Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Farmer's Market Reopens Today With Memorial For Victims
Aired July 19, 2003 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Santa Monica, California where an emotional service is about to get underway. The farmer's market is reopening with a memorial service just 2 days after 10 people were killed by an elderly driver. With us now from Santa Monica is Miguel Marquez -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning there Sean. Even before those services get underway, it's already an emotional day here. The service is set to go off about 12:15 Pacific time. The market as you can see if obviously open like it does Saturday and Wednesday here on Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica.
Today we got up early. We got up with the farmers which is, I can tell you, very early to get up with the farmers. They were here setting up their tents, preparing their best fruits, vegetables, juices, eggs, flours, just about anything that you want that comes from the Earth you can get here. It's pretty amazing.
It feels a lot like normal here today, at least right now. It opened up about 8:30 this morning, but there are differences. And here to tell us about some of those differences is Avery Devenanzio. You have an interesting story, you were basically raised at this market. Tell us about that?
AVERY DEVENANZIO, FARMER'S MARKET WORKER : I was, my mom took over management of the farmers market in 1981, the year I was born, the year the market opened and so some of our earliest memories as small children was being at the market. We were raised with our first part-time jobs working with the farmers, and being here in this wonderful community of customers, and farmers.
MARQUEZ: You are a market baby, you were here on Wednesday?
DEVENANZIO: I was here on Wednesday. I was working for a farmer just south of 2nd street on Arizona, right where the car came through. Thank God we got out of the way. The farmers across the way were out of wait of the car. The car did a straight path straight through. We were safe.
MARQUEZ: And here we are today. What's -- how did you approach today and what are you feeling right now?
DEVANANZIO: Well, right now I feel uplifted. It seems strange to say that I can say that. Wednesday was a tragedy and a horror I will never forget. And yet, being a part of the amazing Santa Monica's farmer's market staff, my mother being the manager, being with the farmers that night and over the past couple days we've stayed in Santa Monica, it's just been an incredible spirit of regeneration. The calls from the community and the letters and the donations, and support has been outstanding.
MARQUEZ: You said earlier the shock was so great happened Wednesday, that you haven't been able to cry, yet.
DEVENANZIO: That's right. I mean this morning when I first came -- I guess when I first kind of saw you guys, we were over at the memorial. And I think it was seeing the memorial, seeing the farmers here setting up, reading the things there, it was the first I time I really cried and it felt great.
MARQUEZ: A lot of hugs here today. Thanks you very much. Appreciate meeting you.
I have something else to tell you about there Sean. A source is telling CNN that there was a minor collision, this is on the investigation of the 86 year old man who apparently caused this crash, the sources telling CNN that there was a minor collision with a Mercedes-Benz just yards before Mr. Weller's Buick entered the market area here. Just what this means to the investigation, if anything is unclear at this point. The other thing police are saying is that they are going to have to go through thousands of witness testimonials before they can present their case to the D.A. for possible manslaughter charges -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Miguel Marquez in Santa Monica at the market. We can only hope that will be a cathartic experience for those folks up there. Thanks very much. And you can find out more about the market tragedy in today's memorial service at our web site. Simply log onto cnn.com.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 19, 2003 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Santa Monica, California where an emotional service is about to get underway. The farmer's market is reopening with a memorial service just 2 days after 10 people were killed by an elderly driver. With us now from Santa Monica is Miguel Marquez -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning there Sean. Even before those services get underway, it's already an emotional day here. The service is set to go off about 12:15 Pacific time. The market as you can see if obviously open like it does Saturday and Wednesday here on Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica.
Today we got up early. We got up with the farmers which is, I can tell you, very early to get up with the farmers. They were here setting up their tents, preparing their best fruits, vegetables, juices, eggs, flours, just about anything that you want that comes from the Earth you can get here. It's pretty amazing.
It feels a lot like normal here today, at least right now. It opened up about 8:30 this morning, but there are differences. And here to tell us about some of those differences is Avery Devenanzio. You have an interesting story, you were basically raised at this market. Tell us about that?
AVERY DEVENANZIO, FARMER'S MARKET WORKER : I was, my mom took over management of the farmers market in 1981, the year I was born, the year the market opened and so some of our earliest memories as small children was being at the market. We were raised with our first part-time jobs working with the farmers, and being here in this wonderful community of customers, and farmers.
MARQUEZ: You are a market baby, you were here on Wednesday?
DEVENANZIO: I was here on Wednesday. I was working for a farmer just south of 2nd street on Arizona, right where the car came through. Thank God we got out of the way. The farmers across the way were out of wait of the car. The car did a straight path straight through. We were safe.
MARQUEZ: And here we are today. What's -- how did you approach today and what are you feeling right now?
DEVANANZIO: Well, right now I feel uplifted. It seems strange to say that I can say that. Wednesday was a tragedy and a horror I will never forget. And yet, being a part of the amazing Santa Monica's farmer's market staff, my mother being the manager, being with the farmers that night and over the past couple days we've stayed in Santa Monica, it's just been an incredible spirit of regeneration. The calls from the community and the letters and the donations, and support has been outstanding.
MARQUEZ: You said earlier the shock was so great happened Wednesday, that you haven't been able to cry, yet.
DEVENANZIO: That's right. I mean this morning when I first came -- I guess when I first kind of saw you guys, we were over at the memorial. And I think it was seeing the memorial, seeing the farmers here setting up, reading the things there, it was the first I time I really cried and it felt great.
MARQUEZ: A lot of hugs here today. Thanks you very much. Appreciate meeting you.
I have something else to tell you about there Sean. A source is telling CNN that there was a minor collision, this is on the investigation of the 86 year old man who apparently caused this crash, the sources telling CNN that there was a minor collision with a Mercedes-Benz just yards before Mr. Weller's Buick entered the market area here. Just what this means to the investigation, if anything is unclear at this point. The other thing police are saying is that they are going to have to go through thousands of witness testimonials before they can present their case to the D.A. for possible manslaughter charges -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Miguel Marquez in Santa Monica at the market. We can only hope that will be a cathartic experience for those folks up there. Thanks very much. And you can find out more about the market tragedy in today's memorial service at our web site. Simply log onto cnn.com.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
