Confusing Signals out of New Orleans
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN SATURDAY NIGHT. Deja vu. Confusing signals tonight out of New Orleans. Should residents start going home or not? Admiral Thad Allen says enter at your own risk. This after the mayor says come on back. Now for those coming back, will they stay and begin again? Their impressions of</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we will have peace, prosperity, and the nuclear supply cycle.</s>LIN: And the Iranian leader is moving ahead with nuclear plans. Is he headed for a showdown with the world? Our Christiane Amanpour got this exclusive interview on the day he accused the U.S. of nuclear violations. These stories and a lot more next on CNN SATURDAY NIGHT. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin. We are going to begin with a terrifying idea. More than 2,000 children missing or separated from their parents after Hurricane Katrina. Now you can help change that. Watch the left side of your TV screen for the names and pictures of children reported missing. And we're also going to show you a phone number to call if you have any information about these kids. CNN is working with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia. And the Center got 2400 calls today, triple their usual number. 15 cases have been resolved today. 8 of those children were recognized from the pictures we are showing you now. And right now, live pictures in Alexandria, as the people there, the volunteers there, are taking your telephone calls. So keep a close eye on these faces. Also, I'm going to have a happy reunion to tell you about tonight. You're going to actually meet the grandmother and her granddaughter, who are going to be reunited with their family. Now another twist tonight in the fight to get New Orleans back on its feet, as business owners were taking their first steps, a federal official in charge of the hurricane zone says the city is not ready. But the mayor wants thousands of people to come back to town to rebuild. Sean Callebs is joining me now. Sean, so where does it stand tonight? Sean?</s>SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, no one said it would be easy to get this city up and running again. Everyone knew there would be hurdles, but that got ratcheted up a notch today when federal officials told some people who were eligible to come back to this city to reconsider.</s>SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin earlier in the week said he wants his city to breathe again.</s>RAY NAGIN, MAYOR, NEW ORLEANS: Well, we're opening up this city. And almost 200,000 residents will be able to come back and get this city going once again.</s>CALLEBS: But on the day when some residents in the business district started trickling back in, federal officials yanked the welcome mat out from underneath him. In a statement, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who's heading up the recovery effort, says health concerns are still a threat and said, "I urge all residents returning to use extreme caution if they return and to consider delaying their return until safer more livable conditions are established." Utilities here are spotty at best. Emergency services a big question mark. And foul, polluted water lingers. Hassan Khaleghiand his wife Zore own the Moonlight Cafe in the Garden District and another restaurant uptown. Reopening right now is out of the question.</s>HASSAN KHALEGHI, RESTAURANT OWNER: It's going to be tough. Most of employees gone. I'm starting to reach some of them.</s>CALLEBS: The Moonlight Cafe was also damaged by looters. But bigger issues remain. No electricity, no gas, and biggest of all for the restaurant, no running water and no indication that safe drinking water will be available in New Orleans in the coming weeks, perhaps even months. The mayor wants to open four areas of the city, including the historic French Quarter within 10 days. So it's confusing for some to now hear federal authorities say that basic services are not adequate and can't meet the needs of businesses and homeowners. Betsy Mouk runs a toy store uptown.</s>BETSY MOUK, STORE OWNER: It has been very frustrating, but I think it's very difficult for the people that are in charge, too, because they -- it's such a huge, huge catastrophe.</s>CALLEBS: Business owners like Khaleghi say they've dealt with the storm and vandalism, and they will also overcome this latest snafu.</s>KHALEGHI: But I'm not going to give up.</s>CALLEBS: Well, it's clear that the residents here are ready to roll up their sleeves and get back to work. You can see the bordered up businesses here in the uptown section. The only question, Carol, when that will happen. We should also point out, we tried to reach the mayor's press aide throughout the day. And we were unsuccessful -- Carol?</s>LIN: All right, Sean, thank you very much. Now there was a fire today that destroyed an apartment complex not too far from where Sean's reporting tonight. Arson is suspected, but the effort to fight the fire proves how so many people from across the country want to help after Katrina. Firefighters from Chicago and New York were standing shoulder to shoulder with local crews to save that building. And there is still a need for people to come together and help. Hurricane Katrina not only destroyed homes, it also split up families. Hundreds of children are still missing. Our efforts to help find these kids are paying off. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins me now from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia. Kathleen, the call volume there has tripled.</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has actually, Carol, more than tripled. This call center at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on a normal day will get about 700 calls. Today alone, they say we've gotten 2,361. And these calls are pouring in fast and furious. The call center here is open from 8:00 in the morning until about midnight. Normally staffed by 25 volunteers constantly. As you can see, the numbers have dwindled a little bit as the night has worn on. But these are law enforcement officers, some retired, some still on active duty. And taking their time off. And some of them have been working here day and night since the center opened back on September 5th. They just don't want to leave. They think that what they're doing is so important. And they have had some victories today. 15 cases solved. And as you mentioned earlier, 8 cases, 8 instances in which the viewer said they saw the information on CNN and called in. And what we want to do is give you some names right now and show you some pictures of some children who are still missing. First of all, the Hawkins family. This is really heartbreaking. Two sisters and their brother, Rodenisha (ph), Glynn Hawkins, and Robernique Hawkins. They were last known to be in New Orleans. They're believed to be with their aunt and their uncle, Glenda and L.D. Weary. Just by way of description, Rodenisha (ph), 5'6' tall, 140 pounds. The brother, Glynn Hawkins, 4' tall, 75 pounds, and then little Robernique, 4' tall, 55 pounds. Now let's go over to one of the missing from Mississippi. Also very, very hard hit by Hurricane Katrina. John Habarta, six-years old, blue eyes, blond hair. He was last known to be in his grandparents' home in Kill, Mississippi. That's in Hancock County, Mississippi. Now John may also go by the first name of Cameron. He has not been seen since the storm hit. And finally, there's little Tyler unknown. And her case is truly heartbreaking. She was found, but no one knows who she is. She was found in the Convention Center in New Orleans after the storm. She's only two-years old. And apparently all she will tell the people who found her is her age and her first name. Too frightened to even give her last name. Too frightened to give any information about any of the rest of her family. So Carol, what we're hoping is that someone will recognize some of these photos that we're putting on there tonight and will call the number that's been on the screen really 24/7 here for days of 1-800- THE-LOST and maybe help bring some of these families together.</s>LIN: Absolutely. You know, these -- to look at these children's eyes is heartbreaking. And somebody has to have seen her at some point. Kathleen, thank you very much. Kathleen Koch reporting live. Well, as you've seen, parents and children driven apart by the storm are getting back together. And we're happy to help. 7-year old Tyrielle Guillot was with her grandmother, Mary, during the hurricane. Both wound up at Houston. They didn't know what happened to Tyrielle's mother, Crystal Thomas, but it turns out that her mom was in Corpus Christi and gave her daughter's picture to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. We also ran that photo right here on CNN. Well, tonight, Tyrielle and her grandmother Mary are live from Houston tonight, shortly to be reunited with Tyrielle's mom. Good evening to both of you. And what great news. Mary?</s>MARY GUILLOT, HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUEE: We're very excited about that.</s>TYRIELLE GUILLOT, HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUEE: Me, too.</s>LIN: Tyrielle, you must be so excited. So what are the reunion plans? When's this going to happen?</s>M. GUILLOT: Well, we've been told that Tyrielle's mother will be flown in on Wednesday. And we're still working and hoping that...</s>T. GUILLOT: Tomorrow?</s>M. GUILLOT: ...we can get that done a little sooner. But if not, it will definitely be Wednesday. She will be reunited with her mother.</s>LIN: Tyrielle, I remember running your picture actually in a special segment that we had in the early days. And it just so happened that your mom, because she was looking for you, you found out that she was looking for you because we ran this photo, because we got this from your mom. So that was the first indication that your mom survived the storm, right?</s>T. GUILLOT: Yes.</s>LIN: That must have been tremendously -- just a huge relief for you. Because what were you thinking for these last couple of weeks? Did you have any idea what happened to your mom?</s>T. GUILLOT: I thought she was like -- I thought she was in New Orleans still in the hurricane.</s>M. GUILLOT: Speak up.</s>T. GUILLOT: I thought she was still in New Orleans.</s>LIN: You thought she was still in New Orleans. And who knows what could have happened to her. Mary...</s>T. GUILLOT: She could...</s>LIN: Go ahead, Tyrielle.</s>T. GUILLOT: She could have got -- she could have drowned.</s>LIN: She could have, but she didn't. She managed to get out to Corpus Christi. Mary?</s>M. GUILLOT: Yes?</s>LIN: What happened? Why did she choose to stay behind? And why is it that the two of you fled together?</s>M. GUILLOT: Well, actually, when I had gotten word of the storm and the danger that it posed, my thought was to get to safety. So I had my daughter, Angela Guillot, to go over and pick up Tyrielle so that she could travel along with us to Houston. And once we reached safety, and then the storm passed through and we found out about the devastation of the storm, we lost contact with her mother. So there was no way to reach her or get any word to her as to where we were located in Houston. And at one point, my daughter and I went over to the Red Cross and searched the list to find out if maybe she was listed there or in one of the centers, but we didn't have any luck with that. So we left our names on the list, in case if, you know, they would check that to find out some information. But ironically on last night, I was watching the news, and to my surprise, there was a picture of my granddaughter.</s>LIN: Uh-huh.</s>M. GUILLOT: And...</s>LIN: So you knew her mother had to post it.</s>M. GUILLOT: Exactly, exactly. So I in turn called the number on this morning. And from that point, you know, we wound up here. She has spoken to her mother. I have also. And we're just anxious to, you know, see them reunited.</s>LIN: Oh, yes.</s>M. GUILLOT: And out as well.</s>LIN: Tyrielle, what's going to be the first thing that you're going to want to do with your mom when you guys get back together?</s>T. GUILLOT: I'm going to -- I want her to bring us to celebrations spaceship. And I want my brother to, you know, my brother to have something that I would give him.</s>LIN: Oh.</s>M. GUILLOT: As a matter of fact, she's been giving out souvenirs. This that I have around my neck was given me tonight by Tyrielle. And she asked that I not forget her when she leaves with her mother on Wednesday.</s>LIN: Oh, my. My goodness. You know what, Mary, that's not going to happen. Tyrielle, I think this is going to be an experience of a lifetime. Congratulations. And I can't wait to talk to you guys after you've been reunited -- OK?</s>T. GUILLOT: Yes.</s>M. GUILLOT: OK, and we thank you so much.</s>LIN: All right.</s>T. GUILLOT: Excuse me?</s>LIN: Yes, real quick.</s>T. GUILLOT: When it going to be when we're reunited?</s>LIN: Well, your grandmother says it's going to be soon. Your mom's coming in sometime in the next 48 hours. So next couple of days, all right? It's going to be very, very soon, Tyrielle. Our love to her and good luck, OK?</s>T. GUILLOT: Yes.</s>M. GUILLOT: Thank you.</s>LIN: Thank you. All right, in the meantime, serious business overseas. Iran and its nuclear program take center stage at the United Nations today. We're going to go past the posturing and find out what Iran really wants, as our Christiane Amanpour sits down for an exclusive interview with Iran's president. Also, see what's waiting for New Orleans business owners as they come home to begin the clean-up. And finding the faith to help cope with the pain and loss from Katrina. Find out how one celebrity wants to help. Also, as Kathleen Koch was pointing out, there are entire families who are missing. If you recognize these people, the Hawkins family, please call the number on your screen. We want to hear from you.</s>LIN: Tough talk from Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, fiercely defended his country's nuclear program before the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday. He insisted international suspicions that Tehran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons are baseless. Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour sat down for an exclusive interview with the Iranian leader. And she joins me now from New York. Christiane, some interesting comments. And it looks like he wants to head for a fight?</s>CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Well, I was just going to say that in an exclusive interview with us ahead of that fiery speech at the United Nations, he was very feisty with us. And it looks like they are on a collision course, at least a diplomatic collision course that could lead to Iran's isolation. He insisted that Iran has the right to continue processing nuclear fuel, to continue what it called the nuclear fuel cycle, despite objections from the United States and Europe, because of suspicions about possible diversion to weapons programs. He also was very cool to the idea of any rapprochement with the United States. And he answered those accusations, unfounded so far, that he may have been a hostage taker back in the late '70s.</s>PRES. MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRAN (through translator): Why do either insist on having the fuel and selling it to us? I tell you, we will commit ourselves to right now, I give them commitment that we will sell it to them at 30 percent less than the prices that they're proposing. Is that fine?</s>CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're determined?</s>AHMADINEJAD: We are determined. Certainly we are determined. Why should other people have it and sell it to us? We will make it and sell it to them?</s>AMANPOUR: Mr. President, on the eve of the election in Tehran, I spoke with your challenger, Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, who said that it was time to mend relations with the United States, to find a way to try to bridge these decades of confrontation. Do you believe that it is time to do that?</s>AHMADINEJAD: Well, you see, during the elections, different topics, different issues were addressed. And people chose. I said no such thing.</s>AMANPOUR: As you know, there are a number of former American hostages who were held hostage in Iran during the late '70s, who accused you of having been one of the hostage takers and interrogator during that time. Is that true?</s>AHMADINEJAD: You see, I heard the same news after I was elected. And you know, quite frankly, I laughed at it. Either their memories have been erased and then replaced anew. I don't know how they reached such conclusion. Back then, I didn't have the beard that I do now.</s>AMANPOUR: So you were not involved?</s>AHMADINEJAD: No, it's not like that. I was not involved. But I have a question. What I would like to say to the people of the United States and to the government of the United States is that we need to change our views. We need -- we cannot keep imposing our will. It is not the foundation, the solid foundation for peace. I understand that the United States government, they had announced this officially. They expected our people to make a different choice than they did. Obviously in a democracy, the people of a country get to decide. They decided we had a great deal of turnout for this election. And they made their decision. Why is it that after they decided, after the people of Iran decided, why is it that after their decision was made public, such accusations started being levied against us? Now let's say I don't like you for whatever reason that may be. Do I have the right to keep bringing accusations against you in order to discredit you? What kind of behavior is this? You see, we think a new school of thought on the worldwide stage should be applied nowadays. We need to address issues openly. Let me tell you something else. If we can accept the following in the relation between countries, that let's say a country at her own will can bring accusations towards another country, instead of requesting proof from the accuser, we are requesting proof from the accused. What way is this? What way of international norm does this reflect? This is the wrong way to go. This is a hostage taker. This is a terrorist. What kind of part is this? What kind of rewards are these? I saw the picture that they tried to impose. It didn't even resemble me.</s>AMANPOUR: Let me ask you about terrorism. One of the big issues between Iran and the United States and many other countries is they believe that Iran sponsors terrorism, a state sponsor of terrorism around the world. What can you do and say to stop that and change that?</s>AHMADINEJAD: We go back to the previous question. They like to accuse us. What are we to do? And they also believe that they read our intentions before we actually state our intentions. So how can we provide proof for such people? How can we satisfy them? 72 of our biggest leaders were killed by a terrorist group. Our president and one of our prime ministers in the past were killed by a terrorist group. We have been victims of terrorism.</s>AMANPOUR: The suspicions over Iran's nuclear program stem from the fact that it was many years of nuclear activity that Iran was hiding. Iran denies that it was hiding it, but the IAEA, the nuclear agency, said that it was. And then, Iran agreed to voluntarily suspend it's nuclear fuel cycle in order to give some time for the negotiations and try to build some confidence in relations with the West. But it was after Mr. Ahmadinejad was elected in June, hard line conservative president, that Iran pulled out of that agreement. And that's what's causing the crisis right now. EU ministers and the United States are thinking that what he said today at the United Nations leads them to believe that they are going to try to get Iran referred to the Security Council. And that could lead to sanctions, and as I said, further isolation for Iran -- Carol?</s>LIN: Christiane, so he says that his -- he's not wanting to build a nuclear weapon. I mean, what do you think of him? Is this a man to be trusted?</s>AMANPOUR: They always say that they do not want to build nuclear weapons. And he went at great length to say that. I mean, what he was saying is that we don't agree with a nuclear apartheid. That was his term that why should we? It is our right under the current international laws, the NPT, to acquire nuclear technology for civilian peaceful purposes. The IAEA has found so far no proof that Iran has diverted any of its nuclear activities towards a weapons program. And as I say, Iran continues to deny it. But it's because of Iran's past activities, because the world accuses Iran or the United States and Europe accuse of Iran of state sponsored terrorism, that they are concerned of a nuclear program in Iran's hands. And there's a huge amount of suspicion, a huge trust gap. And they were hoping that these talks with the EU would continue until, you know, it was more clear what Iran planned to do. But right now, it seems that that has come to a total breakdown, at least right at this moment. It seems that that's come to a breakdown. As I say, EU ministers today reacting to Iran's speech and to what he basically said to us in his interview earlier. See, they say, no reason not to go the Security Council route.</s>LIN: Christiane Amanpour, thank you very much. Well, behind the scenes with the man in charge, up next, we have exclusive access to the Coast Guard admiral heading up the federal relief effort along the Gulf Coast. And learning how to prevent floods from experts who keep an entire nation dry. We head to Holland, home to experts in flood prevention. And later, how faith responds to tragedy. A unique perspective on Hurricane Katrina from singer, actress and minister Della Reese. You're watching CNN SATURDAY NIGHT.</s>LIN: Well, tropical storm Ophelia continues to turn northward. And there's a new disturbance forming in the Atlantic. For the latest, let's go to meteorologist Bonnie Schneider at the CNN Weather Center. Bonnie, what's the word on Ophelia first?</s>BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, first Ophelia luckily is pushing off to the northeast rather quickly. But Carol, just moments ago right in the commercial break, we had another tropical depression form. This is number 18. I'll step out of the way so you could see it on the satellite perspective. You can see that cluster of thunderstorms in the corner of your screen. That's tropical depression number 18. And this was just issued moments ago. The government of the Bahamas has issued a tropical storm warning for the Turks and Caicos and for the southeast and central Bahamas. And also, a hurricane watch is in effect as well for areas in the Bahamas. That's for the northwest Bahamas. This just came in right now. And I was just about to tell you before this was issued that this was an area we were concerned with because it did show the potential for tropical development. So now we have number 18. Back to Ophelia, the main concentration of where we're threatening by Ophelia right now is the Halifax area of Nova Scotia. But this storm is on the move, moving very quickly to the northeast at 26 miles per hour. So that's a fast moving storm. Elsewhere in the tropics, not only do we have tropical depression number 18, we also have tropical depression number 17. Now whichever one moves up faster and gains speed will become the next tropical storm, which is Phillipe. Now according to the National Hurricane Center, tropical depression number 17, moving to the northwest, is likely to strengthen as early as tomorrow. So we're going to be watching this very closely. Really a lot of activity in the tropics right now. Elsewhere across the country, but tomorrow just an area of severe weather we're watching over parts of Nebraska, into Minnesota, it'll be hot into Arizona. Beautiful weather for the West Coast, starting off with some fog. And now that we're saying good-bye to Ophelia, the weather will improve in the northeast. But Carol, just a very, very active season. Now we have two tropical depressions out there. And I think we're going to see more development in the next 24 to 48 hours.</s>LIN: You've been busy, Bonnie. Thank you very much. All right, water flooded into New Orleans when its levee system was breached, but up next, we are going to show you how Louisiana could learn a few lessons from a country well prepared for similar disaster. And the long process of getting back to business. Well, people return to New Orleans to see what's left. That is coming up. You're watching CNN SATURDAY NIGHT.</s>LIN: The New Orleans levee system is one of the most extensive in the world, but as we're painfully aware, it was built to withstand only a Category 3 hurricane. Engineers looking into ways to protect New Orleans could take a lesson from Holland. As we hear from CNN's Richard Quest, that country experienced the wrath of nature and decided to fight back.</s>RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Surrounded by water, and like New Orleans, largely below sea level. Holland, part of the Netherlands, lives with the threat of flooding from the North Sea. The country's equivalent of Katrina happened in 1953. A storm surge at high tide destroyed the dikes and killed more than 1800 people. Huib de Vriend was one of the children rescued and is now an expert in flood prevention.</s>HUIB DE VRIEND, PROFESSOR OF HYDRAULICS: After the 1953 flood, we've said never again. But that's an absolute statement, of course. So we had to translate that into an acceptable level of safety.</s>QUEST: In Holland, that meant raising the flood probability to one in 10,000 years. By comparison, the New Orleans standard was one in 250 years. For the Dutch, this new higher standard involved huge projects, like building new dams across the river estuaries. Being prepared meant having control rooms waiting, just in case. The latest project is a flood barrier system. With swinging gates towering 70 feet into the air. (on camera): This structure is absolutely vast, but then it has to be because the idea is the two sides come out into the middle of the river. They sink to the bottom. And only then will they be able to protect Rotterdam up there from the storm surge. (voice-over): Professor De Vriend believes the American authorities will have to go back to the beginning.</s>DE VRIEND: Decide politically what level of safety you would like to have. Then derive the design conditions belonging to that level of safety. And then design a system, a flood defense system, that meets those conditions. And that's the biggest key in them, building dikes around the city.</s>QUEST: The U.S. Gulf Coast threat is very different from that faced by the North Sea. So what worked in Holland may not be suitable for New Orleans.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Each Dutchman believes that it's important to spend money on flood control. And I don't think that they did that very much in New Orleans.</s>QUEST: Everyone agrees then, the principles remain the same. Richard Quest, CNN, along the Dutch coast.</s>LIN: Well, one expert tells CNN the U.S. is being penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to flood control. Jerry Galloway is a civil engineer at the University of Maryland. He says it would have cost about $2.5 billion to build a state of the art levee system for New Orleans, much less than the estimated $200 billion needed to fix the system now.</s>JERRY GALLOWAY, UNIV. OF MARYLAND: The American engineers know how to do it. That's not an issue. But they need the will of the government, they need the policy that says we are going to provide the best protection we can provide.</s>LIN: Well, Mr. Galloway says other countries are increasing the amount they spend on flood control because of the climate change and the increasing number of extreme weather events. All right, coming up on CNN SATURDAY NIGHT, so who should New Orleans residents believe? Their mayor or the military commander in charge of fixing things? Vice Admiral Thad Allen said today people shouldn't come back. There's no power, there's no water, essential services are not in place. But New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin says more than a third of the city's residents could return over the next 10 days. Now today, some business owners did come back. CNN's Ed Lavandera has their story.</s>ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Starting over doesn't scare Vinh Vu. He's done it before. 26 years ago, he and his family immigrated from Laos and settled in New Orleans. He vows to get his furniture refinishing shop up and running again soon.</s>VINH VU, STORE OWNER: For me, appreciate what we have here. I'm proud. I'm go down to the</s>LAVANDERA: Vu was one of the first business owners back on Magazine Street in the city's Garden District. Hurricane Katrina blew the roof off his workshop. Machinery was ruined and pieces of furniture were tossed around the neighborhood. Just down the street, Margaret Richmond drove back into town and was stunned to see the condition of her antique store.</s>MARGARET RICHMOND, STORE OWNER: They stole all of the jewelry. All the jewelry cases are empty. OK? And then they started knocking things down.</s>LAVANDERA: A shopping cart full of antiques, as if somebody just didn't quite get it all of the store fast enough.</s>RICHMOND: They just like kind of like swept through it like a cyclone. I feel like I'm in a nightmare. You know, I don't know from one day to the next what's going to happen.</s>LAVANDERA: Richmond drove into the city on the first day business owners were allowed back in the Garden District. But she never made it inside her store. Police nailed the door shut to keep looters out. She wants her insurance company to see this mess first.</s>RICHMOND: I want them to see how it is, you know, because I don't need to think that I moved the stuff like that, you know what I'm saying? I want them to see it, how it looks.</s>LAVANDERA: Is it going to drive you crazy? You drove all this way...</s>RICHMOND: Yes, yes, it does drive me crazy, yes. Drove all this way and I can't get in.</s>LAVANDERA (on camera): Despite the highly publicized effort to get business owners back to the city, we haven't seen a rush of people coming in. Traffic on the streets has been light. And many store fronts remain boarded up. No one knows for sure how long it will take for business to thrive again here, but they do know it won't happen until people come back home for good.</s>VU: I love this town. I love uptown. I love -- I'm New Orleans. I can't get away. I might come back slow, but it may be not right away. Maybe six months, seven months, but I'm not going to get away from here.</s>LAVANDERA (voice-over): Vinh Vu is done for the day.</s>VU: That's it. Ready to leave.</s>LAVANDERA: But for him, it's just the beginning of a long journey home. Ed Lavandera, CNN, New Orleans.</s>LIN: Well, he stepped into ahead, the widely criticized federal response to Katrina. Up next, CNN's Kyra Phillips is given exclusive access to Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen, as he hits the ground running in New Orleans. And many hurricane victims are left with little but their faith. So I'm going to be talking with the legendary Della Reese about faith in the face of adversity. You're watching CNN SATURDAY NIGHT.</s>SCHNEIDER: Hello, everyone. I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider in the CNN Weather Center. We have just this in. Tropical Storm Phillippe has formed. It was originally tropical depression number 17, but now we've got maximum winds at 40 miles per hour. So Phillippe does have a track. And as you could see, it's moving to the northwest. We'll be watching this closely, but we do have a tropical storm as we expected, tropical storm Phillippe, that's now moving to the northwest. We also have a new tropical depression. This is tropical depression number 18. You can see some of the clouds that are moving in from the side of the screen there. This one is on the move also. And the upper level winds will be pushing it towards the west. So right now, we have a -- the government of the Bahamas has issued a hurricane watch for the northwest Bahamas. And there's also a tropical storm warning for the Turks and Caicos and for the southeast and central Bahamas. So this is going to be a depression we're watching very closely, an area favorable for development. Tropical Storm Phillippe and tropical depression number 18 now formed in the tropics. We'll have more coming up.</s>LIN: And now a story you will only see on CNN. After the initial response to Katrina met with so much criticism, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen was put in charge of the federal relief effort. Now earlier this week, CNN's Kyra Phillips received exclusive access to Admiral Allen. She has a first hand look at what it's like to be in charge of such a massive operation.</s>KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: He wakes up as early as 3:30 a.m. Vice Admiral Thad Allen wastes no time. He's leading the largest rebuilding effort in American history. And his day is jam packed. From press conference, to video conference. It's now 11:50. Inside his mobile command center, the admiral leads an executive conference call with DHS and FEMA. At issue, how to bring New Orleanians back home.</s>VICE ADM. THAD ALLEN, U.S. COAST GUARD: There's been some discussion in Washington about whether or not we should use vouchers in lieu of temporary housing.</s>PHILLIPS: He's only a week into the job, but it's clear he's hit the ground running. And your mission is?</s>ALLEN: Duty and effort, increase velocity of what's happening, cut red tape. We need to treat the victims of this catastrophe as if they were our own family. And what would you do if it was your child, your husband, or your mother. How would you treat them? You need to have that sensitivity when you're dealing with these people.</s>PHILLIPS: One p.m., Allen gets an urgent call to board the Iwo Jima. The bell means the admiral's coming?</s>ALLEN: Folks, how are you doing?</s>PHILLIPS: Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff is about to land. So right now, Admiral Allen's going to meet with the Secretary Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff. They'll have a private meeting for about 30 minutes. And then it's off to the next. Good news. Water levels are going down fast.</s>ALLEN: One of the reasons that this has happened much quicker than we thought is we've had evaporation...</s>PHILLIPS: One thirty, huddled inside the command post, a who's who of joint task force Katrina. Zip code by zip code, block by block, the national response plan unfolds right before our eyes. This is a hands on leader.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Admiral Allen, thank you, sir, for coming on board.</s>ALLEN: Thank you, skipper. I don't know what the Navy term is, but fall out and gather around. So what I've been trying to do is build a sense of camaraderie, unity, and teamwork among the federal community that are bringing all the assets to this fight. And don't think I'm trying to do a sound of politics. I really appreciate it. Thank you. (applause)</s>PHILLIPS: His predecessor, General Russel Honore, is still part of the team. What do you think of Admiral Allen?</s>GEN. RUSSEL HONORE: Well, he's a go getter. Very confident, mature, strategic leader. And he's the right guy for the right job, the right town.</s>PHILLIPS: Just ask his aide, Lieutenant Katrina Harper. Yes, her name is Katrina.</s>LT. KATRINA HARPER: It's like the energizer bunny. He doesn't stop. He's just -- he does it all and he gets out there and touches the people he needs to touch, especially with this recovery.</s>PHILLIPS: When Allen can't be in two places at one time, his chief of staff, Captain Tom Atkin, is there.</s>CAPT. TOM ATKIN: He's given us a vision from the very beginning. Focus on helping the people. Treat them all like they're family. And we'll make it happen.</s>PHILLIPS: I think he's calling you.</s>ATKIN: Oh, I'm sure he is. He likes me.</s>PHILLIPS: It's 4:30. Allen has raced ahead of us. Next stop, a food tent where volunteers are feeding the hot, tired and weary troops under his command.</s>ALLEN: Thank you for everything you do for the country. Appreciate it.</s>PHILLIPS: Allen takes time to pose for pictures and thank the cooks.</s>ALLEN: OK, very good.</s>PHILLIPS: He barely has time to grab a shrimp skewer to go.</s>ALLEN: Thank you. You guys are going to spoil me here. All right.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Courtesy of South Alabama.</s>ALLEN: Thank you. Thank you.</s>PHILLIPS: It's 6:00 in the evening now, and the president of the United States just landed aboard the Iwo Jima via Marine One. Vice Admiral Allen is inside the carrier actually right now, getting ready to greet the president. One more meeting in a head spinning day. But Vice Admiral Thad Allen says he's just getting started. Kyra Phillips, CNN, New Orleans.</s>LIN: We'll find out if it's making a difference. We'll be right back.</s>LIN: Well, many who lost everything to Hurricane Katrina are finding their faith tested as never before. In fact, some people are having a hard time dealing with such overwhelming loss. And others see their faith as a safe haven. So joining us to talk about all this Katrina and faith is singer/actor and minister Della Reese. She's joining me right now live from Los Angeles. Reverend Della, such a pleasure to have you.</s>DELLA REESE, SINGER/ACTOR, MINISTER: Thank you for inviting me.</s>LIN: And have a different voice on this. Today, President Bush in his radio address said that he wants God to be a part of the rebuilding process. What are your thoughts, given all the criticism of the federal response? What are your thoughts on that right now?</s>REESE: Well, God is a part of everything. In him we live and move and have our being. So we don't have to wish that he would be a part of it. He is already a part of it. And he's left us with the tools that we need to have the peace of mind that we need to rebuild. You cannot rebuild unless you have peace of mind.</s>LIN: Oh.</s>REESE: And one of the biggest tools that he left us is faith. We have to -- we've been through the worst part. The waters receding. All the bad things that were going to happen have happened. They've cleaned out the city. Now we have to have faith to have the patience to work with the things we need to work with, to stand on his promises. God has promised us he will never leave us or forsake us. So I don't care how funny it looks, he's there. So we don't have to wish for God to be there, when God is not there, we will all be gone.</s>LIN: Well, Reverend Della, in the early days, did you ever find yourself feeling angry at the pictures that you are seeing on the television?</s>REESE: Very angry. But there were things that needed to be cleaned up there. They've been washed away. The waters came and washed them away. So now we have this opportunity to build it the way it should be. It's a marvelous place. I've been there many times. I've enjoyed living there. And now we can fix it the way we want to fix it. This is a great opportunity we've never had in my lifetime. The chance to build a city within our nation. And we're capable of doing this. The people of New Orleans are very strong. And they'll come back.</s>LIN: Do you know anybody who was touched by this?</s>REESE: One of my dearest friends, and you probably know her, too, Mary Clayton who sang with Ray Charles.</s>LIN: Oh.</s>REESE: Had 30 members of her family down there. Her father, who was in a wheelchair..</s>LIN: Oh, good heavens.</s>REESE: And her brothers and sisters and a lot of cousins and the like of that. And we've all been praying. And she's found her father. She's found her brother, who later found a cousin, who is now looking for somebody else. We're on the comeback. We're on the building. We're on the renewing. And we cannot do it without faith. That's the tool that we have. Know that God will not leave us or forsake us. He will not let the people that are in distress right now stay in distress. The people who are hungry, he's going to feed them. The people who are out of doors, he's going to give them a place to stay, but not unless we have the strength to stand on our faith.</s>LIN: I know it's hard as the leader of a flock to explain why bad things happen and why they happen to, you know, any particular group.</s>REESE: Well, now, and I want to give you this, Carol. The water has been coming up on that land forever. Nobody said don't come up on the land anymore because we got some casinos here. I live in Los Angeles. The fault has been there all the time. So it's not that something has been done to us. We've had an experience, an experience that gives us a chance to use our faith, an experience that gives us a chance to clean up and change, an experience that gives us a chance to love each other, to be close to each other. One of the things about Americans, we may not speak to each other for the rest of the time, but when something happens, we come together. And we need that coming together.</s>LIN: Well, we've seen a lot of that, Della Reese.</s>REESE: Yes.</s>LIN: And that's been a blessing indeed.</s>REESE: Isn't that wonderful to know?</s>LIN: In a major catastrophe. Oh, to know and to see, Della Reese.</s>REESE: Yes, that we love each other, no matter all this other stuff that's on the surface, when it comes to the nitty gritty...</s>LIN: All right.</s>REESE: ...we love each other. And we come to the rescue.</s>LIN: And we'll move forward.</s>REESE: I'm very proud of that.</s>LIN: Me, too. Thanks very much. Della Reese, good to have you.</s>REESE: God bless. Thank you.</s>LIN: Up next, a check of the headlines and then "</s>CNN PRESENTS: HEROES AMONG US." I'm Carol Lin. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com