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Eight Killed in Nursing Home Shootings; Red River is Still Dangerous; Gates on Korean Missile Test; Dozens Killed After Dam Burst

Aired March 29, 2009 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news in Norht Carolina: eight people now reported killed at a nurson home.

Scrambling in North Daklota after a levee holding back water 40 feet high breaches.

And so many of you contacted us yesterday in our special "Tackling Tuition 101." We brought back our financial planner today with more tips to help you pay for college. More of your questions answered this hour in the CNN NEWSROOM

We're following breaking news from Carthage, North Carolina. That's where a gunman shot and killed at least eight people at a nursing home. At least three other people were wounded. The suspect in custody. We don't know who the person is or why this happened. But the police chief says the suspected gunman was not a patient. Earlier, I talked with a spokeswoman for the First Health Moore Regional Hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF EMILY SLOANE, HOSPITAL SPOKSWOMAN: At about 10:30 this morning, we had six patients brought into the emergency department at First Health Moore Regional Hospital from the incident in Carthage. So far, one of those patients has been discharged. We still have the other five patients in the hospital. I can tell you that they are all being treated here in the emergency department. There is one patient that was taken to surgery. That patient is in surgery right now. The others are still in the emergency department being treated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So again, right now, we are hearing that eight people have been killed, at least three wounded.

All right. The nursing home is called Pinelake Health and Rehab. Its website says it provides hospice care and has a unit for people with late stage Alzheimer's disease. We hope to learn more about this in about an hour from now. Carthage police plan to hold a news conference.

Meantime, they're not letting up their guard in Fargo, North Dakota. Even though the Red River has been falling since yesterday, forecasters expect fluctuations and they say the river is going to be pretty dangerous all week long. Earlier this morning, a dike started leaking and despite the best efforts of emergency crews, Fargo School was actually flooded.

So here now is the latest on the conditions in Fargo. The level of the Red River was just above 40 feet this morning. Down from its Saturday morning crest just below 41 feet. Snow is in the forecast for the Fargo area but forecasters don't expect any immediate impact on the river level.

At church services this morning, many Fargo residents prayed for protection from the continuing flood threat. Our CNN flood team is standing by. Ted Rowlands is live in the flood zone. And meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is in the CNN Weather Center.

So let's begin our live coverage with CNN's Ted Rowlands in Moorhead, Minnesota, just across the river from Fargo, North Dakota. So Ted, now that the water is going down just ever so slightly - oh, yes, we wanted to make that clear to folks there - are people returning to their homes?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, people who have been battling continue the fight. This is a classic example here of what folks that are now living right on the river are dealing with. Normally the river's edge from this home would be more than 300 feet away. But as you can see, the Red River is right up against the back of this home and you can see these pumps. The integral setup of pumps that's basically constantly pumping water out of the basement as it seeps in and then the wall of sandbags is keeping the Red River at bay.

Look at this piece of ice that's hanging off the tree. That's really a gauge. That was the highest point of the Red River. Now you can see it's going down, which is good news here. Since we've been here, we've noticed that the water level has dropped a little bit. That said, city officials on both sides of this river are telling people to stay vigilant.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ted Rowlands, thanks so much there in Moorhead, Minnesota. Appreciate it. No one being given the OK to let their guard down.

All right. Jacqui Jeras is keeping up with the changes on the Red River's flood levels. She joins us right now in the Severe Weather Center. Jacqui?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLGIST: Hey, Fredricka. We're just below 40 feet now. So we've made a little more progress. We've dropped just about a foot since the river's crest which was just over 24 hours ago. But I want to explain a little bit why we're still potentially going to have problems. New video just in that we got of emergency officials dropping huge sandbags basically to help protect and strengthen weakened spots in the dikes. These weigh one ton, believe it or not. So you've got to use a helicopter and kind of hover to gently drop it down because certainly you don't want to aggravate anything.

And here's why they are doing it. Here's why they are worried about the weakening spots. Let's go back to my Google earth map and it has to do with the nature of rivers in general. The shape of the river, especially the Red River that we have here, has a lot of curves and turns on it. We call all of these little curves oxbows and the nature of the river is eventually to get to its basin, which is Lake Winnipeg up in Canada and the path of least of most resistance.

And so when the river was carved, this just happened to be the path of least resistance. But as we get pressure from the water, as we get erosion taking place, eventually a river can try and cut off one of these oxbows. I want to zoom in and show you what happened with the school that got flooded. That is right here on one of these oxbows rivers.

And so eventually, what this river could, do I'm not saying that's what's going to happen in this situation, but what it could do is eventually cut this area off altogether and create a new path of the river and eventually this part of the river then would become a lake. So that's kind of what rivers do and that's why this situation can be so unpredictable at times. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my god. That really does put things in perspective. Thanks so much for that graphic and that great explainer. I feel like now I was back in science class.

JERAS: Sure. Geography class.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks, Jacqui. I appreciate it.

JERAS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right. I-reporters have been sending some pretty vivid firsthand accounts about the rush to protect areas along the swollen Red River in North Dakota as well as Minnesota. David Dibell spoke to us via Skype, which is a camera on his laptop or on his desktop, and he talked to us about his efforts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID DIEBEL, IREPORTER: College students out there were an incredible resource for the efforts to save the city and the neighborhoods in Fargo and Moorhead. We put in about three or four hours every single day, starting on Monday until Thursday. A lot of the work would be in a line passing sandbags from one person to another person just to try to get it to the location where they are needed to build the dike.

Some of them spent time on the back of like a semi just unloading the sandbags into people's hands, just grabbing them off as fast as we could. I talked to a few people while I was sandbagging in line in trying to build those dikes. And they were coming from miles around. People who hadn't even been to Fargo or Moorhead before where they were trying to help out in places in Minnesota, all the way to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

I met a couple of people from there. People extending welcoming people into their houses from, you know, outlying communities. And so it was really inspiring to see all these people coming together for, you know, to try to help out. It seems like there's still a little bit of tension, but I think we're being cautiously optimistic about the whole situation. And we worked really hard and at this point it's just, you know, kind of have to sit back and just see what happens.

Hopefully my house is still safe. I didn't get a chance to grab a lot of my possessions. I mean, I got my clothes and my computer and my camera. Definitely a chance to capture history in the making.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Pretty extraordinary images there. And, of course if you happen to be in that area or anywhere else where you see something interest, and you think we need to know about it, send your images and your stories to ireport.com and we'll get them on the air like that. Of course, we want you to be safe as you get these images.

Meantime, there are a number of organizations that are providing volunteers, food and supplies for the residents in the flood's path. You'll find links to them on our impact your world page. That's at cnn.com/impact.

All right. The week ahead will be another busy one for President Obama. You can bet he will be answering a lot of questions about his plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Let's go now to CNN's Kate Bolduan at the White House. Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka. Yes, a busy week ahead. One central focus, Afghanistan, as you mentioned. The president unveiled his plan Friday and as he told CBS "Face the Nation" in an interview released today, that will include looking across the border to Pakistan. You are talking about the security situation in the region. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES: If we have a high-value target within our sights, after consulting with Pakistan, we're going after him. But our main thrust has to be to help Pakistan defeat these extremists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: A couple of elements of this plan. We'll pick them off for you real quick. In addition to the 17,000 troops that Obama deployed last month for Afghanistan, he's now sending 4,000 more additional troops to - over to the country and these troops have their primary goal of training Afghanistan security forces and building up the security force there so they can protect and defend themselves.

There's also hundreds of civilian experts that are going to be sent over to advise the government on everything from agriculture to education and to law. And as we keep talking about keeping an eye across the border in Pakistan, he's also - President Obama is asking Congress for $1.5 billion each year for the next five years in aid to that country, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Wow, and Kate, you also helping us set up what is going to be a very busy week for the president. Yes, we know there's the G-20 summit in London to take place. But we also know that he's also going to try to tackle some other domestic issues before he takes off for London. That beginning with tomorrow and helping to save the U.S. auto industry. In what way?

BOLDUAN: Yes, exactly. You kind of have to dial your brain back to remember that started back in the Bush administration when they came out with this auto industry bailout plan for GM and Chrysler. President Obama expected tomorrow to announce the latest plan to help the ailing auto makers. And as you said in the interview today, whatever comes out, they need to come out lean, mean and competitive. So he can expect them to ask for major concessions from everyone involved.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then he leaves Tuesday, correct, to make his way toward London?

BOLDUAN: Yes. He leaves Tuesday for an eight-day, five-country trip. Whirlwind. And we're expecting there's going to be a lot of issues tackled and some very important issues. Think about it. Afghanistan, the security situation there, and, oh, by the way, the global economic crisis.

WHITFIELD: Right. OK. And while he's in Europe, he's going to be meeting in France as part of a NATO conference. The United States and NATO allies celebrate 60 years of that relationship. Thanks so much.

BOLDUAN: Of course.

WHITFIELD: Kate Bolduan at the White House. Appreciate it.

All right. North Korea is poised to launch a long-range missile. Is it a threat to the U.S.? We'll hear from the defense secretary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: North Korea's defiant plan to launch a long-range missile next month could undue years of diplomatic negotiations. But Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the U.S. has no plans to shoot it down. Pyongyang says the rocket will carry a communications satellite into orbit. But Gates says there's no doubt the mission is a mask for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I think it's very troubling. The reality is that the six-party talks really have not made any headway any time recently. There has certainly been no - if this is Kim Jong- Il's welcoming present to a new president, launching a missile like this and threatening to have a nuclear test, I think it says a lot about the imperviousness of this regime in North Korea to any kind of diplomatic overtures.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Gates says the North Koreans don't have the ability to fire a missile that could reach Alaska or the U.S. west coast.

More than two days after a dam burst, rescue crews are still searching for survivors in Jakarta, Indonesia. Nearly 100 people are confirmed dead. But with dozens more missing, the death toll is expected to climb. Heavy rains sparked the flooding which breached the dam Friday sending a torrent of water into hundreds of homes. Survivors say it was like watching a suburban tsunami. About 1500 volunteers using heavy equipment are involved in this search.

A Spanish court is deciding whether to launch a criminal investigation into torture allegations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. At issue is whether former Bush administration officials violated international law by creating a legal framework which allowed for the alleged mistreatment of prisoners at the U.S. prison there.

Former attorney general Alberto Gonzales is one of the former president's inner circle named in the complaint. Spain says it has jurisdiction since several former Gitmo detainees who claimed that they were abused are Spaniards.

A show of support and attacks over the Pope's controversial position on condoms. Today, about 100 African Catholics gathered in St. Peter's Square backing the Pope's statement that condoms aggravate the AIDS crisis. The pontiff made that comment during his a recent trip to Africa.

On the other side, tens of thousands of critics of the Pope has vented their fury on Facebook, pledging to send millions of condoms to the Vatican. And the British medical journal, "the Lancet" is urging the Pope to retract what it calls his, "wildly inaccurate statements."

So we have answers to your college tuition questions. We're bringing in a financial planner. Once again you recognize her from spending an hour with us yesterday "Tackling Tuition 101." She's back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: "Tackling Tuition 101" this weekend. We've been helping parents and students find ways to pay for college. It's getting tougher in these economic times. And yesterday, we focused a full hour on this very issue. And still had an overflow of important questions sent by you. We were also joined by two parents and their high school senior daughters. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRESLEY CHAKALES, COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT: It would be plausible to get student loans for my undergraduate education if I'm positively planning on going to graduate school, which I would probably have to take out more loans for that as well.

WHITFIELD: June, you want to tackle that?

JUNE WALBERT, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER: Well, you know, you have to do what you have to do. And I like the idea of going to the graduate school level while you are in a mood for school if you will. WHITFIELD: OK.

WALBERT: So, yes, loans are probably in your future. But I'd like to add one more thing.

WHITFIELD: Real quick.

WALBERT: Ann said she wanted a chance to retire at some point in time.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

WALBERT: Never forsake your retirement for your kid's education. Your retirement has to come first. Love our kids, but we've got to retire, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: OK. That was a great point. So we invited USAA certified financial planner June Walbert back today to answer more of the questions you sent to us via weekends@cnn.com. You also went to Facebook and sent me e-mails at fredrickawhitfieldcnn. Good to see you again, June.

OK. We had an overflow of so many questions. So let's try and get through as many as possible because lots of great points that were made. This from Michael Thompson who says he's a freshman at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. Tuition here is not as much as some schools, only about $10,000 for students paying in- state tuition. However, he needs more help on some options. Yes, he's getting some federal aid through FAFSA, but he needs more. What can you offer for him?

WALBERT: Well I hear a discouraging tone in that message. I would say don't give up. There is money out there, but you've just got to find it. You know, one of the things that he might consider is transferring over to a community college. You can get great educations at community colleges and often for much less. And then he can transfer back to that four-year university later. You know, the -

WHITFIELD: Gosh, that sounds like his time at the university level, college level studies is going to be elongated even further.

WALBERT: Well, you know, I mean, I think that there might be some money available out there for him if he searches for it. He might also consider getting a part-time job. That could really help out -

WHITFIELD: OK.

WALBERT: -- in terms of saving some money and you know, saving tuition money with the community college, too.

WHITFIELD: OK. And sometimes I think people are generally saying it's difficult to know where the options are. Where do I find the grants? Where do I find the scholarships? Where do I find the loans? This from a viewer who says I'm a laid off aerospace engineer. I'm halfway done with my masters degree. I can't move because my credits won't transfer. My employer was paying for my masters but now I am on my own. How can I pay for tuition without dipping into my savings?

WALBERT: Well, we've got a really smart guy here who has lost one of those great employer benefits. That is being - having tuition paid for him as well as his job. So that's a tough situation to be in.

You know, he's got two choices. One is to continue pursuing the masters or go to work some place else. You know if he's crunched the numbers and there is a pot of gold at the end of that masters degree rainbow, that maybe he should go ahead and go for it. Otherwise, he might want to go back to work and postpone his education.

WHITFIELD: But you are discouraging him, you are discouraging him from dipping into his savings? He doesn't want to do that either.

WALBERT: Right. Well, if his savings are in nonretirement accounts, I think that is probably OK. But he may need to supplement that as well. But if it's in retirement accounts and he's 42 years old, he's going to pay penalties and ordinary income taxes on that.

WHITFIELD: OK.

WALBERT: So I would say no to that.

WHITFIELD: OK. And I should say he or she because I'm not sure if the aerospace engineer is a he or she because we did say viewer -

WALBERT: Good point.

WHITFIELD: So Cherie asks and she also makes a point. America does not graduate enough good engineers and scientists. So now the question from Cherie, the price tag of our out of state four-year degree colleges ranges from $160,000 to $250,000. The parents do not even qualify for Pell grants as we earn between $25,000 and $60,000 a year. What a tragedy. They are actually considering relocating to Canada. Does Canada offer the equal level of education, the same type of opportunities but for cheaper?

WALBERT: Well, I wouldn't leave the land of opportunity called America to go for an education in Canada. I mean, I think there's probably a lot of money here to be found. He's got to dig deeper. Visit that financial aid office. There are grants available. There are other monies available, too. There are endowment funds that are available at universities.

While endowments are down because of the recession, there is money available that is being used to defray the cost of education, as well as trying to eliminate those student loans and bills altogether. So let me give you a website, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

WALBERT: It is projectonstudentdebt.org. And if we can put that up for your viewers, I think it would be great. And it is even available for students of parents who are in middle to upper income households. You know, $100,000, $150,000.

WHITFIELD: OK. Barry is asking - Barry is in a situation a lot of folks. You lose your job or the spiraling economy means you want to go back to school. He is saying he's considering going back to graduate school and he's curious if there is any advice on how to go from a professional salary to a starving student again. Do I get loans to handle the expenses of a 42-year-old man going back to school? Very similar to the other viewer who was the aerospace engineer.

WALBERT: Right. Well he said it correctly. Starving student. He needs to be ready for that. You know, he has got to look at all of his expenses and options and see what he can cut out. And then make the determination whether or not he's willing to do that to go back to school. I mean, I love education.

WHITFIELD: So when you are in midlife, are you saying you can qualify perhaps for the same kind loans available, federal or even community- based or Pell grants just like if you were 18 graduating from high school?

WALBERT: There are definitely student loans available for people that are in middle age. And I definitely encourage people to go back to school. And also, you know, consider changing what he has done in the past. Maybe he can pursue something about which he is passionate and get an education in that field. But it's not an easy thing to tackle because of the expense, living expenses as well as tuition, books and fees.

WHITFIELD: Wow. June Walbert. Thanks so much. Joining us from San Antonio, right today? You're just all over the map. Yesterday in New York, today in San Antonio.

WALBERT: Tomorrow -

WHITFIELD: Thanks again. Yes, who knows tomorrow. All right. Well, thanks so much. And thanks for tackling all of these e-mail questions as we all try to "Tackle Tuition 101". And hopefully you got some important information there.

Meantime, we're also following a top story today. We're getting new information about that deadly nursing home shooting in North Carolina. We'll have the latest on the suspected shooter and the wounded.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: 4:30, happening right now: the death toll from that deadly nursing home shooting in North Carolina now stands at eight. The shooting happened this morning at the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center in Carthage. Officials say the suspected gunman is in custody. Several of the injured have been taken to a nearby hospital. I spoke with a spokeswoman with the hospital treating the injured, Emily Sloane. EMILY SLOANE, HOSPITAL SPOKESWOMAN: Well, we are the only hospital in Moore County. So it was natural that those patients would be transferred here to the hospital. We activated our emergency plan when we got the notification. We did put the hospital on lockdown just given the nature of the incident, and --

WHITFIELD: Is it still under lockdown?

SLOANE: It is still under lockdown. And, like I said, just given the nature of the incident and at the request of law enforcement we implemented that lockdown.

WHITFIELD: And we continue to watch the developments along the Red River as well. Floodwaters continue to recede along the North Dakota/Minnesota border. Officials are cautioning residents to still be on alert. Here's the latest on the Red River flooding. Forecasters say the river is in slow decline but people living in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota do remain on guard.

We've heard that from our own reporters on the scene near the river. It's expected to remain at dangerous levels all week. Early this morning, the water punched a hole through a dike flooding a Fargo school. So people are taking all that very seriously. Jacqui Jeras in the Severe Weather Center with more on the situation. Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey Fredricka. Flooding still very widespread. The things I want you to notice on the map here at this hour are all the purple dots all along the Red River. We've had major problems. We've talked about Fargo and Moorhead until we're almost blue in the face. And it goes up into Canada as this river exits into Lake Winnipeg. So it's very widespread. Not just focusing on a major area but Fargo is the most populated city and that's where most of the people live and have been evacuating as well.

Let's show you the latest river gauge. This is the good news that we have to tell you today. And that's -- we're down here below 40 feet below record stage, so 39.93. We've made progress. We've gone down almost a foot over all since the highest level is still possible to see some fluctuations. But we are going to be staying in that major flood for at least a week. So still lots of pressure is going to be put on these dikes and levees, especially around those oxbows we were talking about earlier. Fredricka, you know that water has to channel and turn around and so it has to make that turn, it adds that extra force and that's why we need those reinforcements in that area as well.

Now, complicate things with another storm coming on in. That's what's happening here. A low pressure should trek south of the Dakotas, but it will bring snow into the Red River Valley. We think the worst of it will be down here into South Dakota away from the valley but eventually, you know, that's going to run off here and move into that river. So we may see a secondary crest down the line. Our biggest concern probably right now about this snow coming in tomorrow into Tuesday are the strong winds. Because those winds are going to push the water and have those waves lapping up against those dikes and those valleys. And there you can see the forecast. Snowfall accumulation keeping the worst of it just below the main areas that we've been watching so very, very closely. A couple other weather complications today, are blizzard weather system and severe weather maker yesterday is now into the Great Lakes and into the northeast today. Nothing too major a couple of strong storms down into parts of Pennsylvania. But really just a big headache when it comes to travelers. Airport delays, just unbelievable. We've also got our closure in Anchorage. That was because Mt. Redoubt erupted twice yesterday. Wanted to show you in I- report photos. I'm out of time. I promise I'll try to get that next hour. It shows ash all over the place.

WHITFIELD: We love those Ireport photos. Thanks, Jacqui.

Well determining where the dikes in Fargo were built called for some pretty tough decisions. Some homes actually had to be sacrificed so that others could be protected. CNN radio Steve Kastenbaum took a walk in no man's land between the dikes. He's joining me on the phone. What did you see?

STEVE KASTENBAUM, CNN RADIO REPORTER: It's really interesting Fredricka. You walk into these neighborhoods and on one side of the street you see a giant wall made out of earth in these sorts of temporary wire framed containers and it's supported by clay. On one side, there are homes that will be protected. On the other side of this ten-foot wall you see homes that would be sacrificed if there were a breach in the primary dike.

WHITFIELD: How do they make that determination?

KASTENBAUM: They really just sort of went in and went to the first street after the first row of houses. You are looking at a picture there now of a set of stairs that was constructed so people who were still in their home over on the other side of the dike in the no- man's-land can get out if they need to. Those are homeowners on top of those stairs. The bulldozers there constructing the support for those secondary dikes. They are putting in clay there.

These neighborhoods are a wreck from all the work there. On the left side of the screen, those homes would be sacrificed if there were to be a breach in the dike on the right side, those homes would be protected. And those dump trucks you see coming down the street are bringing more and more clay in to support the wall.

WHITFIELD: It's just luck of the draw or does it have something to do with the proximity to the river or a turn in the river or a road nearby?

KASTENBAUM: That particular secondary dike that was put in there that one is -- and a community that literally sits in a bend in the river. They ran down the first street that you come up to before you get to those homes that come up against the river. In the backyards of those houses on the left you have the primary dike. And so between that primary dike and the house, maybe just a few feet so they felt they needed to put in this secondary wall in case there's a breach.

WHITFIELD: It's a sinking feeling when you see these dikes coming up in your neighborhood and you are on the wrong side of it.

KASTENBAUM: What's interesting about that? I spoke to Brent Olson, he is a homeowner who is hanging out in his house there, manning the pumps with his friends 24/7. They tell me they are doing well. They are putting up a good fight. They plan to stay for as long as humanly possible.

WHITFIELD: Hearty folks there.

All right. Steve Kastenbaum from CNN Radio, thank you.

All that severe weather we've had lately has provided plenty of material from our I-reporters. Here are a few. John Kenny sent these pictures of a friend's flooded home in Briarwood, North Dakota, just south of Fargo right there. Pretty devastating.

This video by Mark Ellis showing the hail actually coming down in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Our I-reporters are all over the map, so to speak.

And it means some I-reporters are very creative as well. They've also sent us narrated videos. This one from Rogers, from Arkansas. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA RADEMACHER: Good morning. This is Barbara from Rogers, Arkansas. It's snowing and sleeting on my newly planted flowers. You see, last week the temperatures were in the 70s and I thought, ah, winter is over. Last night, I had to go out and cover all of my newly planted flowers with bowls and cups and things like that because here comes the snow and the ice again. Hopefully it won't last long. This is the report from Rogers, Arkansas, on Saturday, March 28th, about 10:30 in the morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Barbara. Our I-reporter there. Hopefully your flowers will be able to endure the frost bite there.

You know when there is a weather disaster. The president is usually there on the ground with the people who are dealing with it. The situation along the Minnesota/North Dakota border is the first of its kind of this scale for President Obama. He's watching the developments, mindful of the heat that his predecessor took after hurricane Katrina. Actually talked all of this over this weekend with CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider on his thoughts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: They're very conscious about the mistakes that were made by the previous administration. I think in many ways, Katrina was a turning point. Most of President Bush's second term, he never approached 50 percent support. He never had a majority of people with him. I think the big shock was the handling or mishandling of hurricane Katrina. This administration doesn't want to make those same mistakes.

What's important is if, god forbids, there's anything that looks like a disaster, people out of their homes, if this situation gets worse, it looks a little better now, but we're not sure. If it looks worse, the president has to be there and on the ground.

WHITFIELD: I wonder when that might happen.

SCHNEIDER: I think they are monitoring the situation very closely. But people want to see the federal government there, right there with them because that's what government is for.

WHITFIELD: And what a clash potentially because he's to head to Europe next week for the G-20 Summit. It will be interesting to see how he, I guess, decides to economize the next couple of days.

SCHNEIDER: It's going to be a big test. But I can tell you the way Americans feel. If there's a disaster in this country, they expect the president to be there.

WHITFIELD: Bill Schneider there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: There are a number of organizations that are providing volunteers, food and supplies for the residents in the flood's path. You'll find the links to them on our "Impact Your World" page at CNN.com/impact.

Renting instead of buying a popular plan for everything from furniture to appliances to homes. Now expanding to toys.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Don't you just hate it when your kids get bored with a new toy? It just sits in the corner gathering dust. Would you feel as badly if the toys were rented? Here's CNN's Andrew Stevens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The entrepreneur Elaine Gay, this is her favorite part of the job. A hands-on approach to a unique service.

ELAINE GAY, OWNER, RENT-THAT-TOY: Does she like this one?

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Yes.

STEVENS: Customer satisfaction is crucial and this service caters to the most fickle of customers. But this toy is not for sale. It's for rent. And the company behind it is one of several toy rental outfits that have recently emerged in Singapore. The principle is simple. Customers rent the toy for a fee and simply return it when it falls out of favor.

JACLYN TAN, TOY RENTAL CUSTOMER: We have a huge variety of toys to be able to choose from like, for example, this toy would probably cost 200 in the mall. But if I can -- if I just rent it it probably cost me $35 per month. And if she doesn't like it, I can return it the next morning and get something else.

Bye-bye.

GAY: In times of recession, especially the industry where people will tighten their budget. But for children, I guess they are willing to spend. So if they are buying, why not rent like to -- for the kids to try out and eventually it's cheaper renting than buying.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): We have book rentals, we have DVD rentals. It's about time we have toy rentals.

ANITA BRUCKERS, COOPER:-FOUNDER, TOY RENTAL CLUB: So this is the warehouse where we keep all our products. We have about 1,500 items. They are stored according to age group or functionality.

STEVENS: What are the most popular items?

BRUCKERS: Car seats, baby clothes, breast pumps.

STEVENS: And later, she founded Singapore's first and biggest toy rental club. In recent months, several other companies offering the same service have popped up.

BRUCKERS: Some are successful. Some have fizzled out a bit because they didn't really understand what it involved. I think it's quite labor intensive, and I think a lot of people underestimate that.

STEVENS: The debt hasn't discouraged many toy rental companies. Most rely on their browser friendly website appealing to the busy schedule of most parents. They simply place their order online and have it delivered to their homes. Importantly, all toys are sterilized between rentals and parents are required to buy the toy if it breaks. She and her partner say business is good but they hope the global slowdown will push more parents toward this service.

Pay only for what you need when you need it. An important principle in today's tough economic climate. And one that these entrepreneurs hope will help them turn a profit.

Andrew Stevens, CNN, Singapore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow. That is pretty darn smart.

OK. So forget about the fingerprint kit. Just get out the laptop. We'll tell you about a new way to catch a thief.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We love it when we have great news to share. This one you'll like, too. Since January, we've been tracking Paul Ridley as he rode solo across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands on his way to Antigua and it's been spanning over about 2 1/2 months time, 3,000 miles his journey. He's been doing it to raise money for the research of cancer all in honor of his mother who actually died of cancer.

Well, guess what? He just completed his journey just a few hours ago. And he is in Antigua on dry land. And he's with us now on the phone. And, Paul, when you finally arrived, you've been spending all this time alone and you were greeted by quite a few people in Antigua. Tell me what it was like.

PAUL RIDLEY, ROW FOR HOPE (via telephone): Oh, Fredricka it was incredible. I think the whole island of Antigua turned out to see me.

WHITFIELD: Really?

RIDLEY: It seemed like it. The harbor was swarming with boats and big crowds on dry land. It's really been an amazing reception.

WHITFIELD: As you were approaching, what did you see initially? Did you see all these people on boats? Did you naturally assume, hey, this is for me, or were you wondering, hey, what's the attraction?

RIDLEY: It was funny. As I was coming in I hadn't seen that many boats in three months and there was barely time to row with all of the boats and different things going on that I could be looking at. It was just great.

WHITFIELD: We've been tracking your journey. You've been kind enough to join us via satellite phone. We're looking at images of your blistered hands. You've seen Portuguese jellyfish along the way, maybe even a shark or two. So now that it's kind of behind you, how are you feeling physically?

RIDLEY: Yeah, well, I am exhausted, overwhelmed with all of the excitement around my arrival. Physically, you know, feeling good but will be feeling a lot better when the soreness starts to heal. And at that point, it will be back to fund-raising because cancer research is still in need of funding and we still have a lot of work to do there.

WHITFIELD: You raised what? $500,000 of your $1 million goal. That is impressive.

RIDLEY: Thanks a lot. We owe it all to the support of Americans and people all over the world who are sympathetic to the cause as I am, and the reception has been just great. But there's still more work to do, of course.

WHITFIELD: Row for hope.com is where people can find out more if they want to donate. You were very busy. You were rowing, you had blistered hands, and you were eating freeze dried food. I am sure you can't wait for a real meal.

RIDLEY: I just got out of a shower, which was great. And in about 15 minutes I'm going to go and have a meal. I think I have a hamburger waiting for me. I can't wait.

WHITFIELD: I hear among your first orders of business, a nice shower. RIDLEY: Absolutely. Best of my life.

WHITFIELD: Row for hope.com. Folks can find out more and you blogged along the way, too. Boy, you were really incredible. Paul Ridley thanks so much and all the best in your continued efforts to raise money. What a fantastic feat you have accomplished. You really are an inspiration to so many.

RIDLEY: Great. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Thanks, Paul.

WHITFIELD: Facebook, if you don't do it, your kids probably do. It's about reconnecting with your old friends sometimes and keeping up with new ones as well. But did you know this social networking tool is also handy at solving crimes? Check out this story from Jackie Bernard she is with CNN affiliate WTLV.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACKIE BERNARD, WTLV: A smashed window gets replaced. It's been broken since Wednesday afternoon. That's when Al Chatman, an owner of a moving company, pulled into his neighborhood and found this.

AL CHATMAN: I saw a big hole in my window. What's happened to my truck? Then I turn around and look at my other truck and saw the whole window knocked out of it.

BERNARD: Someone smashed windows in not one, but two of his work trucks and they also stole what was inside.

CHATMAN: My radar detector, my GPS system, my XM radio was gone.

BERNARD: Chatman called his wife Mary right away.

MARY CHATMAN, WIFE: I said you're kidding me.

BERNARD: Mary didn't waste any time.

M. CHATMAN: Don't miss with the Lexington Place wives.

BERNARD: She and the other wives of Lexington Place got to work while police were dusting for fingerprints. Mary hit Facebook to tell her friends what happened.

CHATMAN: My wife passed it along to her friends and she passed it along to her friend who lives in the neighborhood and she facebooked her back to my wife.

BERNARD: Long story short, Mary told one friend who told another and another. One neighbor wrote back she thought she saw the suspect and knew where he lives. They then called police.

A. CHATMAN: The officer was on top of her job. She had fingerprints, a suspect, but facebook went just like cyberspace, straight to the crime and got our criminal. BERNARD: The suspect was an 18-year-old who lived just down the road.

M. CHATMAN: If it wasn't for facebook, I would have never -- we would have never known who did this why they did it and where our stuff was at.

BERNARD: For a guy who didn't see a need for this before --

A. CHATMAN: I was like, facebook.

BERNARD: He now has his own page and checks it regularly on his cell phone.

A. CHATMAN: Yes, I love facebook. I love it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow. He is hooked like many Americans across the country.

Somber sign of the times. Churchgoers without a church to go to.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Not even churches are exempt from the recession. Some houses of worship have been foreclosed while other congregations worship in temporary digs. Here now is CNN's Jim Acosta.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Metropolitan Baptist is more than a mega church. It's a Washington institution, founded by freed slaves in the 19th century. The church once played host to President Clinton. With all its success, Metropolitan secure financing for a new bigger church in the suburbs three years ago.

PASTOR H. BEECHER HICKS, METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH: We're ready to go on that as soon as we can get the available financing.

ACOSTA: Today, the $30 million, 3,000-seat sanctuary sits unfinished. The church has run out of money to complete construction.

It must be frustrating to not be able to move into your new home.

I am just thinking like a homeowner. A homeowner would feel that way.

BEECHER: Absolutely. And if I had my way, I probably would have written this scenario a little bit differently.

ACOSTA: Pastor Hicks says skyrocketing construction costs during the housing boom sent the project over budget. Then the recession hit and collections plummeted, forcing Pastor Hicks to seek out new lenders.

BEECHER: The church is also a business institution that is affected by the financial realities that surround it.

ACOSTA: Bishop Joel Marques Johnson knows that all too well. When collections dwindled at St. Andrew's on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Bishop Johnson would no longer pay the mortgage. His picturesque church was foreclosed on last year by the local bank. The bishop, like many troubled homeowners across the country, is packing up.

BISHOP JOEL MARCUS JOHNSON, ST. ANDREWS ANGLICAN CHURCH: When St. Andrew's purchased this historic campus back in the middle of 2005; of course, everything was going splendidly for the whole country. The word economic -- the phrase economic failure simply did not yet exist.

ACOSTA: A recent study of church finances found 28 percent of congregations across the country falling short at collection time.

DAVE TRAVIS, MEGACHURCH RESEARCHER: What we've had over the last decade is lots of expansion. Lots of church building and, yes, it's true. Some churches have overextended themselves.

ACOSTA: Metropolitan Baptist is in a tough spot. It's already moved out of its old church and is holding worship services at this D.C. school.

BEECHER: We believe that victory is only a moment away.

ACOSTA: Where the faithful pray for divine intervention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: One financial institution that specializes in church lending puts it this way. Before 2007, it had never foreclosed on a church. Now it has foreclosed on seven with more likely later on in the year.

Coming up at 6:00 Eastern time with Don Lemon, the latest on the deadly nursing home shooting in Carthage, North Carolina.

Plus, a piece of America's heritage slowly slipping away. The ailing newspaper industry. Can it be saved?

"GPS" with Fareed Zakaria begins right now.