American Morning
25 killed in West Virginia mine blast
Montcoal, West Virginia (CNN) - The death toll from the massive explosion at a sprawling coal mine in West Virginia rose to 25 early Tuesday, making it the deadliest U.S. mining disaster in 25 years.
Crews halted their efforts to reach four miners still unaccounted for at the Upper Big Branch Mine following the blast Monday afternoon.
Concentrations of methane and carbon monoxide inside the mine made it a safety risk for crews to proceed, said Kevin Stricklin of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration at a 2 a.m. briefing to reporters.
Officials planned to drill bore holes from the surface 1,200 feet into the mines to help ventilate it and to collect samples. However, they will first have to use bulldozers to clear a path to reach the part of the mine where they can drill.
Stricklin said he did not know how long the process would take.
"I think it's a dire situation but I do think that it is a rescue operation and it will be that way until we confirm that these four additional people are not living," he said. "I mean, there are miracles that go on."
"Basically all we have left," Stricklin said, "is hope."
TV series follows real-life search for runaways
(CNN) – The numbers are staggering. Each year, between one-and-a-half and three million young kids run away from home.
A former New York police detective has made it his job to track them down and his investigations are now the subject of a new TV series called "The Runaway Squad."
Joe Mazzilli, the founder and team leader of "The Runaway Squad," joined us on Friday's American Morning, along with with Vinny Lopez, who was rescued by the runaway squad, and Vinny's father, Israel Lopez.
Group arrested not Christian or militia, insider says
(CNN) - Members of a militia charged with plotting to kill police were not Christian or a militia, a man acquainted with the group said Tuesday.
"This is a group that I would classify as neither a militia or a Christian group," said Michael Lackomar, a member of the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia. "They're really a fringe group outside of anything we do.
"They're more of a private army or a terrorist organization or really just a criminal organization."
Federal authorities on Monday charged nine members of a group called the Hutaree militia with conspiring to kill a Michigan law enforcement officer and then kill other officers at the funeral.
The group says on its Web site that Hutaree means "Christian warrior." Its home page said it is "Preparing for the end time battles to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive."
Lackomar told CNN's "American Morning" on Tuesday that five Hutaree members sought refuge over the weekend with a Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia leader because federal authorities were looking for them. Lackomar said the member of his militia advised the Hutaree members to turn themselves in so no one would get hurt. FULL STORY
Meals get bigger in 52 'Last Supper' works
(CNN) – Has the meal in the "Last Supper" reached biblical proportions?
Two brothers, both college professors, think so. Using computer technology they compared the size of Jesus and his disciples to the size of their food.
And what they found is that in more than 50 of the paintings over the last 1,000 years the food got bigger and bigger with the main dish growing by 70-percent.
The study was published in April's International Journal of Obesity. Craig Wansink, the co-author of the study and a professor of religious studies at Virginia Wesleyan College, joined us on Wednesday's American Morning.
Fargo on high alert for flood
(CNN) – The danger is rising along with the Red River in Fargo, North Dakota.
Volunteers yesterday filled their one-millionth sandbag with not a minute to spare. The Red River is expected to crest this weekend at 38 feet.
The scene in Fargo is reminiscent of last year when the river hit a record flood level of over 40 feet. Fargo's mayor, Dennis Walaker, joined us on Thursday's American Morning to discuss the situation on the ground.
Read more: Fargo a fortress of sandbags
Report: DC best, South Dakota worst for teen drivers
(CNN) – Teenagers behind the wheel are four times as likely to have an accident as drivers over 20.
In an effort to improve those statistics many states are cracking down on young drivers. So which states are the safest for those just learning to navigate the road?
U.S. News and World Report ranked the best and worst. To break the study down, Brian Kelly, editor for U.S. News and World Report joined us on Thursday's American Morning.
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