Hal Eisner's Blog

Tuesday night: It was muggy and, in a part of Barstow and Victorville it was downright wet! A storm cell came through. The rain fell fast. In Texas, we always called those kinds of downpours "gullywashers".

It happens so fast you hardly have time to realize what's hit you. But, what's  happened has left you in a heap of trouble.

There's water rising .. debris flowing ... you need help!

It happened to me once in Houston. Tuesday night, in Barstow, it happened to two guys in a Chrysler New Yorker and 5 people in a minivan. Rescue workers were called in. A fight was on the rescue all 7 of those people in the two locations.

Its scary and downright dangerous. In Victorville, where streets turned into little muddy rivers but no one was trapped, CHP Public Information Officer Jeff Perez told me when you see water starting to build, slow down. When you think your in trouble ... call for help.

As one CHP dispatcher in Barstow told me "the desert isn't designed for rain." For instance, you don't have the same drainage systems we have in L.A. 

People have been hurt, in some cases killed in flash floods. I will tell you, from firsthand experience, getting caught in a flash flood is something you'll never forget. 

Okay ... newsroom fad. Facial hair. Understand that I had my share of the stuff. In my college days and, for awhile thereafter, I had a beard and long bushy hair. I know .. hard to imagine, but true. I was in radio back then and no one could really see me. Then, for a long time, I had a moustache .. some of you might remember that. I wore it on TV back in the 80s. 
One day, in the 90s, I had a news director ask me if I ever wondered what it would look like if I took it off. I did. Liked it. Never grew it back.
Fast forward to June 2008. Steve Edwards, Tony McEwing, Michael Brownlee and our 11pm news producer Jeff Schultz all have hair on their chinee-chin-chins. I like it. I like it so much part of me is itching to do it again. The thing is I remember the itch. Running my fingers through it when I had it. Scratching my face when I took it off. I remember how it made me look different. Hmmm .. now that I'm remembering .. maybe -- oh heck -- what do you think? Just curious ...

***NEWEST ADDITION - WEDNESDAY 5/21 @ 5:03 PM - SCROLL DOWN ***


Monday, May 19th @ 1:30 PM

For the next few days we'll be covering a great mystery. Was Charlie Manson and his so-called family involved in still unknown murders? Were the bodies buried around his last hideout -- the Barker Ranch in Death Valley? There have been rumors for decades.

Authorities say family member Sue Atkins talked of 11 people they had "done in".
The Associated Press reports Atkins once told a cellmate they killed 3 people out in the desert. There were no bodies so no cases were pursued.

Did they kill others? Are bodies buried at the ranch? Or will this be a bust?

Going on our trip are photographer/editor Darryl Kim. and, in our satellite truck, Kim Gardiner., Except for the heat, Darryl and I (who are traveling together) are looking forward to seeing the outcome of this story. Neither of us are sure what to expect though some I know think this could be a case of Al Capone's Vault. Remember that TV show? It was a show hosted by Geraldo Rivera back in 1986 in which a secret vault owned by the gangster was opened, but for all the hype surrounding the program, the vault turned out to be essentially empty.

It's 1pm - Monday -- 5/19/08: Right now we're on the 14 Freeway. The trip should take us about 3 hours. While neither of us will guess on whether the rumors of buried bodies are true, we know two things: there will be lots of media and intense heat. This story has generated incredible interest from not only mainstream media, but also channels like Discovery. As for the heat. The high today is expected to be 118. There is an INTENSE HEAT WARNING in effect in that area. There are winds. This may be the closest I'll ever come to finding out what it feels inside a microwave oven.

OKAY YOUR TURN: Will there be bodies buried at the ranch? Will this be another case of Al Capone's Vault? What's your sense of the upcoming exploratory excavation planned for 3 days beginning tomorrow morning in which all kinds of law enforcement officials, scientists, cadaver dogs, soil testers, and other experts will converge on the ranch.

Have you followed the Manson case? Will you be following the goings-on in Death Valley this week as officials try to dig up answers to long-rumored beliefs?

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Monday, May 19th @ 3:25 PM

it's 3:25pm -- just got some updated information. Had a good chat with the Undersheriff of Inyo County. He told me that an advance team went up today to begin setting up tents and prepare for the exploratory mission.

There will be 16 on the mission including forensic scientists, Sheriff's Department personnel and workers from the Park Service.

Because of testing in April using ground penetrating radar, soil testers and a cadaver dog five spots around Barker Ranch captured their attention. Three of them more than the other two and one in particular.

Undersheriff John Eropkin is more of the opinion that they'll end up with Al Capone's Vault than bodies. He says if there were bodies someone in jail would've said something about it by now.

Nonetheless, he will be one of the 16 up at the ranch working. He says there are two reasons to pursue this.

One .. (he says to me) "if it was your relative you would want to know?" He also said that any Sheriffs Department in the California has the duty to investigate any homicide if that, in fact, what turns out to be. So, they will dig, he says "with shovels a couple inches of dirt" at a time. First at the site of most promise. Then the next. Then, the third, if the first two yield anything.

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Wednesday, May 21st @ 2:44 AM

We went from really hot weather Monday to slightly cooler (only about 100 degrees) and very windy conditions Tuesday. It was so windy we could feel our satellite truck blowing back and forth and that's a really heavy truck! The dig started Tuesday on the first of 5 possible sites. Its the "most promising" of the locations around Barker Ranch the diggers say and sometime today they'll be done with that one. That means sometime today we MAY get the first indication as to whether any bodies really are buried around the ranch.

So, why is this weeks exploratory excavation at the Barker Ranch significant? Those involved have reason to believe there may have been crimes committed. As the Undersheriff of Inyo County said to me when I said to him there are people who can't believe this is all going on .. "wouldn't you want your relatives found?" If any evidence is found of murder there will be a big job ahead to figure out whose buried there?

What's going on in Death Valley is also very interesting because of the resources being thrown at this project. Sure, they're using plain old shovels, but they've also brought in special forensic laser and alternate light source tools from Utah to explore the holes after they're created. And, its not just Deputies and Park Service personnel involved. Scientists have come here from the Oakridge National Laboratory in Tennesee. The sheriff's department here is paying for its expenses, but the chemists and forensic scientists are volunteering their time because they believe, as chemist Marc Wise told us, that its sometimes difficult for law enforcement to find hidden graves. This is an opportunity to try out new methods to help them in the future. Is it a learning exercise? In many ways it may be. The laser and alternate light technology has never before been used to explore possible multiple graves. Do they think they may find the remains of family members long lost? That's what they are hoping may be the result.

Some have wondered if the excavation story is worthy of news coverage? Sure it is. Charles Manson and his followers wrote an infamous chapter in American criminal history. The Tate-Labianca murders were awful. So, the team of 16 at the ranch dig while, at the same time, some worry. They worry there may be bodies and they may not find them. As one of the dig team members said, his greatest fear is that they may be "three feet off the mark" and because "they can't dig up the whole desert" they may never know if stories of murder in the desert are real or rumors if the sites they've pinpointed don't produce results.

More later... You can watch the videos by clicking here.

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Wednesday, May 21st @ 12:21 PM

This morning Inyo County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer Carma Roper updated the department's website with the following information. It indicates work on Site #1 was complete and did not produce the results they were hoping for. They are pressing on. Here is part of that information released at 8am:

FROM INYO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT. WEBSITE:

The Inyo County Sheriff's Department concluded excavation at the first dig site at Barker Ranch. According to Lieutenant Jim Jones, one bullet casing was found in the first site but forensic testing indicates that there were no human remains in or around that site.

Excavation of the second site of interest commenced and was turned over to the National Park Service when remnants of what appears to be ash, and small animal bones were discovered. The National Park Service determined that this particular site would be handled as an archaeological dig.

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Wednesday, May 21st @ 5:04 PM

The search for human remains rumored buried at Charlie Manson's one-time hideout at Death Valley's Barker Ranch has ended with investigators turning up no evidence of remains at the scene.

The crime scene investigators were disappointed as they went through four of the five sites that were previously chosen as potential search areas. They decided to call it quits this afternoon before exploring the fifth because they felt they wouldn't turn up anything there either.

As much as the CSIs and others at the scene didn't want this to turn into something like to Geraldo Rivera's 1980s bust of an excavation of mobster Al Capone's vault, this attention-grabbing search didn't turn up anything either... and that's essentially how this ended up.

"Al Capone's Vault - The Sequel."

I'll be reporting live from Ballarat on FOX 11 News at 10 O'clock and My13 News at 11 O'clock with all the details.

Until then,

Hal

So here we are in San Francisco and what a day Wednesday was in this city by the bay!

Angry anti-Chinese protestors. Strong pro-Chinese voices! People screaming at each other and, all the while, the city was pulling the ultimate fake out. Sure, the mayor said for a earlier in the week that there might be a new route. That security concerns might drive them to have the torch travel in a different direction and that's what happened. When it finally made its appearance the torch showed up on streets with no people lining the sidewalks. The torch runners protected by an amphibious duck in the front and jogging police on either side. 

Sure, there were people who wanted to use the relay as a stage, but there were others (lots of others) who just wanted to see the torch. Afterall, San Francisco would be the only American stage for it. At the end of the day, it went every which way except the original route. Lots of people were disappointed. 

Given that there were no big incidents, no arrests, no injuries you have to wonder if the city could of handled the torch run as it was originally planned. Or, was it a case (as one woman told me) of San Francisco just being too scared. Either way, it wasn't what it was supposed to be and that made for a strange day. 

What do you think about the way it was handled?

Just when you thought your cell phone could do everything ... maybe even more things than you wanted ... welcome UPCODE! For lack of a simpler explanation, this is a bar code that helps you get music, video, coupons, promotional information, buy stuff and on and on, but first you have to have an optical reader. NO PROBLEM ... with the right software application from www.upcodeusa.com your phone can magically be turned into an optical reader. That's UPCODE USA's product. Its free to you, but costs companies that want to use it for marketing purposes.

Its pretty interesting really, wave your phone over one of UPCODE's bar-like codes and magically a door opens to wherever the code leads. Its like a "key" says one of the companies execs.

So, what do you think? A good thing? You know ... there was a time you might have said who needs a camera on a cell phone? Or, who needs text messaging? Or ... who needs ... you get the idea. What do you think?

In less than 100 days, on July first, we're all about to have a culture shock! No more driving with our cell phones to our ears. A first offense will cost $20 ... every one after that will be 50 bucks!

Okay ... so this new study comes out from The University of North Carolina Highway Research Center that says that even though California and 5 other states will begin having "handsfree" laws beginning July first .. those laws really won't make much of a difference. There's risk whether you have phone in your hand or a handsfree headset in your ear. Its all in your head! If your mind is not on the road, but somewhere else, you can still have a deadly accident.

We all know if the phone is not in your hand both of your hands can be on the wheel of your car. And, that should save lives. What the study suggests is that if your not focused on the road, but on your conversation, the new law won't matter.

Will it? Are you ready to make the transition? I'll tell you, it doesn't seem to me that these handsfree devices are very good. No matter which one I get it seems the person on the other side of the phone tells me they can't hear or understand me and I keep saying "can you hear me now?"

It won't surprise me one bit if the new handsfree law causes some drivers to develope road rage. How many times do you have to say "can you hear me now" before you throw the phone out the window?

Tonight my story for FOX11 at 10pm and MY 13 News at 11pm is about the person who you've seen to the left of the disgraced New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Its his wife. Her name is Silda. And, like her husband, standing in front of cameras in this kind of situation -- a sex scandal -- can't be easy.
I was at a store before going to work and I heard someone say he felt badly for her .. "how tough it must be?"
So, again we have a situation where we think about Tammy Wynette's blockbuster country hit "Stand by your Man!" Should she? Should she be part of the public picture when he resigns? How do you feel? We're looking for answers as we hit the streets for tonight's story.
Looking forward to reading some of your responses.

"We're living like freakin' gypsies out of plastic bags!" That's what a man tells me in Malibu. On November 24th, like so many others, he became homeless. Fire destroyed not only his home, but the art show he was putting together. 4 years of artwork he had made he says. 

Another victim of the Corral Canyon fire says she'd really like to get back to work. She worked in her home ... made things out of leather ... lost her home ... is making nothing -- no custom leather products -- no money!

A third person tells me her now 14 month old boy celebrated his first birthday in a temporary place ... essentially, though, little Ryan blew out his first candle being homeless. A victim of a word he can't yet say ... fire.

These were some of the things I heard at the top of Corral Canyon Thursday talking with people suing the California Park System. They think the state dropped the ball when it came to keeping people out of canyon caves on park property. The area is supposed to be closed at night to the public, but partiers get in there all the time and it was, according to investigators, during the night that a fire -- started in a cave for light and warmth -- turned into a torch leaving people from over 50 homes without homes .... HOMELESS!

"Its sad," another victim tells me as she hugs her kids. Again all of this on Thursday.
On Wednesday, in Ontario, a man in his 50s tells me he needs help. He yells "the homeless are treated better in third world countries!" He's one of hundreds of homeless people living in a tent city created by the City of Ontario to help solve a problem in the Downtown area created by homelessness. Problem is ... the tent city created to solve a problem has become one!

Its gotten too big a city official tells me. Too many people -- too many tents. The tall bearded man whose upset about the conditions tells me there aren't enough portable toilets and just one shower for everyone.

The city says it wants to see people who came to Ontario to join the encampment go back to the places from where they came and get help from their own cities. "We don't have the resources!" says the official from the housing department I spoke with. but how to tell the HOMELESS to GO HOME? The official says its being discussed, but that's got to be a tricky conversation on a lot of levels.

For me, it was an eye-opening two days ... people who lost their homes -- people that have none. I've seen both of these things before. I've heard these kind of comments before. And, just like before, both were reminders that problems I have aren't nearly as big as the ones others are having!

In the news business we deal with the 5 Ws -- Who? What? When? Where? Why? There is also the "How?" But, its the WHY that's the most difficult of the word-questions.

"Why?" -- That's what people were asking when I walked into the newsroom just hours after the Winnetka shooting in which a suspect killed the first SWAT officer in LAPD history. Why? A shooting that happened after the suspect called police to say he killed several relatives. Why?

It may take some time to get the answers. Sometimes that's because investigators have so much to piece together in any "officer-involved" shooting.

What is clear is that its an awful day when something awful like this happens. Awful for the friends and family of Officer Randy Simmons who leaves behind a wife and two children. Awful for the friends and family of Officer James Veenstra who was seriously wounded in the shootout. And an awful for the city of Los Angeles when it loses one of its finest.

Its a sad day.

Its not exactly the night before Christmas or New Years Eve but, c'mon on this night before Super Tuesday ... aren't you ready for primary day? Its been weeks, if not months, in the making. And, the last few days ... OPRAH ... THE KENNEDYS ... even JOHN KERRY!

Senator John Kerry was the last to make a run at the White House for the Democrats and now he's stumping for Obama.

I spent a few minutes speaking with the Senator from Massachusetts. His message was all about why Obama had a better chance of beating a republican in November than Hillary Clinton. "I'm not against anyone" his campaigning for Obama is more about "who he's for".

Back when he ran for president we had a chance to chat at UCLA. He was there for a debate and I was assigned to do a story about politicians and how music plays a role in their campaigns. He talked to me about his Beatles collection and the music he loves. Somehow that conversation hasalways stuck with me. Guess because I've always loved the Beatles.

Fast forward to the new interview. It's 4:15pm the Monday before Super Tuesday. He's in New England ... I'm here at the FOX11 studios. With the help of satellite communications he tells me all about why he likes Obama, how he thinks Obama can bring people together and change the country. And, with the insight that only a guy like Kerry could have, he tells me that Clinton and Obama have got to be pretty tired right now and probably will need a rest after Super Tuesday. He knows. When it comes to primaries, he's been there ... done that!

<--- Click to watch my interview with John Kerry.

It's 5 minutes to showtime here at the Reagan Library ... in the FILING ROOM ... rows and rows of reporters from all over the world ... just met one from a newspaper in Argentina.
Between the rows tv monitors, and since the debate is hosted by CNN ... we're watching Lou Dobbs.
Got a question? Observation about the debate? Let's talk.

So ... microphone in hand and camera rolling, there I was chatting with Academy Award winning actor Benicio Del Toro, music producer Kevin Liles, actor Rob Reiner, actress Christine Lahti, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and a few others. Interviewing them because ... I could. You know .. the first amendment. I was talking to them about our rights as Americans because I was at an event celebrating The Bill Of Rights, our rights, honoring those who fight for them and acknowleging the need to preserve and protect them.

This was the annual Bill of Rights dinner sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union giving out awards to special people and speaking out on concerns about the rights we all share. The ACLU doesn't mince words when they talk about what they think of things going on in this country. They also won't mince words when it comes to the Bill of Rights.

Liles, one of the honorees who helped bring us Rock the Vote and has been instrumental in the careers of such superstars as Jay Z, Kanye West, Missy Elliot, LL Cool J and Mariah Carey takes The Bill of Rights pretty seriously. He also takes seriously the idea that its imortant to use one's celebrity power to help encourage people to do things like vote. Everyone at the dinner shared the highest respect for The Bill of Rights. Benecio Del Toro ... "we have to keep the constitution in check." Rob Reiner says its a different world today with terrorism and so forth. Ditto says Cuba Gooding Jr. who talks about the need to protect our rights. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold tells me there is nothing more important than our founding documents -- The Constitution and The Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. It was ratified by the states on December 15, 1791. It is the ratification of the Bill of Rights that will turn 216 years old on Saturday.

Happy Birthday Bill or Rights! Happy Birthday First Amendment -- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Happy Birthday to all of the rights in the bill ... the original ten: to keep and bear arms, housing soldiers, unreasonable search and seizure, pleading the 5th, right to a speedy trial, suits of common law, excessive bail, protection from anyone misconstruing the Constitution and states rights.

And Happy Birthday to the other amendments that would come in the years to follow including the abolition of slavery, civil rights, women's suffrage, presidential succession and so forth.

Yep ... Happy 216th Bill of Rights and MANY MORE!

You know from watching television every news story is different in nature and presentation. The pictures -- the sound -- the mood. They can make us think, laugh -- cry. Sometimes a story just does one of those things -- sometimes, all three!

This story was the result of looking at a brochure. My news director Jose Rios telling me he got the brochure in the mail about holiday cards made by kids with cancer designed to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. He asked me to check it out. I did. It didn’t take long to realize there was a big story behind this little brochure.

Last month photographer Ollin Martinez and I traveled to Irvine to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. When we get there, outside the PCRF offices, we’re met by some parents, a little boy on a skateboard and others waiting for us to arrive. We would soon learn about the program’s holiday cards. The organization celebrating its 25th anniversary had sold these kid-created cards for 21 years. But, what would follow over the next few days and weeks would test even my own emotions.

While interviewing 4 of the programs young people, some of their parents and PCRF Executives, I put a call out to Joe Sachen. Joe’s daughter Savannah made a card to help in the fight against pediatric cancer. She never got to see her card sold. She died May 18th.

The card -- so cute. “Merry Kissmas,” it reads. Savannah’s drawing? Santa and Mrs. Clause stealing a smooch. But there would be no return calls .. not until almost midnight. “Hal, it’s Joe Sachen. I just got back from Hawaii and got your message.” He was just back from the big island where he, his wife Lisa and their kids scattered Savannah’s ashes off the coast of Kona. Joe and I made plans to speak the next day.

The next day, while he wasn’t sure he wanted to go public, Joe Sachen was sure he wanted to do whatever he could to fight pediatric cancer. He had even created a website in his daughter’s name called SavannahsOrganicRanch.com. We made plans to meet the next week.

As photographer Sean Lewis and I headed for the Sachen’s Orange County home, I thought our interview would be an element of the bigger piece we had already shot, but it was quite the opposite, the element was powerful. Joe and Lisa, so candid, they shared not only their feelings of losing a daughter while trying to keep her from feeling fear, but also the last video ever made of Savannah. It was a Mothers Day gift. The little girl’s smile .. a gift to behold.

This was supposed to be an interesting story about kids making cards to raise money to help fund research to save the lives of kids with cancer. It was now that and a story of where that cancer leads when it comes to children. A tough story to write afterall Peyton, Natalie, Meta and Andrew were so uplifting. Savannah’s story … so sad.

What we ultimately shared on television, and now this website, is a presentation of tragedy vs. bravery - a tragedy from pediatric cancer by a child who, with others, are trying to do something very positive – helping other kids by raising money for more research.

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Click here to watch the story, called "Kids Helping Kids by Making Cards to Fund Cancer Research."

Click here to watch the Web Extra on the story. Nancy Franks, Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, and Scott Evans, Director of Development, show us some of the cards in this year’s holiday card collection, ornaments and other items made by kids with cancer.

Click here to find out where you can find the cards, and how you can be a part of this inspiring story yourself!

Rancho Bernardo ...

For 4 days now I've gotten to know people here in this part of San Diego County and come to understand what the words "rising above it all" really mean. Family after family, in each and every case, I've been taken by the words and feelings of people who lost so much so quickly.

Renters Jim and Carol Wall ... no insurance .. no home left! Their huge collection of western memorabilia gone ... darn near everything gone! The only thing they could save was a safe. What's in it? They're not sure. They know there are some pictures and papers, but outside of that .. not sure. Tomorrow, Tuesday, is their 25th wedding anniversary. Their present? Opening the safe! Their attitude? Remarkably upbeat. What happened happened. It is what it is. Move on!

So, we move on to the house across the street ... Eva and Dale Peters. Same remarkable attitude. That's not to say they don't have emotional ups and downs. They do. Eva says its like being on "rollercoasters." But .. their feeling? Gotta move on!

Mark Davis ... move on!
Patrick O'Sullivan ... move on!

All people who have lost homes, who appreciate their neighbors and neighborhoods, who have families .. who have taken the posture of "rising above it all."

Eva says it might take 18 months before they can open the front door of a newly rebuilt home, but rebuild they she will.

As I listened to these people, their stories and saw their determination to "rise above it all" I kept thinking to myself how would I feel if it happened to me? Could I be that strong? And, I guess the answer is that we all have it in us to be that strong. After all, when something like this happens, after asking "why me?", the next feeling has to be "it is what it is."

Have you ever speed-dated? You know... that practice of going from table to table, having 8 minute dates with people, scoring them and determining if you'd like to go out with them on a real date?

Chloe Wu says its hard to meet a nice guy. Matt Marks agrees. He says its tough meeting people who are genuine. Lina Hayek laughs while a lady named Robin and a guy named Larry smile. When I caught up with them they were all speed dating at the Orange County Auto Show, but instead of going from table to table, they were going from car to car.

This car show in the OC isn't as big as the one at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but its big enough to pack some 500 new cars and trucks into the Anaheim Convention Center. Its on this first night of the OC Car Show that while car lovers drooled over the latest on four wheels (playing out that romance we Americans have with our cars) Chloe, Matt, Lina, Robin and Larry were simply lookin' for love.

After reporting on the search for love at the auto show, my photographer Henry Jerkins and I started talking about this notion of meeting someone in 8 minutes. It made for an interesting drive back to the station. "A guy can tell inside of a minute if a woman is going to be a dud." Can you imagine .. if that were the case, wouldn't the next 7 minutes be awful?

Henry has never speed-dated, but "I think I might do it," he said. "It would be a great story if it worked out. If it was really serious, it would be a great story to tell my kids."