he better get an "A" on that homework assignment, huh?
WHITFIELD: That's what I say.
HOLMES: A lot of states, of course, being affected by this huge storm system that's moving much of the south and also one state being affected is Kansas.
We want to head, now, to Anderson County, Kansas, where KCTV's Heather Staggers filed this report for us a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEATHER STAGGERS, KCTV REPORTER: That's right, we are at Anderson County, just off 59 Highway. And they did get quite a bit of damage out here, all in the south central part of the county.
Look at this metal here, twisted like paper. You see this all along the highway from just outside of Garnet. A lot of strong wind damage, tornado activity, uprooted trees. Like I said, just a lot of property damages.
We know there were two houses in Anderson County that received quite a bit of damage there, busted windows, a lot of farmhouses that are -- farm utility buildings that they use damaged. But these folks were lucky. They weren't hurt.
We talked to the sheriff Browning (ph) out here. He said that a lot of folks in the rural areas, they have a difficult time hearing the sirens, but they rely on those weather radios. They rely on weather reports on television to try and get them through this. And tonight -- last night, they were lucky to find shelter and not be harmed. Now we're going to head east to Blue Mount (ph), where they received a lot of heavy damage. We're going to stay out here, talk to these folks, see how they're managing with all this damage in Anderson County. We'll have that for you on our evening forecast.
Reporting live, I'm Heather Staggers. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: We do want to turn away from the weather for just a moment for a story we're getting word of out of Columbine High School. Columbine in Littleton, Colorado, everybody will remember that name.
But a bomb threat has been phoned into that school and the school is now being evacuated. You'll remember now, this is -- we're now just six weeks, it is, from the anniversary of that horrible, horrible school attack in which 13 people were killed by two gunmen at that school.
But now a bomb threat has been called in. At least one telephone bomb threat called in, possibly a couple of others. But right now the students, the school of about 1,850 students is being evacuated. According to officials there, the students are being taken to a nearby park and being kept there while bomb-sniffing dogs check out the school.
Don't know right now if that telephone call and that threat that was called in made any reference, actually, to the Columbine massacre of 1999, but this was certainly a developing story, certainly a reason for alarm. We're keeping an eye on it. We'll bring you details as they continue to trickle into us.
WHITFIELD: And T.J., as we continue to work our sources there in the Columbine situation, we're also working our resources here in the severe weather center.
All of our best and brightest hard at work to keep a close watch on the severe storms throughout the south, the midsections of this country. We're tracking it all, and we'll bring it to you.
Meantime, something else we're watching, this. Stupid human tricks, say some, or cagey campaign move? You be the decider. John McCain makes good on a promise to David Letterman. That's straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
HOLMES: And you think newer is better when it comes to cars? You'll feel like a dummy after this crash test.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This went through the same test this went through.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly the same test.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No damage. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No damage; $4,500 to fix the damage on that car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's more than that car's worth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, exactly how did a 26-year-old Ford Escort come out better than some of today's sweetest little rides? Stick around for this sad story, and where you, too, can find yourself a 26-year-old Ford Escort. That's coming up in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, take a look at this. You're looking -- at Alabama at least in two of those frames -- Tennessee and Georgia, all of them dealing with very severe weather or threatening storms on the way.
Our Chad Myers is in the weather center with a more accurate depiction of exactly what we're looking at and what's next -- Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: We'll turn now to the market. The Dow down 400 points on Tuesday; up 50 yesterday, down 200 points, earlier today. Markets been volatile, to say the least. But Susan Lisovicz, live on the floor of the know New York Stock Exchange, with the latest on today's market action.
Susan, has there been that much crazy action today?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm in the eye of the storm, we'll stick to our weather metaphors, right? It's really been a wild ride over the last two days. That's what happens when you have a volatile market.
Apparently, the worst is not yet over. That's what it would seem to be. Once again, T.J., we could really foreshadow what was going to happen at the open, because it started in China. The Shanghai composite sold off sharply. So did the Nikkei, which is the benchmark in Tokyo. Europe sold off sharply.
So, at the open, we had the Dow industrials plunging 200 points, within 5 minutes. Curbs were in place within 15 minutes of the open to slow things down. But at 10:00 o'clock things started to improve. Why is that? Well, you know there have been concerns about the slowdown in the U.S. economy.
And we got a better than expected read on manufacturing. And that was one of the factors that seemed to help pare the losses. If you take a look at the Big Board, as you are, right now, you see a deficit of 36 points. It's a whole lot better than what we saw in the first half hour of trading where, you know, we were down 200 points.
A number of analysts saying that, you know, this is what we may see for a little while now. We hadn't seen it for a long time because the market had been rallying steadily since last summer.
Right now, however, we are seeing the breadth is decidedly more negative than those numbers would indicate. It's not quite 2-1. But here at the New York Stock Exchange, it's close to two stocks trading down, for every one that's on the rise. Earlier in the session, every Dow 30 stock was down. So it's improved. But we're still seeing a mild sell-off at this point. Back to you, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, the worse not over, is the word. Susan, thank you for being brutally honest. We will see you again soon.
LISOVICZ: You got it.
HOLMES: Sticking with the -- going back now to the weather. In line a lion and, boy, that's putting it lightly. March kicks off with some brutal storms. Not anywhere close to being over. Where's the action headed now? All those answers ahead right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Hello, again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. Snow, hail, rain, tornadoes, you name it and we got it, it's coming down somewhere. Live looks here at Memphis, and also Montgomery, Alabama. Right now, it's all hands on deck in the CNN Severe Weather Center to bring you what you need to know. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: Talking about all hands on deck. How about Chad Myers, Dave Hennen, both of them in their positions in the Severe Weather Center.
What's on tap?
Who do I start with anyway? How about that?
(CROSS TALK)
Chad, let's start with you.
MYERS: Today's the day to be prepared, Fred, really. This is one of those days where -- you may see three or four of these days a year -- where you have this much potential this much energy in the atmosphere where any number of storms -- basically any storm -- can begin to spin and give you tornado warnings.
And there is Florala (ph), there, a storm to the north picking up big-time rotation. Another moving into Enterprise, Alabama, with potentially a tornado on the ground. Farther to the west now, we're still talking Mississippi. We're still talking Alabama. We're still talking Georgia.
But as you see now, a number of "discreets" as we call them. Which means they are discrete super-cells that have begun to spin coming off the Gulf of Mexico; a lot of heat there still. Even though it's 80 degrees, it's still hot.
Back out to the west, into Baton Rouge, New Orleans, you are still under the gun and under the tornado watch. Farther to the north we're talking Diresberg (ph), we're also Murphysboro, saw large, large areas of rain. And then to the west of that, snow. The best thing you can do for yourself today in the snow is get ready to shovel it.
The best thing you can do for yourself across the Deep South today is to get ready for severe weather event. That would be possibly something that can save your life. How's 40 bucks sound -- Dave.
DAVE HENNEN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, exactly, Chad. If even 40. You can buy these for 20, 25 bucks, depending what you get. What we're talking about, of course, the NOAA weather radio. There are number of these weather stations located all over the country. You can get these anywhere. What we're talking about is this little unit here.
Just to give you an example of one particular type of weather radio. The neat thing about this is you can actually program this for your county. In the old days this used to go off for storms that maybe 50, 60 miles away. With the new weather radios, you program your particular county in, and it will go off for your county alone, and warn you that there's a tornado warning on the way.
I'll hit the test siren here, just to give you an idea of the tone that would wake you up if there's a warning in the middle of the night. These are particularly important in the middle of the night. We had these Florida tornados a couple weeks ago. They went through at 3:00 in the morning. This can be set, kind of in a standby mode, and it will wake you up and tell you that a tornado is on the way.
And like Chad said, for 40, 45 bucks. That's it. You can get them at a number of different retailers. We'll keep you updated on this. And go out and run -- get one of these this afternoon. Still time, Fred before the storm --
WHITFIELD: Great, great, advice. Thanks so much, Dave. We'll give people those reminders all day long -- T.J.
HOLMES: We want to update you again about a story we're watching out of Littleton, Colorado where a bomb threat was called into Columbine High School. That, of course, the school where 1999, two students there showed up and killed 13 people before turning the guns on themselves. Everybody will remember that story.
A bomb threat was called in. At least one call made and possibly others threatening there was a bomb at the school. Some 1800 kids were evacuated from that school, taken to a nearby park, while the school is checked out.
Now we do know that the school has been let out for the day. So, the students are being allowed to go home; they will not be returning to school today, while authorities check out that bomb threat and check out the school.
Again, we're now six weeks from the eighth anniversary of that Columbine massacre back in 1999, and a bomb threat was phoned in today. We're keeping an eye on that story. We'll bring you the details as we get them.
Moving on now, tell you a name -- remember this one, David Hicks. Kind of falling off the radar here lately, so, we'll remind you. He's an Australian who was captured in Afghanistan, declared illegal combatant, and locked up at Guantanamo Bay since 2002. Well, the name is back in the forefront because big news today about his case. CNN's Kathleen Koch is at the Pentagon with the very latest with us.
Hello to you, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, T.J.
The Pentagon today announced that terrorism charges have finally been filed officially against David Hicks. Hicks, who was a convert to Islam from the Australian city of Adelaide, was captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan back in December of 2001. Since then, he has been held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he's been awaiting trial.
According to the charging documents, Hicks allegedly trained and fought with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, will be charged with providing materials for terrorism and attempted murder in violation of the law of war. Hicks will be tried by a special military tribunal. These tribunals established last year by Congress.
This would make Hicks the first person charged under the new military commission's law. And the penalty for these charges, if found guilty, would be life in prison. Many Australians have protested the fact that Hicks has remained in prison for nearly five years now without any charges being filed.
As a matter of fact, the Australian prime minister, over the weekend, feeling the heat of the public outcry, raised this issue with Vice President Dick Cheney, and asked that Hicks be brought to trial, quote, "as soon as humanly possible. And with no further delay."
At that point, Vice President Cheney hinted that there could be some movement in the process, forward movement, in the not too distant future. That certainly has, T.J., been the case; if found guilty, Hicks would serve his sentence in Australia. Back to you.
HOLMES: Kathleen Koch, for us, from the Pentagon. Kathleen, thank you so much.
KOCH: You bet.
WHITFIELD: Let's talk a little politics merging with a little bit of entertainment now. John McCain says he'll announce -- next month -- that he's running for president. He made that announcement last night on David Letterman's show after announcing, well, he's running for president. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE NIGHT: Are you running, or are you going announce that you're running?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The last time we were on this program, I'm sure you remember everything very clearly what we say.
LETTERMAN: Yes.
MCCAIN: But you asked me if I would come back on the show, if I was going announce.
LETERMAN: Yes.
MCCAIN: I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States.
LETTERMAN: Oh.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So the announcement, for the announcement. And with applause like that, well, why not announce twice? On the down side for McCain, however, he's upset some staunch conservatives apparently. He's the only major Republican president to turn down an invitation to speak this weekend at their annual bash in Washington.
HOLMES: So he's running? Is that right?
WHITFIELD: Yeah.
HOLMES: He is running. All right.
WHITFIELD: He is running.
HOLMES: All right, we'll have more on the severe weather --
WHITFIELD: That's the announcement.
HOLMES: -- across the country when we come back. Of course, keeping an eye on that. You know when severe weather strike, CNN's wide array of affiliates are the first on the scene.
Actually, our own Veronica De La Cruz -- say hello to us, Veronica. Give us a little wave. Say, hi. There she is. She's track the coverage of those affiliates online.
WHITFIELD: Working hard.
HOLMES: She'll bring us latest in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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HOLMES: We want to get the very latest on the Columbine High School bomb threat. The Columbine High School bomb threat we've been telling you about. We'll get the latest now from Jacki Kelley of Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for giving us a minute and updating us and our viewers. Tell us, I guess, what happened? What was the threat you all got this morning?
JACKI KELLEY, JEFFERSON CO. SHERIFF'S OFFICE: There was a threat by a male caller into the office at Columbine High School this morning. It was in fact, a bomb threat. The school was almost immediately evacuated. The kids from the school were taken to a local elementary school in the area. School has been canceled for the rest of the day.
HOLMES: All right. Do you know -- I guess, any bomb threat at any school will be taken seriously. Was there anything about this caller, making a reference, of course, to the Columbine massacre of '99, anything like that, that caused anymore extra alarm or any reason to think this was absolutely legit, even though you have to take them all seriously?
KELLEY: Absolutely. We have to take them all very seriously. Ultimately, there's a little bit more sensitivity when it's all Columbine High School. Not necessarily in our response, but obviously, the reaction you get from the kids and the staff.
But there were some references made that I cannot share publicly yet. But obviously, caused concern to law enforcement and the staff here at the school. The bomb squad is on scene with a couple of bomb dogs. They're sweeping the school now. Our hope is that school resumes normal tomorrow.
HOLMES: The hope -- I guess a pretty big school to go through. I guess you are just waiting to -- I guess, at what point do you have the confidence that that school is OK, and this threat -- there was not much to it?
KELLEY: I suspect we will be here for a number of hours, probably conducting sweep after sweep, to make certain we're making good decisions for this school and reopening tomorrow.
HOLMES: Ma'am, over the year, how often -- or do you at all, get threats every once in a while? Now and then if it's a phone call, if it's a threatening note here or there, people making some kind of threat on this school?
KELLEY: More frequently than we would like to admit. I guess the Internet, e-mail, snail mail, there are just so many forms that have come in over the years, it's actually on a routine and regular basis.
HOLMES: That is unfortunate, of course. Certainly hope there's not too much of this one. Whoever this was, that they did not see it through and it's not a real threat. But sorry you have to go through this. But Jacki Kelley, Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, thank you for giving us some of your time.
KELLEY: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Dangerous, destructive and now deadly storms being tracked across the U.S. Is there a bull's eye in your area? We've got the latest straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.
And think about this: Summertime and the living is easy. You know the tune. Well, maybe too easy for vacationing school kids? A new study with heavy implications. Straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
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WHITFIELD: News from medicine in just a moment. But first this developing story. Remember the case of 41-year-old Michael Devlin who is accused of kidnapping two teenage boys? Now CNN has learned that federal child pornography-related charges will be imposed against him.
A 3:30 p.m. Eastern press conference will be conducted later on today. We'll be able to bring that information to you later. This, in addition to the 71 charges, including kidnapping and sodomy, facing Devlin on the local level. Those charges involving the alleged abductions of a 13-year-old boy last month, and a 15-year-old, back in 2002. So, again, he is now facing, Michael Devlin is, facing federal pornography-related charges.
HOLMES: Well, we have some news from medicine now to tell you about. Headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite? Just about all of us felt that way one time or another. Those can actually be symptoms of chronic kidney disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says condition afflicts almost 17 percent of Americans age 20 and older. And that's up from 14.5 percent the last time the CDC checked it out. The figure spotlights World Kidney Day, which is on March 8th.
All right, parents, here's a question that might take a little homework. What time of the year are kids most likely to pack on the pounds? If you answered summer, you won't be surprised by a new study. Researchers at Ohio State and Indiana University found five-year-olds and six-year-olds gain up to three times more weight during the summer than during the actual school year. Experts warn parents to limit snacks, turn off the TV and get those kids a' moving.
WHITFIELD: Speaking of moving, President Bush, always on the move. This time landing in New Orleans, making a visit there. He is continuing to tour the Gulf Coast region post-Katrina. This time, making his visit into New Orleans. You're seeing parts of Air Force One that have landed there.
Originally, his plan was to fly via helicopter, but because of the severe weather through out the Southeast portion of the country, Air Force One was the best route. We're continuing to watch the president as he makes his trip there to New Orleans.
More of his visit and other news and the severe weather when the NEWSROOM comes back.
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HOLMES: You may remember some of these pictures we brought you not long ago of Walter Reed. Some of the conditions at some of the medical centers where they treat the young men and women who come back from war, injured. We've gotten new news on this front. And our Kathleen Koch is watching it for us; she's at the Pentagon.
Kathleen, what's the update? And the fall out from some of this?
KOCH: Well, T.J., we knew that heads were going to roll, and now they have. The commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Major General George Weightman has been relieved of command. That effective 10 a.m. this morning. The Army has put out a press release and it said that this decision has been under consideration for the last several days. The final decision, though, was made yesterday.
I'll read from the release: "Army leadership had lost trust and confidence in the commander's leadership abilities to address needed solutions for soldier patient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center." Now, the release goes on to say that, taking his place in the interim until a new commander is named will Lieutenant General Kevin Kiley, currently the commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Kathleen Koch, like you said, I knew heads were going to roll and indeed we have seen that today. Thank you for staying on top of that for us.
KOCH: You bet.
WHITFIELD: We continue to watch the severe weather that is coming down on the Southeast and midsections of the country. Our Reynolds Wolf, and the team, are working hard, as well as Chad Myers and Dave Hennen in the Severe Weather Center. We'll be checking in with them momentarily.
Also ahead, turning to the scene of crisis, President Bush checks in on the Gulf Coast, arriving there in New Orleans. He's checking on a status report for hurricane recovery overall. He just arrived. Details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
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