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CNN Live Today

Insurgent Video of Convoy Attack Sunday; Schiavo Love Story

Aired March 22, 2005 - 10:29   ET

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

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


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And now we have new video just in to CNN and information about a convoy attack that took place just south of Baghdad, an attack that military officials say ended with 26 insurgents dead. First, let's take a little bit of a look at the video.
Now, here's the credible thing. If you look in the top right corner of your screen, you see insurgent video. Yes, we're being told that this video was actually shot by the insurgents. But U.S. military officials obtained the video. I have with me, joining me now live from Iraq, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester of the U.S. Army.

Sergeant, thanks for joining us.

SERGEANT LEIGH ANN HESTER, INVOLVED IN CONVOY ATTACK: Thank you.

KAGAN: As I understand it, you were in that convoy when it was attacked.

HESTER: No, negative. Actually, we were the military police patrol that was patrolling the alternate supply route that day.

KAGAN: All right, well, can you tell us what you know happened with the attack.

HESTER: Yes, we were trailing that convoy, and that convoy came under contact, and immediately we went to the right side of the convoy and began taking fire, and we laid down suppressive fire. And pushed up and flanked the insurgents and overcame that day.

KAGAN: Our reports say that 26 insurgents were killed in this battle. Any U.S. casualties?

HESTER: Negative. We had three wounded in my squad that day.

KAGAN: I'm also told that it's believed that the insurgents carrying out this attack were foreign fighters. How does the U.S. military know that?

HESTER: I'm not at liberty to say, and personally I do not know.

KAGAN: OK, we'll skip that. And I understand that this very same place where this attack took place, there was another one on Friday. And in fact, there have been a number of attacks along this supply route.

HESTER: Yes, that area, the location, is a hot spot for insurgents to attack an ambush on convoys.

KAGAN: Probably because it is a main supply route. What is that doing to deliveries to need to take place to troops outside of Baghdad?

HESTER: Can you -- I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question?

KAGAN: Because it's a main supply route, I guess that's why it's a hot target. What is that doing to the supplies and the deliveries that need to take place?

HESTER: They're still getting through. They might hit one or two convoys, but they're not getting all of them. The supplies are still getting through.

KAGAN: All right, well, thank you. Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester from the U.S. Army for the latest on this attack. We saw the video. Incredible video.

Do you know how -- one more question for you, sergeant, this video shot by insurgents, how did the military get their hands on it?

HESTER: We confiscated that video. The insurgent that was actually filming, he was taken down by my squad, and we confiscated that camera from him.

KAGAN: And how unusual to get your hands on something like this, and how important will that be in trying to fight future attacks?

HESTER: For me, that's a first. But hopefully the other insurgents that are still out there will see that, and see that they're messing with the wrong people when they mess with the U.S.

KAGAN: Have you seen any other battles like this, or is this the most intense since you've been there?

HESTER: That's the -- definitely the most intense since I've been here.

KAGAN: And how does that affects personally? Sergeant, I was just asking you, how does that affect you personally?

HESTER: You never expect to undergo something like that. But that day it was an adrenaline rush and an experience that I'll probably never experience again in my life.

KAGAN: Well, let's hope not. We wish you safe travels, and a safe stay and safe service there in Iraq, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester from the U.S. Army, thank you for giving us the latest on that insurgent attack and showing that video to us.

HESTER: Thank you.

KAGAN: Incredible to see an insurgent shooting those pictures.

I want to get back to our top story now. Long before the court battles of the headlines, Michael and Terri Schiavo were a young, married couple. And like a lot of young married couples, they were looking forward to having kids and a happy life together.

Michael Schiavo sat down with CNN's John Zarrella to talk about the couple's early years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): You would probably never recognize the photographs, just a young couple in love. But, today, the world knows their story of star-crossed tragedy, the stuff of Shakespearian drama.

M. SCHIAVO: We loved each other tremendously. She was shy. She was warm. She was sweet.

ZARRELLA: Now the lives of Terri and Michael Schiavo are forever changed.

M. SCHIAVO: Look at those ducks.

ZARRELLA: Before Terri became disabled in 1990, she and Michael had the dreams and plans of any young couple in love.

SCHIAVO: We had wanted kids, and that's what we were trying to have when all this occurred. She loved kids. We wanted to have a house full. Just to have a happy little normal life. We didn't want anything big. We weren't into the glimmer and the shine. We just wanted to have a nice little comfortable life together.

ZARRELLA: The two met by chance in school in the early 1980s. It was, Michael says, love at first sight.

SCHIAVO: I met Terri in community college. We just happened to start a new semester, and she was in, I believe it was, my psychology class -- don't quote me on that, but I believe it was. She just happened to be sitting there. I was over on one side of the room, and she was over on the other, and I heard this little laugh, and I looked over and there she was. I fell in love with her the instant I saw her.

ZARRELLA: And it wasn't long before they were dating.

How did you ask her out? What did you -- what was it...

SCHIAVO: I just -- we got to talking and I just asked her, I said, we're having a family get together; would you like to go with me? And she said yes. She was just -- like I said, she had this persona, this aura about her that just attracted you. She was just a -- beautiful smile, just shy and outgoing at the same time.

ZARRELLA: They dated, Michael says, about a year, and were married in 1984.

Wedding day was special? SCHIAVO: Oh, yes. Yes, when I saw her walking down the aisle, I said, oh, my God, look at that. It was just a vision of beauty, I'm telling you. She was gorgeous, and all I saw was her big smile, just laughing at everybody, but that shy little laugh, but just outgoing.

ZARRELLA: For six years, Terri and Michael lived their storybook life until February 25, 1990 when Terri suffered heart failure believed to be caused by a potassium imbalance. Michael has moved on and is in a new relationship, but he never divorced Terri in order to carry out what he says were her wishes, never to become a burden to people. And he says he will never forget the time they had together.

Do you still hold those memories of those days very dear?

SCHIAVO: Oh, they're in my heart forever, my heart and my mind forever. Terri will always be in my heart. She will never leave it. She was a piece of my life, and she'll always be a piece of my life.

ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Clearwater, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And there's yet another big story coming out of Florida. The suspect accused in the killing of a 9-year-old Florida girl had an appearance before a judge this morning.

CNN's Sara Dorsey watched the reading of the charges. She joins us live with a report from Lecanto, Florida -- Sara.

SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Daryn.

It was here at the Citrus County Detention Facility that we saw John Couey once again. This his first appearance on four different charges associated with the kidnapping and death of Jessica Marie Lunsford. He is charged with capital murder, sexual abuse of a child, kidnapping and burglary with battery. Couey stood in handcuffs, flanked by guards, while the judge linked to the detention center by a video frequency told Couey the crimes he's charged with are, quote, "beyond words."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an infamous case here and, of course, the acts that you're accused of and apparently confessed to are really beyond words. (INAUDIBLE). No bond. And if you are found guilty of this offense, sir, I am absolutely certain that your opportunity to satisfy your lust for power and the death of innocence will be ended.

Thank you, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORSEY: Couey will be arraigned on these charges on April 11th. In the meantime, the Lunsford family is continuing to plan Jessica's funeral. We are told a public service will be held Saturday for her, following a memorial for family and friends on Thursday and Friday -- Daryn.

Sara Dorsey with the latest from Lecanto, Florida. Sara, thank you.

Jessica's father says he'll attend all of John Couey's court appearances that he can. Mark Lunsford told CNN's Larry King last night that he wants Couey to get the death penalty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: I'd like to see them bring the electric chair to Florida. To my understanding, it is death by lethal injections. But I just want him to die. That's all I want him to do. I just want him to die.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Lunsford says he'll campaign for closer monitoring of sex offenders. Services for Jessica will be held at the end of the week.

David Letterman is extending his thanks to law enforcement for uncovering an alleged plot to kidnap his son and his son's nanny. On his television show last night, Letterman thanked the two FBI agents, the county sheriff, an attorney and the people of Choteau, Montana.

A painter who worked at Letterman's ranch has been charged with solicitation. Authorities say Kelly Frank was planning to kidnap the boy and the nanny when Letterman next visited the ranch.

Cold, churning waters may have been too much for one sailing ship to handle. And going overboard may have been the only means of survival for the people on board, the dramatic rescue coming up.

Plus, a counterattack on spam. We're going to tale you about new technology that says right back at you to spammers.

VALERIE MORRIS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Valerie Morris with today's tax tip. If you have a simple tax situation, you can claim the standard deduction, $4,850 for single filers, $9,700 for married couples filing jointly. But if you're itemizing your tax return, the deductions you claim can make the difference between owing taxes or getting a refund.

Now, deductions that can really add up, medical and dental expenses. They must be more than 7.5 percent of your income, so not many people qualify. Job search expenses, deduct just about anything related to the search, including cost of resumes, phone expenses, postage, career counseling and travel to and from your interviews.

If you donated money to the Indian Ocean tsunami relief, you can deduct it on your 2004 taxes as long as you made the donation by January 31st of this year. And that's today's tax tips.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're getting the first White House reaction to the latest developments in the Terri Schiavo case. If you're just joining us, that latest development, a federal judge denying the request by the Schindler family to have that feeding tube reinserted. The reaction now from the White House.

And White House spokesman Scott McClellan saying in today's gaggle, where he briefed reporters that the White House would have preferred a different ruling from this federal judge. Lawyers are now appealing to the 11th circuit court of appeals here in Atlanta. Much more on that story straight ahead.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, a dramatic rescue. A sailing ship runs aground. People had to get off for this one and quickly. Details just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. Try to figure this one out. Gas prices through the roof, so is demand. Let's merge onto the information superhighway. Christina Park at cnn.com desk for that. Hello, Christina.

CHRISTINA PARK, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Daryn. Are you feeling the pinch?

KAGAN: I am. Well, I've been -- I've made it under $2 a gallon. I have not had to pay over $2 a gallon in Atlanta so far.

PARK: Oh, that's not bad, because the Lundberg survey says around Atlanta, $2.01 a gallon is about the average.

KAGAN: $1.98 on Sunday, I filled up for.

PARK: Not bad. You got to tell me where you filled up.

KAGAN: A little bit out of town.

PARK: Well, rising fuel prices aren't putting the breaks on demand. At cnnmoney.com/gas, we're tracking the nation's gas prices. Prices at the pump have skyrocketed more than 10 percent in the past month, from Honolulu's $2.34 per gallon to Newark, New Jersey's $1.91 per gallon. Triple A says the nationwide average is about $2.07 per gallon. Everyone is feeling the pinch, from truckers to airlines, but government officials say solid economic growth is helping to soften the blow.

Now, if you're in the market for swapping out your gas guzzler, cnnmoney.com has a list ranking the top six green vehicles which will save you money and perhaps even your conscience. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy ranked the Honda Civic GX number one. The natural gas-powered car is followed by the Honda Insight, a two- seat gas-electric hybrid, and the Toyota Prius rounds out the top three. By the way, Cameron Diaz and other celebrities have been spotted driving these around in L.A. American cars aren't far behind, though. A Ford SUV took a spot among the greenest vehicles this year. The Escape Hybrid came in at number 11.

On the flip side, though, the number one ranked meanest car was the Dodge Ram SRT-10 with an estimated mileage of nine miles per gallon in city driving. Ouch. And for your list of all the mean and green cars, all you have to do log on to cnnmoney.com/gas.

I'm Christina Park reporting from the dot com desk. Back to you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Christina. Happy hunting at the gas pumps around town.

PARK: Thanks a lot. I'll need it.

KAGAN: All right. Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast.

To Oxnard, California. This is just north of Los Angeles. The Coast Guard worked all night to free a two-masted sailing ship that ran aground in churning waters. All aboard are safe -- that's good -- following a dramatic rescue operation. Passengers did have to jump into the cold, rough surf before being picked up by a boat. The ship was being used by used by students on a team-building trip.

To New York, "The Daily News" is putting up more than $1 million to be shared by the disappointed players of its scratch match game. A number of people mistakenly thought they had won a $100,000 prize. Uh-oh. But it was a misprint in last Saturday's list of winning numbers. Should have been a 13 -- there was a 13 and it should have been 12. So that's what the big mix-up was about.

And in Washington, elephants marching on Capitol Hill on Monday. Not about Republicans here, the stars of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus. But just to be bipartisan and P.C., the circus did send along a couple donkeys to accompany the elephants.

KAGAN: 10:54 on the East Coast. 7:54 for those of you on the West Coast. Stay with us. Coming back with a quick check of your morning forecast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: And we're coming up to the top of the hour. Stay with us as the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

We'd like to top the hour with what is happening "Now in the News." The battle over Terri Schiavo tops our news. About two hours ago, Schiavo's parents filed an appeal to this morning's ruling. That ruling said -- was by a federal judge refusing to order Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted. We'll have details on what means and what comes next, just ahead in a live report.

First, though, to Red Lake, Minnesota. We should learn more this hour about those wounded in a school shooting rampage. About thirty minutes from now, hospital officials plan to give a news conference about the shootings on a northern Minnesota Indian reservation.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired March 22, 2005 - 10:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And now we have new video just in to CNN and information about a convoy attack that took place just south of Baghdad, an attack that military officials say ended with 26 insurgents dead. First, let's take a little bit of a look at the video.
Now, here's the credible thing. If you look in the top right corner of your screen, you see insurgent video. Yes, we're being told that this video was actually shot by the insurgents. But U.S. military officials obtained the video. I have with me, joining me now live from Iraq, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester of the U.S. Army.

Sergeant, thanks for joining us.

SERGEANT LEIGH ANN HESTER, INVOLVED IN CONVOY ATTACK: Thank you.

KAGAN: As I understand it, you were in that convoy when it was attacked.

HESTER: No, negative. Actually, we were the military police patrol that was patrolling the alternate supply route that day.

KAGAN: All right, well, can you tell us what you know happened with the attack.

HESTER: Yes, we were trailing that convoy, and that convoy came under contact, and immediately we went to the right side of the convoy and began taking fire, and we laid down suppressive fire. And pushed up and flanked the insurgents and overcame that day.

KAGAN: Our reports say that 26 insurgents were killed in this battle. Any U.S. casualties?

HESTER: Negative. We had three wounded in my squad that day.

KAGAN: I'm also told that it's believed that the insurgents carrying out this attack were foreign fighters. How does the U.S. military know that?

HESTER: I'm not at liberty to say, and personally I do not know.

KAGAN: OK, we'll skip that. And I understand that this very same place where this attack took place, there was another one on Friday. And in fact, there have been a number of attacks along this supply route.

HESTER: Yes, that area, the location, is a hot spot for insurgents to attack an ambush on convoys.

KAGAN: Probably because it is a main supply route. What is that doing to deliveries to need to take place to troops outside of Baghdad?

HESTER: Can you -- I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question?

KAGAN: Because it's a main supply route, I guess that's why it's a hot target. What is that doing to the supplies and the deliveries that need to take place?

HESTER: They're still getting through. They might hit one or two convoys, but they're not getting all of them. The supplies are still getting through.

KAGAN: All right, well, thank you. Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester from the U.S. Army for the latest on this attack. We saw the video. Incredible video.

Do you know how -- one more question for you, sergeant, this video shot by insurgents, how did the military get their hands on it?

HESTER: We confiscated that video. The insurgent that was actually filming, he was taken down by my squad, and we confiscated that camera from him.

KAGAN: And how unusual to get your hands on something like this, and how important will that be in trying to fight future attacks?

HESTER: For me, that's a first. But hopefully the other insurgents that are still out there will see that, and see that they're messing with the wrong people when they mess with the U.S.

KAGAN: Have you seen any other battles like this, or is this the most intense since you've been there?

HESTER: That's the -- definitely the most intense since I've been here.

KAGAN: And how does that affects personally? Sergeant, I was just asking you, how does that affect you personally?

HESTER: You never expect to undergo something like that. But that day it was an adrenaline rush and an experience that I'll probably never experience again in my life.

KAGAN: Well, let's hope not. We wish you safe travels, and a safe stay and safe service there in Iraq, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester from the U.S. Army, thank you for giving us the latest on that insurgent attack and showing that video to us.

HESTER: Thank you.

KAGAN: Incredible to see an insurgent shooting those pictures.

I want to get back to our top story now. Long before the court battles of the headlines, Michael and Terri Schiavo were a young, married couple. And like a lot of young married couples, they were looking forward to having kids and a happy life together.

Michael Schiavo sat down with CNN's John Zarrella to talk about the couple's early years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): You would probably never recognize the photographs, just a young couple in love. But, today, the world knows their story of star-crossed tragedy, the stuff of Shakespearian drama.

M. SCHIAVO: We loved each other tremendously. She was shy. She was warm. She was sweet.

ZARRELLA: Now the lives of Terri and Michael Schiavo are forever changed.

M. SCHIAVO: Look at those ducks.

ZARRELLA: Before Terri became disabled in 1990, she and Michael had the dreams and plans of any young couple in love.

SCHIAVO: We had wanted kids, and that's what we were trying to have when all this occurred. She loved kids. We wanted to have a house full. Just to have a happy little normal life. We didn't want anything big. We weren't into the glimmer and the shine. We just wanted to have a nice little comfortable life together.

ZARRELLA: The two met by chance in school in the early 1980s. It was, Michael says, love at first sight.

SCHIAVO: I met Terri in community college. We just happened to start a new semester, and she was in, I believe it was, my psychology class -- don't quote me on that, but I believe it was. She just happened to be sitting there. I was over on one side of the room, and she was over on the other, and I heard this little laugh, and I looked over and there she was. I fell in love with her the instant I saw her.

ZARRELLA: And it wasn't long before they were dating.

How did you ask her out? What did you -- what was it...

SCHIAVO: I just -- we got to talking and I just asked her, I said, we're having a family get together; would you like to go with me? And she said yes. She was just -- like I said, she had this persona, this aura about her that just attracted you. She was just a -- beautiful smile, just shy and outgoing at the same time.

ZARRELLA: They dated, Michael says, about a year, and were married in 1984.

Wedding day was special? SCHIAVO: Oh, yes. Yes, when I saw her walking down the aisle, I said, oh, my God, look at that. It was just a vision of beauty, I'm telling you. She was gorgeous, and all I saw was her big smile, just laughing at everybody, but that shy little laugh, but just outgoing.

ZARRELLA: For six years, Terri and Michael lived their storybook life until February 25, 1990 when Terri suffered heart failure believed to be caused by a potassium imbalance. Michael has moved on and is in a new relationship, but he never divorced Terri in order to carry out what he says were her wishes, never to become a burden to people. And he says he will never forget the time they had together.

Do you still hold those memories of those days very dear?

SCHIAVO: Oh, they're in my heart forever, my heart and my mind forever. Terri will always be in my heart. She will never leave it. She was a piece of my life, and she'll always be a piece of my life.

ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Clearwater, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And there's yet another big story coming out of Florida. The suspect accused in the killing of a 9-year-old Florida girl had an appearance before a judge this morning.

CNN's Sara Dorsey watched the reading of the charges. She joins us live with a report from Lecanto, Florida -- Sara.

SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Daryn.

It was here at the Citrus County Detention Facility that we saw John Couey once again. This his first appearance on four different charges associated with the kidnapping and death of Jessica Marie Lunsford. He is charged with capital murder, sexual abuse of a child, kidnapping and burglary with battery. Couey stood in handcuffs, flanked by guards, while the judge linked to the detention center by a video frequency told Couey the crimes he's charged with are, quote, "beyond words."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an infamous case here and, of course, the acts that you're accused of and apparently confessed to are really beyond words. (INAUDIBLE). No bond. And if you are found guilty of this offense, sir, I am absolutely certain that your opportunity to satisfy your lust for power and the death of innocence will be ended.

Thank you, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORSEY: Couey will be arraigned on these charges on April 11th. In the meantime, the Lunsford family is continuing to plan Jessica's funeral. We are told a public service will be held Saturday for her, following a memorial for family and friends on Thursday and Friday -- Daryn.

Sara Dorsey with the latest from Lecanto, Florida. Sara, thank you.

Jessica's father says he'll attend all of John Couey's court appearances that he can. Mark Lunsford told CNN's Larry King last night that he wants Couey to get the death penalty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: I'd like to see them bring the electric chair to Florida. To my understanding, it is death by lethal injections. But I just want him to die. That's all I want him to do. I just want him to die.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Lunsford says he'll campaign for closer monitoring of sex offenders. Services for Jessica will be held at the end of the week.

David Letterman is extending his thanks to law enforcement for uncovering an alleged plot to kidnap his son and his son's nanny. On his television show last night, Letterman thanked the two FBI agents, the county sheriff, an attorney and the people of Choteau, Montana.

A painter who worked at Letterman's ranch has been charged with solicitation. Authorities say Kelly Frank was planning to kidnap the boy and the nanny when Letterman next visited the ranch.

Cold, churning waters may have been too much for one sailing ship to handle. And going overboard may have been the only means of survival for the people on board, the dramatic rescue coming up.

Plus, a counterattack on spam. We're going to tale you about new technology that says right back at you to spammers.

VALERIE MORRIS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Valerie Morris with today's tax tip. If you have a simple tax situation, you can claim the standard deduction, $4,850 for single filers, $9,700 for married couples filing jointly. But if you're itemizing your tax return, the deductions you claim can make the difference between owing taxes or getting a refund.

Now, deductions that can really add up, medical and dental expenses. They must be more than 7.5 percent of your income, so not many people qualify. Job search expenses, deduct just about anything related to the search, including cost of resumes, phone expenses, postage, career counseling and travel to and from your interviews.

If you donated money to the Indian Ocean tsunami relief, you can deduct it on your 2004 taxes as long as you made the donation by January 31st of this year. And that's today's tax tips.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're getting the first White House reaction to the latest developments in the Terri Schiavo case. If you're just joining us, that latest development, a federal judge denying the request by the Schindler family to have that feeding tube reinserted. The reaction now from the White House.

And White House spokesman Scott McClellan saying in today's gaggle, where he briefed reporters that the White House would have preferred a different ruling from this federal judge. Lawyers are now appealing to the 11th circuit court of appeals here in Atlanta. Much more on that story straight ahead.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, a dramatic rescue. A sailing ship runs aground. People had to get off for this one and quickly. Details just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. Try to figure this one out. Gas prices through the roof, so is demand. Let's merge onto the information superhighway. Christina Park at cnn.com desk for that. Hello, Christina.

CHRISTINA PARK, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Daryn. Are you feeling the pinch?

KAGAN: I am. Well, I've been -- I've made it under $2 a gallon. I have not had to pay over $2 a gallon in Atlanta so far.

PARK: Oh, that's not bad, because the Lundberg survey says around Atlanta, $2.01 a gallon is about the average.

KAGAN: $1.98 on Sunday, I filled up for.

PARK: Not bad. You got to tell me where you filled up.

KAGAN: A little bit out of town.

PARK: Well, rising fuel prices aren't putting the breaks on demand. At cnnmoney.com/gas, we're tracking the nation's gas prices. Prices at the pump have skyrocketed more than 10 percent in the past month, from Honolulu's $2.34 per gallon to Newark, New Jersey's $1.91 per gallon. Triple A says the nationwide average is about $2.07 per gallon. Everyone is feeling the pinch, from truckers to airlines, but government officials say solid economic growth is helping to soften the blow.

Now, if you're in the market for swapping out your gas guzzler, cnnmoney.com has a list ranking the top six green vehicles which will save you money and perhaps even your conscience. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy ranked the Honda Civic GX number one. The natural gas-powered car is followed by the Honda Insight, a two- seat gas-electric hybrid, and the Toyota Prius rounds out the top three. By the way, Cameron Diaz and other celebrities have been spotted driving these around in L.A. American cars aren't far behind, though. A Ford SUV took a spot among the greenest vehicles this year. The Escape Hybrid came in at number 11.

On the flip side, though, the number one ranked meanest car was the Dodge Ram SRT-10 with an estimated mileage of nine miles per gallon in city driving. Ouch. And for your list of all the mean and green cars, all you have to do log on to cnnmoney.com/gas.

I'm Christina Park reporting from the dot com desk. Back to you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Christina. Happy hunting at the gas pumps around town.

PARK: Thanks a lot. I'll need it.

KAGAN: All right. Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast.

To Oxnard, California. This is just north of Los Angeles. The Coast Guard worked all night to free a two-masted sailing ship that ran aground in churning waters. All aboard are safe -- that's good -- following a dramatic rescue operation. Passengers did have to jump into the cold, rough surf before being picked up by a boat. The ship was being used by used by students on a team-building trip.

To New York, "The Daily News" is putting up more than $1 million to be shared by the disappointed players of its scratch match game. A number of people mistakenly thought they had won a $100,000 prize. Uh-oh. But it was a misprint in last Saturday's list of winning numbers. Should have been a 13 -- there was a 13 and it should have been 12. So that's what the big mix-up was about.

And in Washington, elephants marching on Capitol Hill on Monday. Not about Republicans here, the stars of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus. But just to be bipartisan and P.C., the circus did send along a couple donkeys to accompany the elephants.

KAGAN: 10:54 on the East Coast. 7:54 for those of you on the West Coast. Stay with us. Coming back with a quick check of your morning forecast.

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KAGAN: And we're coming up to the top of the hour. Stay with us as the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

We'd like to top the hour with what is happening "Now in the News." The battle over Terri Schiavo tops our news. About two hours ago, Schiavo's parents filed an appeal to this morning's ruling. That ruling said -- was by a federal judge refusing to order Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted. We'll have details on what means and what comes next, just ahead in a live report.

First, though, to Red Lake, Minnesota. We should learn more this hour about those wounded in a school shooting rampage. About thirty minutes from now, hospital officials plan to give a news conference about the shootings on a northern Minnesota Indian reservation.

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