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New Supreme Court Term; Travel Alert for Americans in Europe; The Bully Problem; Resources to Combat Bullying; Food Desert in Detroit

Aired October 04, 2010 - 10:00   ET

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

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: It's the first Monday in October. And that means it is a time for justice to be served. Right now, the Supreme Court gathering to discuss issues that affect just about all of us. The court's newest justice, Elena Kagan joining her eight colleagues on the bench, and among the more high profile cases before the Court: free speech versus the right to privacy.

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GRIFFIN: Protesters from this controversial church in Kansas outside the funeral of an American service member. The church and his pastor are being sued by the father of a Marine. Our Kate Bolduan has more on that and other cases.

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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Supreme Court currently has more than 50 cases on the docket. The most controversial range from immigration reform to free speech challenges.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: America. America.

BOLDUAN: Albert Snyder sued the West Borough Baptist Church and it's leader Fred Phelps, after they staged a demonstration outside his son's funeral in 2006. 20-year-old Marine Matthew Snyder was killed in Iraq.

ALBERT SNYDER, FATHER OF MARINE KILLED IN IRAQ: It comes down to dignity. No one - I don't care if you're not military. No one should be buried with what the Phelps did to him.

BOLDUAN: This is a case of free speech versus privacy rights. The court will also weigh in on the case of Texas death row inmate Hank Skinner. Skinner says he is innocent of the triple murder he's convicted of committing. Skinner argues he has a civil right to request DNA evidence testing post conviction to prove it.

HANK SKINNER, TEXAS DEATH ROW INMATE: All the district attorney has got to do is turn over the evidence and test it. If I'm innocent, I go home, if I'm guilty, I die. What's so hard about that?

BOLDUAN: Prosecutors argue Skinner had his chance to appeal, and argue that if he wins, it will open the floodgates to frivolous lawsuits, clogging the criminal justice system. Other high-profile cases include California's attempt to ban the sale of violent video games to children.

An Appeals Court said the law violates the first amendment. The court will also consider a challenge to an Arizona law cracking down on businesses hiring illegal immigrants. Opponents argue, federal law trumps state efforts.

TOM GOLDSTEIN, FOUNDER, SCOUTUSBLOG: Federal government says we have the immigration laws, Arizona kind of throws up its hands and says, yes, but you're not enforcing them.

BOLDUAN: Meanwhile, the newest justice, Elena Kagan is taking to the bench for her first time, which also marks a historic first for the Supreme Court. Three women serving at the same time.

(on camera): However, Justice Kagan has already recused herself from 25 pending cases. Because of her work as a former solicitor general, she has withdrawn to prevent any conflict of interest, leaving the possibility of split 4-4 decisions as the term kicks off.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.

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GRIFFIN: The State Department has put out a travel alert for Americans in Europe and in reaction to a possible terror threat. CNN's Jeanne Meserve following this story from Washington. Jeanne, exactly what is the State Department telling travelers to do?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, the State Department is not telling Americans "Don't go to Europe." It is urging them to be careful when they go there. The alert reads in part, U.S. citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings, and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.

It was issued in response to the high volume of intelligence about possible terror attacks in Europe, including information that Al Qaeda and its affiliates may be planning synchronized attacks against multiple targets like those in Mumbai, India.

Although officials do not have specific information about the timing mode or location of possible attacks, the alert mentions public transportation systems. Think subways, railways, airports, tour buses. It also talks about tourist infrastructure that would include hotels in tourist areas, as well as highly trafficked tourist sites.

A senior U.S. official says the Europeans are in sync with the U.S. on this, and Britain has taken a similar step, advising its citizens traveling to Germany and France that the terror threat is high. In addition, we now know that a bulletin did go out from the FBI and Homeland Security to domestic law enforcement yesterday.

It says, in part, there is no indication that the reported threat is directed specifically towards the United States. However, it goes on to say, "we continue to operate under the premise that our adversaries are determined to recruit and place terrorist operatives inside the United States for attacks." It is urging them also to be vigilant. Back to you, Drew.

GRIFFIN: Jeanne, it is so vague, and you said they don't really know the specifics on any of this. Is there any specific guidance that's being - with this, other than just being careful, be on alert?

MESERVE: Well, the bottom line is use your common sense. If you see unattended packages, hear a loud noise, hear a disturbance of some kind, move away from that. Don't have baggage tags, for instance, that directly identify you as American. Know how to use the local pay telephones and how to contact the U.S. embassy. In fact, the State Department recommends that you register on-line with the U.S. embassy or consulate wherever you're visiting so they know where to find you. Drew.

GRIFFIN: All right. Jeanne Meserve in Washington. Thanks, Jeanne.

There is an ominous turn in the controversy surrounding the planned Islamic center and mosque just two blocks away from Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. A New York police spokesman says Imam Faisal Rauf, the man who spearheads that project and his wife have received death threats.

The proposed Islamic center has inflamed a lot of people, as you know, some arguing that that building, an Islamic community center so close to the site of the 9/11 attacks is insensitive. Others like New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg say freedom of religion is the primary reason that project should go ahead.

Rahm Emanuel's campaign for Chicago mayor now under way. The former White House chief of staff started his visits to Chicago this morning. There he is on that great street in Chicago. Emanuel officially announcing the tour kickoff Sunday in a web video.

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RAHM EMANUEL, CHICAGO MAYORALTY CANDIDATE: Chicago is a world- class city today because of Mayor Daly's leadership. He deserves our appreciation, but we are facing tremendous challenges, from attracting jobs to improving schools to making all our neighborhoods safer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Well, the mayor, Richard Daly, decided not to seek another term after 21 years running city hall. Emanuel gave up his White House job Friday. He has not an official candidate yet.

"Time" magazine reports that a new survey of New Hampshire voters asked them about Donald Trump as a possible 2012 GOP presidential candidate. The phone survey included some 30 questions about this real estate magnate. One asked would Trump's high-profile appearances on TV help or hurt him in a political race? Well, Donald Trump spoke to CNN's AMERICAN MORNING about the survey.

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ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Are you running for president?

DONALD TRUMP: Well, I've never heard of this poll, but I am anxious to find out what it says. I do not know anything about a poll taken in New Hampshire.

VELSHI: So you didn't commission this?

TRUMP: I certainly did not.

VELSHI: Do you know of anybody who would commission a poll on your behalf?

TRUMP: No, but I've been very outspoken on what's happening with OPEC and how they're ripping us off. And frankly, when you look at what's going on in Iraq and everything, I mean, I've certainly been outspoken, so I could see somebody looking at those issues, not necessarily me.

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GRIFFIN: Wiggle room, I would call that for Donald Trump. So far, "Time" magazine has been unable to find out who paid for that survey.

Well, the pounding rain has stopped, but the damage done. People in North Carolina dealing with the worst flooding in years. We're going to take a closer look in a few minutes.

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GRIFFIN: Firefighters trying to put down that wildfire in (INAUDIBLE) County, Colorado. No luck so far. A 300-acre blaze, zero percent containment. Residents in a youth camp evacuated nearby.

Another day of cleanup on tap for eastern North Carolina. The opposite problem. Too much water. Rain from this last weekend's flooding. Parts of North Carolina saw more than 20 inches of rain, and the week begins with plenty of travel delays, as well, in the northeast. I guess, Rob, that rain is moving on up.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is. And you know what, they had a little wave develop over the weekend. So dry day on Saturday to help to clean things up in North Carolina, but then a little something just developed on Sunday. And then rolled up the East Coast and that's what we're looking at right now. A pretty decent storm actually that's kind of sitting and spin here, not just today but I think for a while and that's not good news for folks in parts of Pennsylvania, upstate New York.

Here's what we think is going to happen over the next 48 hours as far as the amount of rainfall. And it won't be coming all at one time, it will be coming on and off, you know, probably last more than 48 hours, but nonetheless this green and yellow area here, this is anywhere from one to three inches of rainfall on top of what they have already seen this late last week with that one batch.

This is not a tropical rain, but it's going to be rotating in from time to time off the ocean, and so it will be cool and damp. And on top of that, we'll probably sea some coastal flood issues along (INAUDIBLE) lines of Long Island, Delaware and parts of Jersey, as well. So that's what we're looking at there. As far as the travel delays are concerned, there are some this morning because of that rainfall, and low visibility at La Guardia. We got an hour and 10 minute delays. In Philly, we got an hour and 55 delays. San Francisco seeing some delays, as well. And delays are on the increase through Boston.

Mid section of the country, gorgeous stuff, but it is cool. Temperatures a good 10 to 15 degrees below average. And also starting to see cooler temperatures across the West Coast after those record-breaking high temperatures last week. Things are beginning to even up - even out just a little bit.

All right. Couple other things. One, we'll spread the map out just a little bit for the Caribbean. And this disturbance may very well turn into something. But right now, I think the U.S. is pretty well protected as far as the pattern of weather is concerned. Meaning anything that does develop probably will go out to sea. But if this has been hanging around long enough, we're going to have to wait to see that.

And then on the other side of the world there, over by Japan, about 200 miles southwest of Okinawa, Japan, we got a 6.3 earthquake, but that shouldn't be a big deal, (INAUDIBLE) middle of the ocean, not quite large enough to create any sort of tsunami, but that just came into the CNN severe weather center. Drew?

GRIFFIN: All right. Rob, thanks.

Hey, let's check out this surveillance video from Brazil. The only thing more shocking than that is the fact that she is OK. Just minor injuries from this. This woman tossed about 60 feet down the street. The driver did get out and check on her. Holy smokes.

Well, if you're a Verizon customer or used to be one, you might have some money coming to you. Not a huge amount, but enough to get at least one, maybe two cups of coffee. Depending on what you order. More on that after the break.

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GRIFFIN: These are our top stories at this hour.

Americans in Europe being warned to avoid popular tourist destinations and stay on alert. The concern, terrorist attacks. Potential for one, at least. Similar to the 2008 attacks on two hotels and a Jewish center that happened in Mumbai, India. Intelligence officials say a group of jihadists in Hamburg, Germany believed to be behind this plot. The advisory is to encourage precaution, but not to tell Americans to avoid travel all together.

Earlier today, the man known as the father of the test tube baby Robert Edwards named as the year's recipient of the Noble Prize for medicine. Edwards' pioneered in vitro fertilization. The Noble panel says his contribution represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine.

And Verizon Wireless is going to refund 15 million customers. The company admits to charging customers for data services they didn't want. If you are or were a Verizon Wireless customer, you're going to get a credit if you're a current customer or a refund checkup to six bucks.

Bus stop? Far more literal meaning this morning in Phoenix, Arizona. A labor lockout has some commuters looking for another way to work this morning. Reporter Jose Miguel from CNN affiliate, KPHO, live from the south bus lot of Phoenix Transit. I know it's early out there, Jose, but is this commute going to be affected terribly?

JOSE MIGUEL, REPORTER, KPHO: Well, so far, Drew, we can tell you that things are looking to be scheduled as normal, but that could all change throughout the day. That's because things were at a deadlock as of 12:01 this morning, between the Olio Transportation and its teamsters union. Now, this particular group of union members are those that work behind the scenes of the bus lines. They're the mechanics, they're the maintenance workers, they're the custodial workers. They could not come to terms with their contract as of 12:01 this morning.

Now, the biggest complaint that they have is that the Olio Transportation company says they want to be able to outsource work without notifying the unions. The union says this is a violation of their terms, and they will not put up with this. Now, so far, I can tell you that 62 workers are affected by this contract negotiation, which may not seem like a large number, but we have to remember that this particular group handles a third of the city's bus lines. That's 33 of the 99 bus lines could be affected by a possible strike.

Now, so far, they haven't formed a picket line, but, again, that could all change. And the other big question of the day is whether or not the other union workers will go ahead and strike alongside them, meaning the bus drivers themselves. So far, we have not heard whether or not they will do this. But again, a lot of people waiting to see what will happen and to see whether or not their evening commute will be affected. But so far, the morning commute looking good, Drew.

GRIFFIN: OK. Jose, keep us posted. Thanks.

There's new developments too in a story that's been unfolding over the past few weeks. Some lenders have pushed through paperwork on home foreclosures, but never checked to see if the paperwork was correct. So banks across the country are freezing foreclosure proceedings. Now the nation's largest bank is joining the ranks. Carter Evans at the New York Stock Exchanges with details of this growing problem. Carter.

CARTER EVANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a growing problem, drew, because there are a lot of foreclosures in this country. First, it was Allied Financial, then it was JPMorgan Chase, and now Bank of America freezing foreclosures in 23 states. Now it's only temporary. What this does is it gives banks time to review the foreclosure documents. See, here's what happened.

We saw a record number of foreclosures last year, three million of them. And banks are essentially drowning in paperwork. Some employees allegedly signed off on thousands of foreclosures without verifying the information on the documents. But it wasn't necessarily true that all of these documents went through without ever being looked at. Other employees looked at them. It's just that certain employees in some cases with some of these banks were charged with signing off, and in a move - it's called robosigning. It comes across their desk, they put their name on it and move it right along and assume that it was checked correctly.

GRIFFIN: All right. Carter, you know, we say it's a problem, but it's only a problem for banks. If you're going through foreclosure, it's a reprieve, I guess, a couple more weeks, perhaps, to try to prevent it. So -

EVANS: Well, you know, some bank employees are admitting that there was some wrongdoing here. Yes. And if you are facing foreclosure and a bank is legitimately foreclosing on your home, this could put it off a little while. But it's probably still going to happen. What it could do is prompt some individual lawsuits. And in the meantime, several states are cracking down. Connecticut's attorney general is asking the court there to freeze all foreclosures. California attorney general is calling on JPMorgan Chase to show exactly how it complied with state law. And in Ohio, the attorney general there is asking judges to review all ally foreclosure cases.

I mean, banks are trying to review these cases. They're trying to get them wrapped up quickly, but this is going to take some time. And other banks now could face some pressure to slow or halt the process. You want to check out stocks, by the way, real quickly? Because S&P 500, slightly lower. Caught between two economic reports. Factory orders fell more than expected, that's not so good, but pending home sales, they rose more than expected. So a little bit of plus and minus today, kind of a seesaw.

GRIFFIN: Kind of sets up for a nine-point gain. Thanks a lot, Carter.

Whether you're a student, parent or an educator, bullying is a real problem. Sometimes tragic consequences. Straight ahead, we're going to look at solutions and one father's mission after a devastating loss.

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GRIFFIN: Candles and silence last night on the Rutgers campus in New Jersey. Hundreds of people mourning the death of a freshman most of them didn't even know. His name, Tyler Clementi, jumped off the George Washington bridge after a sexual encounter with another male was put on the internet. Organizers of this vigil called for more understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and for an end to bullying.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Him and everyone else should be able to live the life that they want to live without fear of things like this happening.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the fact that someone, two people, could be so cruel to him, I just - it's just really upsetting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More kids around the country in three weeks committed suicide. It's not a Rutgers thing, it's a teenage thing where hate is an American value at this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: There was also a moment of silence before the Rutgers' homecoming football game. You can read what it says on the score board there, in memory of Tyler Clementi. Two students have been charged with invasion of privacy in Clementi's death.

This is one of several cases of alleged bullying that ended in tragedy. These stories bring to light an issue that so many parents and children struggle with. In a special back to school series on bullying, we're starting off with an intimate look at the problem from a father who love his son.

CNN's Carol Costello is here with his story. Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Drew, it wasn't long ago I met Kirk Smalley. He's a quiet man, private. Lives in Oklahoma City or near it, anyway. Doesn't usually like to speak out publicly or on television. But after his 11-year-old son committed suicide after being bullied at school, he felt he had to speak out. He said no child should be bullied to death. And he wants to make sure no child ever is again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (voice-over): Kirk Smalley is on a mission. There he is an honored guest at Oklahoma City's Western Heights High School, trying to put a stop to bullying.

KIRK SMALLEY, TY SMALLEY'S FATHER: I have to make a difference. I promised my son on father's day this year I'd stop this from happening to another child.

COSTELLO: For years, Smalley's son, Ty, struggled with a bully at school.

(on camera): And when you say he was being picked on, how was he being picked on?

SMALLEY: Name calling, Ty was always kind of small. Shove here, push there.

COSTELLO: His father says Ty was a typical kid with typical grades who took the abuse for two years. On the day Ty finally decided to push back physically, he got into trouble. He was suspended from school. For Ty, that was too much to bear. On that day last May, he killed himself. He was 11 years old.

SMALLEY: Ultimately, my son's safety rested in my hands. I was responsible for my son's safety. I don't hold -

COSTELLO: That's a harsh thing to say about yourself. I mean -

SMALLEY: I'm his dad.

COSTELLO: I know but he's out in the world -

SMALLEY: It's my job to protect him. No matter what, no matter where he was, it was my job to protect him.

COSTELLO (voice-over): But how do you protect your child from a bully? Assistant Deputy Education Secretary Kevin Jennings was appointed by President Obama to keep kids safe at school. Ty's story could easily have been his own.

COSTELLO (on camera): Were you bullied in school?

SMALLEY: Like many kids, I was bullied very severely when I was in junior high and high school. And the first day of tenth grade I actually refused to go back because I simply wasn't going to go back to a place where I got bullied every day.

COSTELLO (voice-over): Jennings organized the first ever bullying summit, but even he admits it's a baby step. Experts can't agree on how to define bullying. Is it physical, electronic, psychological, nonverbal, or all of the above?

COSTELLO (on camera): When might something happen? When might the federal government act and say these are the guidelines we want to put in place. Do it.

KEVIN JENNINGS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: I think that it's taking us a long time to develop a bullying problem, and I think it's going to take time to solve it.

COSTELLO (voice-over): It's why there are no federal guidelines schools must follow to deal with bullying. They are on their own. In Smalley's home state of Oklahoma, each school district deals with bullying in different ways. It's something else that infuriates Smalley.

JENNINGS: A lot of schools around the country the answer to bullying is they threat victim leave a little early. They let them go home early to get a head start on the bully. You're singling this child out. This child has been picked on and you're singling him out now.

COSTELLO: Real solutions will come too late for Ty. But Kirk Smalley is on that mission. It's why he organizes vigils at the Oklahoma state house. He thinks bullying ought to be a crime. And it's why he tries to convince other kids to stand up for the bullied.

SMALLEY: Save their fragile self-esteem. Save their lives.

COSTELLO: It's his promise to a boy who loved his family, hunting, and the St. Louis Cardinals.

SMALLEY: We haven't done Ty's last load of laundry because it smells like him. We haven't washed his sheets because I can go in there and lay on his bed and still smell my boy. You want to learn what bullying and suicide's all about, you talk to the people directly who it affects the most.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: As you might imagine, Drew, that was very tough for Mr. Smalley. Forty-one states now have anti-bullying laws on the books, but as I said, they're all different. There are no federal guidelines.

And by the way, Mr. Smalley, if you're listening, Mr. Jennings, the deputy secretary of education thanks you for doing this interview, thanks you for making your story public. Because he says these are the stories that will get something done. This is what people need to hear to get those federal guidelines in place quicker.

GRIFFIN: Carol, did anything happen at the school district? You know, where Mr. Smally's -- did the bully get chastised at all? Was there any kind of consequences there?

COSTELLO: Bully got suspended, too. But the school system told us that Mr. Smalley and his wife never complained about Ty being bullied at school. There was no written record.

Of course, Mr. Smally says, yes, we did complain. But there is no requirement to write anything down or document anything. And that's one of the things that Mr. Smalley is trying to change. The school says, you know, it's sorry for the Smallys' loss, wishe it could do something.

Mr. Smalley, by the way, has no interest in suing the school. He just wants something to be done. He wants the country to draw together and get something done to stop bullying. To stop kids from being so mean to each other, because you know what? They learn it from somewhere. They're not born that way.

GRIFFIN: Yes, a lot of this is coming from the home, both sides. Carol, thanks.

CNN/Opinion Research poll done in conjunction with Roslyn Wiseman takes a broader look at bullying. So, here's what we did. We asked teenagers, have you ever been ridiculed, humiliated, verbally or physically threatened by another teenager? Either in person or onine? Sixty-three percent no, 37 percent -- more than a third say yes, targets of bullies. We also asked how many of your friends have you ever been humiliated or threatened by another child? Forty-two percent said only a few, 29 percent said none, and 26 percent said most or some of their friends have.

With more and more parents looking for help in bringing a stop to bullying, there are some resources that can help. Josh Levs is covering that, tracking Web sites that can help, right, Josh?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and we're going to play right out of what you and Carol were talking about here. First of all, more and more people are saying when you talk to schools, leave digital records online, have emails, have records of what those conversations were; send follow-ups.

But I will tell you, so many parents concerned about this. And one thing I really like about the research is I'll show you now, and I'll show you where to find them all yourself. You don't need to write them down as we go. It's that not only do they help kids and parents, they're also there to help parents figure out maybe if their kids are bullies. Not if they're being bullied. Not just if they're being bullied.

A bunch of Web sites I want you to see. One I'm standing in front of right now is Pacer Center's Teens Against Bullying. There's a lot on here. Pacer Center has the for kids, for teens, for adults. One of the things they have on here is an audio section in which young people share some of their stories. Take a look.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did I do to these people who teased me? What did I do to deserve what people have done to me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There have been times where I looked at myself and wondered, why me? Why did I get stuck with a disability? And there have been times when I have been made fun of.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

LEVS: That's an example there, an audio from Pacer Center. There's also some things that aim at kids -- some of these places start really early. There is a Web site here from the government that is called StopBullyingNow. It's from hrsa.gov. And one of the many things they have are some animated cartoons that help kids look at situations that involve bullying and learn what to do. Here's a clip from one of those.

(BEGIN ANIMATED CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE: Check this out. I'm going to squeeze this pudding down Weany Weany's shirt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE: OK if I join you, Milton?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE: Yes, sure.

(END ANIMATED CLIP)

LEVS: OK, so this is an example of what you're seeing on the cartoon there. And at this section, StopBullyingNow, which again is from the government, there's a whole section here for adults, for parents, what to do, things about cyber bullying here, experts you can get in touch with. So many resources that talk about the state laws on bullying. As we were just hearing from Carol, they differ all over the country. Lots of great resources here.

And one more I'll mention to you, then I'll show you where all these are for you. This is called the Committee for Children. They have a whole section here, what to do about bullying, warning signs, what to look for, how to handle it.

Everything you're seeing right here is linked at for you at my Facebook and Twitter pages. Let's show that. Because what we've got going now is these lists that you'll find there, and when you're there, other parents across the country are weighing in with sites helping them. So hopefully, Drew, some resources out there to help everyone.

GRIFFIN: You know, Josh, we asked our viewers to share with us their stories of being bullied. Earlier today, some of us had written back already.

Jeff says this. This is from Jeff. "All of this stuff going on brought back a lot of memories of being harassed and bullied in school, because I was a skinny little kid with a speech impediment. Those were terrible years of dreading school, going back to school every day and trying to cope with people I knew would bother me. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

From Jess. "Middle school was hell for me. Just one of the daily mornings of torment and tears I had, a few girls smashed eggs on my head in the bus just on the way to school. I'm now 34 and still haven't forgotten it. I had eating disorders for the rest of my life because of those girls. I am more fearful of my child becoming a victim like this than failing grades in school."

Remember, we want to hear from you. Just log on to CNN.com/kyra to share your comments.

Anderson Cooper also going to take a broader look at bullying in our schools now and online. Why do kids do this, and what can be done to stop it? An "AC 360" SPECIAL REPORT beginning here, 10:00 a.m. -- p.m. Eastern here on CNN.

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GRIFFIN: Checking our top stories now.

European intelligence officials say a group of jihadists from the German city of Hamburg allegedly at the heart of an al Qaeda terrorist plot to strike targets in Europe. The new intelligence has prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a travel alert over the weekend for Americans traveling in Europe. The British have followed with their own terror warning that came out today.

Jurors expected to begin deliberations in the death penalty trial of Steven Hayes. He is accused of the gruesome killings of three members of a Connecticut family in a 2007 home invasion. His accomplice will be tried separately.

Dangerous weather hammering the East Coast again. Flood warnings and watches stretch from the Carolinas to Maine. Parts of North Carolina still reeling from this nightmare of rain and flooding last week. Twenty inches of rain in some areas. Seven people died in North Carolina floods alone.

A nasty race for Ohio governor, Rahm Emanuel, beginning his Chicago mayoral campaign, and they're talking in New Hampshire about Donald Trump for president. Our Political Ticker is next.

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GRIFFIN: It is time for the latest news from The Best Political Team on Television. CNN political producer Peter Hamby in Washington at the CNNpolitics.com desk. Pete, what is crossing right now?

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Hey, Drew. Leading the Political Ticker right now, Donald Trump. "Time" magazine reported that somebody is polling New Hampshire, the primary state, listing Donald Trump as a potential Republican candidate. Donald Trump went on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" today and said, I'm not behind the poll. I'm not interested in running for president. So, it's definitely a mystery. You know, he's not polling it. Maybe a rival is polling his name, maybe some interest is polling his name, just to see what happens. But he is saying no.

Also today, Rahm Emanuel, the now former chief of staff of the White House is officially kicking off his mayoral campaign in the city of Chicago. He was at an L-Stop this morning, shaking hands with voters. He's going to a Latino neighborhood later today. He's really got to navigate all these different constituencies that famously make up Chicago politics. He's the front runner -- or sorry, he's getting attention as the front runner. But -- he is sucking up all the media attention, but he's not a shoe-in for this seat.

And also, in the Ohio governor's race today, John Kasich, the Republican candidate, is going negative against Ted Strickland. As polls show, this governor's race tightening. It's a marquis governor's race. The White House is paying close attention to Ohio; obviously it's a significant state. Kasich is calling attention to Strickland's record on jobs, saying he has lost 400,000 jobs since taking office in 2007. However, the polls are close, so it's telling that Kasich is now going negative. Drew?

GRIFFIN: All right. Peter Hamby, live in D.C. with a political update. We're going to have your next political update in an hour. And remember, all the latest political news available 24/7 online at our Web site, CNNpolitics.com. Coming up in a few minutes, we're going to talk about the urban food desert, where there's nowhere to get healthy food in the inner city. It's something Kid Rock is trying to change. Kid Rock in his hometown of Detroit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KID ROCK, MUSICIAN: And how can you be smart and learn if you're not healthy? There's nothing healthy in this city for these kids in the inner city, in the getto. You know what I mean? There has to start with some grocery stores and education -

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GRIFFIN: Everyday at this time, we're going to honor the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan for us. We call it "Home and Away." Today we are honoring Private First Class Matthew Everett Wilds of Hammond, Louisiana. He was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, August 2009. Just 18 years old.

His mother, Mary Wilds wrote us about him. "Matthew, a very good kid," she says. "Never gave us a bit of trouble. Mary says she actually had to sign Matthew up to join the Army and has no regrets. "Matthew loved being in the Army," she writes. "He was so very proud, he was an infantry soldier. He just loved it. His plans were to make a career out of the Army."

If you have a loved one you would like us to honor, here's all you have to do. Go to CNN.com/homeandaway. Type in your service member's name in the upper right search field and pull up the profile. Send us your thoughts and pictures, and we'll keep the memories of your hero alive.

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GRIFFIN: CNN is taking a cross-country food journey. We have a center of reporting teams in every corner of America and beyond there, even. Our mission? To get fresh answers about how our food is grown, how the choices impact our state of health, our state of mind and our budget. We have teamed up with a new CNN.com food destination, Eatocracy.com, to bring you "Eatocracy: Mind, Body, Wallet."

And it's not just sky-high unemployment and monster foreclosures threatening the people of Detroit these days. They face major health problems because of a lack of nutritious foods in low-income neighborhoods.

CNNmoney.com's Poppy Harlow joins us from New York. Poppy, how serious is this?

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: It's interesting. It seems like, Drew, Detroit can't get a break, right? They have huge education problems, huge unemployment problems. They've got a huge, huge health crisis. When you look at the numbers, there is a 50 percent higher obesity rate in Detroit than national average. The diabetes rate there for adults and kids is 70 percent higher than the national average.

It is so serious that there was a study done that found out that the people in the inner city and the low-income neighborhoods that don't have easy access to healthy food are much more likely to die prematurely because of it. It's a serious crisis facing Detroit, so we went there, spent the weekend there, to see for ourselves. Take a look.

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HARLOW (on camera): Detroit has become known as a food desert because it's so hard to find fresh food in neighborhoods like this one, the Cass Corridor in Detroit.

Take a look up here on this corner. This is what you see so much. Liquor, beer, wine, convenience store. This is what people in low-income neighborhoods have. Let's see what we could get in here.

Do you have any fresh food, any vegetables or fruit or anything?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we don't carry any.

HARLOW: Nothing like this?

Do you have any fresh food, any vegetables, any fruit, anything like that? No?

Do you have any good grocery stores around here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No fruit, no vegetables.

ISMAEL AHMED, DIRECTOR, MICHIGAN DEPT. OF HUMAN SERVICES: People's health outcomes are put in danger as a result of this. So, the real cost of this is tremendous.

HARLOW: Why do you care about helping people get access to healthy food?

ORAN HESTERMAN, FOUNDER FAIR FOOD NETWORK: We have a food system that is as broken as our health care system, as our energy system, and as our education system.

In Detroit, we know that about 500,000 of this city's population do not have access to healthy and fresh foods.

HARLOW: More than half the population of Detroit. HESTERMAN: Right.

HARLOW: How important is it to you as a mother of nine to make sure that all these kids have healthy, fresh food and not fast food every day?

MARLYN MINUS, DETROIT MOTHER OF NINE: It's extremely important, because the food they eat is life for their body and life for their mind, their brain. And I want them to be able to perform the at their full potential.

HARLOW: Is it a social injustice issue?

MINUS: It is, but you know, there's a choice that even low- income can make.

I'll take these right there.

HESTERMAN: So we're trying to work in a variety of ways to help fix this broken food system. And our Double-up Food Bucks project is one way we're doing that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I get double my money every time I swipe my Rich (ph) card. It's a huge help. You're getting twice as much.

HARLOW: How much was this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: $5.

HARLOW: For the entire thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

HARLOW: You know, pretty much all the food here at Detroit's Eastern Market is from Michigan. But as the demand for local food grows, more and more people are saying why not turn all of this abandoned land in the middle of Detroit into farmland? Urban farming.

MIKE SCORE, PRESIDENT, HANTZ FARMS: The city of Detroit has 40 square miles of vacant, foreclosed property. We have plenty of land to work with, being able to, within your own neighborhood, go out and pick fresh fruits and vegetables for your family is a step forward for Detroit.

HARLOW: You really think this is going to be an apple orchard in two years?

SCORE: We know it will be.

HARLOW: You know it will be?

SCORE: People in Detroit are people who are hopeful, who are optimists, who believe Detroit is a great city. And even though we have gone through a downturn, we have always had a sense there will be a comeback, and the comeback will be breath taking.

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HARLOW: (AUDIO GAP) - Detroit and fix the food crisis there. Talking about a comeback for the city, Drew, saying that it will be breathtaking when we do see the turnaround.

But when you look at crisis facing Detroit, there is not one single chain grocery store in Detroit, Drew. They have all left. Literally, it's nearly impossible to find a grocery store. I went into one. They had a tiny section of fresh fruits and vegetables. The rest was all packaged, processed food.

You saw in the piece how hard it was for us to find anything healthy. So, this is what people in Detroit are facing. It is truly a crisis. And until you go and see it for yourself, you don't really see the extent how bad it is, Drew.

GRIFFIN: You know, I've been there too, Poppy and I have noticed the very thing you have pointed out. But I'm just wondering -- you're a money person. Isn't there a supply/demand thing here?

HARLOW: Sure.

GRIFFIN: Is the demand just not there? It seems like someone could come in and sell fruit and make a killing.

HARLOW: Very good point, right? Whole Foods has apparently had a bunch of meetings in the city of Detroit; they would love to bring a chain there. The question is, you have a very high unemployment rate, one of the highest in the country. Do people have the money to buy the fresh fruit and vegetables?

From the people we spoke with outside the convenience stores, they want access to it. You look at Eastern Market, a place where people can use their Bridge Card, their food stamps. So, I think the demand is there. The supply is not there, except for Eastern Market, which is only open one day a week, on Saturday.

So if you do build these urban farms in the middle of Detroit, literally on 40 acres of abandoned land in the inner city, you put them literally at the fingertips of mothers and children and families that can go out and pick this food.

I spent a day last year on an urban farm in Detroit, and it was amazing. These five-year-old kids telling me about taking fresh vegetables home and cooking with their parents. I mean, that can be a game-changer for Detriot.

I think the question is now can the government of Detroit work with Hantz Farms that wants to build the world's largest urban farm? They have been trying for two years. Will they make it happen, or will the bureaucracy get in the way and it won't happen? I think that's the remaining question. But we're going to keep on a an it, Drew. GRIFFIN: Hmm. Just seems ripe for some entrepreneurial farmers in a pickup truck to drive through some of these neighborhoods. I've seen that happen before in other towns. Really.

HARLOW: It's true. Really.

GRIFFIN: All right, Poppy. Thanks.

Remember, CNN.com/eatocracy for more stories on healthy eating. Also where you can learn more about how to unlock the "CNN Healthy Eater Badge" on Foursquare.

Well, the NEWSROOM continues now with Tony Harris -- Tony.