>> mitchell: tonight, forced to spend more on gas and food, consumers are tightening their wallets in what may signal trouble for the economic recovery. i'm russ mitchell. also tonight, stopping the bullies-- how one school system is spreading the word to kids that bullying is not cool. savoring success-- a celebrated chef opens his second restaurant to raves after beating a cancer that threatened to take away his sense of taste. and what happened to doomsday? the hour of reckoning has come and gone across most of the world with no sign of the apocalypse. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with russ mitchell. >> mitchell: and good evening. we begin tonight with news of

two economies. retailers are carefully watching their receipts this weekend amid signs that sluggish consumer spending may be hurting the recovery. the uncertain outlook has helped to push stocks down nearly 300 points in three weeks. but with gasoline still close to $4 per gallon and food prices also high, some merchants are doing very well. seth doane has the good news/bad news story. >> reporter: for the tenth month in a row, consumers are opening their wallets. how is business? >> business is actually great. >> reporter: at the fairway grocery store in manhattan, manager wreck garcia says shoppers are back and spending more. >> this is actually the business to be in. >> reporter: the business to be in? grocery stores? >> the grocery store. >> reporter: why? >> because everybody has to eat. >> reporter: but with food prices up as much as 6% to 7% nationwide, shoppers like jane say they have no choice but to spend more. today her bill was $40 higher than usual.

>> both of us have been commenting that the prices have really jumped just in the last few weeks. and we've been shopping here for about 10 years, and i just know the price of everything, and it's noticeably different. >> reporter: roughly 70% of the u.s. economy is driven by consumer spending. but a closer look at the numbers reveals these days, people are spending more on what they have to buy. necessities, like groceries and gasoline. >> everybody's fed up with it, really. you know. >> reporter: gas prices are up more than $1 from this time last year. >> i used to fill up the tank for half the price. i think people are starting to reconsider what to buy and where to go. >> the economy is no longer on the critical list but it's still in serious condition. >> reporter: retail sales are up more than 7% from last year, but economist peter marisy says gas and food price are a drag on the economy. >> a lot of the consumer dollars are absorbed by higher gas and food prices which means they're

not buying shirts, going to restaurants as much, things of that nature, which would drive more growth. >> reporter: marisy says after a deep recession you typically expect to see economic growth of around 4% to 5% each year. not the sluggish 3% we're currently seeing. seth doane, cbs news, new york. >> mitchell: the great mississippi river flood is also taking a financial toll with one economist estimating it could cost the u.s. as much as $4 billion. the lower mississippi is cresting this weekend throughout louisiana, and it's 9.5 feet above flood stage in baton rouge. a section of the river was closed one day after a barge loaded with corner sank. here's what else is happening. senior palestinian official said today they will likely seek recognition for a palestinian state at the united nations this fall. the statement follows yesterday's white house meeting with benjamin netanyahu rejected

president obama's call for border talks based on the 1967 boundaries. for more perspective on what's going on in the middle east, we are joined in boston by former undersecretary of state nicholas burns. nick, good evening. >> good evening. >> mitchell: the israelis have spoken, the palestinians have now spoken. what does this say to you about president obama's plan as he outlined it on thursday? is it already dead in the water? >> i don't think, russ, the president's plan is dead at all. it just means that in the 63rd year of divisions between the palestinians and israelis, this is very tough going. you saw the president give a very forthright speech the other day where he explained the importance of the united states supporting transformation in the arab world, but also of trying to give some momentum to the israeli/palestinian peace negotiations. there were elements of it that the palestinians were weren't happy with. there were lots of elements the israelis weren't happy with. that might mean the president is where he should be, the mediator. he needs to be objective and stand between these two parties to try to move them forward. >> mitchell: let's go back to

the photo op from yesterday, a frosty photo-op it was. as someone involved in these i high-level talks before, what are you seeing that perhaps we're not seeing? >> i think, russ, what you're seeing are very deep political and philosophical differences between the obama administration and the netanyahu government in israel about how these peace negotiations should get started. the united states, obviously, wants to take advantage of this moment in the arab world to see if there's an opportunity to press forward with peace for the palestinians and israel. the israelis are quite reluctant. so i think you're seeing frustration on the american side and you're seeing, perhaps, historically, a historically low moment in the u.s.-israeli relationship that doesn't appear to be a lot of trust between these two governments on this particular issue. >> mitchell: former undersecretary of state, nicholas burns. as always, thanks a lot. >> thank you. >> mitchell: in pakistan, phene people were killed near the border with afghanistan today when a tanker truck carrying fuel for nato forces was set on fire from a bomb

blast. after the blaze appeared to be under control, a second explosion occurred causing most of those deaths. and the controversy over extending u.s. aid to pakistan continues to heat up in washington. whit johnson has the latest on the fights and tells us why both sides are holding their ground. >> reporter: with the discovery of osama bin laden right under pakistan's nose, the united states does not give out blank checks. >> reporter: but since 9/11, pakistan has received more than $20 billion u.s. dollars. it's slated for another 3 billion next year, making it the third largest recipient of u.s. foreign aid. >> i don't think there's an appetite in the congress to continue to fund pakistan, certainly not at the levels we are today. >> reporter: it's a message senator robert men endez and five of his democratic colleagues are taking directly to the administration. in a letter sent this week to defense secretary robert gates and secretary of state hillary

clinton, the senators wrote, "we are gravely concerned about the commitment of pakistan's security establishment to fighting terrorism." the feelings are bipartisan. >> there have been lots of concerns about double dealing, playing one side against the other. >> reporter: republican senator bob corker has traveled to pakistan three times and says there is clear evidence that the government hunts down some extremists while harboring others. >> it's time for that to end, and, again, there's no time like now while they're humiliated, while they're embarrassed, no time like now to get that right. >> reporter: but the administration is taking a softer approach. >> we're having conversations about what more we can do together. >> reporter: knowing pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world and fearing those weapons could fall into the hands of extremists. the pakistani government also provides critical supply routes for u.s. troops to afghanistan and has tacitly allowed u.s. drones to drop bombs on its

sovereign soil. >> we cannot fight a war in afghanistan. we cannot bring peace to afghanistan if we don't have any relations with pakistan. >> reporter: most agree, u.s. aid to pakistan will likely continue but threat from capitol hill may give the white house leverage as it seeks more reliable results from a sometimes-unreliable partner. russ. >> mitchell: whit johnson at the white house. thank you. showing their support for victims of the japan's earthquake and tsunami, the leas in the with refugees to sample fruits and vegetables. farmers fear for their future as we hear from lucy craft. >> reporter: this heir to a family farm that grows produce and has a few beef cows, is in anguish over the prospect that that fertile valley may become toxic. "farming, especially fruit, our

famous peaches, apples and pairs, has been destroyed. we will never recover from this." fiewk fruit is tainted he said and we're known as the place with the destroyed nuclear plant. inside the area, the american have deemed unsafe. fukushima, blessed with an ideal climate for farming, was renowned for its fruit and rice. and her 75-year-old father can't quite come to grips with the notion that his little piece of heav sen threatened. "i don't really know how dangerous it is. surely, my rice paddies and cows will be okay," he says. but as he lovingly tend his onion patch, the family admits they are anxious about radiation. i asked who was to blame for a radiation catastrophe that could make it unsafe for them to remain on their 150-year-old

farm. "ultimately," he says "it's the fault of every saturday who cared only about the convenience of nuclear power without really thinking very hard about it." for now, with the threat of radiation contamination hanging over their future, the family can only wait, watch, and hope. lucy craft, cbs news, fiewk sheem ajapan. >> mitchell: pope benedict made an extra terrestrial phone call today, the first by a pope to outer space. speaking from the vatican to the 12 on aboard the international space station he wished a speedy recovery to gabrielle giffords the wife of shuttle commander mark kelly. and the all-clear was given to "endeavour" to return to earth a week from monday saying the gouge to the heat shield was not a concern. it was damaged by debris during launch. still ahead tonight, how one school system is trying to stop bullying before it starts.

>> mitchell: the field of teclaired 2012 republican presidential candidates grew by one today. herman cain threw his hat in the ring. he told the crowd, "i'm running for president of the united states and i'm not running for second." five massachusetts teenagers pleaded guilty earlier this month to reduced charges in the bullying that led to the sued of 15-year-old phoebe prince last year. schools across the country are stepping up their anti-bullying programs and that's tonight's "weekend journal." a visit to a school district that's ahead of the curve. high school seniors liam callahan and josh rivera watson

know what it's like to be bullied. in seventh grade, a group of kids did it to liam every day. >> they would just sort of hit me, like, slap me in the back of the head or whatever they felt like doing at the time. >> mitchell: the bullying josh experienced as a fourth grader was so rough he changed schools. >> i used to get picked on for just my size. i didn't want to cause any ruckus. i usually just kept it to myself. >> mitchell: their school district in pittsfield, massachusetts, has taken steps to make all that less likely to happen today. the message is clear-- bullying is not cool. this year, liam and josh were among the school leaders who competed in the talent contest, raising money for anti-bullying activities. while these senior girls created anti-bullying posters in their marketing class. >> "we will not bully others." it says, "take a stand and lend a hand." >> mitchell: in pittsfield

those lessons begin early. this is third grade. >> how are you going to respectfully tell that person not to bully? >> you can say to the classmate, "i'm going to go tell the teacher." >> is it tattling if you watch someone bully and you tell an adult? >> no. >> mitchell: in role playing, teachers focus on three r.s-- respectful, responsible, and ready to learn. >> a lot of people said, "please." that's a great way to show respect. >> mitchell: pittsfield launched its anti-bully curriculum five years ago with federal seed money. bully incidents in pittsfield high schools and elementary schools are now below the national average. >> it starts with an s. >> mitchell: character development is part of the strategy. so elementary school principal joe curtis makes daily rounds for individual recognition. >> it's just like with education, with reading and mathematics education-- the earlier we start, the better off we are. >> our big feelings that show on

our faces. >> reporter: this k-12 curriculum challenges kids to fight the herd mentality. >> why should i stand up to them? somebody else can do that. >> mitchell: learning not to be a bystander. >> i make sure if i see disputes in the hallway or even minor bullying i make sure i put a stop to it. >> when i see something like that happening i will stick up per the person who maybe can't stick up for himself. >> mitchell: it was commencement day at the u.s. military academy at west point. after the chairman of the joint chiefs, admiral mike mullen, said the public does not always understand the burden of service, more than 1,000 second lieutenants celebrated their graduation in the time-honored way. and just ahead on tonight's evening news, the world-renowned chef who almost lost his sense of taste.

>> mitchell: one of america's most celebrated chefs is savoring the success of his latest restaurant, and more than just about any other chef on earth, he knows how much he owes to his impeccable sense of taste. cynthia bowers went to see him at work. >> reporter: this is the

creative laboratory of chef grant atkiss. what is this? >> this is olive oil. >> reporter: froze tone look like hershe kisses. plates on top of pillows filled with lave der, all designed to ignight the imagination. >> we're trying to connect with people on a level that would be the equivalent of walking through an art gallery. >> reporter: it's all done at alinnia. he opened the chicago restaurant in 2005. here he mixes flavors and text in experimental ways. consider this chocolate mousse-- >> we want to make it crispy in some way and we were like we'll freeze it in liquid nitrogen. this is a fun game people like to do. >> reporter: whatever, it works. alinia was just named the sixth best restaurant in the world. a far cry from the small, blul

blue-collar michigan tonight where he grew up. >> it's been quite a ride. >> reporter: a ride that took a frightening turn in 2007. he was diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer. doctors told him he had one chance at survival. so we're talkin talking about tg your tongue out. >> yeah, yeah, because at that point, they estimated the tumor was embedded inside the tongue, taking up about three-quarters of it. >> reporter: a clinical trial gave him another option-- an experimental drug and six months of daily radiation. >> i lost all sense of taste. i couldn't taste for about a year and a half. >> reporter: and he almost lost alinnia, too, because many of the young chefs working there jumped ship, so he continued to work while sick. >> people are just looking at me like, you're out of your mind. >> reporter: he is now two years into remission and on to the next big thing. what's on the menu tonight? >> paris 1906. >> reporter: the new restaurant is called next.oon an

eight-course experiment of different cuisines from the past and the future. the menu will change every three months. but don't think you can just walk in. next is exclusively preselling reservations online, more than 19,000 foodies have already forked out $110 for a premium seat months in advance. even with all his success, he has realized some things are more important than others. >> it's not always about being the best. it might be more about contributing most. >> reporter: a lesson that life is something to be savored. cynthia bowers, cbs news, chicago. >> mitchell: and still ahead on tonight's cbs evening news, never mind-- the doomsday prophecy that fortunately failed to deliver.

>> mitchell: and finally this evening, may 21 is now in its waning hours with no sign yet that a much-ballyhooed end-of-times prophecy is coming true. ben tracy is on the doomsday watch. >> reporter: hollywood has been obsessed with the end of days for decades. mankind has struggled with the implications for centuries.

>> they talk about the signs of the times which we have seen some. >> reporter: if these signs of judgment are correct, welcome to apocalypse now. >> i have to think about that. but i won't have much time to think about it, will i? >> reporter: you may have seen one of these 1200 billboards. they are the work of this man, 89-year-old christian preacher harold camping, owner of the family radio network. >> you and i are living at the time of the end of the world. >> reporter: his followers have spread the word of the world's end all across the globe, reportedly using donations to pay for it. >> there's going to be a huge earthquake that's going to make the big earthquake in japan seem like a sunday school picnic. >> reporter: he says it will first strike figee and new zealand, then work its way around the world. it appears to be late. by camping's own estimates, it should have hit there already hours ago. >> it's particularly nice to be with you tonight since the world was supposed to come to an end 10 minutes ago. >> reporter: camping arrived at today's date using a

complicated mathematical formula based on biblical numbers. >> it doesn't say anything about the bible. it says a lot about their imagination. >> reporter: and most christians aren't buying it. >> i just think it's just a bunch of baloney? >> reporter: the mayan famously calls for the end next year. >> how many times can the world end? >> reporter: the bible itself is pretty clear on this. matthew 24:36. as for harold camping, he previously predicted the world would end in 1994. he now app

tonight from some christians over a pastor's doomsday prediction. the condemnation that's coming tonight from some christians over a pastors doom day predictions. thousands of cash taken from a bickering... how supporters of the "little saigon" business district were finally able to win the day. cbs five eyewitness news is next. good evening, i'm ann a welcome sign. how supporters of the little saigon business district were able to save the day. cbs5 news is next.