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Garage Collapses in New Jersey; Couple Married Over 70 Years Gives Marriage Advice; President Obama and His Family Vacation in Maine; BP Continues to Test the Capped Well

Aired July 17, 2010 - 10:00   ET

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

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is Saturday, July 17th. I'm T.J. Holmes. It's 10:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 7:00 a.m. in Oakland. Glad you're here.

Let me tell you what's coming up this hour. We're coming up on about 24 hours since that happened, a garage collapsed. This is in Hackensack, New Jersey. There was concern and work had been going on. They call this a search and rescue because they believe someone was trapped inside.

Authorities are going to have a news conference in just a few minutes to give us an update on whether or not they actually think someone is still trapped in there. We are going to go there and monitor that live.

Also, the president is on vacation. He is in Maine with his family. But something followed him to Maine -- controversy and criticism. Also our Suzanne Malveaux followed the president to Maine. We'll check in with her live here live, coming up.

Also, you remember back in February that firestorm that erupted when a white sorority won a black college show? Take a look at what happened when a movie producer decided he wanted to recreate that whole incident in a motion picture.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cast some actresses and -- some white actresses, and actually chose not to do the project because there were some scenes they would have to kiss a black actor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: You will be hearing more about this movie, "Step Sisters" it's called. More on that in just a bit.

Let me give you a look at the stories making headlines right now. We'll start in Illinois. A man drove his car into a bank. The car had a bomb inside. He set that thing off. Authorities say it was about a four-inch fireworks mortar.

Nobody was injured here. When he drove into the bank, the bank was actually closed. Police arrested the man but looking for a clear motive why. Also, take a look at this deadly explosion we are seeing in Mexico. We just saw this. The reason it's significant is because authorities say it's a first, the country's first car bomb in their drug war. This thing was targeting Mexican federal police. Two officers, a paramedic, and also civilian were killed.

People were lured to that area by a fake emergency call that a police officer actually had been murdered. This happened in Juarez, Mexico just across the border from El Paso. Security experts say this could be a turning point in the drug war.

Also, President Obama is going to sign that financial reform bill on Wednesday. The president called this a historic bill and says that the bill guarantees no more taxpayer bailouts for Wall Street.

Also happening right now, authorities in Hackensack, New Jersey, are holding a news conference and will update us on their efforts at this particular parking structure. This is 24 hours old now. This thing collapsed about 24 hours ago.

There was some concern in fact, someone was trapped in there. We heard varying reports throughout the past day. Initially authorities told us there was one person trapped inside they were trying to get to. They also told reporters there was a car they saw on surveillance camera that was still moving when the building collapsed.

When this parking structure, when it collapsed, they saw a car moving, they made the assumption maybe somebody was in there and thought two, maybe three other people could be in there. But we are expecting that update at any moment. When that does take place we'll let you know what happened. Hopefully nobody is in there.

We're on day 89 of this oil disaster. Where are we today? BP says now, this is an update, the crucial tests that are going on right now, the integrity test could, go past the 48-hour deadline. They started Thursday to see if this well could hold up to the pressure of holding in the oil once they put that new cap on.

They want to give 48 hours of testing the well. They say it could go past the 48-hour deadline which is coming pounce in the next couple of hours. The question is, will the containment cap stop oil completely? Officials there are unsure if there is an underground leak right now.

The president came out and talked about this yesterday. He is cautiously optimistic. The pressure was measuring 6,700 psi and continues to rise slowly but surely. The optimal goal is around 7,500 psi. Again, low pressure bad, high pressure good, and that essentially means that the pressure is low, oil could be leaking out somewhere, if it's higher, that means in fact it is containing the oil.

This is the picture we have been seeing so long have been the pictures of this oil spewing out. You see that on the left. These are the before and after pictures. The new containment cap is on there on the right side of your screen, and there you see no oil is coming out. The government still says a lot more work needs to be done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIA REED, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, NEWSWEEK: Even if this works, which as you said we are long way from knowing that, there's still millions and millions of gallons of oil in the Gulf. People's livelihoods are being hammered.

I think one thing that has got people disinterested in it is nobody, unless they are down here on the ground realizes how incredibly far-reaching the economic rep cushions are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Our Reynolds Wolf is in New Orleans for us this morning where he's been reporting all morning and throughout this whole disaster. Reynolds, good morning to you once again. The cap is on holding for now. We are now getting word maybe testing is going to go past that 48 hours.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely, T.J. that maybe the case. And just for a little bit of housekeeping we were getting information a few moments ago, so I have been unable to hear what you've been talking about. Let's just keep it as an open conversation, you, me and the rest of America all the details we can.

HOLMES: All right. And you've been using great analogies this morning. The new information is that they said 48 hours they are going to test this thing. That would be some time this afternoon to stop this testing and move forward. Testing might go forward.

But why is the pressure so important to keep an eye on right now? Usually high pressure would be bad, but not the case here.

WOLF: You hear higher pressure you think that would be a bad thing. You think about a cork lodged in a champagne bottle. When you shake up a champagne bottle the pressure of the carbonation tries to force out that cork.

What we have in this situation is the force has been really building up. The latest reading we had is well over around 6,000 psi and climbing steadily. The highest we want to get to is around 8,000.

However, the opposite of what we would want would be for that to drop. If it were to drop, T.J., that may indicate something that could be horrific, possibly a rupture underneath the sea floor, which would be very detrimental. The issue we could have in terms of other leakage and seepage.

But to keep an idea you've seen that seepage. We have a variety of gauges, seismic gauges there to indicate if there was any rupture underneath. Then you have the underwater robots to see if there is in sign of the water coming through.

And think about it, 48 hours, no oil, that is a beautiful thing to see. But still we're keeping those fingers crossed. HOLMES: And last thing you said, keeping those fingers crossed, is that is what people are doing? Have you seen anyone down there since this has been capped express or maybe let a smile out about it or is everyone like, hey, we've been let down before?

WOLF: A picture is worth 1,000 words. You see locals and tourists looking up and see on the TVs and the sign of just seeing that well-cap with oil not coming out for the first time in two days, a lot of people are happy about it. But at the same time there is a guarded sense of celebration.

I will tell one thing we spoke about earlier. On the flight coming in just yesterday, I was chatting with people onboard the flight. They were talking about some of the conversations they overheard in places like Orange Beach where you hear the fishermen talking about their fishing stories -- I caught this amount of fish.

They haven't heard that this season. Instead of fish they've been hearing where the oil is located, where it's going, where it may touch up with the beaches. So hopefully it will be a chain reaction for better events in the days, weeks, and months to come.

HOLMES: All right. The integrity testing could go possibly past the 48-hour period. We will keep an eye on that. Reynolds, we appreciate it, as always.

We turn now to President Obama, who is getting a little rest, relaxation, and some rebuke. He is under fire from some people for taking a weekend getaway and not spending the time on the Gulf coast. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is with us this morning from Maine.

Suzanne, always good to have you here with us.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Nice to see you, T.J.

HOLMES: You followed the president to Maine. The controversy followed him, as well. People won't be surprised it's Republicans for the most part criticizing the president. But he's just getting a little down time in with the family.

MALVEAUX: T.J., you've got to admit it. This is a gorgeous place out here if you're going to vacation. Just behind me Frenchmen's Bay, you see that sandbar over there. That is where we expect the first family to cross over to check it out like many of the tourists. They are taking a break for three days or so.

I had a chance to go running this morning, talk to folks. People come here from all over the world to do whale watching, kayaking, biking. We saw the first family yesterday hiking along Mount Cadillac. They also had chance to go on a boat ride around the harbor, take pictures, get ice cream, all the things they enjoy and they like to do.

Clearly, there are some people who are upset, who feel either he should be working or they want him to vacation in New Orleans in the Gulf coast where he said that is a fine place to go for tourists. They need the business there. Folks want him and the first family to be an example and come down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REED: The president needs to vacation wherever he wants to. I want him to get his head straight and have rest. I would rather him come down and really, instead of just the four brief trips he's made, and really understand what's happening on the ground. The disconnect between Washington and what's happening here is still huge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: T.J., in all fairness to the president, he is going to be returning to the gulf coast in a couple of weeks or so obviously, to check out the situation, to talk to officials, to get a sense how people are dealing with the oil spill aftermath.

It is not a vacation for the president. And honestly, the presidents never really do take full onslaught vacations. I was with President Bush in Crawford, Texas. We were there for weeks. And obviously, we clear brush, but he was always occupied with things to do.

We've seen this president's former vacations, Martha's Vineyard last summer when his friend former Senator Ted Kennedy died. He was in Honolulu, Hawaii, where you had the Christmas day attempted airline bombing. When you've got a down moment for the president he takes time to relax and enjoy himself, he certainly appreciates that time.

HOLMES: You're the president of the United States, you can't sneak away and get away fully. That's not possible. But how has the president and administration responded to the criticism? This is the third trip Republicans say since the Gulf oil disaster. He went to Asheville, Chicago for Memorial weekend, and now another opportunity to go to the Gulf, instead going to Maine.

How is the administration responding to that criticism?

MALVEAUX: Certainly, T.J., what they are saying is this is a time the president needs to be with his family. They don't think most people would begrudge him that time to spend to relax and have a little bit of down time to clear his head.

He is obviously focused on a lot of the problems including the Gulf oil spill that. That was good news we got with the leak and so forth. He will be returning to the region. He is keeping his eye on that.

These are three-day excursions. This is not any particular amount of time that he is going to take his eye off any particular issue, that he still does care about what is happening to the people there.

HOLMES: Suzanne Malveaux, glad you got your run in this morning. We will talk to you.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: A little R&R for the reporters is not too bad either.

HOLMES: We will be checking in with you if we don't disturb your spa time later. Good to see you as always.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: We'll see.

HOLMES: Coming up, a couple you have just got to meet. I can't wait to listen to. This is a couple that has been married for 72 years. And if you want their advice for how to keep it together for so long, you can just go to their blog. Karen McGinnis, good morning to you.

KAREN MCGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, T.J. Coming up, we'll tell you about the searing heat right smack across the nation's midsection and southwestern U.S. how hot will it be? Where we might expect severe weather later on today? That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Welcome back to CNN Saturday morning newsroom.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: You heard about this back in February. It's already headed to the big screen. A white sorority enters a black college step show and they win. But that's just the beginning of this story.

We're checking in with Josh Levs this morning as well. He's got a little advice from the some folks who apparently know what they're doing.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are dispensing this advice after more than seven decades of marriage. People are going wild for them. They are the OGs. You are about to meet them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's 23 minutes past the hour now. I want to give you a check on the stories making headlines.

We are standing to hear from authorities in Hackensack, New Jersey. They are expected to hold a news conference to give us an update on the collapse of a parking garage. This happened about 24 hours ago. They believe that there was at least one man who was trapped inside.

You're seeing a live picture now of some of the work that continues. This is some pretty delicate work because they were afraid send something of the rescuers in, they could be in danger if this collapsed any more. Originally authorities thought there was at least one person trapped inside. They didn't know the condition of that person. Back to video for you -- they didn't know the condition of that person. Then authorities also said it was possible because a car was moving on the surveillance camera when the things collapsed, so possibly even more people were in there.

Who knows now? We are waiting to get an update. When we get it we'll pass that along to you.

Meanwhile on day 89 of the Gulf oil disaster. These tests continue to go on, but the picture continues to be what people want to see, which is no oil coming out from the oil well there at the bottom of the ocean.

Now, the 48 hour deadline they had for the tests is about to expire here in the next several hours. Word now that BP could continue with the test past that 48-hour deadline. Again, they are testing the integrity of this well to make sure it can hold up to the pressure of that oil. The new cap is on so no oil is coming out. Good news so far.

Also, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is going to hold a news conference today. We expect demonstrations at this conference. They are going to call on the government and also members of the Congress to help save Florida's AIDS drug assistance program, which is expected to be cut. We'll keep an eye on that happening today, as well.

Meanwhile, I want to head over to Josh Levs who has something for us that you're just going to enjoy. People have been married this couple has been married 72 years. You just put them on camera, you knew they had to be internet stars at some point.

LEVS: They've got wisdom to share. It's exactly what you're saying. You take a look at what they are putting out there and all of a sudden you get a clear sense of what it is.

Let's go to the first video here. This is one of the many videos they post. They are Barbara and Harry Cooper. She is 93, he is 98. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary. Coopers live in California. They are two of the oldest bloggers out there.

Their blog is called The OGs, short for the "original grandparents." Their granddaughters post this video for them. They have thousands of fans on Facebook. Barbara even tweets. And this is her dancing for her husband after breakfast, which is a tradition in their house. He applauds for her -- so sweet.

In another of their recent videos, they wanted to share some of the songs Harry learned in Hawaii when he served in the military.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEVS: You can see the love between them. They get asked for relationship advice. They have a section of the blog where it's called "Ask grandma anything." People actually send in questions for advice. One video, their granddaughter reads them a note from someone complaining her husband is being lazy and won't work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think she can talk him into it?

DEBORAH COOPER: Definitely. That's just part of being married. If he didn't want to be married he should have stayed home and let his parents take care of him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: She said he should be home with his parents or she should feel free to push him to do whatever work needs to be done for the family there.

I got to talk to them. I got questions to them. I asked them the biggest question so many out there are wondering. After 72 years, what are the secrets to successful, lasting marriage?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Display for each other.

DEBORAH COOPER: Tolerance, patience, and time.

HARRY COOPER: It's a give and take situation. She takes and I give.

DEBORAH COOPER: He thinks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: "She takes and I give." We like that line.

One of the things she has going on her blog here, she reviews various things, food, restaurants and she reviews Lady Gaga. She is not too happy with the video "Alejandro." She is up on stuff and keeps blogging about anything.

We would love to hear what you think about this. I have links on my Facebook page. Weigh in and watch the videos. As always, send your favorite videos.

HOLMES: "She takes and I give," that's not news, I guess.

LEVS: I guess this is what is the next six decades of our marriage are going to be like.

HOLMES: Just kidding, wives. We are just joking. Something we just got. We've been following this situation we've been seeing in New Jersey, Hackensack, New Jersey where this garage collapsed. Here it is. The garage collapsed. Work had been going on, search and rescue, because they believed someone was inside. We are being told no one is trapped inside.

Listen to the news conference from a moment ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm happy to report after all our rescue efforts up to this point, including two of the vehicles we suspected were victims in there, they found to be unfounded at this point. One of the vehicles we were able to remove out of there. It was crushed, but thankfully no one was in it.

At this point right now, we are looking at this as a major tragedy was averted by thankfully no one getting crushed by tons of concrete and debris on this parking garage area that was somewhat attached to the building, but most of it was outside the building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Like he said, this could have been a major disaster. They thought one and up to three people were accounted for and could have been under there when this garage collapsed about 24 hours ago now. We can bring now one trapped in there, so that is great news.

When a city lays off 80 police officers, where are you going to go? Only one California city, don't call the police. They have a list of crimes now that could get a no response for you. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's 33 minutes past the hour now. Scrolling behind me, do you see that long list of potential felonies, misdemeanors, and grievances? Any of those crimes, you commit them in Oakland, you're not going to get an immediate response from the police. Don't call 911. Oakland police say they can't respond to these crimes because of a lack of resources.

Embezzlement, identity theft, burglary, sex offender registration. You have to do all that stuff online. Oakland police chief says his officers will focus to responding to 911 calls relating to violence, and they won't be able to respond to other nonemergency crimes because of a lack of resources.

It's a lack resources is because 80 police officers were just laid off after a disagreement between union leaders and the city. I spoke with the Oakland City council president about the list of crimes people can't call about anymore.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANE BRUNNER, PRESIDENT, OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL: A lot of that list may stay, some of that list may go away. If your house gets burglarized, there is still a way to call police. What they're not going to do is if the robber has left two hours earlier, come out and just talk to you. They will have you call up or do it through the Internet.

HOLMES: You talk about how long you live there. Step away from being a city representative. How disheartening is that to know police are not going to come help you, listen to you, fill out a report, look around your house, that they are not going to come respond anymore?

BRUNNER: Well, we need them to respond to the important crimes. Everyone is going to feel it.

HOLMES: If my house is burglarized, I think it's pretty important.

BRUNNER: I think it's very important. I had my house burglarized myself. I do want to put that report in.

I have to say about 20 years we only put reports in, we didn't have police come to our house. We are in bad economic times and we can't fool ourselves the cities are going to continue at the same level. I only say the federal government gets to print money, the state gets to steal it. They took $42 million of our redevelopment money, but we have to live within our budgets. We're in trouble in this city.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: An attorney for the police unions says he plans to keep negotiating with the city to try and hire these officers. He says "We are not going to let these guys go without a fight."

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's 37 minutes past the hour. Now taking a look at some of the stories making headlines.

After 24 hours of searching in Hackensack, New Jersey, officials have come out and said no one is trapped in that partially-collapsed garage. You're seeing the video of it again. This happened 24 hours ago.

They originally thought one person, at least one person was trapped inside. We just got word from a news conference that, in fact, there is no one inside. That is good news. City engineers now want to know what caused that collapse.

Also in Illinois, authorities are holding a man on charges of felony arson. That is after his car exploded after he rammed it into a bank. This happened on Friday night. He drove his car into the bank's front entrance. It had some homemade bomb inside and he blew it up, blew up as he was walking away.

No injuries reported. And also the bank was closed so no word on a motive, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZACK ANDERSON, WITNESS: I was actually, I mean, a little bit scared. I didn't know if the bombs were big or not. It's like something would you see in a movie. I think there is something on the roof from the cement on the sign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Also, in Venezuela, authorities have exhumed the remains of Latin American leader Simon Bolivar. The exhumation was ordered by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The purpose is to determine if Bolivar was murdered. Most historians believe he died from tuberculosis.

Quick break, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Have you seen this debate this week about racism? It's going on between the NAACP and the tea party movement right now. It's taken another turn. The tea part express spokesperson Mark Williams has now pulled that controversial blog post, one that even had some of his supporters saying he had gone too far.

Williams typed what he called a satirical letter by NAACP president Ben Jealous a few days after the civil rights organization condemned the, quote, "racist elements among the tea party activists."

Here is an excerpt from that letter. Again, this was the tea party spokesman Mark Williams writing this as Ben Jealous to Abraham Lincoln. "Dear Mr. Lincoln, we colored people have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to the whole emancipation thing. Freedom means to having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us colored people, and we demand that it stop."

Ben jealous ten fired back. He responded with the following, quote, "I have not reached out to Mark Williams nor have we made statements against the tea party. We have simply called on the leaders to repudiate racist elements in their ranks. If Mark Williams does so I would be happy to sit down and talk with him."

Our deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins me now live weighing in on this controversy. This thing got ugly quickly and continued with this back and forth, Paul. This was an ugly episode this week.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: It sure was. I watched a lot of your good interviews with people on both sides of the issue. Last night Williams was on "John King USA" and defended his actions but said why he dropped that so called satiric letter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK WILLIAMS, TEA PARTY LEADER: When reasonable people soberly approached me and sat down and actually talked with me about it, I reread and rethought and agreed with them it could be misconstrued and probably inappropriate, and more important to the point, getting in the way of discussion and dialogue, which is the reason why it was written in the first place was to spark that.

As you can see, Mr. Jealous has responded appropriately, and I responded in kind and in a reciprocal gesture, and was very happy, happy to make that reciprocal gesture. I would have far preferred to be on stage at the NAACP convention explaining to the assembled membership where it was so important for them to join with the tea party movement rather than stand there and listen to screams from race-baiters about what racists we were.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: This isn't the first time that Williams created controversy. Just a couple of months ago he had comments about Muslims that sparked outrage at the time. He was protesting the proposed mosque that may be built new ground zero in New York City.

HOLMES: He backtracked a bit and took the letter down and put other responses up that didn't exactly sound like an apology or saying did he anything wrong with the letter. It sounds like he is defending this thing.

STEINHAUSER: To a degree it sounds like it. That's why I don't think this story is over yet. Here on CNN we are doing a lot on it this morning. My guess is it's going to be a big debate tomorrow and could last into next week, T.J.

HOLMES: And Michael Steele got in the middle of this.

STEINHAUSER: Yes, the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee criticized the NAACP after their actions and said the recent claims said the tea party movement are racist and destructive, they are not true.

Steele, at the end of the month he will speak in San Diego at the National Association of Black Journalists. My hunch is this is going to come up again.

HOLMES: That is happening out in San Diego, a lot of hot topics taking place there. We'll see what he has to say there. Paul, thanks so much.

Coming up on quarter to the top of the hour, now, headed to the so called "corridor of cruelty" in Houston. You'll meet a woman determined to change the name of that place. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We are supposed to take care of man's best friend. A cruel owner out there could be a pet's worst enemy. A lot of neglect and abuse often leave dogs and pets in general in a world of suffering and abandonment. But a Houston woman made it her life's work to ease the pain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBORAH HOFFMAN, CNN HERO: Right now heading out to the "corridor of cruelty." It's basically a dumping ground for live and dead animals. The first time I ever went to the corridor I realized there were strays everywhere, so many dogs starving, dogs with broken legs. And I prayed and I prayed somehow I could be inspired to do something to help.

I'm Deborah Hoffman, and my calling in life is to save neglected, abused, and abandoned animals.

This street is one of the major dumping grounds. We'll find dogs we believe were used in dog fighting in large trash bags.

BELINDA SMITH, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Deborah Hoffman brought to our attention the fact the corridor of cruelty even existed. This area seems to have more criminal active associated with animal cruelty.

We think this one was used for dog fighting. He was pretty beat up when he came in.

Deborah is saving the animals. Because of her, there are some happy endings in this situation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He brings a lot of joy in my life.

HOFFMAN: It's truly a miracle taking a dog like lotto in that bad conditions off the streets and putting him in a loving home with someone like Joan.

This is what I'm going to do the rest of my life. When I'm 85 I'll be on my laptop trying to save an animal from my rocking chair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: If you want to nominate someone as an CNN hero, go to CNNheroes.com.

And if you're thinking about flying with Fido any time soon, you need to check the temperature. If it's more than 85 degrees, some airlines like Delta say it's too hot for dogs to fly. Some dogs like bulldogs, pugs, Delta puts a heat limit at 75 degrees.

Other airlines like United won't accept short nose dog breeds at all during the summertime. The Department of Transportation says these types of dogs are likely to have trouble breathing and are in greater risk of heatstroke than other breeds in uncomfortable, extreme temperatures.

A white sorority enters a black step show and wins. This sparked a national debate several months ago. But check out what happened when a producer decides he wanted to make all this into a movie. He had trouble with it. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALONZO ANDERSON, WRITER/PRODUCER, "STEPSISTERS": I cast some actresses, white actresses. They actually chose not to do the project because in some scenes they would have to kiss a black actor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Another chapter this morning. The fiery national debate spark wed a white sorority was victorious in a college step show competition, a tradition once exclusive to black sororities and fraternities.

The scenario is now headed to Hollywood. A movie producer said he listened while the white students were vilified by many who claimed it was cultural theft and said white people should stay out of black step shows. So now comes the movie "Stepsisters."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: This is how it all started. A white sorority shocked the audience with creativity and precision worthy of a champion. When their victory hit the Internet it became viral. A week later a scoring error led to the declaration of a tie between the white zetas and a black sorority from Indiana University.

Movie producer Alonzo Anderson was following it all.

ANDERSON: I think the thing is that the fact that the novelty of all-white sorority stepping may have impressed the judges somewhat, but still they were good. It attracted away from what they accomplished and made it about race when it's about competition.

HOLMES: Anderson was preparing to shoot the movie "Stepsisters" in Atlanta, a coming of age film about two best friends, a white one and black one, who grew up together and they went to the same college, a black one. That's when race threatened to destroy their childhood bond.

ANDERSON: When I originally wrote this project, the stepping element wasn't a huge part of it. It was a personal side and about the race relationship. Then seeing what happened with the girls from Arkansas that motivated me to say this is a great back drop for what this project is trying to say.

HOLMES: The movie focuses on two step teens, one black and one mostly white. The script is largely taken from the life of actress Angela Phillips, who plays the white lead.

ANGELA PHILLIPS, ACTRESS, "STEPSISTERS": I went to high school with my best friend who happened to be black. I went to that school knowing there wasn't do going to be as many white people as we went to school with in the past.

When I got there things quickly changed. We weren't best friends anymore. There was a huge gap between us. Society, was the fault of society due to how races, there are so many people going through that, whether it be black, white, Latino.

HOLMES: Her co-star Jennifer Sears agrees.

JENNIFER SEARS, ACTRESS, "STEPSISTERS": I had never expected to see the type of uproar we received just by having a black president, well, mulato president. I thought by 2010 we would be so much further along. We are growing.

HOLMES: Race also hampered finding actors for the film.

ANDERSON: I cast some actresses, some white actresses. They actually chose not to do the project because in some scenes this he would have to kiss a black actor. Here it is, 2010, we are working on a film that's socially relevant where people can actually learn from it, and I still have actors who refuse to work with other actors because of race.

HOLMES: No such problem for this cast. In fact, they are hoping "Stepsisters," where art imitates life, become as tool for teaching.

MUSLIMAH HASAN, ACTRESS, "STEPSISTERS": I think it will get people talking because it happens. Obviously, it stems somewhat from a real life event. There was an uproar about it. A lot of people had their yeas and nays about it. It will be something to talk about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: The producer Alonzo Anderson says casting the film was a learning experience for him. The movie is still in production here in Atlanta and is scheduled to hit the theaters sometime next year.