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COY WIRE: Hello, lovely people.
You made it.
The weekend is upon us.
Friday is here.
And Fridays rock.
Especially this Friday because we're
headed into a three day weekend.
We have a lot of news to get through today.
So not a lot of time to do it.
Let's get to it.
We're going to begin with the latest out of New Zealand
where the country just declared a national state of emergency.
Cyclone Gabriel hit New Zealand with wind and rain
knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes in the area.
The wind gusts were greater than 87 miles per hour.
Waves were close to 36 feet high.
When we recorded this show, the storm
had killed at least five people and caused widespread damage.
Police in the area say they remain
focused on locating those people that are unaccounted for.
What exactly is a cyclone?
Let's break it down.
Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are essentially
the same with only the location of the storm
determining what we call it.
For example, the only difference between a hurricane
and a typhoon is that typhoons happen in the Western and North
Pacific waters while hurricanes occur
in the Eastern and North Pacific and the North Atlantic Basin.
That's why whenever we talk about these types
of storms in the US, it's almost always a hurricane.
Cyclones happen only in the Indian
Ocean and the South Pacific.
We'll keep you updated as news unfolds surrounding
the cyclone in New Zealand.
As the worst of the weather looks to have passed,
significant and potentially life threatening challenges remain.
Next story today, earlier this month, a Norfolk Southern train
which was carrying toxic chemicals at the time,
derailed from the tracks and crashed in Eastern Ohio.
Now the derailment ignited the hazardous chemicals
on board covering the town of East Palestine with smoke.
Authorities created an evacuation zone
around the crash.
And fearing a major explosion, performed a controlled release
of the chemicals.
Weeks later, residents have been encouraged to return home.
But there are lots of questions about just how harmful exposure
to these chemicals could be.
The plumes of smoke from the explosion
carried the hazardous material into the air and water to which
residents would be exposed.
With all eyes on Ohio, the US Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator, otherwise known as EPA Michael Regan,
visited the region on Thursday to assess the ongoing response.
And hear from impacted residents.
Here's CNN's national correspondent, Jason Carroll,
who's been on the ground in Ohio for the last few days
covering this story for us.
- We are strongly recommending those
who have not yet had their water source
checked to use bottled water.
And bottled water is being made available.
More than a week after a toxic train derailment
that led to the evacuation of much of this small Ohio town,
state health officials are urging some East Peloton
residents to drink bottled water until water tests are complete.
Officials say the toxic spill was largely contained
the day after the derailment.
And the tests have shown the air quality is safe.
But they have found low levels of contaminants
in four nearby waterways spanning 7 and 1/2
miles, including Leslie Run.
A creek which runs through East Palestine.
And neighboring Negley.
Right through the back of Cathey Reese's property.
In the back of your property back here they found?
CATHEY REESE: Yeah.
They saw a dead fish.
JASON CARROLL: Reese says she has been drinking bottled water
instead of well water ever since she
started spotting dead fish in the creek
following the derailment.
She says she's still waiting for the state
to come and test her well water.
CATHEY REESE: Air wise, I feel OK.
Water wise, no.
No.
There's just too many chemicals and stuff
that we're spilled that they still don't
want to identify completely.
JASON CARROLL: An Ohio Department of Natural Resources
official estimates some 3,500 fish in the state
have died following the train derailment.
These people saw the flames from their homes.
And worry their neighborhood still may not be safe.
What about testing water or ground?
- Nothing yet.
No.
And like I said, I don't recommend
you put anything in the ground.
I mean, vegetables, or tomatoes, or anything this year
because we don't know.
- I don't think they're going to do enough.
JASON CARROLL: And some residents
say they have been frustrated by what they
describe as a lack of communication
with officials on the ground.
- We pass all of the creeks, and there's crew
after crew with white hoses and black hoses all
through the creeks.
They're not telling us why.
And this is daily.
I'm driving my children to school past all of this.
And they're asking me questions that I don't have answers to.
JASON CARROLL: Some of their questions unanswered.
We found getting information just as challenging.
Can you tell me are they pumping water out
or are pumping water back in?
- Talk to the guys at the top of the hill, sir.
We're just grunts.
JASON CARROLL: We're just trying to get a sense
of what those pumps are?
Can you just, someone just--
- Norfolk Southern can tell you everything.
That's the hotline.
They can tell you everything.
JASON CARROLL: You realize people are calling this number
and no one is getting back to them.
- We're just told to direct people to that number.
JASON CARROLL: The governor asked by reporters
Tuesday if he would feel comfortable living
in East Palestine.
MIKE DEWINE: I think that I would
be drinking the bottled water.
And I would be continuing to find out what the tests
were showing as far as the air.
I would be alert and concerned.
But I think I would probably be back in my house.
JASON CARROLL: But residents like Cathey Reese say
they are left with few choices.
CATHEY REESE: Just I guess pray and keep drinking bottled water
until we know for sure what's going on.
COY WIRE: 10 Second Trivia.
Which of these is the most visited urban park in the US?
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, DC's National Mall,
Central Park in New York, or Lincoln Park in Chicago.
With 40 million annual visitors, Central Park is the most
visited city park in the US.
The park is also home to a wide range of wildlife
as you can imagine.
But a newcomer is getting most of the attention right now.
Flaco, the owl, escaped from the Central Park Zoo.
And is at large, and on the loose in the park.
The rare Eurasian eagle owl escaped
its closure on February 2nd.
And since then zoo officials have
kept an eye on the bird, which has
become a bit of a celebrity.
While Flaco seems to be adapting well to the wild,
there are some concerns over how he might adapt to that New
York City lifestyle.
- There's a new star in Central Park.
And he's right out of central casting.
Lately, bird watchers only have eyes for owls.
And some fans on David Barrett's Birder blog are saying--
DAVID BARRETT: Let Flaco be free.
- In the beginning of February, Flaco escaped from his exhibit
at the Central Park Zoo after someone
cut through the stainless steel mesh.
His enclosure didn't have room to do much flying.
And his first night of freedom, the NYPD
almost corralled him on a Fifth Avenue sidewalk.
Well, that was a hoot, the NYPD tweeted when the owl flew off.
EDMUND BERRY: I was worried that it wouldn't be able to fly.
But it spread its wings, and flew
to the nearest set of trees.
- Zoo officials were most worried
that Flaco didn't know how to hunt since he's
always had his meals delivered.
They tried to lure him using a white rat in a cage.
Hoping he'd get trapped in the wiry filaments on top.
DAVID BARRETT: The zoo team was rushing with nets to get Flaco.
But flaco was too fast.
- And now fans are snapping photos of Flaco
catching his own dinner.
DAVID BARRETT: Rats.
- Rats on the menu.
Barrett says the owl is gone from zero hunting skills
to decent hunting skills.
DAVID BARRETT: That's just an incredible transformation.
- He hangs out in Central Park charming
New Yorkers with hooting so low it requires subtitles.
Like other creatures not native to Central Park,
Flaco the Eurasian eagle owl has become one of the select few.
COY WIRE: All right.
I know you are all ready to flee for the weekend like Flaco.
Monday is President's Day.
So no show that day.
Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President
George Washington, the US holiday
now recognizes all presidents.
Past and present.
Fairmont, West Virginia, you're getting the shout out today.
East Fairmont Middle School, rise up Hornets.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
And remember you are more powerful than you know.
It's been a blessing to spend this week with you.
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