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Three Police Officers Killed in Oakland Shoot Out; North Dakota Prepares for Massive Flooding

Aired March 22, 2009 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Shootout in the streets of Oakland, California.

Non-stop work in North Dakota: more than a million sand bags being filled as rising waters threaten homes and towns. And taking their outrage to the source; the homes of AIG employees who collected big bonus money the targets of protest.

I'm Fredericka Whitfield and you're in THE CNN NEWSROOM.

Oakland, California in shock after the death of three veteran police officers. Police say it all started after a routine traffic stop. Our Kara Finnstrom joins us now. Kara, how did all of this happen?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you mentioned, this all appears to have started with a routine traffic stop. One of the officers who was killed, Sargent Mark Dunakin, and also one of the officers who remains in the hospital right now, Sargent Hege, were both on motorcycles, apparently trying to pull a car over, when they -- when the police dispatch started getting calls of officers down.

At that point, other officers came out to the scene, started searching extensively for the suspected gunman in this case. They tracked him down to an apartment where he had barricaded himself. Investigators say at that point, the SWAT tried to enter. But the suspected gunman opened fire with an assault weapon. The remaining two officers were shot and killed.

The other officers there opened fire and the suspect himself was killed as well.

WHITFIELD: What more can you tell us about the suspect?

FINNSTROM: Fredericka, we know the suspect was 26 years old. His name was Lavel Mickson (ph). Last night at a press conference held, officers do say he had an extensive criminal history. We know he was wanted on a warrant that was outstanding for a patrol violation for a conviction he had before with assault with a deadly weapon.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kara Finnstrom joining from Los Angeles, the latest on this shooting taking place in Oakland. Appreciate it.

A little more now on the police officers killed. In the first shooting, sergeant Mark Dunakin was killed. Then in the later shoot out, Sergeant Ervin Romans and Sergeant Daniel Sakai were killed as well. We're told that Officer John Hege remains in grave condition and on life support.

Governor Schwarzenegger is flying to Washington to Oakland, and is expected to arrive there about an hour from now. He'll meet with the mayor and the police there. Earlier, he issued this statement: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of those lost, the Oakland Police Department, and law enforcement throughout California during this very difficult time."

And now moving on to weather-related story, a massive sand bagging effort is under way in North Dakota, as residents race against time and the elements. The Red River is overflowing its banks. It's expected to crest more than 20 feet above flood stage in the coming days.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: OK, and stick around. I know you will probably want to be part of this conversation, as I talk to the Fargo, North Dakota Mayor Dennis Walaker. He is with us right now. Mayor, we hear from Jacqui, it's a week out before you may actually see some of this water cresting. In the interim, what are your greatest concerns?

DENNIS WALAKER, MAYOR OF FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA: Let's start off with the beginning there. Our flood stage is 18 feet. Right now, we are at somewhere around 21 feet. We just got a new forecast from the National Weather Service, talking about maybe 39.5 feet at the end of next week.

The highest flood we have ever had here in the valley is 40. And we got through by the skin of our teeth in 1997. This whole process -- the weather forecast for next week is lousy. That is starting this evening, with the rain changing to snow, and then cooling off.

Now the cooling off is not what really disturbs us, as far as the weather is concerned. That slows the river down. What the biggest problem is it doesn't allow us to the time to finish the preparations that we need to do. We are somewhere around 500,000 sandbags made to date. We are in the process of trying to transport some of those to the sites there. But freezing weather really does hamper the placing of the sandbags.

WHITFIELD: This preparation, you knew something like this was coming with this foot of snow that has been melting. Do you feel like you are ahead of the curve?

WALAKER: We are ahead today. But we are a moving target though. We expected some decent weather next week. Now that has changed dramatically. We are talking about rain, significant rain changing to snow, and then cold temperatures, with a possibility of another storm next following weekend. So weather is not cooperating with us right now to finish up. Our earthen dikes are being prepared, and they are coming along quite nicely. There are some residential areas at the front line, their back yard.

WHITFIELD: Mr. Mayor, our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras, has a question for you as well. JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Mayor, what's really at risk here? If worst case scenario happens, if we get up to that 40 feet, how much of this city or how many homes are we talking about being threatened?

WALAKER: Well, you know, potentially, you could have five or six thousand. If the dikes were breached and it came into the city -- and then when you start talking about that kind of thing, then you have concerns about your water treatment, your waste water treatment and so forth. And we have never lost in the past. OK? And some of us that have been around here probably too long understand those problems.

And if it breaches and starts overwhelming our sanitary treatment center, then everybody has got problems with their basements.

JERAS: Are you expecting evacuations this week at all, mayor?

WALAKER: No, we are not. That's a negative term. We are trying to give everybody cautious optimism. Right now, we have some concerns about the freezing weather not allowing us the time to place the sandbags in anticipation of the crest that the National Weather Service is predicting. That's been raised. It was 37 to 40. That was the range. Now they went from 38 yesterday, to 39.5 to 41, is what they just forecasted.

WHITFIELD: OK. Mayor, thank you so much. Joining us from Fargo, North Dakota. Of course, all the best as we progress into the week. Jacqui, thanks so much to you as well.

On to Washington. Tomorrow, the White House wants to clear the air of toxins, so to speak. We will learn more about the White House plan to get those toxic assets off of bank balance sheets. Those are the assets that no one wants to touch, because they are backed by bad mortgages. As long as they are around, the credit lines needed to get the economy moving again remain clogged.

Some details of the White House plan appeared in the "Washington Post." And on CNN's "State of the Union" today, John King asked one of the president's top economic advisers about the roll out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: One other thing in this front page account in the Post; key details of the toxic asset purchasing program are not yet finalized. Treasury officials express concern the markets would expect too much. You remember when your colleague, Secretary Geithner, gave the broad outlines of this plan, it was so vague the markets tanked. Are you sure you will meet the test this time?

CHRISTINA ROMER, COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISER: I think it's important to realize this is just one piece of what we are doing. If you think about what his speech in February was supposed to be, that was the broad outline of what we have been doing each week since then, rolling out the housing plan, the small business plan, the consumer and business lending initiative. This is just one more of those pieces. And I don't think Wall Street is expecting the silver bullet. This is one more piece. It's a crucial piece to get those toxic assets off. But it is just part of it. And there will be more to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So exactly what do we know about this plan? And how will it work exactly? Josh Levs is here to talk us through it all. Simplify it for us.

(INAUDIBLE)

JOSH LEVS, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: There is a lot that we really cannot know. I want to take you through the steps. We are going to put them in here for you. We're going to go one at a time. This is what CNN has managed to learn from some senior administration officials. The first thing we know about this, this idea of what the FDIC would do and the role that it would take; they would be setting up what they're called investment partnership, and lend them 85 percent of the money that is needed to then buy toxic assets.

That's the first part of what we're told is a three part plan. Now, let's go to the next one, which involves the Treasury hiring some investment firms to raise some private funds. And the idea there is that it could potentially limit the impact on taxpayers if the Treasury can get these to raise private funds to buy up some of these.

One final point in here, Fred, that I want to point out, that they're is another key part of this, the Treasury working with the Federal Reserve to expand lending. And the idea there is that if they can get more lending to go on, to get that system moving again, then some of these toxic assets might move on their own. Taxpayers wouldn't end up having to own them all.

This is as much as we know. I'll tell you, there is a lot that I want to know once they announce what this plan is going to be. A lot of holes to fill in. But that's the broad outline, we're told.

WHITFIELD: OK, so give us some clarity. What is a toxic asset?

LEVS: Yes, it is hard to say. Say that ten times fast, toxic asset. So many terms that we have never said before, and now they are supposed to roll off the tongue.

Here is the idea. Toxic asset -- if you are going to come up with the simplest asset -- you can see this is CNN Money -- it's an asset that's difficult to sell because the market has dried up. But a few more details I can show you here on this one, about how it would function and how it actually plays out. The idea here is that companies have struggled to sell many loans and asset backed securities, like those backed by mortgage and credit card loans.

Basically, when you see that, what they're talking about is, there are all these people out there who owe money on mortgages or credit cards. Well, a bunch of them get bundled together, and then banks will then invest in those things. If those things start to default because people are not paying their mortgages or their credit cards, they collapse, and boom, you've got what's then toxic. Banks can't move them. It's sitting on the bank's books. It hurts the banks. It stops the whole lending process from going on.

That's the basic idea. When you hear about these toxic assets, you're talking about starting off with mortgages and credit cards. Then you can see those investments can fall apart.

WHITFIELD: OK. Thanks so much for the clarity. Appreciate it.

LEVS: No problem.

WHITFIELD: It's unclear whether toxic assets will be the topic of discussion, but it has been a week of sounding fury over the AIG bonuses for the president. Now President Obama is hoping to take back the spotlight for his agenda and his proposed budget. And that begins tonight with an appearance on "60 Minutes."

It will be a busy week for the president. On Monday, he returns from Camp David for budget talks. On Tuesday, he meets with Australia's prime minister. That night he will actually hold a news conference, the president of the United States that is. CNN will have complete coverage of that.

And Wednesday, the president meets with the Senate Democrats over, you guessed it, the budget. And that evening, Wednesday night, he attends a fund raiser for the Democratic National Committee.

Getting out of Iraq could get a little easier for U.S. troops. In a exclusive interview with CNN, Turkey's prime minister says he is open to allowing U.S. forces to withdraw across Turkish territory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We have not yet received an official request from the United States on this issue. But if weapons and ammunition are going to come out, it has to be clear where they are going to be headed. If we are informed about where this military equipment would be going precisely, then we can make a proper evaluation.

It would not be proper for me to make a judgment on that now. However, with regard to the exit of the American soldiers, we are positive on that issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That statement, actually, is about-face from six years ago. Turkey refused to allow US troops across its territory in the run up to the Iraq invasion.

Looking for a sign? When will people be headed to work instead of mostly job fairs? Our Christine Romans on job market recovery.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: At this hour, family and friends are saying good-bye to actress Natasha Richardson. A private memorial service is taking place in Milbrooke, New York. It's the same Hudson River Valley town where Richardson married actor Liam Neeson. Together they raised their two sons. The Tony award winning actress died last Wednesday from a head injury suffered while skiing in Canada.

British reality TV star Jane Goodie (ph) died today after a battle with cervical cancer. Goodie became a household name in Britain in 2002 during an appearance in "Big Brother." Her imminent death sparked a media frenzy in Britain. The celebrity magazine "OK" published a memorial issue before she died.

And a wild scene at an airport in Australia today. Travelers watched in horror as warring biker gangs brawled across the main terminal. Police say one suspected gang member was beaten to the death with metal poles. Police say 15 men were involved in the melee. Four were arrested, but the others escaped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENEDICT XVI, POP: Our communities, the fruit of misery, but the hopes which guide --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a message from Pope Benedict delivered to a crowd of about a million people at an open air mass in Angola. The pontiff called on the faithful to pursue a life filled with reconciliation, justice and peace. Before the mass began, the Pope expressed condolences for the deaths of two women killed in a stamped at an event that he attended yesterday. Pope Benedict wraps up his week long trip to Africa tomorrow.

The power of the people, on display in Pakistan's capital today. A popular fired chief justice was ceremoniously reinstated after the government bowed to protesters' demand. Here now is CNN International correspondent Reza Sayah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hundreds cheered as the flag of the Pakistan Supreme Court was raised outside of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry's house, marking his reinstatement after a 17-month absence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just like a dream. I feel that my dream has come true.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think for the time, I think it's great for Pakistan.

SAYAH: Political analyst Iftisham Owlhock (ph) says for many Pakistanis Iftikhar Chaudhry has become a symbol of democracy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He represents fairness, justice, equality. SAYAH: For Pakistani politicians, Chaudhry has been a trump card. Those who supported him have reaped benefits. Those who opposed him have paid the price. Few have paid a higher price than former President Pervez Musharraf. In March 2007, Musharraf sacked Chaudhry when he began investigating the disappearance of terror suspects and human rights activists.

Chaudhry's removal spawned the Lawyer's Movement. These men in black, their trademark suits, demanding a return to the rule of law. The Supreme Court reinstate Chaudhry, but for Musharraf, the damage was done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He lost a lot of support, at least from the masses, the public at large.

SAYAH: In November, 2007, street protests grew violent when Musharraf sacked the chief justice again. Musharraf's political opponents took advantage. With elections weeks away, they promised to reinstate Chaudhry. Voters responded. On election day, Musharraf's party lost big.

Seven months later, he resigned. Taking over power was the party of the late Benazir Bhutto, led by her widower, Asaf Ali Zardari. In March 2008, Zardari pledged to reinstate the deposed judge in 30 days. There was jubilation in Pakistan.

But months passed without Zardari keeping his pledge. It was widely believed Zardari, now president, feared Chaudhry would pursue old corruption charges against him if reinstated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He could use political power for the -- I think in the process, he lost everything.

SAYAH: Out of patience, the lawyers' movement marched towards the federal capital last week, backed by opposition leader Nawaz Shariff. This time the target was Zardari.

In a last minute deal, Zardari and his party finally agreed to reinstate Chaudhry. The president avoided an ugly showdown. But at the historic flag raising ceremony, no one was cheering his name.

Analysts say the year-long delay has cost Zardari political capital he may never recover.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAYAH: It's no surprise that the president was not getting cheers today at the ceremony. But there were plenty of cheers for Chief Justice Chaudhry, who many say has really become a barometer for political stability in Pakistan. Whenever supporters are simply not happy in Pakistan, there has often been turmoil. But for now, they are smiling, because he is back and so is political calm. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: So then that tells me maybe Washington is smiling, too. Or is there a direct reaction, given that you mentioned the relationship that he has with the majority of Pakistanis? SAYAH: No question about it. Washington is breathing a sigh of relief today. Washington wants political calm and stability in Pakistan, because it wants Islamabad to keep its focus on the fight against militants. In the weeks coming up to this matter, there were calls from the U.S. secretary of stake and Richard Holbrooke, the special envoy to Pakistan, which illustrate how important this matter was from Washington. Certainly today, they are relieved.

WHITFIELD: Reza Sayah, thanks so much for that update. Appreciate it.

Here in this country, for many, Spring Break is here. And that means a trip to Florida. But is it helping that state's economy?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Sadly, the pink slips keep coming. So does the question, when will the job market actually recover? Our Christine Romans goes after that answer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)E

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The headlines are grim. So how bad is it? Four point four million jobs lost so far this recession. Behind each statistic, people.

OBAMA: I don't need to tell the people of this state what statistics like this mean.

ROMANS: It means a record number of Americans, more than 5.3 million, are collecting unemployment checks. The jobless rate is the highest in 25 years, 8.1 percent. We asked the CEO of a large employment services company, how bad could it get?

TIG GILLIAM, CEO ADECCO: We could easily see nine percent unemployment. And it, just by the math, could go to 10.

ROMANS: Four states are already there. South Carolina, Michigan, Rhode Island and California all topped 10 percent unemployment in February.

GILLIAM: We are losing jobs at a very rapid rate.

WHITFIELD: And you need to create at least 100,000 jobs every month just to keep up with population growth. Instead, we are losing hundreds of thousands. But when will it turn around?

GILLIAM: When we see temporary employment increase, when we see work week hours increase, when we see professional skills begin to recover, then it will be a clear sign that the job market is coming back.

ROMANS: His best guess, sometime in 2010. But economists agree there is no clear sign yet that the job market has bottomed out.

(on camera): So that's what we are looking for, that month or two or three when we see temporary jobs increase and the work week get a little bit longer.

But beware, the jobs market is what we call a lagging indicator. That mean we'll lose jobs even after the economy starts to turn around.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Angry road trip; bus loads take their opinion right to the front lawn of AIG executives.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back to THE NEWSROOM. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Here is what is happening right now. In California, flags are at half staff for the three police officers killed in a shoot out in Oakland. Police say the suspect had an extensive criminal history and opened fire after a routine traffic stop. Another officer is in critical condition.

North Dakota is bracing for record flooding, as the Red River could crest some 20 feet over flood stage in coming days. Volunteers are filling more than a million sandbags as they try to hold back the rising water.

And outrage over the AIG bonuses hits the road. A bus load of activists staged protests outside the homes of company executives. They shared their anger with our Susan Candiotti.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Seventy three-year-old widow Willie Hughley is a first-time activist, who says she is close to losing her home to foreclosure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why me? Why me?

CANDIOTTI: She joined about 40 protesters outside AIG offices in Wilton, Connecticut, holding homemade signs reading "lifestyles of the rich and shameless," blasting the insurance giant for paying executives at least 165 million dollars in bonuses after getting federal bailout money.

JON GREEN, DIR., CONNECTICUT WORKING FAMILIES: There is justifiable outrage at this growing gap between people who, in fact, remain insulated from the melt down in the economy, and those who, you know, are the ones struggling to save their home and avoid foreclosure.

CANDIOTTI: Connecticut's Working Families Party staged a bus tour past some swanky AIG executive homes who got those bonuses.

(on camera): First stop, the home of Doug Polling (ph) right over here. Security guards are in the driveway. This is the man who gave back the single biggest bonus check. According to a spokesperson for AIG, he did it because it was, quote, the correct thing to do.

(voice-over): Polling isn't home, nowhere in sight. Private security guards kept protesters at the driveway's edge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to thank him for doing what he did.

CANDIOTTI: Unable to hand deliver a letter, it was read out loud.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We applaud this step. Most of us will never know what it feels like to turn down millions of dollars.

CANDIOTTI: Mark Zrebeck likely won't, a laid off steel worker and father of five -- the youngest is 14 -- he is hoping for better days and putting his faith in President Obama.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight years ago, this would have been a 20 second clip, and that would be the end of it, and nobody would have given their money back.

CANDIOTTI: At the next water front estate, another symbolic letter read outside the home of former AIG executive James Hass. Nicknamed Jackpot Jimmy by one New York paper, he also gave back his bonus. It's almost too much to think about if for the likes of Willie Hughley, who can think of better things to do with all that corporate cash.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Think about cold people who don't have food in their homes, who can't do enough for themselves.

CANDIOTTI: By doing on tour to follow the money, these working class families want tax payer backed corporations to know, from now on, they will be watching every penny.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Wilton, Connecticut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And tonight, Ali Velshi and the CNN Money team search for truth inside the AIG scandal. See what they found in "AIG Facts and Fury." That's tonight at 8:00 Eastern time.

Here is a sign of the times; 300 people showed up this weekend to apply for just 16 jobs in a New Hampshire school district. Among the applicants, a woman who recently lost her 30 year teaching job to budget cuts.

Millions of people are looking for work. One resource is the local job center. Here is a look at what you will find there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning. If you already filled one of these out, take a seat. Just a regular standard drivers license. But you'll want to be sending all correspondence to potential employers. Where you're willing to work, where the ideal locations are for your job. At your former employer for your method of correspondence.

ROANE TUCKER, UNEMPLOYED: I didn't apply for unemployment until the middle of February. I thought for sure I could find a job, you know, within a month. I have an 18-year-old that lives with me and pretty much eats everything in the house. So, that's where a lot of the money goes.

DON SANDERS, UNEMPLOYED: As a matter of fact, there was. I worked until 11:00 a.m. that morning. One of the guys called me into the office, sat me down, and greeted me. I said to them, OK, what's the bad news?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's really exciting about the program is that the success rate for individuals who participate, 80 percent of them lead to full-time employment with the employers with which they trained.

DOMINIC GRENATA, UNEMPLOYED: I've been working for the same employer since I got out of MBA school 16 years ago. You can never say it's sudden given the environment we're in. And the company I worked for has been shrinking over the last six or seven years. But it was unexpected.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And over the next weeks and months, we will follow the progress of several of the job seekers that you just met there, as they try to find their way back to gainful employment. We are calling that series "Jobless Not Hopeless." Check in every now and then on the weekend to see about their progress reports.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, imagine rowing solo thousands of miles across the Atlantic for cancer research. That is what this man right here, Paul Ridley, has been doing. We will have an update on how he is doing and where he is right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We are going head out to sea right now to catch up with a young man that we first introduced you to about three weeks ago, following him in his journey across the Atlantic Ocean. He started there at the Canary Islands, right there. Then Paul Ridley made his way thousands of miles. Now he is only 250 miles away or so from Antigua, which is his final destination.

Paul Ridley lost his mom to skin cancer back in 2001. He has been crossing the ocean to help raise money for cancer research. Paul is actually on the phone with us right now. Pretty amazing that he can be on the phone with us in the middle of sea. Paul, how are you doing?

PAUL RIDLEY, ROWING FOR CANCER: Hi, Fredericka, how are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. Last time we spoke, about three weeks ago, you told me what it's like to be eating freeze-dried food. You told me the loneliness. But at the same time, you have been blogging and people have been tracking your progress along the way. Are you close to being stir crazy or are you thinking about that final destination? You are about 250 miles away, right?

RIDLEY: That's right. I am actually pretty comfortable in this boat at this point. I have lived here for 81 days, so I am pretty used to it. With that said, dry land is still looking pretty good.

WHITFIELD: Wow. We are looking at the still image right now of the boat that you are in. It looks pretty high-tech there. Tell me about your digs and how you keep yourself comfortable in these 81 days of rowing.

RIDLEY: Yes, well, I have electricity from a solar powered electrical system, which is how I power the computer and also the satellite phone that I'm talking to you on. That's connected back home. It's one of the real big mental pick me ups that I have out here.

WHITFIELD: I'm sure you need that a lot. I understand you are starting to see marine life. For a long time, in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, you were not seeing very much life. You have been seeing shark fins? Perhaps you've seen schools of fish. And has this kind of brought you -- and this picture we are seeing of you, that you wrote "Jaws" on it, I guess the shark fin.

Do you feel less lonely when you see marine life like this, even if it is a shark?

RIDLEY: Absolutely. It's good to have interesting things happening during the day. One thing about this trip is that I am really feeling connected with the ocean itself. I spend 12, 14 hours a day sitting on the water, basically. So I get to watch everything going on around me. And it's pretty exciting.

WHITFIELD: You can't see what we are seeing right now. It's an image of -- I don't know if that is a jelly fish that is surfaced or if we're seeing the jaws of a shark or something. Do you happen to remember?

RIDLEY: Yes. If it's pink and purple colored, it may be a Portuguese Man of War, which I see all the time, which is a very dangerous jelly fish that I have been warned not to try to make a pet. But I am out here too many days, I might have to try it.

WHITFIELD: Wow. What, final destination may be about Friday or Saturday. And you have been doing this to raise money for cancer research in memory of your mom. I know you told me last time, you think about her all the time while you are out there. How much money have you raised, by the way?

RIDLEY: I think we are around 100,000, which is about 20 percent of the goal. (INAUDIBLE) I think that a lot of the fund raising and public speaking that I'll be doing after this will keep the money coming in. WHITFIELD: And a nice picture of you and your mom when you were a wee one. Tell me about why this is so important to you and near and dear to you, to do this in memory of your mother.

RIDLEY: You know, I -- I wish I could say that she would be one that would row the Atlantic (INAUDIBLE). But I don't think that's true, necessarily. I am sure she would be worried but proud. This is really an opportunity for me and for the Row for Hope team to make a statement about how strongly we feel that progress in the field of cancer research is necessary.

This is what I am willing to do to make that statement. And hopefully Americans out there will agree and consider making a donation or telling their friends about it.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic. I know they will. We are looking at images too of your beard that appears to have grown quite a bit during your journey, and the blisters and the calluses on your hands. And I also saw a note from you that you suffered salt wounds as well. This has not been comfortable at all?

RIDLEY: No, not at all. You know, I am definitely suffering from exposure to the elements. I have probably lost 20 pounds. And very different from my life at home, which is a lot like everyone else's.

WHITFIELD: Not comfortable, but well worth the sacrifice, as you have raised 100,000 dollars and counting now going towards cancer research, all in the spirit of your mom. Paul Ridley, we wish you the best to you during an extraordinary job. And thanks for allowing us to be a part of your journey along the way. Friday or Saturday, we're going to check back with you and see how you've done as you make it towards Antigua.

I think your sister is going to be there, right, awaiting you?

RIDLEY: Yes, she will. I'm looking forward to talking to you.

WHITFIELD: Very cool. And RowForHope.com is where people can learn a little bit more information about how to donate and to see the rest of Paul Ridley's journey. Paul, thanks so much. All the best. Talk to you soon.

RIDLEY: Thank you. Bye.

WHITFIELD: Bye-bye.

Smart grids; they are a way of getting more energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. But security experts see cyber terror risks as close as your utility box.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Innovations in distributing electricity could save power. But does smart grid technology make the nation more vulnerable to cyber-terrorists? The experts are talking to our Jeanne Meserve. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Home meters and other electrical equipment trading data to make energy use more efficient. This smart grid is a great idea. Almost everyone agrees. But it has a potentially dangerous downside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The complexity of the grid itself might be turned against it in a computer attack.

MESERVE: A computer attack that could cause a massive black out. CNN has learned that tests have shown that a hacker with a few hundred dollars and some specialized skills can penetrate some types of meters and other points in the smart grid two-way communications system.

The hacker could turn off thousands, even millions of meters under his control, or he might be able to jack electricity demand up and down so dramatically it could destabilize the local electric grid and take out power to potentially a large metropolitan area.

Experts say such a regional blackout would almost certainly cascade to other systems, knocking them out too. Researchers hope other smart grid innovations would prevent something like the 2003 blackout that left 50 million people in the dark. But no one knows for sure.

GARRY BROWN, NY PUBLIC SERVICE COMM. CHMN.: It really is a two- edged sword. The smart grid provides us with some reliability enhancements that we are going to know more about what's going on in the system. The other side is that sword is that there are vulnerabilities then, in terms of cyber security.

MESERVE: Millions of smart meters are already deployed. And there is business and political pressure to expand smart grid further, though the security issues have not been fully addressed, meaning we are potentially creating a cyber vulnerable electric system.

(on camera): According to one expert, the fear of God has been put into government and industry. They are making progress, tightening up cyber-security. A spokesman for the utility industry says we aren't going to manufacture a car without a seat belt. But there are no clear standards for cyber security. And it's not exactly clear who will have the authority to set them and enforce them.

Meanwhile, smart meters are being installed.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Spring break is here, which means Florida-bound. Right? Why not? Everyone is welcome.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: College kids heading to Florida despite tight economic times. This year, many beach communities are not so happy to see these Spring Breakers. CNN's John Zarrella explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Robert Catcherson (ph) rents rides on Daytona Beach.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Daytona.

ZARRELLA: ATVS and golf carts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Recession special, 40 dollars an hour.

ZARRELLA: These days, Catcherson is in a pretty good mood. The college crowd has arrived just in time. Local promoters say winter tourism is down about 12 percent. So merchants were hoping for a high octane Spring Break.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has. It has already. We hoped it would, and it has.

ZARRELLA: Some of it from kids who this year crossed Mexico off their list.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cancun, which, you know, the violence and stuff, we didn't want to go there.

ZARRELLA: Tourism officials say it's too early to tell how many and too early to tell how much of a boost, if any, they'll see from the spring breakers because --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop breathing, you're breaking the sand.

ZARRELLA: They don't break the bank. The sun, sand and surf are free.

(on camera): You spending any money? You helping the economy?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're trying to spend as little as possible.

ZARRELLA (voice-over): With tourism, Florida's number one industry, struggling, you would think the kids would be embraced everywhere. In Ft. Lauderdale, the Visitors Bureau says tourism revenue is down one billion dollars this winter alone. Budget shortfalls even forced the closing of this beachside park on Tuesdays, leaving the county beach empty.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the clearest visual message that the economy sucks right now.

ZARRELLA: Still, Nikki Grossman and the Convention and Visitors Bureau she heads, doesn't want the kids. Even putting out a press release, quote, "bad economy or not, greater Fort Lauderdale steadfastly says no thanks to Spring Break."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even in this downturn, we're not turning back and heading back, where we've been there or done that.

ZARRELLA: At its height in the 1980s, this was the spring break Mecca. Nearly 400,000 kids came here every year, drank a lot, didn't spend much and left a mess; 15,000 are expected this year. And tourism officials say that's just fine.

Not for everyone; Pro Dive International, which this year advertised on Spring Break websites, has seen its business go up 200 percent.

KELLY LEVENDORF, PRO DIVE INTERNATIONAL: I think right now, absolutely, 100 percent attributable to the spring break crowd.

ZARRELLA (on camera): So they're good for you guys?

LEVENDORF: They're great for us.

ZARRELLA: But they won't be welcome here as long as bronze, not green, is the college color.

John Zarrella, CNN, Ft. Lauderdale.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And coming up at 4:00 eastern, tips for job seekers, how to land that job interview. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. "YOUR MONEY" starts right now.