t.j. winickhe show. plus, a look at life after oprah. >> reporter: it was the beginning of the end. on the premiere episode of her final season, oprah winfrey gave each 1 of her 300 audience members an over-the-top trip to australia. >> you're going to australia. >> reporter: there were celebrity guests, including john travolta. >> you have been voted our favorite guest of all-time. >> reporter: and many paying tribute to the queen of talk. >> there's only one of you. there will never be another one. >> reporter: her show paid homage to the first broadcast 25 years ago. actor don johnson turned down an opportunity to be on the first oprah winfrey show. >> the most important thing, you're the greatest. >> thank you. >> reporter: and, yes, she did tear up when paul simon played a song especially written for the occasion. ♪ 25 years have come and gone >> reporter: her show has been nothing short of an institution. she was named "forbes'" most powerful celebrity this year for the fourth time. she's a

here's t.j. winick>> reporter: in this cell phone video where faces have been blurred to protect the parties involved, we see a young man in handcuffs being lectured over and over again by a san jose police officer. >> the district attorney will probably file charges. >> reporter: for over five and a half minutes, the 15-year-old is dressed down for having section with a 14-year-old girl. not just any girl -- the policeman's stepdaughter. >> a cop's daughter is not someone you mess around with. >> reporter: the young man's father shot the video. at one point he seemingly joins in. >> use your head. think about what he's talking about. >> reporter: now the 15-year-old's family says the officer crossed the line, using his badge and handcuffs without their permission. >> they heard noise, they heard a thud. when they got in there they saw their son on the floor in handcuffs. >> reporter: one former cop calls it unprofessional. >> he used his profession to say, i a police officer, you don't do this to a pol

t.j. winickfirst glance, this pear tree looks like all the rest in this bronx nursery, but look a little closer and its scars hint at an incredible journey. one that began nine years ago. in the days after september 11th, rescue workers were in a race against time to find survivors. this tree, bent and broken, was pulled out from under 12 feet of rubble. it had sprung a small branch, willing itself to survive. richie cabo has been nursing the tree back to health from the very beginning. >> when we saw the tree come up, it looked like a wounded soldier. and it had arounds on the top part of the crown. >> reporter: it became known as the survivor tree, serving as an inspiration for all those who escaped ground zero. >> people want to be part of it, people want to hug this tree because they're the survivors. >> reporter: soon it will return home at what will be the national september 11th memorial and museum. the first trees were planted here on the memorial site two weeks ago. in the end, there wil

t.j. winick, abc news. buckle up, it's the law. your produce. they had to be strapped into the safe travel. mammoth-sized melons. last year he grew a 119-pounder. now he says he's saving the seeds to keep the good genetics going. those are big melons. >> we were waiting for that. >> good work for him. >> good genetics. we'll be right back with more if you fight to sleep in the middle of the night, why go one more round ? you don't need a rematch, but a rethink. with lunesta. lunesta is thought to interact with gaba receptors associated with sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep without remembering it the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide,

t.j. winicklantic beach. >> reporter: pristine beaches and the crash of breathtaking waves belies what millions can expect the next few days. hurricane earl moves 700 miles south-southeast of cape hatteras, on track to brush against the north carolina shoreline. it will then blow northward toward new england. >> it would be a fitting end to a great summer, a little hurricane here at the beach. >> reporter: for those hoping to close out the summer season basking in the sun, earl is a game-changer. evacuation orders have already been issued for some of the more exposed outer banks. >> if you're in hatteras or on ocracoke, please leave. there is a mandatory evacuation for tourists. there is a voluntary evacuation for residents. please leave. >> reporter: it has been nearly two decades since a hurricane this powerful has threatened such a large swath of the atlantic seaboard. for this very reason, beachgoers and boaters are heeding the warnings. >> you feel dumb leaving when you're here. but authorit

t.j. winick has details from the u.n. , t.j. >> the morning session at the united nations belongs to president obama, who spoke about his hopes for mideast peace. the afternoon session belonged to iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad, who also spoke about peace, but struck a much different tone. president obama called on world leaders to support the israeli/palestinian peace process just weeks after the administration relaunched direct talks between the two sides. >> if an agreement is not reached, palestinians will never know the pride and dignity that comes with their own safety. israelis will never know the certainty and security that comes with sovereign and stable neighbors. >> reporter: he also offered an olive branch to iran, currently under heavy sanctions because of its nuclear program which is soon expected to produce a bomb. >> the door remains open to diplomacy, should iran choose to walk through it. >> reporter: later, also before the general assembly, iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad continued to poke h

t.j. winick reporter: it was the beginning of the end. on the prepemier episode of her show's final season oprah winfrey gave each and every one of her 300 audience members an over-the-top trip down under. >> you're going to australia! there were several celebrity guests, including john travolta. >> you have been voted our favorite guest. >> reporter: and plenty of paying tribute to the queen of daytime talk. >> there's only one of you and there will never be another one. >> reporter: her show also paid homage to that very first broadcast 25 years ago. actor don johnson turned down an opportunity to be on the very first oprah winfrey show. >> the most important thing. you're the greatest. >> thank you, don. >> reporter: and yes, she did tear up when paul simon played a song especially written for the occasion. ♪ 25 years have come and gone but her show has been nothing short of an institution. she was named "forbes'" most powerful celebrity this year for the fourth time. she is a media mogul wort

and today, as t.j. winicktells us, some tough new rules go into effect to deal with the problem as the transportation department takes dead aim on the distracted driver. >> it's a huge deterrent. >> reporter: they've been on a mission ever since their daughter heather died while driving to meet her wedding planner. >> we could not believe our daughter could be taken from us by somebody who was texting. >> reporter: in fact, last year, nearly 5,500 people died on the roads and nearly 500,000 injured because of a distracted driver. the secretary of transportation calls distracted driving an epidemic. >> there's no call or e-mail so important that it can't wait. >> reporter: two new laws recently went into effect to combat disdracted driving. >> reporter: commercial bus and truck drivers are now prohibited from sending text messages on the job. this morning, at the second national distracted driving summit, ray lahood proposed barring truck drivers from sending texts while hauling hazardous materials. >> we need

t.j. winick reports on the scandal. >> reporter: wisconsin's governor had convened a hearing to remove calumet county district attorney ken kratz from office. his attorney said that won't be necessary. >> i have had recent contact with mr. kratz and he intends on resigning. >> reporter: he's been under pressure to resign since allegations surfaced he had sent inappropriate text messages to a domestic abuse victim while prosecuting her ex-boyfriend. >> he would say things like, i'm in traverse city with my family for the week, in between naps how can you please me in between the sheets? >> reporter: kratz, a republican, has been the top prosecutor in the eastern county of green bay since 1992. >> my behavior was inappropriate. i'm embarrassed and ashamed. >> reporter: despite his apology, the d.a. had refused to step down. until now. instead, opting for a medical leave to get psychiatric help. the commissioner agreed that a resignation would end the removal process. >> the only result of this part

t.j. winick has the latest now from atlantic beach. 't panic. >> reporter: massachusetts along with maryland, virginia, north carolina remain under states of emergency. despite the mandatory evacuations ordered for three coastal counties in north carolina, many here are sticking it out. >> we've got another thing of milk downstairs. we're marinating some chicken. >> reporter: late thursday, that state's governor told residents it's not too late to leave. >> if you're on the outer banks still and you're a resident or a visitor, you still have time to leave the banks. and you still have time to get to a safer place. >> reporter: some took that advice. >> i think it's a serious hurricane. it could get real dangerous in a hurry. so why take a chance? >> reporter: cape cod, massachusetts, is home to 500,000 summer residents. though a hurricane hitting the northeast is a once in a generation event, authorities promise they'll be ready. >> we will be in a position to rapidly respond to meet the needs of the local communities. whether they be f

t.j. winickreporter: iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad has been the center of attention ever since arriving in new york saturday. he is the subject of scorn, not praise, for his politics and his government's continued detention of two american hikers. >> we're just showing the very, very human face of a mother wanting her son home. >> rortemoth those two hikers, shane bauer and josh fattal, hope to meet with ahmadinejad while he is in the u.s. for the meeting of the united nations general assembly. the men have been in prison for 13 months after being accused of illegally crossing into iran and spying. sarah shourd was also held but released on compassionate grounds last week because of a medical condition. >> i ask everyone who cares about shane and josh's freedom to please stand behind us now so that we can make this final push for their freedom together. >> reporter: among the western world's long list of grievances with tehran, a nuclear program the country's leaders insist is for peacefu

t.j. winick covered the protests and he has more from lower manhattan. t.j. good morning. >> reporter: dan, good morning. the politics of 9/11 anniversaries are usually about what should and should not be built here at the world trade center site. but, this year, it was all about the islamic community center and mosque, which has been a lightning bolt of controversy for months now. people from all over peacefully gathered at ground zero to commemorate the ninth anniversary of 9/11. >> donald james mcintyre. >> stephanie marie mckenna. >> reporter: nearby, the dueling rallies over the planned mosque and islamic center were anything but quiet. >> unity yes, racism no. >> reporter: in front of new york's city hall, there were many signs, but only one message. people demanding the building goes forward at the current site. two blocks from ground zero. >> islam doesn't equal terrorism. we can't let a handful of extremists turn us all into bigots. >> this is about respecting the constitution of the united states. >> reporter: just around the corner, the rally oppos

pretended to arrest his stepdaughter's boyfriend after finding out that the teenagers had had sex, and t.j. winickwith all the details. i know that a lot of people are going to feel differently about this one, t.j. >> and you have to wonder what was going through that young man's head. it was a fake arrest designed to send a real message, but now that police officer is off the job, so is he just an overly protective father, or was this a serious abuse of police power? in this cell phone video where faces have been blurred to protect the parties involved, we see a young man in handcuffs being lectured over and over again by a san jose police officer. >> the district attorney will probably file charges. >> reporter: for over 5 1/2 minutes, the 15-year-old is dressed down for having sex with a 14-year-old girl. not just any girl, the policeman's stepdaughter. >> a cop's daughter is not someone you mess around with. >> reporter: the young man's father shot the video. at one point he seemingly joins in. >> use your head. think about what he's talking to you about. listen to his words. >> reporter: now

t.j. winick joins us with all of the details. e now at the highest level since the 1960s. 2009 was a historically bad year for the american worker. marla letterly is one of 4.3 million americans who has been in danger of losing their home. >> it's frustrating. it's heartbreaking. >> reporter: a u.s. census report on the economic well-being of american families brought that frustration and heartache into greater focus. >> the poverty rate for the nation went up to 14.3%. representing 43.6 million people, which is the largest number of people in poverty in the 51 years that we've been collecting the information. >> reporter: in fact, 1 in 7 americans are now living in poverty as the recession forced millions out of work. especially troubling, the number of children living in poverty. >> the highest poverty rates by far are among kids who live in single -- in female-headed families. but now we have way more mothers at work than in the past. even though their unemployment rate went up and we have some fewer than we did last year. >> r

t.j. winick has the details. good morning, t.j. >> reporter: good morning, rob and vinita.ion was intended for legitimate adult businesses but law enforcement says otherwise and wednesday in washington the issue was put under a microscope. on capitol hill lawmakers exposed the seamy underworld of sex trafficking of minors. >> today perpetrators hide behind their personal computers and have a child at their doorstep with the click of a button. >> reporter: no website has been in the cross-hairs of law enforcement more recently than craigslist. the online classified pages used by over 50 million americans, including some who use the site to buy and sell sex. >> i have not had a girl that was not marketed online, and most of them are marketed through craigslist. >> reporter: the site finally shut down its adult services section earlier this month after receiving a letter from 17 state attorneys general. that was in the wake of several disturbing cases such as the so-called craigslist killer, philip markoff. >> the incident of crime related to use of craigslist is extremely low

t.j. winick has details. >> reporter: good morning, rob and vinita. lawmakers in washington got few answers on wednesday. the owner of one farm refused to testify. another blamed an ingredient bought from a supplier for the outbreak. eggs from two iowa farms were linked to a massive salmonella outbreak this past summer. as many as 1,600 americans were sickened. 30-year-old sarah lewis. >> they thought they were going to have to do emergency bowel surgery. >> reporter: and 77-year-old carol lobato. >> my doctors told me that i almost certainly would have died without aggressive intervention. >> reporter: the victims appeared before congress, as did the owners of those two farms. >> i respectfully decline to answer the question based on the protection afforded me under the fifth amendment of the constitution. >> reporter: the ceo of hillanddale farms refused to answer questions. wright county egg chief jack decosta offered a seemingly heartfelt apology -- >> we apologize to anyone who may have been sickened by eating our eggs. i have prayed several time

t.j. winicky warned governments worldwide of an increased risk of terrorist attacks if the burning had gone forward. pastor terry jones announced he is calling off his 9/11 koran burning ceremony. >> it is my understanding, and i have his word that he will move the ground zero mosque to a different location. >> reporter: but feisal abdul rauf, the imam who represents the islamic community center and mosque continually rejected the possibility of the moving the project or halting construction. after jones' announcement, rauf spoke with "this week's" christiane ammanpour. >> my major concern with moving it is that the headline in the muslim world will be islam is under attack in america. >> everybody felt like that was the will of god. that was a sign. that is what we should do. now we're a little bit -- not totally, but we're a little bit back to square one. >> reporter: there was fear the demonstration could endanger american troops abroad, along with fbi concerns that islamic radicals might have

t.j. winick is in new york with the very latest. s coordinated or uncoordinated, the u.s. government certainly continues to put pressure on the pastor, warning him that his actions could endanger americans around the globe. florida pastor terry jones says he'll go forward with his koran-burning ceremony despite criticism from u.s. leaders that it will put american troops abroad in danger, and despite fbi concerns that muslim extremists might attack the event. >> as of this time, we have no intention of canceling. >> reporter: for the second time in 24 hours, secretary of state hillary clinton condemned the demonstration, planned to be held at the dove world outreach center. >> it's regrettable that a pastor in gainesville, florida, with a church of no more than 50 people can make this outrageous and distressful, disgraceful plan and get the world's attention. >> reporter: the burning of the muslim holy book would be the latest demonstration targeting muslims nationwide. much of it a reaction to the planned islamic community center an

t.j. winick is joining us from washington with the latest.as the countdown to 9/11 rat now one of america's top military men is asking for before the rhetoric makes things worse, much worse. secretary of state hillary clinton has now joined the growing chorus of those warning against a planned koran burning this september 11l >> i am heartened by the clear, unequivocal condemnation of this disrespectful, disgraceful act that has come from american religious leaders of all faiths. >> reporter: a day after a protest in kabul against the planned book burning, general david petraeus implored the 50-member dove world outreach center in gainesville, florida, to call off the event, saying it would only benefit extremists. >> they would use them to inflame public opinion and to incite violence against our soldiers and civilians. >> reporter: despite the plea, pastor terry jones told "nightline" anchor terry moran, he plans to go through with the demonstration. >> the question that we have is if we don't do it, when do we stop backing down? when do we

t.j. winick has the latest. good mornin the attorney for the three hikers told abc news now that shourd has been released, he is confident her two companions will soon be next. it was a much-anticipated and loving reunion at the oman airport. freed on $500,000 bail, sarah shourd is headed back to the united states after 14 months in an iranian prison. >> i want to really offer my thanks to everyone in the world, all of the governments, all of the people that have been involved. >> reporter: the only contact with the outside world during her confinement came in may. a brief tearful visit with her mother. a mother who now says her daughter is sick with a potentially precancerous condition. >> i especially, particularly, want to address president ahmadinejad and all of the iranian officials and the religious leaders, and thank them for the humanitarian gestures. i'm grateful and i'm very humbled by this moment. >> reporter: despite her release, her fiance shane bauer and josh fattal remain behind bars. three hikers