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German Driving Legend in Critical Condition; Australian Icebreaker within 11 Nautical Miles of Ship; Dead Suspect in Cop Killing Identified; Colorado's Marijuana Sales Begin Wednesday; New Year's Eve Traditions Around the World; Biggest Scandals Of 2013

Aired December 29, 2013 - 19:00   ET

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

ROSA FLORES, CNN ANCHOR: Mark McKay is here with me from CNN sports and we should talk about how much of a legend he is around the world. When we say legend, we really are not stopping short of what he is.

MARK MCKAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: No. One of the world's most popular athletes -- Formula 1 is one of the most popular sports, Rosa. This is a sport that transcends borders. May not necessarily be as popular as NASCAR here in the United States.

But Formula 1 is certainly worldwide known and Michael Schumacher one of the best that ever got behind the wheel of a car. He's claimed seven world records, seven world titles I should say.

That is a record, 91 Formula 1 race victories 20 more in the guys at second place and not at least the (inaudible). Euro Business magazine back in 2005 identified Schumacher as the world's first billionaire athlete. So when something like this happens, people pay attention.

FLORES: How big of a shock wave is this because we're talking about some serious injuries here?

MCKAY: Yes. We started hearing about it as the day progressed on Sunday. Apparently it happened in the French Alps. It happen in the French Alps resorts called Mare Bell. This is where Schumacher owns property. He was skiing Sunday morning. He veered off course and ended up hitting his head on a rock. Apparently he was wearing a helmet when he hit his head on that rock. He was air lifted to a hospital in Grenoble, France.

But when he arrive Rosa at the hospital, officials there say in a statement that he arrived in a coma. He remains in serious condition at that hospital tonight.

FLORES: Let's a little talk more about him. So we get a little more perspective. We know for the audience in the United States, he had a cameo in "Cars"; he did a voice over. So if you recognize his voice, that's probably why. And he also has done a lot outside -- outside of sports. He has a huge heart. Tell us about that.

FLORES: He's -- he is one of these athletes that knows his stature in the world and certainly can spread that when it comes to charity work and such. This guy is certainly Germany's most well-known athlete. You build it out of Europe -- one of the most well-known athletes out of Europe and then around the world.

I mean again with Formula 1 being what it is and what Schumacher has done with seven world titles, no one has come close to what he has done in this sport. He actually retired back in 2006 after winning five titles with Ferrari. He didn't want to get out of the race car, though Rosa. He wanted to get back in. He made a return in 2010 and the comeback didn't go as he wanted. And then he retired again this past year.

But the concern is certainly out there both within the sports world, within the motorsport world, both NASCAR drivers and Formula 1 drivers tweeting their concern for Michael Schumacher who remains in critical condition with a head injury in a French hospital after taking a terrible fall on Sunday while on the ski slopes.

FLORES: Martin McKay, from CNN Sports, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

MCKAY: You're welcome.

FLORES: Progress is being reported in the attempted rescue of an expedition vessel that's stuck off the coast of Antarctica. 74 people are anxiously awaiting rescue from the ship that's been stranded since before Christmas in miles and miles of frozen ocean. We're hearing an Australian ice breaker is within 11 nautical miles of this vessel. The group made up of researchers, crew and tourist are documenting every moment of their stay.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have been working really, really hard. And remember goal post we brought before we left well Alicia has taken some amazing pictures which we put in here for you. We've been under water during all of this stuff. We've been working really hard. We miss you very, very much. But we are having a great time. We're doing lots of good work. And working on the seals, the (inaudible) samples and recording sound under water. And yes, I heard that the serving went well and Lilly that your concert was great. I love you.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

FLORES: And we should also add that a Chinese ice breaker is also in the area. But thick ice stopped its attempt at that rescue.

In the last few hours, Phoenix police have identified the suspected bank robber whose violent coast to coast crime spree ended today. Officers say this is the body of 40-year-old Mario Edward Garnet. Phoenix police killed him after he fired at them. Officers say he was trying to escape his third robbery in less than a week. The FBI believes Garnet is the gunman who shot and killed this police officer on Monday in Tupelo, Mississippi. Another officer was also hit but survived.

CNN's Alexandra Field tracks the suspect's movements which apparently started in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard one boom, boom, boom.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For nearly a week a nationwide manhunt was on. But Saturday morning a deadly shootout in Phoenix, Arizona ended the search. Police believe they killed the man who killed one of their own.

BETH STAUFFEN, WIFE OF KILLED OFFICER: Numerous people didn't get to celebrate Christmas with their families because they were trying to bring peace to our family.

FIELD: Gale Stauffer, a Tupelo, Mississippi police officer, was killed Monday. His colleague was critically injured, following a gun fight with a suspected bank robber. Police say a masked suspect left a Tupelo bank with a bag full of cash before opening fire on the two officers.

Earlier in the day they say the same man tried to rob a bank in Atlanta, Georgia, where he also robbed an ATM customer. Nationwide law enforcement officials put on the lookout for a man believed to be driving a gray Chrysler sedan. Then on Saturday, a break -- investigators say he turned up on the other side of the country in Phoenix Arizona where he was spotted leaving a bank with a bag and gun. Police say he shot at two officers who were not hurt before one of the officers shot and killed him.

CHIEF BART AGUIRRE, TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI POLICE: We are in the process of healing at this time. This closure has helped us mend and begin to heal that deep, deep wound.

FIELD: The deadly shot was fired in Phoenix a day after the funeral for Tupelo's Officer Stauffer. He is believed to be the first officer in the history of the department to be killed in the line of duty. More than 300 police cars performed a precession to follow the fallen officer. He leaves a wife and two young children.

NATHAN DUNCAN, MOURNER: We brought our flag from our house. And so it's just a tragic thing. And I'm so sorry for him and his family and all of the law enforcement that worked through the holiday here. And it is just the kind of thing that shouldn't have happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: And Alexandra joins me now. Alexandra I understand you have some new information about Mario Garnet.

FIELD: Right, Rosa. The Secret Service is now confirming for CNN that Mario Garnet was arrested in 2010 in Oklahoma City after threatening the President. They say he made those threats against President Obama online. Phoenix police say that Garnet is originally from the Midwest. They say he served four years in the Army and that he had no record in the state of Arizona. It's unclear why he made his way to Phoenix -- Rosa.

FLORES: And what evidence does the FBI have that ties him to these bank robberies?

FIELD: Well the FBI told us that there were similarities between the style of those three robberies including the way that the suspect was dressed. They also obtained a court order to retrieve the cell phone records of the suspect and they said those records confirm that Garnet was in those three places at the times of those three robberies -- Rosa.

FLORES: All right Alexandra Field thank you so much.

After a rocky start, the Obamacare Web site is racking up some encouraging new numbers. The White House says more than a million people signed up between October 1st and Christmas Eve. A Medicare and Medicaid official calls it a welcome surge. The 1.1 million enrollments do not include people who signed up for insurance through state-run marketplaces.

Still the Obama administration has a way to go to hit its seven million enrollment target for both federal and state exchanges by the end of March.

The "New York Times" is debunking two theories on who or what's behind last year's deadly attack in Benghazi. Four Americans were killed in that brazen assault on September 11th.

CNN Athena Jones joins me from Honolulu with more on those findings. And Athena, what are the headlines here?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Rosa. Well the "New York Times" carried out a comprehensive investigation. And they conclude that this attack was not entirely spontaneous. But they also say there's no evidence that it was carried out by al Qaeda -- al Qaeda itself.

They also say that this anti-Muslim video, "Innocence of Muslims", did play a role. This is something the administration came under fire for suggesting early on.

So there is a little bit of -- a little bit for each side in this extensive article that was released early today. A little bit for the White House and its allies, many of whom say this vindicates their original explanation of the attack. And been also some support for the Republicans who argued all along that there was not adequate security at the mission in Benghazi on the night of this attack when the four Americans were killed.

This is -- this is something the administration has come to admit saying that obviously, with this attack carried out that there was not enough security at that time. So we are seeing a lot of reaction from both sides to this story -- Rosa.

FLORES: And any other reaction specifically out of Washington regarding this report.

JONES: Well the White House is not responding directly. But they are also saying that they don't have -- they are not disputing any significant facts in this story. Obama allies, people who worked closely with the President, part of his administration are tweeting out comments that obviously show that they are very pleased with the conclusion of the "New York Times" report. David Axelrod who was a former advisor of the President said, tweeted, "For anyone interested in the truth and not the politics about Benghazi, this is -- this exhaustive piece is a must-read."

And Tommy Heir who was a national security spokesperson for the President says "Republicans inflated the role of al Qaeda in Benghazi to attack Obama's counterterrorism record. They were wrong and handed our enemy a propaganda win." So we know that the Republicans have held numerous hearings on Capitol Hill digging into this issue.

We've also heard from Republicans in Washington who are saying look, this report may not say that al Qaeda was behind this directly, but clearly al Qaeda had indicated an interest in attacking westerners and these groups that were affiliated and maybe loosely or maybe more direct w. al Qaeda did play a role in this attack. So there are still some questions being raised -- raised about this new report -- Rosa.

FLORES: All right Athena Jones, thank you so much for that.

And still ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM buying marijuana may soon be as simple as purchasing milk or bread for some folks in Colorado. Recreational pot sales start in just a few days. Up next, you'll hear from entrepreneurs ready to make a big buck off of Colorado's new growth industry.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FLORES: Buying marijuana may be Colorado's new growth industry. Buying recreational marijuana becomes legal in Colorado starting on Wednesday. Now pot shots are scrambling to get ready.

Our Miguel Marquez talk to some budding entrepreneurs preparing for customers in Colorado.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY WILLIAMS: This is our vegetative growth room.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Andy Williams is out to become captain of the country's newest growth industry -- Colorado's legal recreational pot business.

(on camera): It is factory of pot.

WILLIAMS: It is a factory of pot it certainly is.

MARQUEZ: His medicine man will be selling to users up to an ounce per Colorado residents, a quarter ounce for out-of-staters. Anyone over 21 can buy starting January 1. Industry watchers say it'll be the first time ever anywhere in the world marijuana has been regulated from seed to sale -- an experiment making Colorado a sort of Silicon Valley for pot.

(on camera): It appears that you guys are already bulking up --

WILLIAMS: Yes.

MARQUEZ: -- in preparation for what happens January 1.

WILLIAMS: Every one of my competitors is doing the same thing.

MARQUEZ: And how much new business does medicine man expect?

(on camera): This is the future.

WILLIAMS: This is the future of medicine man. This -- this is it.

MARQUEZ: Oh, my.

(voice over): Planned (ph) is a state of the art facility, so advanced, they're expecting tourists.

WILLIAMS: And this is not enough to meet demand next year. We need to expand more.

MARQUEZ: He'd like to triple his supply. And he's not the only one.

(on camera): This is the new world? What is this?

TODD MITCHEM, OPEN VAPE: This is sort of the future.

MARQUEZ (voice over): It's an industry expected to grow from just over $1 billion nationwide to over $10 billion by 2018. Companies here sinking millions, figuring out how to consume pot in new ways, Open Vape extracts oil from marijuana and sells a sort of e-cigarette giving the user an exact dose and producing almost no smoke.

WILLIAMS: We grew 1,600 percent in 2013.

MARQUEZ: 1,600 percent.

WILLIAMS: 1,600 percent we will do another 600 percent in revenue growth next year.

MARQUEZ: Open Vape expects it double its work force in 2014. Its brand spanking-new offices, taking a page from the dot com book.

MITCHEM: You know, there are a lot of stereotypes. You think it's a bunch of guys sitting around smoking pot in their offices. It's not like that. This is a real business. I mean we are building a culture of excellence around cannabis.

MARQUEZ: Open Vape 2 has expansion plans -- a 160,000 square foot showcase facility on Colorado's cannabis corridor, a.k.a., Interstate 25, complete with a cannabis museum and gift shop.

(on camera): Contracts being signed, money changing hands.

MITCHEM: Contracts are happening. Money is changing hands, yes, yes. MARQUEZ: Taxes on sales of recreational marijuana products, everything from smokeable stuff to chocolates and soda expected to generate tens in millions in revenue for the state. It's already creating jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there anybody here with an appointment?

MARQUEZ: Every morning Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division jammed with people just hoping to get their licenses to work in the new industry. The agency is overwhelmed with applications.

Every aspect regulated. Possession of an ounce or less legal anywhere within the state's borders. Most places, though, all those counties you see there in red still either banned or haven't yet decided if they will allow pot sales. For many here, it is still baby steps.

LEWIS KOSKI, COLORADO MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT DIVISION: We're hoping is that we can provide a model for that for other states as they elect to move forward with their own marijuana policy.

MARQUEZ: The Colorado experiment taking root. "The Denver Post" has hired a recreational marijuana editor and Matt Brown who runs "My 420 Tour" says non-Coloradans are excited to experience the new Rocky Mountain high.

MATT BROWN, MY 420 TOURS: We anticipated this through our firm easily 2,000 to 3,000 people next year on our guided tours which are all exclusive multiday packages.

MARQUEZ: Even cannabis cooking classes, Chef Blaine Alexander who teaches some cannabis classes today sees more.

(on camera): Can you see a day when there's a restaurant, Blaine Alexander's --

BLAINE ALEXANDER, TEACHES CANNABIS COOKING CLASS: Alexander's --

MARQUEZ: All right fine.

ALEXANDER: No, of course I would love that. Yes I mean that's -- that's always been my goal.

MARQUEZ: A goal that here in Colorado could soon be reality.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Denver.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLORES: Interesting stuff. Miguel, thank you so much.

Still ahead in CNN NEWSROOM, not every holiday is celebrated across the world. You know, that's the beauty of New Years. No matter the creed or culture, see how different countries mark the start of the New Year. Or show you hear this. Burning dolls and eating grapes, next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS JANICE MASON, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA: Hi, I'm Janice Mason coming at you from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I just want to wish my husband Dennis Mason a happy holidays and I miss him, miss him, miss him in Cavett (ph), Arkansas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FLORES: From the mystical to the wacky, depending on where you ring in the New Year, it could be an adventure. That's why joining me now is editorial producer, Nadia Bilchik, because you've got all of the stories, Nadia --

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: From around the world and celebrate the New Year. Now we have to start with you, Rosa. I know you were born in Mexico so tell us about some Mexican traditions of bringing in the New Year.

FLORES: You know one of my favorite is lighting a red, white and green candle. The red signifies passion, white for peace, and green for money. And then of course, if you have a party, you can have little plates with red, white and green candles for all of your guests so that everybody can have passion, peace and money in the New Year.

BILCHIK: I love that. And I also love the tradition that they have in Scotland where you have Scottish men dressing up as Vikings to celebrate their Viking ancestry. And it is called Hogamanay (ph). And what they do is they light torches and they literally have rivers of fire. And that's about a four-day celebration in Scotland.

FLORES: In Scotland.

Now I spent some time in Brazil. And you were telling me that in Brazil people wear white.

BILCHIK: Yes white because white represents peace. And what they do is they throw flowers into the sea to play homage to the goddess Yamanji (ph). And people all over Brazil and its beautiful white, and they may wear just a bit of red underwear for some romance.

FLORES: Well I've got to say, in Mexico, they do the same thing.

BILCHIK: Oh the red underwear? And maybe yellow underwear and some green underwear -- again representing the different things.

FLORES: That's right.

BILCHIK: And then in Ecuador, now this is on people find it strange, because what happens in Ecuador is they take straw and hespians (ph) and make dummies or scare crows or effigies and they burn them. And the idea is that you dress them in old clothes and again burning the old year and bringing in the New Year.

FLORES: Bringing in the new one. BILCHIK: But I was discussing it with the makeup people earlier and they said that sounds a little like voodoo. But I suppose I depends what context it's in and the idea is that you put on masks and often the masks on the dummies are those of very well-known people. So they burn them, but the idea a New Year, a new beginning and you burn the old.

FLORES: You burn the old. And I was also reading that they were jumping over these fires 12 times -- one for every month. So you are leaving those months behind and you're starting new.

BILCHIK: Starting -- and talking about 12, in Spain, there's a very famous tradition. Now, Rosa, you're going to have to get ready for this one. We have 12 grapes over here. And what happens is on the strike of midnight, you literally take the grapes. And the idea is that you have all 12 grapes in 12 seconds.

FLORES: That's a lot.

BILCHIK: That is a lot. So what we will do is, let's try and do this and we will let the gong strike. And our ritual shall begin -- so all 12 in 12 second.

FLORES: We're going to try this.

BILCHIK: So let's try this. Let's begin.

FLORES: Ok.

BILCHIK: I chew one. These are big grapes.

FLORES: These are really very big grapes. I don't think we'll finish them.

BILCHIK: Cheers.

FLORES: Cheers. Happy New Year to you, too.

For football fans, New Year's Day means Bowl Games. But for hockey fans, it's time for the annual winter classic. The NHL plays a game outdoors every New Year's day. This year, it's Detroit versus Toronto in Michigan stadium, home to University of Michigan football team. A sell-out crowd of more than 100,000 fans is expected.

And coming up across the country, people are dealing with subzero temperatures. At least one man loves weather like that. He's a snow artist.

Plus, Don Lemon breaks down his list of top ten stories of 2013 from the biggest headlines in sports to the outrageous scandals. It all begins next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FLORES: As you know, angels have been the hallmark design for making art into snow. But a British artist has taken it to a whole different level. Simon Beck doesn't use a paint brush or a pencil to create his work. Instead, hear this he grabs a compass and trudges around in a pair of snow shoes in the French Alps until he creates a beautiful massive snow design. It takes him about ten hours to complete each one of those designs.

I'm Rosa Flores at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Thank you so much for sticking with me. Here is Don Lemon with the Top Ten of 2013.