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CNN Sunday Morning
Deadly Stage Collapse in Indiana; Bachmann Wins in Iowa Straw Poll; Rick Perry Gets Into the 2012 Race; Son's Plea to Remember His Dad; Saluting Fallen Heroes
Aired August 14, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good Sunday morning to you all.
And there was a panic at the Indiana State Fair last night. Look at this video, folks. That's a concert stage collapsing. You can hear the people screaming there, but four people are now dead. A number are injured as well. And in a moment, I'll be talking to the people who were there to capture this incredible video.
Also, to politics where there was a big win yesterday for Michele Bachmann, but also it was a big Saturday for Texas Governor Rick Perry. He stole some of her spotlight yesterday. And today, both are off and running for the Republican presidential nomination. I'll tell you what they're saying today and also where they're headed.
Also, the U.S. government is stepping up search efforts to find U.S. service members missing in action from the Vietnam War. We'll tell you why there is such a rush to bring the fallen home.
We're just at the top of the hour here. Hello to everyone. I'm T.J. Holmes. And as always, good morning to our American service members, our men and women who are watching us right now on the American Forces Network. Thank you for being here and thank you for what you do.
We do need to start, though, with that deadly stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis. The fair is closed today because of the accident.
I do want you to stop and look at the television screen for a moment because we're about to show you the 20 or 30 seconds worth of video. Amazing video of the moment it happened. Again, the video goes about 20 seconds. You can see it and you can also hear what was happening. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (voice-over): This video you're seeing is taken by a couple that was there at the concert. We're going to be talking to them here in just a moment to give you some of the details about this.
At least four people were killed when the scaffolding around the stage collapsed. This happened because of a powerful gust of wind reportedly 60 to 70 miles an hour just blew it over. As many as 40 other people were injured. Many of them were trapped under all that twisted metal. People are actually using their seats as stretchers to try to help the injured. Take a listen.
MEGAN RICKERT, WITNESSED STAGE COLLAPSE: We saw a big wind gust and you could see the entire stage come down over to the right-hand side. And you could see people underneath it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of a sudden, you just look up and it happened so fast. It just came down and you saw people running and people - the next thing you know, you look back, there were people underneath the stage trying to get up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know what it's happening. We're just praying for these people because the stage is on top of hundreds of people.
LINDSAY OHL, WITNESSED STAGE COLLAPSE: I just automatically started crying. Called my family, family called me. Friends called me seeing if I was OK. They knew I was a big fan and that I would be there. The people in front of me, I cried for them, not knowing if they had gotten out or, you know, there's a little boy and that's the one thing that's haunting me. I'm hoping that he got out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: We do expect to hear more from police in just a bit. They're holding a news conference a little later this morning.
And, again, that video you saw of the stage toppling over, it was actually taken by Ken Hussong. He joins me now from Marion, Indiana.
Sir, thank you for spending some time with us this morning. You were there with your wife. Just how many people were collected there? You all were waiting on a concert to start, is that right?
KEN HUSSONG, WITNESSED STAGE COLLAPSE (via telephone): We were in the grandstands, and the first part of the concert had already taken place and we were waiting for the Sugarland band to come out.
HOLMES: So was there any indication that something was not quite right as far as the weather goes? I know you were being warned that some nasty weather was coming in, but did you expect it to be severe? And were you and your wife, were you all paying attention to those weather reports and thinking about taking shelter?
HUSSONG: We were watching it come in from the north and the sky just started getting darker and darker. And then it was obvious that something was going on, it appeared there was a line of lighter colored clouds that were coming in. And then just almost instantly, within just a few seconds, the winds started picking up and dust started blowing. And you could tell that, you know, something was - was going on that hadn't even started to rain yet.
HOLMES: Sir, describe, because I've heard a number of people describe that there was one huge wind gust and it blew up debris, it blew up dust into the air. Would you describe it as such as well that there was - it appeared to be one huge gust that came through and did this?
HUSSONG: It was one large gust of wind that came through. The dust was blowing up, and you could see, you know, paper and that type of stuff was coming up off of the ground and around the stage and then the parking lot area.
HOLMES: Sir, what was the moment like? And we're seeing your video here, what is it like to see this happening? Could you not believe what you were seeing? And we heard some people say it seems like this was all happening in slow motion almost.
HUSSONG: It was slow motion, it seemed as though as it was starting, it was like it's just high wind and then the wind started getting worse and looks like it was not stopping. It was one continuous.
And I started looking toward the sky to see if it was, you know, a tornado or funnel cloud was, you know, in the area. You could see it about that time. It's when the rigging that was on the stage started to wave a little bit and it collapsed.
HOLMES: And, sir, to wrap up here with you, and we understand a number of people were trapped under there, but as you were making your way out or making your way down to help, I guess, what was that scene like? I don't know if you can - you certainly probably can't estimate or maybe you can. Just how many people were under there? And just the horror of the scene knowing people were under there trapped?
HUSSONG: At first when the rigging started to fall and it collapsed, I was hoping that it would fall straight on the stage and will not fall onto the audience. And at that time, it started coming toward the front and trapped the people at left front by the stage under the rigging. And then there were people in the area started going up there to help.
And the state police were right there around the stage area. They were able, you know, to get there immediately. And without heavy equipment, some of the people were not able to be taken out from underneath the stage in rigging area because it collapsed on them.
HOLMES: And, sir, how long had it been before the last act left the stage?
HUSSONG: They were changing the set-up on the stage. I'm not really sure. It might have been as much as maybe 45 minutes or longer.
HOLMES: OK.
HUSSONG: And the longer we sat there, you know, it looked like it was starting to get dark. But I don't think anyone knew it was just this gust of wind that came blowing through there.
HOLMES: All right. Well, Ken Hussong, again, who took that incredible video. Sir, I appreciate you getting on with us and sharing your story and your experience from last night. Thank you so much.
All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT STRAWN, CHAIRMAN, IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY: With 16,892 Iowans voting, the winner of the 2011 Iowa Straw Poll is Congresswomen Michele Bachmann.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, as we turn to politics now, you just heard there how it all went down in Iowa yesterday, a big win for Michele Bachmann in the Ames Iowa Straw Poll. A poll that may mean more for the losers actually than it really does for the folks who win it.
But even before the vote, the political game changed with another announcement in South Carolina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is time get America working again. And that's why with the support of my family and unwavering belief in the goodness of the America, I declare to you today as a candidate for president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right. We've got one more in the game now. That's Texas Governor Rick Perry. He made it official yesterday that he is in fact in the race.
Now, the results from yesterday, the Iowa Poll, the Straw Poll, Perry who didn't campaign there, who wasn't necessarily a part of it, he was a write-in. And look at that, he did, was able to pull up four percent of the vote there.
But you'd see how the others came out. Paul had a strong showing, the congressman from Texas, Ron Paul. And also Tim Pawlenty, who many thought needed to finish first or second, had a decent showing I suppose coming in third, but still might have come in under the expectations of what he needed to do to show that he could be a viable candidate.
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser now breaking down the numbers and tell us why Perry's showing was especially impressive.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey. Good morning, T.J.
You know, Michele Bachmann, she was already at the top of the polls here in Iowa the first day to vote in the primary caucus calendar, now by winning this crucial straw poll in Ames, Iowa, it's truly cemented her frontrunner status. It's very important to stay in the road to the Republican nomination.
Here's what Bachmann tells supporters soon after winning the straw poll.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, everyone. We did this together! Thank you, everyone, for coming today, and thank you so much. What we saw happen today is this is the very first step toward taking the White House in 2012. And you have just sent a message to Barack Obama will be a one-term president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: Come second place finish for Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas, who's making his third bid for the White House. And just in third place finish, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who now has questions about whether his campaign will continue. And a fourth place finish for Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania. He's actually pretty happy with that finish. He says his small, modest campaign can continue.
And the biggest surprise here, I guess, Rick Perry, the Texas governor, who on the same day as the straw poll announced he was running for the president. He wasn't on the ballot here, but he finished ahead of Mitt Romney and three other candidates on the ballot.
T.J., back to you.
HOLMES: All right. Thanks to our Paul Steinhauser there.
And you can tune in to Candy Crowley, "STATE OF THE UNION" this morning a little later. Michele Bachmann will join Candy to talk about the win in Iowa. Also, fellow presidential candidate Herman Cain will be there. Again, that's "STATE OF THE UNION" coming your way at 9:00, Eastern Time.
At 11 minutes past the hour now, day two of Philadelphia's expanded curfew brought fewer reports of arrest. We saw at least 50 young people rounded up when they broke curfew Friday night. Teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 have to be off the streets by 9:00 P.M. That used to be midnight. The city kept 20 recreation centers opened late last night to give teenagers an alternative to hanging out the streets.
The mayor there, Michael Nutter, expanded the curfew after several high profile mob attacks.
Well, Pakistani Police have detained several possible suspects in the wake of the abduction of an American from his home in Lahore. Warren Weinstein works for a development company based in Virginia. Eight armed men abducted Weinstein from his house after overpowering his guards. There have been no claims of responsibility nor ransom demands.
Also, do you remember this video? We showed it here to you on CNN. It angered a lot of people once it hit the web. It's a young man who's beaten during the riots in London, people were acting like they were trying to help him, but then they started robbing him. They went through his backpack. You see this going on there. Took what they wanted while he was still standing there bleeding, needing assistance.
Well, now, one of the guys on the tape is in custody, he's one of more than 2,200 people picked up by police during last week's riots.
Well, triple-digit temperatures in Texas cooling down a bit, thanks to - rain. Are you kidding me? A welcome addition there - a welcome addition to our weekend show this weekend is meteorologist, Alexandra Steele. Good to see you again and good for them to see some rain.
ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Oh, absolutely, breaking that streak. We'll talk more about that. Also, the tropics are heating up. A new tropical depression has formed in the Atlantic. I'll tell you who is under the gun, it maybe you.
And also, we've got some severe weather in the Mid-Atlantic, a tough state to fly. We'll talk about everything from New York to Washington. That's all coming up right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Fourteen minutes past the hour on the CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
And great news for the Greater Dallas area. After breaking a streak of 40 consecutive days of 100 degrees or higher, take a look at what they got. Rain, that precious, precious stuff. Got almost an inch of rain. OK, not much, but still - that's at the Dallas Ft. Worth Airport, the rain keeping temperatures out of the triple digits. So we got to the mid-90s. That's a big deal.
Let me welcome back in Alexandra Steele. Is that right, they had 40-plus days -
STEELE: Yes.
HOLMES: -- of 100 degrees?
STEELE: Absolutely. Yes, they have 44 in some areas. The precious commodity there, right?
HOLMES: Oh, my goodness.
STEELE: Actually, you said only an inch, but south and west of Dallas had almost 2-1/2 inches.
HOLMES: That's huge.
STEELE: So isolated pockets of really some beneficial rain, but it's a fait accompli.
HOLMES: OK.
STEELE: We're back to the 100s -
HOLMES: OK.
STEELE: -- again for tomorrow.
HOLMES: Anymore rain?
STEELE: No more rain. Now, the forecast today, 102 in Dallas.
So let's talk about what we've seen in Dallas, of course, the rain is pretty much a done deal. Of course, the heat continues. But let's talk about the streaks and what we're going to see and also some severe weather potential for fliers today in the mid-Atlantic.
So let's get to it and show you the Texas hot streak, kind of a done deal, of course. There's Dallas and we're talking about how many days? Well, it's pretty unbelievable, but it is over for now and we're back into the 100-degree territory. So in the 90s yesterday from Dallas to Waco. Forty consecutive straight days for Dallas, second longest streak in history. So really unbelievable numbers.
So what we're going to see today in Waco, a similar scenario, back in the 100s, 90s yesterday. A 44 straight days there, the longest streak in history eclipsing 1980.
So as we look toward the south and east, what we're also going to see some severe weather, especially in the mid-Atlantic. So if you're waking up, good morning to you around Baltimore and Washington, inside those Beltway, boy, it will be a strong day and around Richmond, Virginia, as well.
Severe storms developing locally heavy rain, maybe one to four inches, some strong gusty winds. In the northeast, cloudy skies, cooler than average temperatures, of course, because that cloud ceiling keeping things cool.
But here in the mid-Atlantic, some strong winds, possibly, right along the Gulf Coast, maybe some thunder, winds coming down from the plains. Pacific Northwest about 70 degree temperature, from Seattle to Portland. Sunny and pleasant if you're waking up, it's early in L.A., but it's going to be really a nice day with temperatures in the low 70s, 72 is your high.
Temperatures being held down from New York to Boston, Albany, New York to Loudonville all the way up to Lake George. Not the best lake day, that's for sure. Ninety degrees in Atlanta.
And one quick look at the tropics, TD-7 has formed, 11:00 last night. It will move over Bermuda tomorrow morning. We'll talk about, really, the impacts we could see coming up in just a bit.
But, first, T.J., back to you.
HOLMES: All right. Thank you. It's always good to have you here with us.
STEELE: Thanks.
HOLMES: Thanks so much.
Well, 17 minutes past the hour now. He's been called the game- changer. Texas Governor Rick Perry is now an official presidential candidate. Hear how he decided to kick off his campaign.
Stay with us on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Eighteen minutes past the hour now on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Rick Perry is in the race. The Texas governor made the announcement in South Carolina yesterday. After that, from South Carolina he went on New Hampshire. And then he's off to Iowa later today. You see how this pattern is kind of working so far?
CNN's Jim Acosta has more on Perry and his immediate effect on the 2012 race for the White House.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: T.J., Rick Perry announced he is running for president at the Conservative Red State Conference, but they could have called it the Red Meat Conference because the Texas governor was dishing it out and Republicans were eating it up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (voice-over): Offering up his own brand of Lone Star conservatism, Texas Governor Rick Perry ended months of speculation about his presidential ambitions.
PERRY: It is time get America working again. And that's why with the support of my family and unwavering belief in the goodness of the America, I declare to you today as a candidate for president of the United States.
ACOSTA: Perry wasted no time going after the president, blaming him for the recent downgrade of U.S. credit.
PERRY: The fact is for nearly three years, President Obama has been downgrading American jobs and downgrading the hope for a better future for our children.
ACOSTA: In a speech that was pure Tea Party, he promised to shrink government and repeal the National Health Care Law.
PERRY: I'll work every day to try to make Washington, D.C. as inconsequential in your life as I can.
ACOSTA: It was a bid to overshadow his GOP rivals at the Iowa Straw Poll, where Perry didn't have the organizational muscle to win. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said Perry played it like a pro.
GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: I think to turn around and do this the same day that you got an Ames Iowa Poll really just let us all now that it's game on time for all the candidates and I love that.
ACOSTA: Outside Perry's speech, Democrats dressed in Civil War attire and resurrected the governor's comments in 2009 that appear to suggest he would support secession. But Perry told the overflow Conservative crowd, he believes in America.
PERRY: First and foremost, I'm an incredibly proud American. And I know something, America is not broken. Washington, D.C. is broken.
ACOSTA: Several Republicans in the room said it was the speech conservatives have been waiting for.
CAROLINE DURANT, REPUBLICAN VOTER: I think he's a wonderful conservative, and that he's a fiscal conservative and that is really what is important to get this country back on track.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: There's one word that didn't find its way in the Perry speech, Bush. Democrats are quick to point out if Perry makes it to the White House, he'll be the second Texas governor in a row to do so. But first, Perry has to win in places like New Hampshire and Iowa and that's where he's headed next - T.J.
HOLMES: Thanks to our Jim Acosta.
And a week after a Taliban rocket downed a U.S. Army helicopter over Afghanistan, we're remembering some of the 30 Americans who died. That's coming your way next.
It's 22 minutes past the hour on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 25 minutes past the hour on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
And it was a story that stunned the country, Afghan insurgents shooting down an army helicopter a week ago, killing 30 American service members. The highest single day loss of U.S. lives since that war began.
And also, this, that touched the country. A 10-year-old boy, Braydon Nichols, he sent us an iReport with a picture of his father. And he wrote, and I'm quoting now. It said, "My father was one of the 30 U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan with the SEALS Rescue Mission. My father was the pilot of the Chinook." He goes on to say, "I have seen other pictures of victims from this deadly mission and wish you would include a picture of my father. He is the farthest to the left."
Well, after a request like that, you certainly can't turn him down and certainly want to remember him and the others. This is the picture he's talking about his father farthest from the left. But Braydon's family and his father, who's Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Nichols, the helicopter pilot, after Braydon's request went viral, a fund was set up to help the family.
And because of these fallen service members like Bryan Nichols, CNN is going to salute some of the men who died that day. Among them, Navy SEAL Tommy Ratliff, he was one of a number of the Navy SEALs killed in that helicopter crash. His best friend said he always wanted to be a SEAL and joined the Navy two weeks after graduating high school.
I want to bring in Ashley Fantz of CNN.com, here to look at the lives of some of these Americans who died. And we hear the numbers oftentimes, but I'm glad we're stopping to actually focus in on a couple of these service members.
ASHLEY FANTZ, CNN.COM: With Thomas Ratliff, let's talk about that, Tommy, in high school he was very ambitious, very driven. But he also had a great sense of humor. I mean, this is a guy whose science teacher said that, you know, he was the best at dissecting frogs and he was just sort of clowning around a lot.
But we would be here for an hour talking about how decorated he was, the Bronze Medal for Valor in Combat. The very sad thing is that he has a 6-year-old and an 11-year-old boy and his wife is pregnant. She's due in November.
HOLMES: We - I mean, it's always tragic, but it seems so many of these - they're young men who serve oftentimes, and they do, there's a pregnant wife or there's a 2-month-old, they always have very young children it seems, which adds to the tragedy of many of these stories.
Now, Brian Bill is another we're going to focus on this morning, Chief Petty Officer.
FANTZ: Again, extremely accomplished, very driven. A pilot, a skier, a triathlete. His father said that his goal was to climb the Seven Summits, which is climbing all of the continents, the highest peaks on those continents. And he had a quiet toughness about him. His friends said during a vigil last night in Stamford, Connecticut where he is from, that when everyone, you know, was having a really good time and there was - everyone was - you know, he would step back a little bit. He didn't like attention. He was someone who just had a very strong quiet presence.
HOLMES: Now, these are just two - these are just two we're focusing on. But people can find out about all of them. We have this feature set up, is that right?
FANTZ: Absolutely. People can go to CNN.com to read and learn about all of the Navy SEALs who died.
HOLMES: Ashley, thank you for that. I think we're going to be talking to you again this morning.
But there it is, and look at it as she's talking about on CNN.com. But all 30 there you can find out more. And find out more about the names behind some of the pictures you have seen and behind some of the headlines and dig a little deeper into who these service members were.
Ashley, thanks so much.
But we're coming up on the bottom of the hour now.
And the United States is now stepping up efforts to find the remains of missing U.S. service members missing in Vietnam, though. We'll talk to the head of the one of the search teams after the break.
Plus, we've got the latest on that deadly stage collapse in Indianapolis and the video that is just unbelievable this morning.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Just past the bottom of the hour on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Welcome back. Thank you for spending part of your weekend with us. I'm T.J. Holmes.
We are expecting to hear a little more from police just a short time from now on that deadly stage collapse at a concert in Indiana. And someone in the audience got this all on video. Take a look and a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SCREAMING, STRUCTURE COLLAPSING)
Again, this was at the state fair in Indianapolis. Four people killed. At least 40 others injured. Now listen to how police describe what may have caused this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. DAVE BURSTEN, INDIANA STATE POLICE: What hit really wasn't a storm, it was a significant gust of wind. And that gust of wind is what upset all of the rigging and structures that were above the stage and caused that collapse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, that gust of wind estimated around 60 to 70 miles an hour. And the state fair closed today because of this tragedy. We'll be talking at the top of the hour with an iReporter. One of our iReporters who was there when that stage collapsed.
Also, some of the stories making headlines, Michele Bachmann making the Iowa straw poll. Won it just barely, though, she beat out fellow Congressman Ron Paul, 29 to 28 percent. But still, she declares a victory. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty finished a distant third, but third nonetheless. Almost 17,000 ballots were cast in this nonbinding but politically significant vote. Also, take a look at what's happening in North Ireland right now. After 10,000 Protestants held an annual march through Londonderry, that is a heavily Catholic city. This is the result of it, young people wearing masks, throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, attacked police vehicles, setting several on fire. Police eventually were able to restore calm.
In Myanmars (sic), opposition leader ventured outside of the city for the first time today. Aung San Suh Kyu had been under house arrest until her release last year. The army backed regime has met with her in Rangoon, hoping-hoping to appease those who want democracy and see her as leading that movement.
The U.S. government stepping up efforts to find the remains of missing U.S. service members in Southeast Asia. Teams are rushing to locate and identify nearly 1,800 MIAs before their remains are lost, and while their relatives are still alive.
Ron Ward is with the group leading the searches. He is joining us this morning by Skype from Vietnam. And also joining me here in the studio is Joanne Shirley, her brother is still missing in Vietnam.
Thank you both for being here. While you're sitting here right next to me, tell me what year was it? You probably know the exact day, as well, when your brother went missing.
JOANNE SHIRLEY, LEAGUE OF POW/MIA FAMILIES: November the 28th, 1972.
HOLMES: We're talking about almost 40 years - it will be next year.
SHIRLEY: 39 years this fall.
HOLMES: 40 years next year. Explain to people for a moment, even though there has to be say sense of closure you've had over these years, that your brother is lost, why is it still so important to have him home, his remains home?
SHIRLEY: Because we believe that that's possible. And we also believe that that's our obligation to al our servicemen who are serving today, as well as in the past, that we don't leave them on foreign soil. That we recover them, we bring them home with honors.
HOLMES: All right, Ron, let me bring you in now. You're leading up this search. Is it fair for me to say it's kind of a renewed or stepped up effort. The effort always continues, but now you feel like you have a race against the clock for a couple of reasons. Explain to me why time is of the essence right now?
RON WARD, JPAC CASUALTY RESOLUTION SPECIALIST: Well, T.J., we've been doing this ever since the war, the accounting for the missing in Vietnam. In 1985 is when we began to really work jointly with the Vietnamese. And there was a lot of negotiation and then throughout the '90s and the 2000s. It was kind of a steady effort by the U.S. government to do this. Now, we're realizing that we if we don't step up our efforts now, we're going to lose opportunities to bring these men home. One of the problems is that we're losing witnesses. All the American-Vietnamese witnesses are getting older. The Vietnam generation is getting older. So within the next five to 10 years, we need to get the information from those people.
HOLMES: And-
WARD: Another thing-go ahead.
HOLMES: Well, I was going to ask, curious, how do you go about doing this? You talk about witness accounts. And I assume you have some historical information. But how in the world, do you 40 years after the fact, even begin to try to track down and find remains?
WARD: Well, T.J., you started out with the file from the wartime, that is the information we began with. And when we started doing this operation jointly with the Vietnamese, we were actually able to send teams into Vietnam, to interview witnesses to go to crash sites, to go to burial sites. And we investigate all of these cases with the hopes of finding a place to excavate. That's your ultimate hope is that you are able to find a place to excavate, recover remains, and send those home so our central identification laboratory can identify those remains and bring them home to their families.
HOLMES: Speaking of those family, Miss Shirley, let me bring you back in here. When they brought you into the studio a short time ago, I was just amazed. You have something framed. I want you to explain it. But that belonged to your brother, and it was found in Vietnam, but still no trace of him, or his remains.
SHIRLEY: Correct.
HOLMES: Explain what that is first of all?
SHIRLEY: OK, it's called a blood chit. I didn't know what it was either when they told me they had found it. A lot of military people don't know what it is. It folds down to 2 by 3, zips into the pocket of a flight vest. It has a number on it. When you are issue that flight vest that number is put in the database correlated to your name. If you don't return, the number stays correlated until they either find you or, you know, it stays in the database forever.
They have excavated the mountain that they think my brother crashed into from top to bottom now on two different excavations. In between those two, they excavated the lower half. Found no personal effects, no human remains. Went back in 2008 to decide should they excavate more extensively. While they were out there, lodged in the root of a tree, they found this blood chit. Just fully exposed to the elements in the jungle for 36 years? I don't think so. We believe, and a lot of people in the government, my own governor, Nathan Deal who has been a great supporter of me and this issue and my case. Immediately, when I was giving him the update said somebody must have planted it there so that our guys will go back and do more. HOLMES: Even though the circumstances surrounding it, what was it like to still get this piece back, knowing it was belonging to your brother?
SHIRLEY: Well, it was miraculous because they found it in July 2008. In the fall, I called out there and said to JPAC, can I have it? They were like, well, yes, we're processing it. I said, when you get through, let me know. They e-mailed me. And said it's being FedExed to you. It arrived at my house on the day my brother had been missing 36 years. My children were there with their families. My mother was there. We got to open it up together and actually see what it looked like. And that just made it even more amazing to get it.
HOLMES: You can never really be at peace until your brother gets home?
SHIRLEY: I can in that, as a Christian, I've said my goal is to do everything I can. I'm a housewife from Georgia, but I'm totally committed to this issue. And I want to do everything I can. And I learned very quickly, it's not just about Bobby. It's about all our guys that are missing. So in the end, if I get a resolution, praise the Lord, if I don't, then, you know, I'll know that one day when we're face-to-face, we can look each other in the eye and know that, you know, he's pleased with what we've tried to do to bring him back.
HOLMES: Ron Ward, last thing to you, is this what keeps you going? These stories of these families and makes you keep up those efforts, and making sure you don't stop until you try to give folks like Miss Shirley that resolution she needs?
WARD: It's our government's commitment to keep the promise to family members like Joanne. And I've got to tell you, T.J.. when I come to work every day, I don't have to convince myself that I'm doing something worthwhile. I mean it's one of the most gratifying jobs you can imagine. Just the search itself, but when you bring somebody home, and you're able to help those families gain closure, it's priceless.
HOLMES: Ron Ward, we appreciate you taking the time with us there. I know you're over there searching. It's going on right now, but we thank you for taking the time from there in Vietnam. And Miss Joanne Shirley, it's a pleasure to have you here in studio. And thank you for sharing your brother's story. Maybe we'll have you back when they find your brother.
SHIRLEY: I'd love it.
HOLMES: Thank you, so, so much.
We're 42 minutes past the hour now. Coming up, we're going to head back to the City of Brotherly Love. It hasn't really lived up to that name. A lot of people will tell you lately, there's a new curfew in place to try to keep teenagers off the streets. We've got a follow-up for you. See how things went last night. We're right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: All right. About a quarter to the top of the hour here now, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says parents and teenagers are starting to get the message. Fewer teenagers were arrested overnight under the city's new curfew policy. It is aimed at stopping a recent rash of mob related violence. Our Susan Candiotti is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the second night of a beefed up curfew-
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody here over 18?
CANDIOTTI: -Philadelphia police rounded up anyone under 18 out on the street past 9:00 o'clock; targeting two downtown areas popular with locals and tourists. This 16-year-old was caught in the dragnet while out with older friends, ages 18 to 22.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Someone has to come and get her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's utterly ridiculous.
CANDIOTTI: The crackdown is to sent a message that flash mob violence won't be tolerated. And parents whose children get into trouble or break curfew could face fines.
COMM. CHARLES RAMSEY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPT.: A wake-up call to a lot of people. Sometimes, people need to hear what they don't want to hear.
CANDIOTTI: But these friends say they were just out for fresh air, not to stir up trouble.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My daughter called me and told me she's been in the back of a paddy wagon for curfew.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): And you said what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I said, oh, my God!
CANDIOTTI: This parent of a 17-year-old honor roll student was required to pick up his daughter before she could be released. That's the rule.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was upset, yeah. I thought it was kind of funny. But you know, after a while, I got a little nervous.
CANDIOTTI: Privately, some officers questioned what the show of force will accomplish.
(On camera): When the spotlight dims, when the patrols are less frequent, will anything have changed?
MARIA KEFALAS, PROF. ST. JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY: All we're doing is putting a temporary Band-Aid on a problem, that isn't going to go away. CANDIOTTI (voice over): Sociology professor Maria Kefalas believes Philadelphia's highly publicized response to its teen troubles is putting the blame on teens for wider problems and is disproportionately focusing on tourist areas.
KEFALAS: There's lots of black on black violence in the City of Philadelphia, every single day. And what has changed now is that it is black on white violence.
CANDIOTTI: The mayor, police and community organizers insist things will change.
ANTHONY MURPHY, TOWN HALL WATCH: We are going to reach out to those parents who have challenges with their young people. And we'll work with them.
CANDIOTTI: Attacking the far more serious problem than the late- night hassle faced by this parent. Susan Candiotti, CNN, Philadelphia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, our "Morning Passport" with Nadia Bilchik is coming up. And she is taking us to a city of the future. Where else is it? China. We'll tell you how General Motors will help change the way people get around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Time for our "Morning Passport." Let's say good morning to Nadia Bilchik.
Hello to you. Talking about cities of the future, I'm thinking the Jetsons.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN PRODUCER: That is right.
HOLMES: Is that what we're talking about?
BILCHIK: It's amazing that you think of the Jetsons, because around 1939 General Motors got together at something called Futurama, and they said, one day they are going to be expressways to suburbs. And people went, that's not going to happen.
And now, on the outside of Beijing, around 100 miles outside of Beijing, there is a eco city. It is called Tianjin City and it is rather remarkable because it is going to be the first of its kind in terms of sustainability. You are seeing the models right now, of what it's going to be. Probably about three quarters of size of Manhattan.
HOLMES: OK?
BILCHIK: What you're seeing there is a sun-powered solarscape. If you look there, think about how much air conditioning you need because it's cold or warm. Well the solarscape will prevent that, so you won't be needing the energy required for heating and cooling. The idea is you'll have no reliance on fossil fuels whatsoever in this city.
HOLMES: So it keeps it all-am I saying that right, it kind of encapsulizes.
BILCHIK: Absolutely.
HOLMES: So it keeps it all in?
BILCHIK: So it will keep it-if it's hot, it will keep it cool. If it's cool, it will keep it warm. And you won't have this reliance that we have and this need for energy.
HOLMES: How is General Motors getting involved in this game here?
BILCHIK: General Motors are providing the vehicles and they're rather extraordinary, because they are going to be only run on electricity. Isn't that amazing?
HOLMES: That is the car?
BILCHIK: That is the car. It's called a two-wheel propulsion system. And they call it the EN-V System. And General Motors is saying we are providing the next urban vehicle. What is the greatest problem people have with vehicles? Obviously, traffic and accidents, and the use of fuel. So here you have electrically powered vehicles.
HOLMES: How is this supposed to work? It's an automatic system or you're actually driving it? How did this work?
BILCHIK: You get into the car and apparently it has a GPS, so you program the GPS so you're not actually powering the car yourself. Also, it communicates with other cars so there won't be any accidents.
HOLMES: You got my attention.
BILCHIK: And they say this is the next emerging markets. This is where the growth in the motor industry is going to take place.
HOLMES: When will they have the city up and running?
BILCHIK: They say about 2020.
HOLMES: That soon?
BILCHIK: They started development in 2008.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: They have a very light transit rail system so people won't be using cars. What's also extraordinary about this city is it's going to have a lot of affordable housing. Also very friendly towards the elderly community; the way that it's going to work. I mean, it sounds almost fantastical, this eco-friendly remarkable city. And there's a Chinese-Singaporean consortium who are building it. By 2020, maybe this is the city of the future and we'll be going wow. But maybe this is how we are all going to be living.
HOLMES: This is not too far into the future. This is not way off, 2020, that is not too long to wait. So, "Morning Passport," about eight years from now.
BILCHIK: One of those vehicles would be nice now, wouldn't it?
HOLMES: It would. Just get in.
BILCHIK: Getting around CNN Center.
HOLMES: Nadia Bilchik with our "Morning Passport". Thank you as always. We're just about eight minutes to the top of the hour now.
It one is of the most compelling stories of World War II. You know it by now, the Tuskegee Airmen, an all African-American squadron fighter pilots who had to actually fight discrimination in order to serve. We're hearing from them this morning. Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, as we come up to the top of the hour now, the Tuskegee Airmen made history during World War II. They formed a squadron of African-American fighter pilots and support crews during a time when the military was segregated and many thought they couldn't do the job. History proved the critics wrong. Now, with one of their restored vintage training planes headed to the Smithsonian, several of the airmen taking a look back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAYMOND WILLIAMS, TUSKEGEE AIRMAN: What does it mean to be a Tuskegee Airman? Well, certainly we are a member a very exclusive group of airmen. I mean, we all worked together. We loved one another.
HERBERT CARTER, TUSKEGEE AIRMAN: I was doing what I considered one of the most challenging and pleasant careers of my life, and that was flying.
WILBUR MASON, TUSKEGEE AIRMAN: So it was like say fraternity. It was a tremendous amount of brotherhood. Because guys were helping each other, you know, fellow couldn't perform through some degree, or couldn't grasp something immediately. His brothers would jump in and try to encourage him and teach him.
CARTER: I went overseas with the 99th pursuit squadron. We were the first black fighter squadron in combat. I flew 77 combat missions. Going overseas to fight was doing so as an American, but I felt very proud of being and was willing to go fight and die for. It had nothing to do with the racial status that I had to endure. And it was my love for America in spite of her imperfections.
MASON: Thinking we were making history, a part of history never occurred to us. And we were just doing the best we could. WILLIAMS: We went for many, many years where nobody knew that we existed. Right now, it's about almost 70 years ago. So it took a long time for them to recognize us.
CARTER: I feel that recognition has finally come around. I simply hope that our young men and women of America will look at this experience, and the story of these Tuskegee Airmen and from it, make themselves a committee of one, so that we can perpetuate the legacy that these airmen have left.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, as we approach the top of the hour on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING, stay with us. Quick break, when I come back, we're going to reset, give you the top stories of the morning, including tragedy at the Indiana State Fair. A stage collapses. A number of people are dead. The very latest when we reset at the top of the hour here in just a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Top of the hour now on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
And a day at the Indiana state fair turns into panic. Look at this, folks. A stage, a concert stage collapses on top of people, at least four are dead. A number of others are injured. In moments, I'll be talking to someone who was there.
Also this morning, it's a big day after a big victory for Michele Bachmann. It's also a pretty big day for Governor Rick Perry, stole some of the spotlight yesterday. But both are off and running today for the president nomination. I'll show you what they're saying and where they're headed today.
Also, a weekend wedding in Cuba is getting a lot of attention. Why? Because the groom is a he -- the bride used to be a he. We'll tell you what this all means for gay rights moving forward in Cuba.
But we do need to start here at the top of the hour by that deadly stage collapse at the Indiana state fair. This is at Indianapolis last night. The fair is closed today because of the accident.
Now, I'm going to run a piece of tape year for you. I want you to look at the screen and also listen to it as this happened. It was all caught on tape, this video goes about 20 seconds.
Take a listen.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
HOLMES: At least four people killed when the scaffolding around the stage collapsed. A powerful gust of wind, described between 60 and 70 miles an hour, blew it over. As many as 40 people were injured. They were trapped, many of them, under all of that twisted metal. People were actually using seats as stretchers to help the injured. Take a listen to some of the witnesses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEGAN RICKERT, WITNESSED STAGE COLLAPSE: We saw the big wind gust and you could see the entire stage come out over to the right- hand side and you could see people underneath it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of a sudden, you just looked up. It happened so fast. It just came down and you saw people running. The next thing you know, there's people underneath the stage, trying to get out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know what is happening, but we're just praying for these people because the stage is on top of hundreds of people.
LINDSAY OHL, WITNESSED STAGE COLLAPSE: I just automatically started crying, called my family. My family called me. Friends called me -- seeing if I was OK. They knew I was a big fan and I'd be there.
The people in front of me, I cried for them not knowing if they had gotten out. Or, you know, there's was a little boy. And that's one thing that is haunting me. I'm hoping he got out.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
HOLMES: Cory Whitehead was there. He joins me now from Indianapolis.
Cory, I appreciate you taking some time with us. First off, where were you as this was happening?
CORY WHITEHEAD (via telephone): Sure. Good morning, T.J.
We were -- I was with a friend and we were actually in a box seat section in the first rows of the grandstand. So, the right in front of us was the center stage where the stage actually collapsed.
HOLMES: Were you call -- I understand announcements were being made about the weather. And giving people a heads-up, if there needs to be an evacuation, this is what you do. But you all -- the crowd was never told, hey, you need to go seek shelter, were you?
WHITEHEAD: No, we weren't. Actually, someone came out and there were kind of mixed emotions as he was walking out because I think most people assumed they were going to cancel the concert, because off to the west we could, you know, see the dark clouds and kind of a storm rolling in. And I guess to a lot of people's surprise, it wasn't that it was canceled that they were going to go on with the show. So, we kind of assumed that maybe it was going to move, you know, in a different direction.
And then about -- I think about five, 10 minutes later is -- probably five minutes later is when the stage actually collapsed when the wind gusts came in. HOLMES: Well, Cory, it sounds like, you're saying that the weather got bad enough that you were surprised that they were going to continue on with the show. Just how nasty was the weather getting. And were you considering just going on your own and getting the heck out of there?
WHITEHEAD: You know, we actually did. Right after the man left the stage, several people started leaving because of how bad the weather did look. You know, we just -- partly, you know, we didn't want to be in grandstands when it was lightning. We saw lightning off in the distance. So --
HOLMES: And, Cory, these pictures were incredible. Was your head in the direction -- were your eyes fixed on the stage when this big wind gust came? And I guess, just describe for me, and a lot of people just describe it, it seemed like it was some slow motion as this began to come down.
WHITEHEAD: Yes. We had decided to leave, and so we were just talking out, turned around because there was a lot of wind coming. It got cooler. And there was just a lot of dust. Actually, a lot of dust was going in people's eyes and mouth.
So, we turned around as we saw a tarp fly off and the speaker fall off and the stage just kind of cracked and fell -- fell on to the crowd. So, yes, we did see that happen.
HOLMES: And, Cory, last thing, too. Just the aftermath, we've seen this video, people are trying desperately to try and get under there and get to the people who are trapped. Just how many -- maybe not even an exact number, but give us an idea of how many people were under there when this stage came down and also just describe the scene afterwards, as it looked like people were desperately trying to lift up as much of the steel and the stage and get under there and rescue folks.
WHITEHEAD: Yes, I would say maybe 100 people were under that. You know, obviously, I don't know for sure. But it was pretty chaotic as people were going in several different directions. Some people trying to call friends and family. Some people are just trying to get to their cars. Others, you know, of course, as some of the video showed went to try to lift up the scaffolding which is heroic, and I'm sure that helped --
HOLMES: All right. Cory Whitehead, we appreciate you taking the time with us this morning after the night you and many people there in Indianapolis just had. Thank you so much for your time.
WHITEHEAD: Yes, thank you.
HOLMES: All right. We're at eight minutes past the hour now.
Let's turn back to Iowa now. All eyes were on Iowa yesterday. The big straw poll is taking place. So, after all the campaigning, all the speeches and all the news coverage, the results, please.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT STRAWN, CHAIRMAN, IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY: With 16,892 Iowans voting, the winner of the 2011 Iowa straw poll is Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, there it is. Not necessarily a surprise to anybody there. A big win for Michele Bachmann in that Ames Iowa straw poll -- a poll that may mean more for the losers than the winners. But even before the vote in Iowa, the political game changed with another announcement that happened in another state.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: It is time to get America working again. And that's why, with the support of my family an unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I declare to you today as a candidate for the president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: That's Texas Governor Rick Perry, makes it official. He is in the race for the White House. Take a look at the screen here now and see how everybody going to finish in this Iowa poll. Even though Perry wasn't campaigning in Iowa, he still managed to pull a few votes there.
CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser breaks down the numbers and tells us where Perry's showing or why, it was actually pretty impressive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, good morning, T.J.
You know, Michele Bachmann, she was already at the top of the polls here in Iowa, in the first state to vote in the primary caucus calendar. Now, by winning this crucial straw poll in Ames, Iowa, she's further cemented her front-runner status in this very important state in the road to the Republican nomination.
Here's what Bachmann tells supporters soon after winning the straw poll.
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, everyone. We did this together. Thank you, everyone, for coming together. And thank you so much.
What we saw happen today is this the very first step towards taking the White House in 2012 and you have just sent a message to Barack Obama will be a one-term president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: A close second-place finish for Ron Paul, the Congressman from Texas who is making a third bid for the White House.
A distant third place finish is former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty who now has questions about whether his campaign will continue.
And a fourth place finish for Rick Santorum, the former Senator from Pennsylvania. He's actually pretty happy with that finish. He says his small modest campaign can continue.
The biggest surprise here, I guess, Rick Perry, the Texas governor who on the same day as the straw poll announce he was running for president. He wasn't on the ballot here, but he finished ahead of Mitt Romney and three other candidates on the ballot.
T.J., back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: You can be sure to tune into to our good friend, Candy Crowley, "THE STATE OF THE UNION." She'll have Michele Bachmann as her guest, talking about that Iowa. Also, her fellow presidential candidate, Herman Cain, will also be there. "STATE OF THE UNION" comes your way at 9:00 Eastern Time.
Eleven minutes past the hour now.
It's day two of Philadelphia's expanded curfew. It brought fewer reports of arrest. We saw at least 50 people rounded up when they broke curfew Friday night.
Teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 have to be off the streets by 9:00 p.m. It used to be a midnight curfew on the weekends. The city kept 20 recreation centers open last night to give teenagers an alternative to hanging out on the street. Mayor Michael Nutter expanded the curfew after several high-profile mob attacks.
Also, Pakistani police have detained several possible suspects on the wake of an abduction of an American from his home in Lahore. Warren Weinstein works for a development company based in Virginia. His picture we can put here for you now. Actually, I don't have the picture. I apologize.
Now, eight armed men abducted him from his home, actually overpowered his guards. They have no claims for responsibility or demands just yet.
Also, take a look, you remember this video. It's video that angered a lot of people, including the prime minister, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron. This shows a young man after being beaten during the riot in London.
It looked like people were trying going to help him but then they are actually robbed him. You see that, somebody going in his backpack, looking through it. He was just standing there bleeding, needing assistance at the time. Well, we can report that now, one of the guys on the tape is in custody. He is one of more than 2,100 people picked up by police during last week's riots.
Air conditioning has probably made your electric bill a bit steeper this summer, certainly depending on where you live. But just wait for your water bill to come in. We'll explain why the heat may be to blame for that, too.
And let us say good morning once again to Alexandra Steele, in for Reynolds Wolf.
Always good to have you here with us. We talked about some relief in Texas. But now, they're just going right back to the way things were before.
ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Back to the 100s today. Talk about water, though. What we're going to see, T.J., too much water, especially in the Mid-Atlantic, flooding -- Philadelphia, Washington, New York, we'll talk about what's in store four. A very soggy Sunday.
Also, the tropic is heating up. A T.D. seven has formed. We'll tell you who could be under the gun.
That's all coming up. I'll meet you back here right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Seventeen minutes past the hour on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
The summer heat wave probably had an impact on your electric bill. But your water bill, you could see some issues there later as well -- because water lines have been rupturing coast to coast in the past few months. Experts say heat is to blame. And a lot of those repair costs will likely be passed on to customers.
Alexandra, that's just perfect. That's what's you want to hear, right?
STEELE: Water bill issues, heat bill issues, the air conditioning bill issues --
HOLMES: All heat related.
STEELE: -- they're all heat-related, that's for sure. And, certainly, weather related. The weather story this morning, though and really today won't be the heat so much. But I know you don't want to see it, T.J. Holmes.
What we're talking about is the rain, this inundation of rain. Philadelphia, it's been an onslaught overnight through the (INAUDIBLE) this morning, flooding in spots, 95 as well. We do have a flash food warning posted there until about 7:45. Look at this rain moving north and east to Trenton as well. We're going to work its way up to the Northeast. So, Washington, Baltimore. You can see much of Connecticut. Look at Long Island. Driving there this morning, not an easy go. And all that rain through Philadelphia is going to make its way north and east. So, just a soggy day. Cloud cover, temperatures obviously cooler than normal.
And you could see Fairfield County in New York. And, of course, Connecticut here is going to see some very heavy rain. And north through the Hudson valley as well.
So, a very slow, sluggish day in the Northeast. Also, of course, another big story we're talking about, what's happening in the tropics. So, we'll get to that.
Big picture, though, around the country. The Southeast, the heat we've seen for days and days, kind of abating a bit. Why? This cold front pushing south. Humidity coming down just a touch.
Severe storms, mid Atlantic, North Carolina, Virginia, some strong gusty winds a possibility, not so severe here in the Northeast, but again, all that heavy rain. Showers in the Southwest. Pretty nice though in the L.A. Basin, 71 degrees today. Beautiful conditions there.
One hundred one in Dallas. So, around Texas, a little reprieve yesterday with the rain, 100s today, back into 100s tomorrow.
One of the big story I want to talk about T.D. seven has formed. We do have a tropical storm watch posted for Bermuda, expected to roll near Bermuda tomorrow morning. So, we'll talk more about that coming up in just a bit.
HOLMES: All right. We'll see you in just a second, Alexandra. Thank you so much.
And here are some of the stories making headlines across the country.
Take a look at what Mexican police found. Look at this -- a narco tunnel connecting Baja California to the U.S. Drug smugglers dug nearly the length of three football fields. Police arrested people were before they could finish opening into U.S. soil.
Also, some of our employees here, some people who work on this show team, they had an excuse to be late to work. They usually don't, but they had one this morning. In Atlanta, part of a railing of a highway bridge overpass fell onto one of our busiest interstates that runs right through the heart of the city. Shut down traffic in both directions -- a nasty mess for part of the morning.
And one of our CNN's finest here, Nesta Distin, she recorded this on her way to work this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NESTA DISTIN, CNN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Driving to work at 2:48 a.m., I am by exit 85 and 85 south, and this is the traffic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, it's about time we got her to do some reporting.
She eventually found her way to work. Nesta, you know we love you.
Also, a Las Vegas tattoo parlor came up with a unique way to advertise. You see this -- what they decided to give free t-shirts with their ad on it to homeless people. The company enjoys the visibility. The homeless get a new t-shirt with a message on it. A lot or a little, anything helps.
We're 20 minutes past the hour now. And a landmark wedding in Cuba on Fidel Castro's 85th birthday. The marriage of a gay rights activist to a transsexual woman has blurred the lines between what's allowed and what's not allowed in the communist country. That story after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Twenty-four minutes past the hour now.
And a landmark event in Cuba. A gay rights activists and a transsexual were married yesterday in Havana. It just happened to be Fidel Castro's birthday.
Gay rights activists say conditions for homosexuals in Cuba have improved but still have a long way to go. Our Shasta Darlington reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The vintage American car and a rented gown -- it could be just another fairy tale wedding in Havana.
"It's the happiest day of my life," says the bride.
But Wendy Iriepa is a transsexual. Her groom, Ignacio Estrada, is a gay rights activist.
They're calling this the first homosexual wedding in communist Cuba.
"It's another step forward," he says, before heading into the official marriage palace surrounded by the foreign media.
The couple says the wedding held on Fidel Castro's 85th birthday is a way to raise awareness.
I visited their tiny one-room home a few days before.
"We want August 13th to be more than our wedding date," he said. "It could mark a new beginning for the gay community." At the start of the Fidel Castro's revolution, gays and transsexuals were locked up or sent to labor camps. Now, it's Fidel's niece, Mariela Castro who is leading the battle against homophobia but always working from within the system. With her help, Cuba has been offering free sex changes since 2007.
Wendy Iriepa was the one of the first to benefit, which is why, technically, their wedding is legal. Homosexual unions are still forbidden.
(on camera): Like so many things in Cuba, this wedding has blurred the line between what's allowed and what's not allowed. This reception is actually being held at a state owned facility. But if you look around, most of the people here are homosexuals marginalized in one way or another.
In fact, Iriepa once worked for Mariela Castro, at the National Sexual Education Center. But they became estranged after she fell in love with Estrada, an outspoken dissident. He says gays should be allowed to marry, but also hold their own marches and meetings without having to get state approval.
For a few days at least, they plan to put politics behind them and enjoy their honeymoon in private.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. We will give you the very latest on the tragedy at the Indiana state fair last night stage collapsed. At least four people killed. Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: And, again, four people are dead, at least 40 others hurt after that stage collapse at the Indiana state fair last night. Wind gust to blame. I'll be back at the top of the hour with more live news and update on that story and many more.
But, right now, time for the good doctor.
