American Morning
Kansas City mayor explains school closings
(CNN) – It's a devastating blow for thousands of school children in Kansas City. A school district in the city's urban core will close 28 of 61 public schools by summer to try and stave off bankruptcy.
The school board narrowly passed the decision last night. The $50 million budget shortfall will force about 300 teachers out of work. The vote was met with desperate pleas from parents and calls for the school superintendent to be fired.
Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser joined us on American Morning Wednesday via phone.
Read more: Kansas City moves to close nearly half of district's schools
School bus programs threatened
(CNN) – A severe budget crisis could end up leaving more than a thousand children, mostly minorities, literally on the street corner.
Some have big college dreams, but soon their high school may seem like it's a world away because the buses may stop running. Our Casey Wian shows us how this could knock one girl's future off track.
House's pork prevention plan
(CNN) – Leaders in the House say they're ready to cut the pork, announcing a ban on any earmark for companies that turn a profit.
Democrats are already battling ethics problems of their own. They're also facing a lot of voters sick of government spending, just months before midterm elections.
But will this pork prevention plan really even work? Our Brianna Keilar breaks it down from Capitol Hill.
Toxic air flights
By Allan Chernoff, CNN
(CNN) – January 16. Ambulances meet US Airways Flight 1041 arriving in Charlotte from St. Thomas. Eight passengers receive medical treatment at the airport. Seven crew members are rushed to the hospital.
"Headaches, confusion, some disorientation, dizziness, nausea. These are some of the symptoms that they've described," says Judith Murawski, the Association of Flight Attendants' industrial hygienist.
All seven crew members of Flight 1041 – two pilots and five flight attendants – were unable to work after the January 16th "fume event." One flight attendant has since returned to the air, while the other crew members remain out on disability. None would speak directly with CNN for fear of losing their jobs.
"They continue to experience neurological symptoms, that impair their daily living and have precluded them from returning to flying," says Murawski, citing complaints of continuing headaches, joint pain, tingling and numbness in their hands and feet, as well as memory and reaction time issues.
The crew of Flight 1041 fell victim to a "fume event," the third time in three weeks that the aircraft, a Boeing 767-2B7, tail number 251, suffered contamination of its cabin air.
Kansas City board OKs plan to close half of district's schools
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/US/03/11/missouri.school.closings/t1main.schoolhallway.kshb.jpg caption="The Kansas City, Missouri, school board voted Wednesday to close 28 of the district's 61 schools."]
(CNN) - Superintendent John Covington called for the closing or consolidation of almost half of the schools in the Kansas City, Missouri, school district, and a school board voted Wednesday to approve the downsizing.
Covington calls it the "right-size" plan," but many residents say it's plain wrong.
A packed room of people watched the board make its historic move after weeks of debate and years of declining enrollment. Some parents voiced their anger, while some students cried.
"I have an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old that will be going to school with 12th graders. I find that very inappropriate. I don't feel my children will be safe," Deneicia Williams told CNN affiliate KSHB-TV.
"I feel like I have nothing, I have no high school legacy. I feel like I have nothing, nothing to go back to," said Prince Jones, a senior, who will be part of the final graduating class at Westport High School.
Covington proposed the "Right-Size" plan arguing that the financial future of the entire school district was at stake. The plan shutters 28 of Kansas City's 61 public schools, cuts 700 jobs and saves $50 million to help reduce a burgeoning deficit. FULL STORY
The Teaser
"The Teaser” is a preview of the guests we have lined up for the next day – so that you know when to tune in (and when to set your alarm!). Guests and times are always subject to change.
Here’s the lineup for tomorrow:
6:30AM: $1,200 a month for health insurance. $120,000 a year for medications. We’ve got health care horror stories from two people, Kelly Culver and Arnold Gee, stuck in financial fights to save their lives.
7:30AM: Using the internet to commit terror – how are we stopping future “Jihad Janes”? Former CIA Covert Operations Officer Mike Baker joins us.
7:50AM: Will a soda tax really work? Dr. Steven Lamm will discuss a new study that shows it just might.
8:30AM: Another “accidental overdose" – is actor Corey Haim's death part of a wider trend? Dr. Joseph Lee, an adolescent addiction specialist, will tell us how drug use has changed in recent years.
Got questions for any of our guests?
Tweet 'em at Twitter.com/amFIX or post them below and we'll try to use 'em!
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
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