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CNN Live Saturday

Idaho Girl Found; Live 8; Roller Derby Lives

Aired July 02, 2005 - 18:00   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A missing eight-year-old found alive after a six-week search. Tonight, I'm talking to the alert waitress who recognized Shasta Groene and got her to safety. Also...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY, MUSICIAN: Well, it was 20 years ago today...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Ten concerts, more than a million people, 20 years after Live Aid, it's Live 8. CNN is there as the music world unites to try to end poverty in Africa.

And they're not your average girls next door -- or are they? They're called the Go -- the Gothem Girls, and they're taking over New York.

It is July 2 and you're watching CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin. Our top story in just a moment, but first stories making news right now.

A girl missing from the home of the triple homicide is found alive a couple miles from where she disappeared back in May. Her brother, though, may be dead. Officials charged a registered sex offender with kidnapping Shasta Groene.

And two photos, one an Iranian hostage taker in 1979, the other on the right, Iranian president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. U.S. experts have found serious discrepancies between the faces in the pictures, leading some to believe they are not the same man.

And explosions rocked the capital of Kosovo today. The Serbian province is under U.N. administration and the ethnic Albanian majority wants it to become independent. No one was hurt in the three blasts aimed at the government.

You can check CNN's most popular video of the day at CNN.com. All you have to do is click on the video link at our website and watch it as many times as you want, whenever you want. It's a whole new way to experience the power of CNN video, and it's free.

In the meantime, our top story -- it is a case that made national headlines and stumped police, a horrific crime scene and two children vanished in Idaho. And now, six weeks later, one of them has been found alive not far from her home in Coeur D'Alene but the search continues for her brother.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LIN (voice-over): Something didn't seem right to the patrons and employees at the Denny's restaurant in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, a young girl coming in to eat with a man well after midnight. Employees thought they recognized the missing 8-year-old Shasta Groene, a girl who lives just 10 miles away, but has been missing for six weeks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I knew it was her. And at that point, I was -- me and the other cook, Brian -- Brian and I, we had the back door covered and we were ready for him to make his move on his way out.

LIN: They called police who apprehended Joseph Edward Duncan without incident. He's a 42-year-old registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal record. While they were glad to find Shasta alive and in seemingly good condition, they are turning their efforts now to finding her brother Dylan, who has also been missing since May 16.

CAPT. BEN WOLFINGER, KOOTENAI COUNTY, IDAHO POLICE: Well, our initial information is that he may be deceased.

LIN: The children's mother and brother along with their mother's boyfriend were found beaten to death at the family's home six weeks ago. Police found no sign of Shasta or Dylan at the bloody murder scene, so authorities began searching for the kids and the killer.

WOLFINGER: Joseph Edward Duncan III is a person in custody. Right now, he is charged with kidnapping as well as a couple warrants -- out-of-state warrants, fugitive from justice warrants. Other charges are possibly pending depending on how this investigation goes.

LIN: Shasta is receiving medical care and she's talking to investigators. But while questions remain about the fate of her brother Dylan, people who live in the small community of Coeur D'Alene couldn't help but reach out to this little girl who has obviously been through so much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had just randomly bought this little girl's blanket a few days ago at a really neat little store in Coeur D'Alene. And it's the softest blanket around. And I just had it on my bed laying there and saw the news and I went this is probably for her. This is probably why I bought this blanket. And I was just really touched by it that they found her. So I wanted her to have something of her own to wrap in, you know, something fresh and new.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: This story has touched so many people because for the last six weeks, all of America has wanted to help do something to find these children. Well, amazingly, the waitress was going to work one day at Denny's, she looked around and she saw Shasta Groene sitting right there in her restaurant. She tried to keep the girl in the restaurant until the police arrived. Amber Deahn is with me now from Coeur D'Alene.

AMBER DEAHN, WAITRESS: Yes, I can.

LIN: We are having now technical difficulties. We're anxious obviously to speak with her. We're going to work out those technical difficulties because stay with us, Amber's story is a remarkable one because it shows how anybody can make a difference when it comes to these missing children's cases.

In the meantime, rocking around the world today all in an effort to end global poverty. Concerts are being held in 10 cities across four continents, one of the biggest is in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. There is a huge crowd there, and our Richard Quest crossed the pond to join in all the festivities out there.

Hey, Richard.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, how are you? Now, look, you know, thankfully, the music's a little bit quieter. If you joined me a minute or two ago, we wouldn't have been able to hear each other. I've got one ear piece in this ear and I've got an ear plug in the either. Once you get over 40, doing these sorts of things, it's not as easy as it used to be.

Let me tell you something about Philadelphia here. Over a million people are crammed into the downtown area, more than they had expected. The temperature is in the 80s. And the police say it's all been extremely well-natured. They've heard artists like Destiny's Child, The Dave Matthews Band, and they just heard Will Smith. And we've still got Stevie Wonder. The people who are here, they say they have come to help make poverty history, and that's partly true. They've also come here to have a good day out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEYONCE KNOWLES, LIVE 8 PERFORMER: I know for us, we're the young generation and a lot of young people look up to us, so we actually -- and one of the reasons we're here is to take advantage of the celebrity. And we've been involved with a lot of different charities, but this one is close to home, because we've been to Africa, and we've seen the children. And we've been to the townships and we touched the people and seen it with our own eyes. So anything we can do to help, we're here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: I was lucky there, you know, getting to speak to Beyonce. Destiny's Child, of course, making one of their last appearances. They say, of course, that the tour will go on until September, and after that, well, I suppose, it's their destiny.

We've got a couple of more acts still to go here at Philadelphia. Everyone is waiting for Stevie Wonder. That promises to be the big, perhaps, highlight of the day.

LIN: All right, looking forward to it. Richard, thanks so much.

We've been covering Live 8 throughout the day and around the world. The music, the message being heard by more than a million people attending the concert marathon live today. Paul McCartney and U2 hit the stage in London. Organizer Bob Geldof hopes their high profile leads to a historic breakthrough at the G-8 Summit. Thousands flocked to the concert in Johannesburg, South Africa. They jammed with the musicians but it was Nelson Mandela who received the loudest applause. Icelandic singer Bjork rocked Japanese bands in Tokyo. It is the first time she's performed live in two years.

Now, no one knows what impact if any Live 8 is actually going to have on the week's G-8 Summit, but my guest will be watching. Melissa Fitzgerald is a familiar face to TV's "West Wing" fans, but she's also a spokeswoman for the International Medical Corps, and Dr. William Moore is a volunteer for the IMC.

Welcome to both of you. Let me begin with you, Melissa. You actually recently went to Africa. What did you get a chance to see that you can share with our audience that's really the behind the story of the story that's going on behind you, why these musicians are getting together?

MELISSA FITZGERALD, SPOKESWOMAN, INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS./ACTRESS, "WEST WING": Well, the reason that I'm involved with the International Medical Corps. and the main reason why I'm here today is because I went to Africa last summer and I saw the abject poverty and complete devastation. And you know, I think it's significant that we're here in Philadelphia, which is the City of Brotherly Love, my hometown, because those who are living in the poorest nations in the world, they are our brothers and sisters, too. And it was just heartbreaking to be there and see the devastation and knowing that there's a lot we can do about it.

LIN: Right. Dr. Moore, I mean you have traveled through Pakistan, Kosovo, Band Aceh, you have seen people live with literally nothing. What is at stake at the G-8 Summit next week?

DR. WILLIAM MOORE, INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS.: I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.

LIN: I know it's terribly loud, and we're hard -- and we're having a hard time hearing the both of you, too. What is at stake at the G-8 Summit next week?

MOORE: Well, the G-8 Summit, this is the only way we're going to do it. I've been in this business for the past 18 years and it's really been a band-aid quite frankly. We're trying to get at least our country to go about $25 billion over five years, that's about maybe one small corporate takeover if you think of it in that way. But we have plenty of resources, the NGO or the Non-Governmental Organization community is huge. In Band Aceh, we have 250 organizations. So they can be mobilized very quickly. The only thing we need is funds. We've got to work, of course, on poverty, on feeding, and then we can go on education and take it one step at a time. But the approach over the years really hasn't been very effective because we have to get them to be a self-sufficient society.

LIN: Right. MOORE: We have to work on microeconomics and all that. That's the only it's going to work.

LIN: OK. Well, Melissa, I mean, you -- take a look at the numbers today, 700,000 people around the world showed up for these Live 8 events. What if they only showed up for the...

FITZGERALD: I have no idea what you just said.

LIN: Oh, OK. I'm just -- what if all these people that we're seeing out there really just showed up for the music? I mean what, realistically can these concert-goers and rock music lovers do?

FITZGERALD: Well, I think what you're asking is what can people do to help with this cause after today? Today was part of the ONE Campaigns awareness and advocacy program. Now, we have some awareness and it's time to advocate. So I encourage everyone to log on to one.org to sign a letter to our president, to contact your legislators, and tell them we want this. This is the right thing to do.

LIN: All right, Melissa Fitzgerald, thank you so much. We'll be looking for that flat line on "The West Wing."

FITZGERALD: Thank you.

LIN: Dr. Moore, thank you for your time, too.

MOORE: You're quite welcome.

LIN: Our Christiane Amanpour takes an in-depth look at the upcoming G-8 Summit and global poverty tonight. That special, "CAN WE SAVE THEM?" begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

Now, we want to get back to our top story -- the waitress who recognized Shasta Groene this morning. Shasta was the little girl missing for six weeks from her Idaho home. Amber Deahn tried to keep the girl in the restaurant until police arrived and she joins me from Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.

Amber, has it sunk in with you yet what you did for this little girl?

DEAHN: Not really. I'm still running on just a little bit of sleep.

LIN: Tell me what happened.

DEAHN: I'm just...

LIN: Tell me what happened.

DEAHN: I came back from my break. And always when I come back from a break, I always check my section to see if there's anybody new. She looked familiar and any child that comes in after 2:00, especially at Denny's or any child I see, I automatically think of the Groene children. And I went to look at her poster that we have up, and it wasn't up. So I didn't have a picture to go off of. And I mentioned it to my manager, Linda Olson, that, you know, maybe we should pay more attention to this little girl. And we -- between Linda and I both, we finally decided that we needed to call the officers and have them come down and have them verify whether or not it was her, but we were pretty sure it was her.

LIN: Were you worried at that point she might walk out of the restaurant?

DEAHN: A little bit. When Linda went back into the office to call the officers, I needed to go back out and check on my table. I tried to think of anything that would work well, and kids love dessert, so I started suggesting shakes and the different flavors that we have, and she decided on vanilla.

LIN: And how did she seem to you? Did she seem nervous? Was she trying to signal you that she needed help?

DEAHN: Closed off. She just seemed very closed off. Most children that we get in, if they do come in to Denny's that late, they're passing through town, trying to go home or headed home, and you give them crayons and a mask and they light up and get all excited and say thank you. And she didn't. She looked at the gentleman -- I haven't even caught his name yet -- looked at him and waited for his approval to say thank you. And she just bent over the coloring thing and proceeded to color. She wasn't very enthusiastic; I guess would be the word.

LIN: Right. What about the man she was with, Duncan? Did he seem nervous that you were paying extra attention to Shasta?

DEAHN: No. In all honesty, I was trying to get a better look at Shasta more than I was paying attention to him. At that time of night, people are kind of -- kind of look at you funny are pretty normal. It's late at night. You get people who have been driving for hours. So he was normal but high-strung for that time of the night and only drinking water. Most people who are that high-strung have got a big old cup of coffee in front of them.

LIN: What do mean high strung? What did he say or do?

DEAHN: Just a little tense and his answers to any questions I had were very short and to the point, non-conversational, whereas most people say if they'd been any other father or daughter, will say traveling through town. They would have been like, oh, we just came from wherever...

LIN: Right, right.

DEAHN: ...or we're headed to wherever, and he wasn't. He was just very short and to the point.

LIN: Joseph Edward Duncan has a rap sheet as long as my arm, which includes a history of sexual assault. What...

DEAHN: That's...

LIN: Go ahead.

DEAHN: ...my husband has been filling me in a little bit.

LIN: What was his interaction...

DEAHN: Oh, I said, my husband's feeling me in a little bit.

LIN: Right. What was his interaction like with her?

DEAHN: You know, I really can't even comment on that. I really didn't pay much attention to that. My sole subject in the whole thing was to find out -- you know, get a better look at her and see if she was who I thought she was.

LIN: Goodness, you must have been nervous. So what happened next? Here she is. She's eating her dessert.

DEAHN: That -- we took a bit longer than usual to make a shake, and I made sure to make a large shake instead of a child's shake. We wanted to take just long enough to where, you know, it turned out to be nothing, we could just say; you know, hey, our shake machine's running a little slow. It's an old machine. We didn't want to cause any suspicion. So we made sure to time it just about perfect so that he didn't think anything of it and it gave the officer time to arrive.

LIN: And when the officers arrived, what happened then?

DEAHN: I went outside to speak to the officer. My manager told me to go out and let him know where they were in the restaurant. And he told me he was going to give me a minute to give them their ticket. And I went back inside and they were headed to the bathroom. And he said, "We need our check" and pointed his thumb toward the table very quickly and abruptly. I said, "OK, I'll get that for you." And the next thing I know he was making a beeline for that table like he just wanted to throw the money down and get out of there. And the officers -- more officers had arrived on the scene and followed him right to the table.

LIN: Right, right. Wow! And did you ever get a chance to talk with Shasta Groene one-on-one?

DEAHN: When they asked the gentleman if they could talk to him for a minute, they took him away. And the first officer on the scene sat down with Shasta. I proceeded to continue working. I brought another table their food. And about the time I got the last plate off of the tray, he grabbed my arm and said, "Stay with her."

LIN: Right.

DEAHN: And I went and kneeled down by her side of the booth, and said, "Hi, sweetie, how are you?" And she didn't say anything. I said, "Honey, what's your name?" She said, "Shasta Groene" and started crying. And I couldn't help myself. I picked her straight up and just held her. LIN: Oh, Amber, you know you're a mother of a 15-month-old little girl.

DEAHN: Yes.

LIN: You had to have known what that would have been to Shasta's father who's on his way...

DEAHN: I...

LIN: ...to see his little girl at the hospital.

DEAHN: ...would really hope that if -- I would really hope that if my children, God forbid, ever went missing, somebody would do the same and take the time to really look at the child.

LIN: Amber Deahn, you're a hero today. Thank you very much for joining us.

DEAHN: Thank you.

LIN: Well, I want to let you know that Captain Ben Wolfinger of the Kootenai County sheriff's department is one of the investigators probing this case. And I'm going to be talking with him in our primetime show, "CNN SATURDAY NIGHT." That is coming up at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific, because Shasta's brother is still missing. So the hunt is going on to see what happened to Dylan.

In the meantime, Iraqi police a target again today as suicide bombers strike repeatedly. We are going to have a report from Baghdad.

Also ahead, the speculation game is under way. Who will fill Sandra Day O'Connor's shoes and how will it affect the balance of power on the high court? We are going to go live to the White House.

And later on, remembering a legend. We are going to look back at the life and music of Luther Vandross.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well, an all too familiar scene in Iraq today, suicide bombers stage another round of deadly attacks against Iraqi police south of Baghdad. Officials say two suicide bombers attacked a cafeteria where Iraqi police like to go. Eight were killed. And it was just one of several about brutal attacks today. CNN's Aneesh Raman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Violence ravaging the streets in Iraq on Saturday. The deadliest attack taking place early in the morning local time when a suicide bomber detonated amidst recruits waiting outside the headquarters of the Iraqi police commander. At least a dozen people were killed; tens of others were wounded and taken to nearby Yarmuk hospital. The Iraqi police and the U.S. military quickly sealed off the scene. This building has been attacked before by suicide car bombs.

Today, though, an acquittedly familiar tactic, the suicide bomber dressed as a recruit himself with his suicide vest underneath. In the afternoon, another suicide car bomb detonating south of the capital city, in the town Al Mahmoudiya. The intended target there an Iraqi police checkpoint. At least one person killed, three others wounded, though hospital officials say there are a number of casualties. All this today as the U.S. military says that on Thursday, Iraqi police continued to push back against the insurgency. Seven suspected insurgents were arrested for allegedly being involved in plots to attack Iraqi police.

Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: In our "Security Watch," this week's major developments in the war on terror. Hoping to strengthen the country's intelligence operations, President Bush is ordering that there be a new national security division inside the FBI. It's supposed to bridge longstanding gaps between the FBI and the CIA. A homeland security official says a new program that fingerprints people trying to enter the U.S. has led to nearly 3,000 visa applicants being turned down. It also helped authorities stop about 700 people at various points of entry.

The National Academy of Sciences changes its mind and publishes a study outlining how terrorists could poison the country's milk supply. Federal officials complained earlier that the report gives away too much information. Academy officials say all the information in the article is already available on the Internet. Now, stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Well, he was severely injured in Iraq but that's not slowing him down. On the front lines this week, you're going to meet one soldier working to make sure the men who saved him are not forgotten.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well, every week we like to take you to the more personal stories on the frontlines. Well, today is a hero's tale, the pain and reality of war hit home when Staff Sergeant Luke Wilson encountered an RPG in Iraq, a rocket-propelled grenade. He tells his story to our Bill Tucker.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You see where the shrapnel was headed, toward (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

LUKE WILSON, FORMER U.S. ARMY STAFF SERGEANT: The finger.

BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a special day for Luke Wilson, his friend and Army buddy, Cain Cooper, is visiting on leave from the fighting in Iraq. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are some of the RPG there.

WILSON: PGs.

TUCKER: Looking at the pictures takes Wilson back to the years he served and the day his life changed forever in Iraq. A former staff sergeant in the Oregon National Guard, Wilson was ambushed on only his second day in combat driving in a convoy.

WILSON: The RPG hit and it, like, went through right about here, right through my calf.

TUCKER: Wilson knew his leg was mangled, but he kept on fighting as the vehicle moved forward out of harm's way.

WILSON: For a split second there, I was staring at the stars going, so this is where it's going to end, this is how I'm going to die.

TUCKER: Wilson lost six pints of blood in 15 minutes.

WILSON: And since I had lost so much, they thought I was going to die. Sot hey brought a chaplain in.

TUCKER: In Baghdad, Wilson's leg was amputated. His was devastated.

WILSON: I was in the Rangers. I was jumping out of planes. Then I went in the Guard and I'm in combat. I finally got my dream and now, I'm missing a leg. And it was -- at that point in time, I wish I would have been dead.

TUCKER: He spent a year at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, long days of grueling therapy and long nights of missing his buddies still fighting in Iraq.

WILSON: The first two weeks, I got at Walter Reed, I refused to sleep. I was just stuck to the news, wanting to know what was going on, you know, just praying to God my guys were OK.

TUCKER: Wilson's unit lost nine men in Iraq. To honor them and to honor the soldiers who helped save his life, Wilson is now involved in building a memorial.

WILSON: I've kind of taken the help on this memorial out on a ton, and that's -- you know, if it wasn't for Baldwin and Malero (ph), my name would have been on that memorial.

TUCKER: Bill Tucker, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, Washington is gearing up for a different kind of fight over who will take Sandra Day O'Connor's place on the Supreme Court. We are going to go live to the White House for a look at which way the winds are blowing. And later on, we're going to meet some mean ladies, changing the face of roller rinks around the country. You're watching CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back, I'm Carol Lin, and here's a quick look at what's happening right now in the news.

Idaho authorities have a sex offender in custody on charges of kidnapping an 8-year-old girl who has been found alive. A sheriff's department captain says Shasta Groene's 9-year-old brother may be dead, but authorities still continue to search for him.

And from London to Philadelphia to Tokyo, Madonna and a host of other musical stars are performing a charity marathon called Live 8. The rockers seek financial aid from the G-8 nations to relieve poverty in Africa.

And a huge comeback for Venus Williams today. In the longest women's final in Wimbledon history, she won the championship after being seeded at No. 14. Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport was the last obstacle in her way. Williams now has three Wimbledon wins to her credit.

Now, you can check out CNN's most popular video of the day at CNN.com. All you have to do is click on the video link at our website. And you can watch it as many times as you want whenever you want. It's a whole new way to experience the power of CNN video, and it's free.

Well, more than four years into his presidency, President Bush now faces one of his biggest decisions yet. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her intention to leave the Supreme Court, and now the president will test his ideological convictions and may assure his conservative stamp on the highest court in the land. CNN's Elaine Quijano, live at the White House right now.

Elaine, any idea when the president is going to make his announcement?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we were told not to expect anything in the near future, Carol, but I can tell you aides say that this weekend, while President Bush is at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, that he is pouring over materials that have been provided to him by White House staff as he tries to find a potential successor to Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. But even before he makes an announcement about the nominee, this news has already energized conservatives and liberals alike.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO (voice-over): In Tennessee, members of the National Organization for Women rallied their troops in the wake of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement announcement. KIM GANDY, PRESIDENT, NOW: Sandra Day O'Connor is the swing vote on right after right after right for us, and that we've got to get to the only people who can stop the right-wing extremists from taking her place and that is every U.S. Senator.

QUIJANO: Liberal and conservatives are gearing up for what will likely be a fierce confirmation battle.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The nation also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate characterized by fair treatment, a fair hearing, and a fair vote.

QUIJANO: It was Justice O'Connor who often held the swing vote on the high court. Her decisions sometimes pleasing and angering those on both ends of the political spectrum, but with her retirement, four conservatives and four liberals will remain. And at stake is a possible philosophical shift in the high court. Those on the right believe the president owes them another conservative. CATHY CLEAVER RUSE, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: The president was elected with the promise he would appoint people in the mold of Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas. There's no reason he should now try to appoint someone in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor, frankly.

QUIJANO: Those on the left find that possibility alarming.

RALPH NEAS, PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY: If this mainstream conservative, Sandra Day O'Connor is replaced with a right-wing ideologue, someone like Anthony Scalia or Clarence Thomas, it would be a constitutional disaster.

QUIJANO: With such pivotal questions on such issues like religion, abortion and affirmative action facing the country, the White House says the president will be deliberate.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: And advisers say that while a White House team has interviewed some potential candidates, that President Bush himself has not personally sat down and interviewed anyone for the job. Aides are also saying not to expect the president to announce a decision on a nominee until he returns from a trip to Europe next week -- Carol.

LIN: Very good. Thanks very much, Elaine Quijano live at the White House.

All right, we've got some news across America now. A break-in at the headquarters of the Ohio Democratic Party in Columbus. Police say burglars stole a computer and a Blackberry belonging to the party chairman. The thefts occurred just a week after Democrats began airing TV ads linking Republicans to a state investment that lost millions. GOP leaders deny Republicans had anything to do with the break-in.

The Austrian teenager who was bitten by a shark in Florida is in fair condition, and is expected to recover. The 19-year-old tourist was bitten in the ankle yesterday as he stood in chest-deep waters off Boca Grande. He had to undergo surgery to repair tendons and ligaments in his ankle.

Fire officials also in central Arizona are gaining ground in their battle against a raging wildfire. Burn-out operations have kept the flames away from a community that was right in the fire's path. The wildfire has burned through almost 215,000 acres, and it's now 45 percent contained.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: All right, how many bosses have you survived? What if your boss walked out on you? In our "Fountain of Youth" segment, you're going to learn what it takes to bounce back from life's biggest challenges faster than others and live longer and better as a result.

Plus, meet some women with a great outlet for life's frustrations. Yes, roller derby is back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Being able to bounce back from difficulties in your life can not only be beneficial to your emotional well-being, but it can also be a big boost to your physical health. So exactly how do you do that? Well, it's all spelled out in the book, "The Resiliency Advantage." Joining me live from Portland is the author Al Siebert.

Al, you have a pretty impressive background, I mean considering that you're a former paratrooper, a PhD. in psychology, you're blending the two when it comes to the two when it comes to this book, aren't you?

AL SIEBERT, AUTHOR, "THE RESILIENCY ADVANTAGE": Well, that, and I've spent a lot of time looking at this new field of resiliency psychology, a lot of good information is coming together.

LIN: Yes, you're internationally recognized for your survival -- or survivor personality research.

SIEBERT: Yes.

LIN: So interesting you talk about survivor when -- what do you think of in terms of -- I mean we're not living in a threatening society, so what do you think -- where does the survivor instinct really have to kick in for us these days?

SIEBERT: Well, it takes -- there comes a point of being resilient, it means you can hold up until pressure and deal with uncertainty, handle setbacks, and to not let it break you down, actually remain healthy with all the rapid pace of things that are going on.

LIN: All right. We have five points. I mean your book goes much deeper than that, but five points about maintaining your -- or developing your resiliency, maintain your emotional stability, health and well-being, focus outward, good problem-solving skills are the first two.

SIEBERT: Yes. We know this about people who are very resilient. So they pause here and there. They have fun with their friends. They have a good time. And then they cope quickly with anything that comes their way. They problem-solve instead of getting highly emotional about whatever is occurring to them.

LIN: Yes, because you say the people who are not survivors, the people who aren't resilient are people who blame other people, right, for their problems? That's their first instinct.

SIEBERT: That's one of the key things. Both getting very emotional and blaming others for their emotional reaction.

LIN: So the next couple then, you say focus inward, have strong inner selves, also have well-developed resiliency skills. I mean those are pretty broad but what do you mean?

SIEBERT: Now, we're looking at that inner strength, some good self-appreciation, self-confidence, a strong self-concept. And these are like gate keepers to the higher levels. If they're weak, you're not going to be very resilient.

LIN: All right, the talent for serendipity. I mean you say talent because it takes a certain amount of effortlessness and naturalness, I think, to think positively.

SIEBERT: Yes, these are the folks who are so resilient that they can take something that's a huge setback, and by the time they've reacted to it, they've turned it into good fortune. That's what serendipity is.

LIN: But what if a lot of bad things have happened to you. I mean what if your -- you know your wife left you, you got really sick, you got fired from your job, and you're asking people to be serendipitous?

SIEBERT: No, first of all when you do this, you don't let yourself get upset and be bothered by it, cry, talk to a friend, and then take a deep breath and say, OK, what can I do now to turn my life around and get back to having things worthwhile again..

LIN: Be proactive. I know that your book is a lot more detailed than that, but I think people need the encouragement to say you know what; there is some science and research behind it.

SIEBERT: Yes, yes.

LIN: All right, Al Siebert, good to have you. Thanks so much.

SIEBERT: I enjoyed it.

LIN: Well, fads come and go. Do you think swallowing goldfish, but occasionally the craze comes and goes and inexplicably returns, sometimes more than once. Consider that serendipitous. CNN's Paula Zahn reports on the latest incarnation of roller derby. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA ZAHN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Equal parts, grit and glamour, elbows and attitude, roller derby is sport and spectacle.

BABY RUTHLESS, GOTHEM GIRLS: My name is Baby Ruthless. I'm with the Manhattan Mayhem.

ASHLIE ATKINSON, "MARGARET THRASHER", GOTHEM GIRLS: I skate under Margaret Thrasher, prime minister of your demise.

ZAHN: These are the Gothem Girls, New York's first all-female roller derby league. With names like Carmen Monoxide, CC Bullets and Suzy Hotrod, these girls mean business, and they're out to re-create roller derby's heyday. For Natalie Blare, a.k.a...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ginger Snap.

ZAHN: ...going derby was instinctive.

NATILY BLAIR, "GINGER SNAP", GOTHEM GIRLS: You don't become a derby girl really. You realize that you are one already.

ZAHN: Ginger's epiphany came last summer.

BLAIR: I all of a sudden realized I had a derby girl inside me that was screaming to get out. And I know that sounds stupid, but I saw them at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island. There were about seven girls on skates beating each other up in the street in the parade. And I saw them and I was transfixed.

ZAHN: Transfixed and hooked. It was only a matter of time before Ginger's husband, David Hyatt, caught the fever too. Now, David is head referee or Rules Monkey for the Gothem Girls. His moniker, Hambone.

DAVID HYATT, ROLLER DERBY REFEREE: There was a kid in high school who was known as hambone and I always thought it was a great name.

ZAHN: By day, Ginger Snap is a graphic artist, but three nights a week, Ginger is at the rink sporting fishnet and putting on her gear.

BLAIR: Once you put your skates on and you have your uniform on, you're not vulnerable because people know that you are a girl who can kick their butt.

ZAHN: Kick butt, they do.

The fascination of roller derby is nothing new. America's first spectacle sport evolved from skating races during the Depression. Promoter Leo Seltzer realized it was the collisions between skaters that the fans really loved.

BLAIR: To see a woman who is powerful and aggressive and sexy and feminine all at the same time is kind of like a big knot in people's head and they can't get their heads around it, so they're fascinated.

ZAHN: Through the 50's, 60's and 70's, roller derby grew into a TV staple, even the subject of movies.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) here you big fat big mouth!

ZAHN: But eventually the country moved on. Tastes changed. Today, slowly roller derby is being revived. The Gothem girls are relatively small, only 28 skaters, but they join more than two dozen women's leagues that have sprung up around the country within the last four years.

The L.A. Derby Dolls have about 60 skaters, so do the Lone Star Roller Girls from Austin, Texas, the subject of an upcoming cable reality show.

The object of the game is simple. Each play is called a jam, and lasts no longer than two minutes. The defensive players or blockers from both teams form a pack. When the first whistle blows, they take off. Jammers one from each team score the points. They wait behind the pack for the second whistle, then take off furiously to break through the pack. After that, every opponent a jammer passes, a point is scored. But when blockers try to prevent them from passing, that's when the fun begins and that's what the crowd loves. But how real is it?

HYATT: There's absolutely no knowing before a game who's going to win and how many points they're going to have. That's all absolutely legitimate. If somebody, you know, gets hit a little hard, they'll come back and start a fight. They're not really hating each other but don't let that get out.

ZAHN: Pain is part of the game. And despite all the protective gear, skaters get hurt. Just ask Ginger Snap.

BLAIR: I was whipping this girl around the corner and she started to fall, and then I started to fall, and somebody said they heard it snap.

ZAHN: She broke her wrist and got her derby name, Ginger Snap. After two operations, she was back in the ring.

BLAIR: You couldn't keep me away. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it, seriously, no.

ZAHN: So why would smart, professional women want to do this?

ATKINSON: I'm Margaret Thrasher.

ZAHN: Actress Ashlie Atkinson was never into sports until she skated with the Gothem Girls.

ATKINSON: I can't stand! ZAHN: She became empowered and found camaraderie.

ATKINSON: I started skating and I was like I kind of like my body and I kind of like what it can do, you know. And that was a really powerful thing. That and I thought I would never need more girlfriends. And then, of course, I ended up with like 35 more girlfriends.

ZAHN: For Ginger Snap, it's all that, and the pure love of the game.

BLAIR: It is -- it's the best thing ever. My husband says that it's the third best thing in life, our engagement, our wedding, and then roller derby.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right. That was Paula Zahn reporting, not skating.

Still to come on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, the music world says good-bye to a legend. We remember Luther Vandross.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: You know that voice that provided the soundtrack for romance for decades. Well, that voice has gone silent. R&B performer Luther Vandross has died in a New Jersey hospital and he was only 54. A hospital spokesman says he never fully -- excuse me -- recovered from a stroke that he had suffered two years ago. We're going to have Brooke Anderson take a look at his career.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Soulful and memorable, Luther Vandross made fans swoon with his elegantly crafted songs and emotionally charged love ballads.

LUTHER VANDROSS, MUSICIAN: I'm very happy with the choice of my life's pursuit, you know being music, being an artist, you know. I wouldn't be happy doing anything else.

ANDERSON: After a chance meeting with David Bowie in a recording studio, the rocker asked Vandross to sing backup on his hit 1975 album, "Young American." Later, Vandross joined Bowie as his opening act. Vandross went on to sing backup for such powerful acts as Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand. He also lent his versatile vocals to numerous commercial jingles.

In 1981, Vandross signed with Epic Records and released his debut disk "Never Too Much." It sold an impressive two million copies and topped the R&B charts. His silky rich vocals propelled him to the tops of the charts several times with hit singles such as "Any Love" and "Here and Now." And old school romantic, Vandross won eight Grammy awards, including four from his final effort, "Dance With My Father." A popular live performer, Vandross struggled with his image and health problems, includes yo-yo dieting, diabetes and hypertension, but Vandross refused to slow down. Music continued to be his passion, and he stuck to his tireless work ethic until the very end.

Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, that's all the time we have this hour, but coming up next, our special report, "CAN WE SAVE THEM?" Christianne Amanpour looks at the epidemic of poverty in Africa.

And then, at 8:00 Eastern, it's "CNN PRESENTS: MELTING POINT," tracking the global warming debate. And at 9:00, "LARRY KING." Larry's guests tonight Bryan Adams and Rick Springfield.

And I'll be back at 10:00 eastern for "CNN SATURDAY NIGHT" with much more on the recovery of Shasta Groene, the missing Idaho girl, including more on the reunion with her father, and more on the search for Shasta's missing brother.

A check of the headlines and then CNN's special report, "CAN WE SAVE THEM?" straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END

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