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CNN Live Today
Red Tape Struggles for Katrina Victims; Preview of Golden Globes; Cell Phone Tracking Nightmare
Aired January 13, 2006 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we are right at the half hour. Hello, everyone, on Friday the 13th. I'm Daryn Kagan.
(NEWSBREAK)
KAGAN: And live pictures right now from Seattle, Washington. You know that because you can see the space needle through the mess there. Everybody knows it rains in Seattle, but this is just too much. Ready for this? Today marks the 26th straight day of rain in the city. Seattle set a record in 1953 with 33 consecutive days of rain. A local meteorologists thinks that mark may be tied or broken next week.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: Well, let's talk a little bit more about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The government, you might remember, set aside lots of trailers for people to use as temporary homes while they rebuild. But a lot of frustrated residents have learned the keys are tied to a tangle of red tape.
Our Gary Tuchman has the story from St. Bernard Parish in a report you saw first on CNN'S "ANDERSON COOPER 360."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These days it's not easy to think positive in St. Bernard Parish. Not with thousands of homeless people still waiting, many of them in tents, for FEMA trailers to live in.
JOEY DIFATTA, ST. BERNARD PARISH COUNCIL: We have 6,000 folks applied for trailers in St. Bernard Parish. There are roughly 1,300 were delivered.
TUCHMAN: These trailers, being installed by FEMA contractors, are still empty. Katrina victims say they were told the construction would be complete by Christmas. So why is all this taking so long? FEMA says it's working against unprecedented obstacles.
(on camera): Is it fair to say, though, that in the beginning you weren't that satisfied with the pace?
MARK MISCZAK, FEMA: I think that none of us were satisfied to think that we were, you know, actually meeting the need in a timeframe that disaster victims would be happy with. TUCHMAN (voice-over): Not happy would describe homeless Jim LaCharty (ph), owner of a destroyed mobile home park.
(on camera): So how long have you and your family owned this mobile home park?
JIM LACHARTY (PH), OWNER OF DESTROYED MOBILE HOME PARK: About 50 years.
TUCHMAN: Fifty years.
LACHARTY: Right.
TUCHMAN: So, when you see it like this, you see it like this four months after the hurricane, what goes through your mind?
LACHARTY: It's unbelievable. It's just heartbreaking. To see what we built years ago -- my father and I, and to see it like this.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): LaCharty (ph) says he was told by FEMA nearly three months ago it would remove the wreckage and put its trailers in his park. He says the hookups are all ready. And the price would be a lot cheaper for FEMA than land like this with no hookups. But nothing's happened.
LACHARTY: There's a lot of waste of money going on down here.
TUCHMAN: After we talked with mobile park owners, FEMA had this news for us. The decision has been made to put trailers in the devastated mobile home parks.
MISCZAK: We had to make sure that, you know, it was appropriate and that it was legal and that took a little bit of time, but it certainly is an option available to us now.
TUCHMAN: While most of the residents in this hard hit parish still wait, some seem luckier than others. But talk to Joy Melerine who just moved into her trailer last week in front of her gutted house.
JOY MELERINE, TRAILER RESIDENT: They put the trailer there, but they wouldn't put up the utility pole to run the energy. That took over six weeks to get them to do that. And someone broke in using a key that the contractor stores here at the trailer, which I didn't know, in the heater panel. They used a key and opened up my trailer and took everything inside, the furniture and household items, blankets, everything.
TUCHMAN: So you were robbed in your trailer -- your FEMA trailer?
MELERINE: Yes. I lost everything I owned twice in three months. That's how I look at it.
TUCHMAN: That's incredible.
MELERINE: It's heartbreaking.
TUCHMAN: There is no shortage of heartbreak in St. Bernard Parish.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: And there is much more where that story came from. Gary Tuchman regularly filing fine reports for ANDERSON COOPER 360. You can see tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific.
And let's show you pictures we're just getting into us here at CNN. This is Santa Fe Springs, California, in Southern California, very close to Inglewood. Not a very good looking picture here. You have a Metrolink train and a car. Believe it or not we're hearing reports of no injuries despite this accident. Once again, the train versus a car. Train wins. No one gets hurt. We'll follow the story for you.
Still to come, a family crisis. A thief steals an SUV with a baby inside.
Second count, we'll tell you why a cell phone company is being blamed for putting red tape ahead of safety.
And remember the California couple who police say took off and went to Vegas for New Year's and left the kids at home alone? Their punishment is ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: All right, this story out of California now. A mother gets the scare of her life. The family's truck was stolen. The baby was inside the truck. Then mom remembers that her cell phone could be used to track the truck. But she never got the chance to use that, because of her cell phone company's policy.
CNN's Chris Lawrence has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A truck stolen from a family's own driveway. Their 10-month-old inside. Could the cell phone sitting on the front seat help save the baby buckled up in back?
STEPHANIE COCHRAN, MOTHER: The one thought was that maybe that the phone could like be our one saving grace.
LAWRENCE: It had GPS built in, but bureaucracy initially kept police from tracking it.
OPERATOR: 911 state your emergency.
MOTHER: Someone stole our car with my baby in it at my house.
LAWRENCE: It was two days before Christmas, Corona, California. MOTHER: Oh my God, why would someone do this?
LAWRENCE: Stephanie Cochran's husband had just buckled up their baby and ran inside to get his 3-year-old brother.
BROTHER: Somebody stole Wade?
MOTHER: yeah.
BROTHER: He's lost?
MOTHER: He's lost.
LAWRENCE: A thief stole the truck and drove off.
COCHRAN: I felt like my heart was broken and that I felt like I was dying inside.
OPERATOR: We're going to try to see if we can do a GPS tracking.
LAWRENCE: They called Sprint. The detectives called Sprint, but they wasted valuable time with a customer service rep, who initially refused to track the phone because the company didn't want to violate the family's right to privacy.
KATHLEEN DUNLEAVY, SPRING SPOKESPERSON: What's under investigation right now is the time lag.
LAWRENCE: Sprint says it would be easy to abuse this technology and it has a legal obligation to protect customers' privacy.
DUNLEAVY: That is why if someone calls our customer care center, we will not track their phone for them.
LAWRENCE: Customers have to call the police, who fill out a form and fax it back to Sprint.
COCHRAN: I couldn't believe that they were asking for those sort of things, and paperwork. You know, I had been on the phone with them. What other kind of release did they need from a customer?
LAWRENCE: In this case, they didn't need GPS. Police found the truck and Wade a few hours later, about a mile away.
COCHRAN: I'm just so thankful to have him home. You know, that's all I cared about. Thank you for not hurting my baby.
LAWRENCE: The county board wasn't so quick to move on. And at one point considered freezing construction of Sprint's cell phone towers.
JOHN TAVAGLIONE, RIVERSIDE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: Bureaucracy can't get in the way of the life of a child and I felt that something needed to change.
(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: The story from our Chris Lawrence.
Chris tells us, by the way, Sprint is cooperating with police to adapt its policy.
And you can see more stories like that on CNN's "SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer weeknights at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
(NEWSBREAK)
KAGAN: We're talking Hollywood, baby. Ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, Mr. Moviefone has a look at this week's new releases. Which ones are worth spending your hard earned money on.
And our Sibila Vargas is live on Wisteria Lane. You should know that street. She has a look at the women competing for the hardware at Monday's Golden Globe Awards.
We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: They've been here before. They're not going to give it to us. We've got to go out there and we've got to take it, right? I want you to go out and take it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: We are ready to take it. It's Friday the 13th. Might be a lucky day if you're going to the movies. Let's check it out with Russ Leatherman, Mr. Moviefone.
Hi, Russ.
Happy Friday the 13th.
RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Hi, Daryn. Happy Friday the 13 to you.
Nothing but good luck at the movies, I think, this week.
KAGAN: Really? Let's start with the first one, "Glory Road."
LEATHERMAN: Well, "Glory Road," here's the deal with these sorts sports movies. I don't think they have to be great to be good, or fun or inspirational. And I think this movie is good, and it's inspirational and it's fun. You may know the story. Its's about the Texas Western basketball coach Don Haskins who in 1966 made history and really broke down racial barriers by doing the unheard of. He started an all-black squad in the NCAA basketball championship.
Now, like I said, this is a Bruckheimer movie. We've probably seen this several times before, but that's OK. When these movies work, they work. And the audience I saw it with was cheering, was clapping. You've got good actors. You've got Josh Lucas, Derek Luke.
So it's not a great movie, but it's a good movie, which makes it a lot of fun at the movie theaters. so I'm in. I say check it out.
KAGAN: Queen Latifah has a big movie checking out. I'm a big fan of hers.
LEATHERMAN: Can I ask you why?
KAGAN: Why?
LEATHERMAN: Why?
KAGAN: Well, two reasons, one, she's funny. She's successful. She seems she's overcome the odds. And I ran into her once in an elevator, and she said hello to me.
LEATHERMAN: Well, there you go. There you go.
I got to tell you, this is not a great movie; it's average movie. Queen Latifah play a sales clerk who discovers that she only has a couple weeks to live. So she drops everything, her job, bank account, heads off to Europe to really have a last holiday, because what's happened is she hears that she's dying, so she decides she's going to live.
Now, I say, you know, we've seen this story before, too. But Queen Latifah is charming. She's fun to watch. I thought the movie could have used fewer of the pratfalls and some of the goofiness. It would have been a better movie for me.
But, again, I was in an audience with a crowd that was cheering, was really enjoying this movie. And people do love her. They just love her. So I would say if you're a Queen Latifah fan and you're just looking for some lighthearted entertainment, this movie's OK. I'm in.
KAGAN: I'm a fan.
A new animation movie out.
LEATHERMAN: Yes, "Hoodwinked." And the big question is, where was this movie two and a half weeks ago when we had nothing to do with our little kids? This is Little Red Riding Hood sort of turned on its ear. It's a computer-generated movie. It's a pretty good voice cast. You've got Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Anthony Anderson, James Belushi.
And this is an OK movie. Again, it's not great. But, you know, "Chicken Little" wasn't great and a lot of people went to see that. So I think you can take your little kids and they will enjoy this movie.
Again, I so wish it would have been out two and a half weeks ago when my cousins were at my house and I just needed desperately something to do with them. But it's an OK movie.
So we're in January. This is what we get. We get sort of average movies, but also let me say that "Brokeback Mountain" is going wider this week, so everybody who couldn't see that is going to get a chance to see it this weekend. And everybody has got to see it. It's a great movie.
KAGAN: I saw it last weekend.
LEATHERMAN: I think it's going to be the biggest movie of the year. Meaning I think it will win the Oscar. I do. There's your early prediction.
KAGAN: We got you on tape. Thank you, Russ.
Well, before Oscars -- we'll see you next week. Thank you.
LEATHERMAN: OK, talk to you soon.
KAGAN: Russ Leatherman, Mr. Moviefone.
Before you have Oscars, you have the Golden Globes. And we'll have to see how "Brokeback Mountain" does. Meanwhile, we're also looking at the women. Women like Patricia Arquette, Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick, Holly Walker, Geena Davis. These are just five powerful women starring in five of this year's critically acclaimed television shows. They are all competing for a top spot at the Golden Globes.
Our entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas joins us live from L.A. with more on -- you really are on Wisteria Lane. Like, you really are there.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: Good for you!
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: It's such a big story. Yes, it's really nice. Finally, CNN's not-so "Desperate Housewives," which is what they called me because there's a little bit of an Eva Longoria resemblance there. Thank you very much.
But here I am in Wisteria Lane. And of course, the big news, of course, is all about the Golden Globes and the five nominations that this show has gotten, one for comedy and of course four for the leading ladies.
Let me just give you a little tour, Daryn. To my right is Bree's house, which of course is played by the lovely Marcia Cross. Right in front of me is Gabrielle Solis' house, which is of course played by Eva Longoria, who, by the way, did get a nomination this year. Last year a lot of people thought she was snubbed by the Golden Girls, but this year the Hollywood Foreign Press did notice her.
Susan's house over there, played by the lovely Teri Hatcher, who got the Golden Globe last year, is right over there. And on the very left of me is Felicity Huffman, who of course plays Lynnette. And she, as well, is nominated for a lead actress nomination in a motion picture.
But we were talking about the drama category. And in the drama category, there are very powerful contenders there as well. These ladies are intense. And let me tell you there are no wimps here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICIA ARQUETTE, ACTRESS: I've seen this woman before. Last night, actually.
VARGAS (voice-over): Patricia Arquette solves cases with her extrasensory power in NBC's "Medium."
GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS: Just come by the Farmington (ph) station and ask for the new captain.
VARGAS: Glenn Close stars is in "The Shield" as the tough captain who takes over the precinct.
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS: So the longer you stall, the closer you get a lethal injection. How's that for a deal?
VARGAS: Kyra Sedgwick is a CIA-trained interrogator in "The Closer."
HOLLY WALKER, ACTRESS: We must be first.
VARGAS: Don't forget Holly Walker. She plays a shadow ruler in HBO's "Rome."
GEENA DAVIS, ACTRESS: I have a vice president to confirm, my first executive order to sign and a country to run. Those are big deals.
VARGAS: And then there's Geena Davis, tough as nails as first female president in "Commander in Chief."
In this year's best actress in a TV drama category, all powerful women, powerful roles and getting powerful acclaim from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
DAVIS: We're thrilled. You know, we're very -- very, very happy. It's pretty special to be on so briefly and then be nominated.
VARGAS: And that's another startling trend. Three of these shows are brand new.
ALI GAZAN, "TV GUIDE": Today you have women who are in high profile, powerful positions and they might not be the president of the United States yet, they are in really high levels of government, they're, you know, running police forces and what not, but they're also dealing with all these things at home. And so I think they're just really trying to give a more overall complete picture of what women's lives are really like today.
VARGAS: And that's something viewers want to see. Kyra Sedgwick says she thinks women can relate to her powerful role.
SEDGWICK: She is struggling against tough odds in her workplace and against tough odds in -- how hard it is to be single woman with a career and try to have some kind of personal life.
VARGAS: And even in "Rome," Holly Walker reflects on how women can relate to her cunning character, too.
WALKER: They plucked their eyebrows, they shaved their legs, they colored their hair. They did everything that we do.
VARGAS: Holly Walker came to "Rome" as a distinguished theater actress. And Glenn Close, Patricia Arquette, Geena Davis and Kyra Sedgwick were all stars on the big screen, another distinction making this year's race a tough battle.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And of course, we'll see who takes home the gold this Monday. And I will be on the red carpet, of course, giving you all the information. And I'll be giving you reports today and of course tomorrow and Sunday and of course on the big day on Monday.
KAGAN: Well, very good. You enjoy, Sibila. From my entertainment days, I remember that, Golden Globes, as the most fun night of the year. So you have a great time.
VARGAS: I know, you told me that.
KAGAN: We will look forward to reports. Thank you.
And this just in to CNN. We're following a developing story out of Seminole County, Florida. We're talking about the Orlando area. Serious situation in a middle school. This middle school here is in lockdown because of reports of a possible gunman on campus. This is the Milwee Middle School. It's not known if the gunman or potential gunman is a student. The county SWAT team is responding to that school. So once again, a middle school in Seminole County, Florida, in lockdown after reports of a possible gunman on campus.
We'll get you more information on this, plus other top stories of the day. We're back at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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