Return to Transcripts main page

CNN This Morning

Guthrie Family Pleads For Mother's Return In New Video; Officer Killed After Swing Collapse At India Fair; "Post" Publisher Quits Days After Mass Layoffs Spark Backlash; Duke Staff Hurt As UNC Fans Storm Court Celebrating Win; 111 Million Waking Up To Extreme Cold Across The Northeast; Anti-Olympics Protest In Milan Turns Violent; Lindsey Vonn Crashes In Women's Downhill Skiing Finals; ICE Detention Center In Georgia Expected To Open In April; DHS Budgeting $10 Billion For Detention Center Network. Bad Bunny Making History At The Grammys And The Super Bowl; Woman Survives Pole Impalement On 10 Freeway; Advocates Desperate To Get NYC Homeless Off Streets; Team Ruff V. Team Fluff: Puppy Bowl XXII Kicks Off Today. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired February 08, 2026 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:41]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to a brand new week. It is Sunday, February 8th, CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Victor Blackwell. And here's what's happening today.

A week after her disappearance, Nancy Guthrie's family is issuing a new emotional plea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC ANCHOR, "TODAY": We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Plus, what we know about what police are doing at Annie Guthrie's home overnight. Anti-Olympics protests turned violent in Italy when protesters targeted police and their vans. We'll tell you what sparked those clashes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC TAYLOR, SOCIAL CIRCLE CITY MANAGER: We are still 100 percent motivated to try to stop this any way we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Officials in rural Georgia, in a town there, are pushing back on the Trump administration's plan to build a new migrant detention center. Why they say it's just unrealistic.

And everybody I know I will be watching Bad Bunny when he takes the stage during the Super Bowl halftime show. But for some, this performance is about much more than music. We'll get into that coming up.

First, though, the family of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie issued a new plea to their mother's abductor. Authorities believe that Guthrie was taken from her Arizona home against her will. No suspects have been identified publicly in the case.

As the investigation enters its eighth day "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, along with her siblings, Cameron and Annie, posted a new video pleading for their mother's return, even offering to pay a ransom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUTHRIE: We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: That offer comes as a second ransom deadline for millions in bitcoin approaches tomorrow. Overnight, the focus shifted to the home of Guthrie's elder daughter, Annie. At least three sheriff's deputies were seen at her home late Saturday.

CNN's Ivan Rodriguez joins us now from outside Nancy Guthrie's home. Ivan, tell us more about where this investigation stands now and what police may have been doing at Annie Guthrie's home.

IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, last night, those three unmarked vehicles were parked outside of Annie Guthrie's home for several hours while sheriff's deputies were inside. And although lights were dim and shades were drawn, bright flashes appeared to indicate that authorities were taking photographs inside of the home.

They left around 10:30 local time. And when they did leave, they left with a bag and placed it in the back seat of one of the vehicles. One sheriff's deputy was also seen wearing blue latex gloves.

Now, you'll remember that Nancy Guthrie was at Annie Guthrie's home the night before she disappeared, and family members then brought her back here to her home that night. And CNN has reached out to the Pima County Sheriff's Office, as well as the FBI, for further details on what they may have been doing at that home late last night.

Now, I also think, Victor, it's important to place this newly released video by the Guthrie family into the context of this timeline. Because if we go back to that first ransom note that was received by two local TV stations here in Tucson, as well as TMZ, it indicated two deadlines, one for Thursday at 5:00 p.m., which has past, and one for Monday at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, which demanded millions in bitcoin.

Now, we know that one of the videos, the second video that was released by the Guthrie family with the son of Nancy Guthrie, was released around Thursday at 5:00 p.m. Now, that second note that authorities are still combing through that was received Friday is happening all before this last video that we're seeing now of Savannah Guthrie, as well as her siblings, pleading for communication again and also saying that they will pay.

So I think it is very interesting in the context of the timeline because, again, we do have that deadline that authorities have talked about for Monday at 5:00 p.m.

[06:05:02]

And hear what one criminologist had to say specifically about that timeline itself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Perhaps they had micro specific details, things that only Nancy could know, that they communicated there, which at least convinced Nancy -- Savannah and her family that whoever sent that email does have Nancy within their control.

And whether they could provide proof of life in an email kind of, you know, incredulous about that. But at this point, yes, we see the desperation, the exhaustion of this family. And when she says they will pay, they are going to, I'm sure, transfer some agreed upon sum of money into a bitcoin account.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODRIGUEZ: Our colleague Josh Campbell, who's a former FBI agent and worked on kidnapping cases, also believes that this newly released video by the Guthrie family indicates that there's not a direct line of communication between the Guthrie family, the FBI and whoever allegedly abducted Nancy Guthrie.

Now, if there were, he believes that we wouldn't be hearing about that communication itself. And again, that is also a point to remember here, moving forward into tomorrow, that if there are any sort of communications in the future we should not expect those real time updates to happen, Victor.

BLACKWELL: Ivan Rodriguez, outside the home of Nancy Guthrie. Thanks so much. Joining me now to discuss is CNN senior law enforcement analyst Charles Ramsey. Chief, good to see you again.

First on this search or the activity, I should say, at Annie Guthrie's home, Nancy Guthrie's eldest daughter, what is your assessment of this? I mean, this is one of the few times we're seeing any activity searches outside of the property of Nancy Guthrie's home.

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, you know, it's difficult to know exactly what that was all about, but she was at that home prior to her going home and then later being abducted. So, it could be associated with that.

I mean, I don't know. I wouldn't read too much into it. But again, it's something just to kind of, you know, make a mark there to find out later exactly what it is that they were looking for, because they did leave with something after they were in the home.

BLACKWELL: Based on what you heard from Savannah Guthrie in this 22nd video that was released last night, is it clear or are there indicators that they have received the proof of life that they've been asking for? Or is this potentially just prompted by coming up on that 5:00 p.m. Monday deadline?

RAMSEY: Personally, I think that there's been some direct contact made. If this individual does, in fact have Nancy and she's well, or at least alive, she would have information on how to make direct contact.

Now, I've been involved in a lot of cases. I guarantee you there's a whole lot of information that's not being made public. So, there could have been some direct communication enough to be able to convince them that the person actually has her. And even that the person is well, that Nancy is at least alive.

And I believe that video was to confirm that, in fact, they will pay. Because whatever direct contact they had, it wouldn't have lasted too long, and it certainly wouldn't have been a phone call, because that's traceable.

So I think there's been some kind of direct contact made and they're -- and they're pretty confident -- not confident, but they're pretty, you know, willing to take that risk that she is alive and well and will be released.

BLACKWELL: It's been, at least from my memory, a very long time since we've seen a ransom situation like this high profile individual. What happens now as they approach that Monday deadline? I mean, most people see this in movies, but what is really the process and how much do -- does law enforcement influence that?

RAMSEY: Well, law enforcement, in order to make sure that she stays safe, would probably stay back. I mean, they would not be anywhere near wherever the site is where she would be dropped off.

Now, the transfer would occur electronically. There would be some arrangement for her to be able to be brought to some location, probably unknown, as she'd be able to then reach out and contact him and then be picked up.

So, I don't know. I'm just speculating. But, you know, there would have to be some arrangement made for her to be able to get back to her family once the payment is made.

BLACKWELL: Yes. And so, again, there was the initial deadline. There is now this 5:00 p.m. deadline at which according to a KOD anchor who saw the initial note that there would be more serious consequences. Does that window open broader now that there is this communication you believe? Is that less of a hard deadline, that maybe these kidnappers will get what they want?

[06:10:00] RAMSEY: Well, if they've made arrangements to pay and if they had any kind of direct conversation with this individual, whether it's through email or what have you, then it should be relatively quick before, you know, we actually find out whether or not this turns out to be something that has a positive outcome, I'll put it.

So, it would become a little less important because they've said they're willing to pay. And so now it's just a question of making sure the arrangements are made and so forth, you know? And I've also heard people, you know, on both sides of the fence should they -- should they not.

That is a deeply personal family decision that only the family can make. There is no right answer to that. They made the decision. They're going to move forward. Let's just hope and pray that it has a positive outcome.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Certainly, millions of people around the country are hoping for that 84-year-old woman with some health concerns who's been missing for more than a week now. Chief Charles Ramsey, thank you so much.

Other headlines for you now we're following. A police inspector dead after a ride collapsed at a fair in India. We're going to show you some video here, but I want to warn you that it's disturbing.

Officials say a tsunami swing malfunctioned yesterday. Several people were hurt. As you'd imagine. The inspector who rushed in to help was critically injured during the rescue and died later. Officials are investigating what caused that collapse.

"The Washington Post" publisher is out days after the paper cut one- third of its staff. Will Lewis stepped down yesterday. The "Post" CFO is now acting publisher. Some "Post" journalists who felt Lewis failed to turn the paper around and had questions about his leadership for years, openly welcomed the news.

He said it was the right time to leave after what he called a period of transformation. The "Post" staff didn't see or hear from Smith during or after the layoffs, but he was seen on a red carpet at a pre- Super Bowl event in San Francisco.

The University of North Carolina is apologizing after Duke staff members were punched in the face when fans stormed the court to celebrate. A three pointer by UNC made it look like they'd won the game, causing fans to rush the floor. But officials put the time back on the clock, so everyone had to be cleared.

When Duke missed the final play, UNC fans celebrated again and rushed the court a second time. Duke's coach says his staff and family were caught in the crush. UNC says it will review to see what went wrong.

Brutally cold start for 111 million people in the northeast this morning. We're talking temperatures down to five degrees. It feels like seven below. New York says it's expanding shelters, warming centers, buses to help residents and homeless New Yorkers stay safe. People say those resources they really make a difference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER BRASCO, MANHATTAN RESIDENT: I've never seen anything like this before. This is amazing. Warming bus is good for people that needs help in life, that's struggling, that's trying to get their housing right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is here. Yesterday that number was 90 million. Now, we're up to 111 million.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, but it's going to get better, Victor.

BLACKWELL: OK.

CHINCHAR: It's going to get better.

BLACKWELL: All right. That's all I need to hear.

CHINCHAR: Yes. Yes, it's definitely very cold. And what you've started to see is expansion of highly populated areas, which is why that number is going up. But yes, we have those alerts. They stretch from North Carolina all the way up to Maine.

You can see here on the map again, all of these areas. This is where we're talking about where all of that extreme cold is located. And for some of these areas you're talking 15 to 20 degrees below normal.

Plus, it's also windy. So the feels like temperature is even colder than the actual temperature. What I mean by that is look at these actual numbers. So, it has already dropped down. That's now three degrees in New York, four in Boston, three in Buffalo.

But when the wind blows, that quickly drops to negative five, negative 10. Even in some cases negative 15. Especially if you're getting some of those 20 to 30 mile per hour gusts in some of these spots.

But yes, from this map, notice a lot more of that blue starts to go away and you get more of that orange color spreading into the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic, the southeast, and even a little bit into the northeast. Although, it's not quite as warm as we would like to see.

What I mean by that is take a look at some of these areas. Atlanta, for example, highs in the 50s today, 70s by Tuesday. Much, much warmer. D.C. going from 20s to 40s. There's that 20 degree jump.

But notice that actually just puts Washington D.C. back to where they should be this time of year. Same thing for New York. You see those numbers going up. It's just that for New York, it's still going to be actually below where they normally would be this time of year.

This is what I mean. Here's a look at the whole seven day forecast. The average is 41. They're only going to top out at 42. But another area like Cincinnati will get one day at least above average.

BLACKWELL: OK. We got to start somewhere.

CHINCHAR: Somewhere.

BLACKWELL: Allison, thank you.

[06:15:00]

All right. Initially calm anti-Olympics protests in Milan during the day turned violent at night. Some demonstrators clashed with police. Some tossed fireworks. Look at this, smoke bombs at officers. Police vans were targeted too. Authorities responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Now in the meantime, Italian authorities are also looking into possible sabotage of electrical cables on railway lines in northern Italy. Police say an explosive device was found on a switch. The incident caused heavy travel delays.

All right. We're just getting this in about American Lindsey Vonn. She has crashed on her run at the Olympics. She was competing in the women's downhill ski finals. CNN sports anchor Amanda Davies joins us now. What happened?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Oh, Victor. Good morning. I'm really, really sorry I haven't got better news to start the day with you here in Milan. The legend of Lindsey Vonn and what a way for her Olympic dream to come to an end.

We and she knew she was taking a risk competing just nine days after rupturing her ACL. She said she believed she had to give it one last chance to claim an Olympic medal. She said it's only going to be 90 seconds. But running 13th this morning at Cortina, a course that has given her so much success over the years, I'm afraid it lasted just 12 seconds before she clipped a gate on her way down, and she flipped in mid-air and came crunching to the ground.

And I can tell you, you just had to look at the reaction from those there at the course. Watching on her fellow skiers to see just how concerned and shocked they are by what has happened. A lot of people, very emotional.

Lindsey Vonn is moving but seem to fall in an incredibly uncomfortable position. The medical team have been working on her on the mountain for a good 14 -- 15 minutes or so, but we've just been seeing the pictures.

She has now been helicoptered off the course. She will be taken straight to hospital the second time in a week, of course. And this was one meant to be one last great hurrah for Lindsey Vonn. Returning to the Olympics seven years after that retirement in 2019. She had the knee replacement surgery but then that was (ph) possible preparation, rupturing that ACL. And a really, really sad end as we wait to see what has happened and the latest on that news. BLACKWELL: There are so many people, millions of people pulling for her. I mean, it seemed unrealistic that she'd be on the slopes, be out there with 100 percent torn ACL, as she said, not 50, not 80, 100 percent ruptured. But to hear it end in this way is really heartbreaking. We'll, of course, look for updates on how she's doing, but your description of crunching down on to the snow. Man, that's not the way we wanted this to go.

All right. Amanda, thank you so much. And we'll check back later this morning. All right. Coming up next, plans for a new immigration detention center in rural Georgia moving forward. We've got concerns from community leaders, including why they feel left out and uninformed during this whole process.

Plus, Puerto Rican culture will be on full display during Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance. We'll hear from a college professor who teaches a class about Bad Bunny and his cultural influence.

And we'll hear from the woman who survived being impaled by a steel pole behind the wheel.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:23:50]

BLACKWELL: The Department of Homeland Security confirms it has purchased an enormous warehouse in Georgia. They plan to convert it into a massive migrant detention center.

Listen to this. The facility will hold twice the population of the city in which it's located. We'll get more from CNN's Rafael Romo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This sprawling warehouse in rural Georgia may be about to become a crucial tool for President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. The million square foot facility, located about 45 miles east of Atlanta in the town of Social Circle, has been acquired by the Department of Homeland Security, according to DHS and town officials, to be converted into a migrant detention center for as many as 10,000 people, possibly as early as April.

TAYLOR: We hope it's not a done deal. As far as the city goes, we are still 100 percent motivated to try to stop this any way we can.

ROMO (voice-over): Eric Taylor is the manager of the picturesque town of 5,000, which calls itself Georgia's Greatest Little Town. Taylor says Social Circle cannot afford to triple its population overnight.

TAYLOR: Our position hasn't changed at all.

[06:25:02]

We're still very concerned about infrastructure. We only have a limited amount of water to draw from to begin with in a -- in a capacity infrastructure system that has already stretched to its capacity.

ROMO: City officials say at any given time, there are two police officers on duty here in Social Circle. The number for the fire department is four, so they're very concerned about what a project of this magnitude would do to their public safety requirements.

(voice-over): In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that ICE purchased a facility in Social Circle, Georgia. The department added that, this will be a very well structured detention facility meeting our regular detention standards as ICE is actively working to expand detention space.

CNN reported in October DHS is funneling $10 billion through the Navy to help facilitate the construction of a sprawling network of migrant detention centers across the U.S. DHS did not specify whether the proposed facility in Social Circle is part of this plan.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch.

ROMO (voice-over): In an NBC interview, Trump said his administration could tone down immigration tactics following the two people shot and killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis. But his critics say the president's policies have already harmed citizens and non-citizens alike.

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): You see masked federal agents kicking down doors without so much as a warrant from a judge dragging Americans out of their homes without cause, demanding papers at police checkpoints, assaulting and even killing Americans with impunity from the very top.

ROMO (voice-over): At a Saturday rally in Atlanta, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is seeking reelection this year, also denounced migrant detention centers.

OSSOFF: You see prison camps growing and full of children.

ROMO (voice-over): Social Circle officials say throughout the entire process, they haven't heard a single word from the federal government.

(on camera): Is there a message that you would like to send the federal government on behalf of Social Circle?

TAYLOR: Call us. Call us. We've been trying to get somebody on the phone since the day after Christmas.

ROMO (voice-over): Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker claimed on Friday that he had convinced Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to find an alternative location for a detention center that would have been built in his state. Social Circle officials say now they can only hope to do the same, even if the process to build a detention center in their town seems well advanced.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Social Circle, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLACKWELL: Rafael, thank you. We are now about 12 hours away from the kickoff of Super Bowl LX. Live look for you now, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Security has been top of mind. Next, what we know about possible threats and if there will be ICE enforcement outside the game.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:32:18]

BLACKWELL: We're just hours away now from Super Bowl LX. Law enforcement officials say there are no credible threats. No ICE operations planned ahead of the kickoff either.

Now, the NFL chief of security says the DHS personnel are part of the planning and security there, but she emphasized that there are no planned immigration enforcement operations around the event.

All right, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny will make history at the Super Bowl. He'll be the first primary -- primarily Spanish language performer for the halftime show. Despite the fact that he is America, his selection roiled a lot of people prompting an alternative halftime show, but for others, it is a chance to see representation on one of the biggest stages in the world.

Dr. Taina Figueroa is a professor at Emory University who taught a class all about Bad Bunny. She joins me now.

I want to get to the class a little later, but we've been talking during the break first. Thanks for coming in.

TAINA FIGUEROA, PROFESSOR OF LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES, EMORY UNIVERSITY: Thank you so much for having me.

BLACKWELL: We've been talking during the break that my colleague Isabel Rosales has been giving me a crash course on all things Bad Bunny, not just the music but the cultural significance, the political significance. So, when people ask when he will he get political tonight? I don't know how he can do his music and not be political tonight. What do you think?

FIGUEROA: Exactly. The very rhythms right that he uses in his work are grounded in histories of resistance in Puerto Rico.

And so, the very music that you're hearing is itself political statement.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I -- when his selection was announced a few months ago, I had one of the offers -- authors of a book about him on and they have a chapter in which they say the party is the protest.

And so, it's not just the lyrics. It is the presence. It is the focus. Tell us more about how there is this unique approach to some of the issues that that will be on stage tonight.

FIGUEROA: Yes, I think that what Bad Bunny really brings into the to the conversation is this expansive way of thinking about how we address issues that we are wrestling with, through the very sounds the celebration, right? And the way in which sort of we -- we move through the mundane in these ways that speak to our histories of struggle and the yes, the -- the movement of resistance.

BLACKWELL: You know, there's a track I learned about, about what happened to Hawaii in which he's speaking to Puerto Ricans about don't let what happened to Hawaii happened to you.

[06:35:03]

And so while that may not be explicitly, it may not be a ICE out moment tonight, we'll hear some -- some messages as well.

Talk to me about why this American performer has become such a critical voice on the ICE operations. I mean it's to be so forthright in his candor is -- is appreciated by many.

FIGUEROA: Well Bad Bunny has always been pretty politically outspoken, right. Even when he first debuted on The Tonight Show, he debuted with a song Estamos Bien and directly addressed the lack of sort of response by the U.S. government in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

So, he's always been sort of very outspoken and supportive of folks and what they are experiencing on the ground in the everyday including here in the United States, right. And in general, Latinx -- Latinx folks more broadly, right, who are experiencing some really difficult times at the moment.

BLACKWELL: Your class at Emory is part of the university's Latinx studies initiative focused on Debi Tirar Mas Fotos. Tell me about it.

FIGUEROA: Yes. So, this in this last album Bad Bunny really sort of stepped up and created a soundscape that tells Puerto Rico's history. And from the visuals of the album to the lyrics to as I mentioned the very rhythms of Bomba and Plena, he really speaks to the -- the -- the struggles of the last hundred years as a U.S. colony and brings that as a part of the very -- the -- what you're learning in the music.

I mean the visuals themselves tell a history of Puerto Rico right, which you rarely see on a major album like this. I was really interested in the course also in seeing how it is that that his music travels. So, while I, you know, like I am related to Puerto Rico right, there is -- I was interested to see how students who have nothing, you know, related to Puerto Rico also receive the album. And the reality is that it really travels. It's powerful.

BLACKWELL: Yes. I remember when it was first released there was video on social media of grandmothers crying listen to some of the music that a man of his age is connected to something that women two generations prior feel so deeply.

Dr. Taina Figueroa thank you so much for coming in. We'll all be watching tonight. All right coming up next, the Northeast is experiencing its coldest

temps of the season this weekend. What's being done to protect some of the city's most vulnerable residents from this dangerous cold blast that these pictures are coming in from New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:42:38]

BLACKWELL: This next story is like something out of Grey's Anatomy. A woman was impaled by a pole while she was in her car. This happened in San Bernardino.

Now, we're going to show you some pictures here. They are disturbing. The woman, her name is Janina, lived to tell this story of how she was driving on the 10 freeway when a metal pole came out of nowhere, flew through her car -- under the car, and impaled her through the abdomen. Look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANINA AKPORAVBARE, SURVIVED IMPALEMENT: Thinking like I'm going to die. Like, right now, I'm like, that's it for me. And I asked the paramedic, like, if he could pinky promise that if I make it out of this, if I would make it out of this.

And then I remember him pinky promising me that, like, if I made it out, he would come visit me in the hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Three surgeries later, that visit happened. Even though doctors originally gave Janina just a one percent chance of survival.

So glad she did survive.

More than 300,000 New Yorkers now unhoused. Many of them living on the streets. And as the temperatures are plunging, so are the odds of their survival. And that has advocates working as fast as they can to get them into shelters.

Here's CNN's Gloria Pazmino.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROLANDO, HOMELESS NEW YORKER: I'm really going tonight.

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The words bring some relief to these homeless outreach workers. For weeks now, as New York City has been plunged into a persistent cold snap, they've been walking the streets of Harlem trying to convince homeless New Yorkers to take shelter.

ROLANDO: I promise you, I'm going. It's cold now.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Rolando has been on and off the streets of New York City for more than a decade.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's so cold, I just don't want you outside.

PAZMINO (voice-over): He is familiar with the workers from the Center for Urban Community Services. With freezing temperatures expected through this weekend, their outreach is likely to save lives.

ALY COLEMAN, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, CUCS STREET OUTREACH TEAM: We're seeing who is on the street at this point in the day, who might be in need of assistance, clients that we don't know, people that we are trying to connect with.

PAZMINO (voice-over): At least 17 people have died during the cold temperatures in recent days. Several of them had previously interacted with the shelter system.

MOLLY WASOW PARK, COMMISSIONER, NYC DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES: If you are living unsheltered in New York City, which is a right to shelter city, right, it means you have been failed by everybody in every system.

Until we are thinking more holistically about how systems interact and also developing housing at a scale that we haven't seen in a long time, you know, we are going to have to continue to wrestle with homelessness.

[06:45:08]

PAZMINO (voice-over): The city's cold weather emergency has created a challenge for Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The city has opened additional shelters, increased bed capacity and set up dozens of warming centers. But not everyone is receptive right away.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI, MAYOR, NEW YORK: We want every New Yorker who needs help seeking warmth to be able to find it.

PAZMINO (voice-over): In the last two weeks the city has opened two more safe haven sites in Lower Manhattan. The transitional housing facilities are designed to move chronically homeless people off the streets.

BROOKE VANEGAS, DEPUTY CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER, CUCS: When someone moves in, we do an intake with them and part of that process is assessing their immediate needs. Do they need to see a doctor? Do they have a medical issue?

PAZMINO (voice-over): Safe havens are only one part of the city's effort to combat a crisis that's been unfolding for years.

More than 80,000 New Yorkers live in city shelters. An additional 4,500 people are estimated to live on the street. These transitional shelters can be the beginning of recovery for some.

KEITH ELAM, FORMERLY HOMELESS: For a person like myself when I was like addicted to drugs, you know, I needed to stay out. PAZMINO (voice-over): Keith Elam was in and out of the system for years until he landed at this safe haven location in Lower Manhattan. Now he's on his way to a permanent apartment.

ELAM: You see people just on sidewalks and everything and you feel like you can't help. One of the things I like to say to people, like it takes a village to raise a child. Maybe just ask a person, do you need help?

PAZMINO (voice-over): Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: So, I don't want to speak too loudly because I don't want to scare Archie. But if the Super Bowl and the commercials are not your thing, we got puppies. Puppy Bowl XXII will kick off with Team Fluff versus Team Ruff. You'll meet one of the stars, RuPAW, but this is Archie.

You'll meet a few more after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:51:29]

BLACKWELL: So, everyone is all excited for the Super Bowl. But before that, Team Ruff and Team Fluff will go paw-to-paw for the Lombarky Trophy for Puppy Bowl XXII at 2:00 p.m. Eastern today.

I have with me one of the stars playing today. This is RuPAW, the Boston Terrier from Bosley Place Animal Rescue in Smyrna, Georgia, near Atlanta. And, of course, her wrangler, Jennifer Siegel.

Jennifer, thanks for coming in.

JENNIFER SIEGEL, DIRECTOR & OWNER, BOSLEY'S PLACE ANIMAL RESCUE: Thank you for having me.

BLACKWELL: And so, Coy, who do you have?

COY WIRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): This is Edith.

BLACKWELL: Edith.

WIRE (on-camera): Yes.

BLACKWELL: And Allison --

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (on-camera): Archie.

BLACKWELL: -- has made friends with Archie.

CHINCHAR (on-camera): Oh yes.

BLACKWELL: Yes. And so first tell me, how did RuPAW get her name?

SIEGEL: So, well, RuPAW was born in June of last year, and it was Pride Month.

BLACKWELL: OK.

SIEGEL: So, we went with the litter of drag queens.

BLACKWELL: Oh, they're all drag queens?

SIEGEL: Yes. They're all drag queens. There was five in the litter. So, we named them Willow Pill (ph), Lady Camden (ph), RuPAW.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SIEGEL: So, we did the yam it.

BLACKWELL: So, she played in what we'll see tonight.

SIEGEL: Yes.

BLACKWELL: And so how do you get into the -- because you've had some success.

SIEGEL: I have. We've had puppies in the Puppy Bowl for the last five years.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SIEGEL: And there's a casting call.

BLACKWELL: OK.

SIEGEL: And it's puppies that are born between May 15th and July 1st, and we submit them, and then we find out who's -- do you think they were cute enough?

BLACKWELL: But the name has to help, right?

SIEGEL: I think so. Personally, I think so. And when I'm naming those puppies that are born during that time frame, I try to think of some really cute ones.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SIEGEL: But the truth is sometimes they change them for copyright infringement. They thought RuPAW might be upset.

BLACKWELL: No, no, no.

SIEGEL: So, we took the L off her name.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

WIRE (on-camera): I love that you guys are using -- what sports can do, right? They can use their platform to create good.

But how much good do you see come from, you know, maybe puppy adoptions and those sorts of things after something like the Puppy Bowl airs with the puppies?

SIEGEL: Yes, well, the truth is, is that Puppy Bowl just gives such a platform to rescue. They have 100 -- I think it was 130 or 150 rescue puppies from across the nation this year.

So, it's really -- it's just giving us a platform. You know, I mean, she's 100 percent Boston Terrier. There's just no reason to shop when you can adopt.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SIEGEL: And these guys give a great platform to this.

WIRE (on-camera): Man, Edith's ready to go.

SIEGEL: Edith wants to run the field.

WIRE (on-camera): I'm getting some unnecessary roughness over here. She's --

BLACKWELL: Oh, roughness?

SIEGEL: Look at her. Look at her.

BLACKWELL: Oh, look at (INAUDIBLE). She's coming out of court.

And so really the message, though, is adopting. Now, have all of the puppies from the Puppy Bowl been adopted? Are these two still looking for homes?

SIEGEL: So, Edith and Archie actually are making their adoption debut tomorrow.

BLACKWELL: OK.

SIEGEL: So, they have not -- they're not Puppy Bowl puppies. But, yes, all of the puppies that were in Puppy Bowl, by now they have found their forever homes.

BLACKWELL: Now, can you give us any hints on how she performed in the bowl? No, no.

SIEGEL: Well, I will tell you that she was not a big fan of being on the field.

BLACKWELL: OK.

SIEGEL: She liked the one-on-one attention she got from Ref Dan. He was amazing with her. She would run into the tunnel, and he ran right in there after her.

BLACKWELL: OK.

SIEGEL: So, she did get ---she's going to have some screen time today. But she was not the most active on the field.

BLACKWELL: All right. Well, listen, I appreciate you bringing in puppies. Bring in RuPAW, Edith, and Archie.

Of course, there is the great Animal Planet Puppy Bowl coming up. That's 2:00 p.m. today. And, again, if you're looking for a friend, you can go to Bosley's Place.

SIEGEL: Bosley's Place?

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SIEGEL: Yes, bosleysplace.com. We're actually going to -- we're having a public viewing party today.

[06:55:02]

So, people can come on down to Stout Brothers in Smyrna.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SIEGEL: Meet RuPAW, meet our adoptable puppies. We'll all be there.

BLACKWELL: Well, listen, John Berman had two puppies for the Puppy Bowl, you know, had a little accident in studio.

So, I'm grateful our puppies did not (INAUDIBLE).

We'll take a quick break. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Welcome back to "CNN This Morning." I'm Victor Blackwell.

Here's what you need to know this morning.

New developments in the search for Nancy Guthrie. Her kids put out an emotional video last night pleading --