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New Video Released In Search For Alabama Fugitives. First Lady of the United States Visits First Lady of Ukraine. U.S. Diplomats Return to Kyiv Embassy for First Time During War. Landslide Blocks Primary Road to Tourist Location in Alaska. Dems To Vote ON Codifying Abortion Rights Despite Likely Defeat. Aired 8-9pET
Aired May 08, 2022 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.N. AMBASSADOR: The First Lady's visit on Mother's Day to meet with the Ukrainian First Lady I think sends a very strong, a very positive message.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were 90 people sheltering in the basement of this school, and the Russian bomb was dropped on the school. 60 people are most likely dead.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINE PRESIDENT: (THROUGH TRANSLATOR) Every day of this war the Russian army does something that is beyond words.
SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D), NEW YORK: What I'm doing and what many of my colleagues are doing are pushing for a vote next week. We are going to be aggressive with all our colleagues and with our Republican allies to vote for codifying Roe v. Wade. We are not giving up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe that the overturning of Roe is the correct decision by the court.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I know you're worried about the price of gas, food, and other necessities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Federal Reserve decided to raise a key interest rate a half a percent to fight inflation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With the new interest rate hikes we don't really know what our bottom line is anymore, and that's a moving target.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN NEWSROOM HOST: I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. Happy Mother's Day. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Sunday. Well investigators tonight are continuing to find new evidence left behind by an Alabama correction's office and the murder suspect she allegedly helped escape, but the trail of clues has yet to lead to the missing fugitives.
The pair's getaway car turned up abandoned in Tennessee, but detectives say the vehicle had been cleaned out, the suspects long gone. Surveillance video also shows Vicky White at a hotel the night before the escape. Well Vicky White and Casey White, how are not related, have not been seen since April 29 when the fugitives were last spotted leaving the Lauderdale County Detention Center in a patrol car.
CNN's Nadia Romero joins me now with the latest developments. You have been following this story since the beginning, Nadia. You talked with a victim of Casey White, and you got some insight into that fugitive. What did he tell you?
NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well Pamela, he told me that he didn't see any humanity in Casey White, and this all dates back to 2015 here in Limestone County, Alabama, when Casey White went on quite the crime spree, and he was convicted on multiple charges, including attempted murder and kidnapping, and one of his victims was a man by the name of Josh Goan, and we spoke with him. He is a father. He is a husband. He's trying to put all of this behind him, but he can't now because the name Casey White is everywhere, and he's reliving what happened to him.
He says that Casey White stole his firearm from his truck and then used that gun to commit other crimes. He says that he was in the courtroom when Casey White was testifying, and this is what he had to say. Take a listen.
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JOAH GOAN, VICTIM OF CASEY WHITE: Yes, every question he answered. It was just more of a shrug, and, you know, they were asking him did he try to kill her? You know, did he shoot at her, and he was like eh (ph). Whatever, yes. It was just - it was unreal to me. I mean, just I could not imagine talking about such a thing and with such just absolutely no care. I mean, he did not have any remorse at all that I could tell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMERO: So after that trial, Casey White was then sentenced to 75 years in prison. And so, Josh Goan and the other victims, many of them who we've spoken with and they've done other news stories, they've moved out of the area, tried to put this all behind him. Josh says it's all coming back to him now going through that entire experience. He says it really took away his sense of peace. Now he locks everything and double checks, and he's much more cautious after being victimized back then. Pamela -
BROWN: All right, Nadia. Thank you so much. And Sheriff Rick Singleton of the Lauderdale Sheriff's Office joins me now with the very latest on this investigation. Hi, Sheriff. So it's now been 10 days since these fugitives have been missing with no indications where they're headed or where they're hiding. Have you hit a dead end with this search or are you getting tips that you think will actually lead to their capture?
SHERIFF RICK SINGLETON, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, ALABAMA: Well we're still getting tips, so we're certainly not at a dead end. We're getting information daily, and we're following up on those leads, those tips, and I think ultimately that's what's going to lead us to them.
[20:05:00]
I think we're going to get the right tip one day and then we're going to find them.
BROWN: And I'm sure it's hard. As tips come in you also have to sort through what is a legitimate tip, what is not a legitimate tip, right? I mean, there's a lot to have to go through in that front. Before this escape, Casey White was already serving 75 years for a series of violent crimes and was facing two counts of capital murder. U.S. marshals say the Whites could be armed and dangerous. How concerned are you that if found they won't give up peacefully?
SINGLETON: Well that's certainly a concern. Casey White's a violent man, and there's certainly nothing I would put passed him. If he's cornered, you know, and before in 2015 he ultimately gave up to the sheriff. Hopefully that's what will happen this time, but then on the other hand he's a violent person. He's unpredictable. You never know how he's going to react.
BROWN: Well we know that Vicky White sold her home and took $90,000 out of her bank account prior to this escape. Do you think it's possible they fled the country?
SINGLETON: I think that's a possibility. You know, we're looking at every possibility. It's possible that they're right here in Lauderdale County somewhere, and it's possible that they're have fled the country, possible they're in Fairbanks, Alaska. You know, you just - we don't know where they're at. Those are the leads that we're really looking into now.
We know that they left here, headed north. We don't know how they left the area where the Ford Edge was located. We assume that they somehow got a ride whether that ride was someone picking them up to give them a hand. And because this was before we even knew they were missing, so there has been no (inaudible) at that time. You know, we're just looking at every possibility that's out there.
BROWN: I'm curious. Have you looked at or your investigators looked at video at the jail where Casey White was being held prior to April 29? Of course, April 29 is the day that they were last seen together, and I'm just wondering if you went back to look to see, because clearly if she is part - in on this as you allege, there had to be some sort of conspiring before that day or before that moment, so tell us a little bit about that.
SINGLETON: We have looked at video footage. We've talked with all the inmates, especially those that were in the cell with Casey White or who had been in the cell with him. You know, there is some evidence that they may have passed some notes during that course of time, but it's not unusual for that to happen with any inmate. You know, inmate passes a correction deputy a note that they would like to see their lawyer or they would like to do this or do that, so you know that in itself wasn't that unusual, but we've looked at all the video evidence so forth. So you know, it's obviously a well planned out, well calculated, and I
don't know how much knowledge Casey White necessarily had to have with the plan, but Vicky White absolutely had all the knowledge, and she planned this out. She took advantage of her position and her knowledge of the facility and how to operate it and her position of being second in command and a deputy director, and she put this plan together no doubt.
BROWN: Yes, I mean, she likely had created an alias to buy the getaway vehicle as we talked about earlier. She had pulled out money from her bank account. Do you think that she created multiple fake identities, and how do you think she's using her expertise in law enforcement, her knowledge of corrections to avoid capture?
SINGLETON: Well we know she created two false identities. She purchased the car with one of those identities, and you know, whether she has others or not I'm not sure. I would not be surprised that she does, wouldn't be surprised that he has some false identities.
You know, the - her knowledge of the system and, again, as the assistant director who coordinated all the transports and so forth, we - she had sent two vans out that morning to the courthouse with inmates. Each van had two deputies. One van had five inmates, the other second van had seven inmates, and it was just minutes after that second van left that she had Casey White brought up the booking area to be prepared for transport. She was obviously the only transport officer left available, totally booking officer. She was going to drop him off at the courthouse to the other deputies and then she was going to the doctor's office.
BROWN: And the search continues. All right, Sheriff Rick Singleton, thank you for bringing us the very latest on this investigation.
SINGLETON: Thank you.
[20:10:00]
BROWN: In Southern Ukraine, Russia delivers a message in a helmet and flak jacket. That is right here, one of Russia's Deputy Prime Ministers. He is the most senior Kremlin official to set foot in Mariupol since the ruthless and unprovoked war began. During a photo op tour of several cities he promised humanitarian assistance to help ease the suffering caused by his own government.
And here's one example of the carnage, a school in Eastern Ukraine where nearly an entire village was taking shelter. Ukrainian officials say a Russian war plane bombed it. About 60 people are missing and feared dead.
Also making a surprise visit to Ukraine today, the First Lady of the United States. CNN's Kate Bennett is travelling with her in Slovakia tonight.
KATE BENNETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: First Lady Jill Biden making a surprise Mother's Day trip into Ukraine, spending some time, just under two hours in a town about a 15-minute drive from the Slovakian border. An even bigger surprise as well as the visit was the appearance of First Lady Olena Zelenksa, the First Lady of Ukraine, who has been in hiding, keeping a low profile, not being seen in public since February in the beginning of the Russian invasion. But she wanted to meet with Dr. Biden, and today the two women met in person. They discussed several things I'm told including the health and emotional welfare of children families, and soldiers going through crisis in Ukraine. The First Lady of Ukraine asking Jill Biden for her help and advice as she and her country navigate this time.
Dr. Biden is spending a four-day trip in Europe. She's already been to Romania and Slovakia. She returns to Washington tomorrow, but it was very important for her to make this trip to Ukraine, something a First Lady hasn't done, visiting an active warzone since Laura Bush visited Afghanistan by herself in 2005 and 2008. Certainly a courageous thing for a First Lady to do.
And on her wrist I might add today a corsage from President Biden who had it delivered for mother's day to the First Lady all the way over in Slovakia. She kept it on all day, clearly honoring this holiday and spending it in a country that is suffering and that America is supporting. Pam --
BROWN: Thanks, Kate. And another sign of progress today in Ukraine. For the first time since Russia's unprovoked attack began, U.S. diplomats are back in Kyiv. CNN's Sara Sidner is there with the latest.
SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR COORESPONDENT: Pam, as you know, the U.S. announced it was closing its embassy here in Kyiv on February 14. That was 10 days before the Russians invaded Ukraine. Today, we were there when the top U.S. diplomat came back to the country. Kristina Kvien and her team returned to Kyiv today. They were here they said to commemorate victory day, the day western allies defeated Nazi Germany during World War II, but it was a clear indication that the U.S. is taking another step towards opening its embassy fully.
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KRISTINIA KVIEN, ACTING U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: This is not an official opening of the embassy, so no. This isn't sort of the official, permanent - sorry - reopening, but we, of course, will continue to work towards that and hope to officially open the embassy soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: She was careful not to give an exact date, and we should mention that just before that press conference there was another air raid siren that went off. They go off often here in Kyiv. Often there is no missile that is incoming, but it is a reminder the war is still raging here mostly at this point in the eastern part of the country, but there are huge precautions being taken here, and the U.S. embassy will have to decide just when and how it will reopen the embassy fully. Pam --
BROWN: All right. Thank you so much, Sara. Well a dramatic landslide has cutoff a popular tourist spot in Alaska.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up. Back up. Back up. Go quick, quick! Go, go, go, go.
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BROWN: I'll get the latest on the situation from the City Manager of Seward, Alaska coming up. Plus with protests around the country, Democrats are planning a vote this week that would make abortion legal. Can they get the votes? And we're going to take you track side for Miami's first Grand Prix. Sun, celebrities, and speed. See if it's a formula for success.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow. Oh my goodness!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy shit!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my gosh!
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BROWN: A landslide cut off a community in Alaska from the nearby city of Seward. This smartphone video shows trees sliding into the water as people run for cover. No one was hurt, but that area remains unstable.
Joining us now is Janette Bower, the City Manager of Seward, Alaska. Hi, Janette. That was so scary just to watch. Is a landslide like this one of those things in Alaska that you just have to deal with sometimes, or was this bigger and more frightening than usual?
JANETTE BOWER, SEWARD, ALASKA CITY MANAGER: We do deal with quite a few landslides, but this one is definitely more bigger and more frightening than usual. I received a call from our Public Works Director telling me that there had been a landslide and I was like, OK. And he's like, no. This is different. So this one is big for us.
BROWN: Right. Your first thought was like OK because they happen from time-to-time, but this was more devastating than as you said you've seen in the past. So how many people are cut off from Seward, and when do you expect the road to be reopened?
BOWER: The road into the city of Seward itself is open.
[20:20:00] It's the road that goes out to what's called the Lowell Point Community, and they are about 100 year-round residents, but there are a lot of visitors. A destination area, there are a lot of visitors to the area. We think probably would be around 100 at the time of the slide, and at this point they are cut off from Seward itself, and we expect at least a week that they will be cut off.
BROWN: So then what happens if there's an emergency in that isolated community, like someone needing medical care? Are there resources to help them?
BOWER: There are. We have a fireboat that responds to all emergencies. Also we have our harbor boat. We also have the Coast Guard here who will assist us with emergencies as well. And there are people with boats in the Lowell Point community that will respond to emergencies as well.
BROWN: Have you already been getting those kinds of emergency type phone calls from people in that isolated community who can't leave?
BOWER: At the beginning we did, but we're not as much anymore. Everyone's coming together. We've, you know, of course, been assessing the situation, providing as much information as possible, and that's the nice thing about our community is that we all work together for the solution. So we're all putting our heads together now and coming up with a solution, so - and I think everyone realizes it isn't going to happen tomorrow. We're going to work together to take care of things.
BROWN: All right, Janette Bower. Best of luck to you. Thank you.
BOWER: You bet. Thank you.
BROWN: Well the fight over abortion rights could be the defining issue for this year's midterm elections, but not even democrats agree that it will be. We'll take a closer look next on CNN NEWSROOM.
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BROWN: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says the Senate will vote Wednesday on a bill to enshrine abortion rights into federal law, and it comes after the stunning leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe vs. Wade. The vote does not have enough vote to pass the Senate, but Schumer says it'll show Americans where their senators stand.
CNN's Eva McKend joins me now. Eva, this all raises the question, you know, could the fight over abortion become the defining issue of midterms or are the midterms going to be all about the economy and inflation as Republicans and even Joe Manchin say?
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: You know, Pam, it's hard to know with certainty. I would be suspicious of both those who are saying abortion is going to be the only issue come November and also those who say that this won't matter, that a legal right that many have come to know for the past 50 years potentially that getting overturned, that that will just be no big deal.
What I do know for sure, though, is that Democratic hopefuls are already running on this issue. Take Sarah Godlewski for instance. She is in a crowded Democratic primary in Wisconsin. She already cut an ad - I think we see here, right here - where she's on the front steps on the Supreme Court drawing a contrast between herself and her potentially if she clears that primary the Republican incumbent, Ron Johnson, who holds that seat.
And meanwhile, Cheri Beasley, she is another candidate in North Carolina running for Senate who I had the opportunity to speak with recently. She says that she believes, she suggests that she can make inroads with both Democrats and Republicans on this issue.
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SARAH GODLEWSKI (D), WISCONSIN SENATE CANDIDATE: For may race for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin we have a complete abortion ban on the books. There's no exception. Not for rape or for incest. And a majority of Wisconsinites don't want Roe overturned. So this is a game changer. I think Wisconsinites are going to be motivated. They're going to want to go to the polls because women's lives are at risk if anything happens.
CHERI BEASLEY (D), NORTH CAROLINA SENATE CANDIDATE: You know, I think this is the kind of issue that should energize the nation. I mean, everybody should be concerned regardless of party affiliation about the rolling back of a constitutional right for a woman to have the right to choose for her reproductive health.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKEND: Now to their great frustration, Democrats have not been able to advance much of their domestic agenda, though having control of the White House, the House, and the Senate. This gives them an issue to rally around, to unify around. Take, for example, New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan. She is expected to be in a tough election there as she is up this year. She has faced some heat from Democrats in New Hampshire for her position on immigration and the border. Well this completely changes the conversation.
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SEN. MAGGIE HASSAN (D), NEW HAMPSHIRE: It's been something that has energized voters in New Hampshire. I expect that as people begin to absorb what this proposed ruling would mean, what overturning Roe and Casey would me, they will become even more concerned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKEND: So Pam, I've been outside of the Supreme Court for these protests. It's largely made up of Democratic voters, but this issue also has the potential to animate and tie abortion conservatives as well. BROWN: It certainly does. Let's talk about President Biden. He is a Catholic who doesn't even like to use the word abortion, and his view has evolved I guess you could say since Roe v. Wade when that was first announced to this point, right?
MCKEND: Yes, it's amazing when you look at this issue because you are reminded of just how old President Biden is and how long he's been around because in 1973 when Roe was originally decided he said that he thought that it went too far. He was uncomfortable with it, and his position has just evolved much like, for instance, "Catholics For Choice". And many in the religious community, I have noticed the -- the number of black pastors that have come out in the last couple of weeks. And actually for Democrats, President Biden might actually be an effective messenger and ambassador on this issue because the position that he holds now, where he believes that this is a Constitutional right. That he didn't always hold that view.
BROWN: All right. Eva McKend, thank you so much for bringing us your reporting as always. Well we are hearing President Biden will talk this week about his plan to fight inflation as Americans try to find relief. Michelle Singletary is here to share her advice up next.
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BROWN: A White House official says President Biden will deliver remarks this Tuesday about his plan to combat inflation and lower costs for working families. And this comes as Americans fear another recession, Michelle Singletary joins me now. She's a Washington Post syndicated personal finance columnist and author of "What To Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits, A Survival Guide". Hi Michelle, great to have you on the show again. Look, you know, a lot of us are on edge about this. Americans, they are spending more on almost everything as inflation continues to spiral, how worried should we be?
MICHELLE SINGLETARY, WASHINGTON POST FINANCE COLUMNIST AND AUTHOR: So, there's not much you can do so you worry but there -- but you can't do anything about it other than watch what you're spending. If you can substitute when you're going grocery shopping, do that. Cut down the trips that you make, you know, those kind of things that you have control over. But in terms of the larger economy, we just -- just have to sit and wait it out. There's not a lot that you can do.
BROWN: So how long do you think, get out your crystal ball, how long do you think we're going to have to sit and wait it out? Because uncertainty is the root of anxiety, that's, you know, just -- the not knowing.
SINGLETARY: You know, they're (inaudible) say that we're -- it's -- inflation is peaking out. That we've seen the worst of it, but we were saying that at the end of last year. Right? And so I really do wish I had a crystal ball because I'm a worrier too and I understand that, you know, especially if you're living on the edge and you've got -- you're paying more at the grocery store. You're paying more at the gas pump. I get it, and so, we just need to be calm and I know that sounds ridiculous. Right? Like you -- like, what are you talking about? But if you panic you could make some wrong moves, like if you're an investor and you're panicking. You're seeing the Stock Market go down and you sell then you lock in those losses. And so the key, particularly if you're an investor is to have a diversified portfolio and not worry about the day to day gyrations of the Stock Market, because all that's going to do is make you -- make moves that are not going to be good for you long-term.
BROWN: Right. When it comes to the Stock Market, it's all about the long-term, right, not the short-term. So let's talk about mortgage rates. They have hit their highest level since 2009. Should first time homebuyers wait for them to come back down, to avoid extra debt? What do you think on that front?
SINGLETARY: So, I'm not -- I'm going to sound counterintuitive. Like, don't worry about what the interest rate is right now. You need to now understand is this the right time for you to buy a home, and by that I mean do you have enough that once you get in that home you can still save for retirement. If you have children, you can still save to send them to college. There's all this freaking out, like as if there's never going to be a house to buy, and the interest rates are just going to be, you know, 20 percent. We're not in the 70s' anymore folks, and so I need you to look at your budget if it makes sense. But if you are just going to squeak into that house, and you're not going to have any room you need to sit and wait it out until your finances get stronger. Because otherwise you won't have room to build that cushion that you need, and you know what, if you're renting it's OK. You are not a financial failure if you're renting.
BROWN: All right. I -- I like your passion about that. You're absolutely right Michelle. So I'm curious, is there any way people with extra cash can actually benefit from rising inflation?
SINGLETARY: Well right now the big thing is iBonds, and so, iBonds savings bonds. So basically they are designed to keep pace with inflation and right now from May until the end of October, iBonds are paying 9.62 percent. I know everybody's like, what? What is this thing called an iBond? So you go to treasury direct, you open up an account and you can put up to $10,000 a year into these iBonds. I'm going to get some myself. But you know what? This is your emergency money. Money that you have parked somewhere else that you're going to need, because you're still going to need a diversified portfolio that's in the market that's got some stocks, you know, other types of bonds. But if you've got some money sitting around and you want to get -- make more than what the bank is -- the puny amount of money the bank's paying, iBonds is -- is going to work for you.
BROWN: iBonds, taking note. All right. Michelle Singletary, if you say you're going to invest in it that's -- that's a pretty sure bet right there. Thanks so much Michelle. Great to see you and --
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BROWN: -- and Happy Mother's Day. SINGLETARY: Happy Mother's Day as well.
BROWN: Well housing prices are getting out of control across the country, but fe major cities have been hit hard as Miami. CNN's Carlos Suarez explores what's behind the price jump.
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CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Miami may be the playground of the rich and fabulous, but away from the flashy cars and sandy beaches for many who live here --
DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA, MAYOR OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA: The housing market in south Florida has become out of reach.
SUAREZ (voice-over): The lure of tropical weather, low taxation and a relaxed attitude when it comes to COVID have made Miami one of the most popular but least affordable cities in the U.S. The situation is so dire that city and county leaders have declared it a public emergency. Meaning rent in south Florida are up a whopping 57 percent compared to a year ago, by far the largest year to year increase of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country.
MAYOR LEVINE CAVA: It's stifling our economic development and it's placing strains on the ability of our local businesses to find and retain talent, to retain workers.
SUAREZ (voice-over): While the Census Bureau reported a slight drop in population county wide from 2020 to 2021, you wouldn't know it by the number of construction cranes and endless traffic.
DAN KODSI, MIAMI DEVELOPER: We're seeing very high increases in rent, what we're also seeing is material shortages because of COVID. And so what's happened is that's driven up the cost of construction.
SUAREZ (voice-over): Jocelyn Castillo went viral on TikTok.
JOCELYN CASTILLO, TIKTOK USER: We're starting a series (inaudible) and it's called "I Lost My Miami Apartment".
SUAREZ (voice-over): Describing how she tried to buy her apartment at the end of her lease, but the owner said no instead increased her rent by $1,000 to $2,800 a month. Rent control is against the law in Florida, so that hike of 56 percent is perfectly legal.
CASTILLO: There is currently in the comments more than 500 people commenting that they're going through the exact same thing, or even worse.
SUAREZ (voice-over): So what's driving the demand? Developers say it's a mix of international investors and high earning remote workers relocating from out west and the northeast who can afford more.
CASTILLO: I think a lot of people just seeing Miami the cost at that time was a lot less, then the rest of these major cities like New York and LA. SUAREZ (voice-over): Miami's mayor has seen some criticism for pushing
the cities economy away from its traditional service and hospitality core in favor of tech and finance. Jobs that pay more but not all being filled with homegrown talent.
FRANCIS SUAREZ (R), MAYOR OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: I think there's a misperception that tech companies only create tech jobs. So for example, every tech company needs a marketing department. They need a sales department. They need a public relations department. You know, and so, these are not tech jobs. These are everyday jobs that Miamians have been doing in other companies and do it well.
SUAREZ (voice-over): Along with private development, at least affordable housing projects are underway across the county. Some of, they're done, and ready for folks to move in. The other's we're told will take at least another year to finish.
F. SUAREZ: Oh, it's definitely not enough.
C. SUAREZ (voice-over): Carlos Suarez, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Well sometimes being thrifty can really pay off. Just ask a Texas woman who picked up this marble bust at a Goodwill store. Well (Laura Young) paid $35 bucks for the sculpture, once she got it home she wondered if it had any history and an art expert determined it was actually 2,000 years old. Archive photos show it on display at a home in Germany until World War II. Nobody knows how it got to Texas. A local museum is taking care of the sculpture until it's shipped back to Europe. Well at the top of the hour coming up, join Stanley Tucci as he explores the delicacies and culture of Italy's piedmont region. Here's a preview.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's right. Not like that. It's not that difficult.
STANLEY TUCCI, CNN AMERICAN TRAVEL AND FOOD SHOW HOST: It's not. No -- no you do it. That's so cool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are born (inaudible) Andy Warhol. This is a reduction of beer.
TUCCI: Just beer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just use the sugar of the beer.
TUCCI: It's like -- it's like caramel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
TUCCI: Whoa.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when the mix from the beer (inaudible) is like fresh mushroom. Now we have (inaudible) on top. TUCCI: This is completely changing what I thought about risotto. And
the beer (inaudible).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Be sure to tune in the newest episode of "Stanley Tucci, Searching For Italy" on just a few minutes. 9pm eastern on CNN. It has been a high speed weekend in Miami, as the city's first Grand Prix raced around Hardrock Stadium. From the celebrities to the cars, we have it all coming plus a special tribute to mom's for Mother's Day. You're in the CNN Newsroom.
[20:45:10]
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BROWN: Blazing sun and blazing speed. For the first time Formula One is racing in Miami. At least one driver calls it the "Super Bowl" of Formula One. Stars like Tom Brady were there.
[20:50:09]
CNN's Amanda Davis has more on the glitz, glamour and gas.
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AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, this has been the hottest ticket in town. It has seriously been a who's who of A-listers over the last couple of days. Michelle Obama in the Mercedes garage, despite it being a huge NBA weekend we've had Lebron James and Michael Jordon in town alongside the likes of the Williams sisters, George Lucas, Will.I.Am, David Beckham, Tom Brady. The list goes on and on. An estimated 300,000 people have been here over the course of the weekend, for those who've paid it hasn't come cheap. Tickets in the grandstand starting at $750. This though has been seen as a landmark weekend for Formula One. The arrival of the second U.S. race on the calendar alongside Austin, with the (inaudible) Las Vegas joining the party next year. It's the one the sport owners Liberty Media really wanted to introduce when they took over in 2017, and well as they might not have got the beachfront location they were hoping for because of opposition from the locals. They did a build a fake marina complete with super yachts were fans watch the events unfold.
In terms of the interest, it's been the perfect storm really. The general grown in interest combined with the Netflix series, "Drive to Survive" really opening up Formula One to a whole new U.S. audience. The seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton said, at last he feels his sport has joined the American conscious. And with all the focus, the teams and the drivers have really wanted to put on a show and they did just that. The world champion Max Verstappen starting from third, taking the victory ahead of his title rival Charles Leclerc. The pair going toe to toe throughout the 57 laps. This has been billed as Formula One's Super Bowl. It was a heavyweight battle fitting of the NFL right here at the home of the Miami Dolphins Pamela.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BROWN: All right. Thanks so much. In Ukraine, a show of solidarity in song.
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BROWN: That's U2 front man Bono and his bandmate the Edge on guitar. Between them a frequent guest on this show, Ukrainian popstar Taras Topolia. They performed a 40 minute concert in a subway station in Kiev. Last hour I spoke with Taras about Bono reaching out to him.
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TARAS TOPOLIA, UKRAINIAN POPSTAR: Bono called me the day before yesterday and he asked me -- he proposed me to came to Kiev and take part in this concert and it was so incredible for us. Though unexpectable, but -- but it was true and of course we said yes and came to Kiev and we -- we were on the way to Kiev during of the night. But in the morning -- yesterday we -- we came to Kiev and -- and just sang a song with him like it was (inaudible). It was improvisation. I can't -- I (inaudible).
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BROWN: It has been quite a run for Taras as he recruits global celebrities to draw attention to Ukraine's plight. He also just wrapped up his collaboration with Ed Sheeran for a remix of his hit song "Two Step". Don't forget the little people here on the show Taras. We -- we knew you before all these big celebrities did. Well in our conversation, Taras also wished Happy Mother's Day to his mom and wife who both fled their war ravaged country and are in the U.S. Taras are with them. And finally on this Mother's Day, the Newsroom Team with Pamela Brown and I want to take a moment to pay tribute to the mother's in our lives. Today can be a day of so much joy and gratitude. It can also be a tough day for some or a mixture of both. It is just that for me. First I want to take the time to honor my mom Phyllis George. She passed away nearly two years ago this month.
And even though I just can't call her up today and thank her for all the sacrifices she has made for me to make me who I am, I carry all she taught me with me every single day including when I'm right here at the anchor desk.
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A place I have the honor to be really only because she encouraged me and gave me the confidence. And here are some more of the beautiful moms we are showing love to today. These pics sent in by the team that makes this show possible for all the mothers out there for just this amazing team. All you moms, you raised a dedicated, hardworking, compassionate person what better reflection of a mother than that. And for all the hard working mothers on our team, you inspire me every day to keep going especially on the tough day and every working mother knows what those days are like. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers here on team Pamela Brown and Happy Mother's Day to all of you watching. Have a good night.
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