Kidnapped Tourists Describe Fear; Forest Versus Football
COSTELLO: Thirty minutes past the hour. Checking our "Top Stories" now. George Zimmerman's defense team and Florida prosecutors joined forces in court today. They're fighting several media companies, including CNN, who want more information released in the case. But the lawyers want the evidence sealed, because of the intense public attention. Zimmerman is accused of murdering Trayvon Martin, but has claimed he acted in self defense. SunTrust Mortgage has agreed to pay $21 million to resolve a discrimination lawsuit. The suit claimed the lender discriminated against African-American and Hispanic borrowers. A two and a half year Justice Department investigation found that between 2005 and 2009, SunTrust increased loan prices for qualified minorities. We're now hearing from those two American tourists kidnapped at gunpoint in Egypt. The gunmen released Brandon Kurtz and Jon Szaflarski yesterday. They told CNN affiliate KPRC, they feared their captors would kill them.</s>JON SZAFLARSKI, KIDNAPPED IN EGYPT: Bars on them and they nailed the door shut and they were outside shooting their assault rifles the whole night and all the way through the morning. They were all very loud and aggressive and speaking in Arabic and I mean, we didn't -- we had no idea. No clue what their intentions were.</s>COSTELLO: The two men were driving to their hotel in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula when they were abducted. A bid for a new sports stadium usually sparks a bit of controversy, mainly over how to pay for it. But for Virginia Tech the battle is over the school's plan to build in an area some say is rich with history. Brianna Keilar traveled to the school's campus in Blacksburg, Virginia.</s>BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN (voice-over): If trees could talk, the stories these woods could tell. (on camera): What has this tree been around for?</s>JOHN SEILER, FORESTRY PROFESSOR, VIRGINIA TECH: We've got the moon walk, we've got World War II, World War</s>I. KEILAR: The tree was around for the American Revolution.</s>SEILER: Yes. In fact, the tree was probably 10 to 12 inches in diameter at the American Revolution. So they could have sat under the tree at that time. It would have had a lot of shade.</s>KEILAR (voice-over): The stadium woods are located on the campus of Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia. Forestry Professor John Seiler has found trees older than 300 years here.</s>SEILER: In an urban environment this is probably the single largest collection of old white oaks in an old growth forest anywhere in the eastern</s>U.S. KEILAR: It's now in danger. Virginia Tech's Athletic Department wants to build an indoor practice facility for football, baseball and other sports on four of these 11 wooded acres.</s>SEILER: That pink flag right there, that represents the wall of the building.</s>KEILAR: Eight-time conference champs and eyeing a national title, the Hokeys' $40 million football program is looking to attract the nation's best high school recruits.</s>JOHN RANDOLPH, COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: An indoor practice facility is kind of a key part of that element. A lot of the big schools are adding them. And we've had this project in the works for a decade.</s>KEILAR: Urban planning professor John Randolph is trying to find a solution. He chairs a committee that is considering alternate locations for the facility, where a parking lot or tennis courts currently stand. Until that committee issues its recommendation in June, Professor Seiler and a Grass Roots organization of Blacksburg residents and Virginia Tech students are publicizing the cause, locally and on the Internet. (on camera): Vashion (ph) Island, so you have people from Washington State, New York.</s>SEILER: I'll look, there's Vashion, New York, Knoxville, California, Oklahoma. This is all over the United States now.</s>KEILAR: Virginia Tech is feeling the pressure. (on camera): When you see people like prod you, is it on both sides of the equation, or is that mostly people who are saying keep those trees there?</s>RANDOLPH: Keep the trees.</s>KEILAR (voice-over): As it decides, what happens to this forest that has survived so much. Brianna Keilar, CNN, Blacksburg, Virginia.</s>COSTELLO: "Political Buzz", is your rapid fire look at the political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock. Playing with us today, CNN contributor and managing editor of the conservative blog, RedState.com, Erick Erickson; and Jason Johnson, professor of political science at Hiram College in Ohio and chief political correspondent for Politics 365. Welcome to both of you.</s>JASON JOHNSON, POLITICS 365: Good morning.</s>COSTELLO: Ok.</s>ERICK ERICKSON, REDSTATE.COM: Thanks.</s>COSTELLO: First question. John Edwards has sinned, but he says God isn't through with me yet. He still believes there are good things I can do, that from John Edwards. So the question, does God have a plan for John Edwards? Jason?</s>JOHNSON: God does have a plan for John Edwards. He wants him to go forth and speak the gospel of campaign finance reform. I actually talked to a Democratic strategist at corporate communications about this. If you look at this case, the reason Edwards got in trouble is because his bundlers used this money to hide his mistress back in 2008. Under the current laws, they could have put together a restore our mistresses Super PAC and he could have been completely covered from any investigation from the FEC so that is God's plan for him. Campaign finance reform, the John Edwards way.</s>COSTELLO: Erick.</s>ERICKSON: Oh, I think that God has a plan for everybody, but I'm pretty sure the voters don't have a plan for John Edwards.</s>COSTELLO: Oh we're having trouble with the shot. This is coming out of Macon, Georgia. We've lost Erick Erickson. Should we take a break and then come back? We're going to take a quick break so we can get Erick back. Sorry, Jason. We'll be back.