DIRECTORS PAGE

NEWS AT 6PM HEADLINES-SOTTOPS

MEDSTAR FALLOUT

LEE COUNTY'S GROUNDED MEDICAL HELICOPTER--

THE TARGET OF YET ANOTHER INVESTIGATION TONIGHT.

"billing, accreditation. did we do the right things? the management team. were they responsible?"

NBC-2 IS THERE AS THE COUNTY TAKES A HARD LOOK AT ITS *OWN CONDUCT.

COURTROOM EXCHANGE

THE MAN ACCUSED OF GUNNING DOWN HIS ESTRANGED WIFE, IN FRONT OF A ROOM FULL OF YOUNG CHILDREN, WANTS A NEW LAWYER!

THE HEATED EXCHANGE IN COURT--

AND WHY ROBERT DUNN SAYS HE CAN'T GET A FAIR TRIAL.

STUDENTS IN DANGER

DARK ROADS--

SPEEDING CARS--

AND NO SIDEWALKS--

A DANGEROUS COMBINATION FOR STUDENTS IN LEE COUNTY.

Lt. James Loethen/Lee Co. Deputy// 48:35 All that is a recipe for something to happen bad. 48:39

NEWS AT 6PM OPEN-CLIP

TRACKING DOWNPOURS IN SWFL-RADAR-ANI-BOXES

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S ONLY LIVE RADAR LIT UP WITH RED, YELLOW AND GREEN TONIGHT--

NBC-2 METEOROLOGIST JIM REIF IS TRACKING THOSE STORMS--

TRACKING DOWNPOURS IN SWFL-WX CTR

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.

A stalled front over the Florida peninsula is pumping lots of tropical moisture into Southwest Florida and is also helping to trigger rain and thunderstorms over the area and also in the Gulf of Mexico.

With the southwesterly wind flow in place, the trend will be for the rain in the Gulf of Mexico to drift towards the Southwest Florida coastline. Expect off and on showers and even a couple of thunderstorms through the evening.

The activity will wind down later tonight, with a mostly to partly cloudy sky and low temperatures near 75º.

The front doesn't move much tomorrow, so the pattern will remain the same, with lots of clouds, some sun from time to time and over half of Southwest Florida will get a shower or thunderstorm. Highs will be in the upper 80s.

The front begins to fall apart a bit by Thursday & Friday and a northeast wind will bridge the front, which will slightly dry us out and lower the rain chance. Still, about half of Southwest Florida will get some rain.

The weekend looks to be more of what you would expect this time of the year. Easterly wind flow will give us sun in the morning. Then the sea breeze moves ashore in the afternoon and triggers the afternoon storms.

MEDSTAR CLERKS AUDIT-TRX-(2)SOT-TOPS-2SHOT-PUSH

"this is impacting people's lives. we need to push the timeframe up on this. but there's a lot of unanswered questions for me"

5:29:50 i've been putting up with this for a year. i'm mad as hell i'm not taking it anymore 53

TEMPERS HIT A BOILING POINT IN THE MEDSTAR FALLOUT-- NEARLY A MONTH AFTER LEE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY HELICOPTER WAS GROUNDED.

NBC-2'S JENNIFER TRAMMELL HAS BEEN CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE STORY OF A BILLING BLUNDER TO THE TUNE OF 3 MILLION DOLLARS.

MEDSTAR CLERKS AUDIT-PLASMA

A BIG QUESTION TODAY IS THE TIMELINE.

MEDSTAR CLERKS AUDIT-PKG-BNR

THE MEDSTAR STORY STARTED AS LEE COUNTY TAKING SOME TIME OUT OF THE SKY TO REBUILD AND GO AFTER NATIONAL ACCREDITATION.

BUT WITHIN A WEEK -- NBC2 DISCOVERED A THREE MILLION DOLLAR BILLING BLUNDER; AND COMPLAINTS WITH THE F-A-A.

KAREN 5:30:55 no i don't think that i had the full picture of what was happening 59 and we will move on and i will get the full picture 03

PART OF THAT PICTURE WILL COME FROM THE COUNTY CLERK'S AUDIT.

GREEN 5:15:50 billing, accreditation. did we do the right things? the management team. were they responsible? 57

CLERK CHARLIE GREEN SAYS IT WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO MONTHS; AND 30-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO COMPLETE.

TODAY -- FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW, COMMISSIONER BRIAN BIGELOW CALLED FOR HAWES TO STEP DOWN.

BRIAN BIGELOW -- we've gotta put an end to it. or you put an end to it and let us move on with placing an interim and finding a permanent.

AFTER THE MEETING -- HAWES RESPONDED TO THE DEMAND.

KAREN 5:38:03 when you step into a position like this, you're always going to receive criticism 08

IT WASN'T THE ONLY HEATED EXCHANGE TODAY.

FIRED PIILOT ARNOLD MCALLISTER ALSO WENT AFTER HAWES; CRITICIZING THE COUNTY'S H-R DEPARTMENT.

5:26:30 MCALLISTER if they kept this from you they need to answer. 33 KAREN i know that there have been issues ok? 36

THE HEART OF MCALLISTER'S QUESTION IS SEMANTICS --

MANN 5:20:15 were those 4 positions out there the supervisor and three pilots - were they fired or were their positions eliminated? 25

TERMINATED? OR ELIMINATED?

IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO FILING A GRIEVANCE.

MEDSTAR CLERKS AUDIT-PLASMA

WE ALSO CONFIRMED TODAY THE COUNTY IS LOOKING TO HIRE AN AVIATION CONSULTING FIRM.

THREE COMPANIES ARE IN THE RUNNING TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF MEDSTAR.

NO CONTRACT HAS BEEN FINALIZED.

MEDSTAR INVESTIGATION-ON CAM

CHRIS HANSEN, THE LEE COUNTY E-M-S CHIEF WHO RETIRED IN 2008, IS BACK ON THE JOB, HELPING THE COUNTY GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEMS.

THE COUNTY HIRED HIM AS A CONSULTANT, WITH A THREE MONTH CONTRACT WORTH UP TO 15-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ROBERT DUNN HEARING-ON CAM

A HEATED EXCHANGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON IN A SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COURT ROOM.

A MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS ESTRANGED WIFE.ACCUSED HIS OWN ATTORNEY OF TRYING TO CONVICT HIM!

ROBERT DUNN HEARING-PKG-BNR

BICKERING INSIDE OPEN COURT -- ROBERT DUNN RAILS AGAINST HIS OWN LAWYER DAVID BRENER.

3726 "there is no mental illness. I'm tired of that too."

DUNN ACCUSES BRENER OF CALLING HIM A KILLER --- AND WANTED HIM FIRED A MONTH BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED TRIAL.

THE ACCUSED MURDERER FACES THE DEATH PENALTY IF CONVICTED --- IN THE 2008 FATAL SHOOTING OF HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT BOBBIE NOONAN DAYCARE OFF CAPE CORAL PARKWAY.

3834 "I would never tell a client he's a murderer."

BRENER FIRED BACK AGAINST DUNN -- CALLING HIM DOWNRIGHT DELUSIONAL.

THE LAYWER CLAIMS HE'S DOING EVERYTHING IN HIS LEGAL POWER -- TO PROTECT DUNN.

3716 "I believe Mr. Dunn believes these comments have been made because of his mental illness."

JUDGE MEG STEINBACK TOLD DUNN -- BRENER WILL STAY ON TO DEFEND HIM -- AND ISSUED HIM A WARNING.

1732 "i'm advising you if you sabotage your relationship with your court attorney. He's sabotaging it. So what?"

AND WHEN DUNN DIDN'T GET THE RULING HE FOUGHT FOR THIS AFTERNOON -- HE TOLD THE JUDGE HE WANTED OUT OF HER COURTROOM.

1715 "it's all my fault. I get it. I'm just warning you. I rather just go. I don't even want to be here."

MANATEE SEX STING LOCAL ARRESTS-VO-SS-WIPE

THREE MEN FROM SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AMONG NEARLY FOUR DOZEN, ARRESTED IN A CHILD SEX STING IN MANATEE COUNTY.

VIDEO OF THE STING SHOWS INVESTIGATORS ARRESTING THE MEN WHEN THEY SHOW UP AT A HOME, TO HAVE SEX WITH A CHILD.

INVESTIGATORS MADE CONTACT WITH THE MEN THROUGH ONLINE CHATROOMS.

ERIC BAUM AND TYRONE SHERFIELD TRAVELED FROM NAPLES--

AND 27-YEAR-OLD GARY CRISTINA FROM PORT CHARLOTTE TO MANATEE COUNTY, ACCORDING THE DEPUTIES.

MANATEE SEX STING LOCAL ARRESTS-SOTVO

SOT: "I have 2 small children and that really worries me that something like that could be happening right across the hall from me."

CAPE TEEN SUICIDE-VO-WIPE

AN OUTPOURING OF EMOTION AND SUPPORT FOR A CAPE CORAL TEEN WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE ON FRIDAY.

SIERRA HIXENBAUGH WAS A JUNIOR AT IDA BAKER HIGH SCHOOL IN CAPE CORAL.

TODAY, FRIENDS OF THE 16-YEAR-OLD WORE PURPLE TO SCHOOL IN HER MEMORY.

CAPE TEEN SUICIDE-SOT-SS

-"It's just a tragic loss, everybody is going to miss her. On Friday everyone is going to the beach after school and writing messages on balloons and sending them away so she can see everybody."

FGCU BUDGET CUTS-ON CAM

FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS, FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY HAS HAD TO DO *MORE WITH *LESS--

AND THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT.

TODAY, THE SCHOOL'S PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THREE-POINT-SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN BUDGET CUTS.

FGCU BUDGET CUTS-PKG-BNR

THE TERM "BUDGET CUT" NEVER LOOKS GOOD, BUT WHEN 2.3 MILLION DOLLARS IS SLASHED FROM ACADEMICS, REPUTATION IS ON THE LINE.

4.47.44 I think its worse for us because we're known for our smaller class sizes.

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY ATTRACTS STUDENTS FOR GIVING MORE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION---BUT MORE STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO SIT IN CROWDED CLASSROOMS BECAUSE FEWER SECTIONS OF COURSES WILL BE OFFERED.

STUDENTS ARE ALREADY FEELING THE AFFECTS OF THE BUDGET CRUNCH.

getting into the class is pretty horrible, getting into class this semester is a long process for a lot of us.

AND IT WON'T BE GETTING ANY BETTER SOON---94 VACANT POSITIONS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED---FOR GOOD.

THE LIBRARY IS TURNING ITS LIGHTS OFF EARLIER DURING THE WEEK, AND THE DOORS WILL BE LOCKED ON THE WEEKEND.

AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES ARE GETTING SKIPPED OVER.

ALL THESE CUTS BRADSHAW SAYS ARE THE RESULT OF STATE CUTS, AN INADEQUATE TUITION INCREASE, AND THE BIG JUMP IN ENROLLMENT.

southwest florida is just going to have to understand without adequate resources we're going to have to slow that growth significantly and not just in numbers of students but also in programming.

THE NUMBER OF FGCU FRESHMAN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS RAPIDLY INCREASED.

BUT BECAUSE OF MORE BUDGET CUTS LOOMING IN THE WINGS, DR BRADSHAW EXPECTS FGCU WON'T BE SEEING AS BIG OF AN INCREASE NEXT YEAR.

AND HE'S NOT EVEN COUNTING ON FUTURE FUNDING FROM THE STATE FOR BUILDING NEW FACILTIES.

that has been almost a zero and we can anticipate that's going to be the case for this upcoming year. We'll be making a request but we're not optimistic about it.

FMB CONSTRUCTION-ON CAM

BUILDERS ON FORT MYERS BEACH ARE SEEING A BOOM IN CONSTRUCTION--

A TREND THAT'S EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR.

FMB CONSTRUCTION-PKG-BNR

IN DESIGNING THEIR BEACHFRONT HOME, DICK AND FLORA TYLER FOCUSED ON THE VIEW.

Nats it looks much better up 17 feet

THEY'RE INVESTING ABOUT 2 MILLION DOLLARS AT THE SOUTHERN END OF FORT MYERS BEACH--

TEARING DOWN AN OLD HOME, AND BUILDING A NEW ONE.

the land is too valuable to have an inexpensive house on it that doesn't meet code and you can't do anything with

TIMING, TYLER SAYS, FINALLY SEEMED RIGHT.

the pricing has come down significantly from what it was 6 or 7 years ago

A SIGN THAT REAL ESTATE PRICES HAVE HIT BOTTOM.

we seem to be getting some good leads

BUILDER MICHAEL STEWART'S COMPANY IS JUST ONE THAT BENEFITS FROM THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION INCREASE ON THE ISLAND SINCE 2009.

i just started seeing people, basically cash buyers come out I think theres more confidence out there now

the overall number of building permits this year compared to last will be roughly the same, but the difference this year is more people building new homes, 17 so far this year, compared with just 5 last year

Nats saw

STEWART'S BUILDING A LUXURY HOME.

its two stories and has a good view of the bay

take graphics

CONSTRUCTION SPENDING ON THE ISLAND IS UP MORE THAN 3 MILLION DOLLARS.

FROM NEARLY 2 POINT 3 MILLION LAST YEAR

TO MORE THAN 6 MILLION THIS YEAR.

i think it's a great thing for our economy but i think we need a little more of it

A LITTLE MORE OF IT TO FEEL SECURE, BUT A SIGN THAT BUYER CONFIDENCE IS IMPROVING.

HOME CONSTRUCTION BREAKOUT-HLF SCRN RVL

NBC-2 DID SOME DIGGING AND FOUND OUT THE NUMBER OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOME PERMITS ARE ALSO UP IN UNINCORPORATED LEE COUNTY--

SO FAR, THERE HAVE BEEN 360 PERMITS THIS YEAR--

AND THE COUNTY TELLS US PERMITS ARE ON PACE TO PASS THE 373 THAT WERE ISSUED FOR ALL OF LAST YEAR.

CANADIANS BUYING SWFL REAL ESTATE-TRX-ON CAM

CANADIANS ARE SHOWING SERIOUS INTEREST IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA--

THE NAPLES BOARD OF REALTORS TELLS NBC-2 CANADIANS ARE FLOCKING TO OUR AREA TO BUY UP PROPERTY.

OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, 70-PERCENT OF FOREIGN BUYERS HAVE BEEN FROM CANADA.

NAPLES PLAZA SIGN DISPUTE-VO

BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE NAPLES PLAZA ON U-S 41 MAKE A RENEWED PUSH FOR BIGGER SIGNS.

THE PLAZA IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND STORE OWNERS SAY IT'S CRUSHING THEIR BUSINESS.

LAST MONTH, THE CITY APPROVED AN EXCEPTION, GIVING PUBLIX THE GO-AHEAD TO BUILD A STOREFRONT SIGN TWICE AS BIG AS THE 80-SQUARE-FOOT MAX ALLOWED BY CODE.

NOW, OTHER BUSINESSES ARE CONSIDERING PETITIONING THE CITY FOR AN EXCEPTION.

ALL NEW TONIGHT AT SIX OPEN-CLIP

TEASE ONE----------------------------

AN NBC-2 INVESTIGATION EXPOSES THE DANGERS LURKING AT LOCAL SCHOOL BUS STOPS--

WE FOUND SOME DRIVERS SWERVING TO MISS KIDS STANDING ALONG THE ROAD.

TONIGHT, WE LOOK AT WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE DOING TO MAKE THE KIDS SAFE.

PLUS--

"I couldn't see the board because I was in the back table and the super glue kept on going where the letters were."

HOW ONE LOCAL CHARITY IS MAKING SURE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S NEEDIEST CHILDREN HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO EXCEL IN THE CLASSROOM.

TZ1 A) DARK BUS STOPS FOLO-VOTOPS

TZ1 B) NCEF EYEGLASSES FOR KIDS-SOTVO

TZ1 C) FORECAST TEASE-STC

STOCKS BUMP-CGTOPS

JIM REIF FORECAST 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.

A stalled front over the Florida peninsula is pumping lots of tropical moisture into Southwest Florida and is also helping to trigger rain and thunderstorms over the area and also in the Gulf of Mexico.

With the southwesterly wind flow in place, the trend will be for the rain in the Gulf of Mexico to drift towards the Southwest Florida coastline. Expect off and on showers and even a couple of thunderstorms through the evening.

The activity will wind down later tonight, with a mostly to partly cloudy sky and low temperatures near 75º.

The front doesn't move much tomorrow, so the pattern will remain the same, with lots of clouds, some sun from time to time and over half of Southwest Florida will get a shower or thunderstorm. Highs will be in the upper 80s.

The front begins to fall apart a bit by Thursday & Friday and a northeast wind will bridge the front, which will slightly dry us out and lower the rain chance. Still, about half of Southwest Florida will get some rain.

The weekend looks to be more of what you would expect this time of the year. Easterly wind flow will give us sun in the morning. Then the sea breeze moves ashore in the afternoon and triggers the afternoon storms.

INVESTIGATORS OPEN-CLIP

DARK BUS STOPS FOLO-VOTOPS-2SHOT-TURN

LEE COUNTY DEPUTIES WERE DOING MORE TO PROTECT YOUR KIDS THIS MORNING, THANKS TO AN NBC-2 INVESTIGATION THAT UNCOVERED UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT BUS STOPS IN LEHIGH ACRES.

LAST WEEK WE FOUND STUDENTS WAITING IN THE DARK ALONG BUSY ROADS - MAKING IT HARD FOR DRIVERS TO SEE THEM.

PLUS - SPEEDERS AND DRIVERS BREAKING THE LAW BY PASSING STOPPED BUSSES.

TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL SINCE OUR INVESTIGATION--

DARK BUS STOPS FOLO-PKG-BNR

Lt. James Loethen/Lee Co. Deputy//47:37 There's no street lights up and down the road. That's an issue. 47:39

THAT'S JUST ONE REASON THAT LT. JAMES LOETHEN AND NEARLY A DOZEN DEPUTIES ARE PATROLING THIS DARK STRETCH OF LEONARD AVENUE.

Lt. James Loethen//47:43 There's no sidewalks.

WHEN WE CAME OUT LAST WEEK WE FOUND STUDENTS WALKING ON THE ROAD TO GET TO THE BUS STOP;

SPEEDING CARS;

EVEN DRIVERS NOT STOPPING FOR BUSSES PICKING UP KIDS.

Lt. James Loethen/Lee Co. Deputy// 48:00 It's not a wonder we're out here. 48:02

WITHIN IN MINUTES TODAY; THEY WERE CAUGHT BY PATROLS.

DEPUTIES CITED SIX PEOPLE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR, BUT EVEN MORE DISTURBING; DRIVERS SWERVING TO MISS KIDS STANDING ALONG THE ROAD.

Lt. James Loethen/Lee Co. Deputy// 48:35 All that is a recipe for something to happen bad. 48:39

FOR PARENTS, THE FLASHING LIGHTS AND OUR CAMERS ARE A WELCOME SIGN.

Lindsey Mahoney/Parent// 41:44 Yeah there's a lot of cops out. That makes me feel better because I have four little ones. 41:49

Dave Elias/Fort Myers// 01:06:38 So again we took the results of THIS investigation back to the transportation supervisor.He tells me the buses are stopping the right place but the students are standing in the wrong place. 01:06:49

Robert Morgan/Transportation Supervisor/// 58:09 We'll put a safety bulletin out there. We'll make sure we tell the bus operators.Do your job! 58:15

DEPUTIES PLAN TO HEAVILY PATROL HERE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS; SAYING STOPPING SPEEDERS AND THOSE ILLEGALLY PASSING BUSSES WILL HELP.

SPORTS OPEN-CLIP

WINSLOW A PATRIOT-VOTOPS

HE ONCE CALLED HIMSELF. A SOLIDER. NOW TIGHT END KELLEN WINSLOW CAN CALL HIMSELF A PATRIOT. NEW ENGLAND HAS SIGNED THE VETERAN FREE AGENT AFTER ONE OF THEIR STAR TIGHT ENDS. AARON HERNANDEZ. WAS INJURED OVER THE WEEKEND.

STEVE SABOL DIES-ONCAM

STEVE SABOL DIES-VO

FALCONS BEAT PEYTON-VO IN PLASMA

TURNER ARRESTED-VO

HARGROVE MEETING-VO

2 OF THE PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THE SAINTS BOUNTY-GATE MET WITH NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL THIS AFTERNOON. DEFENSIVE END WILL SMITH AND FORMER PORT CHARLOTTE GRAD ANTHONY HARGROVE WERE IN NEW YORK CITY FOR A 3-HOUR MEETING WITH THE COMMISH. NEITHER TALKED TO REPORTERS WHEN THEY LEFT THE BUILDING.

WATKINS ON FSU-ONCAM

WATKINS ON FSU-VO

THE FORMER SOUTH FORT MYERS STAR RIPPED THE NOLES FOR 141 YARDS AND 2 SCORES. NATURALLY. WHEN THE TOP 10 RANKED SCHOOLS MEET UP SATURDAY IN TALLAHASSEE. F-S-U WILL HAVE BE TARGETING NUMBER 2 EARLY AND OFTEN.

WATKINS ON FSU-SOT

PARTING THOUGHTS-ONCAM

NCEF EYEGLASSES FOR KIDS-OC-VO-OC

IT'S A PROBLEM EASY TO SEE--

IF KIDS CAN'T SEE, THEY CAN'T LEARN--

THE NAPLES CHILDREN AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION IS DOING ITS PART--

PROVIDING FREE EYE SCREENINGS AND GLASSES FOR THE NEEDIEST STUDENTS ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA--

ALL THANKS TO MONEY RAISED THROUGH THE NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL.

TODAY, A HUNDRED UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENTS FROM GOLDEN GATE MIDDLE SCHOOL GOT A FRESH SET OF EYES.

NCEF EYEGLASSES FOR KIDS-MINI-PKG-BNR

SIXTH GRADER SOFIA MORALES IS LEARNING THROUGH A FRESH SET OF EYES.

" I felt awesome. I saw that it wasn't really blurry and I could see everything almost like a normal person."

"some of them were facing an obstacle they probably didn't even realize they were facing until they put the glasses on and realized the world can be a little bit clearer now."

SINCE FOURTH GRADE SOPHIA HAS BEEN WEARING THESE GLASSES--

THEYRE BROKEN, SUPER-GLUED, AND SHE NEEDS AN ELASTIC BAND TO KEEP THE FRAMES ON HER FACE.

"I couldn't see the board because I was in the back table and the super glue kept on going where the letters were."

NOW SOPHIA AND ONE-HUNDRED OTHER STUDENTS AT GOLDEN GATE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN SEE CLEARLY.

CHEERING, KIDS PUTTING ON GLASSES

THEY GOT GLASSES FOR FREE--

PAID FOR BY THE NAPLES CHILDREN AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION THROUGH 750-THOUSAND DOLLARS RAISED AT THE NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL.

THEYRE FUNDING VISION SCREENINGS AND EYE-WEAR FOR STUDENTS AT SEVEN LOW-INCOME SCHOOLS ACROSS COLLIER COUNTY.

"some of them were facing an obstacle they probably didn't even realize they were facing until they put the glasses on and realized the world can be a little bit clearer now."

"the kids don't only get 1 pair of glasses, they get 2-- one to take home and one to keep at school in case they forget them."

"If I forget these glasses I have glasses for school."

SO EAGER STUDENTS LIKE SOFIA CAN FOCUS IN CLASS.

CLOSE-4SHOT