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CNN 10
A Cyberattack On An American Fuel Pipeline; A Tale Of Two Different Approaches To Reopening Schools; A Controversy In Horseracing. Aired 4- 4:10a ET
Aired May 11, 2021 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Hi. I`m Carl Azuz, with your daily overview of current events.
A cyberattack has shut down America`s largest fuel pipeline, and this has brought up concerns about everything, from how vulnerable American
infrastructure is, to how much this could impact fuel prices. As far as those are concerned, the national average for one gallon of gasoline was
$2.97 on Monday. That`s 60 percent higher than it was at this time last year when Americans weren`t driving as much during COVID related shutdowns.
The Colonial Pipeline Company transports about 45 percent of all the fuel consumed on the U.S. East Coast. It found out Friday it had been hit by a
cybersecurity attack. Colonial says the computer virus involves something called ransomware.
What this does is encrypt or lock up important information until a person or organization pays a ransom to get it back again. This is a growing
threat to computer systems and the security company McAfee said it`s nearly impossible to get files back without paying the ransom and let the attacker
backs off.
So, who is the attacker?
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said it`s a criminal group that originated in Russia. We don`t know if Colonial plans to pay the ransom.
The federal government says because it`s a private company, it`s up to Colonial to decide.
We can tell you that in the past year, ransomware victims have paid more than $350 million to get their files back. The U.S. government is telling
infrastructure providers to do all they can to protect themselves from cyberattacks.
Colonial says it was able to shut down its operations before the virus can impact its physical equipment systems, the ones that actually operate the
oil pipelines. It says its smaller systems are now up and running again, but its four main lines are still shut down and it may take until the end
of the week until it`s fully operational.
The government says there`s not a shortage of gasoline at the moment, and an oil expert says a disruption of a couple of days isn`t typical a big
deal. However, if Colonial`s pipe stay closed through this week or longer, the problem this creates and the price rises it causes could be much
greater.
According to the Education Week news organization, two U.S. states currently have orders in effect that some schools must remain closed out of
coronavirus concerns. Fourteen states currently have orders that schools must be open, offering in person learning. The remaining states don`t have
an order in effect. Meaning, the decisions up to individual school districts.
To be open or not to be open?
That ha been an ongoing challenge for educators, students and parents since almost all schools were closed last years after COVID reached America.
Here`s the tale of two districts on opposite sides of the country.
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REPORTER: Since last September, 11-year-old Nivea Bailey (ph) has spent every school day here at Charleston Progressive Academy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was very important for me to get her back in school.
REPORTER: Equally important was that Nivea`s schedule has allowed her mother Charlene to maintain hers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I work as a physician office specialist, so I have to go to work five days a week.
REPORTER: Parents in the Charleston County School District in South Carolina have had the option to send their children for five-day-a-week in
person learning since the school year begun.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As more parents became more comfortable, they came back, our teaching staff and other personnel, we`re, of course,
apprehensive, but they were willing to come back after they saw the conditions, the safety measures we had taken.
REPORTER: Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait says that today, nearly 80 percent of the district`s 50,000 students are back in school fulltime.
Nearly 3,000 miles away, things look strikingly different.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: April, Charleston, we`ve reopened our schools.
REPORTER: In San Francisco`s public schools, a district roughly the same size as Charleston`s, Deputy Superintendent Gentle Blythe says full in
person instruction is only offered for preschool and special needs students across the entire district. K-12 students recently started a hybrid plan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, San Francisco certainly I think has gotten a lot of attention for being a district that hasn`t reopened as quickly as
many parents would have liked. It was certainly not alone within our state.
REPORTER: More than half of all California public school students are still learning virtually and only 13 percent are in full in-person
instruction.
Why is there still this inability to offer in-person learning?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wish we could have done it sooner, but we are moving in that direction. And we have committed to a full in-person return
in the fall.
REPORTER: A majority of school districts across the country find themselves in a position somewhere between Charleston and San Francisco.
According to the Department of Education, more than half of K-8 public schools have fully reopened for in-person learning. But many also intend to
keep a hybrid and online option for those families who want it, even in Charleston where district officials say nearly 500 families have applied.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There will be families who have really concrete, legitimate reasons to remain virtual in terms of medical fragility, and so,
we think it`s important to offer a virtual academy option.
REPORTER: But Principal Wanda Wright-Sheats is optimistic that most students will be back in classes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Academically, the program would work better if they were here with us. Socially for students, being with their peers is better
than being isolated.
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AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:
What was the name of the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby?
Aristides, Sir Barton, Spokane, or Seabiscuit?
With jockey Oliver Lewis on his back, Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Though Seabiscuit is one of the most famous American horses, he never ran in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes or the Belmont
Stakes, the three events that make up the Triple Crown of horseracing. However, Seabiscuit did once beat a Triple Crown winner named War Admiral
in a head to head match race.
Every year after the Kentucky Derby, racing fans wonder what kind of chances the winner has of capturing the next two races for the Triple
Crown. Thirteen races have done this since 1919. But the animal that won on May 1st of this year may not be allowed to compete in the other races.
Here`s why.
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CAROLYN MANNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Median Spirit`s Kentucky Derby win is in doubt after a positive drug test revealed traces of an anti-inflammatory
that can mask health issues in horses before a race.
I spoke with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and he unequivocally denied any wrongdoing and said that this drug was not administered in his Kentucky
Derby winning horse. He was however emotional after learning the news and speaking with reporters earlier morning.
BOB BAFFERT, HALL OF FAME HORSE TRAINER: Yesterday, I got the biggest gut punch in racing for something that I didn`t do and this is really, it`s
disturbing, it`s an injustice to the horse.
MANNO: We`re now waiting on the results of additional tests that will ultimately determine whether or not the horse is disqualified as a Kentucky
Derby winner. And Bob Baffert also has a right to appeal those results as well, a process that could take a very long time to adjudicate.
Churchill Downs has also suspended Bob Baffert from training or running any horses on their property until the situation is resolved, a result that he
told me was incredibly disappointing as he has a lot of respect for the Kentucky Derby as he put it and would never do anything to jeopardize a
result there.
In the meantime, organizers of the Preakness Stakes are gathering their own information as the second league of the Triple Crown is right around the
corner, scheduled for next Saturday. They will ultimately determine whether or not Medina Spirit will be allowed to run there.
Carolyn Manno, CNN, New York.
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AZUZ: For our last story today, I like to welcome our special guest, random. This is a rollercoaster. It`s named Orion. It`s part of the Kings
Island amusement park in Ohio.
But, Carl, what`s so random about that?
Well, test riding it are 22-plus dolls made in the likeness of the late painter Bob Ross and if one of those is something you just got to have, the
park says you can win one by playing one of its midway games in the season ahead.
It will take skill, not a happy little accident to win a Bob Ross, but if there`s nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend, a plush shouldn`t
make your skin plush (ph) with a blush, if you have more fun than most people by experiencing the joy of painting, rollercoaster riding and
generally being Bob Ross-ome (ph).
I`m Carl Azuz hoping all your trees are happy ones.
North Port High School gets today`s shout-out for subscribing and leaving a comment on our YouTube channel. Hello to everyone watching from North Port,
Florida.
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