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Heavy Rains Pound Southern California; Explosion Traps 12 West Virginia Miners; Interview With West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin; Update On Hurricane Katrina Recovery; University Touts Forensics Program
Aired January 02, 2006 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Still too dangerous for rescue workers to enter a West Virginia coal mine where 13 workers are trapped more than a mile underground. We continue to follow the aftermath of an explosion this morning at a coal mine in Upshur County, West Virginia. That's about 100 mile northeast of Charleston.
Tony Harris standing by in the newsroom with the very latest information -- Tony.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Kyra, according to Steve Milligan, who we talked to an hour ago, with West Virginia's Office of Emergency Management, there is no indication, at this point, whether they are alive or not. And that is a direct quote from Milligan.
And he is referring to 12 coal miners still trapped at least a mile underground, more than eight hours now since learned of the explosion that trapped them in Upshur County, West Virginia.
We want to give you a bit of sense of what the scene was like at about 1:00 p.m. Eastern time this afternoon.
Carrie Jones is with our CNN affiliate WDTV. And she was on the phone with Kyra at top of the 1:00 Eastern hour of LIVE FROM.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARRIE JONES, WDTV REPORTER: The explosion happened around 6:00 this morning. Then some of the people I talked to that actually live in the area said that they could actually feel their houses shake. So, they knew that something very bad was happening.
There are, at this time, 13 miners still stuck in the mine. Six actually did make it out, and they did refuse treatment. But there's still -- the worst thing about this situation right now is that there is no communication with the miners.
So that is what they are trying to work at, at this moment, is actually they know they are a couple of miles into the mine. So getting in contact with these men.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And, so, emergency crews on the way or already there, Carrie?
JONES: Emergency -- they are government agents from the Mine Safety and Health here, as well as mine rescue workers, local fire departments, and EMS standing by for those miners that they do hope to get out soon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And, since that time, we have learned that there was an initial attempt to get to the miners. Four miners actually went back in. And they came upon this wall of debris, Kyra. And that ended that rescue attempt.
And our understanding is that there has been about no further attempt because of dangerous levels of methane gas in the area. And, if you're wondering -- just some additional information -- if you're wondering just how important coal is to West Virginia's economy, and, by extension, to the rest of the country, West Virginia coal accounts for nearly 13 percent of the total gross state product.
West Virginia coal is shipped to 33 states and Washington, D.C., and West Virginia is a national leader in underground mining production. Just a couple of other additional tidbits about West Virginia's coal mining industry.
Bruce Dial is back on the phone with us. And Bruce talked to us about an hour ago. And he is a mining expert.
And, Bruce, good to talk to you again.
When last we talked, we were at a place where rescue teams were not able to get into the mine because, A, of this wall of debris that has -- that stopped an initial attempt. So, if you're hearing that methane gas is in the area of the mine, give us a sense of what it is that rescue teams and emergency management officials can hope to accomplish right about now, this time, six, seven eight hours since the explosion.
BRUCE DIAL, MINE EXPERT: Well, if they're having problems with methane gas, that means methane gas is being liberated into the mine, which could cause another explosion. And they don't want another explosion to occur while their mine rescue teams are in there.
The wall of debris might need equipment or cutting torches or something like that to -- to get through that wall of debris. So, if the methane gas is -- is present, they wouldn't be able to use any of that equipment, because it would cause another explosion.
HARRIS: And, Bruce, can we use the technology that -- that is at our disposal here, is -- I don't know. Are -- are -- are there pieces of equipment that we can send down to test the level of methane in that mine, any other kinds of visual technologies available for us get a sense of what the problems are there?
DIAL: Well, some mines have the methane sniffers throughout the mine. They are on equipment.
But the problem would be, are they still operating? Are -- and can you get to them? The handheld meters that the mine rescue people would use would only be good for their immediate area. So, if they were -- they got to the wall of debris and they -- they found other methane there, that would tell them it would -- it would be too dangerous to -- to do any work there.
HARRIS: Hey, Bruce, are you familiar with the situation in -- I believe it was Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 2002, where, after extended hours -- I think it was better than 70 hours -- a number of miners were rescued? Are you familiar with that situation?
DIAL: Yes. That was a water inundation.
That's where the -- the mine broke into another mine that had water built up in it. And all of that water came into the mine that they were in. And they were trapped in there due to the water.
HARRIS: Do you recall the -- so, methane was not an issue in -- in that rescue, as you recall it?
DIAL: No. It was the water inundation that was the big problem there.
And those men were able to get in a -- in a high area, so, they were -- still could breathe.
HARRIS: OK.
So, now, in this situation, where it appears that methane is an issue, what's the course of action if you're a miner trapped in this mine, where methane is clearly an issue? What do you have? What kind of equipment do you have? And how long can you hope to sustain yourself?
DIAL: Well, the miners would have their self-rescue units, which would supply oxygen for a certain period of time, usually about an hour.
If they have their handheld methane testers, they can test for areas that has methane in it And maybe try to get to a different area. If it's the carbon monoxide, because of the fire going on, they would try to get to an area that has ventilation going through it. And that would be the best they could do.
HARRIS: And, if you're on the emergency management side of this, you're not sitting on your thumbs. What are you doing to try to effect these rescues?
DIAL: What you are trying to do is organize the teams to make sure you have sufficient people to do it, because you would have the teams working in shifts.
They would -- they would work in shifts of two to four hours. You would have one team looking for people, another team removing barricades, another team preparing to go in to relieve the other ones. You would be trying to get some type of communication, find them broken wires or whatever. I'm sure they're doing everything they can to try to locate where the -- the miners are, making sure the maps are up to date and that kind of thing.
HARRIS: Well, Bruce Dial is a mining expert for us.
And, Bruce, thanks for your help this afternoon. We appreciate it.
DIAL: Sure thing.
HARRIS: Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, Tony.
HARRIS: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Thanks so much.
And, like we mentioned, we have got the governor of West Virginia with is live this hour, once he arrives to the studio. He's actually here in Atlanta for the bowl game. West Virginia, of course, is playing here this -- tonight.
Well, a quick glance at the coal mining industry in the United States. According to the Department of Labor, there are more than 100,000 Americans who make a living as a coal miner. There are 2000 coal mines currently in operation in the United States. And, in 2005, there were 22 fatalities at coal mines in the U.S., one of the lowest totals on record.
Well, it's still coming down in Southern California, except where it's coming sideways because of the wind. As much as eight inches of rain is expected from Santa Barbara southward, with winds as high as 45 miles an hour. Northern California isn't out of the woods either, after devastating flooding in Marin and Napa counties, the small community of San Anselmo in particular.
CNN's Katharine Barrett joins us once again from that area.
Katharine, what's the latest?
KATHARINE BARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Kyra.
Well, the rain continues intermittently throughout today. But Northern California's rivers are, for the most part, receding. But, even as those rivers go down, estimates of damage in the area are rising. There are two confirmed fatalities, people hit by falling trees in this region.
The town of San Anselmo, where I am now, says as many as 50 businesses up and down this main street suffered damage, when four feet of water came coursing through early Saturday morning. The town is clearing up today, cleaning away piles of debris, things that merchants have thrown out of their shops, everything from shop fixtures to coat hangers to hundreds and thousands of linens and clothing and mattresses and furniture that have been damaged and unsalvageable.
This was the town's worst flash flood in more than 20 years, by most accounts. It may cost the town as much as $40 million, that the latest estimate. The state of California estimates these floods could cost as much as $100 million.
I spoke to one business owner who was frustrated about waiting for her insurance to kick in, if it was going to kick in. But she and others are still philosophical. They say, what can they do but clean up, pick up, and go on? As she said, you can cry later.
But people do seem to be making a yeoman's effort here to clean up and open up. Some say it will take a week, others a month. And a few optimists on the street say they intend to be back serving food to their restaurant customers as early as tomorrow. That's the latest from here -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Katharine Barrett, live from Marin County, thanks so much.
And you may know the Tournament of Roses Parade down in Pasadena. Well, it took place today, instead of New Year's Day, as usual, because, by tradition, it never takes place on Sunday. So, you may also know this was the first Rose Parade to be rained on, if not rained out, in 51 years. Make of that what you will. But consider it may be the grand marshal's fault -- not on purpose, of course.
But we can't help noticing this year's honoree was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- not on a horse. She was in that fancy flower-covered car. In 1955, the last previous rainy rose parade, the grand marshal was Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren. Coincidence? You be the justice, or judge.
Well, the California storms are keeping our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras very busy today.
Jacqui, What's the latest?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Kyra, about 12 hours from now, things are going to be looking a lot better across Northern and Southern California, northern still going to see some rain, though, I think into tomorrow.
But most of that will be north of the San Francisco Bay area. You can kind of see a little swirl here from our area of low pressure, which is off-shore, continuing to feed in all that moisture at this hour.
Taking a look at Los Angeles right now, look at that, the backside coming right in very shortly. So, you're going to get a little break here in the next, say, 30 minutes or so. But look at this line just west of San Bernardino. San Bernardino County is under a flash flood warning right now. Several inches of rain has fallen.
And mudslides are expected -- quote, unquote -- from the National Weather Service out of L.A., that they are very concerned about mudslides and landslides in this area through 4:30 local time.
Some of the rainfall amounts have been incredible. Old Man Mountain, Ventura County, up in the mountains there, had more than eight-and-a-half inches of rain, more than seven-and-a-half in San Marcos Pass. San Luis Obispo had more than four-and-a-half inches of rain, just about two in Beverly Hills. And downtown L.A. had just over an inch of rain. That was 30-hour totals through 10:00, local time, this morning.
Talk about some unbelievable winds. This happened about 10:30 this morning, 15 miles north of Pasadena, recorded a wind gust of 96 miles per hour. That's more than a Category 1 there. That's kind of pushing into Category 2 status, hurricane-force winds, 54 miles per hour at Mount Wilson, and Burbank, about 41-mile-per-hour winds.
We are expecting the winds to stay strong through the afternoon. But, once the sun goes down, we will watch for those winds to begin to calm down a little bit. And our storm system is going to be pulling out later on for tonight, still going to see some snow into the Sierras, expecting several feet. Lake level, down to lake level, we are going to see those snow showers throughout the day today, down to about 5,000 feet.
Next storm waiting in the wings here, Kyra, but we do have a little bit of good news with this latest storm, is that it is going to be taking a little bit more of a northerly track, so the rainfall tomorrow will be light in San Francisco. In fact, maybe a tenth of an inch can be expected. And most of the rest of the wet weather will be farther up to the north.
And our system is changing altogether -- so, the rest of the week looking much drier for California -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Jacqui, thanks.
Devastation in central Indonesia today -- flash flooding has killed at least 34 people. Dozens more are injured. Heavy rains overnight triggered landslides in the province of East Java. A river overflowed its banks, inundating villages there. Hundreds of homes and buildings have been washed away by those raging, muddy waters.
Rescue crews are frantically digging through snow and debris right now after the roof collapsed on as an ice skating rink in southern Germany. They're trying to reach dozens of people still believed to be trapped inside. At least four people are dead, 10 others injured. It's believed about 50 people were on that skating rink when the roof gave way, apparently, under the weight of all that heavy snow.
A very close call for two people in a small plane near New York City. They were flying over the Hudson River, when the plane crashed into the muddy water. Well, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and a chopper from the New York Police Department pulled them to safety. Both were taken to a hospital. But officials would not comment on their condition. Thirteen miners trapped underground in West Virginia, it's a story we have been following all afternoon. Now the governor of West Virginia, Joe Manchin, is here in Atlanta. He's going to join me live.
The news keep coming. We are going to keep bringing it to you -- more LIVE FROM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, it's a race against time right now to rescue 13 trapped miners. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin joins me now to talk about the very latest on the developing situation.
You just happen to be in town for the bowl game.
GOV. JOE MANCHIN (D), WEST VIRGINIA: Well, I was here with all the 25,000 West Virginians for the Sugar Bowl tonight. And I got a call this morning, early this morning.
I think about 6:15, 6:30 is when the explosion happened. And it was opening up an idle mine over the holidays. And the first crew went down here. And -- and there was another crew following behind. And the accounts that we have is that the second crew heard the explosion. They were able to retreat. And they even tried to go back and could not get in. So, they retreated back out.
PHILLIPS: Wow. So, they wanted to go back in...
MANCHIN: They tried, right.
PHILLIPS: ... and try to rescue the miners in front of them.
MANCHIN: I understand we had -- we had that group still wanting to go back and help their friends...
PHILLIPS: Oh, gosh.
MANCHIN: ... and could not. So, they retreated back.
And -- and the safety levels -- you know, with the carbon -- carbon levels up high, it -- it prevents the rescue teams. We have all rescue teams, and Governor Rendell called me and offered all of Pennsylvania's help, as they have been so kind, and they have been through these types of situations.
PHILLIPS: Somerset, can't forget the.
MANCHIN: Illinois...
PHILLIPS: Right.
MANCHIN: Governor Blagojevich is sending a rescue team out, because they have an awful lot of experience with mining.
And, you know, that's when all the mining communities come together. But we're really just, with our families and all the families there in West Virginia right now, hoping and praying for a speedy recovery and a safe recovery for all of them. And we will have all the support that we can for them.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about a couple of things. First of all, do you know what caused that explosion? Are you getting some initial reports about what might have happened?
MANCHIN: You know, not really.
I -- I know the coal scenes. I grew up in little Farmington...
PHILLIPS: Farmington.
MANCHIN: And Farmington is where we had a horrific explosion.
I had -- in 1954, as a small child, I remember that first explosion. Then, in '68, I lost my uncle and a lot of my friends that worked there from right out of high school. So, I'm familiar with the procedure and also with the gas in these mines.
Excuse me.
I would not have thought that would have been a high gaseous area. But we have methane buildups in all these underground mines. But, with that, there's some type of an ignition that happened. And you have to have that. You're starting up a mine, so that means you're putting all your power sources back on to get all your equipment working. We don't know what could have happened. And it's just a horrific accident. And...
PHILLIPS: Now, let's talk about how the -- the miners are equipped for something like this.
I mean, a lot of people are saying, OK, we're thinking about what happened in Pennsylvania, and it was amazing images...
MANCHIN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: ... to see those miners brought up.
MANCHIN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: But you made up a really -- or -- or made good point that we're talking, that was water. This is gas and fire.
MANCHIN: This is gas and fire, yes.
PHILLIPS: So, let -- let's set the scene for how these are two totally different situations...
MANCHIN: Well...
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: ... with regard to a -- a -- a rescue. MANCHIN: Right.
Well, Kyra, basically, all miners are equipped to handle, and their -- their equipment that they have is prepare them, you know, for survival, you know, in case something would happen. So, they have an ample -- you know, some supplies for the breathing apparatuses and things of this sort.
And you just have to hope that explosions weren't of the magnitude that it -- it was, you know, horrific from the beginning. But without that, we always have. There's places they can retreat in all these mines. They have, like catacombs, if you will, and they can go back, and they can barricade. And, as we saw with the group with the water...
PHILLIPS: Right.
MANCHIN: ... no difference from this this, too. And they're still venting the mines as we're speaking right now.
I spoke to all of our people on site. They're venting, trying to get bad air out and hopefully get some good air in. And, if we can see an improvement of air, then they will make a decision to let the rescue squads in, rescue teams.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: ... can get in.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Because that could cause another explosion, because of the high gas level, right?
MANCHIN: Well, we still have a fire going on, and you have a gas level, and you put air to it, then, you know, I mean...
PHILLIPS: So...
MANCHIN: ... but, then, going in is very dangerous.
PHILLIPS: So, it's very possible -- or do you know, is there an active fire in the mine right now?
MANCHIN: We do not.
PHILLIPS: OK.
MANCHIN: That's what we don't know. But if you have high levels of carbon -- carbon monoxide -- then you know this...
PHILLIPS: Right.
MANCHIN: What causes that is a fire.
PHILLIPS: Sure. MANCHIN: So, we're hoping those levels will go down. It's been maybe some six, seven hours now since this happened.
PHILLIPS: Well, the miners that got out, were they able to say to you, we saw flames; this is what happened? I mean...
MANCHIN: They heard.
PHILLIPS: They just heard?
MANCHIN: The accounts given to me is, they heard the explosion, felt the explosion, and was able to retreat immediately. And, then, thinking that maybe they could go back, I understood a few tried to do that, and they said, no, we better go back.
PHILLIPS: Wow.
MANCHIN: And they retreated.
PHILLIPS: Now, the breathing apparatus that each one of these coal miners has, tell me, how long does that last, about an hour?
MANCHIN: Well...
PHILLIPS: It's the same as the rescue crews?
MANCHIN: And I'm not sure, because it's -- it's -- it's...
PHILLIPS: OK.
MANCHIN: There's a standard that they have to meet.
And I have been through the procedures. I have been in the mines many times myself. And they do have breathing equipment with them.
PHILLIPS: OK.
MANCHIN: And, then, hopefully, it's to get them to a place of where there might be safety.
And they have detections also, where they can hopefully detect if it's safe in certain areas before they would take their breathing. So, there's always that possibility. There's always that hope and -- and -- and chance that -- that they were able to go to a part of the mine that still had safe air, and they have all the equipment in order to test that. And...
PHILLIPS: Let -- let me...
(CROSSTALK)
MANCHIN: ... we're hoping for that.
PHILLIPS: And -- and let me ask you, Governor, since -- since I have you. We are looking at your Web site, the West Virginia MineSafety.org. MANCHIN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: And it tracks, of course, the accidents -- West Virginia, 12 fatal accidents 2004, three in 2005.
Obviously, one is too many.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: But tell me about what you're doing to try and prevent these types of accidents. And -- and tell me about the inspection process.
MANCHIN: Well, as you said, one is too many.
PHILLIPS: Right.
MANCHIN: But last year was the safest that we have had. Mining is an inherent -- it's an inherent dangerous occupation.
PHILLIPS: Oh, sure.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: We talk about the dangers of it all the time.
MANCHIN: And -- and, you know, I said that West Virginia, our little state, has given so much, because, for the Industrial Revolution that we built up by the mines that mine the coal, that make steel, and, also, today supporting the energy levels that this country needs.
So, our people have been extremely brave. And it's been like generation after generation. And, with that, it's just -- it's -- it's been tougher and tougher, because the mining industry had declined for far too long. And now it has a resurgence.
And we don't have the amount of young miners going into it. Like, when I was out of high school, we had an awful lot of young men. And now we young women going also in mining. And it's truly a profession. And it's highly skilled, highly technical.
With all that being said, they are trained. You know, it's -- it's -- they're the top of the -- of their field. With that, they know the inherent risks. And they're very cautious about them. But, with that, you never know.
PHILLIPS: Well, knowing the risk, but what about the inspection process?
The inspection process is -- basically, it's an ongoing -- there's -- there's continuous inspection, both from the state and federal level. They're inspecting these mines continuously to see the conditions, checking the gas, checking ventilation, making sure that they're leaving enough cover, making sure the roof bolts will hold the -- the tops.
They're doing all of these things. And we have been -- had an excellent account of all of that. Still, with all that being said, there's things that happen that, with all of the precautions taken, you can't prevent.
PHILLIPS: So, particularly, when we talk about this mine -- tell me if I'm pronouncing it correctly -- the Sago mine?
MANCHIN: Sago mine, they call it.
PHILLIPS: Sago mine.
MANCHIN: Sago mine.
PHILLIPS: Sago mine.
Will you be able to go back and see when the last -- last inspection was done?
MANCHIN: Oh, yes.
PHILLIPS: And was every -- tell me about the investigation.
(CROSSTALK)
MANCHIN: I'm sorry, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: No.
MANCHIN: What they will do -- what they will do is, we will go back and make sure that all of our paperwork, all of our mine safety people and that the people that are responsible from our state level -- and I understand the federal level are there now -- they will go back through their record to see if there's anything that they might have had a warning or a precautionary warning, if you will, that something need to be corrected.
I haven't heard of any of that. In the last six hours, no one has said, well, we knew we had a problem there.
PHILLIPS: Right.
MANCHIN: We didn't hear that. So, it's -- it's something...
PHILLIPS: And, of course, you're asking those questions. All right.
MANCHIN: I'm asking the same questions, right.
PHILLIPS: Yes, the same questions we are asking, right?
MANCHIN: Right.
I want to know, too. And I -- I have all the confidence. Our people basically are committed and dedicated. And most of our mine inspectors have all come out of the mining industry with their families, uncles, and fathers and...
PHILLIPS: Generation after generation...
MANCHIN: That's exactly -- so...
PHILLIPS: ... just like your family.
MANCHIN: So, they are so concerned, because they know the inherent risk that is there.
So, they are going to do everything they can to make sure that any new miner, whether it's their family or not, is going to have the most safety they can and -- and protection. And...
PHILLIPS: So, what happens right now? Obviously, all the family members have been notified that their spouse or son, or whomever, could be down there, right?
(CROSSTALK)
MANCHIN: You have got to notify everybody and let them know what's going on.
MANCHIN: Yes.
I can only tell you that I have been around, unfortunately, more times than -- than I would have liked, and knowing West Virginia right now -- and that's why I'm heading back. I'm getting on a plane right now.
PHILLIPS: Oh, you're going now?
MANCHIN: I'm going back home.
PHILLIPS: I think that that's definitely a good move. They need you.
MANCHIN: I will be at the -- I will be at the site tonight. I want make sure they know that this state is there for them and doing everything.
But I can tell you, as we are in West Virginia, we're family. And that family, all those families of those 13 miners, are gathered around that mine site somewhere. And we will make -- make sure that they're able to be kept briefed on what's going on, and so that they're not out there -- just, it's a hearsay. They will know specifically what we're doing and what we can do to make sure that their loved ones are safe.
PHILLIPS: Well, Governor Joe Manchin, we appreciate your time. It's a same that you have got to leave under these circumstances.
MANCHIN: Well, I -- I...
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: But you will keep us updated.
MANCHIN: The only place I want to be right now is back home.
PHILLIPS: Understandable. Thanks, Governor.
MANCHIN: Thank you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Appreciate it very much.
MANCHIN: I appreciate very much for having me.
PHILLIPS: Appreciate it.
We are going to take a quick break -- more LIVE FROM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A lot of things happening on the weather front.
Jacqui Jeras hearing about a tornado warning in Kentucky?
JERAS: That's right.
It includes the city of Louisville at this time, Kyra. We have a line of severe storms from the northwest of Indianapolis, extending all the way down to the east side of the Nashville area -- a lot of lightning, and now a possible tornado. And this is for Jefferson County. It does include the cities of Prospect and Anchorage, are both in the line of fire here.
Jefferson Town, it was just located just to the south and west of here. And this storm is moving to the north and to the east around 30 miles per hour. So, again, a tornado warning in effect, a Doppler- radar-indicated tornado. But one could pull out of the parent cloud at any time and touch down -- includes you in the city of Louisville. You need to take cover immediately at this time.
There's also a tornado watch in effect across parts of southern Georgia, into South Carolina, including the Panhandle of Florida. We have been seeing warnings pop up on and off in this area throughout the afternoon. We will be watching both of those areas for you, as well as the coasts out west and the fires in the plains -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Jacqui Jeras, thanks so much.
Well, forget 2005. Focus on the future. For survivors of Hurricanes Katrina can Rita, that's a pretty tall order. Many are still struggling to rebuild. And many more are wondering if they will even be able to go home again.
On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Miles O'Brien learned about the concerns of three communities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm sure our next guests were saying good riddance to 2005 as the year ran out over the weekend. They are leaders of cities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. What are their hopes for the new year, besides better weather?
From New Orleans, City Council President Oliver Thomas, from Biloxi, Mississippi, Major A.J. Holloway, and, from the CNN Center in Atlanta, Mayor Shirley Franklin.
Good to have you all back with us.
Let's begin in New Orleans with Oliver Thomas.
Good to have you back with us, Oliver.
OLIVER THOMAS, NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Well, good to be here, Miles.
MILES O'BRIEN: What's the biggest problem you're dealing with? Yes, what -- what -- if you had to pick one problem -- I know there are so many -- what's the biggest problem you're dealing with?
THOMAS: Well, it's really housing right now, and temporary housing.
We would -- really, would like to see an increase in community development funds, redevelopment funds for more housing, so we can start with some of our non-profits again, and some of those trailers that everybody talks about. We had about 16,600 on order. We had only received about 600 as of about a week ago. So, we would like to see an increase in that. That would help us, if we could get our citizens back.
MILES O'BRIEN: Only 600 trailers.
Mayor Holloway, what's the biggest issue facing Biloxi right now?
A.J. HOLLOWAY, MAJOR OF BILOXI: Well, that also is an issue facing the city of Biloxi is housing. That -- that's particularly affordable housing because so many of our poor people in this section of Biloxi was devastated.
So housing is an issue here, along with getting the debris out and getting our people back into -- back to Biloxi that left here.
O'BRIEN: All right, Mayor Franklin, you're going to make it a housing hat trick; similar situation in Atlanta where you're dealing with tremendous numbers of Katrina evacuees?
SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, MAYOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: No question about it. Affordable housing, just as Mayor Holloway said. And having sufficient funds to keep people in the housing so that they can establish themselves, either resettle or prepare themselves to go home.
O'BRIEN: You're facing a deadline. A lot of folks need to get out of those hotels. What are you going to do about that?
FRANKLIN: Well, we're working hard.
We've worked with some volunteers. We've worked all over the weekends trying to get people into housing.
Our biggest problem is that the funds that are dedicated by FEMA are not sufficient to cover our average housing costs. So we are running short. So we're having to raise private funds to supplement the federal funds.
O'BRIEN: Let's get back now to Oliver Thomas and talk about some priorities; that if you were making the list of the priorities overall for your city in the wake of Katrina, what would be right at the top of your list?
THOMAS: Well, just the debris removal. We need to hurry up and get the city cleaned up, get it looking real good, start preparing our neighborhoods so that we could rebuild.
But, you know, the number one priority for us in this area is that American would be more important than Republican or Democrat so that we wouldn't have to deal with hurricane Congress the way we've had to deal with them in the past.
And, you know, I don't see anybody questioning rebuilding Northern California or rebuilding Oklahoma with the fire and the rains the way they questioned we good Southern folk down here about whether we should rebuild Biloxi or New Orleans or Saint Bernard or Plaquesmine.
So hopefully hurricane Congress is over and that we'll have a good working relationship with our American government and that, you know, Republican versus Democrat won't be the order of the day, but that what happens to American citizens and how we help them recover will.
O'BRIEN: Mayor Holloway, would you call it hurricane Congress?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I don't know.
I think that Congress has acted properly so far in getting the -- now we just need the funds to get here.
But, you know, I'm happy with the way that the federal government has responded to the city of Biloxi and I don't have any qualms with that.
O'BRIEN: Despite your misgivings about the housing, you feel like they've done a good job.
What do you think your priorities would be? If you had to pick a top priority for 2006 in your city, is it debris as well or something else?
HOLLOWAY: Well, you know, getting people back to work -- jobs. Jobs is the thing.
You know, we had about 17,000 jobs with the casinos here in Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and they're gone.
But we're very, very happy that this past week, three casinos have opened. And I would have never thought that four months ago, that we'd have at least 2,500 more people working today.
So that's the number one issue -- getting people back in jobs, getting their housing back, getting back into order of the, you know, just the day-to-day living.
You know, Biloxi was -- we were enjoying the most prosperous time of our 300-year history when Katrina came. I mean, everything was going very, very well in Biloxi. In just a matter of hours, we was decimated, you know.
So it's getting back up to where we were before Katrina, and I think we'll get there and even bigger and better than where we were before.
O'BRIEN: Mayor Franklin, priority list for 2006, what would it be?
FRANKLIN: Extending funding for housing beyond the three months beyond February.
Our experience in Atlanta tells us that some families will need funding for housing and resettlement up to a year. So we need six, seven, eight more months of funding at some level from the federal government for housing, for job training, for resettlement.
Many of the people will stay in Georgia and stay in Atlanta. Those who want to stay, we want to be sure they don't fall through the cracks and become homeless.
But in addition to that, those who are planning to return need time to get their lives together. So, additional funding throughout the year.
O'BRIEN: All right.
Final run around the horn here. Let's get back to Oliver Thomas.
THOMAS: We don't...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Well, go ahead.
(CROSSTALK)
THOMAS: Yes.
You know, I'm glad that Biloxi's doing really well. And, you know, no one wants to pick on big brother or talk about Superman's cape, but, you know, American citizens need a better response.
Appropriation is one thing, and I know Mayor Holloway knows that, but getting the funds are two different things. And there have been a lot of programs that have been approved.
We had a meeting in -- with members of the NAACP and other groups from Mississippi. They would like to see the funds come through Mississippi a little quicker. We'd like to see the funds go to Atlanta and New Orleans and Louisiana a little quicker.
So we're not trying to fight with Congress. We just want our government to respond as quickly here as they have responded overseas and as they have responded in other places.
So, you know, we love being Americans, but we just want to make sure that we're treated like it.
O'BRIEN: Mayor Holloway, what's your biggest concern for 2006 and beyond?
HOLLOWAY: Well, it's hard to say what the largest concern is.
You know, I think that getting our people back home, getting the schools up and running, getting the jobs back, getting the concern of some of our east Biloxi residents in particular, being able to build back their homes with the elevation that FEMA's putting on.
And with the code that we have now -- these houses were built hundreds of years ago, 105, 110 years ago, when we had no zoning -- some of them on 30-foot lots, 29-foot lots, 40-foot lots, they won't meet the setback requirements that we have today.
We're going to have to do something about that. People are just hanging around, trying to figure out which way to go, how to build back.
And they're living in the FEMA trailers now. We don't want to see that become into permanent housing. You know, we need to get rid of those as quickly as possible and get our people back into homes.
O'BRIEN: Mayor Franklin, quick final thought for you.
What are you most concerned about as you look ahead toward the new year?
FRANKLIN: Well, we're looking for extended FEMA funding for resettlement.
But we also are concerned about our sister cities along the Gulf Coast. We have sent aid, as have other cities. So we're concerned about them.
But in the meantime, while they are rebuilding we have to be sure that people can settle here and settle well. Most of the people who came to Atlanta were working, were paying mortgages, were paying rent before they came. They are not people who were living on public funding. So we have to be sure that they can re-establish their lives.
O'BRIEN: Excellent conversation. Thank you, all three.
Oliver Thomas, New Orleans City Council president, Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway, and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And you can watch "AMERICAN MORNING" every weekday beginning at 6:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Straight ahead, it's a new year and now you have some new laws. We're going to tell you about them straight ahead.
The news keeps coming. We'll keep bringing it to you.
More LIVE FROM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: You can spend the first days of the new year working on resolutions or nursing a hangover or you can seek the nearest and coldest body of water and jump right in. It's an annual tradition for members of the Polar Bear Club. This was the scene in New York.
And here's how they did in Boston. Temperatures were in the low 20's for the refreshing swim. Some of these events draw hundreds of crazy participants. And really bad bathing suits.
New year, new laws, and plenty of them. Legislatures across the country in 2005 approved measures some of which became law yesterday. Here's a look at some of them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Talking money. Lawmakers in Oklahoma, cut taxes for almost everybody. While in New York only those earning more than $150,000 a year will get a break. Nevada made some cuts in property taxes. Florida cut taxes on stocks and bonds and barred state lawmakers or any local officials from accepting anything.
Tougher times for paparazzi in California. Movie stars can now seek punitive damages and the share of any money made off the pictures of over zealous photographers if they commit assault.
Officials in Oregon are taking the Click It or Ticket program to the next level. From now on you'll pay a fine if you don't buckle up while riding in a taxi or shuttle bus. Keyword, highway safety.
And that brings us finally to Tennessee. A new law there puts DUI offenders back on the street on their feet. Cleaning roadsides while wearing vests carrying the phrase, "I am a drunk driver." Happy New Year.
(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: What do investigating crime and the Sugar Bowl football game have in common? Well, we're conducting our own "CSI".
Actually Daniel Sieberg is. He's now a detective. He's gone from techie extraordinaire to detective. He joins us live with what he uncovered.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Fingerprints, chalk outlines and plenty of forensic information. It's not a crime scene but an exhibit before the Sugar Bowl. The game between Georgia and West Virginia kicks off tonight at 8:30 Eastern right here in Atlanta. But one school is already showing off more than its prowess on the field.
Here's our technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the popular TV show "CSI" Gil Grissom leads his team through the complex world of crime scene forensics. But at least one real life investigator won't watch.
MAX HOUCK, WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY: Can't do it. My wife was also a forensic scientist, loves it. But I can't watch.
SIEBERG: Max Houck says it's just too far from reality. He's the director of the West Virginia University forensics program.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It look like you have a whorl fingerprint pattern. It's that center one on the board over there. About 30 percent of the population have it.
SIEBERG: This week in Atlanta, he and a dozen of his students are showing off their version of reality. Using the popularity of "CSI" to promote the university to football fans who are here for the Sugar Bowl game between WVU and Georgia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's amazing that magnetic powder will just come off an adhere to this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we really like it because of the cleanup.
SIEBERG: The tools for investigators have evolved over time from coarse hair brushes to magnetic particles and using lasers to mark the trajectory of blood splatter on the wall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what you'll see is that they all come to a point of origin. And that means that's where the blood started from and then sprayed out like that. And that means that this person right here was standing straight up like that whenever she was shot.
SIEBERG (on-camera): So that could be perhaps where a bullet went in. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes.
SIEBERG: While science and technology are important parts of forensics, Houck also encourages his students to think outside the chalk outline.
HOUCK: They learn the procedures. They learn the processes, but they also have to think creatively and on the spot to be able to figure out what to do next.
SIEBERG (voice over): The curriculum has plenty of hands on areas, including three houses where crime scenes are re-created. Houck says he is proud of the program at West Virginia.
HOUCK: What happens most of our graduates, about a third of them will go on to graduate school in chemistry or biology, something like that. About a third go on to medical school, law school, dental school, some sort of advanced professional education. And then a third either go into law enforcement as field agents or actually into the crime laboratory.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about them Mountaineers?
SIEBERG: So amidst the throngs of football fans, Houck hopes he scored some points for the academic team.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG: And Houck actually says one of the most important things he teaches his students is self-confidence, both the knowing when their abilities have taken them as far as they can with any case and the presenting evidence before a jury, which can be a totally different ordeal for these students.
PHILLIPS: So is it the "CSI" show that got a lot of students interested most recently?
SIEBERG: You would think so. You know, we talked to a few of the students and they actually said that it wasn't necessarily the show. They were just interested from reading some crime novels. One student actually said he had liked horror films so he kind of got into blood and ballistics and guns and that kind of thing.
But actually no one there really came out and said, oh, we love "CSI" and that's why we had to get into criminal forensics.
PHILLIPS: Even though it's a really cool show.
All right. So you got fingerprinted. What did you learn? Did your rap sheet pop up and everyone got freaked out?
SIEBERG: I did.
Fortunately no. That managed to go under the radar there. But I did get fingerprinted. I learned that I have a whorl fingerprint. No, I have a looping fingerprint, which is apparently a part of 65 percent of the population. So I have very common fingerprints in the forensics world. You can just sort of make it out there.
PHILLIPS: I can see it in the middle.
SIEBERG: But these students, you know, they learn a lot. And they get very wrapped up in this.
I have a very quick story that one of the professors told me. There were two students they were drinking a coke and a sprite one day. And they got their cans mixed up. They did not know which was which. So you might sense where this is going. They decided they would fingerprint the cans to try and figure out whose was which.
And some professor came by and said what are you guys doing. And they sort of pushed them aside and said, oh nothing, nothing at all. But they get pretty wrapped up into it just like a lot of the professionals do too.
PHILLIPS: All right. So the chalk outline, is it really old school chalk?
SIEBERG: You know, they say they don't use chalk anymore.
PHILLIPS: OK.
SIEBERG: Partly because I think it would perhaps taint the crime scene in some way. But also they do mark where the body is. Just like you might see in some of the crime shows like "CSI". But they have to move the body fairly quickly to examine the body, as well. So they mark where the body is. They make some measurements, but they don't actually use chalk so much anymore.
PHILLIPS: So I'm curious, do the professors say, Daniel, it's really not as glamorous the TV show makes it look like?
SIEBERG: Yes, I think they were trying to beat the glamour out of a lot of the students early on. I mean, there is a lot of sciences to this. We are talking about chemistry and biology. There's a lot of math, which would be my weak point. But there is a lot of learning, and it is not necessarily as glamorous as the "CSI" TV show would make you think.
But, you know, I think perhaps it's a double edged sword for them. They recognize that perhaps the TV show is not totally accurate, but at the same time, if it does get students interested and involved and excited about the subject matter, maybe that's not such a bad thing.
We're seeing -- you mentioned you're a big fan.
PHILLIPS: I love it. Of course it's a double edge sword, right, you had to get a weapon in there.
SIEBERG: A little dig.
PHILLIPS: Florida teen is back from a big adventure to Baghdad. New details on how he made the trip to Iraq. LIVE FROM has all of the news you need this afternoon. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A story we'll continue to follow until we find out the fate of those 13 miners that are still trapped in the Sago mine in West Virginia. Tony Harris continuing to follow all latest developments for us from the news room.
HARRIS: Kyra, good get for us on the line with us right now, thanks to your interview with West Virginia's Governor, Doug Conaway is with us, he is with the West Virginia office of Miner's Health, Safety and Training. Doug, good to talk to you.
DOUG CONAWAY, OFFICE OF MINER'S HEALTH, SAFETY AND TRAINING: Good to talk to you.
HARRIS: Let's work through a number of issues. Give us a sense of what the situation is like on the ground now at the Sago mine.
CONAWAY: Right now, what we're doing, we're monitoring the atmosphere that's actually in the mine, checking methane levels, oxygen levels, carbon monoxide levels. We're determining the atmosphere is safe to put people in for recovery. Check the mine out.
HARRIS: So, Doug, my understanding is that there's a venting process that is going on right now where you're trying to get bad air out and good air in, is that correct?
CONAWAY: Well, the mine -- the fans are running as it normally would. It's circulating air through the mine. We're monitoring what happened to what atmosphere comes out of the mine. It tells us what's inside.
HARRIS: What is it telling you now?
CONAWAY: Our levels are dropping and it may be pretty soon we'll be sending people underground, mine rescue teams underground, to explore and see what we've got.
HARRIS: Do you have a fire that you have to contend with?
CONAWAY: That, we don't know.
HARRIS: You won't be able to find out until, what, until you actually are able to go into the mine?
CONAWAY: That's correct. That's one reason why we're monitoring the atmosphere. It will tell us a lot in the readings.
HARRIS: Doug, let me deal with this issue of the safety of that mine and let me read this to you. This is from the Associated Press. and information we have been able to confirm as well. This particular mine, the Sago mine, was cited by federal inspectors for 46 alleged violations of federal mine, health and safety rules during an 11-week review that ended in December. December 22, to be exact.
What can you tell us about the health and safety of that mine?
CONAWAY: Well, we performed numerous inspections at this mine as well. I'm certain that there were violations -- I'd have to look at those and see what those are at this point. You know, see what they mean, what violations they were, the gravity of the violations and so forth to make a determination at that level.
HARRIS: This is -- are you suggesting that this is news to you? You were aware of these violations?
CONAWAY: Yes. What I'm saying is, it's not unusual for an underground coal mine to be cited. Inspectors are in the mine virtually every day, every other day, I don't know what the frequency of this location are right now. But that's not an unusual thing.
HARRIS: Not an unusual thing. Our understanding further is that 26 of these issues have not been assessed by the company. Are you aware of that?
CONAWAY: Well you're talking about the federal violations now?
HARRIS: Yes.
CONAWAY: That's a procedure that we don't -- we're a separate state agency. I'm not sure what you are referring to.
HARRIS: Doug, do you have -- what is the relationship -- I understand this is a company that you have -- you're dealing with a new company in ownership of this mine and the International Coal Group. What has been the state's relationship with this new organization, this new group?
CONAWAY: Well, we have had several new mines start up, new companies start up. That's a relatively common occurrence here lately in the coal business. Nothing unusual at this point with the operation. But there's a lot of acquiring, one company acquiring a particular mine. That happens quite a bit here lately.
HARRIS: Thanks to Doug Conoway. Doug is with the West Virginia Office of Miner's Health, Safety and Training. More to come. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, we'll stay on top of it, Tony. Thanks so much. We're going to take a quick break. More LIVE FROM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: His excellent adventure now over, 16-year-old Farris Hassan is to return to school tomorrow after his field trip to Baghdad. As he arrived home yesterday, part of his story became a little more clearer. As it turned out, he got his Visa for Iraq through the help of his father, who like the boy's mother, was born there.
The father, physician Redha Hassan, says that his son first called from Kuwait after trying and failing to enter Iraq by taxi. It was the father who steered the boy to Beirut. And from there, the teenager flew to Baghdad on the Visa that his father helped secure. The father tells CNN his son had traveled too far to be denied.
Doctors are getting a better idea about the prognosis for little Baby Noor. The Iraqi infant arrived in Atlanta over the weekend for a potentially life-saving treatment. The surgeon who agreed to take the case, says the girl is a good delight with good mental function. But he does predict that she won't be able to walk. Baby Noor suffers from spina bifida, a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal cord don't close before birth. U.S. troops discovered her during a routine raid in Baghdad last month. Her schedule is tentatively scheduled for a week from today. We'll stay on it.
That wraps up this Monday edition of LIVE FROM. Happy New Year everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips from the CNN Center in Atlanta. Thanks for joining us. Now Tom Foreman in for Wolf Blitzer, live in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Tom?
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