DIRECTOR PAGE

SHOW OPEN-CLIP

TOSS TO CHAD-OC DBX

THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION IS JUST 6-WEEKS AWAY.

TODAY THE PARTY BEGAN THE LENGTHY TASK OF GETTING THE TAMPA BAY TIMES FORUM *READY*.

NBC2's CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER IS IN TAMPA--

AND JOINS US LIVE.

CHAD--

DECISION 2012-CLIP B

RNC SETS UP SHOP IN TAMPA-LIVE

* USED TO BE CALLED THE "ICE PALACE"

* IT'S HOSTED SPORTING EVENTS AND CONCENTS NOTHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE

RNC SETS UP SHOP IN TAMPA-PKG

01:20:53

The Republican National Convention officially accepts control of Tampa Bay Times Forum.

THE GOP IS NOW THE SOLE TENANT OF THE FORUM AND THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK TO DO IN SIX WEEKS.

:01:24:22

This convention will be a state of the art convention unlike any that

you all have experienced before." 28

80 MILES OF CABLES WILL GIVE THE FORUM A HIGH TECH UPGRADE. MORE POWER. BETTER ACOUSTICS.

01:21:15

And so after a year and a half of planning there is no more planning.

What you see out here today is change. 21

HOSPITALITY SUITES ARE GETTING TRANSFORMED INTO BROADCAST BOOTHS. A CONVENTION WHICH WILL BE SEEN AROUND THE WORLD THANKS TO 15-THOUSAND MEDIA MEMBERS WHO WILL GATHER HERE FOR ONE WEEK AT THE END OF AUGUST. RNC CHAIRMAN REINCE PRIEBUS BOG THE MOST ATTENTION TODAY.

PRIEBUS ONE-ON-ONE

:01:34:12

Somehow I knew this was going to come up. I'm shocked." 16

I ASKED HIM WHETHER THE PENALTY WILL BE LIFTED AFTER FLORIDA MOVED ITS PRIMARY. SPECIFICALLY - WILL ALL DELEGATES BE ABLE TO SIT ON THE CONVENTION FLOOR WITH THE OTHER STATES.

:01:34:29

"Florida just like all the states that violated the calender there's

RNC SETS UP SHOP IN TAMPA-LIVE

IT'S TYPICAL FOR THE 'HOST' STATE TO GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT - LIKE SEATS CLOSE TO THE STAGE.

CHAIRMAN PRIEBUS SAID HE HASN'T MADE THE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FLOOR.

FLORIDA'S DELEGATION IS PUSHING HARD FOR THE PENALTIES TO BE LIFTED.

ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS SUCH A KEY SWING STATE.

JUST ONE OF THE STORY LINES WE'LL BE FOLLOWING IN THE RUN-UP TO CONVENTION TIME.

RNC FUN FACTS-CG TOPS

THIS MARKS THE THIRD TIME FLORIDA'S HOSTED THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.

MIAMI HOSTED IN 1968 AND 1972.

ALL TOLD--

SOME 50-THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED IN TAMPA FOR THE CONVENTION.

CREWS WILL INSTALL OVER 80-MILES OF PHONE AND INTERNET LINES.

NEARLY 23-HUNDRED DELEGATES ARE ATTENDING THE CONVENTION--

FAMU HAZING-VO, SS, OC

FLORIDA A&M PRESIDENT JAMES AMMONS RESIGNED TODAY.

HIS RESIGNATION WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE EFEFCT IN OCTOBER--

BUT THE GOVERNING BOARD TOLD HIM TO STEP AWAY NOW.

AMMONS WAS UNDER FIRE SINCE THE HAZING DEATH OF A MARCHING BAND MEMBER ROBERT CHAMPION.

TRUSTEES COMPLAINED ABOUT A LACK OF OVERSIGHT OF THE MARCHING BAND--

ZARB DISCOVERY-ON CAM

ONE OF THE TWO MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING AN ESTERO WOMAN LAST APRIL --

TODAY CLAIMS HE'S NOT GETTING EFFECTIVE LEGAL HELP.

ZARB DISCOVERY-PKG

MARY ANN ZARB'S DISAPPEARANCE GRIPPED THE COMMUNITY IN THE SPRING OF 20-11.

MISSING FOR 12 DAYS - NO ONE HAD HEARD FROM THE ESTERO WOMAN AFTER SHE HIRED CONTRACTORS TO REMODEL HER KITCHEN.

THEN DEPUTIES DISCOVERED HER BODY IN WOODS NEAR THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY LINE.

TODAY - ONE OF THE TWO MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING HER -- SHANE SIMPKINS ASKED THE COURT FOR NEW ATTORNEYS

"All he wants me to do is just take a plea bargain. Just plea out, plea out and that his whole goal is to get me a term of years instead of preparing himself for trial."

THE JUDGE ORDERED NEW ATTORNEYS -- AS NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT THE STATE'S CASE AGAINST SIMPKINS AND HIS CO-DEFENDANT CHRISTOPHER NEUBERGER.

ONE THOUSAND PLUS PAGES OF INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTS -- INCLUDING STATEMENTS FROM SIMPKINS' GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME -- TIFFANY SIPP.

HER NAME IS TATTOOED ON HIS NECK.

SHE WAS ONE OF FOUR PEOPLE AT ZARB'S HOUSE WHEN DEPUTIES CAME TO DO A WELLNESS CHECK.

SIPP TOLD DEPUTIES SHE SNAPPED PICTURES WITH 21-THOUSAND DOLLARS CASH -- MONEY STOLEN FROM ZARB.

'CAUSE I AIN'T NEVER COUNTED THAT MANY 100S. I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT MANY - P. 528

SHE ALSO TOLD DEPUTIES SHE WAS QUOTE FREAKING OUT BECAUSE ZARB'S GUN WAS IN HER CAR.

YOU KNOW, I WAS FREAKING OUT, BECAUSE THERE WAS A GUN IN MY CAR - p. 539

AND THEN ANOTHER DISCOVERY - SHOVELS.

ALL LEADING HER TO CONCLUDE -- HE PROBABLY DID SOMETHIN' BAD TO HER.

I THINK HE -- HE DID IT./DID WHAT?/HE PROBABLY DID SOMTHIN' BAD TO HER - P. 541

ZARB DISCOVERY-TAG

INVESTIGATORS SAY SIMPKINS AND NEUBERGER CONFESSED TO THE CRIMES.

THEY ARE CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE MURDER, KIDNAPPING, BURGLARY AND LARCENY.

MISSING IOWA COUSINS-VO WIPE

STILL NO SIGN OF TWO YOUNG COUSINS WHO DISAPPEARED IN IOWA ON FRIDAY.

SEARCH TEAMS ARE SCOURING THE AREA NEAR THE SMALL TOWN OF EVANSDALE--

WHERE 8 YEAR OLD ELIZABETH COLLINS AND HER 10 YEAR OLD COUSIN LYRIC COOK--

VANISHED DURING A BIKE RIDE.

MISSING IOWA COUSINS-SOTVO

every day I have hope.and when it gets dark its hard.

just crying out to God to bring them home and we know He will. He'll bring them home

AUTHORITIES FOUND THE GIRLS' BIKES BY THE LAKE ABOUT A MILE FROM THEIR HOME.

THEY ALSO FOUND ELIZABETH'S PURSE AND HER CELL PHONE.

AUTHORITIES SEARCHED THE LAKE--

STEPHEN COVEY DIES-ON CAM

STEPHEN COVEY--

AUTHOR OF "THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE"--

DIED TODAY.THREE MONTHS AFTER A SERIOUS BICYCLE ACCIDENT IN UTAH.

COVEY ALSO WROTE THREE OTHER BOOKS--

THAT ALL SOLD MORE THAN A MILLION COPIES.

TOSS TO CLIFTON-ON CAM

A DEADLY DISEASE IS ON THE RISE IN FLORIDA --

AND DOCTORS SAY IT IS COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE.

NBC-2'S CLIFTON FRENCH JOINS US WITH STARTLING NUMBERS ABOUT WHOOPING COUGH.

WHOOPING COUGH VACCINE-PLASMA MON

ACCORDING TO THE C-D-C--

THERE HAVE BEEN 273 CASES IN FLORIDA SO FAR THIS YEAR.

COMPARED TO ABOUT 140 LAST YEAR.

WHOOPING COUGH VACCINE-PKG

IT STARTS OUT LIKE A COMMON COLD.

BUT IT CAN TRANSFORM INTO SOMETHING DEADLY.

AND RIGHT NOW, CASES OF PERTUSSIS, KNOWN AS WHOOPING COUGH, ARE ON THE RISE.

DIANE HOLM, LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 51:00-04 "We're one of the top counties as far as the number of whooping cough cases."

DIANE HOLM, WITH THE LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS SO FAR IN LEE COUNTY, THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN 15 CONFIRMED CASES OF THE DISEASE. COMPARED TO 16 IN ALL OF 2011.

DIANE HOLM, LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 50:55-00 "In Lee County we're definitely seeing an increase, but it's a gradual increase."

THE DISEASE IS SPREAD THROUGH COUGHING AND SNEEZING.

BUT DOCTORS SAY IT'S PREVENTABLE, THROUGH A SERIES OF VACCINES.

SO WHY THE INCREASE?

ACCORDING TO HOLM, MORE PEOPLE ARE OPTING NOT TO GET THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED.

CHILDREN ENTERING SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME ARE MANDATED TO GET CERTAIN SHOTS, BUT A GROWING NUMBER OF PARENTS ARE CLAIMING RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS FROM VACCINATIONS.

AT THE SAME TIME, MANY ADULTS DON'T REALIZE THEY ALSO NEED THE VACCINE.

DR. IRWIN KASH, LEE PHYSICIAN GROUP 59:50-02 It starts out as a cold that is indistinguishable from any other cold, then it changes to a severe cough."

DR. IRWIN KASH, A PEDIATRICIAN WITH THE LEE PHYSICIAN GROUP, SAYS IF CAUGHT EARLY, THE DISEASE CAN BE TREATED.

BUT AS SOON AS THE COUGH SETS IN, THERE'S NO FIX.IT JUST HAS TO RUN ITS COURSE.

AND BECAUSE THE DISEASE IS SO SIMILAR TO A COMMON COLD IN THE BEGINNING, EARLY TREATMENT IS RARE.

HIS RECOMMENDATION IS FOR EVERYONE TO GET VACCINATED.

WHOOPING COUGH VACCINE-PLASMA MON

THAT'S ALSO THE RECOMENDATION OF THE C-D-C AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO URGES ADULTS WHO WERE VACCINATED AS CHILDREN TO GET A BOOSTER SHOT, BECAUSE THE VACCINATION TENDS TO WEAR OFF AS PEOPLE GET OLDER.

HIV VACCINE-VO

AMAZING NEWS TODAY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS.

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVED THE FIRST DRUG SHOWN TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HIV INFECTION.

IT'S A MILESTONE IN THE 30-YEAR BATTLE AGAINST AIDS.

THE DRUG IS CALLED "TRUVADA".

STUDIES SHOW IT CAN PREVENT PEOPLE FROM CONTRACTING HIV--

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

IT WAS A *VERY* CONTROVERSIAL DECISION--

TO *BAN* ALL TRANS FAT MEALS IN NEW YORK CITY!

IT WENT INTO EFFECT 5-YEARS AGO.

AND WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR WHAT KIND OF IMPACT IT HAD ON THE BIG APPLE!

AND A LOT OF NEWS TODAY ABOUT THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR GAS--

AND AIRLINE TICKETS.

ONE'S GOING DOWN--

THE OTHER.

TZ1 A) NY FAT BAN WORKS-VO WIPE

TZ1 B) GAS PRICES-VO TOPS

TZ1 C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

NY FAT BAN WORKS-ON CAM

REMEMBER THE "UPROAR"--

WHEN NEW YORK CITY *BANNED* MEALS WITH "TRANS FATS"?

WELL IN THE FIVE YEARS SINCE--

SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED.

NEW YORKERS LOST WEIGHT--

AND THEIR OVERALL HEALTH IMPROVED!

NY FAT BAN WORKS-PKG

FOODS LIKE THIS ARE NOT OFTEN CONSIDERED THE HEALTHIEST ITEMS ON THE MENU. BUT THEY'RE BETTER FOR YOU IN THE BIG APPLE THAN IN MOST OTHER CITIES.

"After the restriction of trans fat in NYC, we looked at what the average amount of trans fat was in lunchtime purchases at fast food restaurants, and we found that trans fat went down."

FIVE YEARS AGO NEW YORK CITY BECAME THE FIRST IN THE NATION TO IMPLEMENT A TRANS FAT BAN IN ALL OF ITS TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND RESTAURANTS.

IN A NEW STUDY NEW YORK CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS CALCULATED THE NUTRITION CONTENT OF NEARLY SEVEN THOUSAND RECEIPTS FROM ORDERS PLACED AFTER THE BAN WAS IMPLEMENTED. THEY FOUND DINERS ATE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS TRANS FAT -- AND THERE WAS ONLY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SATURATED FAT.

"You can walk into your favorite restaurant, order the exact same lunch you've always ordered, and it just has much less trans fat, nothing else has changed."

. INCLUDING HOW FOOD TASTES AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO MAKE.

WHAT *APPEARS* TO HAVE CHANGED IS A CUSTOMER'S RISK FOR HEART DISEASE.

"We know that when trans fat intake goes down, bad cholesterol goes down cardiovascular disease risk goes down."

EXPERTS SAY CONSUMERS STILL NEED TO MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS WHEN DINING OUT -- LIKE LIMITING SATURATED FAT AND EATING PLENTY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

BUT -- AT LEAST IN NEW YORK CITY -- PATRONS CAN ORDER THEIR FOOD WITHOUT A HIDDEN DOLLOP OF TRANS FAT -- AND FOR SOME THAT MIGHT JUST BE THE ICING ON THE CAKE.

TEASE TWO-ON CAM

ONE OF THE BIGGEST SINGERS ON THE PLANET HAS ROOTS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA!

KATY PERRY SPENT A YEAR HERE--

WENT TO SCHOOL--

EVEN WROTE HER TEACHER A THANK YOU NOTE!

TOMORROW--

YOU CAN HEAR HER *MOTHER* SPEAK!

AND HOW WOULD YOU LIKE A "PAID, PAID" VACATION!

NOT ONLY PAID HOLIDAYS--

BUT PAID TO ACTUALLY *GO* SOMEWHERE!

TZ2 A) KATY PERRY MOM-VO WIPE

TZ2 B) VACATION JOBS-VO TOPS

ROBERT WX OPEN-CLIP

FIRST ALERT FORECAST-WXWALL

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE NBC2 WEATHER STAFF.

IT IS NOT A VERBATIM OF WHAT IS BEING SAID, BUT IS THE FORECAST FOR OUR AREA.

RAIN CONTINUES THROUGH MIDWEEK

An onshore flow will remain in place Tuesday, which often means locations closer to the beaches and the urban corridor see the best rain chances earlier in the day while locations deeper inland stand the best chance of getting hit by a storm during the afternoon and evening.

Partly cloudy skies will be the rule for Tuesday, too. The added sun will allow temperatures to be around our average of 92.

Thunderstorms will be diminishing somewhat by mid week as a ridge of high pressure build over Southwest Florida. Another result of this ridge will be higher temperatures, and we very well could see a heat index between 100-105 by Thursday and Friday.

By the upcoming weekend, temperatures won't be quite as oppressive, and we'll see a return of our typical afternoon thunderstorm pattern.

KATY PERRY MOM IN SWFL-ON CAM

IT'S NOT WELL-KNOWN YET.

BUT A MAJOR POP-STAR SPENT A LITTLE TIME GROWING UP RIGHT HERE IN FORT MYERS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KATY PERRY - THEN KATY HUDSON.

HER MOM, MARY HUDSON, IS SPEAKING AT BALLYORNEY'S TOMORROW AT NOON.

HER MESSAGE IS ABOUT EMPOWERING WOMEN.

SO WE DECIDED TO LOOK INTO THE POP SENSATIONS OLD STOMPING GROUNDS.

KATY PERRY MOM IN SWFL-PKG

THESE HALLS.

THE CLASSROOM.

THIS LUNCHROOM.

ALL PART OF POP-STAR KATY PERRY'S LIFE IN FORT MYERS.

I remember Katy Hudson very well. She was very outgoing, very vivacious and an excellent student.

HER REAL NAME IS KATY HUDSON-

TRISH LANAHAN WAS KATY'S 4TH GRADE TEACHER FOR ALL THE BASICS, SOCIAL STUDIES, MATH AT FORT MYERS CHRISTAIN SCHOOL.

THE YEAR - 1994 TO 1995.

SHE WAS IN CHORUS TOO.

LANAHAN SAYS KATY WAS VERY BRIGHT.

LANAHAN COULDN'T FORGET THIS FACE.

BUT DIDN'T KNOW KATY WAS A BIG-TIME SINGING SENSATION.

SO WHEN I SHOWED HER A RECENT VIDEO OF KATY ONLINE.

SHE WAS QUITE SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH SHE'S CHANGED.

BUT NOT BY HER SUCCESS.

It doesn't surprise me that she's excelled in the areas she chose because she could handle everything I ever gave to her.

KATY WAS ONLY HERE FOR YEAR.

BUT WE'RE TOLD SHE LIKE TO VISIT THE EDISON-FORD WINTER ESTATE AND THE BEACH.

LANAHAN REMEMBERS KATY WAS WELL LIKED BY HER CLASSMATES.

We had three plays that year and she was quite the little actress in those plays apparently, a vocalist too.

PRINCIPAL MEL MITCHELL SAYS THEY'VE NEVER HAD ONE OF THEIR STUDENTS BECOME SUCH A BIG STAR.

It's interesting. You never know what kind of influence you'll have on a students life.

LANAHAN HOPES SHE DID.

SHE EVEN KEPT AN OLD LETTER AND POEM KATY GAVE HER.

Just thanking me all I had done for her. And along the way we've lost touch but hopefully she'll give me a ring.

SHIP CAPTAIN TALKS-SOTVO

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE IT SANK--

THE MAN AT THE HELM OF THE FATAL COSTA CONCORDIA ACCIDENT IS TALKING.

"At the end of the story it is very easy to find a scapegoat for the accident. The captain went insane and lets finish the story. I take my responsibility as a gentleman and a man. I take my responsibility. "

FRANCESCO SCHETTINO TOLD NBC NEWS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE COMPASS--

AND SOME OF THE CHARTS HE USED WERE INCORRECT.

HE'S CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER--

CANADIAN LANDSLIDE-VO

NOW TO SOME EXTRAORDINARY VIDEO OUT OF CANADA.

A LANDSLIDE SWEPT THROUGH THE REMOTE VILLAGE OF JOHNSON'S LANDING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA LAST WEEK.

A CREW FROM CANADA'S GLOBAL NEWS WAS THERE TO COVER A STORY WHEN THE LANDSLIDE SPED DOWN A HILL TOWARD THE LAKE.

GAS PRICES BOTTOMING OUT-VO

GAS PRICES HAVE DROPPED NEARLY SEVEN CENTS OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS--

BUT THAT SLIDE MAY BE COMING TO AN END.

CONSUMER GROUPS SAY PRICES WILL STOP FALLING--

BECAUSE CRUDE OIL PRICES HAVEN'T REALLY DROPPED IN SEVERAL WEEKS.

RIGHT NOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR GASOLINE IS $3.41.

AIRFARE WARS-VO WIPE

IF YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR CHEAP FARES TO FLY SOMEWHERE--

PACK YOUR BAGS!

AIRLINES ARE BATTLING AGAIN FOR YOUR BUSINESS IN A FALL AIRFARE WAR.

SOUTHWEST FIRED THE FIRST SHOT--

CUTTING SOME FARES TO JUST 69 DOLLARS EACH WAY TO CERTAIN CITIES.

AMERICAN AND OTHER MAJOR AIRLINES QUICKLY ENTERED THE FRAY--

AIRFARE WARS-SOTVO

"You will find tons of cities going to Europe. Barcelona Madrid to London for less than a thousand dollars. Many of them are actually going to be in the 900 dollar range."

YOU NEED TO BUY THE TICKET 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE.

THE CHEAP FLIGHTS DON'T START UNTIL AUGUST 21ST.

VACATION JOBS-VO WIPE

SOME COMPANIES ARE SO DESPERATE TO FIND AND KEEP QUALIFIED WORKERS--

THEY'RE OFFERING SPECIAL DEALS.

HOW SPECIAL?

A DENVER COMPANY IS OFFERING NOT ONLY PAID VACATION TIME--

BUT A 75-HUNDRED DOLLAR "VACATION BONUS"!

THEY'RE CALLING IT THE "PAID - PAID VACATION".

THE IDEA CAME FROM THE COMPANY PRESIDENT--

VACATION JOBS-SOTVO

"Folks get paid on vacation, but we also give them sort of a vacation bonus for them to go on vacation".

"The biggest benefit is when you get back, you're so much more invigorated, recharged."

THERE ARE A FEW CONDITIONS.

NO SMART PHONES--

NO IPADS--

NO LAPTOPS.

TEASE THREE-2SHOT

A 50-THOUSAND DOLLAR BOAT MYSTERY IN NAPLES IS QUICKLY BECOMING THE TALK OF THE TOWN.

THE OWNER OF THIS BOAT HAS DISAPPEARED!

POLICE AND THE CITY CAN'T FIND HIM!

SO WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WAYNE BALL?

AND ALL NEW AT SIX--

TZ3 A) NAPLES MYSTERY BOAT-VO WIPE

AHEAD AT 6-BANNER

A) ALEX STANDUP TEASE-SOT-TOPS

OLYMPIC ATHLETES ARRIVE-VO WIPE

TODAY IS THE BUSIEST DAY OF OLYMPIC ARRIVALS IN LONDON.

OLYMPIANS FROM 50 COUNTRIES ARRIVED TODAY.

AMONG THEM--

THE BULK OF TEAM U-S-A AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SOME 16-THOUSAND ATHLETES WILL ARRIVE IN LONDON OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

AROUND 90-PERCENT ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT HEATHROW--

CREATING A VIRTUAL CITY FOR THE NEXT 4-WEEKS.

OLYMPIC ATHLETES ARRIVE-SOTVO, SS

"We're feeling great, it's great to be in London. You know, obviously we've been working a while for this".

"But we are ready, we are ready for the Games to start."

237-THOUSAND PEOPLE FLEW INTO HEATHROW TODAY--

THAT BREAKS *EUROPE'S* ALL-TIME RECORD!

WE'RE JUST 11-DAYS AWAY FROM THE OPENING CEREMONIES!

YOU CAN SEE THEM--

AND ALL THE ACTION--

NAPLES MYSTERY BOAT-ON CAM

A MYSTERY BOAT--

IS DOCKED AT THE NAPLES PIER.

IT'S BEEN THERE MORE THAN A MONTH--

BUT THE BOATS OWNER IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

CITY OFFICIALS TURNING TO NBC2 FOR HELP.

NAPLES MYSTERY BOAT-PKG

A 30-FOOT CATAMARAN IN PERFECT CONDITION -- TIED UP AT THE NAPLES CITY DOCK AND ABANDONED--

CLOTHING AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS STILL INSIDE.

17:59:16 pretty odd 17:58:30 that boat came in and it's just been sitting, it's been abandoned

17:51:22 that is usually because the boat has no value or bank is looking to re-posses it, this has turned up none of the above, it is a valuable vessel it has no liens against it, so why it's been here for a month and a half nobody really knows 34

ESTIMATED TO COST AROUND $50 THOUSAND DOLLARS-- 'LATITUDES' WAS TRACKED FROM KEY WEST USING GPS. FIRST NOTICED AT THE DOCKS ON JUNE 6th.

THE CATAMARAN IS REGISTERED TO 57-YEAR-OLD WAYNE BALL. BALL HASN'T PAID HASN'T PAID A DIME OF SLIP FEES.

ACCORDING TO SEARCHES BY CITY OFFICIALS-- BALL IS ORIGINALLY FROM GEORGIA, BUT HAS LIVED AND WORKED IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THAT'S WHERE THE CHAIN OF CLUES ENDS.

17:49:36 we have totally struck out with trying to find this gentleman. we found no second of kin, we found an address in georgia that was a po box but found out his mail hasn't been picked up in well over a month 48

17:56:31 for more than a month, the city has exhausted their resources looking for the boat's owner. They've checked with police, jails, even local hospitals-- and have collected a file full of paperwork on him-- but they still can't track him down 43

17:50:20 we're kind of at a loss at this point, the city dock isn't looking at this as a crime, we would just like to know where he is, and why is his boat here 31. 17:50:56 we want to make sure the gentleman is ok

CITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR BALL BEFORE THEY CONSIDER TAKING POSSESSION OF THE BOAT--

THEY'RE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO HELP TO PIN-POINT THE OWNER OF LATITUDES.