Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Major Toy Recall; Corruption Case; Mine Rescue Effort

Aired August 14, 2007 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today. Stay informed in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
Another major toy recall coming this hour. We want to go there directly and listen in.

NANCY NORD, ACTING CHAIRMAN, CPSC: First we are announcing several recalls involving the Mattel company. Second, I want to put these recalls in perspective. Third, I want to address the concerns parents have about children's products. And fourth, I want to tell you what the CPSC is doing to ensure the safety of products imported into the United States.

Today, the CPSC is announcing the voluntary recall of more than 9 million children's toys manufactured by Mattel. These are being recalled for two reasons. First, some have magnets that can become dislodged and fall out of the toys. And second, one of the recalled products has lead paint.

With respect to the magnets, Mattel is recalling a variety of toys that have released small, powerful magnets. The largest is an expanded recall of the Polly Pocket toy, totaling more than 7 million products. This recall impacts all Polly Pockets produced before November 1st, 2006. Also being recalled for exposed magnets are approximately 680,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets, about 1 million Doggie Daycare toys, and about 350 Batman and One Piece magnetic action figures.

This agency has been warning about the dangers of small magnets for more than a year. If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attract inside the body, causing intestinal perforations, infections, and blockages. With respect to today's recall toys, the company is aware of many incidents where the magnets have fallen out of the toy. However, there has been no injuries reported to either Mattel or to the CPSC related to the recall announced today.

In response to the problem, the company has stopped sale, has instructed that all products be pulled off retail shelves and has made a production change to address this issue. Mattel is offering consumers replacement products for the recalled toys.

Now with respect to the lead issue, more than 250,000 Sarge die- cast toys are being recalled because the surface paint contains lead. The toy is a promotional product from the movie "Cars" and looks like a small military Jeep. Lead can cause adverse health effects if ingested by young children. There have been no reported injuries with the product, but because the adverse affects of lead are cumulative, it is important to remove any accessible lead from a child's environment.

Lead paint has been banned in this country since 1978. Even so, each year there are new cases of lead poisoning to children. Old lead house paint is far and away the leading cause of lead poisoning to children. If parents are concerned about lead exposure, they should have their child tested for lead poisoning. It is a simple blood test. If parents are concerned about the presence of lead in their home, then a hired professional can determine its presence.

Home test kits are not a reliable way to determine the presence of lead in the home or in products. By using home test kits, consumers are provided with what can be false and misleading information that can cause unnecessary concern.

In today's environment, it is easy to take recalls out of proportion. Nine million products is certainly a lot of products, but by no means is it the largest recall this agency has done and it represents only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of millions of toys that are sold in the United States every year. There have been no reported injuries involving any of these products. And in an abundance of caution, the scope of these recalls is intentionally large to prevent any injuries from occurring.

Toy recalls are emotional because they impact children. The CPSC is dedicated to keeping all consumers safe, but we act especially swiftly and we speak loudly when the recall impacts our most vulnerable population group, our children. The CPSC is dedicated to keeping the U.S. consumer marketplace the safest in the world. Of the agency's 409 recalls this year, 44 have been toys. These recalls make clear that when a product poses a possible hazard or violates U.S. law, there are consequences.

COLLINS: All right. We have been listening into Nancy Nord. She is the Consumer Products Safety Commission acting chairman, announcing a recall of 9 million Mattel toys. These are because of two reasons -- magnets becoming dislodged and then possibly being swallowed. She said if more than one magnet is swallowed, they are so powerful they can actually attract inside the body and cause different types of internal damage. That's one reason. The other is the lead paint. We talked to you about that truck right here, the "Sarge" truck from the movie "Cars," Pixar, the die-cast paint on there is a problem.

Want to go and bring our Allan Chernoff in. He is following this story for us from our New York bureau.

Boy, 9 million toys, it certainly sounds like a lot. But Nancy Nord also said very specifically, Allan, that this is actually a tiny fraction of the hundreds of millions of toys that are sold in this country every year.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's certainly not reassuring, though, to parents who actually are finding those toys in their home. COLLINS: Absolutely.

CHERNOFF: And let's also emphasize the danger here is not only swallowing those magnets, very small magnets on the toys, that can dislodge very easily. They also, the agency warns, they also can actually be inhaled and that could damage the lungs. They also can be put either in the ear or the nose and they can be very hard to dislodge because these are very tiny magnets. And, in fact, the warning is that they can become dislodged and perhaps parents or caregivers might not even notice a child either swallowing or inhaling these actual magnets.

Let's review, once again, the toys that we're talking about. First of all, Polly Pocket, Barbie and Tanner -- Tanner being, of course, a dog -- Doggie Daycare, and Batman. Those among the leading names of these toys that are being recalled. If you want the absolute full list, you can go to a web site, service.mattel.com, and there Mattel has a list, not only of the types of toys, but also of the code numbers for those toys, the manufacturing dates. They tell you exactly what to do. There's even a form that you can fill out to send everything back to actually fulfill the entire recall.

In addition, the concern about lead paint, and that is now with regard to the "Sarge" Jeep. Of course, one of the products from the movie "Cars." So that's the concern right there.

And a very big recall. This is without a doubt quite significant, especially coming on the heels of only a couple of weeks ago when Mattel had to recall some other toys, Sesame Street characters and Dora the Explorer, that also had some lead paint on them.

Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, just two weeks ago was 1.5 million Chinese made toys that they had to recall. Yes, 9 million certainly more significant than that, no question about it, Allan. And those Polly Pocket dolls, I've heard a lot about them from little girls in the neighborhood. Very, very popular indeed. All of them, in fact, recalled before November 1st of 2006. Seven million of them were the Polly Pockets.

Allan, thanks so much for that.

Also just want to remind everybody of a couple of things. Number one, if you have any comments about this, you are certainly invited to sound off about it. You can always go to cnn.com and tell us some of your thoughts about this particular issue.

Also, coming up shortly here in the CNN NEWSROOM, we will have a live interview, one on one with Bob Eckert. He is the Mattel chairman and CEO. We are going to get a few questions to him and his side of the story about his products and his company right now.

Also a look at some other recalls involving Mattel toys in the last decade. Two and a half million Lift & Lock Swings were recalled in 2000. Last year, 2.4 million Polly Pocket magnetic playsets were recalled. And earlier this month, as I just mentioned, a recall of 1.5 million toys from Mattel's Fisher-Price division. The concern there, lead paint. Those toys were made in China.

ANNOUNCER: CNN, your hurricane headquarters.

COLLINS: Hawaii bracing for a brush with a powerful storm. Hurricane Flossie now barreling toward the big island. Right now it doesn't look like a direct hit.

The big island is expected to face the worst conditions as the storm swirls just to the south. Schools there are closed today. A state of emergency in place.

Right now in much of the state, there's a run on food, water, other essentials. The last hurricane to hit Hawaii was in 1992. It killed six people and caused $2.5 billion in damage.

Along with a hurricane threat, an earthquake shakes the big island. The quake with a magnitude of 5.3 hit just south of Hilo. Right now no reports of injuries or serious damage.

Nonetheless, a lot going on in Hawaii, Jacqui.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Still ahead, you heard it here, another major toy recall for Mattel. We talk one on one with the chairman and CEO of the company. That's coming up.

Also, outraged parents versus a self-described pedophile. This round ends with the man being arrested twice. He says it's all just a big mistake.

And an apology and a plea for forgiveness. He was one of New Orleans' leaders. Now a guilty plea to bribery charges. We get the inside story ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A plea for forgiveness and a promise to keep working for his city's recovery. Former New Orleans City Council Vice President Oliver Thomas giving up his position after pleading guilty to bribery charges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVER THOMAS, FORMER NEW ORLEANS COUNCILMAN: I'm immediately announcing my resignation to the city council of New Orleans effective immediately. As I leave you, my greatest hope is that I will not become a distraction to the thousands of lives and to the thousands of people that are trying to recover their lives, their families and their homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Arnie Fielkow is president of the city council. He's joining us now this morning from New Orleans.

Thanks for being with us.

I wonder if we could just start with something that we found in "The Times-Picayune." It comes from the special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans' field office. Take a look at this with me, if you would. Here's what he had to say about corruption.

"It's not unique to Louisiana. It's just brazen down here. Machine politics in the north will skim the cream. Here in Louisiana, they skim the cream, they steal the milk, hijack the bottles and look for the cow. And it is brazen, the amount of activity down here where people think it's their right as soon as hey assume office to steal from the people."

All right. So we have Congressman William Jefferson. He's facing federal corruption charges. We have Senator David Vitter involved with the so-called D.C. madam. Is it true -- is there any truth to the matter that corruption is more prevalent in New Orleans?

ARNIE FIELKOW, NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Well, I think the FBI director said it well. And I'm from the north. I've lived in New Orleans for eight years now. I think there is a brazenness here. And it has resulted in some terrible headlines and some terrible activity as a reflection of our community and state.

But the good news is, is those days are changing. And I think the action that was taken yesterday, it was a sad day for New Orleans from the standpoint that Oliver was a beloved figure here. I've worked with him side-by-side for the last year and a half and he made a terrible mistake and he's now going to have to pay for it. But it's also a day of opportunity for our community, because this is the new New Orleans and we are not going to tolerate corruption or unethical conduct.

COLLINS: But yet this just happened yesterday. Does it really seem like it's changing?

FIELKOW: Well, it is changing. You've seen a string of activity by the FBI, by the U.S. attorney. They announced yesterday that they're going to keep going. That this is certainly not the end. And at some point you have to have a cleansing in order to really have a renaissance and a rebuilding. Yesterday was just yet another event in a string of events.

I think it's changing. I think that the people of New Orleans are demanding more. Certainly the new officials and also the existing officials, we understand the responsibility, we understand what has to happen down here, and I think you're seeing a new wave of leadership coming into this community.

COLLINS: But as the city council president, someone who is clearly dedicated to the growth of the city and the recovery of the city, if you will, this must make you furious?

FIELKOW: Well, it does. It made my sad yesterday from a personal level, just because I knew Oliver and I knew his family and this is terrible for the family. At the same time, I am upset. I'm furious in the sense that it really hurts our community from a temporary standpoint.

But let me assure both our citizens here in New Orleans and people around the country, this is going to be a new New Orleans. People are spending every waking hour rebuilding their lives and their homes.

On the city council you have four new members. We came from different background. I'm an attorney. I was vice president of the New Orleans Saints. We took office because we want to make a difference. We want to change New Orleans. We want to keep what was good, but we also want to change some of the problems we had in the past. One of those problems was corruption. And I think this marks a new era and hopefully a new day for this city.

COLLINS: Listen with me if you would for just a moment because Mayor Ray Nagin actually commented on some of these things yesterday as well. Let's listen to what he has to say and I'll get your comment right after.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: I also ask political pundits and our citizens to stop saying that this development will doom our recovery. The recovery is much larger than any one person. Our rebuilding will continue and our citizens will continue to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Do you think Oliver Thomas' illegal actions or corruption will actually get in the way of the recovery of New Orleans?

FIELKOW: Well, I certainly hope not. I think the mayor is right. That, you know, the recovery process here is much bigger than any one person or any one act. And, you know, we need the help of the rest of the country. We need our congressional leadership to help us. We're very appreciative of what this country has done so far.

We have a long way to go in our recovery, but we are making incremental progress every day. We simply cannot let an event like yesterday stop that. And I can just tell you on a personal level, all of us are working, you know, 16-hour days trying to help the people of New Orleans get back on their feet.

We're going to continue to do that. And I can only hope that the rest of the country will look at kind of the new New Orleans as an opportunity. It's a great place for people to come to. It's a great place for people to make a home.

COLLINS: Well, we appreciate your time here today certainly. New Orleans City Council President Arnie Fielkow.

Arnie, thank you. FIELKOW: Thank you.

COLLINS: A major toy recall announced just minutes ago. Nine million products all told. We'll talk live one-on-one with Mattel chairman and CEO Bob Eckert, just ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm John Zarrella at the Crandall Canyon Mine where new images from inside the mine show survivable space. I'll have that story ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Take a minute to check out the big board there. Yikes. Down today about 97 points. The Dow Jones Industrial average is sitting right now about 3,141 or so. Nasdaq also down nine points. We will continue to watch this. Of course, as always, talk with Susan Lisovicz in just a little while about all of our business stories today.

New moves to rescue those trapped miners. The latest now from Utah. Our John Zarrella is live in Emery County.

John, are we expecting to hear anything new today on the rescue effort? I know they had that third drill that they're starting to try to get in place.

ZARRELLA: Right. We hope to have an update on the progress to drill down that 1,400 feet they've got to go to put that -- open up that third hole into that cavity. And we may also get some new pictures from inside the mine where the rescue workers are trying to dig out that tunnel, as well as perhaps some aerials from on top of the mountain where the drilling process is going on. May have that briefing in the next two and a half hours or so. At least that's what we are hoping.

Now, talking about pictures. Some of those first images from inside the mine were released yesterday and that's from the camera that was dropped into that 5/8-inch hole that was bored over the weekend. And it does show some survivable space down there. And that is certainly good news. But at the same time, even with enhanced righting, it was very, very difficult to see. You could see some tools and some items that were used by miners, but not much more and no signs of the miners themselves. And Bob Murray, the operator of the mine, also acknowledged that several of the miners working on the rescue team inside that main tunnel became apprehensive and asked to be reassigned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB MURRAY, PRESIDENT AND CEO, MURRAY ENERGY: We have had some miners that have been working in the rescue effort that have asked to be relieved from working right at where the rescue effort is going forward as they've been somewhat frightened to continue to work there. Nobody has walked off the site. What we've done is anyone that wanted to be relieved from working at the face has been assigned to other work in the mine at other locations. To date, there are 12 such individuals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Now, while they're working on that third -- drill a hole down into that cavity where they believe the miners may be trapped, there are also plans now for a fourth hole, although they have not yet identified the spot where they want to start that drilling.

Heidi.

COLLINS: Boy, we wish them the best of luck, no question about that.

John Zarrella, thanks so much.

Good morning once again, everybody. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris has the day off.

A self-described pedophile facing charges this morning. Jack McClellan arrested twice yesterday. The first time after he was found hanging out with a camera near a childcare center at UCLA. That violated a statewide restraining order that's supposed to keep him 30 feet away from children. Police arrested him, then let him go six hours later. But he showed up at the campus again and did an interview with our affiliate KTLA.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK MCCLELLAN, SELF-DESCRIBED PEDOPHILE: It was an honest mistake. I had been on the campus for a couple hours before that in other places. I didn't go right to that spot, because I'm not familiar with the campus. I don't go to school there.

Honestly, I didn't know it was there. The reason I was on UCLA was because I didn't think there would be virtually any minors there, and I thought I could kind of blend in as a student.

QUESTION: Are you attracted to children?

MCCLELLAN: Yes, sure, girls. I mean, I've admitted that many times. But I've never done anything criminal.

QUESTION: After what you did today, though, why should you be allowed to walk around freely?

MCCLELLAN: Wel,l that wasn't my decision. That was the decision at the police department, and they just decided it wasn't that grave of a situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Police arrested McClellan again. After that interview aired, he was cited for trespassing.

A major toy recall announced just minutes ago, nine million all told. We'll talk live one on one with Mattel chairman and CEO Bob Eckert Just ahead right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And shuttle trouble -- NASA figuring out what to do about a gouge in Endeavour's belly. We'll have an update coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: So we want to remind everyone, a major toy recall announced just minutes ago, nine million products all told. We are going to be talking live one on one with Mattel chairman and CEO Bob Eckert, put some questions to him, just ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Also, quarterback under pressure. Is Michael Vick scrambling to make a plea deal in the dogfighting case? Signs today more of his codefendants are cooperating with prosecutors.

Wrestling with a mystery, Florida authorities asking what caused the death of former pro wrestling Brian "Crush" Adams?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You are back in the CNN NEWSROOM, welcoming those watching on CNN International as we continue to follow news of a major toy recall. Just a short time ago, an announcement that Mattel is recalling nine million toys. On the recall list, Sarge, diecast toys from the Pixar "Cars" movie, you saw it there. The concern there, lead paint. Among the other toys being pulled from the shelves, millions of Batman action figures and Polly Pocket dolls. The concern, magnets that could become dislodged, all of the toys made in China.

This now is the second recall of Chinese-made toys for Mattel in two weeks. Earlier this month, Mattel's Fisher-Price division recalled more than a million pre-school toys featuring characters like Big Bird and Elmo.

Mattel, with another recall of toys, what's safe and what's not? Joining us is Bob Eckert, Mattel's chairman and CEO. It is a first on CNN interview.

Thanks for being with us. I just wanted begin directly with how you feel about the safety of your products?

BOB ECKERT, MATTEL CHAIRMAN & CEO: Thank you, Heidi.

We continue to have the most rigorous standards in the industry. And in fact, every toy being made right now as it relates to paint, as an example, the paint is being tested when it's made. Each manufacturing plant that uses that paint is retesting it again, and then every batch of toys that's made is being tested before it's released.

So, we have rigorous testing ...

COLLINS: How could this happen then? Forgive me, but if you have some of the most rigorous testing in the business, how could there be millions and millions of toys recalled?

ECKERT: We've changed our procedures because it appears that there is a quantity of lead paint that has been used in toy-making, so instead of releasing products and doing regular testing, we're now testing every batch of toys that's made. And we're going to continue looking for this. Nobody likes to have recalls, but we'll continue working very hard on the standards, and if we see more issues, we'll promptly notify people.

COLLINS: You'll probably notify people?

ECKERT: No, we'll promptly notify people.

COLLINS: Oh, pardon me. So there is a quality control then within Mattel itself. You do your own testing within your company of these products?

ECKERT: We do our own testing, and we have independent, certified labs that do testing. All of the labs that do testing for us are certified. We use very precise equipment. No system is perfect, but when a mistake is made in the system, particularly by a vendor plant, we look for it. When we find it, we notify people.

COLLINS: As I look at you answer these questions now, I feel like you feel OK about what has been announced today, and I certainly don't want to put words in your mouth, but we are talking about a second recall now, nine million this time, 1.5 million products last time, all made in China. I'm still very unclear on how you can tell me that you have some of the most rigorous standards when we are looking at massive recalls here.

ECKERT: Nobody likes recalls and I apologize for the situation we're all facing. Let me now talk about the magnet issue, which is the larger number of toys, the 72 toys that are being recalled. We have become aware that these small, high-powered magnets can pose risks to children if they're ingested. And so we have worked with others in the toy industry, with the CPSC, and with other regulators to create new standards to lock in the magnets into a toy.

We're concerned, however, about toys that were made prior to these standards, so we're retroactively going back, for five years that these magnets have been used, and we want to notify consumers that if they have any of those toys, the magnets can dislodge and we want those toys back.

COLLINS: I know that you're a father of four. To see all of this happen, you must be completely outraged that this has happened within your company.

ECKERT: I'm disappointed, I'm upset, but I can ensure your viewers that we are doing everything we can about the situation. Every production batch of toys is being tested and we'll continue to enforce the highest quality standards in the industry.

COLLINS: Well, as a parent myself, I certainly hope that's the case as well. Unfortunately, we are out of time. Bob Eckert, we appreciate your time here today, CEO and chairman of Mattel. Thank you.

ECKERT: Thank you.

COLLINS: Want to go directly to Susan Lisovicz. She's at the New York Stock Exchange now with more of the specifics on this. Mattel stocks, Susan, not doing very well today.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: New concerns about toy dangers, what parents should know. With me now, CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

So, we heard it here first, nine million toys this time around. Last time, two weeks ago, 1.5, prior to that, 2.4. So, when we look at this, I mean, everybody has Mattel or Fisher-Price toys in their basement or toy room.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, of course, absolutely. I mean, you go into pretty much any playroom in the United States, I can imagine moms and dads right now going into their playrooms looking and saying, oh my gosh, I just saw this on TV, and I just saw that in TV, what do I do?

The first thing you should do, of course, is not use those toys. And the second thing you should do is don't panic. These are all things that can be dealt with. This is not an immediate threat right now at this moment to your child.

Let's break it down into two things because there seems to be two different categories here.

COLLINS: Right.

COHEN: One is these little magnets. And I know we have them in my daughter's little Polly Pockets, that they can come off and the child can eat them. The concern here, obviously, you don't want your child ingesting a magnet. And the concern is that if a child ingests more than one, they will attract each other.

Now, reading from a Mattel -- Consumer Product Safety Commission press release, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be fatal. So, this is actually pretty easy to deal with, get rid of those toys with magnets. They're easy to see, they're not hidden, they're right there. So get rid of those, don't let your child play with those.

COLLONS: It's pretty interesting, though because we know that they're tiny, I mean I've seen them, but they are very powerful.

COHEN: Yes, strong.

COLLINS: I mean, they're strong chunks of magnets.

COHEN: That's why they work so well in the toys. COLLINS: Yes.

COHEN: I mean, they really do work. Polly Pocket's clothes stay on her. Those magnets really work.

COLLINS: Yes. I have a boy, we don't ...

COHEN: Oh, OK, sorry, Batman, he must have magnets, right? So ...

COLLINS: Yes, yes. And so when they attract inside in the body, that's when we have to be very, very careful.

COHEN: Because they can attract each other and possibly cause an intestinal perforation or blockage. Right, so that's easy. Get rid of those magnets.

Now, the lead, I think parents are going to have more questions about because everyone can picture a time when their child, especially as a toddler, is playing with toys, puts them in their mouth, and chews them or licks them. That's what kids do.

So, first of all, experts tell us that if you've seen your child do that sometimes, chances are the exposure is very, very low, because if it's just an occasional chewing or sucking on them, and maybe they had lead in them and maybe they didn't.

However, if you are concerned, what you should do is call your pediatrician and ask if you can bring your child in for a lead test. It's very easy, it's a finger prick test. Doctors do them anyhow, often at regular check-ups, so chances are your child's already been tested for lead poisoning.

But if you're concerned, or if you think it's been awhile since their last test, you can bring them in and get the doctor to test them. Now, if the lead tests are very -- if the lead levels are very high, there is a treatment that they can do, but usually it doesn't get to that point.

COLLINS: Right, and we also heard the Consumer Products Safety Commission talking about that in the press conference. They said go to the doctor for those type of tests. If you feel like you need to get a lead test, do not do the home kit. They're just not very reliable.

COHEN: No, just go to your doctor. It's very easy, they do these all the time.

COLLINS: OK.

COHEN: You don't have to go to some fancy children's hospital.

COLLINS: Sure.

COHEN: Your pediatrician's going to have the finger prick test, not a hard test to do. COLLINS: OK, perfect. Elizabeth Cohen, thanks so much for that.

COHEN: Thanks.

COLLINS: And to learn more about the affected ties, you could -- toys that is, pardon me, you can always go to mattel.com/safety. Read that carefully, too. There are a lot of products to be looking at today.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm meteorologist Jacqui Jeras in CNN's hurricane headquarters. It's official, we have a new named tropical storm in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Dean. All the details coming right up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GERRI WILLIS, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: This week, some ways to cool your home for less this sweltering summer. First off, maintain your A/C. Check your filters at least once a month to make sure they're not clogged with dirt, dust or pet hair. By periodically cleaning the filter under running water, you'll lower your energy bills and increase the life of the unit.

Next, add some pad. Now, you may think adding insulation to your home would make it hotter, but it actually helps to keep the heat out. A properly insulated home could reduce energy bills by up to 20 percent.

Third, get window-wise. Putting drapes on your windows will help cool your home dramatically. Windows are one of the largest sources of heat gain in your home.

And last but not least, work that landscape, planting trees and shrubs around your home's periphery could save you some $250 a year.

That's this week's "Saving Money Now." For more on saving money, watch "OPEN HOUSE" every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time right here on CNN. And you can catch us on Headline News every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Mystery surrounding the death of a former wrestler, Tampa police are awaiting autopsy results on Brian "Crush" Adams. He was found dead in his home. Police say he showed no signs of injury. They do not suspect foul play. Adams is a former world tag-team champion. His death comes less than two months after pro wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife, son and then himself.

Toy giant Mattel recalling millions of unsafe toys. Parents, news you need to know.

Tropical Storm Dean on the scene now in the Atlantic. Live to the CNN hurricane center shortly for the forecast. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: A new study says children as young as 8-years-old who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol may safely be prescribed staten (ph) therapy to lessen the chance of heart disease later in life. The study found that kids who took cholesterol-lowering staten drugs were less likely to have thickening in the arteries than those who took a placebo. Thickening of the arteries is considered a risk factor for heart attacks. This study was funded by the drug company Bristol-Myers Squibb, a maker of staten.

And another study proves the power of packaging. According to research published in the "Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine," pre-school children preferred McDonald's foods and drinks and the familiar golden arches packaging to the same food and drink in unbranded packaging. Study authors say this supports the move by McDonald's and 10 other food and drink companies who announced new guidelines on marketing to children under 12.

Most adults binge drinkers choose beer as their beverage of choice. That's according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers found that beer accounted for 67 percent of all binge drinks consumed. Liquor came in a distant second with 22 percent.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com