>> mitchell: tonight, war against the river. north dakota ramps up the battle against record floodwaters that have already swamped more than 4,000 homes and forced 11,000 people to evacuate. a controversial victory in new york for same-sex marriage. seth doane has reaction to the biggest state yet to change the law. politicians without pay-- california legislators failed to pass a balanced state budget on time. now, bill whitaker tells us, it's their personal budgets that are taking a hit. and meet the magic chef. a former restaurant star who now cooks up smiles for youngsters with cancer. captioning sponsored by cbs

this is the "cbs evening news" with russ mitchell. >> mitchell: good evening. we begin tonight with the ongoing drama of the battle against the rivers in minot, north dakota. today, residents and city officials braced for another bad day as record crests were expected. a second evacuation has been issued in a nearby town, and tonight, while there is some good news to report, the fight to save the area is far from over. jamey yuccas, is in minot tonight. >> reporter: as the mouse river begins to crest at its highest and most historic levels it's come time for drastic decisions to save another neighborhood in minot, north dakota. the river is flowing more than 50 times its normal speed and has expanded to 10 times its size. as it passes through the city, dragging debris downstream from miles away. with manmade levees threatening to fail in the heart of downtown, minot's mayor, curt zimbelman knows how dangerous that is. >> everything we're looking at is in jeopardy. if this goes, everything goes in

this whole area for several blocks up, several businesses, all of broadway. we either hold this whole dike, this whole temporary dike or we lose it all. >> reporter: one thing that could make that fear a reality is a small 40-foot pedestrian walkway that has become overrun by the rushing floodwaters and is wedging its way into the levee's side. what's incredible about this small bridge being cluttered with debris is it's eroding the dike which could flood hundreds of homes and businesses behind it, dividing the city of minot in half. tasked to stop it from happening, excavator, russ gohl, who has every resource and flood fighter, including the national guard at his disposal. >> by removing the bridge it's collecting debris and causing the water to erode and swell our dikes. what we're going to do is hook on and try to physically brute force pull the bridge away. >> reporter: they are using air boats, bulldozers, even a tank

to do everything possible to help a community with 4,000 homes and businesses have been overrun by the river. >> we have to do whatever we can in order to save this port of minot and save the north-south route. >> reporter: crews are right now attaching cables to that pedestrian bridge, hoping to pull it away and have the debris go with it. >> mitchell: the question remains when is the river expected to crest? >> reporter: the river is actually cresting right now and should continue through the night tonight. the good news is the governor here says that it should be two feet lower than expected, but, of course, it just started raining. >> mitchell: thank you so much. federal safety officials are investigating the medical and driving records of the truck driver in yesterday's deadly collision with an amtrak train at a crossing 70 miles east of reno, nevada. the collision killed the driver and a member of the train crew and sent 20 other people to the hospital. officials say the crossing

warning lights and gates were working and skid marks indicate the driver did try to stop. it is an historic day of celebration and controversy in the state of new york. late last night, new york became the sixth and largest state in the union to allow same-sex marriages. as seth doane tells us, while the official vote may be over, the debate continues. >> the sun feels like it's shining brighter today. >> reporter: new york gay pride comes every june, but revelers told us today feels different. >> early this morning, camille came to my bedside and asked me if i would remarry her in the state of new york. >> reporter: the same-sex marriage bill passed the state senate by four votes, sparking applause. and heated debate. >> if you could just wrap up, we've given you far more than two minutes. >> mr. president -- >> reporter: and a change of heart by republican senator mark crisanti, a catholic. >> i cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer the same rights that i have with my wife. >> reporter: his colleague republican senator greg ball was not convinced.

>> i was not sent to albany to vote on or to push an agenda of extreme social issues. >> reporter: but back in his home district, brian sheerin had lobbied senator ball. he's been in a relationship for 15 years with his partner, ken weissenberg. they have two adopted daughters. it's estimated that 27% of same- sex couples have at least one child. at the core, what is this about for you and for your family? >> for me, it's about protection. you know, $40 marriage license can do what $10,000 in legal fees in terms of wills and trusts can't do. >> reporter: it's something his partner, a tax lawyer, knows well. >> in new york state, there are over 750 laws impact bide the single word "marriage." so changing that definition so that it include gay couples means you don't have to amend 750 laws in new york. >> reporter: the bill governor

andrew cuomo signed last night gained support only after religious groups received guarantees that they would not be forced to perform same-sex marriages. still, that wasn't enough for some. >> we all have a right to live as we choose but we don't have a right to change the meaning of marriage. >> reporter: now that expanded definition of marriage is most certainly being celebrated here at the stonewall inn, widely considered the birth place of the gay rights movement. also celebrating is the state of new york. it's estimated an additional $184 million could be pumped into the state's economy thanks to same-sex marriage-related spending. >> mitchell: with the national debt ceiling deadline a little more than five weeks away, u.s. house is taking a holiday break until the sixth of july. an aide to speaker john boehner says house leaders can always consult by phone. but in california, voters believe they have found a better way to keep their legislators on the job. here's bill whitaker. >> reporter: for the past five years, california assemblyman, tony mendoza, has been serving a district with severe unemployment.

but now he's experiencing firsthand what it's like to not get a paycheck. >> it pains me that i'm not going to get paid and bills start stacking up, and the mortgage is put on hold but that's like everybody else right now. >> reporter: mendoza is among 120 california lawmakers not getting paid this week because they failed to pass a balanced budget on time. so this husband and father of four will have to rely on his wife's teaching salary. >> we'll pay them if they complete their responsibility. >> reporter: the man who cuts california's paychecks, john chung, decided to implement a unique measure approved by california voters last november. the law, known as proposition 25, requires legislators to forfeit their own salary for each day that a budget is not passed beyond the june 15 deadline. for lawmakers making $95,000 a year, that means $261 will be withheld per day and lose a $142

daily stipend for travel and living expenses. unlike a similar law passed in new york, california legislators will never get that money back. >> they have an obligation. they ran for office and now they need to make sure we have a budget in place. >> reporter: some politicians are outraged. los angeles assembly man mike gatto issued a statement: listeners of a local radio show responded by dropping off cans of spam in front of gatto's office. >> i think this opportunity to dock their pay to get them to speed up the process is genius. money talks. >> reporter: while state legislators and governor jerry brown try to hammer out a new budget agreement, you won't hear very many complaints from taxpayers. so far, california has saved more than $485,000 in salaries. bill whitaker, cbs news, los angeles.

>> mitchell: one day after being charged in court with a laundry list of crimes, accused boston mob boss james whitey bulger was in jail today and out of sight. but not, as elaine quijano tells us, out of the minds of his old hometown neighbors. >> reporter: a lot has changed since the days when james whitey bulger's winter hill gang ruled south boston, but even now, asking about him in the neighborhood known as southie makes some uncomfortable. >> i know a couple of them, and- - a couple of cousins, and they're very nice people. so i don't want to say anything bad about him. >> this is a very clannish place. >> reporter: "boston globe" columnist kevin cullen has covered whitey bulger for 30 years. >> he ruled by fear and he ruled by intimidation and it was part of the air you breathed in this town. it just-- it was a fact of life and it was something that wasn't really talked about openly. >> reporter: did you admire him. >> i did. >> reporter: why? >> well, because of the power that he yielded. >> reporter: john shea grew up

in this public housing project not far from bulger's own childhood home. he met whitey bulger when he was just 15, sold drugs for him, and eventually rose to become a top lieutenant. and what was he like as a boss? >> um, very disciplined. very disciplined. he wanted everyone to be healthy, conduct themselves properly, you know. he was kind of like a father to me in ways. because i had no father. >> reporter: but that admiration ended when shea, who spent 12 years in prison, learned bulger gave him up to authorities. >> he sold me to the wolves. i still protected him. i would have given my life to him, and i did-- actually, i did give my life to him. >> reporter: and he betrayed you. >> and he betrayed me. but i lived the code. i lived the code that was honored in that underworld. >> reporter: now as bulger face justice for numerous crimes, including 19 murders, his folk hero status is falling away. >> some people can cling to this whitey-- you know, the benevolent gangster myth. i just never bought it. >> reporter: what do you think

whitey bulger's legacy should be? >> a fraud and a coward and a rat. and king rat at that. >> reporter: boston's most notorious gangster, no longer larger than life. elaine quijano, cbs news, boston. >> mitchell: later, another claim of civilian casualties from nato fire in libya. how one mayor would spend his share of any future peace dividend. and a top chef has her own recipe for comforting childhood cancer parties. those stories and more when the cbs evening news continues.

>> mitchell: libya charged today that nato airstrikes have again caused civilian casualties. officials claim 15 people were killed by a missile that hit a bakery and restaurants and other buildings.

nato says it has no indication civilians died in the attack. syrian security forces are said to have killed five protesters today. funerals for some of the 20 activists today and the biggest day of protest since the uprising erupted 102 days ago. more syrians tried to escape, with hundreds crossing into neighboring lebanon as turkey temporarily closed its border. for more perspective on the latest developments in syria, we are joined in providence, rhode island, by former undersecretary of state, nicholas burns. with the situation in syria seemingly getting worse by the day, many americans are asking again, why no u.s. or nato military action in syria? what's your theory? >> i think there's no possibility the united states can go in militarily. we're engaged in iraq, afghanistan, and libya. there would be no international support. we can try to isolate the regime politically have, economic sanctions by the europeans and americans. this drama is going to be decide not by us. it's going to be decided by the

syrian people and they are assaulting their government, that authoritarian, cynical government. you see protests in every town, in every city. >> mitchell: let's talk about president assad. when he came to power in 2000, many thought he would be a reformer, much different from his iron-fisted father. that clearly hasn't happened. what do you think happened to make him the person he is? >> he liked to cultivate this image of himself as a young, british-educated doctor but he's shown his true colors over the last three months-- hundreds of people dead. the syrian army has used brutal force against innocent people protesting peacefully in city after city. i think we have to conclude he never was a reformer. he always was very much like i his father, a regime in power now 40 years, a regime the syrian people obviously want to push out as soon as they can. >> mitchell: when you look at the assad government do you see any contraction or is his inner circle all on board? >> he has a very tight inner circle of advisers who were around when his father was.

they tend to be very authoritarian. they're the ones counseling the use of force we've seen some defections from the syrian military just over the last week so there are some cracks beginning to appear in the syrian armor, if you will. and this iron-fist regime, i think, is in some way on the ropes because the people of syria are standing up all over the country, argue, shouting, for change. >> mitchell: nick burns, thank you, we appreciate it. with more troops coming home from afghanistan, one cash- strapped mayor hopes that means more money for his town. for his town or thoughts of suicide.

antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer.

cymbalta can help. on every surface in your mouth. but did you know those same germs can build up and form a resilient layer called biofilm? biofilm germs are strong enough to survive daily brushing. thankfully, there's listerine® antiseptic. its triple-action formula goes deep to penetrate biofilm, kill germs and protect your mouth for up to 12 hours.

aaaahhhh... [ male announcer ] for a deeper clean, fight biofilm with listerine®. >> mitchell: president obama's announcement of a quicker troop drawdown from afghanistan has the support of the nation's mayors who would like money saved overseas to be spent on rebuilding right here at home. that includes the mayor of bridgeport, connecticut, where tony guida went to see what's on the wish list. >> the congress street draw bridge is bridgeport, connecticut's sore thumb-- closed for the past 14 years, it sticks out grimly on the city's landscape, isolating east side residents from downtown. >> they're building bridges in afghanistan and iraq but not here. >> reporter: mayor bill finch wants the federal government to shifts spending to urban infrastructure, fix bridges and roads and in the bargain jump

start economic development. with 145,000 residents, bridgeport's share of pentagon spending in afghanistan and iraq would amount to an smaimented $109 million this year. >> can you imagine if that money was every year, year after year, invested in trains, high-speed rail, information technology, new schools? we'd be leading the world again, rather than being behind. >> reporter: mayor finch envisions a federal partnership to convert this seven-acre lot, where an old emington arms factory sits, into a modern train depot where high-speed amtrak acela trains would stop. >> every time you have a train station, you have lots of apartments built, lots of small businesses located, and you have people using that to get to jobs in new york city, and stanford, and other locations. >> reporter: there are plenty of place places to build in bridgeport. 12% of the land is vacant, in a city once throbbing with industry. general electric and dupont once

had manufacturing plant here. if i were says federal seed money will bring business back. >> we make the utilities up to date and we get the-- the ground ready for private development to occur. >> reporter: take steel point. bridgeport cleared 50 acres of land for a marina, retail stores and apartments with federal assistance, $11 million to improve roads, utilities and sewers. >> we're really not looking for a handout. we're looking for investment, and i have bridges that need to be rebuilt. >> reporter: so that congress street won't have a bridge to nowhere much honger. tony guida, cbs news, bridgeport, connecticut. >> mitchell: up next, youngsters with cancer, and the hospital chef who knows how to bring smiles to their faces. at bayer, we've been relieving pain for over 100 years.

and today, we're re-inventing aspirin for pain relief. with new extra-strength bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles so it enters the bloodstream faster and rushes relief right to the site of your tough pain. ♪ in fact, it's clinically proven to relieve pain twice as fast. new bayer advanced aspirin. extra strength pain relief, twice as fast. just don't feel like they used to. are you one of them? remember when you had more energy for 18 holes with your buddies. more passion for the one ya love. more fun with your family and friends. it could be a treatable condition called low testosterone or low t. come on, stop living in the shadows. you've got a life to live. [ male announcer ] so don't blame it on aging. talk to your doctor and go to isitlowt.com to find out more.

i just transferred a prescription to cvs because they have care 1on1. it's where the pharmacist stops and talks to me about safety and saving money with generic prescriptions. laura, let's talk about possible side effects. it's all about me. love that. get care 1on1 and talk savings, safety, and side effects when you transfer or fill a new, ongoing prescription. i'm laura, and this is my cvs. it's all mine. thought they were dead. [ laughter ] [ grunting ] huh? [ male announcer ] should've used roundup. america's number one weed killer. it kills weeds to the root, so they don't come back. guaranteed. weeds won't play dead, they'll stay dead. roundup. no root. no weed. no problem.

i see you're flatulent in three languages. graduated top of your gas. [ male announcer ] got gas on your mind? your son rip is on line toot. [ male announcer ] try gas-x. powerful relief from pressure and bloating in a fast-acting chewable. gas-x. pressure's off. >> mitchell: and finally this evening, cancer strikes just over 10,000 american youngsters every year. and easing the anxieties of young cancer patients is not a job for doctors alone. and that's tonight's "weekend journal." a dedicated and talented hospital chef who makes sure comfort is always on the menu. >> guacamole and chili on the side. >> reporter: wearing her characteristic chef's hat, paulina paulette takes orders for tonight's dinner.

she doesn't work in a restaurant. these are her patients. she's the executive chef in the pediatric unit at memorial sloan kettering cancer center. >> hello! >> all of what i'm making today, there are ingredients in your pamphlet so you can make it at home. >> mitchell: classically trained she worked in some of the most successful kitchens in new york city, appearing on cooking shows and winning critical acclaim but she still wanted something more. >> more chefs have to realize the power they possess in food and how much of a difference they can make in other people's lives, in the world by just utilizing that knowledge differently. >> mitchell: she's brought her cooking talents to this world- renowned hospital, adjusting flavors to taste buds of patients from around the world. >> she knows i like a lot of spicy food with a lot of tomato

sauce. >> mitchell: she serves whatever comfort food her patients would like to order. a chocolate milk shake. >> i love it. >> a steak burrito or their fast food favorites. in this hospital wing, where pain and pessimism are certainly not uncommon, pannenna brings smiles, clean plates, and giggles. >> what's up, t.j.? are you ready for this one? >> reporter: she's a self-taught expert in the diets of children with cancer. she works around restrictions restrictions and manages to sneak in extra calories. >> and guacamole. >> mitchell: all the while pleasing the palette. >> she was able to find stuff that he liked, especially seafood. you would never think that would be an option. >> reporter: anne marie's son, t.j., is recovering from a bone marrow transplant. after the operation, he hardly smiled for two weeks. >> she came in, and talked to him about food and stuff, and he just kind of fell in love with her and her big chef hat and he thought she was so kind and

sweet and all of a sudden, sure enough, the dimples started to show up again. >> reporter: and she comforts parents and nourishes their children. >> this is good stuff! >> chef pannenna says she always looks for that special moment as she watches these special kids take their first bite. >> there's so much more to giving than what we do in restaurants. to be able to contribute towards their comfort and their happiness, and to be able to see it on their face and you know that i'm changing something in their life. >> mitchell: and that, she told me, is even better than a paycheck. and that is the cbs evening news. later on cbs, "48 hours mystery." thanks for joining us this saturday evening. i'm russ mitchell, cbs news in new york. i'll see you back here tomorrow. good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org weekend for the annual pri

as many as a million people expected to descend on san francisco this weekend for the annual pride celebration. the strict measure being taken to make sure everyone is safe. it is a shock. i don't know what to do. >> a car careens out of control and slams no a nursing home. how -- into a nursing home. how witnesses described the chaos that followed. new information tonight on the deadly collision between a bay area bound amtrak train and semi truck. what investigators say happened just before impact. cbs 5 eyewitness news is next. ,,