STUDENT NEWS

Nevada Caucuses Results; Multi-Generational Households

Aired February 6, 2012 - 04:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CARL AZUZ, HOST, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Back from the weekend, I`m Carl Azuz, and this is CNN Student News. You`ve probably ordered fast food -- not like the guy you`re going to hear in a bit, though. First up, we`re heading to Nevada.

It`s a state that Mitt Romney has to be pretty happy with right now. The former Massachusetts governor finished in first place in Nevada`s Republican presidential caucuses over the weekend.

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AZUZ (voice-over): Now these caucuses are different from primaries, where each person casts a single vote. During a caucus, groups of people meet and declare which candidates they prefer. As the votes started being counted on Saturday, CNN projected that former Governor Romney would win Nevada. A lot of experts have predicted that, since he won the state`s caucuses four years ago as well.

But the result isn`t changing the Republican field of candidates. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Representative Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum have all promised to stay in the race. The next round of contests is tomorrow, caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado and a primary in Missouri.

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AZUZ: Looking at an economic headline that some experts are calling a nice surprise, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent in January. That is the lowest it`s been in nearly three years, and the economy added 243,000 jobs in January. That`s nearly double what experts were predicting.

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AZUZ (voice-over): But most economists say there`s still a long way to go here, and there`s no guarantee that the job growth we`ve seen lately will continue. President Obama had a similar message during a speech on Friday. He says these numbers will probably go up and down. 

While the current news is good, the president said there are too many Americans who need a job or need one that pays better than the one they have now.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See if you can ID me. I`m a group with members from different countries. I change presidents every month, I have 15 members and five of them are permanent. I`m part of the United Nations. I`m the U.N. Security Council, and my main responsibility is to maintain global peace and security.

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AZUZ: At this time, the Security Council is not taking action when it comes to the nation of Syria and the violence that`s been raging in that Middle Eastern country for months.

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AZUZ (voice-over): The Council was considering a resolution that would have demanded that Syria`s president stop the fighting in his country. But China and Russia voted against the resolution. Those countries say they want the violence in Syria to end, but they said the language of the resolution would have made the situation more complicated.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded to the no vote.

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Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State: What happened yesterday at the United Nations was a travesty. Those countries that refused to support the Arab League plan bear full responsibility for protecting the brutal regime in Damascus.

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AZUZ: In Australia, authorities are using military helicopters and a giant cargo plane to help evacuate areas that are being hit by flooding. The area being affected the most is the state of Queensland.

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AZUZ (voice-over): Weeks of heavy rains have caused river levels to rise up, and officials are predicting record-breaking floods there. Thousands of people have been told to get out of the path of the waters. Food and medical supplies are being flown into areas that are more isolated.

In the town you see right here, the water has started to go down after days of major flooding. Authorities have lifted evacuation orders and residents are gradually making their way back. But they have been warned: stay away from the waters.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s time for the Shoutout. Which of these generations came first? If you think you know it, then shout it out. Is it X, Baby Boomer, Millennial or Silent? You`ve got three seconds, go.

The so-called Silent Generation is the oldest on that list. It includes anyone born from the late 1920s through the mid-1940s. That`s your answer, and that`s your Shoutout.

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AZUZ: Well, we`re all used to multiple generations getting together for holidays or special celebrations, things like that. You, your parents, your grandparents, all together in the living room.

For some families, this is a daily thing. Millennials, Gen-Xers, Baby Boomers, the Silent Generation, all living under the same roof. As Christine Romans reports, it`s a trend that`s making a comeback.

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CHRISTINE ROMANS, HOST, "YOUR BOTTOM LINE" (voice-over): Meet the Loefflers.

TOM LOEFFLER, LIVES IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLD: I`m Dad.

SHARON LOEFFLER, LIVES IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLD: I`m the mom.

MATT LOEFFLER, LIVES IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLD: I am the son.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m the grandmother and great-grandmother.

ROMANS (voice-over): Three generations, plus one dog, living under one roof. Make that four generations when granddaughter Ella visits.

S. LOEFFLER: I really value family. It means a lot to me to have everybody together a lot.

ROMANS: For the first time in decades, more generations are moving in together, reversing a trend that`s been in place since World War II. It`s about culture, it`s about convenience, it`s about money.

ROMANS (voice-over): The trend has grown 30 percent over the past decade, fueled by immigration, people living longer and more recently job losses and foreclosures.

DON DYRNESS, SPECTRUM CONSTRUCTION: We have a couple of bedrooms upstairs.

ROMANS (voice-over): New Jersey builder Don Dyrness renovates single family homes to accommodate more than one generation.

When you look at what`s been happening in the housing market, you can see that this is an area in housing that is showing growth, no question. Are you seeing that in your business?

DYRNESS: Absolutely. We`ve been doing multi-gen houses for 20- something years, it was spotty, one-a-year, two-a-year, zero, and then in 2009, it`s grown to three to five projects per year.

ROMANS (voice-over): One of those projects, building an addition for the Loefflers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the kitchen --

I could have never lived by myself. I could have never afforded it. I never -- I couldn`t --

S. LOEFFLER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- you know. 

S. LOEFFLER: To her, it was definitely economic. But for us, I think it was peace of mind having her here.

ROMANS (voice-over): Peace of mind also meant a new social dynamic to keep the peace.

S. LOEFFLER: Mom is sensitive to our family dynamics, too.

T. LOEFFLER: It was important for us to keep the -- her room separate. I mean, she`s an integrated part of the house, but you know, she could make it separate. And she has a separate entrance onto the back deck, so she -- hopefully, she feels like, hey, it is separate. I think those are the important things.

ROMANS (voice-over): But change comes with unexpected perqs, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My washer and dryer right here.

M. LOEFFLER: (Inaudible) to bring my laundry down, drop it off, and when I come home from work, it`s all pressed and good to go.

ROMANS (voice-over): Christine Romans, Succasunna, New Jersey.

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AZUZ: Some of you might have heard the expression, "You`ve got to sing for your supper." Let`s say you`re a young musician who wants to get his name out there. You pull into a fast-food restaurant with a hankering for some chili cheese tater tots, and you think, maybe this. Maybe this is my big break. Jim Altman of affiliate WTIC explains what happened next.

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JIM ALTMAN, CNN REPORTER: In the midst of a chaotic Tuesday night at the Wallingford Sonic, there was harmony in stall six.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good evening. Welcome to Sonic. My name is (inaudible). Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?

GIORGIO FAREIRA, SONIC SINGER: Giorgio.

ALTMAN (voice-over): Starving artist Giorgio Fareira brought more than his appetite here.

FAREIRA: Can I get a number eight with large chili cheese tater tots.

ALTMAN (voice-over): With guitar in hand and fast food on the mind, Giorgio decided to serenade his Sonic server. The video has gone viral in short order.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible) what would you like to drink?

FAREIRA: Cherry limeade.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m sorry. Could you repeat that?

FAREIRA: Cherry limeade, please.

I planned it all kind of like the song I`m playing now, just making it up.

Oh, he`s a wonderful young man. He`s got an incredible voice, obviously. And this completely blew me away. I`ve never seen anything like this before.

FAREIRA: Are you ready for the next part?

ALTMAN: So now, of course, the idea is for Giorgio to take this from the Sonic stall to the big stage.

FAREIRA: That`s absolutely right, and I couldn`t have put it better myself.

Do you have cheese on those number four tater tots?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I do not. Would you like me to put some on the cheese tots?

FAREIRA: Please, please put cheese on them for me tonight.

ALTMAN (voice-over): He says he`s still the same.

FAREIRA: (Inaudible), still just Giorgio. People kind of like my name, (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could not believe it. I didn`t think it would go this far.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there anything else I can get for you?

FAREIRA: Just have a wonderful night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, you too.

FAREIRA: Thank you.

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AZUZ: It really helps he didn`t have to rhyme everything, but a struggling musician who`s hungry for dinner, Giorgio is a true starving artist. And since so many people have heard this story, maybe some other singer will try to copy the routine note for note. But if he did it during breakfast, he`s need to order some "harmony" grits. 

We -- some of you who have like had hominy grits before or even heard of them will get that. The rest of you are like, just finish up. All right. We hope you`ll get keyed up to tune in tomorrow for more CNN Student News. We`ll see you then. Bye-bye.

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