[swords clank] watch out! all hands on deck! ...but when it mattered most... give me all your treasure! imagine what a little time can do for your family. ah, ha! take that! missed me! uhh! businesses at a time when the state is hurting so badly doesn't make a lot of sense. >> reporter: for desperate states it may be their only option. barbara pinto, abc news, northville, michigan. the transportation department wants to permanently ban interstate truck and bus drivers from texting while behind the wheel. the government put in place an interim ban on texting back in january. it applies to drivers of buses and trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds. any new permanent rule will not go into effect until next month at the earliest. saturday's close call in the sky near san francisco international airport is getting scrutiny from federal investigators. as lisa stark reports, it was a really close call. >> reporter: the near-disaster happened just after a united airlines jumbo jet took off from there san francisco airport. the air traffic controller realizes a jet and a small sister ka are heading toward each other. he orders the cessna to pass behind the united plane. >> separation pass behind that aircraft. >> reporter: but the planes are still getting closer. the controller orders united flight 889 to move too. >> start heading to your right. >> reporter: at their closest the cessna is 300 feet above and 1,500 feet away from the united plane. the required distance is 500 feet above and nearly 8,000 feet away. in the cockpit of the jumbo jet a collision warning system sounds an alarm. >> descend, descend now. >> okay, that set off the tcas. >> reporter: the united pilot, a woman, is clearly concerned. >> we need to talk. >> roger. >> reporter: a federal safety investigation is under way. lisa stark, abc news, washington. well, here is your thursday forecast. warm air moves into the eastern half of the nation today. in the west, expect up to 1 foot of snow in the central rockies. rain from los angeles to las vegas. and phoenix today and a wet day in the dakotas and nebraska as well. up to 50-mile-an-hour winds across parts of new mexico, oklahoma, and most of texas. >> 81 in dallas. 84 in kansas city. 75 in the twin cities. boston 55. new york 69. baltimore 75. 50s in the pacific northwest. 60 in sacramento. and just 35 in billings. well, if he didn't like his mom you'd think this was on purpose. we know he does like his mom. a major league basketball player breathing a sigh of relief after a freak accident. >> minnesota twins center fielder was at-bat against the yankees. he drove a foul ball into the stands and hit a woman into the chest. that woman happened to be his mother. span jumped into the stands to check on his mom. >> tampa paramedics examined her and she returned to watch the rest spring training game. later span tweeted, my mom is feeling okay. how upsetting that would be. it's a good thing he ran to check on her. imagine if she got better and watched the replay and saw he was hanging out and waiting for paramedics. he must have realized it pretty soon. >> goodson, well done. watch your aim next time. >> exactly. we'll be right back with more >> exactly. we'll be right back with more "world news now." diabetes scared me to death. there's so much to learn. but liberty walked me through it all... like when i test at night or after i eat... makes a big difference. when it comes to your diabetes supplies, quality and reliability are important. that's why liberty offers the accu-chek aviva meter. and it's the only meter and strip combination manufactured in the usa. if you're over 65, have diabetes and are on medicare... call now and we'll send you a free meter. it offers alternate site testing, so you can test on your arm. no more pricking your fingers. it makes a big difference. diabetes testing supplies may be covered by medicare. join over a million others who have chosen liberty medical. call now and receive a free accu-chek aviva meter. when you join. call the number on your screen./ assistance getting around their homes. there is a medicare benefit that may qualify you for a new power chair or scooter at little to no cost to you. stay tuned for this important medicare benefit information and free scooter guarantee. imagine... one scooter or power chair that could improve your may entitle you to pay little to nothing to own it. one company that can make it all happen ... your power chair will be paid in full. the scooter store. why should you call the scooter store today? because their mobility experts are also medicare experts. and that means the scooter store is your best shot at qualifying for a scooter that costs you little to nothing. hi i'm doug harrison. pay little to nothing out of pocket. how do we do it? we know what it takes to get you your power chair it's our strength. it's our mission. and we back it up with the scooter store guarantee. if we qualify you and medicare denies your claim for a new powerchair or scooter, i'll give it to you absolutely free. i paid into medicare all my life, and when i needed it the benefit was there for me. the scooter store made it so easy. i didn't pay a penny out of pocket for my power chair. the scooter store got me back out in the world again. talk to. there is a medicare benefit that may qualify you for a new power chair or scooter at little to no cost to you. former first lady barbara bush is back home this morning after spending four nights in a houston hospital. >> doctors say mrs. bush may have had a mild relapse of graves disease. she was first treated for the overactive thyroid disorder 20 years ago. doctors adjusted her medication and did release her. some dedicated volunteers who make sure they're among the first to welcome home american servicemen and women returning from battle are finally get something recognition. >> after 1 million greetings the elderly volunteers are being featured in a documentary. sharyn alfonsi reports. >> reporter: every day inside this tiny airport, two groups of unsung heroes meet. troops coming home from iraq and afghanistan. >> appreciate you. >> reporter: and the senior citizens who come just to greet them. the bangor, maine, airport is the main entry and exit point for thousands of troops coming from the mideast every year. >> welcome home, heroes! >> reporter: bill knight is a feisty world war ii vet who dreams of deploying. >> i can go over in a heartbeat. >> reporter: but the 87-year-old is battling cancer. and still, he's usually the first one to the airport every day. >> you only get one day tuesday. i'm going to make the most of those days that i get. >> reporter: he is. >> all of a sudden you walk down the ramp and you see the first people there. you know, everyone starts getting a little like this. you're like, where did that come from? >> reporter: the troops stop by a wall to harn those who didn't make it home. and then they're given a phone. >> hi, mom. >> hey, mom. >> i'm in maine. >> dad. >> hey there, young lady. >> reporter: the moment that makes 78-year-old joan godett negotiate icy roads in the wee hours of the morning to get to the airport. >> welcome to maine. welcome to bangor. >> i would call at 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. to check in on her. she would be gone. >> reporter: aaron godett, joan's son, went to the airport to see what his mother was up to. what was it about what you were seeing that inspired you? >> it seems like such a simple act of kindness. >> reporter: he was so inspired he made a documentary about the greeters. >> i don't ever feel like i'm a hero. the guys that come and go, there's the hear rroes. >> reporter: sometimes it takes a hero to recognize one. sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> very compelling. >> that world war ii vet, that's amazing. >> you saw the filmmaker's mother there too. before all this she was afraid to go out of the house at knight. after she went to the airport one time she was hooked. now she's out there at all hours going to the airport. >> i'm sure it means a lot to the troops. >> absolutely. when we come back, president obama shakes up energy policy by expanding offshore oil exploration. >> his announcement and the reaction from the atlantic and >> his announcement and the reaction from the atlantic and gulf coasts. hey, guys, this is my teenage friend rachael. she's cool. hey! [fiddling with radio] rachael: hey, could you watch the road? [mocking] "hey, could you watch the road?" ok. all right. well, if we die in a car crash, i want to donate my eyes to my neighbor gary. he has a boat, and he sails all around the world. i would love to see that. i don't know if he actually needs eyes, but who would turn down a free pair of eyes, right? ha ha. who's that rich? president obama proposed drilling for oil and gas along the east coast, the gulf coast, and in protected areas off alaska, shaking up energy policy and surprising environmentalists. >> in this morning's "american landscape" we have reaction from our affiliates in richmond, virginia, and tampa, florida. >> florida's coastline gets an unexpected ally in barack obama. >> this announcement came as a shock especially to environmentalists. the president today announced his support for exploring and drilling for oil much closer to florida beaches. >> so today we're announcing the expansion of offshore oil and gas exploration. but in ways that balance the need to harness domestic energy resources and the need to protect america's natural resources. >> this map shows you where drilling is currently allowed. this sort of beige area there. the red sections represent the new areas the president wants to open up. as you can see, much closer to florida's east coast and west coast. if congress agrees, oil derricks could go up just about 125 miles off the beaches, down from the current limit of 234 miles. an anti-drilling protest had already been scheduled in st. petersburg. it was sheer coincidence that the president made this announcement today. the message from our gulf coast communities is pretty clear. any risk of an oil spill is unacceptable. some of the anti-oil drilling protesters went for drama. drenched in chocolate sauce. others had a more personal message. heather lampard helped support her kids working at a beach resort. >> this is my livelihood. this is all about florida. we depend on this money for our tourism. this is why we don't pay state taxes. these are millions of jobs. >> reporter: the protesters gathered outside a hotel in st. pete because drilling advocate newt gingrich was here as part of a traveling job summit. his host, st. peters during's mayor, staunchly opposes the president's proposal. >> it's risky. i don't care what safeguards they say they've built in. if there's a fraction of a chance we could have spillage into the gulf it's too risky. >> reporter: this spectacular day seemed to make the case for leaving well enough alone. realtor todd plumly remembers a relatively small oil spill in 1993 that is said to have reed tourism by 45% in two years, costing the county billions. >> that affected us greatly. we had many people canceling on us. we told them, the spill is further down. they said, we don't want to take the chance, by only go on vacation once a year. >> reporter: the governor happened to be in st. petersburg for a census rally. though once a staunch opponent of drilling expansion, charlie crist has become more open to oil exploration close tort beach community in which he grew up. >> so long as we can do so that protects our beautiful state, and i believe we can with new technology, we should explore, the president's right. >> the president's right. don't be surprised if you see the governor's last words appearing on a campaign ad for his senate opponent rubio. many believe the president's call for more drilling as compromise calculated to gain more conservative support for alternative energy initiatives he wants to pass through. 8 news at 6:00 starts now. >> this is a great day for virginia. >> reporter: at a news conference this afternoon, governor mcdonald saying virginia is first in line to begin exploration of the ocean floor 50 miles out off the coast. >> the good news is that virginia is ready to go. and the president's decision will mean thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in new state revenues. >> it could generate as many as 2,600 jobs, $8 billion in capital investment, $644 million in new payroll, $271 million in tax revenues for the commonwealth. >> reporter: 80% of the revenues virginia derives from offshore drilling will be dedicated to transportation funding with the added bonus of helping america break its dependency on foreign oil. >> whatever we can find offshore is that much less that we have to depend on iran and iraq and venezuela and russia and other countries that don't always support the united states of america. >> reporter: governor mcdonald says virginia could begin seeing some revenues come in from this by as soon as 2012. >> one of the issues is that they're not sure exactly how much oil is out there. they're going to have to start drilling before they see how much it's really going to make an impact. >> they believe the potential is huge. >> right. >> but again, not enough, as the president said. interesting, though, he's get something bipartisan support. we wonder if that will come back to haunt people like charlie crist down the road. coming up, changes brewing at starbucks. it has to do with the coffee cups. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made. when i got my x medicare car, i realized i needed x an aarp... medicare supplement insurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, in fact, it only pays up to .80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, not paid by medicare part b. that can save you up to ! thousands of dollars. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... and guide to understanding medicare, i can keep my own doctor and choose my own hospital. and i don't need a referral to see a specialist. as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts 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"world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> all right, it's the time. it's the time for "morning papers." all you starbucks fans up late at night, some good news for you. according to starbucks.com, they're coming up with two new sizes. the plent a&m icra. the plenta is an extra-giant cup of coffee. it looks even bigger in the picture i'm looking at. it's 128 fluid ounces. and the micra is two fluid ounces. that gives you an idea -- you know what the greatest thing? this is all not true. i have to give props to the starbucks pr people for this great april fools. they suggest other uses for the large cup, including a yoga block, and the micra can serve as a milk dish for kittens. >> i bet there are people who addicted to that place they'd buy it. >> there are a lot of people that were disappointed i said that was a joke. myself included. >> imagine what that super big gulp sized one would cost you. probably take out a loan for that one. >> although you might get more from economies of scale. it might just be really cheap. >> maybe. i doubt it but maybe. that's crazy. funny stuff. they have a sense of humor on april fools' day. >> good job. >> i don't think this one is an april fools joke but it may be. keep that in mind. it's the 1st of april. there's a restaurant in australia, if you go to eat there, you notice something peculiar on your bill, there's a reason for it. there will be a little charge that says, thongage charge. >> not that kind of thong? >> not that kind of thong. the kind you wear on your feet, flip-flops. this guy runs himself a fancy restaurant, he's tired of people showing up in flip-flops. basically he has said, show up in flip-flops, i'm going to charge you an extra $9. >> wow. >> to eat at my joint. it's basically his campaign to get people to start dressing nicely. he said, sure enough, on the bill it will say two lamb chops, one thongage charge. >> i hope that's australian dollars. $9, that's like the cost of a pair of flip-flops. >> it is, or the cost of the pork chops too. >> he's trying to elevate the clientele. >> with good reason. and he has no problem with the other thongs, as far as we know. >> all right, well. yeah, i doubt he does. as you all know it is census day. it's that day when you're supposed to send in your census form. sothebys, the auction house, they're auctioning off the very first u.s. census. >> oh, wow. >> thomas jefferson, who was then the secretary of state, has signed his original signature on this. energy exploration. president obama supports offshore drilling but offers a word of caution. >> drilling alone can't come close to meeting our long-term energy needs. plus, caught on tape. see how quickly bold thieves can steal your information from an atm. and, tiger's troubles. who in his inner circle knew what about his secret life as a ladies' man? it's thursday, april 1st. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> there's some big-name athletes that he hung out with who may have had some influence on him, according to this "vanity fair" article. >> charles barkley, that's all you had to say. >> exactly, one of many. >> good morning on this april fools' day. i'm stephanie sy sitting in for vinita nair. >> it is april 1st. we'll try to keep the jokes to a minimum. we don't want to get in trouble this year. i'm jeremy hubbard. a battle over the nation's energy future has been touched off by president obama's call for oil and gas drilling off the u.s. coast. >> the fight crosses party lines. both of new jersey's democratic senators are denouncing the plan. jake tapper is at the white house with reaction. >> reporter: in wrightsville beach, north carolina, some residents are concerned about the president's announcement. >> that could be damage, irreversible damage, for that ecosystem. >> i would be really concerned more so that it would ruin the beaches. >> reporter: they were reacting to president obama's decision to allow drilling for oil and gas 50 miles off the coast of virginia. and his decision to allow exploration for oil and gas in the outer continental shelf, from delaware to the middle of florida, and to open areas for possible development in the gulf of mexico and alaska. >> this is not a decision i've made lightly. but the bottom line is this. we are going to need to harness traditional sources of fuel even as we ramp up production of new sources of renewable home-grown energy. >> reporter: the site in virginia could contain in total 130 million barrels of oil and 1.14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. the areas being assessed on the east coast, gulf, and alaska could contain up to 62 billion barrels of oil and 289 trillion cubic feet of natural gas total. though that could take decades to extract. by way of comparison, in 2008 the u.s. imported 4.7 billion barrels of oil. the president cautions this move will not be enough. >> drilling alone can't come close to meeting our long-term energy needs. >> reporter: the move was largely applauded by republicans such as the governor of virginia. >> they could generate as much as 2,600 jobs, $8 billion in capital investments. >> reporter: in 2008 republican cheers of "drill, baby, drill" taunted then senator obama's seeming opposition to it. former govern sarah palin offered a skeptical comment, saying that the president's goal is to "cram through job-killing, energy-depleting, burdensome cap and tax scheme" on the heels of obama's new pro-drilling message. experts caution there will be no immediate impact at the pump. these moves will take years if not decades to take effect. jake tapper, abc news, the white house. looks like china may be ready to talk about imposing sanctions against iran over its nuclear program. a state department official tells abc news this is a positive sign, considering the chinese have been stonewalling for months. a top iranian nuclear negotiator arrived in beijing today, trying to convince officials not to move forward with the sanctions. billions of dollars are being pledged by the international community to help haiti recovering from that devastating earthquake which struck two and a half months ago. what happened to the millions already donated by americans? our dan harris has a look. ♪ we shall overcome >> reporter: the celebrities pleaded with us. the images compelled us. and we responded in overwhelming fashion. since the killer quake in haiti, americans have given a staggering $800.9 million to the 23 charities abc news has been tracking. but only about 37% of that money has been spent. nearly $588 million in our donations are still sitting on the sidelines as millions of haitians continue to endure epic suffering. americans have sent hundreds of millions of dollars to your group and to other groups. the vast majority of it hasn't been spent. why is that? >> the need to spend it wisely. i don't want to look at the american public and say, we wasted money by spending it too quickly. >> reporter: but while charities plan for the long term, there is a massive crisis right now. 1.3 million people are still homeless. and one-fifth of them have no shelter. already, tent cities have been slammed by torrential downpours. aid workers we spoke to are alarmed. >> this country still faces a very grave crisis, a very grave humanitarian situation. >> reporter: and there are yet more needs. with the number of amputations performed at 1,500 and rising, there are still only 17 rehabilitation centers. far too few. there has, however, been real progress. with american dollars helping to fund the delivery of food to 4.3 million people. but here's the question we asked. if the charities had spent all of the money that americans sent them instead of sitting on so much of it, wouldn't they have been able to house all those haitians in time for the rainy season? the answer, they say, is that it would have been physically and logistically impossible. dan harris, abc news, new york. on the sidelines of the haiti donors' conference came a rare high-level meeting between u.s. and cuban officials. secretary of state clinton's chief of staff cheryl mills met with cuba's foreign affairs minister. it was the first meeting of such senior-level officials since 1995. they discussed cuban medical assistance for haiti but mills also pressed for the release of alan gross, an american who's been held in cuba since december. today is census day here in the u.s. it's the day the government requires you to fill out your census form and send it in. 52% of people who have received a census have already mailed it back. and in a series of rallies across the country today, organizers will deliver a message. sending in your census is simple and it's worth a lot of money to your community. >> it's been estimated that something like $1,400 per person is at stake. so, you know, add up the number of the people in your community that don't get counted in the census, and multiply that by $1,400. that's what you're losing. >> the census bureau will continue accepting mailed-in forms through most of april, then from may through july census-takers will go door to door to homes that were sent forms but didn't reply. homeland security secretary janet napolitano is heading to rhode island tomorrow to get a firsthand look at the worst flooding there in 200 years. bridges and major roads are washed out and sewage systems are so overwhelmed that families were asked to stop flushing their toilets. flood waters could linger for days throughout much of new england. >> never-ending. here is your thursday forecast. up to 1 foot of snow in the central rockies. showers from phoenix to l.a. and vegas. leftover rain and snow in the pacific northwest. up to 50-mile-an-hour winds in the southern plains. 20 to 25 degrees above normal across the eastern half of the country. >> upper 70s from minneapolis to detroit today. 80s from omaha to dallas. 69 in new york. 75 in baltimore. much cooler out west. 42 in salt lake city. 47 in boise. and 57 in albuquerque. well, the long arm of the law gets a helping hand from youtube after a brazen crime was caught on tape. >> interesting idea. surveillance video captured a tennessee couple breaking into an suv and stealing a radio. and the shocker as you may have seen there, they brought their two young children along to witness everything. a local sheriff was so outraged about this, he posted this video on youtube. tips poured in and the couple was arrested yesterday. >> the sheriff said it wasn't about the radio or the car, he just believes the children deserve a better set of parents. i think he's right. >> i think so too. this is a great idea. almost like "america's most wanted" on the internet. let's do it everywhere, why not. >> that's a great point, that's exactly what it's like. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now." assistance getting around their homes. there is a medicare benefit that may qualify you for a new power chair or scooter at little to no cost to you. stay tuned for this important medicare benefit information and free scooter guarantee. imagine... one scooter or power chair that could improve your may entitle you to pay little to nothing to own it. one company that can make it all happen ... your power chair will be paid in full. the scooter store. why should you call the scooter store today? because their mobility experts are also medicare experts. and that means the scooter store is your best shot at qualifying for a scooter that costs you little to nothing. hi i'm doug harrison. pay little to nothing out of pocket. how do we do it? we know what it takes to get you your power chair it's our strength. it's our mission. and we back it up with the scooter store guarantee. if we qualify you and medicare denies your claim for a new powerchair or scooter, i'll give it to you absolutely free. i paid into medicare all my life, and when i needed it the benefit was there for me. the scooter store made it so easy. i didn't pay a penny out of pocket for my power chair. the scooter store got me back out in the world again. talk to. there is a medicare benefit that may qualify you for a new power chair or scooter at little to no cost to you. there's so much to learn. but liberty walked me through it all... like when i test at night or after i eat... makes a big difference. when it comes to your diabetes supplies, quality and reliability are important. that's why liberty offers the accu-chek aviva meter. and it's the only meter and strip combination manufactured in the usa. if you're over 65, have diabetes and are on medicare... call now and we'll send you a free meter. it offers alternate site testing, so you can test on your arm. no more pricking your fingers. it makes a big difference. diabetes testing supplies may be covered by medicare. join over a million others who have chosen liberty medical. call now and receive a free accu-chek aviva meter. when you join. look at that. a difficult battle for phoenix firefighters. a warehouse full of wooden pallets went up in flames last night and the smoke could be seen from 20 miles away. making matters worse, firefighters did not have enough water to douse the flames and winds were gusting up to 40 miles an hour. 100 firefighters eventually put out most of the blaze. >> that will take awhile to do that. >> extraordinary pictures. during this holy week pope benedict is defending himself and the vatican over allegations of a sexual abuse scandal years ago. >> critics ask, what did the pope know when he was cardinal ratzinger, and when? others are demanding his resignation. chief investigative correspondent brian ross has more. >> reporter: for years, despite repeated allegations that father maciel sexually abused young men, pope john paul ii continued to call him an important leader of catholic youth. >> father maciel was a revered figure in the vatican. he also had the advantage of being the greatest fund-raiser of the modern church. >> reporter: father maciel was the founder of a little-known but well-financed catholic order called the legionaries of christ. >> i think father maciel used money the way some politicians do, in spreading it liberally to buy support. both for himself and his religious order. >> reporter: investigative journalist jason berry first broke the story of father maciel in 1997 and has tracked what he says is a decades-long trail of cash and gifts to top vatican officials from maciel. >> i think in hindsight it's clear that he was trying to protect himself. and so he lavished gifts, generous, expensive gifts on many members of the roman curate. and on top of that, he made a point of cultivating friendships with these men. >> reporter: as a result, when the vatican received allegations against maciel, it touched off what appears to have been a high-level power struggle between the vatican secretary of state and then-cardinal joseph ratzinger, now pope benedict. father maciel's legionaries of christ now operates in the united states and 28 other countries with its well-manicured headquarters located in rome a few miles from the vatican. it was here at this seminary and others father maciel was alleged to have molested some of the young men under his control, going back to the 1950s. >> he pushed my hand into his penis. and i didn't know anything about masturbation. and he says, you don't know how to do it, let me show you. >> reporter: it was in 1998 he and other former members of the legion filed a formal legal case with the vatican, asking for investigation of maciel. for years, nothing happened. >> absolutely nothing. not a word. >> reporter: the man in charge of investigating was the then-cardinal ratzinger. >> ratzinger basically got the message, do not go after this man. >> reporter: berry says both pope john paul ii and the vatican secretary of state, cardinal angelo sadano, emerged as father maciel's protectors. berry says cardinal ratzinger became increasingly convinced the maciel case was turning into a huge liability for the vatican. >> i think at that point ratzinger figured he had to do something on his own. so he broke ranks with sadano, broke ranks with the pope, and ordered an investigation of maciel by a canon lawyer on his staff. >> reporter: a year after he began the investigation, cardinal ratzinger had become pope benedict. and a year later, he forced maciel out of the legionaries of christ and into retirement, although he did not defrock him -- strip him of his priestley powers. >> in the end it was ratzinger who took it on himself to investigate him and despite mistakes that ratzinger made in other cases, i think it is fair to say in the full light of history that he began to recognize the severity of this crisis. did he go far enough? no. he should have excommunicated maciel. and he should have immediately reined in the legion of christ. >> reporter: maciel died in 2008 and since then, more of the details of his astounding deception and sordid double life have become known. he fathered a daughter with one of his mistresses in mexico. two men have gone public on a mexican radio station to claim they are the sons of father maciel. one claiming he was actually sexually abused by his father. pope benedict has one last big decision to make about the legionaries of christ. whether to disband the order altogether. the vatican spokesperson said a decision on that is expected in the coming months. brian ross, abc news, new york. >> of course all of this casting a pall on the holiest week in the catholic calendar. some people sort of starting to call on the pope to resign, although that's unlikely, hasn't happened in centuries and it would see the set off a really complicated process, putting the cart before the horse, probably. >> it being easter week, of course he continues his duties, the pope, and he has this holy thursday at the vatican, as these questions and this cloud continues to hang. >> still very visible. coming up, protecting yourself during your next trip to the atm. >> after catching alleged scammers in the act we'll share what investigators learned. this is not an april fools joke. scammers have figured out new ways to steal your money when you use an atm. >> using technology sold on the internet, and even security cameras to rip you off. elisabeth leamy has expert advice on how to avoid being a target. >> reporter: it's a rare look at atm skimmers caught in the act. cameras capture suspects boldly driving up to a daytona beach bank of america, then installing a skimming device -- that large electronic unit that can steal your atm card information. >> has a battery attached to it, antenna attached to it, doesn't look like something you'd make in your garage, it's pretty high-tech. >> reporter: the thieves were so bold they taped an out of order sign to the bank's other atm so customers would use the one they had rigged. police say the crooks snagged customers' financial data for seven hours straight, until, at last, a bank employee discovered something was amiss. in hollywood, thieves often come up with elaborate schemes to steal cash. skimming is much simpler, but more lucrative. bringing in $1 billion a year for the bad guys. here's how the scam works. basically, the crooks cover up the regular slot where you're supposed to put your atm card, and then they install their own device on the atm that looks like the slot where you put your card, then the way they get your p.i.n. is install a surveillance camera like this that's looking down on you and can see you typing in your p.i.n. number. we wanted to know what scammers do with your atm card info once they have it. we discovered there are machines for sale on the internet that can transfer your data to a blank card. security expert chris o'farrell showed us how it works. >> now that's a tduplicate of your credit card. >> that's it? >> that's it. that's all there is. >> so we cloned my card. now the question is will this plain white card work? we're going to give it a try here at the gas pump. and sure enough, it went through. which means that even though your card is in your wallet, strangers could be using it to drain your accounts. in washington, elisabeth leamy, abc news. >> an important story. so this is why you have to do this when you do it. >> right. >> also apparently these are flimsy devices and sometimes they're attached with velcro. if it looks fishy try to rip it off. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement .insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this " free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card -- see if it's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you keep your own doctor, or hospital that accepts medicare. there are no networks r and no referrals needed. help protect yourself from some of what medicare doesn't pay... and save up to thousands of dollars in potential... medicare supplement .insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare # insurance company. call this toll-free number on your screen now... medicare guide and customized rate quote. finally this half hour, more people from tiger woods' inner circle are stepping forward, telling their stories, while the golf star tries to repair his image. >> that includes three women who say they had affairs with woods. john berman reports on "vanity fair's" big scoop. >> reporter: "vanity fair's" mark seal spent three months speaking to women who say they had relationships with tiger woods. amazingly, what's the one thing they had in common? >> the sad thing about it was that all of the women seemed to think they were the only one. >> reporter: high-priced escort laura donna jolie. >> laura donna said, i had no idea he was this ladies' man. >> reporter: who did know all this was going on? in an interview last week, woods claimed not his inner circle. >> it was all me. i'm the one who did it, i'm the one who acted the way i acted. no one knew what was going on when it was going on. >> reporter: but mark seal reports when waitress mindy lawton said she grew worries the "national enquirer" had learned of their relationship, woods told her to call his agent. mark steinberg. the response? >> he said, we'll take care of it. >> so the idea his inner circle, at least some in his inner circle, didn't know? >> who knows what they knew, how much they knew, how much they facilitated. it's hard to believe they didn't know. >> reporter: seal reports some women say woods' friend byron bell helped coordinate some trysts. neither steinberg nor bell returned requests for comment. there are also new details about tiger's relationship with his father, earl. such a key influence in his life. >> he had another side. a source tells me that he had affairs and that he showed up at a father of the year award inebriated and speaking in a way that you couldn't understand. >> reporter: and then reports of tiger's gambling. >> tiger woods was a regular presence in the vip casinos of las vegas. where people gamble, high-rollers gamble, for typically $25,000 a hand at blackjack. >> that's big money. >> exactly. >> reporter: but while he was spending big there, often reportedly with charles barkley and michael jordan, waitress mindy lawton said she never got to enjoy the riches. >> the one time tiger woods bought her dinner was what? >> a submarine sandwich. >> reporter: i'm john berman in new york. >> i think it was a chicken wrap from subway. big spender. a new report on tmz says rachel uchitel, one of the first to come forward, got a $10 million settlement to keep quiet, from tiger woods. and some of the women got hundreds of thousands. >> she obviously was not in that census day. the all-out blitz to get an accurate head count of the nation's population. why the form is so important to your community. plus, ipad debut. critics say if you like the concept then you'll love the device. our sneak peek at apple's latest invention just days before it arrives in stores. and, twisting tower. the landmark artwork that's taller than the statue of liberty. where it's being built and why. it's thursday, april 1st. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> i really -- i'm trying to decide whether i want one of these ipads or not. it looks like a glorified iphone kind of but can do other stuff. >> apparently it depends if you're a techie or normal person. techies don't like it but normal people do. >> i'm kind of a techie so i might not. if they gave me one i'd happily take it, hint-hint. >> yeah, me too. >> good morning, i'm jeremy hubbard. >> i'm stephanie sy sitting in for vinita nair. this may be april fools' day but the government is serious about getting americans to fill out those census forms today. >> eric horng reports from chicago on other government efforts to get an accurate head count. >> reporter: it's a multi-media blitz. ♪ >> reporter: a campaign to coax many out of the shadows. >> i don't want to talk about census. >> hey, i do, that's why we're talking about it. >> reporter: in 2000, at least 1 million latinos didn't fill out the census. many feared deportation. even though the census doesn't ask about citizenship. some republicans tried but failed to exclude illegals from this year's count. >> i don't think the founding fathers set up our democracy to have noncitizens represented in the united states congress. >> reporter: but the census does more than determine the number of representatives in congress. it also determines how federal dollars are distributed. >> it's been estimated that something like $1,400 per person is at stake. so, you know, add up the number of the people in your community that don't get counted in the census and multiply that by $1,400. that's what you're losing. >> reporter: so, to encourage involvement, bilingual census forms for the first time ever are being mailed to hispanic neighborhoods. ♪ ♪ do it ourselves and do it for the future ♪ >> reporter: events are being held across the country to ease fears, which go beyond immigration matters. >> this information's going to be shared with the landlord, with the creditor? we're telling them, no, it is totally confidential. >> we need to understand what's at stake. >> reporter: the outreach effort is employing big-time stars. >> your participation is vital. >> reporter: the message also aimed at kids. >> we helped mommy fill out our census forms. >> reporter: spanish language network telemundo even wrote a census story line into a soap opera. >> we can't put the blame on anyone else. at the end of the day, you are the one to determine the results of the census. >> reporter: a push to count all in this new american decade. eric horng, abc news, chicago. the president's reversal of a long-standing policy on oil and gas drilling is getting a mixed reaction this morning. president obama's decision is being denounced by some members of his own party and hailed by some republicans. viviana hurtado is joining us from washington with the fallout. good morning, viviana. >> reporter: good morning, jeremy and stephanie. this represents a shift for democrats but one the president insists is necessary for the country's security and energy needs. president obama's energy policy allows offshore drilling, but responsibly. >> given our energy needs, in order to sustain economic growth and produce jobs and keep our businesses competitive, we are going to need to harness traditional sources of fuel even as we ramp up production of new sources of renewable, home-grown energy. >> reporter: exploration for oil and gas will be allowed in the outer continental shelf from delaware to florida, and in alaska's cook inlet. the first state allowed to explore is virginia. the republican governor praised this decision. >> it could generate as much as 2,600 jobs, $8 billion in capital investments. >> reporter: political analysts say the president is laying down the foundation for republican support of future legislation. >> a major thing that has to happen is more oil production. it's really bowing to those realities. >> reporter: although the president is allowing more drilling some areas remain off-limits including alaska's bristol bay. many environmental groups are furious and predict an uptick in manmade disasters. the president's supporters say his energy policy is pragmatic when it comes to the country's needs. >> also a recognition that there's a pathway to this transition to alternative fuels that is going to take decades. >> reporter: restrictions are expected in some areas off the coasts of virginia and florida where the navy and air force have some of their biggest facilities. jeremy and stephanie? >> thank you, viviana. the republican national committee and its chairman michael steele are under fire for questionable expenditures just as fall fund-raising efforts should be ramping up. steele is taking the heat for a nearly $2,000 tab submitted by a staffer who took donors to a strip club in west hollywood. the controversy cost that staffer his or her job and it could hit the rnc's books. tony perkins, leader of the conservative family research council, is telling his supporters not to donate, saying "the rnc is completely tone-deaf to the values and concerns of a large number of people from whom they seek financial support." well, in the new england flood zone, one west warwick, rhode island, official says the flooding is so bad he knows what people in new orleans felt like after hurricane katrina. the rain may have stopped but the flood waters remain, and so does the danger. ron claiborne reports. >> reporter: in new hampshire, a dramatic rescue. of a 16-year-old boy who clung to a tree for an hour after being trapped in flood waters riding his bicycle. he suffered hypothermia. in rhode island, another rescue, a security guard taken by raft from the warwick mall. a sprawling shopping complex that looked like an island. across the street alan fighting to save his home. >> how deep is the water? >> seven feet. >> reporter: two main arteries between new york city and boston were severed by the flooding. i-95 was closed near providence, and amtrak shut down train service. there were more mandatory evacuations in rhode island and some voluntary ones too. >> there's fish in my basement. fish in my basement right now. >> the water went right to the door? >> reporter: ronnie was lucky. the pawtuxet river was at his front door. before pulling back. >> i opened my screen door, seen my recycling bin floating by. >> reporter: it will be days before the flooding ends. swollen creeks and streams still need to drain out through the big rivers, which will keep the rivers and surrounding communities at flood level until all that excess water flows into the ocean. >> we've had about as much moisture in the month of march as we were get in half of a year. six months of rain all compressed into one month. too much to handle. >> reporter: it is much too early to tally the costs of this once in a 100 year flood but it will surely be huge. businesses crippled or wiped out. homes damaged or destroyed. rhode island's 1 million residents are being urged to conserve water and power. that's because some power stations and water treatment plants are underwater too. ron claiborne, abc news, west warwick, rhode island. >> tough break for those folks. here's a look at the rest of your weather. heavy snow in utah, colorado and wyoming. lingering rain along the pacific coast. showers in the desert southwest and up to 6 inches of snow in the mountains outside los angeles. gusty winds in the southern plains. much warmer than normal from the midwest to the northeast. >> just shy of 80 in chicago and indianapolis today. 84 in kansas city. 69 in new york. 81 in atlanta. 79 in miami. just 61 in phoenix today. 50s in seattle and portland. well, money may not grow on trees but it looks like something even more colorful is sprouting up in north carolina. >> 'tis the season for easter egg trees. and they're in full bloom in peggy and dewey houston's yard. this year, the couple has almost 5,000 plastic eggs hanging from their trees. there's also an impressive easter bunny collection on display. >> the houstons say it's worth it when they see the reaction from kids of all ages. >> and neighbors thinking, what is going on over there at dewey's house? >> peggy and dewey know how to decorate for easter. >> dewey, what are you doing? we'll be right back with more "world news now." as the weather warms, walgreens and the makers of zyrtec... want to make sure allergies don' always have to keep ! you cooped up inside. that's why we're making it easier for everyone to find alergy solutions. by offering products like ew zyrtec® liquid gels. zyrtec®, the fastest 24-hour # allergy medicine, is now available in a liquid gel. zyrtec® liquid gels work on your worst symptoms... indoors and out. so you'll feel freer to love the air. walgreens. there's a way to stay well. are you ready for the big day? going to go stand in line? >> i can't wait for this story to see if i want to stand in line. >> a lot of people will be. apple's ipad goes on sale this saturday and we at abc news got an exclusive sneak peek. >> all the hype makes us think the ipad is a big deal but what do some die-hard techies have to say? here's neal karlinsky. >> reporter: you've never touched it. you don't know anyone who's ever used it. you can't go see it in a store. yet you, millions of you, want to spend a minimum of $500 to buy it. >> we think we got the goods. >> reporter: it is the ipad. and when apple invited us for an exclusive to spend the day with an ipad, they carried it around in a padded black briefcase that they didn't want anyone to see. it was like the secret launch codes for the nation's nukes. >> apple unveiled its new ipad this week. >> the launch is just a few days away. >> sexy, fit, cool and hip. will it give the other touch-screen tablets a run for their money? >> can it live up to the hype? >> reporter: hype is hardly a big enough word for what apple has done with this product and others before it. they've reinvented the phone. reinvented music and mobile computing. and they've now created a device we didn't even know we wanted or needed until they told us. some analysts believe apple may be the smartest company in america. are we all just drinking the apple kool-aid? or is there more to it? we put the question to three experts. a style snob, a gadget geek, and a marketing maven. first up, stylist robert verdi. >> from a stylist's standpoint, aesthetic standpoint, it's clean and simple and easy. you look at it and it just feels organized. there's something methodical and calming about it. it feels -- it feels like a good friend feels. >> reporter: verdi says apple has managed to turn traditionally drab, clunky technology into such elegant designs they've become fashion accessories. of course, the cool factor of the products wouldn't count for much if they didn't work. "lawyers" magazine's nick thompson. >> apple has made these beautiful devices and they're lust objects so everybody wants an ipod or iphone or perhaps we'll see an ipad. what they've also done is by making the devices that work really well, they've appealed to people who like good technology. >> reporter: and that part of the apple equation is the key. not only do reviewers rate apple products highly, but the company consistently innovates in ways that take technology in a new direction. rather than simply modifying what's already out there. >> apple is a benevolent dictatorship. they're run by people who are fierce, who lock people in rooms and say, you need to get this done and you need to do it my way. >> it was one of those days. >> reporter: though form and function are seamlessly woven in with apple's unorthodox marketing. advertising guru barbara lipper. >> the advertising has always been about the fact that apple is intuitive and beautiful and just a little cooler than you are. >> reporter: the apple way is hardly for everyone. they are among the most secretive companies in the world. apple chief steve jobs lets his presentations do the talking. they're about the only time you ever see him. we interviewed him briefly twice in the last three years. but before that, he hadn't sat down for an interview with abc news since the early '90s. and he's not talking elsewhere either. >> steve jobs is incredibly skillful about being secretive, and yet building demand at the same time. so that, you know, people are gasping and desperate to find out what they're going to release this year. >> reporter: the secrecy extends even to the company's partners. the people who have created everything from pianos for the ipad to all kinds of interactive games. the ceo of one of the best-selling iphone apps can't get his hands on an ipad, despite the fact his company is developing new games for it. have you yourself had your hands on an ipad yet? >> i have not. no, i have not been able to touch one of these at this point. i hope so soon, i've ordered one. >> reporter: he's not alone. the company is rolling out an ibookstore along with its ipad to reinvent the publishing world, the same way itunes retooled music. analysts believe the future will bring an apple tv and a way to buy all your favorite programs from them, rather than from a cable or satellite provider. >> so in the future apple will own a lot of what we do, will control a lot of the way content is presented on our devices. but they're not going to dominate everything. they have enough tough competitors. >> reporter: whatever our three gurus think, wall street smells a winner, sending apple stock to new highs this week. ♪ >> hello, i'm a mac. >> i'm a pc. >> reporter: apple's message may be unusual but the results are unmatched. as thousands line up to buy an ipad this weekend, the next question for this company is inevitable. what's next? i'm neal karlinsky in los angeles. >> they look really cool, though. >> yeah. apparently scrabble is really good on it. but here's the catch. as our producer just reminded us, you know, you can use -- if you have wi-fi you can use it for free. if you need to use the at&t network it's an extra $130 a month. >> and that's not cheap. >> that's not cheap. in addition to the $130 you pay for your iphone. >> that's the pickle with the itouch is it couldn't do a lot if you don't have wi-fi. this is sort of the same thing with this thing. it does look cool. >> it does look cool. coming up, the dispute involving sarah palin, l.l. cool j, and fox news channel. and jesse james finds himself in even more controversy. host: could switching to geico really save you 15% or more on car insurance? host: did the waltons take way too long to say goodnight? mom: g'night john boy. g'night mary ellen. mary ellen: g'night mama. g'night erin. elizabeth: g'night john boy. jim bob: g'night grandpa. elizabeth: g'night ben. jim bob: elizabeth: g'night jim bob. jim bob: g'night everybody, grandpa: g'night everybody. jim bob: g'night daddy. vo: geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more. all right. it is "skinny" time. we're talking about this new sarah palin show that launches tonight, thursday night, on fox news channel. basically, it's the show about inspirational americans who have done great things. well-known people. the lineup on the first show is jack welch, i guess, from ge, toby keith, l.l. cool j. the problem is, l.l. cool j had no idea he was going to be part of this thing, apparently they're using a two year old interview without his permission. they're reairing it. he had no idea he was going to have anything to do with sarah palin or her new show and he tweeted about it. he said, fox lifted an old interview i gave in 2008 to someone else and they're misrepresenting it to the public in order to promote sarah palin's show. wow. so, fox news blasted back in a particularly snarky comment saying, it appears l.l. doesn't want to be sorted with a program that could be an inspiration to others so we're cutting him from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career. >> they had to say fledgling even though he's been acting for years. >> quite successfully too. he's not the only one who didn't know they were part of this. toby keith is part of the special as well and he didn't know he was going to be in it either. apparently this was an old interview that they lifted as well. he basically -- they're not saying don't use this, but they're saying they would have liked to have known about it. the interview was from a couple of years ago while he was on tour, had nothing to do with sarah palin. >> fox news claims they tried to contact toby keith's publicist, she said she saw no e-mails. >> didn't get the e-mail. >> apparently he's a registered democrat. clearly maybe doesn't want to be associated with sarah palin. >> they'll have to look for more inspirational people. >> she didn't do any of the interviews which is part of the issue. >> yeah, yeah. >> jesse james. i mean, this guy, it just keeps getting more and more slimy. the latest, a photo has emerged, five year old photo, and you can see it right there. he's wearing a german officer's hat from world war ii, referring to the hitler moustache, giving the third reich salute. this follows revelations that the mistress that allegedly he slept with, that she was wearing nazi paraphernalia in a photo. >> those pictures are all over the internet. >> apparently a source says that the last thing jesse is is racist or anti-semitic. they say that to "people" magazine. hard to argue with that picture. >> that picture -- we've been hearing about that picture for weeks. or days anyway. tmz had been talking about it. this was our first look at it and it certainly is unflattering. hey, are you a big "twilight" fan? you like that -- >> i have not read "the twilight" books, i've heard they're great. >> you can now for free. at least sort of a novella that's tied to them. stephenie meyer, the lady right there who wrote all these great books, has this new novella, it's coming online. basically she's going to give it away for free download. and also online for proceeds going to the red cross. [ female announcer sometimes you need tomorrow to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. to create thermocontrol™. designed with the comfort of athletic fabrics in mind, stayfree® with thermocontrol™ quickly wicks moisture away for exceptional dryness. thermocontrol™ only from stayfree®. here are some stories to watch today on abc news. president obama looks for more public support today for the health reform legislation as he visits portland, maine. later he'll attend two democratic fund-raisers in boston. accused ft. hood gunman army major nidal malik hasan will soon move from a hospital to a jail. doctors are discharging hasan after he was injured in november's deadly shoot-out on a texas military base. automakers report march sales figures today. analysts predict big increases over last year, including toyota, due to deep discounts. finally a huge piece of public art will soon go up at london's olympic park. it will be taller than new york's statue of liberty. >> the 400-foot tubular sculpture will be unusual and it's difficult to describe. more from the bbc's david sillito. >> reporter: there may be more than two years to go but the olympic stadium is certainly taking shape. but it was felt that something's missing here. it needs an artwork. they thought maybe a tower. they're going to get one. it's a tower with a twist. orbit. a dipping, swirling, spiral of steel. a landmark piece of art that you'll be able to climb and use as a vantage point to view the olympic park. it is a sort of tower. but in his studio the artist annish kapur explained to me, he didn't want another eiffel tower. >> traditionally a tower is pyramidal in structure. we've done quite the opposite. we have a -- a flowing, coiling form that changes as you walk around it. >> reporter: and it's going to be an imposing presence. at 115 meters high, orbit is going to be taller than the statue of liberty. however, when compared against france's famous tower, it appears almost modest. nevertheless, at today's launch the mayor of london boris johnson made clear who he was trying to compete with. >> if paris could have the eiffel tower, we thought our great olympic site had to have the -- something. >> reporter: the object certainly defies easy description. there are those who wonder, do the olympics really need it? >> it seems more suited to, you know, games from the 20th or the 19th century. the great exhibitions, et cetera. you think of these kind of fantastic architectural and structural statements, something from the past. >> reporter: indeed, commemorative towers have become something of a tradition. ones that look like this are anything but. david sillito, bbc news. >> i wonder what they use it for after the olympics. >> that's a good question. climb and look at, i guess. >> looks like it could be a roller coaster. >> yeah, they could do that. convert it. 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