DIRECTOR PAGE

SHOW OPEN-CLIP

FIRST FORECAST-WX CTR

HORIZON COUNCIL-2SHOT, SS, 2SHOT

NEW NUMBERS OUT TODAY SHOW UNEMPLOYMENT IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CONTINUES TO DECLINE.

HENDRY COUNTY STILL HAS THE HIGHEST RATE IN THE STATE AT 15 POINT THREE PERCENT.

BUT LOOK HOW MUCH ITS COME DOWN IN A YEAR--

THE OTHER COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DIDN'T FALL AS MUCH, BUT ALSO CONTINUED TO DROP.

TONIGHT - NBC-2'S LEIGH DANA TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT TWO LOCAL COMPANIES

HORIZON COUNCIL-PKG

tr

MICHAEL CHALK WAS THE 26TH EMPLOYEE OF GARTNER, INC.

WHEN IT OPENED DOORS IN LEE COUNTY BACK IN 1998.

RIGHT NOW - THE GLOBAL I-T RESEARCH COMPANY HAS 500 PEOPLE ON ITS STAFF.

20:43 QUICK! michael chalk/ group vice president

" from a financial impact to our community, I think it's huge."

16:29 Nate Swan/ group vp/ gartner

" it's not going to stop. We think it's going to be a continual growth opportunity."

TODAY GARTNER WAS AWARDED WITH THE HORIZON COUNCIL INDUSTRY APPRECIATION AWARD FOR BUSINESS EXPANSION.

IT COMES ON THE SAME DAY AS THE LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE RELEASED.

22:19/ jennifer berg/ fort myers regional partners

as we look at the economy here, we're seeing a lot of challenges are becoming opportunities.

GOOD NEWS FOR LEE COUNTY. IT'S SEEING A DOWNWARD TREND IN UNEMPLOYMENT.

FOR AUGUST 2012 -- UNEMPLOYMENT IS AT 9.5 PERCENT.

THAT'S DOWN POINT 3 PERCENT JULY.

AND A FULL 2 PERCENT FROM AUGUST 2011.

THIS COMES AT THE SAME TIME -- LOCAL COMPANIES LIKE ARTHREX -- A MANUFACTURER OF ORTHEPEDIC SURGICAL DEVICES -- WANT TO HIRE.

ARTHREX RECEIVED HORIZON COUNCIL'S NEWCOMER AWARD.

IT JUST OPENED AN OFFICE IN LEE.

david bumpous/ director of operations/ arthrex

8:05 we have just over a hundred employees in Lee County today.We'll be relocating an addition 125. Later this year, with an expansion of hiring 50 new employees.

TO KEEP UP WITH THE JOB GROWTH-

ECONOMIC EXPERTS TELL US --

THE GOAL IS TO KEEP TRAINING PEOPLE RIGHT HERE FOR THOSE POSITIONS.

22:19/ jennifer berg/ fort myers regional partners

HORIZON COUNCIL-NEWSROOM

BERG -- ALSO TELLS ME WHILE OUR LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE STILL HIGH--

SHE IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OPPORTUNTIES IN THE COUNTY.

BUT SAYS WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

DECISION 2012-CLIP

CAMPAIGN 2012-ON CAM

WE ARE FOLLOWING A DEVELPING STORY. ANN ROMNEY'S PLANE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN COLORADO. AFTER THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE,

*NO ONE* WAS INJURED.

***

THE ROMNEY'S RELEASED THEIR TAX RETURNS TODAY. AMID INCREASING PRESSURE FROM DEMOCRATS TO DO SO.

CAMPAIGN 2012-PKG

FOR MONTHS MITT ROMNEY HAS FACED WITHERING CRITICISM ABOUT HIS REFUSAL TO

RELEASE MORE OF HIS TAX RETURNS.

AND THIS WEEK HE'S BEEN UNDER FIRE FOR HIS COMMENTS ABOUT THE "47 PERCENT."

SO TODAY SEEMS AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY FOR THE ROMNEY'S CAMPAIGN TO RELEASE

HIS 2011 TAXES.

THEY SHOW THAT LAST YEAR - THE ROMNEYS PAID NEARLY 2 MILLION IN TAXES,

MOSTLY ON INVESTMENT INCOME.

THAT MAKES THEIR FEDERAL TAX RATE 14-POINT-ONE PERCENT.

IN JANUARY HE RELEASED HIS 2010 RETURNS - AND HE PAID A FEDERAL TAX RATE

THAT YEAR OF ABOUT 13.9 PERCENT.

ROMNEY HAS SAID REPEATEDLY - AND FORCEFULLY - THAT THAT'S IT.TWO YEARS OF

TAX RETURNS.

we've released all the information required by law and then some.

BUT IN A SURPRISE MOVE - THE ROMNEY CAMPAIGN TODAY RELEASED A SUMMARY OF HIS

FILINGS FOR 20 YEARS - NOT THE ACTUAL RETURNS THOUGH.

every year I've paid at least 13 percent.

FROM 1990 TO 2009, THE ROMNEYS SAY THEY PAID AN AVERAGE FEDERAL TAX RATE OF

ABOUT 20 PERCENTTHE LOWEST PERSONAL TAX RATE THEY PAID WAS 13.66 PERCENT.

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN PAYS ABOUT 35 PERCENT.

SO HOW DOES ROMNEY MANAGE TO PAY SUCH A LOWER RATE?

SINCE INVESTMENTS ARE ROMNEY'S PRIMARY INCOME SOURCE - NOT WAGES OR SALARY -

CAMPAIGN 2012-TAG BNR

KAREN TRAVERS REPORTING.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MITT ROMNEY'S COMPLETE TAX RETURN--

WE PUT A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE--

PA HOSTAGE DRAMA-VO

THERE WERE SOME TENSE MOMENTS IN A PITTSBURGH OFFICE TODAY.

AN ARMED MAN TOOK A HOSTAGE--ON THE 16TH FLOOR.

THE SUSPECT GAVE HIMSELF UP--

AFTER POSTING FACEBOOK UPDATES IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE STANDOFF.

HE CLAIMED HE "LOST EVERYTHING".

THE SUSPECT IS IDENTIFIED AS KLEIN THAXTON.

HE HAD A MILITARY BACKGROUND.

MAN DRIVES WOMAN ON CAR-SOTVO

QUITE A SHOCK FOR DRIVERS ON AN INTERSTATE IN GEORGIA.

A MAN BARRELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY--

WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND ON THE HOOD OF HIS S-U-!

LISTEN TO THE 9-1-1 CALL.

"911, What's the location of your emergency?

"There is man driving a Jeep about 80 miles per hour on 85 North with a woman on the hood of it. She's banging on the windshield for him to stop."

"I've never seen this in my life. Oh, my God!"

OTHER DRIVERS WORKED TOGETHER AND MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO STOP.

THEY HELD THE MAN DOWN UNTIL POLICE ARRIVED.

THEY ARRESTED JONATHAN SALAS.

MADOFF MONEY RETURNED-VO

THE CHECKS ARE IN THE MAIL FOR SOME OF BERNIE MADOFF'S VICTIMS.

THE TRUSTEE OVERSEEING THE LIQUIDATION OF MADOFF'S FIRM--

IS SENDING OUT NEARLY TWO AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS IN CHECKS.

THE PAYMENTS WILL RANGE FROM 18-HUNDRED DOLLARS--

TO NEARLY 527 MILLION DOLLARS!

CO THEATRE REOPENS-VO

THE COLORADO THEATER WHERE A GUNMAN KILLED 12 PEOPLE AND INJURED 58--

WILL REOPEN.

THE COMPANY SAYS THE THEATER WILL BE RE-CONFIGURED.

AND RE-OPEN NEXT YEAR.

THE MAYOR WANTS SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS--

SODA OBESITY LINK-VO WIPE

IF YOU WANTED "ROCK SOLID" PROOF--

YOU GOT IT.

SEVERAL NEW STUDIES PUBLISHED TODAY--

CLAIM THERE IS SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE LINKING SODAS AND OTHER SUGAR SWEETENED DRINKS--

TO OBESITY.

BUT THEY ALSO TAKE THE PROBLEM ONE STEP FURTHER.

PEOPLE WHO ARE GENETICALLY PREDISPOSED TO BECOMING OBESE--

ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO DO SO--

SODA OBESITY LINK-SOTVO

"But if they did drink soda, they had about a 300% risk of becoming obese."

THE RISK FOR OBESITY WAS ABOUT 30-PERCENT FOR THOSE WITH A FAMILY HISTORY--

BUT WHO DID *NOT* INDULGE IN SOFT DRINKS.

THIS IMPLIES THAT PEOPLE WITH THE OBESITY GENE--

SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR-VO

THE SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR FLEW IT'S FINAL MISSION TODAY.

IT SOARED OVER CALIFORNIA FOR ABOUT 5-HOURS.

LOOKING DOWN ON SEVERAL LANDMARKS--

INCLUDING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IN SAN FRANCISCO--

AND THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN OUTSIDE LOS ANGELES.

IT'S ON THE GROUND NOW AT THE LOS ANGELES AIRPORT.

NEW YORK ZOO MAULING-LIVE

New York police say a man has been mauled by a tiger and has lost a leg.

THE MAN jumped from an elevated area over *two* fences.

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

TEACHERS USE A VARIETY OF TOOLS TO GET KIDS INTERESTED IN LEARNING.

SOME SECOND GRADERS ARE USING TEDDY BEARS TO LEARN ABOUT GEORGRAPHY!

AND THESE BEARS HAVE QUITE A STORY TO TELL.

AND A MAJOR PUSH IS ON TO GET CANCER VACCINES ON THE MARKET.

THE TARGET--

TZ1 A) TRAVEL MATES-VO WIPE

TZ1 B) CANCER PROJECT-VO TOPS

TZ1 C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

TRAVEL MATES-ON CAM

FORGET A PASSPORT.KIDS IN COLLIER COUNTY HAVE TEDDY BEARS.

TRAVEL MATES-PKG

WITH THEIR BEARS HELD TIGHT--

THE SECOND GRADERS AT OSCEOLA ELEMENTARY PREPARE TO BID FAREWELL TO THEIR TEDDY TRAVELMATES.

have a wonderful trip bears- throwing seed

THEIR TEACHERS TOSS BIRDSEEDS--

'

LAUGHING

A TOKEN OF GOODLUCK ON THEIR JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD.

"He likes to travel to different places and meet new people."

"He would like to go to new york city and he wants to go there because he wants to go to the toy store."

THESE FURRY FRIENDS COULD END UP ANYWHERE.

THEY ARE PART OF A PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH NORTHERN TRUST BANK, MEANT TO ENGAGE KIDS IN LEARNING ABOUT THE WORLD.

"Understanding and enjoying the concept of geography and land marks and other countries and cultures."

"Just opens the world to these little children."

THE STUFFED ANIMALS ARE HANDED OFF TO TRAVELERS--

SO FAR BEARS HAVE BEEN TO THE PYRAMIDS IN EGYPT, PARIS, EVEN THE ROYAL WEDDING.

"We get calls from people all over town that ask where can they get a bear."

THEY SEND BACK PICTURES AND POSTCARDS-- EACH WITH A UNIQUE STORY.

WHILE THE KIDS DONT KNOW WHERE THEIR TEDDYS TRAVELS WILL TAKE THEM--

THEY HAVE SOME IDEAS ON WHAT THEYLL LEARN.

"I think hell learn sign language and spanish, french."

TEDDYS PILED UP, "BYE BILLY"

TRAVEL MATES-TAG

IF YOU ARE PLANNING ANY TRIPS--

YOU CAN PICK UP A BEAR AT TWO NORTHERN TRUST BANK LOCATIONS IN NAPLES.

ONE ON FIFTH AVENUE--

TEASE TWO-ON CAM

iPHONE FRENZY IS AT A FEVER PITCH.

APPLE BEGAN SELLING ITS LATEST MODEL TODAY.

BUT THERE ARE SOME BIG CHANGES.

FOR ONE--

APPLE IS LONGER "IN BED" WITH GOOGLE!

NOW THE QUESTION IS--

HOW WILL THEIR RIVALRY IMPACT CUSTOMERS?

PLUS--

TZ2 A) iPHONE 5 SALES-VO WIPE

TZ2 B) DAVE ELIAS STANDUP-SOT TOPS

JIM 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.

NUMEROUS STORMS FOR SATURDAY

This weekend will be a split decision. Saturday will be cloudy and rainy while Sunday will have more sunshine and less rain.

What I'm saying - Sunday is the day you'll want to go outside!

There's three features at play in our weather for the next two days. First is a tropical wave sitting to our southeast, next an old frontal boundary, and lastly a big low pressure center in the upper atmosphere. They're all working together to give us the not so great weather.

The good news - we will see breaks in the clouds from time to time, and Sunday will be very sunny.

Tropical type downpours will be numerous and widespread tomorrow. Coastal showers early? Yes, but they'll be very isolated. The widespread and robust downpours will occur between 2 to 7 PM.

Sunday through Tuesday looks to be normal. By "normal" I mean partly sunny skies and isolated thunderstorms each evening.

Highs will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s.

iPHONE 5 SALES-ON CAM

THE iPHONE5 IS FINALLY AVAILABLE IN APPLE STORES.

FANS LINED UP FOR DAYS TO GET ONE.

BUT LOOK BEYOND THE FRENZY--

AND YOU CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE *BIG* WAR WAGING BETWEEN APPLE--

AND ITS LONG TIME FRIEND "GOOGLE".

SO WILL THEIR FEUD UPSET THE "APPLE CART"?

iPHONE 5 SALES-PKG

NATS / "3. 2. 1. yeah!"

I-PHONE-5 FRENZY HAS SPREAD FROM TOKYO.

NATS / "Cheering, High Fives"

TO NEW YORK.

THOUSANDS WAITED HOURS IN LINE -- SOME DAYS -- TO GET THEIR HANDS ON APPLE'S

NEW THINNER. LIGHTER. AND FASTER PHONE.

SOT -- Hazam Sayed, First Customer:

"This is like an incredible device. I'm really looking forward to playing

with it."

FOR SOME. IT WAS LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY.

SOT -- Keenan Thompson, Customer:

"You can't get this experience anywhere else. I'm so happy I have the

phone now. "

APPLE ANNOUNCED IT'S ALREADY SOLD TWO MILLION I-PHONE-5's IN PRE-SALES.

THEY START AT TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.

AND *THAT* TRIGGERED A BOOST IN THE STOCK MARKET.

BUT FORMER APPLE WORKERS IN FRANCE ARE PROTESTING THAT ONLY EXECUTIVES ARE

REAPING THE HUGE PROFITS.

THE I-PHONE-5 ALSO COMES WITH A FEW GRIPES:

THERE'S A NEW, SMALLER CHARGER.

AND -- ITS OPERATING SYSTEM DUMPED GOOGLE MAPS FOR ITS OWN MAPPING SYSTEM.

THAT'S HAD SOME GLITCHES.

SOT - Jason Tanz, Wired Magazine Editor

"This is essentially a. a corporate battle between Apple and Google. and

Customers are suffering for it."

ON THE MAPS. ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GONE.

RIVERS ARE A TANGLED MESS.

EVEN THE HOOVER DAM HAS DISAPPEARED.

SOT - Joanna Stern, ABC News Technology Editor

"I think some people may be hesitant to buy at first. I think Apple will

work it out."

AND APPLE FANS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES *EXCITED* TO GET THEIR HANDS ON THE NEW

PHONE.

SO ARE THIEVES.

SOT -- James Klein, NYPD Deputy Inspector

"Apple I-Phone has been one of the biggest targets. especially with grand

larcenies."

IN NEW YORK. SOME CUSTOMERS EVEN ARE REGISTERING THEIR PHONE'S SERIAL

iPHONE 5 SALES-TAG

THAT WAS BRANDI HITT.

AND THE I-PHONE 5 IS SUCH A HOT COMMODITY--

iPHONE REPAIRS-VO TOPS

IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING AN iPHONE--

CONSIDER THIS.

THE COST OF OWNING AN I-PHONE CAN GO WELL BEYOND THE INITIAL PURCHASE.

AMERICANS SPENT NEARLY 6-BILLION-DOLLARS ON I-PHONE REPAIRS SINCE 2007.

THE MOST COMMON REPAIRS--

GM RECALL-TRX, SS

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING NEARLY A HALF MILLION CARS.

ENGINEERS NEED TO FIX A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE CARS TO ROLL AWAY UNEXPECTEDLY.

THIS RECALL AFFECTS 2007-2010 CHEVY MALIBUS, PONTIAC G-6-S AND SATURN AURAS.

ALL THE CARS HAVE FOUR-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.

CANCER TREATMENT PROJECT-VO

THE M-D ANDERSON CANCER CENTER IN TEXAS IS LAUNCHING A NEW WAR ON CANCER.

THE "MOON SHOTS PROGRAM" AIMS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM 5 CANCERS, INCLUDING BREAST AND PROSTATE.

IT IS AN UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT TO *SPEED UP*--

THE CONVERSION OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES INTO CLINICAL ADVANCES.

HAPPY HOBBIT DAY-VO

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY--

A BRITISH AUTHOR FOREVER CHANGED FANTASY WRITING--

IN 1937--

J-R-R TOLKEIN RELEASED "THE HOBBIT"--

LAUNCHING THE STORY THAT WOULD LATER BECOME THE "LORD OF THE RINGS" TRILOGY.

THE BOOK AND FILM TELL THE STORY OF BILBO BAGGINS--

A LITTLE PERSON IN THE FICTIONAL WORLD OF MIDDLE EARTH.

TEASE THREE-2SHOT

WE ARE UNCOVERING A REAL POSSIBILITY--

THAT HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA--

ARE AT RISK OF BEING SENT HOME FROM HEAD START AND OTHER PRE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS!

TONIGHT--

NBC2 INVESTIGATOR DAVE ELIAS SHOWS YOU JUST HOW BAD THE PROBLEM COULD BE.

TZ3 A) SEQUESTER HEAD START-VO WIPE

ALL NEW TONIGHT AT SIX OPEN-CLIP

A) KARLA STANDUP TEASE-SOT-TOPS

THINGS TO DO-CG TOPS

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND--

YOU COULD TAKE THE KIDS TO GERMAIN ARENA--

FOR A CHANCE TO SEE ALL THEIR FAVORITE SESAME STREET CHARACTERS IN SESAME STREET LIVE--

TICKETS START AT $14.

IT RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY.

ALSO.SUMMER JAZZ ON THE GULF WRAPS UP ANOTHER SEASON SATURDAY NIGHT.

'EIGHT TO THE BAR' TAKES THE STAGE AT THE NAPLES BEACH HOTEL.

GRAB YOUR BLANKETS AND LAWN CHAIRS.

THE CONCERT STARTS AT 7:30.

AND THE MARCO ISLAND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL IS THIS WEEKEND.

TWO DAYS OF GOOD FOOD, MUSIC AND FUN.

IT RUNS SATURDAY FROM 11 TIL NINE--

TOSS TO DAVE-2SHOT

THERE IS A CHANCE, HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WILL BE YANKED OUT OF HEADSTART NEXT YEAR, OTHERS COMPLETEY TURNED AWAY FROM THE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.

LEE COUNTY'S HEADSTART PROGRAM TELLING NBC2 IT WILL BE FORCED TO CUT 10-PERCENT OF IT'S STAFF IF ACROSS THE BOARD BUDGET CUTS KICK IN THIS JANUARY.

SEQUESTER: HEAD START-PLASMA MON

IT'S CALLED THE BUDGET SEQUESTER.

BECAUSE CONGRESS COULDN'T AGREE ON 1.2 TRILLION DOLLARS IN SPENDING CUTS--

AUTOMATIC *DECREASES*--

TO THE TUNE OF 109 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR--

SEQUESTER: HEAD START-PKG

NAT: 07:10 It's a very uneasy time for our staff and families. 07:12

THAT'S BECAUSE 25 TEACHERS AND MORE THAN 100 KIDS WOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM LEE COUNTY'S HEADSTART PROGRAM.

JEANNE LAFOUNTAIN/HEADSTART DIRECTOR // 01:52 These are kids who already come from impoverished backgrounds. 01:55

AND STAFF HERE FEARS THE CUTS WILL HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT ON MANY FAMILIES.

JEANNE // 03:02 Child abuse, domestic violence, all of these things that come with families who are in crisis or under stress. 03:08

Maggie Stevens/ Headsart Coordinator // 20:58 Many our parents are single who don't have somebody else to leave them with. 21:04

HEIDY GOANA IS ONE OF THEM.SHE HAD HER SON AT JUST 15 AND NOW HE SPENDS MUCH OF HIS DAY HERE WHILE SHE WORKS.

Heidi Goana/Parent // 45:34 I know there's a lot more Mom's just like me. Young and single. I don't know what they'd do either. 45:39

jennifer Meader/Parent // 48:33 I wouldn't be able to go to work. They offer childcare so I can go to work. 48:37

BUT UNLESS CONGRESS GETS TO WORK ON A PLAN TO AVOID THE CUTS.

IT LOOKS LIKE PARENTS AND TEACHERS WILL BE THE LOSERS.

Shyler Bell/Parent // 41:27 The things these kids take with them, no one can take it away. 41:32

EXCEPT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Maggie Stevens // 24:18 If congress we're in our classroom this would never have happened. We teach young children

conflict resolution. 24:25

SEQUESTER: HEAD START-PLASMA MON

IT'S NOT JUST HEADSTART THAT WILL BE AFECTED.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL ALSO SEE SHARP CUTS IN ALL OF THEIR GRANT MONEY.

CHARTER SCHOOLS TOO WILL SEE CUTS.

COUNT ON THE NBC 2 INVESTIGATORS TO REMAIN ON TOP OF THIS STORY FOR YOU.

SELL THE 6PM-2SHOT

FIRST RESPONDERS CALL IT UNACCEPTABLE AND A RISK TO PATIENTS --

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE GROUNDING OF MEDSTAR -- EMERGENCY CREWS CALL FOR A MEDICAL HELICOPTER -- AND NO ONE COMES.

THE NBC2 INVESTIGATORS ARE BREAKING NEW DETAILS AT SIX.