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Weekend Storms Spawned Vicious Tornadoes Across Several States; Phoenix Snapped Pictures of the Martian Arctic; China's Earthquake Death Toll Rising Again; Rising Gas Prices Fuel Rise in Small Car Sales
Aired May 26, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: I'm Veronica De La Cruz. It's nice to see you on this Memorial Day.
HARRIS: And you will see events come into the NEWSROOM live on Monday, May 26th.
Here's what's on the rundown.
DE LA CRUZ: Lives and homes in shambles this morning. Tornadoes plow across Iowa and Minnesota leaving eight dead.
HARRIS: A nation at war for a seventh straight year marks Memorial Day. President Bush speaking live this morning.
DE LA CRUZ: NASA's newest space explorer getting busy snapping pictures near Mars's North Pole. "The Earthling Arrives," in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: The middle of the country -- the epicenter of heartbreak. Weekend storms spawned vicious tornadoes across several states.
Here's what we know this morning: the greatest death toll is in Iowa. At least seven people are confirmed dead. Dozens more are injured.
In Minnesota at least one person is dead. That victim, a 2-year- old child. Dozens of homes are destroyed. Just minutes from now, a live report from the hardest hit area.
Sunday's violent weather also stretched into Texas. At least three confirmed tornadoes touched down in the Panhandle. The twisters were weak and the area sparsely populated. There are no reports of injuries or significant damage. It's still not clear how many tornadoes tore through Oklahoma on Saturday.
If you look closely, you will see a twister plow into a cluster of barns. That's a pig farm. Also among the loss is a church in Garfield County.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED TORNADO SURVIVOR: Put a lot of time into it. Now it's gone. We'll rebuild it.
UNIDENTIFIED TORNADO SURVIVOR: (INAUDIBLE) No one lost any lives, and it was just a building, I know. But sure meant a lot to a lot of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: For many, Sunday was a day of prayer and giving thanks; for others, a day of grieving. A series of tornadoes raked across Kansas. At least 17 twisters hit the state Friday. The next day, a powerful tornado picked a car up and threw it 150 yards. Both people inside were killed.
DE LA CRUZ: And in Minnesota the hardest hit area the town of Hugo. That is just outside of St. Paul. And it's also where we're going to find Ed Lavandera.
Ed, give us a look around what's happening right there.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Veronica, rescue teams are back into the subdivision that was hit so hard by this storm last night. They're going through the homes that are still standing and some of the rubble making sure they didn't miss any survivors -- or any other victims that might have been left behind last night after it got too dark for rescue teams to work inside the area.
In all, one person was killed here, a 2-year-old child. There were also about -- almost 10 people severely injured or in critical condition in hospitals this evening. One amazing story of another 6- year-old child who was pulled out of the rubble, thought to be dead, but was resuscitated by paramedics in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. That child, we're told, is in critical condition. And we're still waiting to get an update on that.
But that is kind of like the one ray of good hope here from -- emerging from this rubble here in Hugo, Minnesota. This storm wasn't on the ground very long, long enough to cause a swathe of damage about a half mile wide and about a mile long. And it was -- all in all, kind of just led to an incredibly terrifying night here -- Veronica?
DE LA CRUZ: As you can only imagine. Ed, you know, in the meantime, we're looking at some of the damage behind you there. I want to know -- this is Memorial Day weekend. It's a holiday weekend. Lots of people displaced by the storm. Are people there getting help?
LAVANDERA: There are shelters set up for people. Well -- you know there are also -- the holiday weekend actually helped a lot of people in this situation. They were people who were away from this neighborhood on vacation. In fact, for a while there were some 20 people unaccounted for that just weren't here.
City officials say those people have now been not accounted for.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LAVANDERA (voice over): Two states, two stories of destruction.
In Minnesota, a 2-year-old child was killed, at least nine people injured and dozens of homes leveled after a tornado and severe thunderstorms pummeled Hugo and suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Authorities say many residents were away for the holiday weekend. But those who were there were in disbelief.
MIKE ERICSON, HUGO CITY ADMINISTRATOR: The devastation is very real, the residents are very real. Seeing the looks in their eyes, they just almost can't believe that it's happened.
LAVANDERA: It was only part of the destruction left by severe weather that rumbled through the nation's midsection this weekend.
In Iowa, at least six are dead. A tornado touched down in the north central town of Parkersburg taking several lives there before moving on, wreaking havoc and taking more lives 10 miles away.
Also badly hit, Waterloo, Iowa, where storms with marble-sized hail devastated homes, trees and power lines. Iowa Governor Chet Culver declared a disaster area in the three counties.
A Memorial Day weekend marked by tragedy that residents will only want to forget.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: And now, what Hugo officials are trying to determine is just how they will allow people back into these neighborhoods so they can begin assessing the damage. A lot of power lines, a lot of the destruction. They were worried about people getting re-injured as they were going through these neighborhoods.
So city officials are now trying to work that out as to when people will be allowed to go back inside the neighborhood -- Veronica?
DE LA CRUZ: All right, Ed Lavandera, live for us this morning in Hugo, Minnesota, the situation there.
Ed, thanks so much.
HARRIS: And let's get to Reynolds Wolf in the Severe Weather Center. And I don't know how long meteorologists have been keeping these kinds of records on all-time busiest tornado seasons. But Veronica, this has to be -- come on, this has to be an all-timer.
DE LA CRUZ: Hundreds of tornadoes...
HARRIS: Yes.
DE LA CRUZ: ... this weekend alone.
HARRIS: Good morning, Reynolds.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Did you say 167 tornadoes?
DE LA CRUZ: 167 tornadoes.
WOLF: 167.
HARRIS: Is that what he said?
HARRIS: He did. He did.
WOLF: Unbelievable. And remember, the weakest day that we've had was on Saturday. And what did you see near Oklahoma City?
HARRIS: Well, we...
WOLF: Tony, we were live...
HARRIS: Yes, we saw the pig farm just destroyed there and some other damage as well. And we just saw this tornado just getting angrier and angrier, then the downburst, and then all of the damage. It was just amazing.
WOLF: Unbelievable.
HARRIS: Yes. Oh, we're going to see you later. OK.
WOLF: All right. Well, talk to you soon.
HARRIS: Thanks, Reynolds.
DE LA CRUZ: Thanks, Reynolds.
HARRIS: A twister strikes, a church vanishes, faith endures. Optimism in the middle of the ruins, ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, today is Memorial Day, the day we remember and honor the sacrifices made by U.S. troops around the world. Here's a look now at the Vietnam wall memorial in Washington. It's a gathering place for family and friends to remember those lost in war.
And all across the country today, people will get together for ceremonies and parades.
President Bush makes his traditional visit to Arlington National Cemetery. That's coming up in the next hour. We're going to take you there live for the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. We're also going to bring you the presidential march. That's going to happen some time around 11:15.
Of course, we're going to have live coverage for you -- Tony?
HARRIS: One U.S. soldier killed this Memorial Day in Iraq. He died in a roadside bomb blast in northern Iraq. That raises the number of American troops killed in the war to 4,081. CNN's Arwa Damon has spent time on patrol with the troops. Look at that picture. Great picture. And she joins us this morning from a forward operating base in Iraq.
And Arwa, this is a base you're pretty familiar with. Am I correct in that?
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Tony. In fact, we came out here back in September and met the men of Delta Company right when they were first running into this location, this rundown base that they've tried to turn into what you could kind of call their home over the last pretty much 10 months or so.
But since we've last been here, they've been through some really very difficult and trying times. They've suffered losses. And this Memorial Day, they actually won't be having any sort of special ceremony, quite simply, because the wounds that they suffered are so fresh, and they can't afford to lose sight of the mission.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAMON (voice over): Staff Sergeant David Julian loved children. He used to say, "That's what made all the sacrifices worth it."
STAFF SGT. DAVID JULIAN, U.S. ARMY: It's not all fame and glory. It's a lot of hard times over here. You know? But without Americans willing to pay the price, who's going to? It makes it worth it to know you might provide a future for those kids.
DAMON: We met Sergeant Julian and the men of Delta Company back in September. But just two months ago, he and four fellow soldiers and their interpreter were all killed when a suicide bomber struck their patrol.
Every second of every day those who survive remember their fallen comrades.
PFC. ERROLL MCHUGH, U.S. ARMY: It's hard because, you know, there's -- the thought of possibility of losing more guys is a possibility that happens every day that we go out. But I know it's what they would want. They wouldn't want us just sitting around mourning for them. You know, they'd want us still liking our job.
SGT. ROBERT HUDSON, U.S. ARMY: I lost my crew. Yes, I was in a tank team. And the tank team stand by itself is like a family. To tell you the truth I've got soldiers underneath me. And if I break down, then they don't know what to do. So -- I mean I kind of got to do it for them.
Plus you can't show no emotion over here. If you do, you get ate up. You just can't let it get to you.
DAMON: Each soldier here displayed that determination.
LT. GREGORY FREDLUND, U.S. ARMY: At the end of the day, and to them taking on the burden saying, I want to protect my platoon leader, I want to protect my soldiers and my brothers to my left and right. And they took that burden on to go back out again.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. ARMY: The bond we have together is something I've really never found anything else. And it's the stresses and it's the hazards that really bring us together.
DAMON: It's the bond born out of the experiences they can only share with each other, knowing that some of their comrades will not be going home.
SPEC. THOMAS WEBER, U.S. ARMY: I'll remember them as five guys who were doing their jobs, who were doing what they raised their right hand and swore to do. And I'll tell you more than anything about the fact that Sergeant (INAUDIBLE) and Sergeant Julian both had daughters born while they were here.
CAPT. WES WILHITE, U.S. ARMY: I want them to know that those five, just like everybody else that's laid down their life down here, to know that they gave up everything, they sacrificed everything for what America's about.
FREDLUND: I would love to bring all my men home. I love them more than anything. To not do that, (INAUDIBLE) going back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAMON: Tony, we're joined now by Specialist Thomas Weber who's, in fact, just getting ready to go out on a mission.
Specialist, the peace here really never does stop, not even for Memorial Day.
WEBER: No, we work every day. Nothing happens, we work Christmas, work Thanksgiving. We're working today. We're going out right now to grab some good and feed the guys that are here guarding the place today, and have some dinner for ourselves tonight.
DAMON: And, you know, we've spent the last day with you guys after you've all suffered so much. And I think one thing that I have noticed is that you really kind of maintained this cohesive bond and you try to bring each other's spirits up.
How do you do it?
WEBER: Well, we spend all day with each other, all day every day. So -- I mean we get on each other's nerves. And it's like a family. I mean, it's one big family. The platoon I go out with -- they're all in the trucks right now waiting for me. The other platoon (INAUDIBLE) the company here.
We live in this house together. We all keep each other going. That's pretty much what it is. I mean we've all got our families back home, we keep in touch. But it's us, the guys here every day to keep ourselves up.
DAMON: I know you guys don't have anything specifically planned for Memorial Day. Actually, you weren't really aware of it until we showed up and you asked us why we're on this embed. But what are you thinking about today when you're going out there?
WEBER: I'm thinking about I wish I was at home, going to the lake, get on a boat or something, you know, like everybody does for Memorial Day, the start of summer. Go out and enjoy some stuff. But today we're going to -- we're going to do what we do out here every day, and finish up our mission and go home.
DAMON: Tony, you know, we hear the same things from a lot of the guys who are out here. They all really want to go home. But they also realize just how important the mission here really is.
HARRIS: Yes. Boy, that specialist, America's best right there. Give him our pest. And we certainly hope his family was watching him this moment.
Arwa Damon for us from a forward operating base in northern Iraq.
DAMON: I will.
HARRIS: Arwa, good to see you. Thank you.
DE LA CRUZ: Mental health care coverage. How does it fit into the presidential candidates' plans? We're going to break it down for you in the NEWSROOM.
ANNOUNCER: "Weather Update" brought to you by...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Jeff Lucas. He decided to be in the Navy SEAL at age 9. He went on to become the top Navy SEAL on the East Coast in 2004. Just loved his Lord, his family and his country more than anything. He was very special. The family grieves to this day, but we are so proud of him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The holiday's prime campaign days. John McCain and Barack Obama both meet with veterans in New Mexico this Memorial Day. Hillary Clinton remains in Puerto Rico shoring up support ahead of Sunday's primary. 55 delegates at stake there.
We will look in on a speech she's expected to deliver. That scheduled for next hour.
Obama is now closer to clinching the nomination. He picked up three more superdelegates this weekend in Hawaii.
And look for another name on the November ballot. A libertarian party picked former Republican congressman Bob Barr to headline its ticket.
Primary season winding down. Just three contests to go. One is in Puerto Rico, the primary there on Sunday.
Our Suzanne Malveaux, boy, drew the short straw here, in San Juan.
Suzanne, is this the third day Senator Clinton has been on the island?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the third day, actually, Tony. Happy to say it's the third day we've been on the island as well.
HARRIS: Yes.
MALVEAUX: Not the short straw here. One of the things that voters are saying here is (speaking in foreign language). It means "Yes, we can." We saw Barack Obama over the weekend, obviously, making a final push for the nomination.
But also it is going to be a full family affair here today with the Clintons -- Hillary Clinton being joined by her husband Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea, as they make their final push for the biggest and the most important contest yet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice over): Campaigning Puerto Ricans call bariko(ph) style. Barack Obama at a caminata, a traditional Puerto Rican political parade.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To make a difference. It's exciting. It's really exciting. And I think I'm really proud to be part of all this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For some reason we do have a big delegation. So it does make a difference in the terms of the amount of delegates. That's a big factor.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And if we win Puerto Rico, we will win the nomination and if we win the nomination, we'll win the general election.
MALVEAUX: Obama first opened a campaign office here two months ago. He put out ads in Spanish. He talks about growing up on the island of Hawaii with little means and stresses the need to bring U.S. troops from Puerto Rico serving in Iraq home.
For Hillary Clinton facing increasingly tough odds to win the nomination, capturing as many of Puerto Rico's 55 pledged delegates and the popular vote is critical in convincing undecided superdelegates to swing her way.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I promise you this. I will work for a resolution of Puerto Rico's status by the end of my first term.
MALVEAUX: Bill and Chelsea Clinton have stumped here before. Clinton is the favorite. As the senator of New York, she represents one million Puerto Ricans in her home state. And she's got a strong Latino following.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's the best candidate not only for Puerto Rico but for the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're hoping that she continues. And once they decide the votes of Michigan and Florida, hopefully she'll still be in the game.
MALVEAUX: Since Puerto Rico is a commonwealth and not a state, residents here can vote in the primary but not the general election. Issue number one here is statehood. Both candidates pledged to resolve it during their first term, leaving it up to the Puerto Ricans to decide what's best. While Clinton went a step further, suggesting a constitutional amendment which would allow those on the island to vote.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And Tony, this is the front page of the local paper here. Essentially it is Clinton saying any time any place, taking on Barack Obama, challenging him to another debate on Puerto Rican issues.
Obama -- all indications are he is moving on. He's campaigning in New Mexico today, then on to Nevada as well as Colorado --Tony?
HARRIS: Wow, there you go. Suzanne Malveaux, San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the ocean behind her. That's pretty good.
Suzanne, see you next hour.
DE LA CRUZ: I don't know how she does that. She has the coolest assignment, that's for sure.
HARRIS: Wow.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, health care is certain to be a major campaign issue this fall. So where do the presidential candidates stand when it comes to mental health coverage?
Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has been looking into all of it for us and she's going to break it down.
So Elizabeth, what exactly is at stake here?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Veronica, a lot is at stake here because one out of every four Americans will experience a mental health disorder every year. So that's a lot of people. And the insurance coverage is not the same. It is not the same as it is usually for physical ailments.
So if you have a mental health disorder, you're probably not going to get the same extensive coverage that you would get if you had, say, a heart attack or cancer.
So let's break it down and think about what do these candidates stand for?
There's something called parity, which is, simply put, that mental health coverage should be on par with physical health coverage for insurance policies.
Clinton and Obama have a similar stance here. They both strongly support parity. McCain does not support parity at this time. And so it's not surprising when the Senate recently considered -- or recently passed a bill on parity, McCain was not in support of it, the -- the two Democrats were.
DE LA CRUZ: And Elizabeth, as you know, today is Memorial Day. We are -- we're honoring the nation's fallen, also our veterans. Where do they stand when it comes to veterans and senior citizens?
COHEN: Right. Mental health issues are crucial for veterans as they return. Often they need a lot of physical care as well as mental health care.
So let's take a look at the stance for vets.
Clinton's argument is that there should be more money for at-home care. This is the program where the mental health care is brought to the person's -- to the vet's home. Obama wants to see more money for specialists, counselors and others who are specially trained in dealing with mental health issues. And McCain -- he's more looking at money for VA and military hospitals. That's the way that he looks at it.
Let's also take a look at it for senior citizens, because the issues are a little bit different here.
Clinton and Obama are both looking, again, for parity for mental health coverage. McCain, again, a different stance. He wants to work to change Medicare policies, specifically, he's looking how do we save money on Medicare? He says there's a lot of waste there. How do we save money?
And then once we save money, then we can think about how do we pay for mental health coverage for seniors.
DE LA CRUZ: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, some important information. Thank you so much for that.
COHEN: Thank you. Thank you.
DE LA CRUZ: Tony?
HARRIS: Missing in action. Thousand of soldiers who never came home from fighting overseas. Their families still searching for answers.
CNN's Sandra Endo is live at the Vietnam Wall Memorial this morning.
Sandra, veterans, family members and tourists expected to pay their respects today.
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And what makes this memorial special here today is that four names will be added to the memorial wall, but the names with crosses next to them signify those missing in action or unaccounted for.
Now, 13 people have been identified this year, which is good news to families who have waited years for answers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIE CLIFFORD, NIECE OF KOREAN WAR VETERAN: "August 31st, 1950, Dear Mr. And Mrs. Clifford, I regret that I must confirm that your son Private First Class Clyde R. Clifford has been reported missing in action."
ENDO (voice over): Julie Clifford reads the words no family member wants to hear -- a letter from the military to her grandmother saying that Clyde Clifford, Julie's uncle, went missing in action during the Korean War.
CLIFFORD: The not knowing is what is so difficult.
ENDO: Julie is working with the Department of Defense to find out what happened to her uncle. Her family turned over DNA hoping for a match with any remains. The MIA/POW office says that teams are out searching 24/7.
AMB. CHARLES RAY, DEP. ASST. SECY. OF DEFENSE: On a personal level, I would have to say we haven't been successful enough, but we continue to try.
ENDO: In some cases the patience pays off.
PATRICIA SHARP, HUSBAND OF VIETNAM WAR VETERAN: Every girl that looked at you thought you were adorable.
ENDO: Patricia Sharp's husband Chuck was fighting in Vietnam when his plane was shot down. For years Patricia hoped somehow he had survived.
SHARP: I had visions of him coming into the Pentagon to surprise me. And that kept me alive.
ENDO: Forty-one years later, saliva from love letters Chuck sent her from overseas provided the missing link and helped identify his remains. He's now buried at Arlington Cemetery.
SHARP: I am happy I've got him back. And I don't have to wonder where he's at because I know he's home.
ENDO: Closures the Clifford family is still hoping for.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ENDO: The Department of Defense says 80,000 people remain unaccounted for from wars dating back to World War II, 1700 of them from the Vietnam conflict.
Live at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, I'm Sandra Endo. Back to you.
HARRIS: Sandra, appreciate it. Thank you.
And next hour, Robin Meade, our friend over at "HEADLINE NEWS," joins us with a special tribute to the troops. You'll want to be sure to stick around for that.
A mom gets a terrifying call. Her son in the path of a tornado.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: I was on the phone with him the whole time that it was going on. And I got the -- it's here, it's here, it's here, get down, get down, get down, and the phone died.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Iowa and Minnesota pounded. The story coming up in the NEWSROOM.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Jeff Lucas. He decided to be in the Navy SEALs at age 9. He went on to become the top Navy SEAL on the East Coast in 2004.
Jeff loved his Lord, his family and his country more than anything. He was very special. The family grieves to this day, but we are so proud of him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Bottom of the hour. Our military families have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice so much. Good morning again, everyone. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Veronica De La Cruz. The middle of the country, the epicenter of heartbreak. Weekend storms spawned vicious tornadoes across several states. Here's what we know so far this morning.
The greatest death toll is in Iowa. At least, six people are confirmed dead. Dozens more are injured. In Minnesota, at least one person is dead. That victim a 2-year-old child. Dozens of homes are destroyed. Sunday's violent weather also stretched into Texas. At least, three confirmed tornadoes touched down in the Panhandle. The twisters were weak. The area sparsely populated. There are no reports of injuries or significant damage.
HARRIS: Let's get to Reynolds Wolf in the severe weather center. And Reynolds, boy, after the last couple of days, open ended here. What are you watching today?
(WEATHER REPORT)
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, a lot of people coming home.
HARRIS: That's right.
DE LA CRUZ: That's right. That's right.
HARRIS: Because the sun heats up the atmosphere. And here we go again. You know, the pattern of late afternoon and the evening thunderstorms. And then that turns into - well, I only know this because I listen to this.
DE LA CRUZ: Reynolds, stay, one more time. All right. All right.
HARRIS: There you go. All right, Reynolds, appreciate it.
DE LA CRUZ: All right. Thanks, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, METEOROLOGIST: OK, guys, talk to you soon.
DE LA CRUZ: You know, Memorial Day weekend, it's not easily going to be forgotten. Loss of the Central U.S. because of everything going on.
HARRIS: That's right. You said it. A relentless series of tornadoes. A growing list of losses and for one church congregation, a faith tested in the middle of all that fury. Their story from reporter Jacqueline Sit of CNN affiliate KWTV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SINGING: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how to put words on it. All my memories are here.
JACQUELINE SIT, KWTV REPORTER (voice-over): Every parishioner has a memory. A story to share. And for Bonnie Roberts, who has been here almost as long as the 103-year-old church, her memory serves her well.
BONNIE ROBERTS, 92-YEAR-OLD CHURCH MEMBER: Thanks to these people (INAUDIBLE), they always kept this place going with the help of this minister and this one. Now we're so grateful for that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I come to the garden --
SIT: At this Sunday's service, there are no pews or pianos, only a makeshift mass with lawn chairs. That's because a tornado tore through their historic church Saturday evening.
SAM JEROME, CHURCH PASTOR: It's just a building. There's nothing else. You are the church. You the people. SIT: Pastor Sam Jerome has ministered for 30 years.
JEROME: You put a lot of your time and your life into it. Now it's gone, but we'll rebuild it.
SIT: For this man of faith, the parish and the people are his livelihood.
JEROME: We know the people who are here, their children, we know their birthdays, you know. We know their anniversaries. We're just really close.
SIT: A close knit family including this 92-year-old who used to play the piano.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But I'm never going to play the piano again.
SIT: But as volunteers sift through the debris --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that the piano?
SIT: In the middle of the field is their 300 pound instrument.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, mercy. I'll never play it again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, you won't.
SIT: Here is the last picture taken the day before the storm. Although the church is crumbled, their memories will carry on for generations.
ROBERTS: We're thankful (INAUDIBLE). No one lost any lives. And it was just a building, I know. But sure mean a lot to a lot of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: A neighbor gets ready for its close-up. Phoenix snapped pictures of the Martian arctic. Hey, where's the ice? Coming next in the NEWSROOM.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: David, we're proud of you. And we miss you every day. You're a hero. I love him and I'm proud of him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: They gave all. The nation honors its men and women killed in war. President Bush's Memorial Day remarks live this morning 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time right here in the NEWSROOM.
DE LA CRUZ: China's earthquake death toll rising again this morning. The number of dead now more than 65,000. Putting that figure in perspective for you. It's like the entire population of Bermuda wiped off the map. Other grim statistics more than 360,000 people hurt. 23,000 plus missing. And the ground is still shaking.
Eight people were killed and about 1,000 others injured when a powerful aftershock hit Sunday. That aftershock also destroying more than 70,000 homes and three provinces. And because so many children were killed in the quake, China announced today it is making exceptions to its one-child policy.
We know that you watched all of this. You probably want to help. Log on to cnn.com. We have a special page on the devastation in China and also in Myanmar. Also, links to aid agencies that are organizing help for the region. It is a chance for you to impact your world. Let us be your guide. Log on to cnn.com/impact.
HARRIS: Better gas mileage at a premium. Big prices for small cars if you can even find one.
But first, the clock is ticking for college graduates trying to find a job. Ali Velshi has some career advice. That's "Right on Your Money."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The class of 2008 is leaving the carefree college life behind for the real world. Step one, finding a job.
BRAD KARSH, JOBBOUND.COM: My best piece of advice is be flexible in the job search. You know, a lot of students kind of go into the job search right after they graduate and think, I want to work for one of the big four accounting firms in New York City. And if they don't get that job, then they're devastated.
VELSHI: Karsh says don't accept a job you aren't going to like, but be open about the types of companies you're applying to. Bigger isn't always better.
KARSH: You can think medium sized, even smaller sized. Those kinds of companies have lots of openings right now. The bigger companies they hire well in advance. The smaller and medium sized companies, they do just in time hiring. They're looking for people now.
VELSHI: Karsh says your first job will give you a good foundation and will teach you a lot about the working world.
KARSH: It is not 40 years ago where you had one job for the next 30 years. The fact of the matter is now, right now, people have by the time they retire, something like seven or eight different jobs or careers that they go into, your career path is a winding road. It is not straight and linear.
VELSHI: And that's "Right on Your Money." Ali Velshi, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Retired Staff Sergeant Roger Staats, he was part of this whole family. He was a family man. Served in Vietnam. But he -- (INAUDIBLE) and we said goodbye. And we know that you're our hero. We have an angel on each shoulder. He was my best friend. I love you, Gary, and I miss you so much.
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DE LA CRUZ: Gaining ground on a western wildfire. The destructive fire along the Central California Coast is now about 60 percent contained, but fire officials say it will probably be at least another day before the fire is fully surrounded.
The wildfire destroyed 29 homes. Hundreds more are still in danger. Evacuation orders are still in effect. But some residents have been allowed to get a look at their homes on an hour by hour basis.
HARRIS: Postcards from Mars and some happy, happy, happy scientists. The first photos from a NASA success story. The Phoenix has landed. CNN's space correspondent Miles O'Brien has more.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Phoenix has landed. Phoenix has landed.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CHIEF TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Talk about a happy landing. NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander arrived live and well on the surface of the red planet, opened its solar arrays and started snapping pictures like an eager tourist. 170 million miles away, the entrapped robot human keepers rejoiced.
STEVE SQUYRES, MARS ROVERS SCIENTIST: This is hardware that these guys have held in their hands. That they've nurtured, that they've sweated over for years. And then to see that very same hardware on the surface of another world, it's an incredible feeling.
O'BRIEN: It was an incredible descent. The $420 million Lander breezed through a searing perilous arrival at Mars. Pieces separated, the parachute unfurled, a radar started scanning the ground and a dozen rockets fired all as designed. And Phoenix slowed from 12,700 miles an hour to zero in all of seven minutes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today you had a chance to watch a team in action making something that is incredibly hard to do look easy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like trying to hit a hole in one. But you tee off in Washington and you hit the ball 10,000 miles and you score a hole in one in Sidney, Australia. O'BRIEN: The last time NASA tried a soft landing on Mars like this, it was a disaster. The sister craft to Phoenix, the Mars Polar Lander crashed in 1999. The casualty of a cost-cutting program that NASA admits went too far. This time the space agency spent more money and is ready to focus on the mysteries of Mars.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a scientist's dream right here on this landing site.
O'BRIEN: They believe the rocky tundra here is filled with ice crystals which could hold clues about life on the planet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For example if there are organic molecules, which is one of the key ingredients for life, they may be trapped within that ice.
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HARRIS: Wow. Miles O'Brien is at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, this morning.
Miles, great to see you. Let's sort of break this down a bit here. What is it about these pictures that has the scientists so happy, so intrigued?
O'BRIEN: Well, let's take a look at some of the pictures which just came down last night, Tony.
HARRIS: That would be great.
O'BRIEN: The first batch of them. Quite a few of them were black and white images. And then eventually -- and they do that because it just takes less bandwidth to send that down. They're smaller files. But take a look. There were few color images that came through. Look at what's of interest to them right here. It's these little depressions which are fascinating to them. Because what causes that? It's probably cause by ice freezing, separating the ground. And in those little depressions, it is very likely. If they dig there, they're going to find some water/ice.
Water/ice, it is like a deep freeze. And in those ice crystals might very well be organic compounds which are one of the things you need for life as we know it. You want liquid water, you need an energy source, you need organics. So they're kind of going through the recipe list looking for all the things you would need for life.
HARRIS: Hey, Miles, can Phoenix actually dig?
O'BRIEN: Phoenix -- yes, yes. Phoenix is a robot that can really dig it. Take a look at this. This is the way it's set up right now.
HARRIS: Oh, great.
O'BRIEN: If you look at this model here for a minute, OK? Here is the camera where we're getting these images from. And it is able to rotate around. And it's going to do a little record ordering for the next 24 hours or so. Get a sense of the horizon. 3D images and all that. And when they're ready, they'll tell this robot arm to go to work.
They'll send it out and this tundra, it's harder than concrete. So they have a little drill on the end there, rasp. It will go in there. Kick up some dust, put it in the shovel. And then it goes in here -- this house thing, which is a glorified easy bake oven. And it will cook it and watch how it kind of breaks apart. What energy it takes to break it apart. And they'll be able to tell a lot about what's inside as a result.
HARRIS: Wow. And a timetable. I know the pictures have been remarkable. How long of a mission are we talking about here? When will we get something that is maybe a bit more definitive?
O' BRIEN: Yes. Well, it's not like the Mars Rovers which have been going now for four years. They were warranted for 90 days. They've been going for four years. This spacecraft is up against a hard deadline. They need to make hay literally while the sun shines. Because it's the summertime in the North Pole where they are right now.
And the sun is going to set after three or four months. And when the sun sets, it's going to get awfully cold there. And this will become the first robotic popsicle on Mars. And that will be the end for Phoenix. Phoenix will freeze.
HARRIS: Terrific stuff, Miles. And great job on the special last evening as well. Terrific stuff. Miles O'Brien for us this morning.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Tony.
HARRIS: Thanks.
DE LA CRUZ: A battle tested vet comparing war and a tornado.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was shot at in Iraq and that was a pretty big rush. But this thing, woo.
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DE LA CRUZ: Dangerous weather possible again today. Stay informed in the NEWSROOM.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my brother David Kirkpatrick. What I miss about him most is his humor. He was such a funny kid. And you know, he was quiet. But anything that he said, anything that came out of his mouth was always funny. He always had something to tell you. And he was always funny. And we miss him so much. And we miss him more and more every day.
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DE LA CRUZ: All right. If you are driving this holiday weekend, it's going to cost you more to get back home. The price of gas has hit another record high. AAA is saying the national average for a gallon of regular now more than $3.93. That's up about a half cent since yesterday. More than 34 cents over the past month.
Rising gas prices fuel a rise in small car sales. And people are paying a premium to downsize. CNN's Chris Lawrence takes a look.
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CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After dropping $500 on gas last month, this SUV owner broke down and bought a Prius.
DALTON BUCKELS, BUYING A PRIUS: I mean, I didn't even test drive this. I didn't come down. I just called them and said I'll take it.
LAWRENCE: Dalton Buckels says hybrids are what some homes were three years ago, a competitive market with no room to haggle.
BUCKELS: Pretty much you're stuck with what they sell it at.
LAWRENCE: In last month, hybrid sales jumped 58 percent.
KENNY BURNS, HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA: As soon as the car comes in, it goes out the same day.
LAWRENCE: Hollywood Toyota sales manager says his dealership sells strictly by a waiting list which is 60 deep right now.
BURNS: Up at the market is over sticker on the vehicle, if you choose to ask it.
LAWRENCE: That means some dealers are charging premiums, selling Priuses for $3,000 over sticker price.
BURNS: They get the cars in and then they ask whatever they want to ask.
LAWRENCE: And it's not just hybrids. A 10-year-old Honda Civic with 200,000 miles just sold for $3500. In JD Power and Associates found the average price of sub-compact cars is up about $700 from last year.
JORGE FERNANDEZ, WHOLESALE DEALER: It doesn't matter if it's domestic or foreign, they're selling right off the lot.
LAWRENCE: In 1992, this model Geo Metro listed for about $7,000 brand new. Last week, one like it sold on eBay for $7,200. That's 200 bucks over its original price 16 years later.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it shows you what kind of gas miles the car is getting in real time. LAWRENCE: For hybrid owners, it may take years to save enough on gas to make up the difference in price. After shelling out 100 bucks to fill up their old SUV's, 48 miles per gallon is looking pretty good. Eventually, production of fuel-efficient cars will catch up to the surge in demand.
LAWRENCE (on camera): But until then, don't count on being able to haggle over the price of a hybrid.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Hollywood.
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DE LA CRUZ: All right. So keep watching CNN. Our money team has you covered on all issues that might be affecting your wallet. Join us for a special report. It is called "ISSUE #1," the economy. It happens today at noon Eastern, only on CNN.
HARRIS: The scars of battle. A soldier badly burn but not giving up.
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DE LA CRUZ: Well, good morning, everyone. I'm Veronica De La Cruz. Good morning to you, Tony.
HARRIS: And good morning, Veronica. It's nice to see you. Hello, everyone. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
The governors of Iowa and Minnesota taking a look at tornado damage today. Merciless storms leaving seven dead.
DE LA CRUZ: It's a snap from Phoenix.
