Mid Morning With Aundrea October 02, 2020 (Part 1)

If you are ready to travel again, you may have a difficult time getting there.

Plus, we take a look at some Middle and High Schoolers using their Engineering class to spice up some model Jeeps.

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If you are ready to travel again, you may have a difficult time getting there.

Tens of thousands of airline employees are about to lose their jobs when a federal aid program runs out at midnight.

Congress has not been able to agree on a new relief bill.

And it's not just the airline workers who will suffer.

The effects will ripple through the economy.

Here's cbs's kris van cleave.

Denyshia mccluskey became a flight attedant four years ago&a career she loves and thought she'd have until she retired.

But mccluskey is out of job because of the pandemic.

I'm just really nervous.

I'm really scared about where my health will lie, without having the proper health care to, you know, continue to live the life that i've been living since i've been flying.

Mccluskey reveals her crohn's disease once nearly killed her and requires regular costly infusions&when her health insurance runs out, she's not sure what she'll do.

And it's a scary thing for me because just, i worked so hard to get where i am and i'm nervous about my health trickling and getting sick again and being back and forth in the hospital again and with no health care and it's -- i'm sorry.

Cbs news estimates around 45-thousand airline workers are subject to furlough or layoff, after the government's 25 billion dollar payroll support program expired.

At least 44- thousand other employees took early exit packages - voluntarily leaving their jobs...and more than 74-thousand are taking unpaid leave, preventing even more job cuts.

Alaska airlines captain lee erickson and his wife brinda, a flight attendant, accepted early retirement hoping to help save the jobs of their two kids...both work for the airline.

I just want to thank all my coworkers for the great career they've given me but i mostly want to thank you, our passengers, who provided me with a very long and satisfying career.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A sliver of hope here: united and american say áifá congress makes a deal they can reverse the furloughs, but it has to come in quote "the nex few days."

Kris van cleave, cbs news, reagan national airport.

To put the layoffs into perspective: american airlines now has 30 percent fewer employees than in january.

Some middle and high school students in indianha are using their engineering class to spice up some model jeeps.

The program is called go baby go.

The finished product goes to toddlers with disabilities to help them get around.

Take a look.

Outside edgewood middle school this afternoon& teams of school-aged engineers are taking a normal toy car& and glamming it up.

It has led under lights but it's not just for show.

Each car has improvements being made specifically to help a toddler with a disability.

Molly kissling// freshman we are making it so that she can drive it better because she is having trouble steering the wheel molly kissling is painting a fancy licence plate for zorey& who they consulted about the car last march.

Molly kissling she would kind of talk to us too so we kind of knew what she wanted.

The kids are supervised by professionals in orthopedics to make their visions a reality.

Russell lowry, depuy synthes orthopedic company being an engineer sometimes you think of things to the nth degree.

And really really minute details, but the kids have a much simpler way of looking at things.

Beyond the technical stuff& so that he would not bang his head.

The kids add personal touches..

Like their favorite disney stickers..

Or a personalized radio the engineering teacher got the idea from a conference she went to a few years ago.

Abbi richcreek, teaches engineering and robotics at edgewood middle school.

He talked about low tech solutions that can change peoples lives.

The cars cost about $500 each.

Wheelchairs can cost thousands.

It's all funded by grants.

She says the program teaches kids skills like budgeting and team work.

Actually, i found this on amazon.

And to think about others.

We don't really think about how we move, we just do.

For them, when they can't do, this makes it possible so they can.

The kids have met their benefactors and after along delay due to coronavirus, can't wait for the reveal.

Molly kissling// freshman i think it's going to be really exciting because i think she's going to really like her car they plan to give the finished cars to the kids at halftime of the last football game of the season& on october 16th.

And ms. richcreek plans to continue doing the program for years to come if she can.

The current call for racial equality and justice isn't new to south angeles.

The area has survived two racial uprisings- 1965 watts riots and 1992 la riots.

For three decades, an organization there has been at the forefront of spearheading change.

Danya bacchus shows us how the community coalition could become a model for the nation on how to move forward after civil unrest.

Congresswoman karen bass knows the pain of civil unrest because she's lived it.

Growing up in los angeles, she witnessed the 1965 watts riots áandá the 1992 los angeles riots- "what do you mak of this moment that we're in now?"

: "well, at som point in our country, we have to decide whether we're going to deal with this problem or not."

After the '92 riots- the community coalition-an organization she started in south los angeles- fought to rebuild-- their way.

"burnin something down and destroying something that that's not healing.

Healing is putting it back together.

It campaigned to turn burned downed liquor stores into shopping centers, affordable housing and community learning centers.

Nats..

"this is th heart of south los angeles" aurea montes rodriguez was 17 years old during the 92 riots-.

"there was a grea sense of hopelessness, anger and rage that our community was feeling."

She turned her anger into action - starting as a community coalition intern.

She's now the vice president.

"everyday people people like me, are the greatest asset of the community."

The grassroots organizing has created people power- nats..

"we're fire up we can't take it no more!"

Helping residents fight for equitable schools, criminal justice and police reform .

Nats..."no justice no peace!"

With so many communities across the nation now dealing with racial unrest- "doing work tha is led by the people who live here, who see the beauty of our families...that really is healing work."

The community coalition is now expanding its vision to help communities across the nation.

It will train activists and organizers across the country, dedicated to local power building through its center for community organizing.

Don't let covid prevent you from being your healthiest.

We'll explain ahead on this is breast cancer awareness month.

One study shows that breast and cervical cancer screenings dropped 94 percent in march in the u-s.

In june, breast cancer screenings were still 29 percent below pre- covid levels.

Cbs senior medical correspondent dr. tara narula introduces us to a woman who knows áfirst-handá that early detection saves lives.

Initial thoughts when you were told that you had breast cancer?

Well, i just said, "here we go, it's m turn now."

63-year-old norma atwood has been giving mammograms for over two decades.

She delayed her own routine screening in march, because of the pandemic.

And, when she finally had her mammogram in may, she got the news she never wants her patients hear.

Were you surprised to learn had developed there in the year since you'd had your prior mammogram?

Yes.

But i've seen it happen many times.

And once you were diagnosed, you underwent a lumpectomy?

Yes// it was a grade zero.

// are you cancer- free today?

Yes.

// if somebody says to you, "i' concerned about coming in because of covid, i'm concerned about having a mammogram done// what is your advice?

We're safe, we take all precautions.

//.

I will even clean it in front of the patient for them to be reassured.

// she works at sutter's alta bates summit medical center in oakland, california where 4 to 5,000 patients have postponed mammograms because of covid- 19.

Sutter health estimates that 20- 25 of those patients could have cancer that's áundiagnosed.á atwood's grateful she's not one of them.

And, she's determined to help increase screenings, using a mobile mammography van that will soon visit under-served communities throughout the east bay area.

You-- more-- able to tell other women that it's so critically important that they get their annual mammogram//?

//i have always told my patients the importance, because i've seen it-- happen so many times.

So this was no different.

//"d not wait over a year.

Come in every year."

/ intro the cbs special series "schoo matters" looks a the unique challenges of reopening college campuses safely during the pandemic.

About 20- million students are enrolled in u-s colleges and universities this fall.

Many schools are trying to crack down on fraternities and sororities, after corona- virus outbreaks in some of their houses.

According to a recent u-s-a today report, 19 of the 25 top outbreaks in the u-s are in college communities.

Errol barnett talkedto students trying to balance safety, with having a normal college experience.

Maggie mulligan // member gamma phi beta, indiana university time: 33-36 adam wenzlaff // president, sigma nu, university of colorado boulder time: 1:36-1:42 notes: matthew hughey // professor of sociology, university of connecticut time: 2:43-2:48 notes: many schools are trying to crack down on fraternities and sororities, after corona- virus outbreaks in some of their houses.

According to a recent u-s-a today report, 19 of the 25 top outbreaks in the u-s are in college communities.

As part of our on- going partnership with u-s-a today, errol barnett spoke to students trying to balance safety, with having a normal college experience.

He's at the columbia university campus in new york city.

Errol, good morning.

Pkg script: corona- virus is impacting all colleges and universities differently.

At this school there have only been 12 cases, but not every school has been so lucky.

Despite administrators' pleas to follow covid guidelines, partying is resulting in new cases at schools nationwide.

This type of party is exactly what colleges and universities don't want to see.

Potential super- spreader events - from crowded parties at illinois state& to packed pary boats near indiana university.

Indiana university bloomington has roughly 33- thousand undergraduates - about a quarter of the student body participates in greek life.

Since last month, about 800 greek life students have tested positive for covid.

Maggie: i believe that the houses that are still going out partying don't really, truly understand the severity of the situation.

Maggie mulligan is an member of gamma phi beta sorority at i-u.

Mm: "we're going o about forty confirmed cases in my house."

Eb: "forty - four zero?"

Mm: "yes, four zero" according to the universiry, there have been dozens of cases at gamma phi beta&despite canceled social events, masks wearing in common spaces and using an isolation wing to quarantine sick students.

Mulligan encourages people to think about what it's like living in greek housing amid the outbreak.

Ggie: think about how they're doing right now with people all around them testing with covid and then not knowing if they'll have it the next day.

It's a terrifying feeling.

Outbreaks at indiana vary from house to house.

At phi kappa tau, students are blocking off sinks with trash bags, marking off tables in the ding room, and even couches as reminders to social distance.

The result?

No positive cases.

But next door at the acia fraternity, more than 80 percent of the house tested positive.

Aw: "these ar young adults who probably don't have the most well-formed pre- frontal lobe and aren't really the best at kind of weighing the risk and benefits of something.

Eb: so if that's the case, should they have the freedom to hang out at frat houses?

Aw: no, i don't think so."

Adam wenzlaff is a member of sigma nu and president of the inter- fraternity council at the university of colorado boulder.

The school has asked fraternities there to pay 10-thousand dollars in fines for parties that broke covid guidelines.

Wenzlaff calls the behavior disrespectful.

"many fraternit houses have people who work in their kitchens, people who come over to clean and to cook.

And you're putting those people at risk.

You're putting your professors at risk."

And it's not just greek life contributing to outbreaks - its crowded bars and off campus parties too.

These miami university in ohio students said some twenty people were in their house, despite limits of gatherings to ten.

The home's occupants all had covid.

"you have othe people here, you tested positive for covid?

You see the problem?

"what did you thin when you saw that video?"

"it's a window int a larger epidemic in our society of the approach that we have toward living together in local communities and as a nation.

It's not very cooperative.

Cooperation aside - university of connecticut sociology professor, matthew hughey says it's hard for human beings to stay apart.

Eb- we're more than six months into this pandemic.

Have we underestimated the human ability, especially at a young age, to be apart from each other?

Mh- i think so// social creatures, human beings.

So we need to interact with one another.

Professor hughey also says finances play a significant role with many greek organizations struggling to stay afloat - and colleges trying to justify tuition.

All while greek life groups also face calls to shut down entirely on some campuses under the "abolis greek life" sloga as a result of the social justice movement.

So the pressure is on.

When we come back, one woman takes a party platter and turns it into a business.

We'll show you ahead