Return to Transcripts main page
CNN News Central
Stronger Legs Could Mean Better Outcome After Heart Attack; Venice's Grand Canal Turns Fluorescent Green; Texas House Votes to Impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton; Pools, Beaches Grapple with Summer Lifeguard Shortage. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired May 29, 2023 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: So, you probably heard it in the gym, don't skip leg day. And that workout could actually have legs so to speak. Research suggests squats and lunges could pay dividends for people who have had a heart attack. CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us now. Jacqueline, you spoke with the researchers behind this study that looks specifically at a patient's quads. So I'm wondering what the connection here -- I'm guessing circulation?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well, the researcher said, you know, we already know that being physically fit is associated with heart health. But they look at quadricep muscles because they use that as a marker for muscle strength in more than 900 heart attack patients.
These patients were between the ages of 57 and 74. And the researchers found that those who had low quadricep strength had a higher incidence of heart failure after their heart attack. Those with high strength in their quad muscles had a lower incidence of heart failure.
And we know that heart attack is the most common cause of heart failure. So researchers say that high quadricep strength is associated with a 41 percent lower risk of heart failure after heart attack.
[15:35:00]
And they say that their research really points to the importance of cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack, strength training being a part of that recovery. And they really do draw this connection, Jim, between muscle strength in the legs and your heart health, especially when recovering from a heart attack.
SCIUTTO: So is the idea that the quad strength is just a sign that the individual as a whole is healthier as opposed to the legs themselves playing a role by themselves?
HOWARD: That's exactly right. In this study they're using it as a signal of muscle strength. But of course, when you're working out your leg muscles, you're working your heart so it's all interconnected here. Bottom line, regular exercise and strength training is important for your heart health.
SCIUTTO: Exercise your whole body, your whole-body benefits. Jacqueline Howard, thanks so much -- Boris.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: A stretch of Venice's famed Grand Canal has turned fluorescent green. And no one is sure why or how long it's going to last. A part of the ministry though may have been solved. CNN's Barbie Nadeau reports from Italy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Venetians are used to just about anything happening in their beloved Grand Canal. Tourists jumping into it, even surfing in it. They're used to high water, low water. But on Sunday, they were seeing green.
At first one city official was sure it was another episode of climate activism. Giving the term "Going Green" a whole new meaning. None of the groups usually involved took credit. Instead the region's president announced on Twitter that authorities believe a tracing agent used in small quantities to find leaks in underwater structures somehow got spilled into the water. He says it isn't dangerous for the canal's flora or fauna and hopes it doesn't give climate activists any ideas for their next stunt.
Officials say they don't know how long it will keep the canal system looking like slime or exactly how to get rid of it.
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: All right, coming up, what's next for the Texas Attorney General following an historic impeachment supported by members of his own party? We'll lay it out.
Plus, how a remote waterfront property could be yours, and get this, for free. We're going to explain how it all works.
[15:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Now to some of the headlines we are following this hour. A shooting killed three people at the Red River Memorial Day motorcycle rally in New Mexico over the weekend. Police say there was a confrontation between two rival gangs and then gunfire erupted. Several others were wounded. All of those involved in the shooting are now in custody.
The live action version of "The Little Mermaid" had one of the most successful debuts for the Memorial Day box office. It is projected to rake in more than $117 million in its opening weekend. The film made waves by having an African American lead actress. With many young girls saying they were \ were inspired by seeing an Ariel who looks just like them.
And if you're looking forward to the new England coast this summer, the federal government is offering up the deeds to ten lighthouses for free this month -- almost. The general services administration will give away six lighthouses in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Pennsylvania to any local governments, nonprofits or educational groups if the buyer commits to the upkeep. Four additional light houses will be sold at auction. But the reno won't be cheap. Almost all of them are more than 100 years old.
SANCHEZ: Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling the statehouse's extraordinary vote to impeach him a, quote, politically motivated sham. That unprecedented vote came after a legislative probe that uncovered years of alleged corruption. Now Paxton denies any wrongdoing.
Bianna Golodryga is sitting in for Jake Tapper on "THE LEAD" and she's joining us now with more on this shocker at the statehouse. So, Bianna, what are Texas lawmakers saying about this step?
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: A shocker it is, Boris. You put the significance into perspective here. This is the first time that a Texas Attorney General has been impeached by the state and you also have more than half of the Republicans in the Texas statehouse voting to do so.
The only two other times there has been an elected official that's been voted to be impeached in the state of Texas was in 1917, and that was the governor at the time. And then in 1975, that was an elected judge.
But it's not just Republicans who are voting obviously to impeach him in the House of Representatives there in the state, Democrats are speaking out as well. And here's how one Democratic Representative, Ann Johnson, who is actually on the investigative committee, sees this playing out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANN JOHNSON (D) TEXAS STATE HOUSE: Either this is going to be the beginning of the end of his criminal reign, or God help us with the harms that will come to all Texans if he is allowed to stay the top cop on the take.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: And now, of course, this goes to the Texas Senate members now who have to vote. And over two-thirds of them have to be present and vote to impeach him. One of them incidentally includes Paxton's wife who many are pressuring for her to recuse herself. She has said she will not do so.
[15:45:02]
Here is a statement from Paxton himself. As you noted he has denied all charges and allegations.
And he has said: The ugly spectacle in the Texas House today confirmed the outrageous impeachment plot against me was never meant to be fair or just. It was a politically motivated sham from the beginning. Phelan's -- that is Dave Phelan -- coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans is now in lockstep with the Biden administration, the abortion industry, anti-gun zealots and woke corporations to sabotage my work as Attorney General.
And as noted, this is headed next to the Texas State Senate for a final vote. Boris, all eyes will be on Texas.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and this rift exposing disagreements even among Republicans. Bianna Golodryga anchoring "THE LEAD" today. She will have more on this story. Bianna, thanks so much -- Jim.
SCIUTTO: Well, coming up next, just as crowds are flocking to beaches and pools, experts are warning of a potentially risky lifeguard shortage. Hear what officials across the U.S. are trying to do about it. That's coming up.
[15:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: A rough ride for passengers on board a Carnival Cruise ship in Charleston, South Carolina, over the weekend. Vacationers describing a horrific trip on board the Carnival Sunshine as a storm rolled in on the boat's way back to shore. Just look, water was rushing in filling up some levels of the ship. We're going to show it to you in a sec. Passengers say the crew actually didn't give them updates for more than 12 hours as all of this was happening. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIEL TAYLOR, PASSENGER: And it was shaking us about. We couldn't do anything. We didn't eat in any restaurants. We had no relaxation, nothing at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: In a statement, a spokesperson for the cruise line says that quote, Carnival Sunshine's return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance.
But still, you look at that video, it doesn't look like the best cruise -- Jim.
SCIUTTO: Yes, does not look like a lot of fun.
Well, just in time for summer travel season, pools and beaches across the U.S. are facing a shortage of lifeguards. Finding and keeping life guards is critical right now. We should note that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 70 percent of drowning deaths for children 15 years old and younger happen between May and August, in summer time.
Now cities across the country are upping their lifeguard recruitment efforts by offering things such as signing bonuses, incentive pay, higher hourly wages, also free lifeguard training. CNN's Polo Sandoval who is live at Rockaway Beach in New York. I wonder, Polo, what's behind this? I was a lifeguard when I was a kid during the summer. Best job I ever had. Why is it so hard to recruit them?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we'll get to that in just a few moments. Because you touch on a really important point here. It's the cities throughout the country, are being affected by this lifeguard shortage. Keeping that in mind, let me give you perspective just with New York City alone.
It takes about 1,400 lifeguards to safeguard the city's beaches and pools. The city -- the Parks and Rec Department -- saying they'll be lucky to make it to 900 lifeguards from last year. And that's why here today not a lot of people are braving the waves here, certainly braving this wicked, just absolutely wicked wind on this Memorial Day.
And this issue of staffing, it really has been around for several years now. The spokesperson for the American Lifeguard Association estimating that about half of the public pools throughout the country will likely be affected in the coming months, either because they have to close or because of reduced hours. That same spokesperson also has said recently that, yes, there are some cities trying to really boost up those recruitment efforts, but in many cases they're falling short.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WYATT WERNETH, NATIONAL SPOKESMAN, AMERICAN LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION: I'm seeing a lot of creative incentives with sign-on bonuses up to $3,000 if you're qualified. But I don't think that's enough. I think that, you know, we lost a lot of interest with the young ones going to the influencers, the pandemic hit. They got other jobs at retail and restaurants. I think something needs to change. If we focus on perhaps the fire services or EMS services managing them, that might help out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: So, two key factors here, two of the many here, Jim, the competitive wages in other industries and certainly still some residual pandemic-era effects as well. As some of the folks here in New York, they're still being watched by some of the lifeguards. Unfortunately, they don't have a lot to do right now. Certainly hope it saves that way.
SCIUTTO: Yes, they can make a lot of difference, they can save a lot of lives. Polo Sandoval, Rockaway Beach, New York. Boris, over you.
SANCHEZ: How ever you're spending your Memorial Day there's probably quite a bit you don't know about how this day of observance began. Stay with CNN NEWS CENTER. We're back in a moment.
[15:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Today is, of course, Memorial Day where we honor and observe the sacrifices made by all those brave patriots over the decades. But originally, the last Monday in May was called Decoration Day. In the years following the Civil War Americans would visit cemeteries for an annual day of service.
They would clear away the grime and decorate their community's gravestones. Although Arlington National Cemetery is now maintained by the Department of Defense, it is one piece of the tradition that still lives on.
SCIUTTO: It's always so heartbreaking to see some of the scenes. Well, Christian Dominguez (ph) brought his two daughters to place flowers at the resting place of his friend, Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel who died November 19, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq.
Sandra Parker placed a doll at the grave of her son Kristoffer M. Solesbee. Solesbee killed in Iraq May 26, 2011.
Today President Biden laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. And although, of course, cancer is what took the life of his son Beau, a Major in the U.S. Army, he said he, too, is mourning today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[16:00:00]
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As it is for so many of you, the pain of the loss is with us every day, but particularly sharp on Memorial Day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Now of course, has connected to his son's death to burn pits that he experienced during his service in Iraq. If you at home have a family member you're honoring today, we're honoring them along with you.
Thanks so much for spending part of your Memorial Day with us. And thanks to all who fought for the freedom to do the show. "THE LEAD" with Bianna Golodryga starts right now.
