♪ good morning to you and welcome to "cbs this morning." it's thursday, may 14th, 2020. i'm gayle king with anthony mason and tony dokoupil. a major court decision overturns the governor's stay-at-home order in wisconsin. a similar battle plays out across the country. why president trump is unhappy with dr. anthony fauci. >> danger on the production line. workers at meat processing plants tell us how they're afraid of the virus and worried about losing their jobs. what companies say they're doing to protect employees. >> and anxiety in the sky. crowded flights anger passengers as airlines try to put new safety rules in place. we'll talk to airline ceos about

why they think it's okay to fly. and pen pals. students are reaching out and providing comfort to isolated seniors the old-fashioned way. >> something to be said about the old-fashioned way. but first, here's today's "eye opener," your world in 90 seconds. >> he wants to play all sides of the equation. >> i was surprised by his answer, actually, because, to me, it's not an acceptable answer. >> president trump at odds with the nation's top infectious disease expert over when to safely reopen schools. >> the president views this as a political problem. he doesn't view this as a public health problem that he's got to solve. >> another nearly 3 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week alone. >> the national bureau of economic research predicting that 42% of the layoffs now could be permanent. >> according to nsa documents

released by two, obama officials requested flynn's identity be released. >> the fbi has served a search warrant on north carolina senator richard burr. >> they're investigating his stock trades. >> all that -- >> she grabbed a rolling pin to flatten the dough -- >> and all that matters -- >> in washington, d.c., one restaurant plans to fill some empty seats with mannequins to follow capacity restrictions. >> you can enjoy a three-star michelin meal in the storage room at west world. >> it's my birthday! in quarantine. >> on "cbs this morning." >> what is going -- ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ happy birthday to you >> keep singing. ♪ happy quarantine birthday to

you ♪ >> oh, yeah. >> this morning's "eye opener" presented by toyota. >> happy birthday stephen colbert. even in quarantine, it's good to celebrate a birthday. welcome to "cbs this morning." he blew out all the candles. that's nice. >> all 13 of them. he's younger than he looks, i guess. >> yes, he looks very good for his age. we begin with this. there's a landmark court decision in wisconsin where the state's supreme court overturned the governor's stay-at-home order. this ruling could have national implications, but the impact was felt immediately across the state where you see reopened bars were flooded with people. republicans hailed this decision calling the governor's orders an overreach of power. the state's democratic governor says this decision throws the state into kachaos, tony. governors are getting

support from americans when it comes to the coronavirus. 66% say their governor is handling the crisis well, but president trump has less support, 43% say they believe the president is doing a good job. in his push to reopen the country, the president is criticizing one of his own experts, dr. anthony fauci. weijia jiang is at the white house. good morning. what does the president have to say? >> good morning, tony and to everybody. president trump continues to push the country to quickly bounce back and says he does not consider that happening without reopening schools. claiming the virus has had very little impact on young people but you're right. his own top health experts disagree. >> he wants to play all sides of the equation. >> president trump pushed back against the warning dr. anthony fauci delivered at a senate hearing the day before. >> there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control. we don't know everything about

this virus, and we better be very careful, particularly when it comes to children. >> i was surprised by his answer actually because, you know, it's just -- to me, it's not an acceptable answer when it comes to schools. >> reporter: but a new cbs news poll finds most americans trust dr. fauci, though his unfavorable rating among conservatives has increased since april. >> the country needs guidance from the nation's best medical and scientific experts. these literally are matters of life and of death. >> reporter: as democrats demand more guidance from the federal government, today the administration's former top vaccine researcher, rick bright, will testify before a house committee that, if the response is not ramped up, 2020 will be the darkest winter in modern history. bright filed a whistle-blower complaint claiming he was removed from his position because he pushed back against the administration's embrace of

hydroxychloroquine. cbs evening news anchor norah o'donnell interviewed bright and asked him about the president's accusation that bright is a disgruntled employee. >> i am not disgruntled. i am frustrated at a lack of leadership. i am frustrated at a lack of urgency to get the head start on developing life-saving tools for americans. i am frustrated at our inability to be heard as scientists. >> reporter: as the number of virus infections continues to rise, so, too, does the number of americans who have lost their jobs, struggling with economic hardship. on wednesday, federal reserve chairman jerome powell warned of lasting damage to the economy if congress doesn't pass additional stimulus measures. >> the scope and speed of this downturn are without modern precedent. significantly worse than any recession since world war ii.

>> house democrats have already put forward another $3 trillion stimulus plan, but republicans have already said it is dead on arrival. this afternoon, president trump will visit a ppe distribution facility in allentown, pennsylvania. he plans to announce a new initiative to replenish the national stockpile by the fall. anthony? >> weijia, thank you. you can see more of norah o'donnell's interview with dr. rick bright this sunday on "60 minutes" right here on cbs. breaking news -- unemployment numbers out this morning show the huge economic cost of this pandemic. the labor department said nearly 3 million more americans filed claims for unemployment benefits last week. that adds up to more than 36 million people since the economic crisis began in mid-march. these number comes amid the increasingly partisan fight on the economy and safety as we saw in the supreme court ruling in wisconsin. our lead national correspondent

david begnaud joins us. what's the takeaway from that decision in wisconsin. >> it's a major win for republicans who control the legislature. they convinced the court and the court ruled that the governor's stay-at-home order was unenforceable and invalid. the governor of wisconsin, who is a democrat, fired back saying the republicans have no plan and they have essentially thrown the state into chaos because now with no state plan in effect, effectively, local counties will have to figure out what to do. here's a snapshot of what else is happening around the country. in michigan, customers were still getting trims on wednesday. the same day his license was suspended for operating in defiance of the statewide stay-at-home order. >> they tried to take my live away from me. they take my craft away from me. that's vindictive. >> reporter: in southern illinois' madison county, local officials allowed some businesses to reopen with limits, including restaurants and gyms.

but cases around the county are still increasing and illinois has not yet lifted restrictions on those businesses statewide. illinois governor j.b. pritzker. >> what i don't have sympathy for is those so intent on disregarding science and logic. you weren't elected to do what's easy. you were elected to do what's right. >> reporter: to texas now. the attorney general ken paxton issued three letters to city officials in san antonio, austin and dallas. threatening legal action against them if local officials continue to enforce orders that he calls unconstitutional, like mandating face masks in public and continuing stay-at-home orders. >> the fact is our orders have been in compliance with the governor from day one. >> reporter: as local governments work to balance public health and economic concerns, questions are being raised about reopening schools. something president trump says he favors. >> i don't consider our country coming back if the schools are

closed. and it's a very unusual situation. it's had very little impact on young people. >> reporter: health experts are still learning more about the new disease in children which is potentially linked to the coronavirus. >> he got to the point he couldn't keep anything down and was having some bad belly pain. >> reporter: on may 3rd, amber dean's 9-year-old son bobby fell ill with pediatric multiinflammatory. his heart was beating abnormally fast and his fever as high as 102 degrees. >> what was the scariest part for you? >> just hearing that his heart was that bad. last thing i want is for my 9-year-old to have a heart attack. >> reporter: he wound up in the intensive care unit. after four days, he started to improve. >> it's a hard thing when we know the doctors that are caring for him are doing the best they can, but they're not used to dealing with it, so it's kind of

scary. >> reporter: amber dean says she and her sister who have been living in the dean home, both had coronavirus and can only assume that's where the young boy contracted it. there are at least 180 cases of this disease in 17 states around the country and washington, d.c. as of this morning, at least three kids have died from this. david, thank you very much. the cdc tells cbs news it will likely issue an alert to doctors this week about the new illness that's affecting children. senior medical correspondent dr. tara narula joins us more to discuss this. this is so disturbing. in the beginning we were told covid-19 doesn't really affect kids. that clearly does not appear to be the case now. as a mother of two gorgeous young daughters you know nothing gets to parents more than anything or anyone affecting their children. what do doctors know about these latest symptoms. >> you're absolutely right,

gayle. this is what every parent fears. one of the doctors we spoke to said it really well. no one saw this coming. and that seems to be the feeling about this virus that we're constantly playing catch up with what's happening. what we know so far is that it does seem to -- the syndrome seems to be occurring in areas where we're experiencing high rates of covid infection. so while there's no definitive link yet to covid, most experts believe that this is a post viral immune abnormal response in genetically susceptible kids. this is happening in kids previously healthy. it occurs in days to weeks after potentially getting infected. and it shares these overlap features with toxic shock syndrome and kawasaki disease. where it differs is that it's happening in older kids. kawasaki is usually under the age of 5. also gastrointestinal involvement and also a profound involvement of the cardiovascular system where kids are really developing heart failure and heart muscle

dysfunction, and that can lead to the shock and low blood pressure that these kids are developing. >> is there an effective treatment? >> well, that's one good thing. one little silver lining is that it does seem that the treatment for kawasaki appears to be effective for these kids and that treatment is ivig, sometimes steroids, immune modulators and blood pressure supporting medication. overall, if children develop this syndrome, the prognosis seems to be pretty good. >> so what exactly should parents be looking for and are some kids more at risk than others, boys versus girls? girls versus boys? >> one really important thing that every expert stressed, and i want everyone to hear this, this is extremely rare. so even though we're all afraid, this is a rare syndrome. but it is important to be aware. by awareness, parents should be looking for fever that lasts several days, abdominal symptoms like pain, nausea, vomiting,

also changes in the skin or the color of the hands and a rash. and blood shot eyes. when things are getting worse you might see a bluish tint to the lips. the kids might complain of chest pain or heart racing or shortness of breath. as fares is who is more susceptible, it seems boys have this more frequently than girls, which we also see with kawasaki and children with african-american descent as well. >> we'll all be looking. thank you, tara. tony? >> gayle, thank you. let's get to new evidence of how a single so-called super spreader can quickly infect dozens of other people with the coronavirus. a just-released study links one infected member of a washington state choir to more than 50 others who caught the virus or showed symptoms. two of those people died. jonathan vigliotti now reporting. ♪ >> reporter: carolynn comstock and her husband were among the more than 60 members of this

church choir who attended a rehearsal in washington state on march 10th. and they were among the 52 who later tested positive or showed symptoms for covid-19. all from one infected choir member. >> maybe it's transmitted just by people talking. of course, then if you're singing, then there's more volume. >> reporter: the cdc reported that transmission increased because they were singing in close proximity to each other. and now another report says simply by talking loudly in an enclosed area for just one minute an infected person can put 1,000 highly contagious droplets in the air for eight full minutes. ucla professor of epidemiology dr. zuo-feng zhang. >> this can spread quickly? >> especially for people without symptoms. those are people we call a supertransmitter. they can infect many people. >> reporter: one infected man in chicago is linked to 15 infections and three deaths after he attended a funeral, a

dinner and a birthday party. in seoul, south korea, one man who visited multiple clubs in the nightlife district may 2nd later tested positive. now officials have linked more than 100 covid cases to clubs in that neighborhood. a man who lives nearby says he recorded this video that night. >> i was passing by. there was too many in the crowd here not wearing mask. everyone outside. >> reporter: and the risk to crowds is why clubs here on the sunset strip have been closed down. a scene unfolding across the county. here in l.a., anyone going out in public needs to wear face masks. and how hard it is to track down crowds once an infection starts, in seoul, south korea, authorities there working on tracking down as many as 10,000 people. anthony? >> jonathan, thank you. we have other breaking news overnight in washington. cbs news has confirmed that a federal search warrant was

issued to north carolina senator richard burr. it's part of a probe of financial moves before the coronavirus outbreak sent the markets plunging. nancy cordes is on capitol hill. what more do we know? >> a u.s. official confirms to cbs news that the fbi did seize senator burr's cell phone in connection with those stock sales. burr is the chair of the powerful senate intelligence committee and back in january, he and other senators began to get regular briefings about the coronavirus crisis that was brewing in china. then filings in mid-february showed that burr sold up to roughly $1.7 million in stock. now by that time, the public knew about the coronavirus threat. but several days before the sales, burr had written an op-ed assuring americans the u.s. was prepared for a pandemic. days after his sales, he gave a speech saying the virus could have major consequences here.

there's a law called the stock act that prohibits members of congress from using nonpublic information they obtain through their official positions for personal benefit. back in 2012, burr was one of three senators who voted against it. now burr attended a hearing with the nation's leading health experts earlier this week. you see him there. he has said he relied solely on public news reports when he sold the stocks. according to a spokesperson for burr, the senator filed a financial disclosure form about the transactions several weeks before the u.s. financial markets showed signs of volatility due to the coronavirus outbreak. he has since asked the senate ethics committee to review his trades, and now it appears the fbi is reviewing those trades, too. doj and the senator's office have declined to comment. we also reached out to burr's attorney but have not heard back yet.

it is important to note, tony, that no charges have been filed at this point. >> we will follow the investigation wherever it leads. nancy, thank you. ahead -- troubling images of crowded planes and passengers not wearing face masks. we'll hear from airline ceos about their struggle to keep from the firstloving touch

everything that touches your baby should be this comforting. that's why pampers, the #1 pediatrician recommended brand, wraps your baby in breathable softness to help keep their skin dry & healthy so every touch is as comforting as the first pampers. the #1 pediatrician recommended brand start the day slow-roasting turkey for incredible flavor. then, they double seal every slice for freshness. the results, well, they speak for themselves. today, he's being tested to see if his cancer has spread. he may be the one getting the test, but we both live with the results. [announcer] you can quit. call 1-800-quit now for help getting free medication.

ahead the response to the coronavirus outbreaks in meat packing plants. employees tell us why they're concerned about the working conditions that put them at risk. you're watching "cbs this morning." when you need a vehicle you can count on, trust toyota to be here for you. many toyota service centers are open to help keep your vehicle in top shape. and may even offer no-contact vehicle drop-off. if you need a new vehicle, toyota is offering 0% financing and attractive leases on our most popular toyotas, like camry, rav4 and tacoma. you can even shop and buy online from the comfort of your home.

it's our promise to you. today and tomorrow. toyota. i was told to begin my aspirin regimen, blem. today and tomorrow. and i just didn't listen. until i almost lost my life. my doctors again ordered me to take aspirin, and i do. be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. listen to the doctor. take it seriously.

good afternoon family! what's going on? i got up, i put make up on. i have jeans on, who is she? so, i'm gonna start off slow and i'm gonna go for a walk today. out for a family run! it's up to us to establish a new routine and new norms. sometimes you like modify a recipe and it's so good! drink your water, track your food, move your body. your girl, is still losing, ah! ♪ join now, pay later. get your first three months free! (dog vah-mazing! this beneful simple goodness is... join now, pay later. meaty morsels, a tender texture, with real meat and a blend of peas and carrots...i can see.

(announcer vo) beneful simple goodness. try our newest line with real wholesome ingredients. let's be honest. quitting smoking is hard. like, quitting every monday hard. quitting feels so big. so try making it smaller, and you'll be surprised at how easily starting small can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette. the ups and downs of frequent mood swings starting small can lead to something big. can plunge you into deep, depressive lows. or, give you unusually high energy, even when depressed. overwhelmed by bipolar depression? ask about vraylar. some medications only treat the lows or the highs. vraylar effectively treats depressive, acute manic and mixed episodes of bipolar i. full-spectrum relief of all symptoms, with just one pill, once a day. elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis have an increased risk of death or stroke. call your doctor about unusual changes in behavior or suicidal thoughts.

antidepressants can increase these in children and young adults. report fever, stiff muscles, or confusion, which may mean a life-threatening reaction, or uncontrollable muscle movements, which may be permanent. side effects may not appear for several weeks. metabolic changes may occur. movement dysfunction, restlessness, sleepiness, stomach issues are common side effects. when bipolar depression overwhelms, ask how vraylar can help.

this is a morning update. 3 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week. around 36 million workers have now filed for jobless aid in the two months as the pandemic force the millions of businesses to close their doors. dr. rick bright, a vaccine researcher, will testify before congress. he warns of the darkest winter in modern history. he fears it will only get worse without a coordinated national response. four have died in a car crash on highway 85 in south

san jose. three were pronounced dead at the scene and a woman was taken to a hospital and later died. it is believed the car was speeding and police have arrested the driver. the crash is still affecting traffic. let's check on the delays. >> we still have this closure. you are going to want to avoid that area if you can. you can use 101 as an alternate. we will keep you updated but again in the meantime, your options are 101 if you want to use that instead of 50 s. and you can use a blossom, caudle road, and other areas. we are tracking on high deaf parts of the north around santa rosa. like cordless phones.

- ( phone ringing ) - big button, and volume-enhanced phones. get details on this state program. visit right now or call during business hours. and accessoriesphones for your mobile phone.

like this device to increase volume on your cell phone. - ( phone ringing ) - get details on this state program visit right now or call during business hours. i'm walking out of here. i'm walking out of here. yay. >> that's a happy patient. welcome back to "cbs this morning." teresa francisco has every reason in the world to be happy. she was a nurse at mt. sinai hospital in new york city for 38 years before retiring months ago. then in late march, she came down with the coronavirus and was treated in the same unit where she used to work. she has recovered from respiratory and kidney failure and is finally able to go home saved by the people she worked with for decades. it's great, tony, when your former colleagues come through for you like that.

>> nice. >> i love it. yeah, from colleague to patient and now survivor. that's a good ending to that story. we appreciate it. shifting gears, we're going to turn to employees at meat packing plants who are telling us they are worried about their health, but they cannot afford to lose their jobs. an ongoing investigation found there are at least 14,000 coronavirus cases tied to 181 plants in the united states and at least 54 workers have died. our consumer investigative correspondent anna werner spoke to employees who say they are in desperate need of their paychecks including bonus money which some are calling hazard pay. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. advocates say many workers are afraid to speak out fearing they may jeopardize those paychecks. those who did told us that even though improvements have been made, they still are afraid and don't feel safe inside the plants. >> oh, my -- it's very hard for us.

very hard. >> reporter: maria didn't want us to show her face or give her last name, but her stress shows through. she works in grand island, nebraska, at the jbs meat packing plant where many workers have fallen ill from coronavirus. on april 28th, one of them died. her close friend, 61-year-old reynaldo ramirez. >> very sad. a good partner, good man, he died. >> reporter: ryan brown works there, too. what is it like for you in your job in terms of the line? how close are you to other people? >> we are very -- we're pretty snug. there are some places where you are literally like shoulder to shoulder with somebody. >> reporter: some 3,600 people work at the jbs plant which processes one billion pounds of beef each year. the culture says it's doing everything it can to provide a safe working environment. still, emails we obtained from the regional health department show at the end of march, a local emergency room doctor called the plant a hot spot.

another wrote "jbs should shut down for two weeks." that never happened. by april 21st, the health department reported more than 230 jbs-related cases. on its website, jbs cites measures taken to protect workers including temperature checks and masks along with increased sanitation and physical distancing. brown says sometimes -- >> there's no real feasible way to keep us six feet apart. a lot of people in one space, you know what i mean? it's very congested. >> reporter: to limit that con intersection, jbs and producers like tyson foods are taking other steps. this tyson video shows improvements including work station dividers, on-site medical screenings, and social distancing. meat packing companies have also increased pay for workers during the crisis. tyson announced two $500 bonuses in may and july. jbs has raised hourly pay and is giving a $600 bonus to workers

who had no more than two unexcused absences between april 20th and may 15th. but marc perrone, president of the ufcw international union which represents many workers is skeptical. >> they want people to come to work so they're paying them more money. the problem with that is it puts them back inside the plant. >> reporter: jbs workers who stay home because they fear contracting the virus won't lose their jobs, the company says, but they also will not be paid which perrone says leaves workers with no option but to work because nay need their paychecks. >> just because you're an essential worker doesn't necessarily mean your expendable. i think that people have started to think about these workers especially in packing houses as being expendable. >> reporter: but george washington university expert melissa perry says keeping workers safe protects the meat packing business, as well. >> i think it's a false dichotomy to frame it as though it's a choice between workers or

our meat. that's really not the issue. the issue is it's a choice between ensuring safe protections within meat processing plants so that we can continue to have a steady, reliable supply of meat. >> reporter: back at jbs, ryan brown is making $4 more per hour now but says money isn't the answer. >> where you're putting people's families like at risk and like their lives at risk, i don't think that you can put a number on that. >> reporter: on its websites, jbs says it is encouraging sick team members to stay home from work, and it has relaxed its attendance policies. they also pointed out that no one has asked them to close the plant. local health officials say that's because they couldn't get support from state officials to do that. we've reached out to the governor's office but never heard back. gayle? >> thank you, anna. i'm struck by ryan brown's words -- nobody wants to be snug during this pandemic, and you cannot put a price on your life.

thank you very much. ahead, airline ceos tell us what they're doing to try to make flying safe during the pandemic. and a reminder, you can always get this morning's news by subscribing to "cbs this morning" podcast. you'll get the top stories in less than 20 minutes. we'll be right back. [alarm bell rings] ♪ bang bang, there goes my bang bang, ♪ ♪ i want my bang bang, i want my bang bang ♪ ♪ go bang bang ♪ there goes my bang bang, ♪ go bang bang, there goes my bazooka ♪ ♪ ♪ go bang bang, there goes my bang bang, ♪ ♪ i want my mind blown, i want my mind blown ♪ ♪ go bang bang, there goes my bazooka ♪ frustrated that everyday activities cause wrinkles and there's nothing you can do about it? downy wrinkleguard is a fabric conditioner that helps protect you from wrinkles all day. pants washed with downy wrinkleguard and detergent are virtually wrinkle-free. try downy wrinkleguard.

so as you head back out on the road, we'll be doing what we do best. providing some calm amidst the chaos. with virtual, real-time tours of our vehicles as well as remote purchasing. for a little help, on and off the road. now when you buy or lease a new lincoln, we'll make up to 3 payments on your behalf. only roomba uses 2 multi-surface rubber brushes to clean all your floors. and with patented dirt detect technology, roomba finds dirt throughout your home. if it's not from irobot, it's not a roomba. 80% of bacteria in your mouth aren't even on teeth. 80%? colgate total is different. it fights bacteria in your whole mouth protecting 100% of your mouth's surfaces colgate total. antibacterial protection for a healthier mouth.

who've got their eczema under control.rs, with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. that's a difference you can feel. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. so help heal your skin from within. and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent.

balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo-hoo! great tasting ensure with 9 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and nutrients to support immune health. andnoticks and fleas?o simplifies protection. see ya! heartworm disease? no way! simparica trio is the first chewable that delivers all this protection. and simparica trio is demonstrated safe for puppies. it's simple: go with simparica trio. this drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including seizures; use with caution in dogs with a history of these disorders. protect him with all your heart. simparica trio.

many travelers are unhappy with the way airlines have handled the coronavirus crisis. the department of transportation received more than 25,000 complaints from passengers in march and april. it usually receives about 1,500

complaints a month. a lack of federal guidelines about how to keep passengers safe is also causing confusion. kris van cleave talked with two airline ceos to see what they are doing. >> reporter: online outrage from flyers as pictures posed of seemingly packed flights. a handful a day up to 85% full. at charlotte's airport, a steady stream of flyers wednesday. while the number of daily travelers roughly doubled from a month ago, on average planes are departing with just 31 passengers. has people's sense of what crowded is changed? >> well, i think there's a lot of confusion. if you go back a month or so before masks were required for employees or our passengers, social distancing of necessary. >> reporter: frontier's ceo bear biffle is in florida encouraging people to get back to flying. his carrier is blocking 20 seats per flight as part of what he calls a multilarge approach to

safety, that includes fogging of planes to kill the virus and requiring masks for all aboard. how do you make people wear a mask? >> so we make it very clear when you check in, whether it be on line or in person, that you must wear a facial covering of some type. and if you don't have it, we will deny you boarding. >> reporter: what happens if i refuse to wear the mask once i'm on the plane? >> we'll try to de-escalate it. we do require you to wear a mask. and what customers are telling us is they feel safer when everyone's wearing it. it's not just about you. >> reporter: unlike other forms of mass transit, modern airliners typically have hospital-grade air filters to strip out bacteribacteria. there's no government standards or guidelines for distancing on a plane. it feels like trial by error. >> this is a unique set of events. i would say we are trying to respond as quickly as we can to something that we've never seen before. and you know, our priority is to make people feel that flying is

safe. >> reporter: robin hayes runs jetblue. his carrier is blocking up to 40% of the seats on its flights. can people safely social distance on an airplane? is that a realistic expectation? >> that's why we're asking all of our customers to wear masks because, you know, when you're in an airline seat, even if -- you're keeping the middle seat free, you're not going to be six feet away from someone. >> reporter: should there be some standardization? >> we would welcome that. for example, we believe you're safe if everyone wears masks. but there's some inconsistencies with the masks. it would be great if it was mandated by the government that everyone wear it just like you can't smoke on a plane. >> reporter: also making news, five democratic senators have proposed legislation that would cairo airlines to offer cash refunds to any flyer who canceled a flight for any reason during the pandemic. typically airlines would give credit for a nonrefundable flight. they would have to give a cash refunds if this became law.

airlines are losing about $7 billion a month and say this could put them into bankruptcy. anthony? >> that's a lot of money. thank you so much. ahead, vlad duthiers looks at the stories you'll be talking here's to the road ahead. trust toyota to be here for you. your toyota dealers are offering so many ways for you to save, including 0% financing and attractive leases

on our most popular toyotas, like camry, rav4 and tacoma. and toyota will defer your payments up to 90 days. you can even shop and buy online from the comfort of your home. all from the brand you trust. today and tomorrow. toyota. than rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. when considering another treatment, ask about xeljanz xr, a once-daily pill for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis or active psoriatic arthritis for whom methotrexate did not work well enough. it can reduce pain, swelling, and significantly improve physical function. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections like tb; don't start xeljanz if you have an infection. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra can increase risk of death. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened.

as have tears in the stomach or intestines, serious allergic reactions, and changes in lab results. tell your doctor if you've been somewhere fungal infections are common, or if you've had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. don't let another morning go by without asking your doctor about xeljanz xr. right now, there are over a million walmart associates doing their best to keep our nation going. because despite everything that's changed, one thing hasn't and that's our devotion to you and our communities. our priority will always be to keep you and our associates safe, while making sure you can still get the essentials you need. ♪ i came across sofi and it was the best decision of my life. we're getting a super competitive interest rate

on our money. we're able to invest through the same exact platform. i got approved for a loan and it was a game-changer. truly sofi, thank you for helping me prepare for whatever the future has in store. (♪) i wanted my hepatitis c gone. i put off treating mine. epclusa treats all main types of chronic hep c. whatever your type, epclusa could be your kind of cure. i just found out about mine. i knew for years. epclusa has a 98% overall cure rate. i had no symptoms of hepatitis c mine caused liver damage. epclusa is only one pill, once a day, taken with or without food for 12 weeks. before starting epclusa, your doctor will test if you have had hepatitis b, which may flare up, and could cause serious liver problems during and after treatment. tell your doctor if you have had hepatitis b, other liver

or kidney problems, hiv, or other medical conditions... ...and all medicines you take, including herbal supplements. taking amiodarone with epclusa may cause a serious slowing of your heart rate. common side effects include headache and tiredness. ask your doctor today, if epclusa is your kind of cure. occurred. hear ye, hear ye, "what is on watch" is in session with the honorable vlad duthiers presiding. mr. duthiers, what do you have for us this morning? >> oh, man. that's a good one. i need to see you in a powdered wig with a bell, tony dokoupil. really, really good stuff. good to see you all. hope you are all doing well. from our family to yours, we wish you the very best. we are working from home, guys. while we do that we're checking the stories we think you'll be talking about including this -- the coronavirus pandemic is forcing colleges across the

nation to make sweeping changes ahead of the fall semester. yesterday, harvard medical school said all incoming students in its medical, dental, and graduate programs will begin their classes on line. nearly half a million students at california's state university campuses can expect most of their classes to be virtual. i imagine that this will be very difficult, not just for the medical professionals that are being trained but for college students. part of the experience of college is being on campus. it's going to be a real tough time this fall. >> you're totally right. part of the experience and part of the tuition goes into the beautiful grounds. all the facilities, and are you really going to want to pay that big number if you're not getting that big benefit? there's going to be a lot of protests on that front. what else you got? >> 73 nurses are ready to start caring for patients after their virtual graduation. virtual. these graduates from a nursing school in pennsylvania held their commencement ceremony over zoom. that's the new normal now.

their graduation was canceled, of course, due to the carolinas, which was unheard of obviously when they started the program. nurse katie more ty says she's ready to work now. >> if anything is -- fortified the feeling that we all need to be out there helping, we all know how to protect ourselves, and be safe. and if anything just get me out there into the fight. >> we've seen this over and over again. these medical professionals are graduating into this pandemic, and they're ready to do the job, ready to do what needs to be done. >> and they're going to have jobs, too. i heard one of katie's classmates say regardless of the circumstances, you can't dampen their enthusiasm. and they are certainly needed now more than ever before. i love that story. what else you got, mr. duthiers? >> all right. so we all love music on this show. one california man is using the power of music to cheer up folks

in his neighborhood. check this out. ♪ mama don't want you daddy don't need you ♪ ♪ give it up baby baby ♪ ♪ mama can't buy you love >> dig this -- there is adam chester. he's singing one of sir elton john's hits. the musician is actually a surrogate for sir elton, subbing for him during rehearsals. he's been holding socially distant concerts that have been dubbed quaran-cella by his neighbors. chester says it makes him feel good just to give back. >> i mean, if we can do this and not only make people smile through these crazy times, make them sing, raise money, it's a no brainer. i would stay out all night. my wife is like, stop, you got to stop. >> so far chester has raised more than $6,000 for various charities and plays a lot of hits including one of my favorites of all time, "the

boxer" by simon and garfunkel. he said last time he played there wasn't a dry eye in the house. >> i'll bet. i love -- i love that he's out there in his swivel chair in the middle of the street. he's -- you said for 15 years -- >> anthony? >> yeah, gayle? >> anthony and vlad, did you see his t-shirt? it said "a boy's best friend is his mother." i like that one. you go. i like that. >> saw that. >> thanks, vlad. coming up, four sisters, all nurses on the front lines against the coronavirus. stay with us. ta sampson vo) i was born during a quarantine. i don't remember it, of course, but for my mother, it was a very difficult time. she told me, "it was just you and me for many months." but she wasn't alone. everybody tried to do what they could to help. but she was also a very strong person.

and then it was over. we came out into a new world, my mother and me. we can get through this. we all have the strength to do it. i'm a hundred years old. and you just take care of that little miracle. ♪ tide cleaners is offeringe free laundry services you. to the family of frontline responders. visit hope.tidecleaners.com to learn more. it's starting to people are surprising themselves the moment they realize they can du more with less asthma. thanks to dupixent,

the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce or eliminate oral steroids. don't use if allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor right away about signs of inflamed blood vessels, such as rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and before stopping any asthma medicines, including oral steroids. du more with less asthma. talk to your doctor about dupixent. and look, it feels like i'm just i'm sewasting time.nfo on options trading, that's why td ameritrade designed a first-of-its-kind, personalized education center. their award-winning content is tailored to fit your investing goals and interests. and it learns with you,

so as you become smarter, so do its recommendations. so it's like my streaming service. well except now, you're binge learning. for a limited time, get up to $800 when you open and fund an account. call 866-300-9417 or visit tdameritrade.com/learn. ♪ saturpain happens. aleve it. aleve is proven stronger and longer on pain than tylenol. when pain happens, aleve it. all day strong.

this is a kpix news morning update. an good morning, they are unseen a deadly accident that happened late last night in south san jose. they are at cottle road aware they are on the freeway. it was reported about 10:20 pm. they are going to want to stick with alternate and utilize 101 that is your best bet. we're seeing more cars on the roadway and a bit of a backup where this truck was spotted. it is passed this area with

brake lights. a bit foggy this morning in some spots, so had up around 101 through marin and there is roadwork near east washington, causing the backup. okay, i am tracking some light showers across parts of the north bay on high deaf doppler. zooming in, you can see the locations getting that wet start from santa rosa down through nevada and some more showers into san francisco. taking you hour by hour, you can see partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies and a spotty shower through our day, especially for the north bay with more sunshine expected on friday as high pressure briefly builds and. daytime highs for today are seasonal if not a little bit below average. it is 72 in san jose and the extended forecast shows

it's thursday, may 14th, 2020. welcome back to "cbs this morning." i'm gayle king with tony dokoupil and anthony mason. a new poll shows most americans think the president is doing a bad job handling the coronavirus. we'll ask his press secretary about that and about a new riff between the president and dr. anthony fauci. >> family of angels. we'll introduce you to four sisters, all of them nurses on the frontlines of this crisis. and bittersweet reunions. releasing a new album in a pandemic. but first, here's today's eye opener at 8:00.

>> in his push to reopen the country, the country is criticizing one of his own experts, dr. anthony fauci. >> president trump continues to push the country to quickly bounce back and says he does not consider that happening without reopening schools. >> the governor of wisconsin fired back saying the republicans have no plan and they have essentially thrown the state into chaos. >> as a mother of two gorgeous young daughters you know nothing gets to parents more than anything affecting their children. >> no one saw this coming and that seems to be the feeling about this virus. that we're constantly playing catchup. u.s. officials confirm the fbi did seize senator burr's cell phone in connection with the stock sales. >> we may not be able to watch nba basketball anymore, but we can still enjoy watching two of the world's greatest shooters duke it out head to head.

>> this is how we spend our evenings together. >> this morning's eye opener is presented by toyota. welcome back to "cbs this morning." first you start watching and you go okay, okay. then when he does it, you see why he screams. that was pretty good. >> not bad. i think those were cans of red bull. it would take a loot of red bull to get me into a session of shooting it through that tiny hole. they got it in the end. we're going to begin with this in this hour. president trump publicly criticizing one of his most trusted health advisers for issuing a new warning about the pandemic. yesterday the president voiced frustration about dr. fauci's comments that some schools may not be able to open safely in the fall. >> he wants to play all sides of the equation. i was surprised by his answer,

because, you know, it's just -- to me it's not an acceptable answer. especially when it comes to schools. >> dr. fauci said it may not be safe for all schools to reopen because a vaccine won't be ready by the fall and we don't know enough about how the virus affect the children. the white house press secretary joins us now from washington. kailee, good morning. as we just heard, the president said dr. fauci wants to play both sides of the equation. what exactly did the president mean by that? >> the president means they disagree on the issue. they're on on sit sides of the equation. president trump wants to open schools and dr. fauci later in his testimony did say he doesn't believe school reopenings need to be linked to a vaccine development. the president believes we can safely reopen. he's aware of the many working parents who are having to be teacher, mom, dad, spouse, and

play all these different roles. the american are in a tough spot, and president trump wants to reopen safely. that would include schools. does. >> does the president have confidence in dr. fauci? >> he takes into consultation that of dr. fauci and dr. birx and many experts. he makes the best decision based on the data presented to him. there's a lot of voices and as dr. fauci noted, he's one among many. >> a new poll says that 62% of people trust dr. fauci just 38% trust the president. what do you make of the distance between those two numbers? >> well, i believe that the american people have a lot more trust in the president than that poll indicates. they've looked at this president and they've seen a president who has managed to deliver more in 95 respirators in the health care industry uses in an entire

year. in fact, three times more. we were told there would be a ventilator shortage but this president has managed to secure 100,000 ventilators in 100 days. again, three times more than what's produced in the average year. they've seen a president at work. i believe the american people have great confidence in this president's leadership. >> health officials have been saying we're going to see spikes and if we don't handle the spikes correctly, they could become outbreaks. what is the president doing to manage the spikes so they don't become outbreaks? >> that's an important question. as we reopen, the president said we'll see embers here and there. so small outbreaks that we have to be able to manage. and basically when you see an outbreak, the state governments, many of them have put into place contact tracing plans they've shown the federal government that allow us to put it out. i spoke with dr. birx. she said we've seen many great success stories of putting out the outbreaks. she noted one in iowa and she

said yesterday when i spoke to her that she has not been seeing a link between mobility and increase in cases. meaning in florida, for instance, we're not seeing an increase in cases as the states become more mobile. that's a testament to the american people who are social distancing and washing their hands and not touching their face and listening to the advice of the experts? >> the president says we lead the world in testing. but many health officials say we don't have enough and only a small percentage of the people in the country have been tested. what is being done to ramp up testing as we push to reopen. health experts say it's essential. >> it's an important component. here's what i'd say to testing. first, you know, we are doing far more than europe. in fact, two times more testing than most european countries. we have enough to do strategic testing. each governor has a plan they delivered to us saying this is the testing i need to approach

phased reopening. and i've sat with admirals in task force meetings and seen a sheet where they say x state, you've requested this. i'm ensuring you have this to enter reopening. we have enough to enter phase one for strategic testing. >> we saw wisconsin has reopened on orders of the supreme court there. and then we saw crowded bars in the evening. are you concerned about that happening as cities reopen? >> look, it's incumbent upon every american to engage in social distancing, to wear a mask if you feel that you need to at that moment. it's a recommendation by the cdc, not a dictator. not a mandate but a recommendation. but nevertheless, you should wash your hands. you should take into account these practices. and in wisconsin the citizens of that state need to do the same. we want to safely reopen and we can't emphasize that enough. >> all right. thank you very much for being

with us this morning. coming up, the surging popularity of korean baseball in this country. why it could be a

we have much more news ahead. anthony talks to a gramny award winner about a new record and how his family is holding up during this pandemic. plus how seniors and high school

students are bridging the generation gap, and social distancing. that's a good thing. you're watching "cbs this morning." we thank you for that. we'll be right back. pampers cruisers 360° fit with an ultra-stretchy waistband and 360° fit that adapts to every wild move plus up to 12 hours of pampers protection so anything your wild child does cruisers can too our best ever fit is pampers cruisers 360° fit

who've got their eczema under control.rs, with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. that's a difference you can feel. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor.

so help heal your skin from within. and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent.

many people have health care workers in the family who are helping fight the coronavirus. we found one family where one, two, three, four sisters, all four of them, are nurses right there on the front lines. there's kimberly and ashly, they work in the same virginia hospital. there's gina, she works in a maryland emergency room, and last but not least, there's courtney, she works in an icu in california. our national correspondent, jericka duncan, spoke to all of them about why they wanted to become nurses in the first place. >> it's so much fun to share that with all my sisters. >> reporter: friends still call them the carroll girls. they span in age from 46 to 29

and live in different parts of the country. their father served in the u.s. army, and their mother works in a high school. while these sisters may have different last names now, they're united in their commitment to others. how much do you think your background and you all being sisters and all going into the same field play in how you care for others? >> i'm one of five nurses, one of five sisters, and i treat them as if they were may parents in that bed or sisters. >> looking into your patient's eyes and trying to con vain a level of safety is most important thing we can do. it was conveyed to us with the loss of our sister in a very sudden way. >> reporter: in 2008, their sister, tina, gina's identical twin, passed away suddenly from a heart condition. she was also a pediatric nurse. >> and i saw us all come together, specifically my older

sisters and how strong they were for all of us. i associated it all with being a nurse, you know. i thought it was our superpower. people compare it to like superheroes now in the pandemic. but it's something i've always felt in our little carroll girl family is we've got -- we can take on anything. >> reporter: do you feel even more valued today than you ever have in your careers? >> people are regarding us in the same light as -- as military war heroes. and there's times where i step back like, wait, it's not like that. then i go, but i guess we are fighting in a war. >> reporter: early on in this pandemic i'm sure you saw the videos of nurses breaking down, doctors breaking down. was there ever a moment where you felt or questioned should i be doing this right now? >> if someone says they're not scared, they're lying. you're scared. but you never doubt not doing your job. >> reporter: what advice do you have for nurses out there? >> the biggest advice i have for people is to talk.

we are so used to taking care of -- of people that we bottle everything up. if my family has taught me anything, it is in times of crisis, you have to get things out. and once you do that, it almost transforms you into a different person. you're able to care for yourself, your family, and other people. >> that was jericka duncan reporting. the last time that the carroll sisters were all physically together was last christmas. guess what, they plan to reunite in august as they do every year on the anniversary of their sister tina's death. even if it means wearing a mask and gloves and keeping distance. i think they have superpowers. i can only think of how proud gina must be watching her sisters carry on. what a great story. >> amazing. five nurses, amazing. and i agree, as they said, they felt -- they've always felt like they had superpowers, and they do. ahead, american fans cheering for korean baseball teams. how it could be a game changer

in both countries. you're watching "cbs this morning."

major league baseball is reportedly sending players a detailed coronavirus protection plan with an eye toward resuming play in july. this comes as an overseas sports league is drawing attention in this country. the korean baseball organization was one of the first leagues in the world to return during the pandemic, and it is now airing six games a week here in the united states played in empty stadiums. this may offer a glimpse, though, into the future of

morning sports. "cbs this morning saturday" co-host dana jacobson shows korean baseball's growing popularity. >> reporter: if you've missed live sports, right now this is your best bet. if you can stay awake. >> miss baseball this much. i'm watching korean baseball. welcome back, baseball. >> reporter: six nights a week after midnight on the evening, fans hungry for america's pastime are tune information to watch athlete a half a world away play the game they love. >> never in my 20 years of phantom did i think that we would have so many new fans to the kbo outside the world, let alone in the united states. >> reporter: dan kurtz runs a website dedicated to the kbo. born in south korea and adopted by a family in the u.s., his love affair with the sport began while studying in south korea 20 years ago. >> it's one of the greatest sporting events i go to any time i get back to korea. i enjoy it. >> reporter: tell me more about the fan experience. >> you're going not to just watch. you have a cheer master leading

synchronized cheers that all the fans from each keep knows. [ cheers ] yes, there's a baseball game going on the field, but it was like a rock concert going on in the stands. >> reporter: in its current form, the kbo just might be a sign of things to come for the mlb. with empty stands, temperature checks for players, and many coaches and players wearing masks. >> it was not normal, but as the kind of -- it was the new normal. >> reporter: former major league baseball pitcher dan straily is experiencing his first season with the kbo. his first start was last week. >> the team we were playing was sponsored by a technology phone company. and they had zoom conferences going on with like 300-plus fans on this giant video board. so bizarre, but it worked. >> reporter: he says one of the most exciting developments for him and his teammates is seeing interest spike in the u.s., including by some of major

league baseball's biggest stars like former mvp mookie betts. >> to see how excited they were that americans would be watching them now was -- it just absolutely made their day. one of my teammates was followed by mookie betts, and he thought it was like -- like the coolest thing in the world. he was so excited. >> the mvp. that's awesome. >> yeah. and he's like a superstar here in korea. he was so excited that mookie betts followed him. he like comes running to me across the locker room to show that he followed him. he could not believe it. >> reporter: for straily and the rest of the korean baseball league, this is their time to shine, and they're loving every second of it. [ cheers ] >> people get so bought into sports. myself included. for me, i feel a sense of routine. i feel a sense of purpose again. but just to see like the response from fans, people just feel like they have a sense of purpose back. they have their team to root for again. >> reporter: for "cbs this morning," i'm dana jacobson. >> that's a great piece.

i tell you what, i don't recognize the teams. i don't recognize the players. i can't read the signs in the stadium. but i recognize the game, anthony and gayle. and i like to watch it. i wish it weren't on overnight hours. we have to get up pretty early around here. rooting for major league baseball to come back in july. i know you are, too, anthony. >> yeah. kind of brutal hours for us. i hope that they get crowds back eventually. i love the synchronized cheering. i would love to be part of that, gayle. >> i like that, too. i thought that, too. i said, that looks fun. tony, i'm surprised. i would never think american fans would take to a team, as you mentioned, you don't know, you don't know the players, you didn't grow up watching them. clearly i was wrong. does that surprise that you they've taken to it this way? >> it doesn't because baseball is a game you watch and enjoy at its own pace. for the game itself, not for the players on the field. that's -- it's i unique sport in that way, gayle. >> okay.

i'm with anthony, i like the cheering part. i can do that. ahead, we'll talk to jill schlesinger about the latest weekly unemployment numbers and how quickly the economy will recover. what a this is a kpix news morning update. we are on scene of a deadly accident in south san jose. lanes remain shut down on the south side. they were hoping to open up 8:00 and we are waiting to get word on when they will officially reopen. in the meantime, use alternate like 101 work surface streets like santa true nita. as you look over, you are seeing some delays behind where this accident is. it has been there since 10:20

pm and four died in the crash. we have lots of brake lights in the north bay. southbound 101 through east washington street, we have roadwork in the lanes blocking all but one. you have a bit of a backup. speeds are down to four miles an hour. the golden gate is foggy in some spots. that is look at traffic. here is mary. we will looking at a few showers for parts of the north bay, tracking on high deaf doppler that you can see those showers pushing across santa rosa as well as right over san rafael. you can see those showers across nevada. we are catching a few showers this morning and we could see the showers moving for san francisco. we have this a weather system to our north. we have a few more showers four plus one is...

16. (laughter) how many pints of iced tea are left in the pitcher? times... ten... so, wait... (errhhhhh) do you want to show us the continents on the... no. it is not going good. my mom is getting stressed out. (speaks hebrew) momma's tired. i, i'm, like... woooo... (screams) (sighs heavily) so, starting just quickly by breathing in... i never thought i'd say this, but i kind of miss school!

the teachers, i mean, y'all are gifted people! i thank you so much for what you're doing. their investment into our children is beyond what we can even imagine. appreciate all that you do.

that could mean an increase byin energy bills.. you can save by using a fan to cool off... unplugging and turning off devices when not in use... or closing your shades during the day. stay well and keep it golden.

musicares.org. ♪ wherever you are i hope the high road leads you home again ♪ that's grammy award winner jason isbell singing "hope the high road." he's considered one of the best singer/songwriters in america. his album "reunions" will be released tomorrow. earlier this week, he spoke to us from his tennessee farm. we talked about all things music and about how the pandemic has affected him personally. ♪

♪ it's cold in this house >> alabama-born jason isbell has become one of the country's most acclaimed singer/songwriters. ♪ his last two albums debuted atop the country and rock charts, and each won him a pair of grammys. ♪ when he recorded his new album "are you unions," it seems like another time. you're releasing an album in the middle of a pandemic which is probably not what you planned. on. >> no, but i would have been super disappointed if i had to wait. people don't need music any less non-than they will a year from now. >> reporter: anything f anything they need it more. >> yeah. i need it more, you know. i need to feel a connection with people. ♪ >> on their farm outside nashville, isbell and his wife, the musician amanda shires --

♪ have been hunkering down at home with their 4-year-old daughter, mercy. can she tell something's different? >> yeah. yeah. she definitely can. you know, and she even kind of misses being on tour. you know, she goes on tour with us. she said a few times, "can we pretend we're in a hotel today, daddy?" we can do that. >> do you worry about when you're going to tour again? >> yeah, i do worry about that. i don't know when that's going to happen. sometimes i let myself think about how nice it will be to play shows again with my band and with an audience and ride around and see new things. ♪ but i don't stay there for too awful long because then i get sad. >> mentally are you finding this challenging at all? >> yes. it is challenging. you know, we lost john prine a month ago. that's been devastating for us. >> prine died of the coronavirus in early april. isbell and shires both had

performed on his final album, "the tree of forgiveness," and had toured with the revered singer/songwriter. ♪ that must have made this very real. >> it did. it really did. when john passed, it occurred to me that, you know, there's no such thing as overreacting at this point because if john's loss had been the only one, it would still be enough to keep us in the house for however long it takes. closed session. there's the barn. >> so he's been performing his new music from the studio in his barn. ♪ walking around at night whetting my appetite ♪ ♪ every kid >> you said you dealt with a lot of ghosts on this record. >> yeah. and i didn't know that's what was happening while i was writing the songs. ♪ to see how much >> one of those ghosts was his own.

the alcoholic isbell before hi recovery. >> the first few years before i straightened my life up, it was dangerous for me to forgive myself because i didn't want to turn back into that guy. >> you're okay with being with that guy again. >> yeah, for once. and it's taken a long time because i mean everybody has that friend that, you know, they can't hang out with. it's like if i go out with that guy tonight, i'm going to winds up in trouble. that was my own self, you know. >> he says the pressure to live up to his earlier albums also meant "reunions" had a somewhat tortured birth. ♪ >> could have had a better time. but i don't think we could have made a better album. and now it's done. we can have a good time now. things are a little bit more back to normal. >> yeah. except for the pandemic. >> except for the pandemic and the zombies and all that, yeah. y'all haven't seen the zombies yet.

zombies haven't got to new york -- never mind. no zombies. kidding. >> they started with the terrible tornadoes at the beginning of march in nashville, then the pandemic. they lost john prine which just devastated the music community down there. so jason was basically saying what's next, zombies? you know, it's -- >> yes -- >> the prine loss was really was sad for them. jason's new album is great. if anybody is a sort of descendant of john prine, jason isbell is. >> that prine loss cuts very deep. and please tell jason no zombies. i first heard about him through you. you've done a couple of pieces on one. so you're not late to the party like i was. now i really want to hear this new music. it sounds really good and perfect for what we need to hear right now. >> yeah. sure is. all right. ahead in our "a more perfect union" series, an inspiring program that's creating new bonds across generations. we'll be right back. california phones offers free specialized phones... like cordless phones,

- (phone ringing) - big button, and volume-enhanced phones. get details on this state program. call or visit

in our series "a more perfect union," we aim to show you that what unites us as americans is certainly far greater than what divides us. recently nothing has kept us more apart than this coronavirus, at least physically anyway. some students in the nation's heartland are turning to a largely lost art to reach seniors whose families cannot visit. chip reid has the story. >> reporter: windows are meant to look out, not to keep people in. sometimes social distancing turns everyday events into a trip through the looking glass. everything from births -- >> oh, my -- ♪ >> to birthdays, engagements -- >> announce you married!

[ cheers ] >> and weddings. one community used a crane to help family visit seniors forced to stay inside. ♪ and in iowa, spirits soared even higher when the local student council serenaded residents here at bickford senior living in sioux city and found a way to touch those inside. is he super special to you? >> oh, for sure. >> thank you, sir. thank you, my friend. >> you feel the same way, mike? >> oh, yeah. yeah, that feels good to hear that. yeah. >> i'm excited, too -- >> reporter: mike boggs and lincoln collings' newfound friendship is separated by nearly five decades and for now this one window. >> i'm going to tear up here pretty soon. >> when the high school freshman heard that coronavirus kept mike's family from visiting, lincoln found another way in. >> we have texts, social media, but this is like -- i feel like this is like heart to heart.

>> lincoln picked up his pen to let the 63-year-old stranger with early onset dementia know that he wasn't forgotten. >> do you want me to read one of them? >> yeah. >> this coronavirus stuff is out of control. i can't even buy toilet paper. >> i bet you read that more than once. >> i've read it about 50 times probably, yeah. >> the pair's letters are part of an old-fashioned pen pal program launched by lincoln's school. do you think there is something that could and should go on all across the nation? >> oh, i hope that it continues forever. we don't plan on stopping any time soon. >> the sioux city students now visit their pen pals each week. planting flowers and hope on windows, sidewalks, and on the faces of residents inside and their families outside. >> i miss not being able to just sit with mike and watch tv or talk about the day-to-day things. >> over the phone, mike reads lincoln's letters to his wife, pat. >> there's something about

handwriting. >> yes, as a third grade teacher, i'm a strong proponent of cursive handwriting. >> pat was surprised to learn that she had a hand in writing that's doing so much for her husband. >> he said, do you remember lincoln colling? i said, well, sure i do. he was in my third grade class. he said, we're going to be pen pals. >> didn't remember any teachers from back then except for mrs. boggs. >> just mrs. boggs. >> yeah. >> now lincoln and mike are making new memories. >> well, it's just like having a -- having another son. >> and when they're finally together, mike knows what's next in their friendship. >> just giving him a big old bear hug and saying everything's going to be okay now. >> for "cbs this morning," i'm chip reid. >> lincoln and mike. oh, i love their story. you know, nobody writes letters anymore. we're so busy texting, emailing. we don't even call. just to get a personal letter i think means so much.

means so much more. >> yeah. i agree completely. it's a beautiful thing. and you know, this virus has -- the longer people have lived, the harder they're hit by this. you spend all day looking out a window, you can forget that the world outside is remembering you, as well. it's great to see those kids walk up and say hello. and you're right, write a letter. how charming. all right. the next generation is looking good. speaking of the next generation, before we go, we have an exciting announcement involving our cbs news family. our nikki battiste gave birth to a healthy baby boy. you are looking at beau nicklaus battiste-simpson, weighing eight pounds, six ounces. nikki says she and her husband dean are so in love with beau and exploding with joy. you can certainly understand that. i feel like we've been on this journey with her from the beginning. she wrote a letter to beau about being born in this pandemic. at one point we didn't know if dean was going to be able to be with them.

turns out he was. great news. a beautiful, beautiful healthy boy in the end. congratulations. >> i know, tony, i am so excited for them both. >> great to see -- >> it's true. i love first-baby stories. you know, every poop, every pee, every yawn, every burp is just so darn cute. and you never get tired of staring at them. i reached out to nikki, and she said she was up all night just staring at him. she says it's magical. we all understand that. the joy that's about to lead their way, i can't -- to head their way, i can't begin to describe. i'm psyched for both of them. >> yeah. i'm psyched for us, too. we need little bit of good news, gayle. there is really good news. >> yeah. >> it's so good to see beau. it is. all right. that does it for us. we will see you tomorrow on "cbs this morning." thanks for watching, everybody. have a great thursday.

this is a kpix 5 news morning update. good morning, lanes are blocked the southbound due to an injury accident or fatal accident that happened late last night at 10:20 pm. four died in the crash. the investigation is continuing. alternates are in effect because we are starting to see a good backup behind where this crash is. southbound 101 is good along with santa teresa and blossom hill. south on 85, the investigation

is continuing into a crash that happened last night. we have brake lights in the north bay on southbound 101 and east washington street. it is causing all of this red on the sensors. only one lane is open, so traffic is very slow into petaluma. and here is mary. we have a few showers for parts of the north, and even the peninsula. you can see i am tracking some sunshine over the north bay. you can see along 101 from petaluma to fairfax, moderate rainfall is pushing through and also tracking a few showers from south san francisco down to san mateo. now let's show you one future cast a few more showers that are possible. through our afternoon, we have more sunshine building in for friday. we have

we're all doing our part by staying at home. that could mean an increase in energy bills. you can save by using a fan to cool off... unplugging and turning off devices when not in use... or closing your shades during the day. stay well and keep it golden.

wayne: can i get a witness? - i am feeling real good! wayne: let's take a ride on the cash train. jonathan: it's a new audi! wayne: how's that? cat, that was pretty funky. tiffany: for sure. jonathan: zonkaroo! - move on up! wayne: let's do it. you did it! make it rain with cash! - oh, my god! jonathan: it's time for "let's make a deal." now here's tv's big dealer, wayne brady! wayne: hey, america, welcome to "let's make a deal." wayne brady here, thank you for tuning in. i'm going to use a couple to make this first deal. who wants to make a deal? let me get a couple, you guys, come on over here. everyone else have a seat for me, have a seat, y'all. all right, they are so happy, kyle, stand right there. kyle and hanna, welcome to the show. now how long have you been a couple? - we've been married for two years.