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CNN Saturday Morning News
Federal Prosecutors Investigating Blackwater Actions in Iraq; Students Shot at Delaware State University; Jena Six Backlash
Aired September 22, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN world headquarters here in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is September 22nd.
And look who's here with us today. Hey, Rob Marciano.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for having me.
NGUYEN: It's good to have you here and good morning. It's great to have you as well.
MARCIANO: T.J. is off. First, we go to Louisiana. Now we're in North Carolina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SONYA CONWAY, GUILFORD CO. N.C. SCHOOLS: Immediately law enforcement was notified and the nooses were removed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Nooses hanging in school yards. Is it a copy cat case? We investigate.
NGUYEN: Definitely alive. Cuban leader Fidel Castro makes a surprise television appearance.
MARCIANO: And take a look at the radar. The southeast gets some much needed rain. But will it be too much to handle? A tropical depression. We'll talk about that.
NGUYEN: But up first, Blackwater is back in the headlines this morning. Federal prosecutors in North Carolina are looking to allegations that employees of the private security firm have been smuggling weapons into Iraq. Now Blackwater is based in North Carolina and the State Department employs the company to protect U.S. staffers in Iraq. Blackwater was sidelined earlier this week over allegations guards killed Iraqi civilians.
CNN's Alessio Vinci joins us now live from Iraq and Alessio, what's the status of Blackwater in Iraq right now?
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty.
Blackwater has basically resumed its operations here in Baghdad on this Saturday. Already on Friday, yesterday, they had resumed limited operations on a case-by-case basis. We understand today from the State Department and from embassy officials here that Blackwater is back in business as regularly.
We have not yet heard from the Iraqi officials, what their reaction is out of this development. We do know of course (INAUDIBLE) officials have asked Blackwater to stop all these operation and even asking them to leave the country altogether and have urged the U.S. State Department to hire a different company to protect civilian convoys here in Baghdad.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has also announced that there will be both an investigation into what happened last Sunday when, according to Iraqi officials, up to 20 civilians were killed in an incident involving Blackwater protection guards, as well as of course it is an accusation of Blackwater (INAUDIBLE) saying that they were reacting to incoming fire.
That said, at the end of all this, also the Iraqi and the U.S. government have put together a joint commission with the goal to examining issues of security and safety. And that commission will have to come up with joint recommendations to make sure that incidents like that one do not happen again. Betty.
NGUYEN: All this as we take into account. Let me ask you about the growing accusations though of violence against civilians.
VINCI: That is definitely the perception in the streets of Baghdad, that these Blackwater security details have acted in their words, as basically cowboys, shooting their way sometimes without regard of civilian life, barreling down the street at high speeds, sometimes hitting civilian cars. So there is definitely a perception here in the streets of Baghdad that Blackwater and its security guards have acted unlawfully.
The problem of course is there has been no legal recourse for Iraqi civilians. There's been no system for them to get any kind of compensation for either civilian death or property damage sustained from incidents involving Blackwater. And according to the Iraqi interior ministry, in the last few months as many as six incidents have taken place. Of course now they're all under review, under investigation. That is why the U.S. government and the Iraqi government together they're working to try to make sure that these kinds of accidents do not happen again.
NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Alessio Vinci joining us live from Baghdad this morning. Thank you, Alessio.
Also I want to let you know that Iraq is the focus today at the United Nations. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is scheduled to meet there with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki and U.N. security general Ban Ki-Moon.
MARCIANO: New this morning, Fidel Castro. Rumors and a reality check. Cuban state television airs a new interview with the Cuban leader. On the tape Castro responded to rumors that he might be dead. He says, well, here I am. The journalist who did the interview said it was taped on Friday. Castro talked about current events, like the price of oil, and a release of former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan's new book and the first time that video aired, the ailing 81-year old leader, it's the first time he's been seen since June.
And police say they have questioned two students in connection with a shooting at Delaware State University. Two students were wounded in Friday's campus attack. The shootings happened as some students were returning from an on-campus cafe. One female student was shot twice. She's in serious condition. A male student was shot once. He's in stable condition. The school's police chief talked about the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JAMES OVERTON, DELAWARE STATE U. POLICE: The person of interest, we are still looking at two people at this time who we believe are students. Our detectives are working really, really hard to get to the bottom of this case. And we hope to have it wrapped up through their investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: So far, police aren't calling the two people questioned suspects, only persons of interest. Delaware State is no stranger to tragedy. Last month, three teens who were either enrolled at the university or were in the process of enrolling were shot to death in a Newark, New Jersey school yard. Another teen was wounded in that attack.
NGUYEN: New this morning, more nooses reportedly found at a school and this time in North Carolina. Students and faculty say four nooses were found hanging from a tree yesterday at Andrews High School in High Point. School officials mindful of a similar incident in Jena, Louisiana, wasted no time bringing in police and said such actions will not be tolerated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONWAY: We also recognize that the more attention, ideas start bubbling up that maybe weren't there to begin with. So we hope that you all work with us and also convey how serious something like this is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: For now, extra security has been called in and students can get counseling if they need it.
Well, in Jena, Louisiana itself, Jena six defendant Mychal Bell remains behind bars today. The court yesterday refused to release Bell even though his conviction in the beating of a white student was tossed out. There are disturbing signs though of a racial backlash following Thursday's massive rally on behalf of the Jena six. CNN's David Mattingly that is, has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Web site proudly displays a swastika on its home page. Inside, one posting reveals the addresses of the Jena six saying, quote, in case anyone wants to deliver justice. The site is editing by a white supremacist whose own words can be heard in this streaming audio.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to go down there and put a bullet in each one of those little black kids that they have acquitted or they've let off (INAUDIBLE) for beating this white child.
MATTINGLY: Asked if he brought any harm to the Jena six with his postings, the editor told CNN, I don't know that doing justice can be considered doing harm. Just 24 hours after a massive violence-free rally in the Louisiana town of Jena, the FBI is looking into a racist backlash, seemingly menacing acts online and on the streets.
Forty-five minutes south of Jena, two teens were caught on tape in this exclusive CNN i-Report in Alexandria. They had nooses tied to the back of their pickup and driving past crowds of people who had attended the marches and rallies. Alexandria resident and i-Report contributor Casanova Love couldn't believe his eyes. Do you think the chance was there that somebody could have gotten hurt?
CASANOVA LOVE, I-REPORTER: Possibly. Possibly. You never know. It's 50/50. It's 50/50 chance.
MATTINGLY: It happened right here on Main Street. A large crowd had gathered at this bus station after the rally, people wanting to catch a bus and go home that night. That's when someone in the crowd noticed a pickup truck driving by with the nooses attached. There was a police officer on duty right here. He was alerted. And that truck was stopped in just a matter of blocks.
Another exclusive i-Report shows the police taking one of the two into custody. 18-year-old Jeremiah Munson was booked on misdemeanor charges of inciting a riot, driving while intoxicated and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He's out on bail. His 16-year-old companion remains in juvenile custody, accused of under age drinking and a probation violation. In the arrest report, the teen tells police he has a KKK tattoo and his parents were active in the Klan. Alexandria police say there is no indication any group was involved.
(on camera): Was it a prank?
CHIEF DAREN COUTEE, ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPT: Obviously more of a prank than anything else. We think so anyway. But during this kind of atmosphere of course, pranks like that that don't go over very well.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): The crowd applauded as police took them away. Officers found an unloaded rifle and brass knuckles in the car. But investigators do not believe the two suspects intended to use them. Police and the mayor say felony charges are being explored, as well as charges of hate crimes.
David Mattingly, CNN, Alexandria, Louisiana.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: Tonight on CNN, a special encore presentation of judgment in Jena. Kyra Phillips get to the heart of a crisis gripping a small southern town, "Justice in Black and White." CNN (INAUDIBLE) is "Judgment at Jena." That is tonight at 7:00 Eastern.
MARCIANO: And people on the Gulf Coast may have dodged a bullet this morning. The expected tropical storm coming into the Gulf of Mexico didn't really materialize. It came ashore as a tropical depression. Good news at least for the Florida panhandle. That happened yesterday or late yesterday.
Even though it's weakened though, it still has got some concern. It could dump a lot of rain onto parts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and there's a threat for tornadoes. Reynolds Wolf keeping an eye on the storm. He joins us from the severe weather center. Reynolds, what's this storm looking like?
(WEATHER REPORT)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kara Finnstrom in New Orleans where there is reason for relief this morning. We'll tell you why state emergency leaders say the threat of this latest tropical system was actually a good thing for the state.
NGUYEN: And you want to stay tuned because our own Rusty Dornin joins the circus. That's right. She goes behind -- wow, that was pretty good, kind of, sort of. She does go behind the scenes of a kid circus and sees for herself just how difficult those stunts really are.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: A small sigh of relief from parts of the Gulf coast this morning. Some people had been preparing for the worst. But the storm's lack of strength is offering a little bit of a reprieve. Let's take you live now to CNN's Kara Finnstrom in New Orleans where the rains aren't coming down just yet.
Hey, Kara.
FINNSTROM: No, they certainly aren't Betty, a huge relief for the people here. Forecasters here locally say that this city has really dodged the bullet with this system. We're just expected to get about an inch of rain later on this afternoon. Now had Jerry as anticipated developed -- this tropical system actually developed into a tropical storm -- it would have been this city's first brush with a major tropical system since 2005. That's when Katrina devastated this area and left about 80 percent of the city streets flooded.
So city leaders here and state leaders not taking any chances. Yesterday they actually issued a state of emergency. They issued sand bags and also set up some emergency shelters just in case. And our crews found people in nearby Slidell actually shoring up their homes with those sand bags. By 10:00 last night, the threat had really passed. Actually, all of those emergency preparations were shut down.
One of the big concerns here, one of the worries had been that people still in those FEMA trailers could be at particular risk. So those people had been urged to move to better shelter. Some of those families had actually already packed up and were moving in with families and friends. But Betty, again, just about an inch of rain expected here later this afternoon. And emergency officials say in a way, the threat of this has been a good thing for them because it's actually given them a very good exercise in preparedness and helped them spot some of the areas they need to work on.
NGUYEN: Better to be safe than sorry. All right, Kara, thank you for that.
MARCIANO: Well, you got some yard work on your agenda this weekend? You're going to be green with envy when you see how the Yankees grounds crew get it done.
NGUYEN: Plus, ever threaten to run away and join the circus? I bet you did that as a kid, didn't you?
MARCIANO: Look at Rusty trying to do that back flip.
NGUYEN: Maybe she will be able to make it around. These kids didn't need to leave home, just their sense of fear. And wait until you see Rusty Dornin take a flying leap, all of that ahead on CNN's SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the big top.
NGUYEN: But look very closely because these death-defying stunts are performed not by professionals -- Rob could even do this -- but middle schoolers. Our Rusty Dornin got into the action.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever cautious, 12- year-old Emily Morrison never liked to take risks. Then two weeks ago she joined the circus.
(on camera): How scary was it that first time when you had to flip up into that chair?
EMILY MORRISON, CIRCUS STUDENT: Really scary. I took, like -- I stood on the board for like 10 minutes because I couldn't do it. I was too scared.
DORNIN (voice-over): A traveling education program called circus of the kids created by (INAUDIBLE) in 1982. Tricks of the trade taught to middle schoolers at St. Jude the Apostle in Atlanta for a flat $2,000 fee and $150 per student.
BRUCE PFEFFER, CIRCUS OF THE KIDS: It's not competitive sports and it's kind of performing arts but it's different and we're able to reach kids who just aren't involved in other things.
DORNIN: Flying through the air with the greatest of ease, not in her wildest dreams says 12-year-old Alexandra Martin (ph).
(on camera): Are you sort of amazed that you're doing the things you're doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. I never thought I could learn that in this short of time.
DORNIN: There are plenty of fumbles and oops, down right misses, and the fear factor. What's the scariest thing, again, about the tricks you do on this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The death drop. You climb to the top. You pull through the slot and then you drop all the way to the bottom and it catches you right before you hit the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You watch the success not of their circus skills but their self-confidence and their team work.
PATTY CHILDS, ST. JUDE THE APOSTLE PRINCIPAL: I like the teamwork we see in the classroom, that we see in the hallways. These kids are like a little cult among themselves.
DORNIN (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) teamwork and practice every day for nearly two weeks. But only about 15 hours in all. And then -- it's show time.
MARY TWINER, CIRCUS STUDENT PARENT: The difference from day one to now is like a universe. It has changed all of these kids and they have really really come a long, long way.
DORNIN: For Richard Barton, his daughter's trapeze act was heart- stopping.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was amazing, absolutely amazing.
DORNIN: Could it really be that easy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got to stand on that little board.
DORNIN (on camera): Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clap your arms like this.
DORNIN (voice-over): Well, maybe for a 12-year-old. But failure was not something my newfound teammates were going to accept. Big top material, I am not. But these pint-sized performers proved they were more than ready for center ring.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Yeah, I think Rusty may want to keep her day job. MARCIANO: She was a good sport.
NGUYEN: She really was. They were really good. It only takes two weeks to do that.
MARCIANO: Now their parents can say, hey, I let you join the circus.
NGUYEN: I'm sure they're going to love that.
We want to get on to another story that we're going to be talking about, the first of many surgeries begin for the little Iraqi boy burned by masked men. The operation is made possible in large part by you, our CNN viewers.
MARCIANO: And pieces from Iraq and Afghanistan are now in the D.C. area, a closer look at artifacts from the battlefield.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR (voice-over): The season for falling leaves is upon us. Rather than bag them and trash them, why not try composting? You can compost everything from leaves to pine needle to kitchen waste.
Begin your compost pile in a sunny spot with three or four inches of straw or twigs. Add alternating layers of high carbon materials like leaves and plant debris and high nitrogen materials like grass clippings and kitchen waste. Mix your pile well every two weeks with a pitchfork or shovel, and be sure not to let it dry out. By next year, you should have a rich, dark hummus (ph) that can be used as fertilizer.
(on camera): I'm Gerri Willis, and that's your Tip of the Day. For more ideas, strategies, and tips to save you money and protect your house, watch "OPEN HOUSE" today, 9:30 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. TED STEVENS (R) ALASKA: Every bill that was presented to us has been paid, personally with our own money.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Alaska Senator Ted Stevens under investigation for his home renovation. We have new details this morning.
Meantime, welcome back everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
MARCIANO: I'm Rob Marciano in for T.J. Holmes. Thanks for starting your day with us.
NGUYEN: Let's get to that top story though of Iran's controversial President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will arrive in the U.S. tomorrow. In New York City officials are bracing for the possibility of massive protests. This will be Ahmadinejad's third visit to the United Nations. But his agenda also includes speaking at Columbia University. In a statement the university's president said the speech will serve as a major forum for robust debate. Clearly that debate has already begun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE QUINN, CITY COUNCIL: There is no reason why he should be extended the privilege, not the right but the privilege of an invitation to such a prestigious university where he will use that stage to spew his hate.
PROF. RICHARD BULLIET, COLUMIA UNIVERSITY: Here we have an opportunity in a situation where there's potentially another war to hear directly from the president of the country that we could find ourselves at war with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: New York City officials denied Ahmadinejad's request to lay a wreath at Ground Zero citing safety concerns at what is now a construction site.
Looking ahead, President Ahmadinejad will sit down with CNN's Christiane Amanpour for a one-on-one interview on Wednesday, so you want to be sure to tune in for that Wednesday night at 10:00 on "AC 360."
MARCIANO: Senate Democrats suffering another loss in their bid to end the Iraq war. Republicans blocked a measure that would have ordered U.S. troops out of Iraq in nine months. The 47-47 tie vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass. The bill sponsor Senator Carl Levin said the U.S. is losing lives and squandering resources in Iraq. Senate Republicans say a nine-month timetable would have dire consequences for the region.
And Republican presidential candidate John McCain is reaffirming his support for the war in Iraq when members of the Anti-war group Code Pink interrupted McCain's speech for the National Rifle Association in Washington, the Arizona senator had a quick response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, my friends, we beat you yesterday. We beat you the day before. We'll beat you today. And we'll beat you tomorrow. We won't choose to lose.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MARCIANO: McCain was the first of four Republican presidential candidates to address the NRA meetings.
NGUYEN: An update now on use of that five year old Iraqi bog as he is recovering after surgery to help repair his badly burned face. Youssif's has underwent his first facial reconstructive surgery at Sherman Oaks Hospital in California on Thursday. And doctors say it went well. You, the viewers, made the surgery possible by donating to CNN's Impact Your World after hearing about Youssiff's horrific ordeal. He was doused with gas and then set on fire by masked men in Baghdad; he is expected to undergo eight operations over the next several months.
Thousands of people, including, you, the viewer, have responded to Youssif's story through CNN Impact Your World. So if you are looking for ways to make a difference for Youssif, you can, just logon to CNN.com/impact and click on Iraq burn victim. There you can learn how you can become a part of a solution. Impacting your world it's just a click away at CNN.com/impact.
MARCIANO: A bribery scandal investigation may now be centering on Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. The FBI is looking into work done on the Republican's home; CNN's Brian Todd takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (Voice over): A powerful U.S. senator brushes off CNN's questions about FBI recordings of him in a bribery case.
SEN. TED STEVENS, (R) ALASKA: I said it's a nice day. I hope you enjoy having a good day. I'm having a great day.
TODD: Ted Stevens the longest-serving Republican in the Senate is on FBI tapes speaking with Bill Allen, the former head of an oil services company who has pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska state officials. That is according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. Not known, how what is on the tape, how many recordings there were or when they were made. Allen a long time contributor to Steven's campaigns admitted in court that his oil firm Veco help remodel Stevens' home outside Anchorage. With research by federal agents this summer.
ALLEN: I don't thing there was a lot of material. There was some labor.
ATTORNEY: So you -- there wasn't a lot of material, but you paid some labor bills that went into remodeling Senator Stevens's house.
ALLEN: Yes.
TODD: One contractor involved in the renovation told CNN he sent his bills directly to Allen's oil company but he was paid by Senator Stevens. Stevens said this about the work.
STEVENS: Every bill that has been paid presented to us has been paid, personally with our own money.
TODD: Stevens has not been charged and there's no evidence of quid pro quo that that Stevens gave Veco something in return for work on the house. But experts say if investigators can prove intent for that.
JEFFREY JACOBOVITZ, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He doesn't have to have performed it in the bribery case or in a gratuity case, but in fact, if he knew he was getting the money to do something to further their interests, then, in fact, Senator Stevens has some issues.
TODD: That may be where these FBI tapes prove critical, one way or an other.
We tried to contact Steven's attorney regarding the taped conversation. He did not return our calls. This investigation has already led to bribery and conspiracy charges against three current and former Alaska lawmakers.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: The legal fate of Warren Jeffs is now up to a Utah jury. The polygamous sex leader is accused as an accomplish to first degree rape, in that case involves a young woman who was allegedly coerced into marrying an older cousin when she was just 14 years old.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: church, his religious beliefs, his religion are what's on trial here, being dressed up as a crime called rape.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If anyone told a 14-year-old girl that she must get married and he said no, he would be here, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Deliberations resume on Monday. And if he is convicted of the charges, Jeffs could spend the rest of his life in prison.
MARCIANO: Reynolds Wolf has a few things happening in the CNN Severe Weather Center. What's going on, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Still watching the tropical depression. Still bringing some rainfall to parts of the Florida Panhandle, Mississippi, even Louisiana before the day is out. Take a look at this live images that we have for you from Biloxi, Mississippi. You can see water on the left and rain coming in. We'll give you the complete forecast in just a few moments.
NGUYEN: And a case that has sparked controversy across the nation. And Jena 6 who was also sparking controversy on the Web. And Veronica De La Cruz has been monitoring that. Good morning.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, DOT COM DESK: Good morning to you, Betty. That is right; the situation in Jena, Louisiana is all over the Internet. We'll be taking a closer look, next.
Plus, we're going to be asking you to weigh in with your thoughts. And it is all coming up next from the dotcom desk. Stay close.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF: I'm Reynolds Wolf and this is a look at today's allergy report. Any spot on the map where you happen to see red or orange, that indicates high traces of rag weed. That's exactly what we have got for you in parts of the Central Plains. On the other side of things, we see greens and blues. That indicates low traces of particulate in the atmosphere. Cleaner air to green and that situation in parts of the northern Plains, the Pacific Northwest. For much of the west coast and even the extreme northeast. That is a look at today's allergy report.
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NGUYEN: Check it out. A bit of a reprieve this morning for people on parts of a Gulf Coast, an expected tropical storm never quite gained the strength as people had expected. So folks started pulling their boats out of the water. And in some areas shelters were opened up in anticipation of what was threatening to be severe weather. Still parts of the Gulf Coast can expect lots of rain today. And no one better to tell us about the forecast than two meteorologists on staff.
MARCIANO: That is right Reynolds, you remember Humberto. You have to air on the side of conservatism.
WOLF: Absolutely. And especially this time of year, it's still hurricane season. A whole lot can happen. We're fortunate this did begin to die out. It could have been far, far worse. However, it's also doing some good things. We don't have any watches or warnings in affect right now for parts of the Panhandle of Florida or even Alabama.
It is bringing some beneficial rainfall which is a welcome site for Orange Beach, back over to Fairhope, even into spots like Fort Morgan, and the Dolphin Island getting a few scattered showers this morning. In Biloxi, you are seeing some rainfall to the north. In terms of what you're seeing, Biloxi, here's a live image that you have right there along the coast, it looks pretty good there. Skies are gray, as they should be with this storm chugging on through.
Now we're going to move farther down back into Louisiana and check out New Orleans. You can see the Super Dome, you see the Mississippi River, and you can even see just a few lights popping on here and there. It's going to be a cloudy day there, some scattered showers possible. It does look, as we go back to the weather computer, that most of the rainfall, the heaviest activity will be back into Mississippi, into Laurel, McGee, and Jackson before the day is out. We could be dealing with heavy, heavy rainfall. We are looking anywhere from say three to six inches of rain. Now precipitation of an entirely different variety, we're talking about snow. Rob, listen up. You're going to love this. Rob is a huge skier. Heavy rainfall in parts of the Bay area southward into parts of the, well, the basin up near Big Bear. Into the mountains before the day is out, the snow is really going to begin to pile up in locations like, say, Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth Mountain as well. Anywhere from 5-10 inches of snowfall from 7,500 feet and upwards. Nice, wintry precipitation pretty early for this time of year, by the way.
MARCIANO: I think you know there's a little weather conference out there at Mammoth.
WOLF: I understand that.
NGUYEN: Wasn't that in the Bahamas a year before?
WOLF: The airport is not too far from where we are right here.
MARCIANO: So it's easy to get there.
NGUYEN: I see where you're going with this.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: Any time.
NGUYEN: Boy, the perks of being a meteorologist, I'll tell you.
The storm system also caused damage in parts of the south there in Georgia. As it moves north, more than an inch of rain fell in Albany. But Reynolds Wolf says that is a good thing because they have been suffering drought conditions for many months now.
No doubt the story of the Jena 6 has been the talk of the blogs all week along.
MARCIANO: And Veronica De La Cruz at the dot come desk probably has been scouring the Internet for some interesting comments, no doubt.
DE LA CRUZ: For sure. We haven't seen people get fired up like this for quite a while. We had one of the highest traffic days at CNN.com on Thursday, all the people logging on, watching the rallies. One of the nice features about CNN.com is the blogs there about particular stories are now linked to that story.
Now you don't have to go hunting for them. Let's go ahead and talk about this story about Mychal Bell. You scroll down the bottom where these blogs are, Betty and Rob, and you'll quickly see a lot of people have been weighing in. Like I said, the reaction has been pretty incredible. Two blogs there in particular we want to point out to you.
This one is called native son. He said I was expecting this - he is talking about Mychal Bell not being released from prison. One person posted on the blog what people want is fair treatment under the law. Hanging a noose on public school grounds is not freedom of speech. It is ethnic intimidation, it is as bad as wearing a swastika. The black students received a suspension for fighting, not adult criminal charges.
And another blog at CNN is linked to where is the outrage.net. One person quotes that this reaction to Thursday's rally, this person says, "I'm a resident of the Lasalle Parish and I'm appalled at what took place in Jena yesterday. Protesters came and trashed our beautiful little town with litter and treated these boys like nearly killed someone like celebrities by having them sign autographs. I think that was ridiculous."
The blogs obviously lighting up a lot of people reacting to the news out of Jena. And our question today we want to hear what you think. Is the appearance of more nooses the start of a trend of ugly pranks or a symptom of something more menacing? Go ahead and send us your thoughts. Hanging a noose, prank or hate crime. Send us an e-mail to WEEKENDS@CNN.com. We are going to be reading some of those a little bit later on our show. A lot of people feeling one way or another on this. And I can't even begin to tell you my inbox was flooded yesterday.
NGUYEN: I can imagine something like this really sparks off. Two people from Moore House College, two students who attended the Jena rally. Nooses were hung at a school there.
DE LA CRUZ: Send us your e-mail at WEEKENDS@CNN.com.
NGUYEN: Tonight on CNN a special encore presentation of judgment in Jena. Kyra Phillips gets to the heart of the crises in ripping a small southern town, "Justice in Black and White." CNN's "SIU's Judgment in Jena" that airs tonight at 7:00 Eastern.
So, are you digging your own grave every time you pick up the fork? Sometimes I feel like it.
MARCIANO: Well Dr. Sanjay Gupta has an eye opening look at America's killer diet. A preview of a Special Investigation ahead in this morning's "House Call."
NGUYEN: But first, if you mow it, they will come. A field of dreams for our own Rob Marciano, though he probably doesn't want to do all that work. A special tour of Yankees stadium, that's ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
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NGUYEN: Hey, did you know Barry Bonds is looking for a new team. San Francisco Giants officials are now saying they are ready to part company with the all-time home run king. Bonds provided plenty of highlights and controversy for Giant's fans during his 15 years with that team. And he says he still wants to play next year. Bonds made more than $19 million this season. And we're going to talk more about Bonds and disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis. That is coming up next hour; sports business analyst Rick Horrow joins us in about 30 minutes. MARCIANO: Who says CNN doesn't do sports? The home that Ruth built. I got to hang out at Yankee Stadium and their grounds crew to see how they keep that field in such great shape.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been with the Yankees 19 years now. We have seen a full array of weather. There's good, bad, and bad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty good. There's nothing out there. See what the forecast is for today. We also have the TV. The weather guys on TV give you good, accurate forecasts.
MARCIANO: It depends on who you're watching.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really, the 20 percent dirt is 80 percent of the game. So we're constantly trying to improve our dirt, so to speak.
MARCIANO: Do you want to do this one?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is high-tech gear. This is the latest in technology right here.
MARCIANO: How's my technique? It's pretty weak, isn't it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our main concern here is safety, playability and then stats.
You don't want it to be hard on one side and soft on the other. You want to try and keep it the same so the playability is constant throughout the whole field.
MARCIANO: The leader of the YMCA dance. Is that true?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
MARCIANO: Can you give me a little routine? How does it happen? Come on, don't be shy. YMCA. Come on. Y-M-C-A.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Y-M-C-A.
MARCIANO: Do your friends constantly calling you for tickets?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm everybody's friend from April to October. As the game progresses, you have players, traffic and so forth. Bad hops are part of the game.
MARCIANO: I've never seen a bad hop at Yankees Stadium.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: I'm looking for free tickets, though.
(END VIDEOTAPE) MARCIANO: Our legal department will be happy to know that I asked and they wouldn't give them to me.
NGUYEN: You were sure working it hard, though.
MARCIANO: That was a fun piece. Those guys work their jobs seriously.
WOLF: You had great technique. No performance-enhances drugs whatsoever. This was all-natural.
MARCIANO: I think that's painfully obvious.
WOLF: Great YMCA technique, too, man. Are you sad Barry is not working for them next year?
MARCIANO: Heart broken. I've been crying for hours. You just have to be strong.
NGUYEN: Carry on the good fight. Before you break down in tears, we will move on.
The mystery of a missing woman in Chicago. We are going to be talking about that at the top of the hour. Police are looking into whether threatening messages had anything to do with her disappearance.
MARCIANO: But first, signed and send, a story of war. You can see them at the Marine Museum in the D.C. area. We'll take a look at some other items brought back home.
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NGUYEN: Telling the story of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
MARCIANO: Items brought back from the battle field bringing reality closer to home.
Here's CNN pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Here at the Marine Corps Museum outside Washington, D.C. There's more than just musty artifacts of history. Items fresh off the battle fields of Iraq and Afghanistan are being readied for permanent display. This al Qaeda banner was captured in Fallujah. It was seen in torture videos like this one, used to intimidate Iraqis.
OWEN CONNER, MARINE CORPS MUSEUM CURATOR: The banner says the Islamic secret army platoon, black banner of battalion. And it is telling it is sending the Arabic to kill them so they won't be trouble.
STARR: These days, history walks right in the door. CONNER: It's been amazing to see how many artifacts where we have where guys are right off the plane and coming straight to the museum.
STARR: The museum directors want these to tell the story of the war, including the growing role of women in combat.
BENJAMIN KRISTY, MARINE CORPS MUSEUM CURATOR: The artifact we have here is a flight suit, standard, summer weight flight suit, it was donated by Capt. Jessica Moore, and she is one of the growing numbers of Marine Corps, female helicopter pilots.
STARR: There are these aerial vehicles which show how entire units of marines can be protected overhead from enemy fire.
CWO MICHAEL FAY, MARINE CORPS COMBAT ARTIST: This is the bag that I take my supplies with and actually it is a combat trauma bag.
STARR: There is even official Marie Corp combat art. Chief ward officer Michael Fay carried his paint and pencils into combat. This painting tells of his first patrol in Afghanistan.
FAY: The painting was called "All Eyes Down." So one of the things you were very conscious of when as you were patrolling is not only this beautiful golden light, sunset, purple mountains in the distance but the ground beneath is far from benign.
STARR: Are the Iraqi security forces holding? That sign behind me just like this one now on display is used to warn Iraqis of danger.
CONNER: What you see is the real dirt from Iraq. Where the blasts caved the sign in.
STARR: The dirt, the reality of war, here and now, not waiting for history.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Rob Marciano in for T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: So good to have you Rob.
MARCIANO: Glad to be here.
NGUYEN: We have him all day long and tomorrow. Don't go anywhere. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. Glad to have you today. One day after a huge march in Jena, Louisiana, police say nooses were found hanging in a North Carolina school yard. So, was it hate crimes or just a prank?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just not the kind of person who would just leave without a trace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: The search is on this morning for a missing Chicago woman after a series of threatening phone calls, she disappeared.
NGUYEN: And we want you to take a look at this. A police officer rescues a man from a burning car. We have all those details, coming up.
Wow that's amazing video. New this morning, though, more nooses reportedly found at a school this time in Highpoint, North Carolina. Officials say four nooses were found hanging from a tree. And Elizabeth Winger of affiliate WXII has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH WINGER, WXII CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ... as students and teachers arrived at Andrews High School Friday morning, two nooses hanging from a tree. Police later found two more on campus.
SONYA CONWAY, GUILFORD CO. N.C. SCHOOLS: I think any time something like this happens, you're shocked, extremely disappointed.
WINGER: Police are investigating the incident, but are quick to say they have no motive in this case. They warn it may be a hate crime, but it may also be a horrible joke or a high school football ritual or something else.
LT. KEN STEELE, HIGH POINT, N.C. POLICE: We don't know what it is right now. It's too early to talk about crimes or charges right now until we find out what the motivation is behind it.
WINGER: It's timely in light of Thursday's rally in Jena, Louisiana. There tens of thousands protested the treatment of six black teenagers accused of beating a white student after nooses were found hanging from a tree outside a Louisiana high school. The Guilford County school district calls what happened here a serious matter.
CONWAY: We also recognize that more attention, ideas start bubbling up that maybe weren't there to begin with. So we hope you all work with us and also convey how serious something like this is.
WINGER: Meanwhile, students posted signs on campus showing their anger over the incident.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's stupid, childish. Especially with what's going on with the Jena six.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: In Jena, Louisiana itself, Jena six defendant Mychal Bell remains behind bars today. The court yesterday refused to release Bell even though his conviction in the beating of a white student was tossed out. It's not known exactly what happened in the courtroom because legal proceedings involving juveniles are generally sealed from the public.
NGUYEN: Well, Thursday's massive rally in Jena on behalf of Mychal Bell and the other Jena six defendants may have provoked a racial backlash.
MARCIANO: CNN's David Mattingly has the latest on what could be a troubling trend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): The Web site proudly displays a swastika on its home page. Inside, one posting reveals the addresses of the Jena six saying, quote, in case anyone wants to deliver justice. The site is edited by a white supremacist whose own words can be heard in this streaming audio.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to go down there and put a bullet in each one of those little black kids that they have acquitted or they've let off of these convictions for beating this white child.
MATTINGLY: Asked if he brought any harm to the Jena six with his postings, the editor told CNN, I don't know that doing justice can be considered doing harm. Just 24 hours after a massive violence-free rally in the Louisiana town of Jena, the FBI is looking into a racist backlash, seemingly menacing acts online and on the streets.
Forty five minutes south of Jena, two teens were caught on tape in this exclusive CNN i-Report in Alexandria. They had nooses tied to the back of their pickup and driving past crowds of people who had attended the marches and rallies. Alexandria resident and i-Report contributor Casanova Love couldn't believe his eyes. Do you think the chance was there that somebody could have gotten hurt?
CASANOVA LOVE, I-REPORTER: Possibly. Possibly. You never know. It's 50/50. It's 50/50 chance.
MATTINGLY: It happened right here on Main Street. A large crowd had gathered at this bus station after the rally, people wanting to catch a bus and go home that night. That's when someone in the crowd noticed a pickup truck driving by with the nooses attached. There was a police officer on duty right here. He was alerted. And that truck was stopped in just a matter of blocks.
Another exclusive i-Report shows the police taking one of the two into custody. 18-year-old Jeremiah Munson was booked on misdemeanor charges of inciting a riot, driving while intoxicated and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He's out on bail. His 16-year-old companion remains in juvenile custody, accused of under age drinking and a probation violation. In the arrest report, the teen tells police he has a KKK tattoo and his parents were active in the Klan. Alexandria police say there is no indication any group was involved. Was it a prank?
CHIEF DAREN COUTEE, ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPT: Obviously more of a prank than anything else. We think so anyway. But during this kind of atmosphere of course, pranks like that that don't go over very well.
MATTINGLY: The crowd applauded as police took them away. Officers found an unloaded rifle and brass knuckles in the car. But investigators do not believe the two suspects intended to use them. Police and the mayor say felony charges are being explored, as well as charges of hate crimes.
David Mattingly, CNN, Alexandria, Louisiana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: So we want to know what you think this morning. Should hanging or displaying a noose be considered a prank or a hate crime? E-mail us your thoughts. The address is weekends@cnn.com.
MARCIANO: And you can see an encore presentation of CNN's special investigative report, judgment in Jena, that's tonight at 7:00 Eastern only here on CNN.
While they're cleaning up in central Florida this morning, take a look at this new video just into CNN today. You can see heavy damage caused by a tornado in Lake County. For the latest now we check in with Jonathan Petramala of affiliate bay news 9. Jonathan, what can you tell us today?
JONATHAN PETRAMALA, BAY NEWS 9 CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Rob. As you can see behind me, the damage is quite extensive. It was an F-1 tornado. So what that basically means, it was winds about 100 to 110 miles per hour that tore through about a 10-block area.
Now take a look at this house behind me. There's now a tarp covering what used to be a roof. The walls were knocked down. This is one of the most heavily damaged homes here in this area. There were about 20 homes that were left uninhabitable by this storm. You can see that the trees were just ripped out of the ground. That was the most heavily damaged part is probably this area where I am now. You can see part of the roof on the ground as well.
Yesterday, residents didn't wait for help. They basically came out on their own. They started cleaning up. They chopped up the tree limbs. They stacked them up along the side of the road. And they basically got things somewhat back to normal. This morning we expect to see a little bit more of that. Slowly but surely we have seen neighbors walking by. They live just a couple blocks away. They had no damage whatsoever. They're walking by this morning because they want to see what they can do to help out. We expect to see a lot of work later on this morning. It's been kind of a quiet morning. Everybody is kind of sleeping and resting from that hard day that was yesterday.
MARCIANO: Jon, just some confirmation on the reports yesterday that there were no serious injuries and no fatalities. Is that still the case? PETRAMALA: Yeah, that's right. Despite the devastation behind me, like you said, you can see nobody died. There were reports of one slight injury, a gentleman that was cut up. But really amazingly that nobody was hurt in this storm.
MARCIANO: Jonathan Petramala, our affiliate Bay News 9 reporting this morning. Thanks, Jonathan.
NGUYEN: They're getting a bit of a break this morning for people along parts of the Gulf coast. An expected tropical storm never quite gained the strength that was expected. So people pulled their boats out of the water. In some areas, shelters even opened up in anticipation of the severe weather outside. That though didn't turn out to be.
MARCIANO: Reynolds Wolf at the hurricane headquarters. Thank goodness this was not a hurricane. It could have been a lot worse.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Now we got winter and a little bit of summer weather going on.
WOLF: It's all happening as we speak.
NGUYEN: Keeping you guys busy. Thank you.
MARCIANO: Well, there's more ahead on how residents along the Gulf coast got ready for expected severe weather. Kara Finnstrom joins us live from New Orleans at 10:00 a.m. and later today on the CNN "NEWSROOM," Susan Roesgen will have a live report from Biloxi, Mississippi.
NGUYEN: In the meantime, firefighters are gaining control over wildfires in southern Washington State. Just take a look. Several houses have been destroyed, but most residents are being allowed to return home now.
And a gunman opens fire on two students at Delaware State University. We have an update on that story, straight ahead.
MARCIANO: And bye-bye, Barry. After 15 seasons in San Francisco, Bonds is out next year. More on that with sports business analyst Rick Horrow later in the hour. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Delaware State University has cancelled all classes again. Police have questioned two students as persons of interest. And they may have been involved in campus shootings early Friday. Now the shootings sent two students to the hospital, including a young woman who is in serious condition. Coming up at 9:00 Eastern, CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us live from Dover with the latest.
MARCIANO: In Chicago, police continue to search for 28-year-old Niyali (ph) Franklin. Franklin, a pharmaceutical rep reportedly sent a text message to her boyfriend in Milwaukee on Tuesday. She hasn't been seen or heard from since.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANA HAMILTON, FRIEND: I do believe she's in distress of some sort because she's not the kind of person who would just leave without a trace.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It defies explanation. I mean, that sounds dramatic, but she's not the type of person who would kind of be like, oh, I'm just going to get away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Police say Franklin had recently filed a report alleging she had been threatened and harassed by an acquaintance but she had not asked for protection.
NGUYEN: Well, no threat, that is what the FBI is saying this morning about reports of suspicious activity aboard an American Eagle flight last night. A flight attendant reported suspicious activity by two passengers on that flight from Jacksonville, Florida to Raleigh, North Carolina. After reviewing the passengers and crew, the FBI determined it was nothing more than a misperception. So would a passengers bill of rights help with incidents like that? What does it mean for airline travelers? Well, our Veronica de la Cruz will join us a little bit later this hour to look at that.
MARCIANO: Moving to Iraq now, a return to normal operations for Blackwater, USA. The State Department confirming that the private security company is back at full strength today. Blackwater is used by the State Department in Iraq to protect diplomats. They were sidelined earlier this week over accusations that guards killed Iraqi civilians. Now new allegations, Federal prosecutors in the U.S. investigating whether Blackwater employees smuggled weapons into Iraq.
NGUYEN: A controversial man, a controversial visit, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahminejad arrives in the United States on -- actually tomorrow I should say. He plans an address, to address the United Nations and will also speak at Columbia University. Now New York City security officials are expecting massive protests during that visit. The Bush administration considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism and also blames the country for arming Shiite militias against U.S. forces in Iraq.
MARCIANO: He says he's innocent but tests didn't agree. Neither did an arbitration panel looking into doping allegations against former Tour de France champion Floyd Landis. So what's next for the cyclist? Sports business analyst Rick Horrow weighs in next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. And later on "HOUSECALL" ...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks. We have a lot going on this morning on "House Call." First up, we're going to give you some tips to make you a smarter patient and how do know if you've been misdiagnosed. Then, eating smarter. Take an inventory of what you eat and find out how getting rid of just a couple foods could help you lose weight. All that coming up on "House Call" at 8:30.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: But first, a car burst into flames with the driver still trapped inside. An officer springed (sic) into action and we have that amazing rescue. It is caught on tape. The story coming up on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLOYD LANDIS, CYCLIST: I declare convincingly and categorically that my winning the Tour de France has been exclusively due to many years of training and my complete devotion to cycling to the sacrifice of an entire life of carrying out my dream, a dream of thousands of kilometers that I have completed through an absolute respect to the cleanness of the sport.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: From champ to outcast. American cyclist Floyd Landis this week joined the ranks of the dirty athletes. Just over a year ago, Landis was riding high as the winner of the Tour de France. But this week Landis was stripped of his championship after an arbitration panel ruled that he used banned drugs. Landis says he's innocent. What's next for Landis and how will this affect American cycling?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANDIS: First of all, I would like to thank all the media for coming here today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Rick Horrow is a sports business analyst. He joins us this morning from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rick, good morning. It's been a while. How are you doing?
RICK HORROW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How's your golf game? As bad as it used to be or what?
MARCIANO: As bad as always my friend.
HORROW: But you're in a better position than Floyd Landis is today.
MARCIANO: I guarantee you. That's for sure. Even though I barely know how to ride a bike. What's next for this guy? I mean is it over? Can he appeal? Are we done with this?
HORROW: Apparently you don't need to know how to ride a bike, according to the world doping agency, you need to know how to cheat. The bottom line of the whole thing is that he can appeal the international court for arbitration for sports. He's already spent $2 million for his lawyers already. I'm not sure that's going to work. And the word synthetic testosterone are a dirty word for not only him, but for the sport.
Congratulations by the way, Oscar Perrero (ph), the first time in the 105-year history of the Tour de France that the award was given out after the other guy won and was disqualified. Wait, he's being investigated by the Spanish doping officials. So it may be short- lived.
MARCIANO: You're kidding. I had no idea.
HORROW: He may be going down three, four, maybe five steps below.
MARCIANO: Maybe even more. You mentioned this race 105 years old. This has never been done, stripped because of doping. Is this as big as we think it is?
HORROW: Well it's certainly big in cycling. But it's also big in sports. Look what's happened in the last few weeks. You have a forum on cheating by (INAUDIBLE) an NBA referee. You've got McClaren (ph) cheating in formula 1. You've got the Belichick cheating defensive signals. You have O.J. Simpson cheating on life. You got Barry Bonds, for example. You got all of those things.
Nike spends about $23 billion in revenue they're getting in in 2011. A lot of that is because of their endorsements as an example. So corporations are still looking for endorsers, but there are so many bad actors now that deals have to be shorter, smaller and easier to terminate. And it's only getting worse.
MARCIANO: I'm guessing Nike, if they did, they no longer represent or sponsor OJ. Simpson. One more thing on this cycling deal. I mean Lance Armstrong had the U.S. cycling at the top of the world and now this guy comes in and certainly brings this down. What happens now for American cycling, both as far as morale goes and the business?
HORROW: Well remember, Greg Laman (ph) has questions about him when he won. Everybody says it's easy to shoot at you at the top. So did Lance Armstrong for that matter. But does charitable good outweigh any of those suspicions. The Discovery Channel's team was one of the biggest and most prolific in the sport. Corporations are running away very quickly. Some say that cycling comes back but from a national perspective. So you'll have teams like Belgium and France sponsoring their own groups. Again, it might be nationalistic as a bridge to building back for when corporations take it over again. But it's not going to happen overnight.
MARCIANO: Speaking of alleged cheaters, let's move on to Barry Bonds. Word this morning that the Giants aren't going to offer him a deal next year. Where did you think he's going to end up?
HORROW: Great segue pal and here's the answer as far as Barry Bonds is concerned. When you look at the big picture, no matter where he ends up, most people think he'll be in the American league. He still can hit the heck out of the ball, but he can't play defense really and he is getting old. Frankly, after the Giants had him as the guy with the home run record, remember, when Peter McGowan (ph) bought the franchise it was $150 million. Now it's nearly a half billion, leading the league. They're up there in attendance all the time. He may be going somewhere else after the Giants have finished his value for them and vice versa.
MARCIANO: Two quick questions, (INAUDIBLE) answers. How much was he making this year and how much do you think he'll make somewhere else next year?
HORROW: Over 16, probably not as much, but it's going to be a lot of money because he's no longer just an outfielder. He is an icon now and a lightning rod. That counts for something.
MARCIANO: He will fill the seats somewhere, that's for sure. Rick Horrow, our sports analyst, thanks Rick. Good to see you.
HORROW: All right. See you soon.
NGUYEN: Hey, guys, this is one time where a driver was glad he was being followed by an officer. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As I tried to pull over and hit a tree and the car burst into flames.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: OK. So officers act quickly to save a man from a burning car. You have to see this video. It is caught on camera.
DE LA CRUZ: all right. Does this sound familiar? You're at the airport, you're on a plane and then suddenly you're stuck on the tarmac for hours and hours. We're going to take a closer look at airline passenger rights on the web. It is all coming up next from the dotcom desk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. You have to take a look at this dash cam video. The man is that car is lucky to be alive. Affiliate WEAR is reporting that when police tried to pull Scott Sampson (ph) over, he kept driving, leading them on a chase, then losing a tire in the process and eventually crashing into a tree. His car, as you see it right there, burst into blames, but the officer behind him busted out the car's back window, unlocked the driver's door and then pulled Sampson to safety seconds before that car became a ball of fire.
MARCIANO: Wow.
NGUYEN: Isn't that amazing?
MARCIANO: (INAUDIBLE) those dashboard cams, some heroics there for sure.
NGUYEN: Lucky to get out of there. Hey, a consumer event this week on the national mall in Washington is being felt in airports across the country.
MARCIANO: That's because anyone who flies knows that you're at the mercy of the airlines. You can be stuck on the tarmac forever and ever.
DE LA CRUZ: We all have these stories, don't we?
NGUYEN: Yes we do and they're never good ones.
DE LA CRUZ: I'm going to share a couple of them. Can you guys say this with me? It's called a strand-in.
NGUYEN: Not a sit-in but a strand in.
DE LA CRUZ: Thank you Betty, thank you for clarifying. Well, Tuesday's event on the mall was intended to demonstrate how a normal aircraft can quickly become unbearable when the plane can't take off or return to the gate. So, Rob, we're talking about this strand-in. To make it as realistic as possible, they had overflowing toilets and a tape loop of crying babies on this plane. Organizers want a passenger bill of rights that would limit these waits on these planes to three hours. Do you think it's going to happen?
MARCIANO: I don't know. There are problems with the airports. Where do you put the planes? How do you get people off?
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