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CNN Saturday Morning News
Typhoon Parma Hitting an Already Storm-Weary Philippines; Deadly Mudslides Taking Place After Earthquakes in Indonesia; Robert Joe Halderman Arrested in David Letterman Extortion Case
Aired October 03, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey. From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for this October in 3D.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, October 3D.
HOLMES: The prompter is not going to start this morning, right?
NGUYEN: Yes, that's all right. It's early.
HOLMES: October 3rd. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Well, it's a good thing that we're getting that cleared up. Hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. It's 6:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, you can see the city behind us here. 5:00 a.m. in Chicago, 7:00 a.m. in Rio de Janeiro. Why are we saying that? Because they have won the Olympics for 2016. Also 3:00 a.m. in Seattle.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: Thanks for starting your day with us.
HOLMES: Much different mood in Rio than it is in Chicago this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes, it is. Yes, just a little bit.
All right, this is a different mood for the folks in the Philippines, the one that they are not looking forward to. Typhoon Parma hitting northern Philippine coastline, and right now powerful rains and wind are just pounding the area. There's no word yet of injuries, but if you recall a storm on September 26th caused more than 200 deaths, so this is exactly what they do not need. We have a live report coming up.
HOLMES: And something else we'll be talking about a lot this morning which many of you are probably talking about -- David Letterman and that extortion case against him. We're finding out some more about the man who tried to get $2 million from David Letterman or threatening to -- has actually put some information out there about some sexual exploits on behalf of "The Late Show" host. Well, some more details about that guy which prosecutors now say was pretty desperate in some deep debt. We'll be talking about that this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes, and it's also sparking a little debate around some workplaces around the water cooler. Here's our question today. What do you think about workplace relationships? What's your take on them? E-mail us, also send us your replies to Facebook, Twitter, weekends@CNN.com. You can go to our blogs as well. There are many ways to reach out to us. We'll be reading some of those replies on the air.
HOLMES: Now, I just want you to take a look at this video. How many schools have you been to where the kids were just that enthusiastic? I don't know if you've seen a lot of them, I know it happens here and there, but we're going to be showing you and taking you to a place here in Atlanta where it's a lot different. They have some different teaching methods, and a lot of people say it is working and they have the test scores to prove it -- Ron Clark Academy is what we're talking about. We'll get into that a little later.
But first, some stories happening overnight we want to tell you about. This is some good news here. An infant who was kidnapped Tuesday from his home in Tennessee has been found alive and safe in Alabama, was found yesterday. Authorities have arrested a 39-year-old woman in connection with the case who apparently has no relation to the family. The baby and mother are expected to be reunited soon.
NGUYEN: Well, ESPN Sports reporter Erin Andrews relieved this morning. The FBI has actually arrested a man accused of posting illegal nude videos of her on the Internet. Forty-eight-year-old Michael David Barrett is accused of secretly taping Andrews while she was nude in two hotel rooms. Barrett has been charged with interstate stalking. He is due in court on -- actually this morning. We'll be following that for you.
HOLMES: Banks continue to fail in this country at an alarming rate, actually at four times the rate they failed last year. We got three more to tell you about this morning. Regional banks, they have shut their doors, brings the total for the year to just about 100. The latest banks to fail, let's show them to you here: Warren Bank, that's in Michigan, Jennings Bank in Minnesota, and then Southern Colorado National Bank in Pueblo. All of these banks were FDIC insured.
NGUYEN: All right, so it's going from bad to worse in the Philippines and it's getting hit right now with another typhoon. Typhoon Parma slammed into the already storm-weary country and tens of thousands are seeking shelter. Also, this comes after another typhoon hit the country last weekend, killing more than 200 people and putting much of Manila under water. Today's storm could dump from eight to 20 inches of rain.
Meanwhile, though, the Indonesian government says there may be nearly 4,000 people still trapped under rubble from two earthquakes, one Wednesday and another on Thursday. (INAUDIBLE) Indonesia, a teenager is pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building after 40 hours on Wednesday, that quake that struck 40 hours ago, finally found this child alive. And in Samoa, at least 168 people are confirmed dead in the aftermath of Tuesday's quake and tsunami.
HOLMES: All right, our Reynolds Wolf keeping an eye on all things related to these typhoons. Actually, Reynolds, we got one hit last week. We've got another one. Now, we're talking about Parma. And so, what are they looking at now? This stuff is in now way over for them.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it looks like Parma is going to be leaving the Philippines and the problem is it is going to be getting very close to Taiwan. You know, we've been talking all year about how quiet the tropics have been in the Atlantic, but in the Pacific, they just keep on coming and this is the latest we have on Parma.
Take a look at this: winds are currently 90 miles per hour, gusting to 115. It's just a huge storm now going north of Manila, producing in some places over a foot of rainfall. And as it continues its march to the north, it is expected to turn as the storms often turn very rapidly in the Atlantic. Same thing can happen out in the Pacific.
Expect to make a over northerly jog as we get into Sunday. Winds dropping a little bit to 85 miles an hour, then re-strengthening as we get into Sunday. And then fast forwarding into Tuesday and even into Thursday, storm bearing back out to the east over open water, but actually strengthening a bit to a Category 2 storm with winds in excess of 100 miles an hour. So, we're talking still about some major stuff. So, we need to watch out for them very carefully. Certainly, our hearts and thoughts go out to them.
To put it in perspective, folks, this is kind of like their Katrina, their Rita, all scrambled up into one. I mean, certainly just a huge mess they're having out there.
Things are pretty quiet here in the U.S., you got to know what's going to happen for your weekend. Pretty dry and cool for much of the Southeast. We did have some scattered showers, but that is now all moving out. We'll look for some rain in parts at the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, back out towards Texas, could see some heavy rainfall. Looking like, say, Austin, south of San Antonio could get fairly heavy there.
We're going to be talking about that coming up in a few moments, plus your temperatures and chance of snowfall around much of the nation. Let's send it back to you guys.
NGUYEN: Oh my goodness. We're just into October, and already seeing snowfall.
WOLF: Rockies could get hit especially hard. We're going to let you know exactly how much in a few minutes.
NGUYEN: OK, thank you, Reynolds.
HOLMES: Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
NGUYEN: And we'll also go live to an evacuation shelter in the Philippines where hundreds have sought shelter from Typhoon Parma, which is just pounding that area. That comes just ahead.
In the meantime, though, the quakes on Wednesday, Thursday, also triggering deadly mudslides in the mountainous areas of Indonesia.
HOLMES: And near Padang on the island of Sumatra, at least three villages have been demolished there. Most of the residents were killed there.
Our Arwa Damon spoke with some of those few survivors.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Outside of the city of Padang, there's also widespread devastation. At the end of this road, there once were three villages. We're hearing that they have been entirely demolished. Ninety percent of the residents there dead, still buried. The only survivors are inside this tent.
(voice-over): Most survived quite simply because they happened not to be at home, and now everybody is understandably in shock. Seventy-year-old Marsat (ph) tells us how she was buried up to her neck and had to dig herself out. Eight of her family members are now dead.
(on camera): The earthquake caused a massive landslide. This is as far as we've been able to get on what once was the road. So, to reach the village, we actually have to climb up and over.
(voice-over): Safradean (ph), a local leader, points to where there used to be people's homes, now entirely swallowed up by the earth.
(on camera): We've just come down off the side of the mountain and from the minute you arrive here, you can smell the stench of death and the only thing that we've seen that even remotely resembles what would have once been a house is this.
(voice-over): Twenty-seven-year-old Rusal (ph) shows us where his house used to be and then points to where he found his family's motorcycle when it was swept down. It's all that remains. As each day goes buy, the true immensity of Wednesday's earthquake becomes disturbingly clear.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, if you would like to help the victims of the tsunami, also the quakes, you can go to Impact Your World, our home page at CNN.com to find a list of links to aid groups, including the Red Cross and World Vision. Again, that's CNN.com/impact.
NGUYEN: Well, the Labor Department has released job report numbers for September and it shows the rate of unemployment is now inching closer to a whopping 10 percent. More than a quarter of a million jobs lost last month. Since the recession began, more than 7.2 million jobs have gone away and more than 50,000 construction, manufacturing and government workers, well, they got the pink slips, too. Males, females, teenagers, just about everyone took a hit last month, but of all the major race groups in the country, only Hispanics saw any gains in employment.
HOLMES: And meanwhile President Obama in his weekly address to the nation, he's focusing on how rising costs of health care are crippling small business owners.
Take a listen to -- oh, it was released just a little bit ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One small business owner wrote to me that health care costs are, and I quote, "stifling my business growth." He said that the money he wanted to use for research and development and to expand his operations has instead been thrown into the pockets of health care insurance carriers.
These small businesses are the mom and pop stores and restaurants, beauty shops and construction companies that support families and sustain communities. They're the small start-ups with big ideas hoping to be the next Google or Apple or HP.
Altogether, they create roughly half of all new jobs. And right now, they are paying up to 18 percent more for the very same insurance plans as larger businesses because they have higher administrative costs and less bargaining power.
Many have been forced to cut benefits or drop coverage. Some have shed jobs or shut their doors entirely and recent studies show that if we fail to act now, employers will pay six percent more to insure their employees next year and more than twice as much over the next decade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The president also said yesterday's job report is a pretty sobering reminder that progress is not always quick, this will still be painful. Says we actually need to ground it out, going to have ground out this recovery one step at a time. Of course, the president was back talking about the recovery, talking about jobs after he took a quick little trip, a long trip but a short trip over the --
NGUYEN: People are still talking about that this morning.
HOLMES: Yes, to Copenhagen.
NGUYEN: Was it worth it?
HOLMES: Went to -- went all the way to Copenhagen.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: And a lot of people thought he wasn't going to go all the way over there. He did have some indication that Chicago ...
NGUYEN: A sure-fire deal, yes.
HOLMES: ...would get the Games, but shock really. It's one thing to lose, but lost badly in a lot of ways, people would say. Came in fourth out of four cities.
NGUYEN: Well, OK, but still ...
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: ...at least they were in the what? Top five? We'll put it in that category.
HOLMES: Sure, OK.
NGUYEN: How about that? All right, but will failing overseas actually hurt his clout here? CNN political editor Mark Preston tells us whether or not the failed bid abroad affects his domestic agenda.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Good morning, Betty and T.J.
President Obama's 11th hour decision to make a personal appeal on behalf of Chicago to host the 2016 Olympic Games fell short and now, it's being debated whether it was smart for the president to invest so much personal capital into trying to deliver the Summer Games to his adopted hometown.
So, a big question on some people's minds is will Obama's inability to deliver the Games hurt him? The president was already under fire from Republicans who questioned his decision to go to Copenhagen to lobby for the Games at a time when a divided Congress is fighting over health care, the economy, and how to proceed in Afghanistan.
So, will it hurt his domestic agenda? Yes and no. In the short term, his judgment to make the personal plea will be questioned and I suspect his pride has been bruised, but the bottom line is while the Olympic loss might sting, his presidency will not be judged on the failure to deliver the Summer Games. Rather, it will be on how he handles the economy, the war in Afghanistan, and if he's able to deliver on his promise of health care reform.
A personal blow? Yes. A devastating setback? I don't think so -- Betty, T.J.?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: OK, not devastating to the president, but a lot of people in Chicago were absolutely devastated and stunned. It's just that when they heard the announcement, that the first city eliminated ...
NGUYEN: Was Chicago.
HOLMES: ...was Chicago. NGUYEN: Yes, and they were in the streets ready for a celebration.
HOLMES: And for a party.
NGUYEN: And just to see faces afterward was just so disheartening.
HOLMES: And there were a lot of people out there, too, who didn't want the Games to come to Chicago anyway. So, they kind of got their way.
NGUYEN: And I think a lot of people wanted it to come to Rio as well because, you know, South America has never ...
HOLMES: Host them.
NGUYEN: ...really hosted an Olympics. And what better place than Rio, right?
HOLMES: Well, I know a lot of journalists who are excited. We get to Rio is kind of a theme, but that's ...
NGUYEN: We're kind of excited about that. We're just going to put our bid in right now. We want to go to Rio. Let's take the show on the road.
HOLMES: This show will be live in seven years (INAUDIBLE).
Let's move on to another story. A lot of you all are talking about it, something we want your feedback about this morning. The case of David Letterman, the man who tried to export some $2 million from David Letterman. There he is, his name Robert Joe Halderman. He was in court yesterday. Again, said he wanted $2 million from "The Late Show" host or he would go out and tell everybody about these trysts that David Letterman had with some people who work for him.
NGUYEN: It was like in a screenplay and he was creating a movie, right?
HOLMES: Yes. I mean, he was really setting up David Letterman, but Letterman in exchange was setting him up. He didn't know that Letterman had been working with the authorities on this case. So, he posted the $200,000 bond, so he's out, but he did plead not guilty to a single charge of grand larceny, now facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
But it got a lot of people talking about workplace relationships. What's a relationship like, one thing if it's a boss and, you know, an employee versus ...
NGUYEN: Right.
HOLMES: ...just two employees running around, so.
NGUYEN: Or whether it was consensual. I mean, it appears that it might have been. I mean, we don't know all the details of it. Was it before his marriage, after his marriage? I mean, there's a lot of things that are to come out about it. But it definitely has people talking right now.
HOLMES: And they do say this was before he got married, they did put out that statement at least. But some say even if it's the boss and it can seem consensual, if it's the boss, then the woman might feel -- or the woman or man might feel some pressure to carry on that relationship.
What do you think here, folks, about workplace relationships? Send us your e-mails, weekends@CNN.com or you know where to find Betty and I now on Facebook and Twitter, also the blog: CNN.com/betty or CNN.com/tj.
NGUYEN: All right, well he is a nominee of Father of the Year and a dad's gift, though, to a seven-year-old could actually land him in jail. Josh Levs?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, I've got something happier to talk about.
NGUYEN: OK.
LEVS: Happier than that, I've got the amazing achievements of the top 10 heroes this year, what they've done ...
NGUYEN: Very nice.
LEVS: ...and how you can pick the hero of the year. I'm going to show you right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, well, they are helping keep young people off the streets, providing clean water to thousands and bringing prosthetics to the disabled. What are we talking about? This year's Top 10 when it comes to CNN Heroes and they are making a difference all around the world.
HOLMES: And you can vote right now for our Hero of the Year, Josh Levs here to show you how. Good morning, Josh.
LEVS: Good morning to you guys.
More than -- or it it was close to 9,000 submissions this year.
NGUYEN: Wow.
LEVS: Isn't that amazing?
NGUYEN: It is. How much is that up from last year?
LEVS: This is -- you know what, all I know is that it's thousands more than last year. I'll get the number for you, but you know what ... NGUYEN: Hey, thousands is pretty good.
LEVS: Oh yes, it is, because more and more people are finding out about it. Actually, Betty, you are an expert on this, right? You were honored last year.
NGUYEN: Well, I was honored last year but I'm not an expert on this. I just know what it means ...
HOLMES: You're just a hero.
NGUYEN: Yes. Oh please.
LEVS: And just in case our viewers don't know, it was for her work in Vietnam ...
NGUYEN: Yes.
LEVS: ...helping people out there.
NGUYEN: Help the hungry out there, yes. Thanks for the plug, man.
LEVS: There you go, any time.
Now, let's zoom in because I'll tell you about these people. So, we had nearly 9,000 submissions. Each of the people who was chosen in our Top ten gets $25,000 to go toward their work. And they are really amazing. Let's zoom in here; you can start to see who some of them are. Each time I'm up here, I'll tell you a little bit more about each of them, so eventually we get them all in there.
Roy Foster has a really interesting story. He's helping veterans who are struggling with addiction. Doc Hendly you're seeing over here brings clean water to thousands of people in five different countries. The more you look at this, the more you realize how inspirational so many of these people are. Jordan Thomas, young guy, bringing prosthetics to young kids out there who cannot afford them.
So, here's how it works. You go to CNN.com, you can't miss the Heroes button. And what' you'll do is get more information on each of these people. You can watch a video about each of the 10 and you can go to this page where it allows you to vote. Now, while you're voting, you can also share your vote, which means as you're doing it, you can just click Facebook, Twitter, whatever social media you're on, show everyone, all your friends out there what it is that you're doing.
Plus, those of you out there who want to do this in Spanish have it right here. You can do the Spanish page and we actually have all sorts of descriptions, stories in Spanish, got it all going for you.
We also want to hear from you. Let's show everyone the graphic, how you can weigh on. Who are your heroes? We're having this conversation online, CNN.com/josh. Also, my Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN. Talk about who your heroes are, what you think about these top 10, who you might want to see. If you look, you can already head to next year in 2010, and then, we can show everyone what happens from here.
You do the voting now throughout this month and then, it's a big thing on Thanksgiving night that we will have the big presentation when you will be able to see the award ceremony -- or the ceremony, I should say, when everyone gets together, people tell these really inspirational stories. So, you have this entire month to keep your votes coming in, just get them going and then tune in Thanksgiving night to see who will be selected the hero of the year -- guys.
NGUYEN: It is such a great program and these people just really inspire you because they're doing more than just in their own backyard and their own communities. They're really helping people around the world and it's quite amazing. All right.
LEVS: Making sacrifices.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Josh.
LEVS: You bet.
NGUYEN: OK, so we're going to get to a story that really has a lot of people talking today. We've been talking about it, and it's the Letterman extortion case where a producer pretty much sent a package to David Letterman and said, look, if you don't give me some cash, I'm going to tell your story in a screenplay.
HOLMES: A lot of cash.
NGUYEN: Yes. David Letterman said oh hold up, we're going to set this guy up. Busted him, now, you know, he's facing charges and it's got people talking about what was in that package which claimed that Letterman had relationships, sexual relationships with people on his staff, which he admitted to the other night on the show.
HOLMES: Yes, on the show, on the show.
NGUYEN: Exactly. So, workplace relationships, good idea, bad idea? Is there a difference between co-workers, a worker and a boss? I mean, there's lots of different facets of this. So, e-mail us your thoughts on this. Also the extortion case, what you think about that. You can reach us at Facebook, also Twitter, our blog and weekends@CNN.com. And we'll be reading those responses on the air.
HOLMES: Also this morning, going to be showing you a unique school here in Atlanta, not too far from where we sit where the kids have an enthusiasm that you probably don't find in most schools you walk in the front door of. Ron Clark Academy, what they are doing there that's working.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF: You know what time it is, it's time for the "Wacky Weekend Events." I mean, that's what the sign says.
HOLMES: We love these, though. These ...
NGUYEN: These get kind of crazy. What, we had road kill cook- off or something like that last week, right?
WOLF: That's right, that's right, where they actually named not only the road kill but the road kill queen in a beauty contest there.
NGUYEN: We never put her picture up.
WOLF: But we should have.
HOLMES: We should not have.
NGUYEN: Well ...
WOLF: Well, we probably shouldn't, that's very true. But we've, you know ...
NGUYEN: Can't be that bad.
WOLF: ...we've got some great events this weekend. We've got the Tanrantula Festival and Barbecue.
NGUYEN: Lovely.
WOLF: That's going to be taking place in ...
NGUYEN: Wait, and barbecue?
WOLF: And barbecue. They're actually ...
NGUYEN: No, it's not.
WOLF: Yes. They will -- you don't see it listed there, but they actually do serve barbecue, a huge barbecue contest there.
NGUYEN: Get out of here.
WOLF: I'm not kidding you. A little bit farther south along parts of the Coastal Highway, you've got Carpinteria, California, the California Avocado Festival. You go in there, it's really close to Santa Barbara, it's a great event.
NGUYEN: You don't like avocados.
WOLF: The surfing today is going to be really good along the coast, too. So, go in there, eat some avocados and go surfing. It's a great thing, no question.
National Story-Telling Festival in Jonesborrough, Tennessee is going ...
NGUYEN: All right.
WOLF: ...to be great for other great stories. Go to New York for the Burlesque Festival in Brooklyn. NGUYEN: Uh-oh.
WOLF: I don't make this stuff up. But yes, it is the Burlesque Festival. Go try that one on for size.
HOLMES: OK, what's going on at the Burlesque Festival?
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: And then, we go from there today to Kansas City where we have the American Royal Barbecue. And you know, some people actually consider it the granddaddy of barbecue competitions because people from all over the world, including Australian competitors, they show up. You see some tri-tip there, you see some ribs, but they actually had an entry from Australia that actually cooked, get this, kangaroo and crocodile.
NGUYEN: I don't know about all that.
WOLF: Who wouldn't want to mosey up to a nice spicy sauce and a side of kangaroo. I mean, you know, they jump around a lot, they must have some good muscling, must have some good ...
HOLMES: And you know that folks in Memphis would probably argue with this contest. They have a big one, Memphis, in May, the big world championship cooking contest.
NGUYEN: Oh yes.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: Who has the big, the biggest, the granddaddy of them all, but this looks pretty serious, too.
WOLF: But see, and then you get into big conversation as to the word barbecue itself. Is it a verb or is it a noun? Because some people will say barbecue ...
NGUYEN: Are you barbecuing?
WOLF: Yes, or is barbecue -- to me, barbecue is ...
NGUYEN: Or eating barbecue?
WOLF: Right. I mean, I've got extra spicy ...
NGUYEN: I think it works both ways.
WOLF: ...running through my bloodlines right now. I mean, to me it's a noun. It's not a verb.
HOLMES: A lot of people say it has evolved.
NGUYEN: Yes, it has.
HOLMES: And people say you barbecuing this weekend? People say yes, I am.
WOLF: Well, there's going to be some barbecuing going on there. So, we need to go over there real fast.
HOLMES: Reynolds and I have this argument all the time.
NGUYEN: Wow, these men and their barbecues, I swear.
All right, guys, let's move on. I'm sure David Letterman would like to move on. We're talking about him avoiding paying what, $2,000 -- no, $2 million in an alleged extortion scam, but will admitting that he slept with co-workers come back to haunt him legally?
HOLMES: CNN's Brian Todd gives us a look now, an inside look at the case and the concept of workplace dating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He dropped a bombshell on his "Late Show" on CBS.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": What you don't want is a guy is saying I know you had sex with women, so I would like $2 million or I'm going to make trouble for you.
TODD: Robert Joe Halderman, a producer for CBS's "48 Hours," has been arrested and charged with attempted extortion. He pleaded not guilty, but could David Letterman himself also be in trouble?
LETTERMAN: I have had sex with women who work for me on this show.
TODD: What does the law say about workplace trysts?
DEBORAH KATZ, SEXUAL HARASSMENT ATTORNEY: The question is whether the romances were unwelcome to the women he was having them with. If there was a consensual relationship, then he's not in legal trouble for sexual harassment. Poor judgment undoubtedly, but not legal trouble.
TODD: To date, no claims have been publicly made regarding Letterman by any employee. Indeed, he recently married a former employee of the show, but a psychologist gives this warning.
JEFFREY GARDERE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Even if these women said, OK, I want to be involved with you, David, the fact is that he is a powerful person, he is the boss and maybe even subconsciously, they're giving into his sexual advances because it could be a quid pro quo situation or a situation where they may feel that if I don't do this, then I won't be able to move up in the ranks. So, that's not healthy.
TODD (on camera): Deborah Katz says CBS or Letterman's production company could undertake internal investigations into the show's workplace environment. When we asked about that, a CBS spokesman declined to comment. A spokesperson for Letterman's company said it has a written policy on harassment and David Letterman did not violate it.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right, so we want to hear from you. What do you think about it? We've just been on our sites, our Twitter and Facebook sites.
HOLMES: Trying to find these comments
NGUYEN: Trying to find these, and there's a lot of them coming in. Let me just take you to my Twitter site really quick and let's start with Don Glasso (ph). He says can't say that it's always a good idea, but who knows where love will find you. Certainly, it makes it more complicated. Yes, I'd say so.
And then, Canucks 501 (ph) says you should never mix business with pleasure. Otherwise, it could get really complicated if the relationship goes sour.
HOLMES: Did he say who knows where love find take you? The first guy?
NGUYEN: Yes, that's what he said.
HOLMES: OK.
NGUYEN: Hey.
HOLMES: We'll go with that.
NGUYEN: You could just walk into it when you walk into work, you know.
HOLMES: Well, mine aren't that deep so far. So, one at the top here says maybe more issues when it's between a boss and a subordinate. But one probably spends more time with co-workers during the week than with family, suggesting that yes, that's why some of these relationships develop.
One more under that says workplace trysts are always a bad idea. They're temporary, hearts are not. Oh, what about anger and jealousy, and they may be what caused the blackmail as well.
Keep the comments coming in. We appreciate you sending them in so far. Expect to get a whole lot more about this case. A lot of people still talking about it.
NGUYEN: People absolutely still talking about it.
Top stories from overnight. Let's tell you about these. A one- day-old baby kidnapped has been found.
HOLMES: Also, survival stories from Samoa. Picking up the pieces after that devastating typhoon. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody. Welcome back on this Saturday morning. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you could start your day right here with us. We want to start now with some top stories.
NGUYEN: Yes, a quick check of them, in fact.
An infant who was kidnapped from his home in Tennessee has been found safe in Alabama. Authorities have arrested a 39-year-old woman who has no apparent relation to the family. The baby and his mother will soon be reunited.
HOLMES: The family and friends of a Chicago teenager being beaten to death, saying farewell today. The funeral is for that honor student there. Derrion Albert, being held at Baptist church in the city's Southside. Hit beating by a group of other teens was captured on camera. Four teens now charged in his death.
NGUYEN: Well, an Illinois man is under arrest on federal charges for stalking ESPN reporter Erin Andrews. Michael David Barrett is accused of secretly taping Andrews while she was nude in two hotel rooms. The FBI says he then made seven videos on the Internet. Barrett is due in court in Chicago at 10:00 o'clock this morning.
Well, the small islands of Samoa, which is in the South Pacific, they're still trying to dig out from this week's quake and tsunami.
HOLMES: At least 268 were killed, ten of them in American Samoa city of Leone. Tim Sakahara of affiliate KGMB spoke with some of the survivors from the tsunami triggered by an 8.0 magnitude quake.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIM SAKAHARA, REPORTER, KGMB 9 NEWS: Leone is one of the bigger villages on the American Samoa. It's right next to the water and truly a beautiful place. But after the tsunami, it's not the beauty that catches your eye.
(voice-over): The stories here are heartbreaking; like 12-year- old Shin Wu (ph), pictured on the right. She's still missing. A memorial stands at the leveled property where she and her mom were swept away. Her mom's body was found. Meanwhile her husband lost his family, home, and business in a matter of minutes.
SOLI PARK, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: It was very sad. He really missed the daughter. We're all saddened by this because we have a big family here.
SAKAHARA: Then there's Toe Tauilili, he saw the waves coming. He helped his elderly neighbor. They got caught in the water, he broke his leg and gashed his stomach. Injured, he just couldn't hold on. TOE TAUILILI, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: I nearly let go of the lady, she just slipped through my hand. I just couldn't help her anymore. At the time I was under the water and still hanging onto her.
RENEE KEIL, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: It was coming really fast, so I was grabbing here and this. And I came and stuck here.
SAKAHARA: Renee Keil's good grip saved her life. She clung to a pole but let go when this truck was floating straight for her. Luckily she was able to grab another pole.
KEIL: I was so afraid. I was so afraid. My cousin was right here and I was here. It was like we're flying.
SAKAHARA: She and her cousin survived, but her family's house did not.
FRANCIS KEIL, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: This is our kitchen, refrigerator, dining table.
SAKAHARA: Their home was not some shack, but a solid four- bedroom house buckled by the sea.
F. KEIL: I don't know. I don't know. I just feel numb. I don't know whether to cry or -- so hopeless right now. All the things I worked for. And it's like gone in like two minutes. That's how long the wave came in and took everything away from me.
FLOYD SCANLON, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: It's amazing I just can't get over it. Nothing's wrong with my house and the house is still standing.
SAKAHARA: Then there are homes like Floyd Scanlon's. It's right on the water, on top of a 20-foot cliff. The waves stopped just short of his foundation. But it's hard for him to feel lucky when his fellow villagers are hurting.
SCANLON: I went down to the village. It made my heart drop, because you know, this is something never happened.
SAKAHARA: What once were prized possessions are now scooped up rubble, everything from trophies to a trumpet and photos.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's absolutely no way for vehicles to go to that part of the island.
SAKAHARA: There are positive signs though. A temporary bridge connected villages on the west side, and power crews are working to restore utilities.
(On camera): The clean-up effort is already under way. As it says, it will take a village to restore Leone to what it was.
In American Samoa, Tim Sakahara, KGMB 9 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: So, if you would like to help victims of the tsunami and quakes, go to our Impact Your World homepage on CNN.com And you'll find a list of links and aid groups, including the Red Cross and World Vision. Again, that's CNN.com/impact.
HOLMES: How could this be the case? A dad gives his seven-year- old a gift that could end up putting him behind bars. I assure you there's more to the story.
NGUYEN: Wait till you hear what the gift was, folks. It's not something you can easily return, shall we say.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: And a party on the beach and in the streets of Rio, as if they need another reason. We're live for one Olympic-sized celebration.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Turning to some weather it's supposed to be rainy in some areas. How's the weather in Chicago, Reynolds? Is it gloomy there?
NGUYEN: Did you have to bring that up?
WOLF: I think it's going to be damp and gloomy and dreary. It's just going to be awful.
NGUYEN: As if they need anything more to be upset about.
WOLF: Yeah, I'm kind of with you on that.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WOLF: We're also going to get you up to speed with a story I did yesterday. We're going to show you that next week. But this little snippet, went swimming with some sharks at the Georgia Aquarium. Thankfully they were not man eaters, or weatherman eaters . Amazing time to say the least. We're going to show you this brand new exhibit they have over there that's great for kids of all ages.
Let's send it back to you.
NGUYEN: That looks awesome. You came out. You have your limbs and everything? Everything is intact?
WOLF: I did, still got the digits. A few tears gone from fright.
NGUYEN: I see how you stayed away. You were on the surface there. You didn't get too deep down with the sharks.
WOLF: Basically, Betty, I was chum, so to speak. Just kind of floating up there on the surface. They referred to me as bait.
NGUYEN: You were doing more snorkeling than diving huh?
WOLF: Precisely.
NGUYEN: OK.
WOLF: Staying far away.
NGUYEN: That's all right. Safety first, my friend.
HOLMES: I look forward to that.
WOLF: You bet, guys.
NGUYEN: All right.
HOLMES: Thanks, Renny.
This is a story, again, it will have you scratching your head. A California man accused of having a tattoo put on his seven-year-old son. OK, we're not just talking about any tattoo. It was a gang sign tattoo that he put on a seven-year-old child. He's not going to be facing a charge of mayhem. Who knew there was a charge for that? If there was ever a case for it, this sounds like it, but that carries a potential life sentence.
The man still faces seven to 10 years for child endangerment. Also the friend, who actually did that tattoo, which was a dog paw that they put on the boy's hip, he's also facing the same charge. The paw is a symbol of a gang that call themselves the Fresno Bulldogs Gang.
NGUYEN: Yes, OK, so the judge agreed with defense lawyers that any damage left by a small tattoo does not amount to permanent and painful disfigurement, unless he wants to try to get it removed. The man says that he allowed his son to get the tattoo because the boy wanted it. Because when you're seven-years-old, hey, you should get what you want, right?
HOLMES: Sometimes a seven-year-old wants a motorcycle, you don't give it to the child.
NGUYEN: No! At least the motorcycle, you can return, the tattoo? It's kind of there.
HOLMES: All right.
NGUYEN: All right.
So, we're going to go on to this. Oprah Winfrey, OK, calls him a phenomenal man. But what makes Ron Clark such a hit with students? Which he is, by the way.
HOLMES: He is a huge hit.
NGUYEN: Yes. HOLMES: We've all been to schools, our own schools, and covering stories. You walk into the front door of Ron Clark Academy, here in Atlanta, you can tell something different is going on. You're going to learn about this man who says he wants to start a revolution.
NGUYEN: Oh, T.J.! Was that a slide?
HOLMES: That's a slide. It's required when you go to the school. You have to get slide certified. Every visitor, adult, child, everybody.
NGUYEN: I love it.
HOLMES: So I was required to do it. You'll see what makes this place what it is. Stay here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, Ron Clark, initially set out to get his students' attention. Now he's got just about e everybody's attention. His unconventional teaching methods could end up changing education as we know it, at least he hopes so. From Oprah to the White House, Clark keeps getting high marks. But he never even set out to be a teacher.
I recently spent a day at Ron Clark Academy. And this morning I want to show you what everybody has been talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (voice over): This isn't a music class, or choir. It's language arts class, yet these middle school students are singing about possessive nouns.
STUDENTS: I know what possessive means, if you want to know, it's so easy can't you see?
HOLMES: Singing a grammar lesson is just one of the non traditional teaching methods you'll find in classrooms at Ron Clark Academy.
It's a lot different from the first classroom Ron Clark walked into in 15 years ago in North Carolina.
RON CLARK, FOUNDER, RON CLARK ACADEMY: This kid looked down and said, "Is you going to be our new teacher?" I was like, I guess, so.
HOLMES: He was only there because his mom convinced him to fill in as a substitute. He had a college degree but no teaching license and no desire to become a teacher. But that day changed his life and taught him a lesson that has shaped his teaching philosophy.
(STUDENTS SINGING)
CLARK: You can't teach the way that we used to teach kids. These kids have iPods and video games and movies, and all the stuff that's going on. And they're text messaging. You can't just bring kids in and have them to sit down and expect them to stare for an hour.
(STUDENTS SINGING)
HOLMES: Clark Academy is different. You notice that immediately upon walking in the front door and are greeted by a two-story electric blue slide.
It's not just for the kids. Every visitor to the school is required to get slide certified.
(STUDENTS SINGING)
HOLMES: Clark and Kim Bearden co-founded the private middle school in a rough Atlanta neighborhood in 2007. They kept it private so that they'd be free to experiment. Tuition to the school is about 18 grand a year. Just about all of the 100 or so students are on scholarships. And though there are only about 100 students enrolled Clark says his real mission is teaching teachers.
CLARK: When teachers come to our school they see color, life, energy. They see students that are on fire, student that want to learn. Every kid sitting up, paying attention, the kids are raising their hands and the teachers are just electric. We're using music and energy and its hands on; and there's art and color, and extremely high expectations.
All right, Troy, you have a test on that tomorrow. Practice for it.
(STUDENTS CHANTING)
HOLMES: After a visit to his school Clark hopes teachers will take what they learned and implement it in their own classrooms across the country, leading to what Clark calls a revolution in education.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When we sing the songs, it actually helps us to remember.
HOLMES: Even though education reform can seem like a big expensive and complex problem, Clark doesn't think the solution is big, expensive, or complex at all.
CLARK: People just need to listen to me.
(LAUGHTER)
I wish the government would just listen, and people would say, you know, he knows what he's talking about.
HOLMES: It's that simple.
CLARK: It's that simple.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let me hear ya'll. CLARK: It's all involves with the state teacher. You can talk about the state government, you can talk about principals, superintendents. It all comes down to finding passionate people who want to teach. We have to give teachers more freedom, trust them more, and allow them to use their own creativity to fire up their students in the way that they know they need to do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Love, ya'll. That is perfect, OK?
HOLMES: His results can be measured with enthusiasm you see in the hallways and classrooms. And on standardized test scores. His students posted major gains in practically every subject, and scored, in some cases, in the top 70, 80, 90 percentile compared to other students in the country. But perhaps on the biggest places his success shows is on the faces, and in the hearts and minds of these students.
CHI CHI UGWUH, STUDENT, RON CLARK ACADEMY: Our motto at the school is, like, "There's no room for fear." So, I've learned to put myself out there and just get what I give.
OSEI AVRIL, STUDENT, RON CLARK ACADEMY: Not only does it teach you how to be academically great, but it teaches you how to be a global citizen and a global leader.
(STUDENTS SINGING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And that's a new song, they got a lot of attention last year for doing the song during the election.
NGUYEN: The T.I. song, "Whatever You Like".
HOLMES: "You Can Vote However You Like." They have a new one on health care. But these kids, it's obvious. I don't know if your school looked like that when you were coming up?
NGUYEN: Not at all. We didn't dance on the desks, stood up on our seats. Nothing like that. We weren't singing in our English class. That is amazing though.
HOLMES: There's a genuine excitement from the kids just to be there. And it automatically translates. If you're excited about something, you're going to do well on it. You're going to be engaged.
NGUYEN: You're going to be more open to learning it.
HOLMES: You're going to be open to it. But the rules are different there. It's private school, they want to keep it private, so they have their own rules.
NGUYEN: Only 100 students, right?
HOLMES: Only 100 students right now. But, again, he says the point is not to teach the students. Of course, the students are learning. But he was traveling around the country to try to get teachers to follow his philosophy, he didn't have anything to point to, to show results. So that's why he had to start his own school, so now he can bring the teachers there and they can see for themselves how it works.
NGUYEN: And the test scores do reflect that they are learning.
HOLMES: They reflect it. I mean, he can point to the results. And I mean, not even if you didn't see the results on paper, you can just walk into the school and know that know something different is going on there.
And the kids -- again, it's expensive. A lot of people say you can't implement this.
NGUYEN: Yes, $18,000 a year.
HOLMES: Yes, $18,000 a year, the kids go to six or seven continents by the time they are in the seventh or eighth grade at this school.
NGUYEN: Oh, really?
HOLMES: They travel around. He has a lot of sponsors and like that. So, it does cost money. But still, that enthusiasm that you have in the classroom, he says, you can take that anywhere.
NGUYEN: That's so important. Because when you teach a child at a young age that learning is actually fun, you know, they will continue that their whole life. But if you teach them that learning can be boring and dull, and who wants to do that? Then they're going to shy away from it, so this really helps open their minds.
HOLMES: It is different. And we've seen the kids before. They've been here in our studio. We've been to the school before.
NGUYEN: Right.
HOLMES: The kids are just -- they're different. They're fired up.
NGUYEN: You were kind of fired up going down that slide.
HOLMES: They make you do it.
NGUYEN: Yeah, they make you do it?
HOLMES: They do.
NGUYEN: They do, really? OK.
HOLMES: It's not just there for fun. I wasn't just going down the slide for the fun of it, Betty.
NGUYEN: Yeah, yeah. I know you, T.J. All right. We're going to move on to this story. This is no fun at all. Because out in California, a football game between two rival high schools has been put on hold. Why? Well, 14 players, all of them from one school came down with flu-like symptoms.
HOLMES: The school officials have not confirmed that it's a case of H1N1. They don't want to take any chances. The game has been pose posted at least till Monday.
NGUYEN: And this, seeking shelter from the storm, Filipinos tried to escape just a massive typhoon. We are live there straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Hey, there, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for this October 3. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. It's 7:00 a.m. in Atlanta; 6 a.m. in Chicago, which did not win the 2016 Olympics. But 8 a.m. in Rio, where they are celebrating today.
HOLMES: Aren't they always celebrating in Rio?
NGUYEN: That is true. Always partying.
HOLMES: They have a little more to be partying about. Of course, they beat out Tokyo and Madrid, and the U.S. city of Chicago. We'll be gong live to Rio, in this hour.
We do want to pass along some top stories to you first.
NGUYEN: Yes. Here's what we're following right now. An infant just days old, kidnapped from his home in Tennessee on Tuesday, has been found safe in Alabama. Authorities have arrested a 39-year-old woman who has no apparent relation to the family.
HOLMES: Also, we'll keep an eye on Chicago today for the funeral services for honor student Derrion Albert being held today at Baptist Church on the city's south side. He was beaten by a group of other teenagers. It was captured on camera. Four of the teenagers are now charged in his death.
NGUYEN: Well, ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews is relieved right now. The FBI arrested a man accused of secretly taping her nude. He is due in a Chicago courtroom this morning. Forty-eight- year-old Michael David Barrett allegedly posted new videos of Andrews on the Internet. He's accused of secretly taping Andrews while she was nude in two hotel rooms. Barrett is charged with interstate stalking.
HOLMES: Well, the second typhoon within a week now hitting the Philippines. Typhoon Parma has slammed into the already storm-weary country. Tens of thousands of people are seeking shelter. This comes now after a typhoon last weekend killed more than 200 people and swamped much of Manila. Today's storm could dump about eight to 20 inches of rain.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian government says there may be people nearly 4,000 people still trapped under rubble from two earthquakes, one on Wednesday, another on Thursday. In Padang, Indonesia, a teenager being pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building 40 hours after Wednesday's quake and did survive.
Also in Samoa, at least 168 people are confirmed dead there in the aftermath of Tuesday's quake and tsunami.
We do want to get now more on Typhoon Parma that's hitting the Philippines, a storm that's slammed into the northern part of that nation.
CNN's Eunice Yoon is at the evacuation center there in Isabela province and joining us now on the phone.
Eunice, how in the world are people getting ready and dealing with another round? Just went through this a week ago.
EUNICE YOON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): That's right, T.J. I just got off the phone with the National Disaster Coordinating Council, which is the Philippine version of FEMA. And they said that the northernmost tip of the Philippines is experiencing very strong winds right now. There's continuous heavy rain.
They've been hearing of some land slides. Rivers have been flooded. There are power lines that are down. Trees are strewn across the various roads.
The debris has been hampering the rescue and relief efforts. There are army personnel as well as public workers who are out trying to clear the road, but still some of them are not passable -- T.J.?
HOLMES: Well, again, I guess, they didn't have any time, really, to get into a good place after that first typhoon. So, people now -- are there enough shelters for people? Is there enough food in place? You talk about the difficulty in just getting around? But is everybody in a better place than they were, I guess last week from -- as far preparations go from that typhoon to this one?
YOON: Well, actually the government is coming under quite a bit of criticism for what many people see as a lack of coordination. In fact, there's been a term -- people are calling this Philippine's Katrina, where the government, a lot of people feel has not done enough in order to try to help its people.
This time for Parma, the government did declare a state a calamity to try to push ahead with some of the evacuation efforts. They did manage to evacuate ten of thousands of people, and when they did declare that state of calamity, that allowed the local officials to forcibly remove people, some villagers from their homes. They gave them the authority to go in.
And many officials in the past couple of days have been knocking door-to-door at these village homes to try to get people to higher ground and shelters, to public schools as well as other designated areas that were seen as evacuation centers with some supplies.
But, again, they have been running into resistance. A lot of the villagers -- this area, you have to understand, is hit by typhoons all the time, and the villagers were concerned about looting. Many of them didn't want to leave their homes. They have chickens, cows, as well as rice that they didn't want to fall into other people's hands.
So they didn't necessarily fully understand -- at least this is the complaint of some of the local officials -- the seriousness of this typhoon -- T.J.?
HOLMES: All right. Eunice Yoon for us again at an evacuation center in the Isabela province -- Eunice, thank you so much.
NGUYEN: All right. So, let's get the latest on the weather outside. Reynolds Wolf has been watching it for us.
Reynolds, any chance that they're going to get a little bit of break any time soon?
WOLF: They will be getting a little bit of a break. But the problem is, right now, Manila and back into parts of the northern Philippines are still getting rocked pretty hard by the storm. The storm is still a powerhouse.
We're tracking winds of 90 miles an hour, gusting a 115. Parts of Manila and points in the extreme northern Philippines can get up to a foot of rainfall in many places. You're going to see some mudslides, widespread damage -- no question about it.
One thing that we're going to be seeing is the storm continuing to march its way out to the north towards Taiwan. And one big advantage that we have is the frontal boundary that will be extending across parts of China and will be pushing this storm out to sea.
In fact, the latest path that we have shows the forecast, brings the storm a little bit farther to the north, north of Luzon and then veering more off to the east, still fairly strong, and, in fact, intensifying as we get into Tuesday and then fast-forwarding into Thursday with winds of 100 miles an hour into early Thursday, but moving out of harm's deeper into the Pacific, which is certainly some great news.
So, the storm, by the time we get to the middle of next week to the latter half of the week, should be out of harm's way for many people.
Very quickly going to your weekend forecast here that we can anticipate around the U.S. To the northeast, very rainy conditions from New York, back up to Maine and Boston. Heavy rainfall can be expected there. A very dry and cool for much of the Ohio Valley and into the Southeast. Heavy rain possible for Texas and Austin, southward to San Antonio. And then back into the central and even Northern Rockies, look for a chance of snowfalls. Some of the snow, especially into portions of Idaho, may actually get up to around a foot or so, in the highest elevations. And in parts of southern California, the sunshine continues.
We're going to have more of your weekend forecast coming up throughout the morning. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: All right, Reynolds.
HOLMES: Thanks, Reynolds.
NGUYEN: And you can learn about efforts to bring aid to the communities just devastated by all these natural disasters and see how you can help. Visit CNN's "Impact Your World" home page. It's at CNN.com/Impact.
HOLMES: You know, let's just roll that footage of Rio de Janeiro -- Copacabana beach.
NGUYEN: Look at that. There's a party going on right there. You know, party time, pretty much all the time in Rio. But they had extra reason to celebrate because the 2016 Olympics are coming to Rio de Janeiro. We're going to have much more on that story.
HOLMES: Yes. We have our Shasta Darlington who has the -- oh, my goodness. How does she get this assignment?
NGUYEN: What a tough one.
HOLMES: Poor dear. She had to go to Rio, poor thing.
NGUYEN: Oh, man.
HOLMES: Shasta, our hearts go out to you, Shasta, for having to endure this party. Hello!
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, T.J., it's been a very tough assignment, let me tell you.
Now, things are pretty quiet today. There's actually a lot of clean-up under way. But this site right here on Copacabana beach was the site of massive celebrations yesterday. Thousands of Brazilians poured onto the beach to listen to that announcement live as you saw.
And when they realized they clinched it, there was pandemonium. People exploded. There was a live Samba band on stage. The music went on for hours and the partying went on well into the night.
But, of course, that was part of Rio's pitch, right? This is a passionate country with the passionate people who are fully behind Rio's Olympic bid, especially considering it was its fourth bid.
But today, there will be a bit of a reality check. You know, they've got a lot of work ahead of them. Brazil pledged -- or Rio pledged to spend $14 billion over the next seven years to get the city ready for those Olympics. And they have a lot of challenges. They have to build new venues. They have to basically revamp their transportation systems, build new hotels, provide more hotel rooms.
And another big challenge will be reining in -- really rampant crime in their slums. And we talked to a few police in the nearby so- called favelas who say they think they can do it. But keep in mind, more than 1 million people live in these slums here in Rio.
So, like we said, this was an amazing party. And, in fact, the party is supposed to go through the weekend. There will be more live music tomorrow. But starting today, the clock is really ticking, T.J. and Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes, they've got a little time, though, even though the clock is ticking. Like you said, the party is going to continue through today. Why are we not surprised by that?
All right, Shasta. Have fun. We'll talk to you later.
Rio de Janeiro for 2016. That's not bad place to be.
HOLMES: A lot of people are making plans. I have folks say to me already, we've got to go.
NGUYEN: I know. Me, too.
HOLMES: They're planning seven years ahead. But we're putting our bid in now.
NGUYEN: That's right -- taking the show on the road to Rio.
HOLMES: We're the first show, I believe, on record, with CNN, saying we are volunteering to go to Rio for the Olympics now. We'll see how that works out for us.
NGUYEN: Yes. Stay tuned, folks.
All right. Well, if you don't live in a floodplain, so why would you need or want to buy flood insurance, right?
HOLMES: Well, it might be kind of a common sense kind of an answer to it. But still, it has plenty of fine print that comes with it. We'll tell you what you need to know before a crisis?
Stay here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. So thousands of residents in and around Atlanta are cleaning up after massive flooding recently and the damage is in the millions. Many homeowners are paying out of their own pockets because they didn't have flood insurance. And many people didn't think they actually needed it.
So, housing specialist Clyde Anderson is here to tell us about the pros and cons of flood insurance.
You know, a lot of people -- I was out there during the floods talking with people that lost so much and many of them said, "You know, we're not in a floodplain. Why would I have flood insurance?"
CLYDE ANDERSON, FINANCE EXPERT: Right.
NGUYEN: Why should people get flood insurance? What does it cover?
ANDERSON: Well, you know what? It's interesting. On FEMA's Web site, they have something that says, "Who needs flood insurance?" They say everyone needs flood insurance.
NGUYEN: Really?
ANDERSON: Flood insurance can cover the actual structure of the property, also covers the content in the property. So, it's important, especially in cases like that you've seen in Atlanta recently with all the flooding.
NGUYEN: Well, the thing about it, though, it's not a standard on your policy. That's something separate that you have to pay for, correct?
ANDERSON: Exactly. Exactly. And people should not confuse it with homeowner's insurance.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: Homeowner's insurance is totally separate. So, you get homeowner's when you purchase the house but you're going to need flood insurance if you're in a floodplain. And nowadays, even if you're not in a floodplain, it could come in handy.
NGUYEN: How much extra is it? And is it something that's going to be costly and just one of those things -- well, I may need it one day, so, you know, let's just be safe?
ANDERSON: I think it's not as much as most people think.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: I've seen policies as lows as $119 a year. Some people pay $400 a year. So, it's really going to depend on the size of the property and if you're located in a floodplain and how much of floodplain you're located.
NGUYEN: Well, if you're going to do this for floods, what about other natural disasters, you know, hurricanes and whatnot, that's all separate, too, right?
ANDERSON: Right.
NGUYEN: Tornadoes and all that? ANDERSON: Exactly. Exactly. So, what you're going to want to do is talk with your insurance agent to find out exactly based on where you live, what the conditions are, and find out exactly what you're eligible for and what you can receive.
NGUYEN: All right. So, you're saying the best bet is even if you don't live in a flood zone, if it's worth your while, economically, go ahead and get it.
ANDERSON: I would say definitely take a look at it. Don't rule it out automatically. Just because you think, hey, I'm not near a lake or anything like that, don't rule it out. Definitely, take a look at it.
NGUYEN: Because if you don't have it and a flood occurs -- like what we saw here in Atlanta, people who don't live in a 100-year flood zone -- you're not covered for this. Your homeowner's is not going to pay for all of that. That's coming out of your pocket.
ANDERSON: It is. And floods can be one of the most expensive things to repair from. Two inches of water or two feet of water could be about $7,500 worth of damage. So you really got to look at it. It could be really costly.
NGUYEN: All right. So, let's look at the situation a lot of people are facing right now. And many of them do not have it, did not have it. The flood came. It ruined so much.
What do you do now? What's your advice for them?
ANDERSON: What my advice for them now is, really, you're going to have to reassess everything. Take a look and see what FEMA is going to offer. I mean, it was a natural disaster area. So you're definitely going to want to see what the government is going to provide for you.
But going forward, you're going to want to look at it. Just because you had a flood before doesn't mean that you can't get flood insurance now. So, you want to look at it.
And also, flood insurance, they won't let you get it -- there's a 30-day waiting period. So, if you see a storm coming, you can't call up and say, "Hey, I need flood insurance tomorrow." So, you've got to be proactive. You've got to prepare for it in advance.
NGUYEN: Now, do you have to -- since it's a separate policy, does flood insurance have to come with your same insurance company or can you get it -- can shop around and get it separate?
ANDERSON: You can shop around and get it separate. It doesn't have to be with that policy. The government provides a flood insurance, but the private insurance companies are going to be one that give the insurance to you and provide the coverage.
NGUYEN: Got you. Very good information. Thank you so much, Clyde. ANDERSON: My pleasure.
NGUYEN: As always, we appreciate it.
ANDERSON: My pleasure.
NGUYEN: T.J.?
HOLMES: All right. We're going to be talking about here guys now, the best places to live in America, and according to you guys, outside of a floodplain, is that right? The best places to live in America, towns are ranked and there is a winner. Josh Levs has that for us this morning.
Good morning again, Josh.
LEVS: Good morning to you. Yes, the number one best place to live in America is this right here. What is it? We'll show you.
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HOLMES: And to give you a quick update (ph) of what we've been following overnight. Up first, that young infant kidnapped Tuesday from his home in Tennessee, has been found safe and sound in Alabama. Authorities have now arrested a 39-year-old woman. The baby was just four days old when it was taken.
The man accused of secretly taping ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews in the nude is due in a Chicago courtroom this morning. The FBI says 48-year-old Michael David Barrett allegedly posted nude videos of Andrews on the Internet. He's accused of secretly taping Andrews while she was nude in two hotel rooms. Barrett is charged with interstate stalking.
HOLMES: And three more banks -- regional banks have shut their door. That brings the total for the year to just shy of 100. The latest bank to fail, Warren Bank in Michigan. Another one, Jennings State Bank in Minnesota. One more, the Southern Colorado National Bank in Pueblo. All of these banks were FDIC insured.
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LEVS: We've been getting more comments on that animation than I think any of the stories that I've actually been doing lately. I'll show you how you can weigh in on that.
So, let me tell you about this. Best places have been ranked and this is number one. According to CNN Money and "Money" magazine, it's Louisville, Colorado. We bring you pictures and videos. Let's zoom in. I want to play a very little clip of this video. You can hear people talk about this town.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has that kind of nice small-town feel to it but it's not small-minded. It's really, you know, family-friendly, safe, and beautiful, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: And as you navigate this Web site, what you start to see is you've got all sorts of examples here if what is being listed as the top towns in America. They went through thousands of them and they made the decision based on all sorts of financial factors, including jobs, job growth, school, housing, and they even look at what kind of homes are available in each town.
And also part of what they're talking about here is the weather and life conditions. What it's like to live there.
I want to bring in Reynolds.
Reynolds, talk to me about this. Louisville, Colorado. Is it a great lifestyle? Is it great weather? Is it one of the best places in America, that one?
WOLF: To tell you honestly, Josh, it's a little bit of everything. I mean, it really is a great place. I mean, they have plenty of sunshine during a good part of the year. You've got the benefits of being near Denver. It's also very close to Boulder. I mean, it's nice college town. It's got the great feel to it. But a beautiful place.
LEVS: OK.
WOLF: You're close to Rockies. A lot of conveniences. Plus, a cool airport. So, they have all that.
LEVS: All right. There you are. There you are. We lose the feed.
All right. Well, look. I mean, this is -- that's number one. Let me go over to number two quickly and we're going to show everyone...
WOLF: OK.
LEVS: ... the top 10 list and we want to hear if people agree with this or not. Chanhassen, Minnesota, was named number two best two in America to live in. And there, you don't have the same kind of example, Reynolds. But you were telling me earlier that a lot of people are surprised by this. Minnesota, a very healthy lifestyle there.
WOLF: Oh, yes. And that's one of the weird things. I mean, oftentimes, you hear people say that when you get to a place like, say, Detroit or Chicago, I mean, these are places that are known for people that, you know, do not -- don't have the healthiest lifestyles. Many people will say that; not me personally. But then, one of the reasons why they say is because of the limited amount of exercise due to the very cold climate.
Well, you know, you got a very cold climate when you get to the Twin Cities, it's farther north actually in terms of latitude in both Chicago and Detroit, yet it's one of the healthiest cities in America. Now, the place that we're talking about, a suburb of the Twin Cities. So, certainly, an interesting place. Plus, you've got great (ph) outdoors they have in great state of Minnesota.
So, totally understanding why it's a great city.
LEVS: I guess so.
Let's got to this list, the top 10. I want to show everyone what's been named the top 10 towns in America. And again, it's a lot of financial stuff but also lifestyle. And there you go, Louisville, Colorado, Chanhassen, Minnesota; Papillion, Nebraska, Middleton, Wisconsin; Milton, Massachusetts; then you got Warren, New Jersey; Keller, Texas, Peachtree City, Georgia; Lake Saint Louis, Missouri; and finally, I know I can this right, Mukilteo, Washington named all among the top 10 best towns in America -- all these financial factors.
And, any surprises there for you, Reynolds?
WOLF: Actually, the one -- I -- to tell you the truth, I've never heard many of those places. I've been to a few of 'em, but some of them, like you, very surprise. But I'm sure there's some great things in some place. So, a little wishy-washy, but you know, quality of life. And some places -- Lake Saint Louis, a great spot, great place in Missouri, just the west of the St. Louis City itself.
So, a lot of surprise there, no question.
LEVS: Yes. Well, look, since this list came out, there's been a lot of people talking about it. Let's go to the graphic, I'll show you everyone where I posted the list and where you can weigh in, you're going to go. We'll put it up at our blogs, also Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN, in both cases.
And I'm going to end with this, because this is a piece of news that will make Betty happy. Let's go to this. We'll bring Betty and T.J. -- of the top 100 towns in America, four states tied for having the most, Betty, and Texas is one of 'em.
NGUYEN: Yes, of course, it is.
LEVS: Texas, Connecticut -- see, is that pretty impressive?
NGUYEN: Things are bigger and better in Texas, we all know that, right?
LEVS: Think of the best towns in America right there.
NGUYEN: You know, Keller, Texas, a gray city. I am not surprise at all that it's on the list. But also, is Peachtree City here in Georgia. A lot of people here at CNN, in fact, live out there. It's a -- I think it's kind of a golfing community as well. People drive around on their golf carts.
(CROSSTALK) NGUYEN: Exactly.
LEVS: People love it down there.
NGUYEN: It's tough out there apparently.
LEVS: A little rough lifestyle.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you.
LEVS: Thanks.
HOLMES: Texas, Betty, you'll have more cities. You have a city every five miles in Texas.
NGUYEN: That's true. You know, it's such a big state. So, we should be up there. If we're not, there's a problem. Easy math.
HOLMES: All right. We're going to talk about some health care this morning, health care reform. How is that going to affect breast cancer patients? Also, how is social media helping seniors stay on top in the health care debate?
NGUYEN: Also taking a look at those angles a little bit later this morning. It's a half-hour just dedicated to the subject that is top of mind right now in Washington and across the country -- of course, that being health care.
HOLMES: Also, that extortion plot against "Late Night" host David Letterman. People are weighing in this story this morning. We'll be reading some of your comments -- just ahead.
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NGUYEN: All right. So, people are talking about this story today. David Letterman and a CBS producer, in fact, Robert Halderman, in court yesterday. That is the guy right there who is accused of trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman. Why? Well, apparently, he had some info on Letterman having sex with staffers. Letterman came out this week and said, "Yes, I did."
And now, we are talking this morning about just workplace relationships. What do you think about it as we delve into this case? Getting a lot of responses from you this morning.
T.J., I know you got a lot as well.
HOLMES: Some of these. And I think we have seen these, a couple of times. We can go to the Twitter here up on the board, on the right there. Raspberryinc, some of these names are hilarious. But I'm going to read the one. "It's hard to find love. So if the one happens to work at the same place, don't fight it. The problem though comes when and if it turns ugly." Of course, that's when the problem starts.
NGUYEN: Yes. HOLMES: Another one here says, "No, I don't think so at all. You can't help who you end up falling in love with as long as it's a mutual thing." Elizabeth right under goes on, she kind of explains in a scenario how it can happened in their office. "I've worked in an office where it happened and was a nightmare for productivity. The boss was older, married with three kids, employee just out of college" -- oh!
NGUYEN: Oh, my!
HOLMES: So that one is kind of a mess.
NGUYEN: See, that's when it just all messy and crazy.
And all right, my -- let's go to my Facebook page real quick. Says Yon (ph), "If I had 2 million bucks, every time I had dirt on somebody, I'd be up there with Trump and Gates."
And just really quickly, I've got to read this one from my Twitter site. Excellentcandy says, "No wonder people at work are attracted to each other. They appear intelligent and interesting, aren't seen snoozing in front of the television."
You know, a lot of people brought up that point. And you spend a lot of time with the people that you work with, and many times, you're working on projects, you find them interesting, you get to know them...
HOLMES: It happens.
NGUYEN: ... things happen. But, is there a difference though when it's a relationship with the boss?
HOLMES: I think many would say yes.
Please keep those comments coming in. Betty and I will be back at the top of the hour. Right now, we're going to live you with this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Before we get to "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, some of those kids at Ron Clark Academy are singing this time about health care. We'll see you soon.
