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CNN Saturday Morning News
Sixteen Drown at Arkansas Campsite; Best World Cup Mobile Apps; Search on for Survivors; Female Patriot
Aired June 12, 2010 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR, SATURDAY MORNING: From the CNN center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Good to have you with us. June 12th. I'm Drew Griffin.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR, SATURDAY MORNING: I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We're in for TJ Holmes this morning. He'll be back tomorrow. Thanks for starting your day with us. It's 8:00 a.m. here in Atlanta.
GRIFFIN: And we begin with breaking news. It's out of Florida with far-reaching effects though. Hundreds of pilots with Spirit Airlines went on strike this morning. All of the flights have been cancelled. The pilots walked off the job after they couldn't reach an agreement over pay.
MALVEAUX: And in Arkansas, at least 16 people are dead and dozens are injured from flash floods. Officials fear that more people might be trapped. The search is resuming at daybreak and we're going to go live to Arkansas in just a few moments. But first a quick look at the headlines.
GRIFFIN: Here they are. The president will call British Prime Minister David Cameron today. That phone call to talk over differences over the oil spill in the Gulf. Mr. Obama has used some tough language in recent days. Cameron says that's helped throw BP into financial turmoil.
Baltimore police have an arrest warrant for one of their own in connection with the death of a Marine. Our affiliate WBAL-TV said the off-duty officer shot and killed an unarmed Iraq war veteran after he allegedly groped the officer's girlfriend outside a nightclub a week ago.
A French fishing vessel has reached a remote part of the Indian ocean to save a stranded 16-year-old California girl. Abby Sutherland's brother says rescue workers found her. She's in good health. She wanted to set the record as the youngest person to sail around the world solo, but a rogue wave almost sank her yacht.
MALVEAUX: Searchers are back at it this morning in western Arkansas. That is where flash floods killed at least 16 people at a campground. Now, relatives say at least 73 people are missing. Our CNN's Cathy Callaway, she is there and she has more on this tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Desperate families (INAUDIBLE) to cope as officials search for the missing from Friday's horrific flash flooding at a camp ground in western Arkansas. Ginger Autry awoke to a phone call informing her that her teenage son was among those unaccounted for. He'd been camping with other relatives.
GINGER AUTRY, SON WAS AT CAMPSITE: I just want my baby. That's all I want. I just want to see his little face.
CALLAWAY: Although officials say a flood flash warning was issued for the area at 2:00 a.m., most here were sleeping and were caught unaware. Listen to one witness describe what it was like when the Little Missouri River began to swell filling the lower lying (ph) campground like a bowl.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Around here in the pavilion, this place over here, the kitchen, was destroyed. The bar's moving around. The giant refrigerator is knocked over. The office, the refrigerator in there was floating.
CALLAWAY: While he got out safely, for others still waiting for news, they will never be able to look at the area in the same way again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the most horrific thing I've ever been through in my life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Catherine is now joining us live and Catherine, obviously very upsetting for so many family members. Is there any word at all from the searchers yet? Have they found anyone else and do they actually know how many people are missing?
CALLAWAY: So many unanswered questions right now and the biggest one is just how many people are missing, Suzanne. There were at least 300 people, estimates of 300 people camping in that area when the flash floods hit. But they really have no way of knowing if that's an accurate number, because a lot of the registration papers washed away. A lot of locals sometimes hike into that area. But they're still searching. Remember, there were some 30 people rescued yesterday and they will be back in the air in helicopters today. They'll be on horseback. They'll be in canoes and Suzanne, this morning since daylight arrived, we have seen a number of ATVs on local trucks flying down this road trying to get to that command center this morning wanting to help in that search and, indeed, they will be welcomed, because it is a very difficult terrain to try to navigate through.
MALVEAUX: All right, Catherine Callaway. Thank you so much. Want to bring in Jacqui Jeras obviously to talk a little bit about how this all came about. Those poor families, so unsuspecting. This was really quite a weather incident.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. Most people probably knew that there were showers and thunderstorms in the forecast there, but I don't think anybody expected this much in such a short period of time. In fact, let's start out here and show you how much rain we are talking about and Doppler radar is estimating as much as six to seven inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours of time. That might not be a big deal in some parts of the United States, but when you're talking about such hilly terrain, all of that water goes down into the valley by the river and collects and that river rose 20 feet, 20 feet, in just a couple of hours and that is 10 feet above the previous record, just to help put this into perspective. High pressure which was in control into the Gulf here and that brought in south westerly winds. So all of this moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
Then a little upper level disturbance came in and triggered what we call this big mesoscale (ph) connective system or MCS as we call it. Basically what that is is a huge cluster of thunderstorms that just brings heavy, heavy rain and sometimes severe weather to go along with it. This what we call an MCS and that's what we're dealing with this morning across parts of the upper Midwest. This one, not at organized and not at widespread. So we're going to see some heavy rain falling, some flooding with this, but not what we expected, what we saw, across parts of Arkansas. So we're still looking at active weather across the nation's midsection. We'll talk more about what you can expect in your forecast and we'll talk about the beach forecast, too, as we track that oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Suzanne?
GRIFFIN: Jacqui, thanks.
We've got breaking news that's going to impact some travel plans for a lot of people today.
MALVEAUX: Pilots for Spirit Airlines went on strike about three hours ago prompting this budget carrier to cancel all scheduled flights today. I want to go to our CNN's Josh Levs who has more on this breaking story. Josh, if you get booked on a Spirit flight today, are you out of luck? Do you get ticket credit? How is this going to work for those passengers?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'll talk you through that. Spirit is saying that you'll get your money back and they have something on their web site now showing you how you can also get $100. Let's start off with the big picture, how many or how few people can be affected. We'll start off with the map right here which is from Spirit Airlines. And it shows you, if you're not familiar with them, where they fly. This is their route map right here from their website. So it's based centrally in the southeastern area going out to the islands, base is actually inside Florida. So this is where you usually see them do a lot of their traveling.
Now we have some video and I'll talk you through some facts so you get a sense of the scope of this airline. They have a total of 40 destinations and 2,300 employees and they operate about 150 daily flights. So when we're talking about Spirit Airlines, we're not talking about a major carrier. That said it can have effects far beyond what you're seeing there. We also know that the basic idea behind this airline is that it's trying to promote these ultra-low fares. So they say they often are $100 less per ticket on average than the other airlines out there and then this economy, they have attracted more and more travelers, especially people on vacations right now who are trying to get out to those islands in that region. So there's no question it affects people at the beginning. It then affects more and more people because you know how this works. It has ripple effects.
Let me tell you both sides here. We have a quote from the airline pilots association. They are saying negotiators agreed to extend the strike deadline twice in order to review final proposals put forth by both parties to keep the airline running. They say in the end, both sides could not reach an agreement. Up here on the website if you're one of the people affected by this, you will see a statement from Spirit Airlines. They say they're continuing to try to work with the union to work this out. They say they're going for a fair and equitable deal and what Suzanne mentions right over here and you see it in bold, what they say that if you were scheduled to fly, you will get the full amount of your flight purchase and you will get a $100 future flight credit. So if you're one of these people affected by it, go to spiritair.com.
We want your stories, you videos, your photos. Here's how you can get in touch with me. Send me your twit pics, send me your photos by Facebook. I'm at joshlevscnn or send us an ireport to ireport.com. We definitely want to keep an eye all day on how this strike of one airline affects travelers everywhere. So Suzanne and Drew, I've been manning the computers ready to see what people say about that.
MALVEAUX: All right, thank you Josh.
GRIFFIN: Josh thanks. We just got word, we booked an industry analyst who was going to come on at 8:30 and also explain how to get around the booking situation everything so look forward to that especially if you are one of those people holding a ticket this morning.
There's new danger for workers cleaning up along the oil, the oil in the Gulf coast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fifty percent humidity, 107 degrees air temperature, 141 degrees with the heat index.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: It is not the dispersants or the oil fields. It's actually the heat that's the latest problem. Our Reynolds Wolf is joining us live from the Gulf shore with the latest on the spill and what steps are being taken to keep workers safe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: It is day 54 at the Gulf oil disaster and BP still hasn't figured out a way to cap this well. President Obama is slated to call British Prime Minister David Cameron at 9:00 a.m. Eastern about this spill. They're going to talk about that. Some Brits are concerned that the president's recent comments are affecting BP stock prices, very important there. Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser is criticizing British prime minister for following comments that he made on the oil disaster in the Gulf.
Now, according to BP, almost 42,000 claims have been submitted and half of them have been settled, totaling more than $53 million. Now BP could decide to suspend dividends to shareholders by July 27th. Now, that's because the company hopes to use a secondary containment cap as early as Monday, potentially capturing an additional 5,000 to 10,000 barrels a day. Now, rising temperatures are complicating the cleanup effort. Heat-related illnesses are now a major concern for doctors and nurses.
GRIFFIN: Yes, it is steaming along the Gulf coast and that is bringing more troubles to the cleanup effort. Our Reynolds Wolf is down along the beach talking with us about just how the clean-up workers are dealing with the heat. It's slowing them down. You're in Orange Beach, Alabama and the forecast again in the 90s again today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Sun, surf, a hot, sunny day. Another beautiful day at the beach, unless, of course, you're one of these guys. Well, this part of the Alabama coast, you can see things are pretty busy this morning. A lot of bags, as far as the eye can see, these bags filled up with sand, filled up with oil and then stacked in big piles like this. It's all task (ph). But then when you bring in the high heat and the high humidity, it make a difficult job even tougher.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have 50 percent humidity, 107 degrees air temperature, 141 degrees with the heat index.
WOLF: The thousands of men and women charged with cleaning the nearby coastline are fighting another battle -- keeping cool while still being productive.
BRIAN SIBLEY, JOINT INFORMATION CENTER SPOKESMAN: The workers are, you know, they're wearing long pants, hard soled shoes. The heat does affect them much more differently than it does the beachgoers.
WOLF: Brian Sibley, a spokesman for the Joint Information Center, says that the heat is just another danger to the workers that they have to take into consideration. Tents, fans and lots and lots of water make up the first line of defense.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got to drink one bottle of water every break.
SIBLEY: The way we're supporting them in terms of keeping them safe from the heat is they work in very short shifts, usually 15 to 20 minutes. Then they get out of the sun and they get re-hydrated, rested and ready to go back out. Safety is the absolute first priority on all of these crews. WOLF: But with this kind of extreme heat expected through the weekend and with no end to the cleanup in sight, workers can expect a long, hot summer ahead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Reynolds joins us live from Biloxi, Mississippi. Reynolds, what a lot of people are asking me is, are the beaches really clean? Can I really come? Is the water clean?
WOLF: Well, the beaches are open. The thing is, you're going to have those moments where you might have a plume that comes ashore. We saw that yesterday in parts of Orange Beach not far from Perdido (ph) Key. You're going to have those moments where you're going to see some oil on the beach. It's with the largest spill in U.S. history off our shorelines, it's inevitable that you're going to have that. But you'll notice people have been able to get right back into the water when some of the oil comes ashore. Now with the heavy, thick stuff obviously you're not going to. But the beaches are indeed open. I can tell you from this vantage point here in Biloxi, things are fine for the time being.
You see some people out there on some of the water craft getting ready for customers. That will come to the shoreline. Temperatures for the time being, you take a look at this, right now just a touch above 80 degrees, humidity high, as you would expect. I mean it is the Gulf of Mexico. You're going to have humid conditions. So it's going to be great for people who are coming out and about to enjoy the sunshine. But again, for those people who are working or wearing their protective clothing, they're moving some of the oil tar balls away from the beach, it's going to be a really tough time for them. So again, moderation is the key. That's the big story that we have got here. Let's send it back to you guys in the control room or actually the newsroom.
GRIFFIN: All right, Reynolds, thanks.
MALVEAUX: Some are calling them the forgotten victims of the Gulf oil disaster. That is the 11 workers who died when the deepwater Horizon rig went down almost two months ago off the Louisiana coast. Thursday, President Obama welcomed those families to the White House and afterwards, I had a chance to talk with one of those families, the Jones' about their experience and their conversation with the president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Twenty-eight-year-old Gordon Jones was a mud engineer on the deepwater Horizon rig when it exploded and sank. His father Keith and brother Chris.
KEITH JONES, FATHER OF GORDON JONES: We don't know exactly what happened to Gordon. We're not certain exactly where Gordon was. There was mud that began shooting out of the well, which means that a blowout was about to happen. MALVEAUX: Chris got a call shortly after the rig went down. When you found out what happened, that your brother was one of those who was killed in the rig, what was going on in your head and in your heart?
CHRIS JONES, BROTHER OF GORDON JONES: Disbelief. After a while I got into the car, drove down to Port (INAUDIBLE) because I wasn't satisfied, number one, with what everybody was telling me.
MALVEAUX: Gordon's family has been fighting for answers ever since, visited Washington to testify on Capitol Hill to get better benefits for the families of those who perished in the rig explosion and now an invitation from President Obama to the White House. Do you think the president has been doing enough?
K. JONES: I do. I -- I don't know what people expect him to do, expect him to go down and clean pelicans, but I think that, that the criticism of the president that I've seen is from the public relations standpoint.
MALVEAUX: The last memories of Gordon with his wife Michelle and son Stafford are still fresh for the family.
K. JONES: We were at the golf course. Michelle had just taken a picture of Gordon giving Stafford his first golf lesson and I was standing right behind Michelle when she took that picture, and I remember driving away thinking, they are so happy. Everything I remember about my last time with Gordon was good.
MALVEAUX: Gordon had just a couple of days left on the rig before he was scheduled to take seven weeks off for the birth of his second son. What was that like, that day, where his wife delivered his son, a son that he never even saw born?
K. JONES: It was the ultimate bittersweet experience. It was the joy of delivering a healthy baby boy who from the start looked like Gordon. And there was the sorrow with the realization he would never meet his dad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: You met these guys before they went in to see the president and talked with them afterwards. Right?
MALVEAUX: Sure.
GRIFFIN: Did they get what they needed from the president or were they there to get anything?
MALVEAUX: One thing that they wanted the president to know was that they would like them to support changing the law of the death on the high seas act so it gives benefits to these families who are really struggling. The other thing, in talking with both of them, they felt that the president did address that he's looking into legal ways that they can help be compensated. The other thing was very personal. They said they just wanted the president to know what Gordon was like, that he had an open heart, a kind heart and that they were doing everything they could to look after his widow Michelle and those two young boys and that they -- bottom line is they just don't want to be forgotten. That's the major thing and if people can remember that they were a part of this tragedy as well, maybe people will help out and help with their losses.
GRIFFIN: Guys (ph) continue to get buried in the headline here as we see the oil continuing to gush. This wasn't just an environmental disaster. This was a disaster for these families.
MALVEAUX: Right. But they felt good that the president, at least, gave them some sort of hearing. And I think that made them feel a little bit better.
GRIFFIN: `A lot of people feeling better because the biggest sporting event in the world kicked off yesterday. They're all excited about it, even though it's not the world series -- what you really get excited about. Take it.
MALVEAUX: It is back. The World Cup and it's the other football. But does anyone here in the U.S. really care? Our Josh Levs, he's got the answers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: You know, CNNI, our international guys are really keeping a close eye on this sport. But we are too, the sporting event of the world. The World Cup going on in South Africa. Team USA opening game against England is slated for early this afternoon. Set your clocks. Who are the players most likely to make an impact? We got one player right here. Josh Levs.
LEVS: Oh, yeah.
GRIFFIN: He is a player folks and he knows all about this World Cup stuff. Go ahead.
LEVS: My secret's out. Just like the rest of us, I'm getting schooled all about this, but fortunately I have some today because in order to do this, some of the key Americans to watch in this game, the whole world can be watching. I'm bringing in our Pedro Pinto, who is there and getting to enjoy all of it. Pedro, are you with us?
PEDRO PINTO, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, I am, Josh. Good to talk to you.
LEVS: Good to talk to you, too. Before we dig into who some of the key players are to watch, give us the big picture here. I know that there's this huge rivalry. We don't have a great record against England but we have a better shot when we're not playing in Europe. Tell us quickly about that.
PINTO: Yes. It's interesting, actually and I was looking into that. First of all, the last time the Americans even played here in South Africa, they beat which was the top team in the world at the time, Spain, the confederations cup. Then the states nearly beat Brazil as well in the final of that competition. So there's a great record on South African soil. Also, in Europe, you guys haven't done so well. For example in 1930, I know we're going back a long way, but you guys made the semifinals in Uruguay and also in Brazil when you played there. Asia, you also won a lot of games. So --
LEVS: A little mojo going for us in South Africa. Let's do this. I want to go -- this is the whole team by the way -- this is the U.S. team. And there's a few that we're going to talk to quickly. Give us just a couple sentences about each of these U.S. soccer stars. Let's start off with Clint Dempsey. What do we need to know about him today?
PINTO: Let's do. Let's talk about these key players. If it's OK I'm going to start with Landon Donovan.
LEVS: Go ahead.
PINTO: He's the top scorer of all-time in the American team and he's got 42 goals. He's been playing a long time, 122 appearances for the U.S. soccer team. He's really your best player, if you ask me. Jose Altidore is another guy who is going to be up there. He was top scorer in qualifying so he's another one to look out for. And I guess you'd like to talk about your goal keeper, Tim Howard as well. He's been in England now and one of the top leagues in the world for seven years.
LEVS: Tim Howard. Lets' do Clint Dempsey. (INAUDIBLE) with our team. Clint Dempsey, talk to me quickly about him.
PINTO: Clint Dempsey has also been in the states, set up in a long time and also he's been playing in England in one of the top leagues. He reached the final of one of the top European competitions this season (INAUDIBLE) league and he's one of those players that really adds some creativity, some flare in the field. He'll be a key player, Bob Bradley as well. There's no doubt about it. And you know Josh, a lot of people say the U.S. are huge underdogs. I don't want to bring up the history card again but back in 1950, when the states were just a bunch of amateurs, they beat England, which at that time was one of the best teams in the world 1-0. So I think it's really possible that Bob Bradley's team can come out on top here in South Africa.
LEVS: Before we go quickly, I want to mention Wayne Rooney. He's the main guy. You were telling us for me to watch for him, the England team right. He's the big soccer star there. And he's the most formidable opponent of the day, right?
PINTO: He is. And he was the top scorer for England during qualifying. He was the top guy for his club Matches United (ph). He's someone to look out for all the time and he works so hard, he never stops running. The U.S. defense really, that's the target, number one to try to stop him.
LEVS: Pedro, thank you so much. By the way when these were listed, I got these from time.com, one of the 11 players to watch for the day. We know you all are watching and we are all, of course, on this side anyway, hoping that the U.S. has a good day. All right, we got some news. I got to toss it back to you, guys.
MALVEAUX: Josh, we're going to miss David Beckham, all the ladies in the house. That's who we wanted to see. But I know he would be on the Brits' side anyway. I don't know if that's for, against us or not, but we're going to miss him sorely. If you want to watch the World Cup, there is an app for it as well.
The games are going to be available on cell phones around the world. Whether you watch it or not, could the World Cup, affect your coverage for the next month? That's a big question. Our digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong, he's going to join us to answer all of those questions after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: A lot of folks watching the World Cup are going to be texting and they are going to call their friends and some may even be watching the games, yes, on their cell phones. But there is a chance that they might actually get an annoying network busy message instead, might not be able to get through. Joining us now is our digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong. Mario, I have to admit that the only way I'm going to watch this is poolside, if I'm at a pool and I've got my phone with me so I can see it handy and actually watch it in the sunshine. So help us out here, those who want to watch the game. What are the best apps that we can download to watch this?
MARIO ARMSTRONG, TECHTECHBOOM.COM: Well there's three. You have so many people wanting to watch this. We're in a different time now where it's easier to watch these types of games on our mbile devices. We have more devices that can handle video and audio and all of these other capabilities.
So my top three apps: number one, Associated Press, this is probably one that many people wouldn't think of. But Associated Press launched an app called AP 2010. And it's really great they have phenomenal coverage. They sent an extra 100 journalists and staff down to South Africa to cover the event. There's going to be news, scores, updates and some video replays on that application. And that's all available on so many phones. Nokia phones, Apple phones, Android phone, Blackberries.
My number two app is probably for the Droid, it's the World Cup 2010, which you're looking at right here.
MALVEAUX: Ok.
ARMSTRONG: And this one's free. And it gives you score notifications, calendars and you can kind of follow your team and get some of the information as you're following along with the progress there, and actually get some video replays which is great.
And then the last one, the number three, is probably the most popular. It's the 2010 ESPN FIFA. And this one is available on the iPhone, the iPad and the iPad Touch. In fact I'll pull up some video right now on the iPad so you can kind of see a little bit of what this kind of looks like. But it's $7.99 for the full app.
MALVEAUX: That's cool.
ARMSTRONG: Now, you can get this application -- yes, it's not bad on this size screen at all as you can see.
MALVEAUX: Well, can cell phone networks handle all the videos and texts that they are expecting?
ARMSTRONG: Yes, there's going to be a lot of congestion on the network, that's for sure. But many of the networks have been planning for this. They've been putting extra infrastructure in. When you look at it across the globe, I mean, U.S. ranks in terms of our connectedness, 15th across the globe.
So we should be fine. I don't really --
MALVEAUX: Ok.
ARMSTRONG: -- I don't expect too many hiccups.
MALVEAUX: All right.
ARMSTRONG: I did realize some hiccups a little bit on 3G networks when a watch a little bit of live streaming. It is better to watch them on WiFi if you have that.
MALVEAUX: And Mario real quick, tell us a little bit about the jersey you're wearing?
ARMSTRONG: Oh yes, so the jersey, it says look, that's not, the Jersey's cool. It's the 2010 USA Team Jersey.
MALVEAUX: It's cool.
ARMSTRONG: But look, they also get tech with a soccer ball this year. The soccer ball has gone tech at the World Cup, too and they say it's a higher trajectory and a faster ball. So the goalies better beware of this new ball that's coming out.
MALVEAUX: All right, lots of information. Thank you so much, Mario. I appreciate it.
ARMSTRONG: Sure ok.
MALVEAUX: Mario is here every Saturday to let us know all the latest tech and gadget news. You can visit him on his Web site, MarioArmstrong.com.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: And new at 8:30, Spirit Airlines is canceling all flights today, as pilots just walked off their job. We're going to tell you why. But first --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were trying to reach; we were too high up we couldn't reach him. There was flying by -- like 50, 60 miles an hour, the water flow. You know, so it was too late.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Rescue workers going through the debris for more victims and survivors. We're going to have the latest from the deadly Arkansas campground flood.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: These are nervous times for relatives of those still missing after the flash flood swallowed up a campground in western Arkansas. At least 16 are known dead after torrential rains flooded two rivers trapping as many as 300 campers.
Our Catherine Callaway is joining us live from Langley, Arkansas, and Catherine do we even know how many are missing still?
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. We still have no exact number on how many people are missing. A lot of people, they camp, but they may not register and then some of the registration papers from the campers washed away in that flash flooding.
I mean, it's very popular with the locals. Not just the tourists who came to see the rivers and perhaps raft down the rivers. So it's a very difficult situation. They're estimating, and that's almost a guesstimate saying there were 300 people.
This time of the year, it wouldn't be unusual for that number of people to be in that area. So all they are doing is looking for survivors. They're also looking for victims, and, as you know, yesterday they were able to find some 30 people.
This morning we are just down the road from the command center, and we have seen since daylight traffic picking up significantly here. We've seen a canine unit come by. We've also seen a number of local officials and locals going by with all-terrain vehicles trying to get to this area to help search for some of those missing people.
MALVEAUX: Catherine Callaway, thank you so for the update.
GRIFFIN: Brigette Williams is with the American Red Cross she is joining us on phone from Glenwood, Arkansas. You've been talking with a lot of the victims, I guess. What are they telling you about this flood?
BRIGETTE WILLIAMS, SPOKEWOMAN, AMERICAN RED CROSS (via telephone): It's obviously caught them all by surprise. Many of them were asleep. It happened very early in the morning. So all they could do, those who did survive, scramble as best they could. We heard numerous stories with mothers that were holding tight to babies. Unfortunately some were swept away.
So as you can imagine, these families are in shock. They're stunned, they are not eating, and so that is one of our most -- our biggest hope is right now is to get people to eat and drink and keep their energy up.
GRIFFIN: And Ms. Williams, do you have families that are actually waiting to find out what happened to their relatives? You said some of these children were washed away. Are they literally waiting for the bodies to be found?
WILLIAMS: We -- we do have several families that are waiting. I spoke with a gentleman last night, his mother is missing. And he and his wife are just sitting, just stroking each other trying to just be strong. And it is just the best description I can have -- it is just like a palpable sorrow that is just there.
You walk up to someone, you want to express your condolences but the words just hang in the air and there's just an eye connection where you both know that words are just insufficient as they ever are at a time like this.
GRIFFIN: Brigette Williams with the American Red Cross thank you.
WILLIAMS: You're welcome.
GRIFFIN: Spirit Airlines pilots walk off the job stranding passengers around the nation. We're going to tell you why and what it means for travel this weekend, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: All Spirit Airlines flights were cancelled today. The pilots went on strike. Many of you may have not heard of this airline, but they do fly a lot of passengers every day. They fly out of big airports like Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando.
So if you're holding a ticket, you're booked on an upcoming flight, what are you going to do?
Brett Snyder, an independent consultant and blogger in the airline industry joining us by phone and Brett, let's start with just the basics. If, you're holding a ticket and you're flying out at 2:00 this afternoon what are you supposed to do?
BRETT SNYDER, INDUSTRY ANALYST (via telephone): Well, your flight is going to be cancelled. They said all their flights are cancelled today. So unfortunately it doesn't look like they have agreements with other airlines -- I've spoken with JetBlue, for example. They said they don't have agreements. Spirit customers are welcome to buy tickets on them.
So really what you'll need to end up doing is buying a new ticket and getting a refund from Spirit.
GRIFFIN: And that is not good news, because airline tickets, correct me if I'm wrong, are up. A lot of the flights are booked this summer. There's less planes in the air, just from my own personal experience. So it's not easy to just jump on another flight, especially at the price that you'll probably be booked the Spirit flight for?
SNYDER: Oh you're absolutely right about that. So Spirit's focus is in south Florida. Their major hub airport is in Ft. Lauderdale and they do a lot of flying down to the Caribbean.
So there aren't a ton of options to some of these airports in the first place, and as you're saying, you know this summer fares are really fairly high, and seats are premium. So for a last minute ticket there's a very good chance that it's going to be a lot more costly, than what you had to pay for your -- your ticket on Spirit.
GRIFFIN: All right. Brett Snyder thanks for joining us with some direction at least on what you should be doing with the Spirit Airlines. The company says they're going to refund, what -- your ticket and $100. But boy, if you booked a condo and you can't get out of it, you're sunk.
MALVEAUX: Yes, you're out of luck and stuck in the airport.
Well, the World Cup is big business for South Africa, but could it also be a big boost for the economy around the world as well? Sports business analyst Rick Harrow joins us live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Everywhere but here soccer is big business; millions watching the World Cup going on now. Let's bring in sports analyst Rick Horrow. You're waving around a 20-dollar bill. I don't know how far that's going to get you to South Africa Rick but --
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: No, it was a pretty good prop because that's what our segment is about today. It's a lot of money. I don't have anything more than a $20. I would have waved around a $100, I just don't have one.
GRIFFIN: Oh, come on. I know you have more money than that in your back pocket.
HORROW: Come on, Drew.
GRIFFIN: So how big is this? I mean seriously. Is this huge TV revenue?
HORROW: Huger and huger. First of all, look at the dynamics. For South Africa it's anywhere from 150,000 to 400,000 permanent jobs -- Grant Thornton, the accounting firm did a study -- and $7 billion of economic impact. Second worldwide television wise, 24 billion people watch the World Cup in Germany and they're expecting a lot more. And obviously sponsorship, $3.5 billion in sponsorship worldwide; that's about $900 million more than Germany. So, by the way, Super Bowl, maybe one-tenth of that economic impact, so it is huge, obviously.
GRIFFIN: Wow. Talking about another thing that is kind of disappointing to me about all these football conferences back in the U.S. -- the big 12 now turning into the small 10 and the big 10 turning into the big 12, what is going on? That is really all about money. Isn't it?
HORROW: Well, that's why we have this for the second question. I mean, the bottom line of all of it is there are eight conferences for division I football and those two you mentioned, the big 10 and the big 12, have television contracts that at the end of their cycles. The other conferences have contracts that are running about 20 more years or so.
$7 billion total in television rights fees paid to these conferences. So, all of the teams are playing conference musical chairs like they did five years ago when the last deal expired. So this is the first chapter in a very long book, though it hasn't stopped yet.
We talk about it next week, you'll talk about some new teams that have moved, not just Nebraska and Colorado.
GRIFFIN: Interesting, though, that Nebraska moves out. I mean, it leaves the rest of the big 12 conference kind of looking -- I would say from a fan's perspective, pretty sad.
HORROW: Survival of the fittest. Well, they've got to take care of themselves, like the ACC and the Big East did after Miami and Virginia Tech and Boston College left there a few years ago. They retooled. So, you know, Iowa State, for example, and Kansas, there are teams that are great basketball powers, Kansas, but they've got to figure out how to deal with their own economic situation.
The Texas of the world, they make $100 million in revenues at all of these other schools? You've got to fend for yourself and you have to figure it out. That's what's happening over the next week or two.
GRIFFIN: All right. Let's talk about one of the big programs that got saddled this week with the NCAA sanctions -- USC, University of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. This is going to be a huge financial blow as they're going to have to pay for the mistakes they made violating penalties with the NCAA.
HORROW: Well, Drew, you remember we talked about this in the first two, that's gone for USC for a little while. They lose 30 scholarships, they lose Bowls for two years and they vacate 14 wins that they won previously including, we'll see the national championship that they won.
The bottom line, more important than that is the legacy and reputation and the dominance of Southern California football may take years to get that back. Strong sanctions: their basketball program, but also their football program; the NCAA making a statement, good or bad.
GRIFFIN: All right. Rick thanks a lot. Hey, drop that $20 in the mail. I remember you owed it to me now. So I'll be looking for that, thanks a lot buddy.
HORROW: See you, man.
GRIFFIN: Tuesday was a big primary night for women. In California, Nevada and South Carolina, women all won. I'm going to introduce to you another woman who's fighting her way into the political arena.
MALVEAUX: Plus, we are drilling down on an issue that directly affects you. At 9:00 we're going to take a closer look at possible solutions to cleaning up the oil spill.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: This was a big week for women in politics, scoring wins across the country. Some like Sarah Palin, possibly becoming true power brokers.
I want to introduce you to one woman becoming an up and coming star in a movement so far has been dominated by men. Cat Bleish is a patriot, a tea partier as you're about to see in some ways, a 26-year-old throwback to the '60s.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN (voice-over): We found the new face of right wing conservatism in Austin, Texas, down a dim staircase that leads to a subterranean book store called Brave New Books where Catherine Bleish tries to sell her new natural soap products while trying to explain us how she is anti-war, pro-organic food and vehemently anti-Obama.
GRIFFIN: Are you scared of this guy?
CATHERINE FLEISH, TEA PARTIER: Am I scared of him? No. I mean -- I'm not scared of him at all. I'm unhappy with him very much so.
GRIFFIN: She believes we the people are being unfairly taxed, illegally spied upon, and more and more oppressively over-controlled by a federal government that's starting to look like one of those Latin-American governments.
Is this the direction?
BLEISH: I don't know.
GRIFFIN: Sounds like what you're describing.
BLEISH: Possibly. It's sad, isn't it?
GRIFFIN: Bleish is not militant, is not violent, but is head of her own liberty restoration project, she a tea partier, a patriot and sees nothing wrong with the growing number of gun-toting militias in this country.
BLEISH: It makes me feel safer. If you look around our society, who's actually committing acts of violence right now? Is it the people who are advocating individual gun ownership? Or is it our government?
GRIFFIN: Yes, she does at least give credence to the conspiracies that some on the left would say is proof, she is crazy.
GRIFFIN: 9/11, government conspiracy? BLEISH: I don't know. But everyone should question it.
GRIFFIN: Obama, born or not in the U.S.?
BLEISH: I don't know. But everyone should question that at this point, too.
HEIDI BEIRICH, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: It's amazing really to see a young woman like this can fall in these circles. There aren't a lot of women in the movement, in the anti-government movement. So she's the face of that.
GRIFFIN: Southern Poverty Law Center issued a report this year warning that patriot groups and even Catherine Bleish's Liberty Restoration Project are creating a dangerous climate that at any time could turn violent.
BEIRICH: Yes. Any time that you're talking about extreme anti- government organizations you're talking about the possibility of domestic terrorism.
GRIFFIN: That includes the often cited studies by the Southern Poverty Law Center, including the most recent intelligence report by the group called "Rage on the Right", which these patriot group members say unfairly tries to link them with racists.
"Tea parties and similar groups that have sprung up in recent months," the report says, "can not fairly be considered extremist groups but they are shot through with rich veins of radical ideas, conspiracy theories and racism." Do you find that true?
BLEISH: No, I don't.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: You know, she said she's a patriot in every sense of the word. I asked what is the one thing you could do that would really kind of solve the problems? You know what she told me?
MALVEAUX: No, what's that?
GRIFFIN: Make community gardens.
MALVEAUX: Really? That's her response?
GRIFFIN: All over the map.
MALVEAUX: One of the things I thought was interesting, too, was that you saw these women in their roles. And Sarah Palin is identifying herself as a feminist which has really made some women angry, part of the movement. Does this woman -- does she see herself as a feminist?
GRIFFIN: You know, she is so young, just 26 years old. I think she's like beyond that whether I'm a feminist or not. She is a leader in her movement and I don't think she has any kind of gender distinction going on there. I think it is beyond that feminist identification for her.
MALVEAUX: Very interesting.
GRIFFIN: Yes.
MALVEAUX: All right.
Of course, coming up at the top of the hour, our special at 9:00: the solutions to the oil problem. We are asking many people what their solutions are, possibly, to this oil crisis.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Top stories this morning, the President is calling on British Prime Minister David Cameron today. That phone call, to talk over the differences over the oil spill in the Gulf. Mr. Obama has used some tough language in recent days. The British Prime Minister Cameron says that has helped throw BP into financial turmoil.
In Baltimore, police have a warrant out for one of their own in connection with the death of that Marine. Our affiliate WBAL says the off-duty officer shot and killed an unarmed Iraq war veteran after that veteran allegedly groped the officer's girlfriend outside a night club a week ago.
A French fishing vessel has reached a remote part of the Indian Ocean to save stranded California teenager Abby Sunderland. Sunderland's brother says rescue workers found her and she's in good health. She had wanted to set the record as the youngest person, 16 years old, to sail around the world alone. But a rogue wave almost sank her yacht.
And good morning to you. Welcome to CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Drew Griffin.
MALVEAUX: And I'm Suzanne Malveaux, we're both in for T.J. Holmes.
This hour as we do every Saturday at 9:00, we dig deeper into an issue that directly affects you.
GRIFFIN: Yes, today we're focusing, of course, on the oil situation in the gulf. How local businesses are trying to survive this and keep afloat.
MALVEAUX: And it's been 54 days since the Deepwater horizon exploded killing 11 people. Plaquemines Parish president Billy Nungesser is criticizing the deputy prime minister following comments he made about the oil disaster in the gulf. President Obama is expected to discuss the disaster with British Prime Minister David Cameron, a phone call this morning at 11:00 Eastern.
According to BP, almost 42,000 claims have been submitted. About half those claims have been settled totaling more than $53 million. BP could decide to suspend dividends to shareholders by July 27th. The company hopes to use a secondary containment cap as early as Monday. Potentially capturing an additional 5,000 to 10,000 barrels a day.
Well, rising temperatures are now complicating the cleanup efforts. Heat-related illnesses are now the major concern.
GRIFFIN: There is a lot riding on this growing oil disaster. The environment, the economy, public safety. Many beaches remain open, but people seem wary and now warnings are going up. Reynolds Wolf joins us live from Biloxi, Mississippi.
And Reynolds, the fishing industry is pretty much shot but now the tourism industry, a lot depends on whether or not the tourists are going to show up on those beaches?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. You're absolutely right about that, Drew. I tell you right now, the beaches for the most part are pretty empty. But that's to be expected this time of the morning. If you look behind me, you can see a lot of people moving the equipment out. You see the lounges, the umbrellas up and even some of those beach trikes that they have that actually go out on the water.
Pan over a little bit more to my left, you can see out on the water, some of the wave runners they've been getting all those ready too. All fueled up and ready for a fun day. And the people have been coming out here. But the problem is, as they come out to enjoy the sand and the water and makes some new memories, they may be getting a little bit more than what they bargained for.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (voice-over): It started as a regular day at the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Sand castles, swimming and sun bathing. But the life guard's warning came as a wake-up call.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were in the water. And they told us we had to get out because the oil was coming in.
WOLF: Christina Weaver (ph) and her brother, Robby, spent their childhood together on this beach. Having moved away, they'd come back to visit together today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We figured we'd come see the beach one last time before it was ruined. But we got here and five minutes later, here it was, and it's nasty.
WOLF: Public advisories have now been posted in Alabama and Florida, but beaches remain open.
KIM TAYLOR, ALABAMA DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH: When you see these advisories, those are just as a precaution for anyone who may be in the water, who may be sensitive to oil products, and that might cause irritation on the skin or such.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of these gets water. The other one gets sediment.
WOLF: Water testing has been part of the routine in Pensacola Beach, Florida, since the spill began. DR. RICHARD SNYDER, BIOLOGIST, UNIV. OF W. FLORIDA: We're actually taking water samples and sand samples, analyzing them chemically to look for the oil that people can't see. Because a lot of this oil is dispersed in the water.
WOLF: At an emergency management meeting, almost 150 miles away in Mississippi, officials are tired of waiting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The solid samples that was sent in Monday, we got Sunday, we still don't have a result. You know how long it took them last time.
WOLF: Hancock County emergency director Hooty Adams says he is pushing incident command for faster results while urging beachgoers to be vigilant.
BRIAN "HOOTY" ADAMS, HANCOCK COUNTY EMERGENCY DIRECTOR: Right now, I tell them to go to the beach. Just you know, be wary, if they go in the water, just be wary of their surroundings.
WOLF: And then seems to be exactly what life guards back in Gulf Shores, Alabama are doing. Less than half an hour after oil washed up on their beach, swimmers were allowed back into the water.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now they said we could go back in. So we're OK now. Well - I don't see anymore out there right now. It's all along the beach. So I guess we're OK.
WOLF: Christina Weaver (ph) isn't taking any chances.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I don't want to be in the water. It's everywhere.
WOLF: The Weavers were here for fond memories but are leaving with an unexpected keepsake.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you trying to collect some?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, just to show that I was here when it happened. A little memorabilia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. This is not fun.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: Drew, one thing to mention to you and to our viewers across America, that if you have plans to come to the Mississippi coastline by all means, keep on coming on down. I'll tell you, we haven't had one sign of any oil along this stretch of coast here in Biloxi, or even Gulfport. Conditions here are picture perfect.
Now let's contrast that with some of the heavier oil that we've seen way down in the extreme southern Louisiana, where you have your marshlands, way down at Plaquemines Parish. Obviously, that's an entirely different situation. Here, nothing whatsoever. In parts of Alabama, we have seen a little bit of that, some of the tar balls come on the beach, but here, things are fine. So, again, thumbs up here on the beaches for the time being. Let's send it back to you, Drew.
GRIFFIN: All right. Reynolds, thanks a lot.
MALVEAUX: And our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras obviously with the very latest update on the weather and how that's impacting the oil spill cleanup.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, the winds overall have been relatively light. So we haven't seen a lot of advancement in the last two days on where those tar balls and some of the oil has been making its way on to the coastal area. This is the forecast for today, and where you see these red areas, that's where we're expecting, "landfall."
Keep in mind, you know, this isn't just one big push of oil or a big sheet of oil that will make its way onshore, it's just little spotty patches like you were seeing in the video from Reynolds Wolf's report. And there you could see Pensacola Beach is about as far it goes but this yellow line is in an area of uncertainty. But we could start to see some of this wash up again, potentially over towards Ft. Walton Beach or maybe into the Destin area but hopefully that won't for a couple of days.
Now, all of the beaches are open, every single beach is open. The question mark is whether or not you get in the water. Now, a lot of the Alabama beaches have swimming advisories. They're saying, come to the beach, but you're more likely to get sick if you get in the water because of reactions due to that. Some people get skin irritations, some people could have breathing problems as a result.
Now, in Florida, we have a new advisory and this is really from the state line, just over toward Perdido Pass. And what they've done is they don't want you to get into the water. They want you to stay above that high tide line. Everything else in Florida is looking good.
And here you can see a tower cam. This is from (inaudible) Destin and there you can see all of the beaches, you know, look beautiful here, and we've got chairs set up. There are people that we've seen already getting in the water early this morning. So there are a lot of places where you can still go and get out in the water, and most of the beaches that you have in those advisories, by the way, have posting. So it says, "don't get in the water here," If you have those problems.
Now, heat is another issue. So it makes you want to go to the beach this weekend, doesn't? We've got heat advisories in effect across parts of the Mississippi Valley. Places like Memphis, down towards Greenville, Mississippi, Jackson, as well as New Orleans, where the heat index is feeling like 105 to 110 degrees at times. So it's brutal. if you want to hit those beaches early in today and maybe spend some time in the air conditioning for the afternoon. Suzanne MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you so much, Jacqui.
Now despite the oil, there are some visitors rather officials, tourist officials who says go ahead and pack a bag. Billboards are popping up in several cities across the country to encourage people to head down to the beaches.
GRIFFIN: With all these warnings, it's getting a bit confusing. Still to come, we're going to check in with the Convention and Visitors' Bureau in Panama City, Florida.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
GRIFFIN: Getting tourists to the Gulf of Mexico is one of the hardest-hit industries since that oil spill. So what's being done to ensure tourist know many of the beaches we're told are still white and the waters are still blue? Hotels and restaurants are taking their message to billboards and airwaves. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As you can see, the white sand beaches of Panama City Beach are as beautiful as ever and still untouched by the oil spill. So what are you waiting for? Plan your Panama City Beach vacation today and visit Panamacitybeach.com.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Joining us live from Panama City Beach, Florida via Skype is Dan Rowe. He's the president and CEO of Panama City Beach convention and visitors' bureau. Dan, thanks for joining us.
You know, we're getting confusing -
DAN ROWE, PRESIDENT & CEO, PANAMA CITY BEACH CONVENTION AND VISITORS' BUREAU: Good to be with you this morning. We just had one of our sightseeing helicopters fly by, so if I can't hear for a second, there is some visitors out this morning getting a good view of the beach.
GRIFFIN: You are president of the Chamber of Commerce - convention and Visitors' Bureau down there. Let me ask you - we're getting a lot of confusing information from Alabama. Advisories, come to the beach, but the water's closed. Watch yourself. Are you having any of those issues in Panama City Beach right now with water quality?
ROWE: No, the water quality and the air quality of Panama City Beach are unchanged due to the Deepwater Horizon incident. You know, we feel for our friends to the west that have had more of an impact that we have. So far there are no confirmed impacts of any kind on Panama City Beach. Our beaches are sugar white, the water emerald green and we are open for business.
GRIFFIN: I want to tell everybody that those pictures that we're seeing next to Dan are not of Panama City Beach, Florida. That's the oil - I believe those pictures were taken in Louisiana. I just want to make that clear.
Dan, people are canceling their trips to your area, I imagine, because of just what we were seeing now on TV. The video that is coming out of those beaches further to your west.
Tell me, do you expect it to get there? Your commercial says they haven't - you know, our beaches have not been hit yet. Do you have any indications from government officials when and even if you're going to get slammed by this?
ROWE: Well, we are outside of the area of uncertainty. So you know, the federal government is not projecting any impacts on Panama City Beach, but we're making sure that, you know, we're planning ahead and we have contingency plans in place, that if the oil gets here that we will be able to react quickly.
But right now, we're focused on making sure that visitors know that this beach is open for business. We are just beginning to announce a summer-long festival, which is going to be summer funfest, which will be a lot of very exciting entertaining opportunities for people to come to Panama City Beach and have a great time. Whether they go out on the sandy beach or not, because there's so much to see and do.
I mean, this is a really fun beach. And we're also adding into it, you know, a benefit components, you know, charitable components, because we do know that the livelihoods of our friends and neighbors to the west have been impacted by the oil spill and we want to give back to them and encourage all the viewers of CNN to come down to the beach this summer, have a good time and to help us give back to those who are in need.
GRIFFIN: Yes. You know, I'm actually going to be coming down to your beach next week. There's a big baseball tournament down there, as you know. One of the questions I'm being asked by other parents that are on our teams is, is there some way we can look and see? Is there a camera set up where we know that what you're saying, Dan - because you have got a vested interest in this - what you're saying is true that this beach is clean, that our water is clean?
ROWE: We absolutely - we have web cams set up along the beach that visitors who go to our web site, visitpanamacitybeach.com, can pull up. As you know, we have television campaign and a billboard campaign where we take photos of the beach each and every day and upload those so that people can really get a good feel for what's going on, because a picture is worth 1,000 words.
And, you know, the baseball tournaments and the softball tournaments are such a big part of our summer business. We really appreciate, you know, the teams and the tournaments hanging in there with us, because, you know, we'll play ball all summer long and it will be a great time to be at Panama City Beach.
GRIFFIN: All right. Dan Rowe, thanks. I want to point out, this is one of the live shots he was talking about from that web site. So you can see, there it is a beautiful sight today. Dan Rowe, Panama City Beach, Florida. Thanks for bringing us an update on that and good luck all summer long as you continue to battle this huge issue. Thanks, Dan.
ROWE: We'll see you next week.
GRIFFIN: Yes.
MALVEAUX: Well, oysters from the Gulf of Mexico, arguably some of the best. Some of those waters have been closed, though, however, because of the oil, but not all, and not yet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As many as I can until it gets here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: We go out with the oyster man on what may be their last run for a while.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: You know, along with the oil there's a sense of helplessness all along the Gulf Coast. Many people worried about their way of life. And it could end.
CNN's John Zarrella went out with oystermen for what could be their final catch for a very long time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sunday on Apalachicola Bay, for the oystermen here, it is not a day of rest. It can't be. Not now. They are racing against tides and wind. Racing to beat the oncoming oil.
VICTOR CAUSEY, OYSTERMAN: I keep telling them, it's getting closer and closer.
ZARRELLA (on camera): So you're trying to get as much done as you can now before it gets here?
CAUSEY: Yes, sir. Get as many as I can until it gets here.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Victor Causey has been working the bay for four years. The work is backbreaking. He may have enough oysters to get to 10 or 15 60-pound bags by day's end. $20 a bag. A hard one, but a living. If the oil makes the bay, Causey says, it's over.
CAUSEY: If it comes in here, it's going to kill it.
ZARRELLA (on camera): It will be a while before they let you come back out here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They say years, if every. That's what I say. ZARRELLA (voice-over): Stephen Peterson works with his dad Lawrence, whose been oystering in these waters for 30 years. Stephen only works weekends. It's extra money, but for his dad, this is all he knows.
(on camera): But what about you? If you're not out on these water doing this, how are you going to be able to make?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I doubt it.
ZARRELLA (on camera): What would you do?
LAWRENCE PETERSON, OYSTERMAN: I don't know. There's nothing here to do.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Many of these oystermen have already gotten $5,000 checks from BP. A monthly advance on any oil or any losses. Some locals were out on the water looking for any signs of oil. BP is paying them, they told us. "It's hard eking out a living here, and now this," says Sandra Powell.
SAUNDRA POWELL, FRANKLIN COUNTY, SEAFOOD TASK FORCE: This is what we want to do. We choose to do this. It's not something we have to do. We want to do it. We love it. This is what we're happy with.
ZARRELLA (on camera): And now it's threatened?
POWELL: It's more than threatened. Yes, it is. It's really just devastating for all of us.
ZARRELLA: Oystering alone is an $80 million a year industry here. Throw in shrimping, crabbing, and fishing, if all that shut down. There won't be much left here.
John Zarrella, CNN, on Apalachicola Bay.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Well, we've been talking a lot about how to stop the oil disaster, but how are gulf coast shrimpers handling this big slowdown in their business? Shrimpers in the small Louisiana town of Delcom (ph) have turned to the internet. Yes, that's right. The internet.
Jimmie Dupre has been shrimping for 53 years. He is one of several shrimpers now who is selling online, and he joins us from Baton Rouge. Mr. Dupre, thank you for being here with us this morning. You've been shrimping now for decades. Fair to say. A generation of your family. Have you ever seen anything like this, faced anything like this in your time on the water?
JIMMIE DUPRE, SHRIMPER FOR 53 YEARS: No. Not with oil. First time we see anything this bad with oil. We've seen hurricanes, you know, had fresh water. Right now, it's not just the oil. Because they're flushing out the rivers and right now in my area, we don't have oil yet, but what we are having is a lot of fresh water.
MALVEAUX: How is the spill affecting your own business? DUPRE: It's shutting us down. Right now we just came in yesterday. We're going right back out now. Too much fresh water. It's not feasible, you know, right now in order to catch any shrimp.
MALVEAUX: Now, I know that you were trying to hold on to your livelihood and you're doing something that's new, that you haven't done before. You're selling your shrimp directly on line to customers through the internet. Tell us how that's working.
DUPRE: It's working out pretty good. We meet a lot of nice people, and what we do, we got a line, that you get online. They call us, they place orders. And then we come in. We call them up, and they can pick up their orders. It's working out fine so far. But if we don't have no shrimp, the lines aren't going to help us.
MALVEAUX: And how do customers know that this is good shrimp? That this is not shrimp that's affected by the oil, since you're dealing directly with them on-line through the internet?
DUPRE: Well, it comes directly from the boat. They see the boat, they see the shrimp. A lot of my customers right now are some old customers. I'm picking up a few new ones, but they know me and they know my product. And the oil has not affected the shrimp whatsoever in this section.
It has -- further west, we offer what we call the million bay (ph) area of freshwater bay. We haven't had the (inaudible) but other (inaudible) parish and Lafusche (ph) Paris is affected real bad. They got oil slick and they got oil up against the marsh. It's hard (inaudible) it's not like a beach. I mean you got to get (inaudible) front boat and it's rather difficult to get clean.
MALVEAUX: And tell us about your web site. I know that people can go directly to your web site to get information about the shrimp that you're catching and selling.
DUPRE: You can you get on the delta.com, portofdelta.com and pull up the web site and we've got about 20 boats on the web site that you can contact. They got a little article on us, tells us about our boat and about our livelihood. And then you can also get on the same web site. You'll pick up some - if you want to buy some frozen shrimp or some processed, they on there, too.
MALVEAUX: All right. Mr. Dupre, we wish you the very best to you and your family.
DUPRE: Could I say one more thing about BP?
MALVEAUX: Certainly, OK.
DUPRE: BP is trying to help the shrimpers. I'm not with BP, I'm not on the pay roll with BP, They haven't hired my boat out yet but they've hired a lot of my friends. So it's subsidizing them. They still have a livelihood as long as, you know, they're working. And their boycotting BP. I don't see why they want to boycott BP. BP has to make money to spend money. They are spending a lot of money. And they ware trying to help the industry, and pray to god that the federal government don't take over the cleanup, because BP's more equipped to meet, knows a lot better than our federal government to clean it up.
MALVEAUX: All right. Mr. Dupre, thank you so much for your point of view. It's a unique one coming from a shrimper. We really appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Dupre.
DUPRE: OK. Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Well, witnesses describe the horrifying flash floods in Arkansas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My 16-year-old son was camping about 100 yards from us. He was screaming because we couldn't get to him, the water came up so fast. He came floating down the water with his buddy, saying "help me, I'm drowning. Please save me."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: We have the latest on the search for survivors.
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MALVEAUX: And coming up now, "Your Bottom Line." But at the top of the hour, we'll be back with more on the update and the oil spill as well as the Arkansas floods.
