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CNN Sunday Morning
New York Braces for Storm; Military Desertions; Housing Nightmare in New Orleans; Desperate Journey; Church Segregation
Aired April 15, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, hey there, everybody.
From the CNN Center here in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
I'm T.J. Holmes.
It is April 15th.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Tax Day, but...
HOLMES: Calm down, yes. You've got two days this year. The tax deadline is on Tuesday, the 17th. So you're OK.
NGUYEN: For now.
HOLMES: For now.
NGUYEN: But get it done.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
It is 7:00 a.m. here in the East, where many of you are waking up to some really rough weather outside.
HOLMES: A lot of people hoping really for the best for some of this weather, but still preparing for the worst.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: A lot of those folks are in the Northeast, bracing for what could be a monster of a storm this morning. Take a look at this radar.
Unusually violent spring storm could bring strong winds, heavy rain, severe coastal flooding and, yes, in some places we could see some snow. As the storm gets stronger, it could form a Nor'easter. That could trigger some of the worst flooding in years.
We are keeping an eye, as you see here, on all of our local affiliates, from New Haven, to Providence, and also Boston. They are covering this thing, ad we're covering it as well.
Those places are where the storm could really hit hard and be the worst. Emergency crews are ready to respond. We'll be bringing you the latest details on the storm all morning as we get those details. NGUYEN: Well, coastal Long Island could see some of its worst flooding in almost 15 years. New York's mayor warning residents to stock up and get ready.
Want to take you live now to CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff, who is bracing it out there.
The rains have already started to come in, Allan.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Betty.
Well, it's been raining for a good number of hours, but the worst of the storm is absolutely not here yet. It's a few hours away.
The rain pretty steady right now. They are saying New York City will get two to three inches. Some outlying areas, as much as four to five inches of rain. That is quite a bit. So we will definitely have lots of flooding in the New York City area.
And also, to the north, well, we're actually forecast to have plenty of snow in upstate New York. So that will be very interesting. It will be a mid-April dig-out for a lot of people.
But of course, in addition to the precipitation, we are talking also about some very serious winds. Up to 45 miles an hour is the forecast.
Now, right now, ironically, there's very little wind. I'm standing pretty much at the southern tip of Manhattan. You see Lady Liberty right behind me.
Normally, this is actually quite a windy area. So far, the winds right now, they're saying only about three miles an hour. But it certainly will be picking up as the storm moves in. And even behind me you can see some of the storm clouds just above the Statue of Liberty.
The governor has issued a warning. He's saying that New Yorkers should be prepared.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ELIOT SPITZER, NEW YORK: The point I would make is that, as with all storms of this magnitude, we do not know with any certainty what will happen. We want folks to be ready for any possibility, which means the possibility of power outages. We have been in communication with all the utilities across New York State.
They are doing their best, as they always do, to be ready. They have brought crews in. They are ready to restore power if it is lost. We would suggest to people to get flashlights, that they stock up on some food, do the basic things that would -- that common sense would suggest.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHERNOFF: And even since we started talking just a minute ago, the rain is really starting to pick up right now. So now I would say we have got a serious rainfall happening.
As I said, two to three inches of rain forecast for the New York City area. And at the airports, they're already starting to cancel flights. In fact, JetBlue has already cancelled 34 flights today.
Betty, back to you.
NGUYEN: Already. Well, you know, obviously, as you mentioned, the big worry has got to be that coastal flooding. True Long Island could experience the worst flooding since 1992?
CHERNOFF: Yes. They are talking about some -- some very severe flooding. We're definitely going to have bad flooding, beach erosion. The people who live on the shore, the Jersey shore, they really could be in for a rough go over the next day or so.
NGUYEN: All right. Allan Chernoff, do what you can to stay dry. That's going to be very difficult today, but we appreciate it. We'll talk to you a little bit later.
Do want to get you now to Reynolds Wolf, who's live in the severe weather center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Take a look at Lady Liberty. Can you find her there? If you look really hard you might be able to see just a glimpse.
With all the fog there in New York City today, it's just part of this Nor'easter that is headed their way. The rains are coming in, and much more by this time -- I guess not even this afternoon. Two days it's going to last, according to Reynolds.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: So get ready, New York. You're going to see plenty of it.
HOLMES: Yes. Up to Tuesday, he says.
And our Veronica De La Cruz keeping an eye on this budding Nor'easter. She's at the .com/DESK for us this morning.
Tell us about some of the local affiliate coverage you can find on the Web.
Good morning, ma'am.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN PIPELINE ANCHOR: Well, good morning to both of you.
We're going to go ahead and start with one of our Boston affiliates. This is WHDH, and as you know lots of people in the Northeast waking up with this wintry weather. It means another lost weekend for spring activities. So we are monitoring a number of these Web sites.
WHDH has report on the threat of coastal flooding. This is Steve Cooper. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE COOPER, WHDH: North Shore residents are stack sandbags to prepare for the Nor'easter. Officials in Peabody are worried a storm surge from the Nor'easter could cause flooding in low-lying areas of the city. Residents are stacking them along the edges of their yards and houses, hoping to stop any water from entering their homes.
And last May, major rain hit the area hard. This was the scene in Peabody as water flooded the low-lying areas of that city. Flooding closed roads around the area and even forced some people from their homes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: Now, the U.S. Coast Guard is saying that it is simply not safe to go into the waters today. They are urging boaters to stay away.
Let's go ahead and check out WCVB to see what they are talking about this morning. We have this affiliate Web report from Jim Morelli.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM MORELLI, REPORTER, WCVB: All vessels understand that this storm could be impossible to ride out.
(voice over): Forty-eight hours before the storm, and a Coast Guard Falcon jet takes off from Otis Air Base. Its mission, to warn vessels on the open sea that a dangerous Nor'easter is blowing in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it's going to have winds of 40 to 50 knots and seas up to 26 feet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In fact, the New England off-shore waters over the next 48 hours.
MORELLI: Aboard the jet, a radio transmission goes out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Strongly advise to closely monitor weather, local radio broadcast for updates, warnings on this storm.
MORELLI: The hope is that vessels will heed the warnings and get to a safe place so that Coast Guard rescuers won't have to come out and try to fetch them. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We typically see when we have a storm come through about 10 to 15 feet. So 26 feet would be very high. It would be very hard for anybody out there to maneuver.
MORELLI: In Falmouth Harbor, many boat slips remain vacant this early spring. The occupied ones are being secured in advance of the storm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doubling up on lines, and running lines to off-shore pilings to make sure we keep an eye on the boats and protect them as well as we can.
MORELLI: The cape getting set to experience what could be a storm to remember.
(on camera): Well, about an hour or so ago, the sun began to come out here on the cape. And this sort of dappled sunshine here in Sandwich, as you can see. But most of the day it was cold and gray and somewhat rainy. And the Coast Guard says that was actually a good thing, that we had this inclement weather, because that meant that a lot of these fishing boats had already come in. Now the hope is that they will stay in.
Live in Sandwich, Jim Morelli, News Center 5.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: So, again, that report from our affiliate there, WCVB.
We're going to continue to monitor all of what is happening here on our local affiliates across New England.
If you out there have any pictures, video that you would like to send us, of course you can go to the Web site, click on the I-Report logo, or you can simply send us an e-mail to weekends@cnn.com and let us know what it's looking like in your area. Again, that is weekends@cnn.com.
What is the Nor'easter like where you are? Tell us your storm story.
T.J. and Betty, back to you.
NGUYEN: It's looking wet is what it's looking like right now, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
Well, the war in Iraq now in its fifth year. And with tours of duty being extended, some soldiers have had enough and they are walking away. Desertion rates have been increasing. And as CNN's Gary Nurenberg reports, the Pentagon is beginning to pay attention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON (voice-over): The face of a deserter.
It was the 9/11 attacks that spurred the patriotism of then- college student, Phil McDowell.
PHIL MCDOWELL, ARMY DESERTER: I did join the military because of the September 11th attacks, and, you know, put my skills to work in the military to help my country.
NURENBERG: McDowell served a year in Iraq, thinking it was necessary to depose Saddam Hussein.
MCDOWELL: I did believe that it was a just cause at the time. I thought that was something that - our country was under attack and then he was facilitating these attacks, and that he was a threat to us.
NURENBERG: Then, McDowell changed his mind.
MCDOWELL: All those allegations were false about the weapons of mass destruction and the ties to al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein and 9/11.
NURENBERG: Disillusioned, McDowell finished his tour, picked up his separation from service paperwork and was stunned to be told the rules had changed and he was being called for another tour.
He deserted and fled to Canada.
MCDOWELL: I definitely don't have any regrets. It's a really hard decision to make to stand up for what you do believe in.
NURENBERG (on camera): Army desertion rates rose in fiscal year 2005, rose again in 2006, and are higher still so far this year.
The Army says the main reasons are dissatisfaction with military life, family problems and homesickness.
BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS, U.S. ARMY-RET.: The added challenge that we have right now certainly is the number of deployments, the fact that you might be going back to combat for a second or a third tour.
NURENBERG (voice-over): That combat can take a toll.
KYLE SNYDER, ARMY DESERTER: What drew the line for me was one mission in particular, where I had witnessed an innocent civilian shot in front of me.
NURENBERG: Kyle Snyder also fled to Canada. Other deserters, like Mark Wilkerson, stay in the United States and face military justice - in Wilkerson's case, seven months in prison and a bad conduct discharge - although the Army is seeing more cases of desertion. ROY WALLACE, DIRECTOR, PLANS AND RESOURCES, U.S. ARMY: When you go back and look at before the war even started, we're right about where we always have been.
NURENBERG: With the vast majority of American troops choosing not to desert.
Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right.
Take a look at this. That's a picture of Boston. I believe that is over on our left.
NGUYEN: On the left-hand side? Yes.
HOLMES: And the radar over on the right. That's what's heading everybody's way up in the Northeast, this Nor'easter that's beginning to bud, if you will. That's going to cause problems for the next couple of days, we're hearing.
There's a live shot of Boston. It looks a little gray this morning. It doesn't look to bad, but expecting some major weather coming their way and the way of a lot of folks in the Northeast.
We are monitoring that all morning right here at CNN, so please stay with us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are the black church, and the black people go here. We are the white church, and the white church go -- crap. We are supposed to be about Christ.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Self-segregation on Sundays. So, are all the parishioners at your church the same race?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Another quick check of the weather for you.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Well, decades ago, thousands of Holocaust survivors boarded a ship and set sail for Palestine, but what really happened aboard the Exodus is the stuff that is not in the movies. That is coming up.
Plus this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: How much more expensive is New Orleans now than it was before Katrina?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would say triple the amount as much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were paying $35 a night at a hotel, and now it's $75.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, no joking matter here. Not just wind and water that forced some residents out of their homes in New Orleans. Sky- high housing is also keeping some sleeping on the streets.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Welcome back, everybody, on this Sunday morning. What a morning it is.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: We're going to tell you much more about the weather outside.
But in the meantime, hey there, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.
You are watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
If you are just waking up, like she's saying there, we have got some nasty weather that is coming a lot of folks' ways, especially if you're in the Northeast and watching us right now. Just go look outside the window. You'll see what I'm talking about.
NGUYEN: You know exactly what T.J.'s talking about. People in the Northeast are getting ready right now for a monster storm that could bring heavy rain, strong winds and what may end up being massive flooding.
That same storm system swept through the nation's midsection and then south on Friday and Saturday. And it spawned at least two tornadoes in Texas and is blamed for five deaths in Florida and Kansas.
Well, this morning, New York's mayor is warning residents to get ready, stock up on food, even batteries, put those flashlights to good use, and prepare for the worst.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (R), NEW YORK: It will be the storm's high winds compared -- combined with already high tides that gives us greatest cause for concern. That is coastal flooding.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: Coasting flooding along Long Island, in fact, could be the worst in 14 years.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, nearly 20 months after Hurricane Katrina hit, so many people still struggling to get by. And for some, simply finding a place to call home, well, that's their dream. Certainly not a reality for them right now.
Our Gary Tuchman has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You like those colors?
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Thousands of New Orleans tourists have met Larry Lawler (ph). He delights the young and young at heart as a balloon man outside the city's famous Cafe Du Monde.
But after the sun sets and night falls in the Crescent City...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm taking a can opener.
TUCHMAN: ... Larry and his wife, Theresa (ph), eat sardines out of a can and sleep in a box under a bridge in downtown New Orleans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every seven days a week.
TUCHMAN: Larry may work every day, but he says he doesn't make enough to afford the low-cost residential hotel they lived in before Katrina.
(on camera): How much more expensive is New Orleans now than it was before Katrina?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would say triple amount as much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were paying $35 a night in the hotel, and now it's $75.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): New Orleans is full of homeless people who had places to live before the hurricane, but cannot afford post- Katrina prices.
(on camera): How long have you been living out in the street?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About three months, maybe three and a half.
TUCHMAN: What's this like for you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hell.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Thurston James (ph) lived in the lower Ninth Ward. His home was destroyed.
(on camera): Are you depressed?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very. I think I'm losing my damn mind.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): He can't find a steady construction job. And also lives under a bridge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A $400 house now will cost you anywhere from $800 to a $1,000 a month or more.
TUCHMAN (on camera): Can't afford it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can't.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): A consulting firm has estimated about 58 percent of the city's housing supply suffered major damage from the storm. Inside this abandoned flood-ravaged church, squatters. Two men who came from Texas who quickly realized they could afford nothing.
(on camera): Are you scared to be here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I'm scared to be here because I don't know what's going on.
TUCHMAN: The conditions in the buildings where these squatters sleep are less than abysmal. Not only the building's falling apart, but they're full of nails and garbage and waste and rodents. And if you're not careful here on the second floor, you'll fall 15 feet to the first floor.
(voice-over): And even for the more fortunate who have homes, life Kewanna Starks, life has become much more difficult.
You had a bigger apartment and better neighborhood before?
KEWANNA STARKS, RENTER: Yes.
TUCHMAN: And you paid how much?
STARKS $315.
TUCHMAN: And now in a smaller apartment you pay?
STARKS: $715.
TUCHMAN: Experts say the homeless population has doubled since Katrina, from about 6,000 to 12,000. Even though more than half of the people who lived here have not come back. So what should New Orleanians do who want to come back home, but don't have jobs?
BRENNAN RHODES, HOMELESS ADVOCATE: I would tell them straight out, this is the situation right now, you know. Things are rough. We have a lack of resources and if you do come back, you may not have somewhere to stay. TUCHMAN: Larry and Theresa (ph) don't want to leave New Orleans. So she prepares the balloons and he entertains as many people as possible. And then they go back under the bridge, hoping the relatively carefree days before Katrina will somehow come back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And this note from the city of New Orleans. Police there say five people were injured, one critically, in a drive-by shooting last night.
(NEWSBREAK)
HOLMES: Never forget, that's the message around the world on this Holocaust Remembrance Day. People from Israel, to the U.S., are mourning the millions who died.
NGUYEN: The struggle of those who tried to escape is still coming to light even today. And CNN's Barbara Starr has a story of one desperate journey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Sixty years ago, thousands of Holocaust survivors made a daring and violent voyage bound for Palestine on a ship named Exodus. You may think you know the story from the 1960 movie starring Paul Newman.
PAUL NEWMAN, ACTOR, "EXODUS": This is the Exodus.
STARR: But what really happened in the summer of 1947 was even more dramatic than the movie or the Leon Uris novel it was based on. Genya Markon, a curator at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, is spearheading an effort to find the names of all 4,500 Exodus passengers. Many were Nazi death camp survivors who desperately wanted to reach Palestine.
GENYA MARKON, CURATOR, HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM: This was a youngster, one of the youngest members of the Exodus. He was 3 years old at the time.
STARR: But the British who controlled Palestine were turning back most of the Jews as illegal immigrants. These are just some of the letters, pictures and other Exodus artifacts being gathered from around the world. Sixty-year-old clues about who made the journey and about those who survived the Holocaust.
MARKON: This gives honor to the survivors and it creates a very important documentation for future generations.
STARR (on camera): Even before Exodus reached Palestine, the British navy rammed the ship, killing three and wounding dozens.
(voice over): Unlike the movie, the real Exodus passengers were taken into custody, forced on board British warships, and lived for months on what many called a floating Auschwitz. But Exodus made headlines around the world. News coverage like this article in "LIFE" magazine told of the survivors' ordeal. The British were widely criticized for treating Jews like prisoners.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Exodus story came out, the other ships that were grounded came out, and slowly but surely the British had to give it up.
STARR (on camera): The Exodus passengers wound up back in Germany, where most of them waited another year before finally making their way to what is now Israel.
MARKON: Well, the Exodus was a turning point in many ways, and it became the symbol forever the creation of Israel.
STARR (voice over): The year after the failed voyage of Exodus, the British control of Palestine ended and Israel was declared a state. And now, more than half a century later, the last chapter of the real voyage of Exodus is finally being written.
Barbara Starr, CNN, at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: We do know that race and religion two hot-button issues that often divide even some churches.
HOLMES: Yes. Black and white Americans work together, children go to school together, so why do they rarely pray together?
NGUYEN: We'll take a look at that.
Plus, it is a long way from Alabama to Afghanistan. So, find out how a group of children and a soldier made a special connection despite the distance.
HOLMES: And, of course, the big story we'll be following this morning and really the next couple of days, that huge weather system, that Nor'easter that's going to be causing all kinds of problems and some severe flooding possibly for folks in the Northeast. We're covering that. We'll have the latest on that spring storm.
That's coming up. Stay here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOAN OSBOURNE, SINGER (SINGING): What if God was one of us?
HOLMES: It seems like maybe a fitting question to ask at the end of a week that saw so many questions about race and equality emerge from that whole Don Imus controversy. If God is colorblind, why is self-segregation so strong in churches across the U.S.? And why don't most black and white parishioners pray together?
CNN's Susan Roesgen searches for the answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT, DOTHAN, ALABAMA: It's Sunday morning in the small town of Dothan, Alabama - 60,000 people, 140 churches.
Sunday is the time to sing, to worship, and for many a time to be with their own.
REV. PAUL HOLLMAN, GREATER BEULAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, DOTHAN, ALABAMA: We are the blue collar church and the blue collar people go here. We are the black church and the black people go here. We are the white church and the white church - crap!
We are supposed to be about Christ. Christ was about everybody.
PASTOR VAN GOETHE, CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH, DOTHAN, ALABAMA: I'll use the phrase that I've heard, that I don't like. "Why don't they go to their church?"
What does that mean? It's not my church. It's God's church.
I know for some blacks to walk into a white church is uncomfortable. And if they can walk in a black church and be comfortable, that's what I want for them. And if a white can go to the black church and be comfortable, that's what I want for the white.
It's not a competition. It's not a comparison.
ROESGEN: Meet two preachers, two churches - both up against the same self-segregation.
GOETHE: Jesus is not our servant. He is our Lord.
ROESGEN: Pastor Van Goethe leads Calvary Baptist, one of the biggest predominantly white churches in Dothan. Of nearly 3,000 members, just 45 are black. That's less than two percent.
Nine years ago there weren't any black members. But that was before the black church custodian fell in love with the white pastor's daughter. Jana's (ph) father, the pastor, had a startling confession.
GOETHE: It would have been OK with me if one of my sisters would have married an African-American. It would not have bothered me.
But when my daughter married one, I found that I resisted that. And I had to stand before the congregation and apologize and say, I have sinned. I'm sorry. Forgive me.
ROESGEN: For some, Calvary Baptist is a mirror image of the nation's religious self-segregation.
On the other side of town, you can see the same racial dividing line at one of Dothan's black churches.
HOLLMAN: Stand on your feet and say, reverend, I want to move and (INAUDIBLE) the supernatural power of God. ROESGEN: Reverend Paul Hollman leads the Greater Beulah Missionary Baptist Church. White worshippers occasionally visit, but all 1,200 registered church members are black.
HOLLMAN: What color are we going to be when we get to heaven? What features are we going to have when we get to heaven?
There's just spirit that's going to go to heaven. And I dare not ask God when the angels are around heaven what kind of features they should have.
ROESGEN: Reverend Holman and Pastor Goethe both believe that changing racial stereotypes, even in church, will have to start with a younger generation. And one day, the child of the black church custodian and the white minister's daughter may worship in a church of many colors.
GOETHE: It's a different generation with a different outlook. And even those who have had to deal with prejudice are finding the joy of overcoming that.
ROESGEN: But for now, the question remains: If God is colorblind, why aren't we?
Susan Roesgen, CNN, Dothan, Alabama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And we were just really looking at that piece and saying, see how it really plays out in the real world? Very interesting there.
You know, all morning long, though, we have been looking at this as well, those strong storms that are heading to the Northeast.
Veronica De La Cruz is monitoring the stormy weather from our .com/DESK.
And what a day it is going to be, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: What a day it is going to be is right, Betty. Let's go ahead and check in on our local affiliates right now.
We are looking at this affiliate from New Haven, Connecticut. You can see they're right in the middle of their weathercast, and we're monitoring the situation there in New Haven, as well as here in Boston, just to find out what is newsworthy. And we're going to report that back to you.
Now, taking a look at a live picture now from Boston. This is the bridge that goes over the St. Charles River. You can see, a very cloudy day there. It's 42 degrees, but it feels more like 32. They're expecting a mix of rain and snow.
And pretty much the same situation in New York. This is a live picture out of New York right now. It is 41 degrees there, wind-chills 35. Wind speeds, nine miles an hour. And as you know, Mayor Bloomberg is saying that inland flooding is probably going to be the story there.
Now, that is what's happening in New York. I also want to show you what's happening in Pittsburgh right now.
This is WTAE, this is our affiliate there. And we are keeping an eye on the Doppler. All the green, of course, means heavy rain. And that's pushing northeast now.
And here is a really interesting picture from the weather cam. This is the weather balloon there. And as you can see, it says it is currently 37 degrees. And drizzle.
So that's a live picture. It lets you know what it looks like on the ground there.
Now, speaking of Pittsburgh, the affiliate reporter, Andrew Stockey, there at WTAE, says, hey, if you thought you were going to be outdoors today doing your spring planting, you better think again.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREW STOCKEY, REPORTER, WTAE: The flowers are beginning to bud. We thought we would bring you inside here to remind you what spring looks like, because thanks to this wacky weather, it still feels like a lot like winter. And the worst part, western Pennsylvania is not alone.
(voice over): This strange spring is causing winter-like weather in the Northeast and Midwest, as well as dust storms along the California coast. Back here, even the ducks are ducking for cover.
Cold rain and wind means another lost spring weekend here in western PA. But what about your plans to plant those flowers? Well, surprisingly, Claire Dusak from Phipps Conservatory says go ahead and go to work.
CLAIRE DUSAK, PHIPPS CONSERVATORY: And that's always been the fact for Pennsylvania -- this part of Pennsylvania. You can do cleanup. You can do seeding. You can do planting of any sort. You march on with any of your garden chores that you would normally have been doing at this point in time. You just have to dress warmer to do it.
STOCKEY: Good advice for those who like to play outdoors, but few figure it's worth it, battling Mother Nature as well as the fairways.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, the weather dictates golfers. So, it's real tough by being 40 degrees and 30-mile-an-hour winds for a golfer to come out in it.
STOCKEY: But if this cold continues it could cause some real problems down the road for our local fields of play. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And right now, we are having trouble getting out. I mean, it looks nice and everything, but trying to get out, you know, it's wet, now it's cold. And calling for snow over the weekend.
STOCKEY (on camera): Now, before you go putting all this on Punxsutawney Phil, remember anything can happen when it comes to the weather. After all, we do live in western Pennsylvania.
In Oakland, Andrew Stockey, Channel 4 Action News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: That's right. I blame it all on Punxsutawney Phil. That and the weather guy.
All right. So if you are experiencing wacky weather wherever you are, don't forget that you can always send us an I-Report. Just head to our Web site, CNN.com, and look for the "I-Report" logo. Also, you can go ahead and send us an e-mail -- weekends@cnn.com is the place. And let us know what it's looking like in your area -- Betty and T.J.
NGUYEN: And so while you're talking about those e-mails, let's get straight to Reynolds Wolf to find out what the weather is truly doing in your area.
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NGUYEN: Well good morning everybody. Thank you for joining us here at that the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: I'm T.J. Holmes. We've got stuff to tell you about this morning. Thank you so much for sticking around and starting your morning with us.
A rough night for folks. We have a nor'easter that's happening in the northeast. We are following a serious weather situation. We might say it is just frightful out there. A phrase you may want to use on December 15th, not April 15th where we are right now. But one part of the nation cleaning up after a monster storm today and another is prevailing after its arrival.
Actually a violent storm, we are seeing all over the place. Reynolds Wolf is in the Weather Center for us a nasty situation really that we are seeing Reynolds. It is starting to form there. You can look at the map and take a look at what's happening. We will be talking to you all day today and maybe the next couple of days about a mess that they are going to be seeing in the northeast. Good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. It is -- I wish I could say it was a good morning for everyone. It is going to be a handful to say the very least. This storm system as I mentioned before stretches over a thousand miles, from parts of Florida clear up through portions of Georgia and into the Carolinas, Washington, D.C., even into New York. And it is a combination of strong wind; it is heavy rain, some thunderstorms, and possible tornadoes. And, of course, upstate in upstate New York we are talking about snowfall. It is going to be - something we are going to be dealing with at least I would say through Tuesday.
Let's begin in parts of Georgia and into the Carolinas. Where you have tornado watches in effect this morning. Strong storms right now, just the west of Savannah and Charlton near the parade grounds, Between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers you are going to be dealing with a little bit of a break now. But look what's on the way, back towards Orangeburg even in Florence. Let's make our way up the coastline into Greenville, back to the Outer Banks some heavy rainfall. You are fine in Winston-Salem for now. But as you make your way back over to Washington, D.C., scattered showers are going to be possible. Back over to spots like Dover and even into Salisbury, scattered showers, and some heavy thunderstorms. Not severe thunderstorms right now.
In New York you are some getting heavy rain as we speak. As Allen Chernoff reported earlier the wind is not quite as strong. That's going to come later, especially into this evening and into tomorrow as well. Now do we have any life images out of New York at this time? I think we had some that were up earlier. The great lady we had that, she was obscured by a lot of cloud cover. There we go in fact you can even see her at this point. This shot is pointing south of southern Manhattan towards the bay. Looking towards the Statue of Liberty. Your guess is as good as mine. This could be the North Pole as far as we are concerned because the visibility is just terrible. Any flights going to La Guardia or JFK good luck it is going to be a rough time for you. As we make our way into tomorrow that low is going to move off the coast. The springtime combined with the strong winds is going to bring flooding to places like Boston southward through the Jersey Shore.
That's your forecast. Let's send it back to you.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Reynolds.
Right now though it is the calm before the storm in New York. But officials are warning residents to stock up and get ready for the worst. Coastal Long Island could see some of the worst flooding in almost 15 years. Our Allan Chernoff joins us from the big apple as the rains are already starting to come in. You look soaked Allan.
CHERNOFF: Anybody standing out here would be soaked. Just like myself. I have been keeping this cup of water out here for about an hour or so. And you can see we have already got about half an inch of water right over here. That's an indication of just how much rain is coming down right now. We have been getting pounded. The forecast calls for about three inches of rain in New York City, as much as five inches of rain in some surrounding areas in New York. So certainly plenty of rain as we just heard, the wind, well, not all that strong right now.
I mean, I heard it is just three miles an hour, according to the local radio. Really not much wind. It is supposed to be picking up later today. The storm is going to get more and more intense as we go on. Nonetheless, we still have tourists out here ready to go visit Lady Liberty right behind me. And we believe that the ferry's will be running. We spoke with a couple of tourists a little while ago they are from L.A. and they had no idea a storm was on the way.
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CHERNOFF: What do you think about this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are from L.A. we don't even know what a nor'easter is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know what rain is. This is all new to us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is our first trip to New York, it is her 10th birthday. This is her gift from us.
CHERNOFF: What are you going to do today?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHERNOFF: That's going to be quite a birthday that she is going to be having here in New York City. But in terms of the impact for people who are living here, we can anticipate serious flooding, beach erosion, and also the potential for power outages. I checked in with Con Edison the local utility, so far no problems. They have hundreds of crews on stand by and upstate New York, boy, that's really where we could get serious trouble because they are anticipating lots of snow there. The governor says that New Yorkers need to be prepared.
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GOV. ELIOT SPITZER, NEW YORK: The point I would make is that as with our storms of this magnitude we do not know with any certainty what will happen. We want folks to be ready for any possibility, which means that the possibility of power outages, we have been in communication with all the utilities across New York State. They are doing their best as they always do to be ready and they brought crews in. They are ready to restore power if it's lost. We would suggest to people that they get flashlights. They stock up on food do. The basic things that common sense would go suggest.
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CHERNOFF: Common sense suggests that flights don't take off today. In fact, many airlines are beginning to cancel lights. Jet Blue, already 34 flights canceled.
Back to you.
NGUYEN: What a day it is going to be. Allan we will be talking with you very shortly. Thank you.
HOLMES: Of course we are bringing you the nationwide coverage of today's weather. And Veronica De La Cruz at the dot.com desk has more of what is happening all around the place right now. Hello again Veronica.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN. COM: Hey to you T.J. We were just talking to Allan Chernoff and you saw how it was raining there. This is a live picture out of New York right now, this is New York. You can't see it in the picture. Completely gray, gloomy. Lots of cloud coverage. This is a line picture from Boston, you see it is raining there; you see the raindrops on this shot.
Now WCDD, Boston we are keeping track of their affiliate coverage on the Web right now. Their weather guy is blogging the storm, really interesting information I am going to share some of that with you coming up. The question here is how is this going to affect the Boston marathon. We are reading up on that, 23,000 people expected to race right now, 10:00 a.m. tomorrow is when it starts. For now the race is still on. We are going to be talking more about that coming up next from the dot-com desk.
T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Veronica, thank you so much.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, an apparent mid air helicopter collision has killed two British soldiers. The choppers went down north of Baghdad. It does not appear they were brought down by insurgent fire. One other soldier was seriously injured in that incident as well.
NGUYEN: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales front and center this week in Washington. He is scheduled to testify Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee to tell his side of the story and the fired prosecutors affair. And CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now live from the White House as folks there are getting prepared for this testimony on Tuesday, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes indeed Betty. Much anticipated testimony on all fronts. Many people do certainly believe that the attorney general will have a very tough time convincing Senators that there was no politics involved in the firing of these eight U.S. Attorneys. And also explaining the many discrepancies in Gonzales's initial explanation of his role in the firings.
But the attorney general himself is trying to basically get a jump on his testimony. And plead his own case in an op-ed this morning in "The Washington Post" newspaper. In it, Gonzales apologizes for creating what he calls "Confusion about his roll in the matter." Explaining, "To be clear, I directed my then deputy chief of staff Kyle Sampson to initiate this process, fully knew it was occurring and approved to the final recommendations. Sampson periodically updated me on review as I recall these updates were brief, relatively few in number and focused primarily on review process. During those conversations to knowledge I did not make decisions about who should or should not be asked to resign."
Back to you. NGUYEN: Yes we do have some breaking news to get to. But this is a very interesting story that we will continue to follow. Kathleen Koch, we appreciate that.
KOCH: You bet.
HOLMES: That breaking story is weather related story. Reynolds Wolf keeping an eye on all of this for us. Reynolds what do you got?
WOLF: Well the tail end of the storm system is affecting all parts of the country. We have been talking of the northeast. We will focus in on the southeast especially in Florida. Tornado warning now effect in Gainesville right now. The latest we have, came in from the National Weather Service, a possible tornado near Gainesville, Gainesville airport and Unions Lake by 8:10 that's just about right now. They are saying that heavy rainfall is going to obscure this possible tornado. You need to take cover immediately if you are in the Gainesville area you want to get into the lowest part of your house, away from the outside walls, and outside windows and just stay put for at least the next 30 minutes or so.
As I just mentioned we have a tornado warning in affect for Alachua County that is near the Gainesville area in Gainesville, in fact by Gainesville Airport. You want to take cover immediately. This is the tail end of the big storm system that's been stretching from parts of central Florida back over to Georgia. We still have tornado watches in effect at this time for both the Georgia coast as well as the Carolina coast, South and North Carolina, and even North ward we are seeing the scattered showers moving into parts of Virginia as well as the northeast where we are also seeing the heavy surf that is going to really pick up overnight and into tomorrow as well. As it becomes a full-blown nor'easter.
Back to you.
NGUYEN: OK Reynolds.
HOLMES: Thank you so much.
NGUYEN: Well despite the despair, New Orleans is seeing somewhat of a surge in its new residents.
HOLMES: They are turning down jobs left and right elsewhere to head to Louisiana. Who is moving there? We will have a look at that coming up.
NGUYEN: But first chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here with a preview of today's "House Call."
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Betty thanks. The decisions you make every day can have a huge impact on how long you live and how healthy those years are. Everybody wants that. Coming up on "House Call" we are going behind the science and we are going to answer your e-mails about how to live longer and stronger. We will learn from people who seam to have that down. Plus my guests will take apart my day and tell me what I'm doing right and what I am doing wrong. We can all learn from that. That's coming up on "House Call" at 8:30.
HOLMES: But right now we are keeping an eye on this mess. A lot of folks have a mess to deal with on the east coast and all up the northeast. We are tracking this storm for you right here in the CNN Newsroom. Stick around here on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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NGUYEN: Breaking news weather wise, just look at this that red area right there, Gainesville, Florida, is where we are centering in on this morning. We have got storms up and down the east coast. This one in particular is a tornado warning in Gainesville, Florida. Folks in that area really need to pay attention to the local weather to make sure they need to get into a safe room at this time. But this is just one of many storms that are making their way up and down the northeast today. The east coast completely toward the north dealing with a nor'easter and lots of rain. But right now tornadoes in Gainesville. We will stay on top of this; we will get you Reynolds Wolf in just a minute.
HOLMES: Some saw devastation and left. Others saw a challenge and came. CNN's Susan Roesgen with the story of hope from New Orleans.
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SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sharrita Bishop came all the way from New Mexico to be a cop in New Orleans. Why?
SHARRITA BISHOP, NEW ORLEANS POLICE: I feel like I just fit in here. I feel like this is my niche and this where I need to be. The idea of helping somebody the idea of trying to make a community better, I think is what drives me.
ROESGEN: These are the first new recruits to graduate since hurricane Katrina. Just 30 cops to fill more than 300 openings. The help wanted signs are up all over New Orleans a city that lost half its population after the hurricane needs new blood to stay alive. But some of newcomers are among the best and brightest in the country. And if the hurricane has not hit New Orleans, they might never have come here.
John Alford is originally from New York with an MBA from Harvard he could work anywhere. But he chose to reopen a school in New Orleans.
JOHN ALFORD, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: If I thought in the back of my head this wouldn't work, I don't know if I would have dropped everything and moved here. But I really do believe it can and will work.
ROESGEN: And New Orleans needs the help. Unopened schools, un- gutted houses to some, what's happened here is a disaster. To others, it is a calling. REV. RAY CANNATTA, REDEEMER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: The lord loves this city. I know he does. It belongs to him. That's why we are involved in the rebuild effort. We are doing it for him. We believe he smiled on the city despite the heartbreak and brokenness and pain and anguish that the city experienced.
ROESGEN: Ray Cannatta and his family moved here from New Jersey. He turned down a cushy job in San Diego to be the pastor of a New Orleans church with just 15 members after the storm. New people driven to make New Orleans better. Locals call them the city's new vanguard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They believe that New Orleans is one of the greatest challenges in their lifetime. How can they sit back and go to New York, Boston, Atlanta, when they had this grand opportunity in New Orleans?
ROESGEN: These New Orleanians maybe hurricane Katrina's silver lining, rebuilding the city's security, schools and soul.
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HOLMES: Well despite the enthusiasm by some of those people, crime remains a problem in the city. New Orleans police say five people were injured and one critically in a drive-by shooting that happened just last night.
Meanwhile, globetrotting to find the fountain of youth.
NGUYEN: Yes, researchers head to blue zones to unlock the secret to a long and healthy life. And our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has all of that for us straight ahead.
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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over) Chocolate cake, 620 calories, pecan pie, 530 calories, hot fudge sundae, nearly 600 calories, desserts, we love them. But they don't always love us. Two thirds of Americans are battling the bulge. But dieticians will tell you denial is not the answer, portion control is. More and more restaurants are now answering the craving by offering miniature desserts. Bite-sized sweets are the hottest food trend of the year.
MARISA MOORE, AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION: The larger desserts can carry sometimes 500 to 600 calories. A small dessert might only have about 200.
COSTELLO: Chef Clifford Cloe (ph) uses traditional ingredients in his mini desserts, not low-fat substitutes. He says compromising taste is not an option. So he thinks small. Just what dieticians want to hear.
MOORE: We always encourage portion control and to see the restaurants on our side, that's a great thing.
COSTELLO: So if you want just a taste of heaven after your meal, go with a little, not a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm thinking about having two.
COSTELLO: It is tempting. But on second thought, maybe not.
Carol Costello, CNN, New York.
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NGUYEN: With all the nasty weather out there today, we do want to check back in with Veronica De La Cruz, she has been monitoring some of our affiliates in the northeast as that major storm bears down on the region. What have you sound so far Veronica?
DE LA CRUZ: Well Betty we have been keeping track of all of the local affiliates watching the video. This is video that is being fed into us right now. This is the air check from Jacksonville; Florida where there is a tornado warning, over here this is Boston. These are the two places that we are keeping a close eye on. As you know the Boston marathon is scheduled to go tomorrow, it is on right now. They are saying all things are a go, 10:00 a.m. is the start time, 23,000 people are expected to race. We just got this e-mail in from a viewer who says I'm really concerned about a friend or co-worker who is going to be running in that race. What will become of it? Well Pam Cross at our affiliate WCBB has this report.
PAM CROSS, WCBB: That is true Ed, at this point though the race is on. That's what race organizers say. If the forecast holds, they say all things are a go. However, along the route in spots like this here in Wellesley, they are adding extra buses and tents to keep runners and workers warm. Construction near the finish line near Copley Square right on schedule. But with blustery weather expected every support wire is extra tight. Indoors the elite athletes, this is the top of the field. Most likely, they will have running times and earnings affected by the weather. This is the first Boston for Dena Kastor who holds the American record and fastest women's world time earned last year.
DENA KASTOR, WORLD RECORD HOLDER: My training is in Mammoth Lakes, California, at altitude 8,000 feet. We have trained in snow and wind and icy conditions. Rain. I'm ready for the conditions.
CROSS: Among the top women defending champ Rita Jeptoo who says she will run on.
RITA JEPTOO: Very cold, windy. No problem. I can run.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The strong women are so strong and so experienced and so focused this is what they are going to concern themselves with. The weather is going to happen.
CROSS: The elements could hit wheelchair athletes hard. Bob Hall set the standard.
BOB HALL: It is all part of the game. We train in difficult conditions. Life isn't easy for everybody. I think we will persevere.
CROSS: For the race organizers, the well being of volunteers, workers and spectators all factors to consider. Runners, of course, are job one and they are adding warming tents and medical aid just in case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More tents. More heat. More transportation for all of those runners that decide they are not going to finish. We will have additional transportation to get them back to the finish line. Again, doing everything to allow them to run if they choose to run.
CROSS: Canceling the race never happened. They don't want to set a precedent this year. Race organizers say a delay is possible. If that will give the weather a little more time to clear.
Reporting live from Wellesley. I'm Pam Cross.
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DE LA CRUZ: So again Betty they have never canceled this race. There could be a delay. I have been researching and medical officials actually say it is better for the runners to be running in this colder weather. Taking a look at WCVB right now they are saying that 19 counties are under advisories, watches or severe weather warnings. We are going to continue to monitor what's happening there in Boston. If you out there have a story, pictures, video, that you would like to share, go ahead and head to our Website CNN.com and click on the ireport logo, you can also email us at WEEKENDS@CNN.com.
Betty.
NGUYEN: So it is better to run in this type of weather. Tell that to the runners, Veronica. They are not going to like it. Thank you. Reynolds Wolf is tracking the storm. In fact you will be heading to Boston a little bit later, right Reynolds.
WOLF: That is correct. Going up there to deal with the beauty and splendor of this nor'easter. What a nightmare this thing is going to be for so many people. We are going to head up there soon. We will see all kinds of rough conditions along the coast. Bottom half of the system; we are seeing some possible tornadoes. This is the latest that we have right now in Gainesville. Tornado warnings still in effect for Gainesville. It is going to expire in five minutes. At this point things do look considerably better in Gainesville. I like to still keep cover and for about another five minutes or so when that expires.
At this point Jacksonville, we are also seeing some intense storms at this time just severe thunderstorms. But there's the potential that a few of these cells mainly to the west of Jacksonville and to the southwest along I-10, you can be dealing with the possible tornadoes with many of these storms, these super cells as they roll across the landscape.
Farther to the north, from Georgia back into the Carolinas, we are still under tornado watches in effect for much of the morning. And of course farther north, we are dealing with the heavy rainfall and, of course, nor'easter that's going to be brewing off the eastern seaboard. It is a huge story; one we will be following the rest of the weekend and for a good part of next week.
Lets send it back to you.
NGUYEN: Thank you Reynolds. We will take you straight to break. We have a lot more coming up. Please stay right there.
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