HEADLINE OPEN

A BOLT OF LIGHTNING FROM OUT OF THE BLUE LEAVES

A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT HOSPITALIZED.

NBC-2 FOLLOWING THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE

BOY'S CONDITION.

DOZENS ARE SICKENED IN FIVE STATES --AND FOUR ARE DEAD FOLLOWING

A RARE AND DEADLY FORM OF MENINGITIS.

WHY HEALTH EXPERTS ARE WARNING THERE COULD BE MORE CASES.

--PLUS--

sugary, starchy, fatty, salty foods. In the brain, organically you're secreting lots of that wonderful pleasure

CURBING YOUR HUNGER --

THE SIMPLE TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN TRAIN YOURSELF NOT TO OVERINDULGE.

HL1) STUDENT HIT BY LIGHTNING-VOTOPS-TRX

HL2) MENINGITIS-VOTOPS-TRX

HL3) HUNGER FIX-SOTVO

NEWS AT 11:00am OPEN-CLIP

TOSS TO CLIFTON-2SHOT PUSH-DBLBX

A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT IS STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION TODAY AFTER HE WAS

HIT BY LIGHTNING OUTSIDE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY.

THANKS FOR JOININS US -- I'M KRISTA FOGELSONG

AND I'M CLAY MILLER.

JESSE WATLINGTON IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT TAMPA GENERAL.

STUDENT HIT BY LIGHTNING-TRX-REMLIVE

AS OF LAST NIGHT, HE WAS STILL ON LIFE SUPPORT AT HEALTH PARK CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

THE FAMILY SPOKESPERSON TOLD ME TODAY, HIS CONDITION HAS NOT CHANGED.

STUDENT HIT BY LIGHTNING-VO WIPE

THE STRIKE HAPPENED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL.

PASTOR RICHARD POWELL SAYS WATLINGTON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST STUDENTS ON THE FIELD GETTING READY FOR PRACTICE.

TODAY, SCHOOL IS GOING ON AS NORMAL.

WE SAW MANY STUDENTS ARRIVING EARLY TODAY.

STUDENT HIT BY LIGHTNING-SOT

STUDENT HIT BY LIGHTNING-REMLIVE

POWELL TELLS US THE SKIES WERE BLUE WHEN THAT LIGHTNING HIT OUT HERE YESTERDAY.

AND WEATHER WASN'T AN ISSUE WHEN THE PLAYERS HIT THE FIELD.

BOOTH ALERT

PER LCSO-

THEY ARE RESPONDING TO A BARRICADED SUBJECT ON SUNSHINE DRIVE IN BONITA SPRINGS.

THIS IS NOT A HOSTAGE SITUATION.

DEADLY MENINGITIS OUTBREAK-VOWIPE

FOUR PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND 26 ARE SICK FROM A NON-CONTAGIOUS FORM

OF MENINGITIS -- AND IT'S FEARED THERE WILL BE MORE CASES.

THOSE WHO WERE INFECTED WITH THE STRAIN OF MENINGITIS

RECEIVED STEROID INJECTIONS FOR BACK PAIN.

SYMPTOMS INCLUDE SEVERE HEADACHE, NAUSEA, DIZZINESS AND FEVER.

AT LEAST 18 CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN TENNESSEE.

TWO CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN FLORIDA AND MARYLAND --

WITH THREE IN VIRGINIA, AND ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

THE NASHVILLE FACILITY CONTACTED MORE THAN 700 PATIENTS

WHO HAD SPINAL STEROID INJECTIONS.

DEADLY MENINGITIS OUTBREAK-SOTVO

I do wish that maybe they could bring patients together, we can have a physician perhaps who can answer these questions and put our minds at rest.

THE MAIN SUSPECT IN THE OUTBREAK --

THE STEROID PRODUCT USED IN THE INJECTIONS.

FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER

AND HAVE ISSUED A RECALL.

BUT MORE CASES ARE EXPECTED BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE UP

MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED-(2)SS

A MURDER SUSPECT WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER

HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CAPE CORAL.

THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TELLS US 36-YEAR OLD SCOTT SICA

HAD A WARRANT OUT FOR HIS ARREST.

INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HE SHOT AND KILLED,

SEREGANT GREGORY MARTIN, IN JONESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA IN 1996.

THE SWAT TEAM HELPED DEPUTIES ARREST SICA, AT 7-45 LAST NIGHT, AT HIS HOME ON OTTERSREST LANE.

DECISION 2012 OPEN-CLIP

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE-ONCAM

MITT ROMNEY RETURNS TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TODAY

WITH NEW MOMENTUM AFTER A STRONG PERFORMANCE.

THE DEBATE RANGED FROM THE EXTREMLY SERIOUS -- TO A LITTLE SILLY.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE-PKG

SCRIPT:

NATS

THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE STARTED WITH A HAND SHAKE AND A SMILE BETWEEN

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER MITT ROMNEY

THEN IT QUICKLY FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY

SOT OBAMA "5 million jobs have been created the auto industry is roaring

back, and housing has started to rise"

SOT ROMNEY "I know what it takes to get small business to grow to hire

people"

ROMNEY WAS AGGRESSIVE MOST OF THE NIGHT BUT HIS PAST COMMENTS ABOUT THE 47

PERCENT HAVE TAKEN A TOLL ON HIS CAMPAIGN.

THE PRESIDENT NEVER BROUGHT UP THOSE COMMENTS

AND ROMNEY TRIED TO MOVE PAST THEM

ROMNEY: under the president's policy middle income Americans have been

buried, they're just being crushed. / I will not under any circumstances

raise taxes on middle income families

THE PRESIDENT CHALLENGED HIS RIVAL, SAYING THAT ROMNEY CANNOT KEEP HIS GOAL

OF CUTTING TAXES AND *NOT* ADD TO THE DEFICIT WITHOUT HURTING THE MIDDLE

CLASS.

OBAMA: now 5 weeks before the election he's saying his bold idea is never

mind.

OTHER BIG TOPICS INCLUDED MEDICARE REFORM AND THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE

REFORM LAW.

AND WHILE THERE WASN'T A KNOCK OUT PUNCH FROM EITHER SIDE SOME FEEL THE

PRESIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN TOO RELAXED

BRAZILE "This time He seemed a little detached at times, didn't want to be

there"

MOST AGREE ROMNEY LEAD THE DEBATE AND AFTER LAGGING IN MANY POLLS THIS FIRST

MATCH-UP COULD GIVE HIM THE BOOST HE NEEDED.

SOT "Knowing he's behind and he needs to win and he fought that

fight. So, statistically, he put the President on the defensive a number of

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE-ONCAM

BRANDI HITT REPORTING.

THE NEXT DEBATE IS NEXT WEEK WHEN THE

DEBATE POLL-SSTOPS

MITT ROMNEY WAS THE CLEAR WINNER OF THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

ACCORDING TO A C-N-N/O-R-C INTERNATIONAL POLL --

67-PERCENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS WHO WATCHED THE DEBATE

SAID THE G-O-P NOMINEE WON.

UNEMPLOYMENT #S-TRX-CG

THIS WEEK'S UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBER SHOWS A SLIGHT INCREASE

IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR JOBLESS BENEFITS.

APPLICATIONS ROSE BY THREE THOUSAND FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK --

TO AN SEASONALLY ADJUSTED 367 -THOUSAND.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT APPLICATIONS ARE A MEASURE OF THE PACE OF LAYOFFS. WHEN THEY CONSISTENTLY FALL BELOW 375,000, IT TYPICALLY INDICATES THAT HIRING IS STRONG ENOUGH TO LOWER THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.

ECONOMISTS STILL FEEKL HIRING REMAINS WEAK.

THEY ALSO SAY THE ECONOMY IS NOT GROWING FAST ENOUGH

TO SUPPORT MUCH MORE HIRING.

RICK SCOTT JOBS IN ORLANDO-ONCAM

GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT IS TALKING JOBS TODAY.

HE'LL BE IN BROOKSVILLE THIS AFTERNOON AT THE HERNANDO COUNTY AIRPORT FOR A JOBS ANNOUNCEMENT.

THEN HE'LL HEAD TO ORLANDO FOR ANOTHER JOBS ANNOUNCEMENT.

WE'RE WORKING TO GET MORE DETAILS ABOUT THEM.

NY STOCK EXCHANGE OPEN-LIVE

Stocks are opening mostly higher on Wall Street following an encouraging report on the labor market and better sales from retail chains.

YOU'RE LOOKING LIVE AT THE BIG BOARD ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE.

DUMPED GATORS-VO WIPE

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE OFFICERS ARE TRYING TO FIND WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CUTTING THE HEADS AND TAILS OFF OF ALLIGATORS-- THEN TOSSING THEIR CARCASSES IN A CAPE CORAL CANAL.

A STUDENT WALKING HOME FROM THE BUS STOP YESTERDAY NOTICED A STRONG SMELL AROUND THE CORNER OF SOUTHWEST 20TH AVE AND

SOUTHWEST 25TH STREET.

HE DISCOVERED THE BODIES OF TWO DEAD GATORS WITH THE HEAD AND TAILS REMOVED IN A CANAL.

DUMPED GATORS-SOTVO

we are contracted to remove all dead animals from the roadway and on the curb. We do that, but from in the middle of a canal, we usually don't do that. But this time, we took care of the Cape Coral residents.

IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT ILLEGALLY HUNTING GATORS, THEY COULD FACE A SECOND DEGREE MISDEMEANOR OR THIRD DEGREE FELONY.

IF ANYONE KNOWS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, THEY CAN CALL FWC'S WILDLIFE HOTLINE.

MEDSTAR FUEL-ONCAM

ONE OF THE INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE GROUNDED MEDSTAR HELICOPTER PROGRAM IS NOW *COMPLETED.

AND E-M-S EMPLOYEE GREG SCHIEGNER WILL *NOT FACE CHARGES,

AFTER ALLEGATIONS FROM A FORMER COWORKER THAT HE *STOLE FUEL FROM THE MEDSTAR CHOPPER.

THIS WAS A SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATION-PROMPTED AFTER A FIRED PILOT FILED A COMPLAINT A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED.

CEITUS BOAT LIFT-OC-VO

THE BATTLE OVER CAPE CORAL'S CEITUS BOATLIFT CONTINUES.

THIS MORNING, LEE COUNTY AND CAPE CORAL LEADERS WILL MEET TO TACKLE THE ISSUE.

CAPE LEADERS ARGUE THE LIFT SHOULDN'T BE RESTORED AND IS A WASTE OF MONEY.

CAPE RESTARTING DEVELOPMENT-OC-VO

AFTER THE RECESSION TOOK IT'S TOLL-

THE CITY OF CAPE CORAL IS RESTARTING DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEMBERS GAVE THE GREEN-LIGHT YESTERDAY FOR A LARGE RACE-TRAC GAS STATION TO BE BUILT, JUST OFF PINE ISLAND ROAD.

ONCE IT'S FINISHED, THE GAS STATION WILL BE THE FIRST PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE 200-ACRE SITE CALLED THE "JUDD CREEK PRESERVE."

CAPE RESTARTING DEVELOPMENT-SOTVO

2926 "what I like about this development is that it is mixed use. It's going to create a lot of jobs and spur development throughout the city."

DEVELOPERS EXPLAIN THE GAS STATION COULD BE IN PLACE AS SOON AS 12 MONTHS.

FMB BOIL WATER NOTICE-SS

SOME PEOPLE ON FORT MYERS BEACH ARE WAKING TO A BOIL WATER NOTICE.

OVERNIGHT CREWS COMPLETED SCHEDULED WORK ON A VALVE REPLACEMENT.

RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AFFECTED ARE FROM 5901 ESTERO BOULEVARD TO ISLAND PINES WAY --

JUST ON THE BAY SIDE OF THE STREET.

TEASE ONE-2-SHOT

ALIVE AFTER AN 11 YEAR OLD BOY CAME TO HIS RESCUE.

WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE COLLIER COUNTY BUS DRIVER

WHO WAS SAVED WHILE HE SUFFERED A MEDICAL CONDITION BEHIND

THE WHEEL. NOW WE'RE LEARNING WHY THAT DRIVER WAS ALMOST FINED

FOR WHAT HE COULDN'T CONTROL.

AND IT FEELS LIKE SUMMER HERE --

BUT IT'S ALREADY LOOKING LIKE WINTER IN SOME PLACES!

TZ1 bus driver ticketed-VOTOPS-TRX

TZ1 snow-VOTOPS

WEATHER-STC

FIRST ALERT FORECAST-CLIP

FIRST ALERT FORECAST-WXWALL

A bit more sun, with afternoon downpours"

The plume of deep tropical moisture that sat across Southwest Florida over the last couple of days, continues to push away from the peninsula giving a slight improvement to our weather.

The airmass across the area remains warm and humid, therefore it will be a muggy to start to our Thursday morning. Our skies will be a bit sunnier along with mainly dry conditions and that will keep temperatures on warming trend into the upper 80s to low 90s during the afternoon.

Expect a mix of sun and clouds today, along with a scattering of downpours during the late afternoon and lingering into the evening hours. With our steering winds taking more of an easterly turn, the seabreeze will stay pinned closer to home with showers and storms more than likely favoring the urban corridor. The rain activity will not be as widespread as the last few days, in fact rain prospects will be down to about 50%.

A few showers will linger across Southwest Florida through the evening, before skies partially clear and lows settle back into the middle and upper 70s.

High pressure will dominate our weather pattern Friday and into the weekend, bringing more sunshine with our typical pattern of hit or miss afternoon thunderstorms. An uptick in the moisture Sunday will allow for more clouds and scattered rain ahead of an approaching cool front. This may bring the first hint of fall like weather by mid week with lower humidity in the forecast along with cooler nights.

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE NBC2 WEATHER STAFF.

EXTREME SNOW!-VOTOPS

IT'S BARELY OCTOBER, BUT PORTIONS OF NORTH DAKOTA

AND MINNESOTA ARE BRACING FOR UP TO A FOOT OF SNOW!

WINTER STORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF MINNESOTA. This is about an hour from where my mom lives.

SATELLITE LAUNCH-NATS-VOTOPS

2-1-0 LIFTOFF!

THE LATEST GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM SATELLITE ROCKETED

INTO SPACE THIS MORNING FROM CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION.

THE SATELLITES SERVE AND PROTECT MILITARY FORCES ON THE GROUND.

BUS DRIVER TICKETED-OC-VO

THE COLLIER COUNTY SCHOOL BUS DRIVER WHO BLACKED OUT WHILE DRIVING HIS LAST STUDENT HOME A FEW WEEKS AGO SAYS HE CAN'T BELIEVE TROOPERS GAVE HIM A TICKET AND A FINE.AT FIRST.

65-YEAR-OLD ROBERT KELLY WAS CITED FOR CARELESS DRIVING.

BUT THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL HAS SINCE DROPPED THAT CITATION.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THIS --

TWO WEEKS AGO -- KELLY PASSED OUT WHILE DRIVING HIS LAST STUDENT HOME FOR THE DAY.

SO 11-YEAR-OLD JACKSON BONAR STOPPED THE BUS. BY STEERING IT INTO A FENCE.

BUS DRIVER TICKETED-SOTVO

5:07 "How that is reckless, what I could have done to been any safer, I don't know but it seems silly to waste the taxpayers money, my money, the courts money."

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.

AFTER NBC-2 CONTACTED F-H-P ABOUT THE CITAITON

TO GET THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY.

THEY TOOK A SECOND LOOK AND ADMITTED

IT WAS WRONG TO ISSUE ONE.

F-H-P SAYS THEY WILL CONTACT THE COURT LATER TODAY

TMOBILE & METRO PCS-VO

T-MOBILE AND METRO P-C-S HAVE ARE COMBINING FORCES TO

COMPETE WITH THEIR THREE LARGER RIVALS.

THE COMBINED COMPANY WILL USE THE T-MOBILE BRAND.

METRO P-C-S CUSTOMERS WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BUY NEW PHONES

OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS THEY MOVE TO THE T-MOBILE NETWORK.

FACEBOOK POSTS CHARGES-VO

FACEBOOK IS ROLLING OUT A NEW FEATURE THAT LETS USERS PAY

TO PROMOTE THEIR POSTS TO FRIENDS, JUST AS ADVERTISERS DO.

PROMOTING A POST -- LIKE ANNOUNCING A GARAGE SALE

OR A CHARITY DRIVE -- WILL BUMP IT HIGHER ON YOUR FRIEND'S

NEWS FEEDS.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITE HASN'T SAID HOW MUCH IT WILL COST

TO PROMOTE POSTS--

FACEBOOK 1 BILLION USERS-ONCAM

THE WORLD'S LARGEST SOCIAL NETWORK ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING IT HAS EXCEEDED ONE BILLION USERS.

THAT MEANS ABOUT ONE OUT OF EVERY SEVEN PEOPLE ON THE PLANET HAS A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT!

IT TOOK FACEBOOK SIX YEARS TO REACH THE 500-MILLION USER MARK, AND LESS THAN TWO YEARS TO DOUBLE THAT.

TASTE OF COCONUT POINT-VO WIPE

GET YOUR TASTE BUDS READY!

TASTE OF COCONUT IS JUST DAYS AWAY!

THIS SUNDAY AT COCONUT POINT MALL IN ESTERO YOU

CAN TRY FOODS AND BEVERAGES FROM MORE

THAN 20 RESTAURANTS.

ONLY NBC-2 GOT A FIRST LOOK AT SOME OF THE FOODS

YOU WILL SEE AND TASTE AT THE EVENT.

ALONG WITH MINI PRIME BURGERS, KEY LIME PIE AND RICE BALLS

TO TRY OUT, EVENT ORGANIZERS SAY THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF

TASTE OF COCONUT POINT-SOT-CG

Tara Beauchesna Director of Marketing

"There will be a lot of children's activities. We'll have bounce houses and a train for them and of course adult beverages, 19 different restaurants from coconut point will be there as well as our presenting sponsors, Seminole Casino- they'll have two restaurants there as well."

TASTE OF COCONUT STARTS AT 11:30 THIS SUNDAY AND GOES UNTIL 4:00.

BACARDI BUILDING-VOTOPS

THE ICONIC BACARDI BUILDING IN MIAMI NO LONGER BELONGS

TO THE FAMOUS RUM MAKER.

FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS -- THIS BUILDING WITH THE COLORFUL MOSAIC DESIGNS--

SERVED AS THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS FOR BACARDI.

THE BACARDI FAMILY SOLD THE PROPERTY THIS WEEK FOR

ABOUT 10 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE YOUNG ARTS FOUNDATION.

MOBILE MAMMO-SS (2) BNR

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

AND TODAY THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO GET A CHECKUP.

RADIOLOGY REGIONAL CENTER IS BRINGING ITS MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY TO TWO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA POST OFFICES.

THE FIRST LOCATION IS THE COCO RIVER POST OFFICE

IN NORTH NAPLES.

THAT'S ON CREEKSIDE WAY OFF IMMOKALEE ROAD.

IT WILL BE THERE FROM 8 THIS MORNING UNTIL NOON.

THEN IT WILL MOVE TO THE BONITA SPRINGS POST OFFICE LOCATED ON OLD 41.

IT WILL BE THERE FROM 2 TO 6 P-M.

WALK-IN SERVICE IS AVAILABLE BUT APPOINTMENTS ARE PREFERRED.

TEASE TWO-1SHOT

KICKING HUNGER TO THE CURB!

A BRAND NEW BOOK EXPLAINS HOW FOOD CAN BECOME A "FALSE FIX"

THAT CAUSES A VICIOUS CYCLE OF OVEREATING, AND ADDICTION.

TZ2 hunger fix-VOWIPE

HUNGER FIX-ON CAM

IT'S A QUESTION MANY PEOPLE FIGHTING TO LOSE WEIGHT

MAY WANT TO ASK THEMSELVES -- AM I ADDICTED TO FOOD?

HUNGER FIX-PKG

DR. PAMELA PEEKE/AUTHOR, THE HUNGER FIX

SCRIPT:

TARA COSTA ADMITS WHEN IT CAME TO FOOD SHE WAS POWERLESS.

TARA COSTA, BIGGEST LOSER CONTESTANT:

"/I would get wings, waffle fries, with cheese and gravy.

SO AT 22 AND 316 POUNDS SHE DECIDED TO GO ON THE TV SHOW "THE BIGGEST LOSER"

.

NATS BIGGEST LOSER

SHE LOST AN ASTONISHING 155 POUNDS. BUT SOON THE WEIGHT CAME BACK AND SHE

REALIZED SHE WAS A FOOD ADDICT.

DR PAMELA PEEKE'S NEW BOOK "THE HUNGER FIX" DESCRIBES HOW FOOD IS LIKE A

DRUG FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.

DR. PAMELA PEEKE: It's a combination of sugary, starchy, fatty, salty foods.

/ in the brain, organically you're secreting lots of that wonderful

pleasure reward brain chemical called dopamine. And it's comin' out, and it's just giving you that fantastic feeling of, "Wow, this is wonderful."

FOR SOME PEOPLE, THE PLEASURE RECEPTORS TURN OFF. FOR OTHERS. IT KEEPS

REACTING-WANTING MORE.-

BUT DR. PEEKE SAYS YOUR BRAIN CAN BE RE TRAINED USING WHAT SHE CALLS THE

THREE M'S. MIND. MOUTH. MUSCLE.

STEP ONE: STRENGTHEN THE MIND

NATS:

MEDITATION CAN HELP TO REDUCE THAT URGE TO SPLURGE

STEP TWO: TRICK THE MOUTH.

INSTEAD OF A PROTEIN BAR, WE TRY A PROTEIN SMOOTHIE.

STEP THREE: MOVE YOUR MUSCLES.

BY WORKING OUT, YOUR BRAIN IS REWARDED BY ENDORPHINS INSTEAD OF EMPTY

CALORIES.

nats Tara working out

TARA COSTA IS NOW IN RECOVERY.WORKING BOTH HER MIND AND BODY.

TEASE THREE-2SHOT

A DAY OF FUN ON THE WATER TURNS DANGEROUS AFTER A FATHER AND SON ARE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

SOT-Kai- I just kept saying his name over and over, I was like dad wake up and people started running to him.

NOW THE TWO ARE TALKING ABOUT THE HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE --

AND GRATEFUL FOR THE BYSTANDERS WHO CAME TO THEIR RESCUE.

AND A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

A FAMILY FORCED TO JUMP FROM A BURNING BUILDING --

TZ3 kite lightning strike-SOTVO

TZ3 kids jump from building on fire-VOTOPS

NEWS AT 11:30am OPEN-CLIP

TS1) MENINGITIS OUTBREAK-VOTOPS

MORE CASES ARE EXPECTED OF A RARE AND DEADLY FORM OF MENINGITIS

THAT HAS SICKENED MORE THAN TWO DOZEN PEOPLE IN FIVE STATES.

TWO CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN FLORIDA.

FOUR HAVE DIED.

ALL RECEIVED STEROID INJECTIONS, MOSTLY FOR BACK PAIN.

THE TYPE OF MENINGITIS IS CAUSED BY A FUNGUS OFTEN FOUND IN LEAF MOLD

TS2) CAMPAIGN TRAIL-VOTOPS

IT'S BACK TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TODAY FOR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND MITT ROMNEY, FOLLOWING LAST NIGHT'S FACEOFF IN THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

PRESIDENT OBAMA IS CAMPAIGNING IN COLORADO AND WISCONSIN,

WHILE ROMNEY AND RUNNING MATE PAUL RYAN ARE OFF TO VIRGINIA.

ACCORDING TO A NEW POLL --

67-PERCENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS WHO WATCHED THE DEBATE

TS3) STUDENT HIT BY LIGHTNING-VOTOPS

A FORT MYERS STUDENT IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE,

AFTER GETTING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

JESSE WATLINGTON, A MIDDLE SCHOOLER AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, IS NOT BREATHING ON HIS OWN AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

FAMILY PASTOR RICHARD POWELL OF MCGREGOR BAPTIST CHURCH TELLS US

MAN KITE LIGHTNING STRIKE-TRX-SOT-2SHOT-PUSH

Theres like a big white flash --CUT TO--

I looked at him his eyes were open and he was foaming from his mouth

DRAMATIC 9-1-1 CALLS DETAIL HOW A DAY AT THE BEACH WENT TERRIBLY WRONG FOR ONE FATHER AND HIS SON.

THEY WERE BOTH STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE THEY WERE

KITESURFING IN ST. AUGUSTINE.

LUCKILY -- SOME GOOD SAMARITANS RUSHED TO THE RESCUE.

MAN KITE LIGHTNING STRIKE-PKG

SCRIPT:

NAT- CALLER- "A guy just got hit by lightening"

FOR A TERRIFYING MOMENT, 14 YEAR OLD KAI WELTZEIN THOUGHT HE'D LOST HIS FATHER

SOT Kai: Theres like a big white flash, I dropped my kite and then I looked over and I saw him laying on the ground

SUDDENLY BYSTANDERS BEGAN SPRINTING TO 39 YEAR OLD FALK WELTZEIN'S RESCUE

Nat- CALLER- " Is he breathing? He's turning purple."

THE FATHER AND SON PAIR HAD BEEN KITESURFING NEAR ST. AUGUSTINE FL WHEN

LIGHTNINING STRUCK, OUT OF THE BLUE

SOT- Kai - 51- when I looked at him his eyes were open and he was foaming from his mouth. And then I didn't look at him anymore because I was really scared.

FALK, HIT BY UP TO A BILLION VOLTS -- ENOUGH TO LIGHT UP A SMALL TOWN. AND

THOUGH HE'D ALSO BEEN HIT ---STINGING FROM PAIN - -- KAI SPRANG INTO ACTION

SOT-Kai- I just kept saying his name over and over, I was like dad wake up and people started running to him.

NAT- CALLER- "Does Anybody know CPR?"

LUCKILY AN OFF DUTY NURSE JUMPED IN TO PERFORM CPR

NAT- 911 Operator- "Tell them they need to do at least 100 compressions per

minute"

AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED MINUTES LATER FALK WAS IN CRITICAL CONDITION

Sot Kai: They were putting IV's in him and taking his blood and seeing his heart rate.

THOSE BILLION VOLTS BURNED HIS SKIN BUT AFTER A NIGHT IN THE ICU FALK

SURVIVED

SOT-Falk: I'm feeling very thankful I know I could have been dead

MAN KITE LIGHTNING STRIKE-ONCAM

MATT GUTMAN REPORTING.

FALK HAD BEEN WEARING A HARNESS WITH METAL

SERVICE DOG DEBATE-VO-WIPE

A DISABLED MAN IN A MARCO ISLAND COMMUNITY -- IS IN A BATTLE OVER HIS SERVICE DOG.

THE HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION -- DOES NOT ALLOW PETS.

LARRY MCKAY SAYS HIS CONDITION SHOULD ALLOW FOR AN EXCEPTION.

HE LOST MOST OF HIS MOBILITY AFTER CONTRACTING AN M-R-S-A INFECTION IN 2008.

SERVICE DOG DEBATE-SOTVO

9:56:38 "They need to treat people with disabilities better then they have been and respect us and not make us feel invisible and not make us feel unwanted."

MCKAY SAYS HE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THE 80 POUND BOXER.

BAD SPA TREATMENT-VO WIPE

A DAY AT THE SPA ENDS IN A MEDICAL NIGHTMARE.

A WOMAN SAYS A BOTCHED PROCEDURE LEFT HER IN

THE HOSPITAL FOR A MONTH.

SINCE ISABEL GONZALEZ'S VISIT TO VIVIANA'S BODY SECRETS SPA IN JUNE-- SHE HAS SPENT 37 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL AND UNDERGONE TWO SURGERIES.

VIVIANA AYALA -- THE OWNER OF THE SPA IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY --

WAS CHARGED LAST WEEK.

ACCORDING TO AN ARREST REPORT -- AYALA INJECTED GONZALEZ'S

FACE WITH A SUBSTANCE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE VITAMINS.

BAD SPA TREATMENT-SOT VO

she didnt provide that information which seriously prolonged that treatment and the damages and the injuries

GONZALEZ HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SPA.

LAWYER PUNCHED-VO

SHOCKING MOMENTS INSIDE A SOUTH CAROLINA COURTROOM.

ATTORNEY DAN HALL IS STILL REELING FROM THE SUCKER PUNCH

THAT TOOK HIM OFF HIS FEET.

HALL WAS REPRESENTING LAMARCUS WILLIAMSON -- WHO

WAS FACING A JUDGE FOR A SENTENCING.

WILLIAMSON SEEMS FIDGETY AS HIS SENTENCE ANNOUNCEMENT NEARED.

AS HALL TURNED TO LEAD WILLIAMSON BACK TO THE JAIL --

LAWYER PUNCHED-SOTVO

I was shocked, I didn't see it coming to ultimately say what was going thru his mind, i dont know

WILLIAMSON WAS SENTENCED TO A 15 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR

OFFICER FIRED FOR PUNCHING WOMAN-VO

A PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEO

PUNCHING A WOMAN HAS LOST HIS JOB.

IT HAPPENED AT THIS PAST WEEKEND'S PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE.

THE VIDEO BEGINS WITH A NUMBER OF OFFICERS ON THE SCENE

FOR THE TRAFFIC STOP.

AIDA GUSMAN CAN BE SEEN JUMPING BEHIND THE OFFICERS

WITH SOMETHING IN HER HAND.

WHEN AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN THREW A LIQUID AT THE OFFICERS --

YOU CAN SEE OFFICER JONATHAN JOSEY PUNCHING GUZMAN IN THE FACE.

GUZMAN WAS ORIGINALLY CHARGED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT --

CHICAGO TEACHER CONTRACT-VO

VICTORY FOR TEACHERS IN CHICAGO.

THE TEACHER'S UNION HAS OVERWHELMINGLY RATIFIED A NEW THREE YEAR CONTRACT WHICH INCLUDES PAY INCREASES AND A NEW TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM.

THE CONTRACT MUST NOW BE APPROVED BY THE CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION LATER THIS MONTH.

ATLANTIS MOVE TO KSC-ON CAM

THE SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS IS READY TO BE MOVED

TO IT'S FINAL DESTINATION.

IT WILL GO ON DISPLAY AT THE VISITOR'S COMPLEX AT

THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN CAPE CANAVERAL.

ATLANTIS MOVE TO KSC-PKG

TO THE AVERAGE PERSON, THE SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS WILL LOOK JUST AS IT DID

WHEN IT ROLLED ACROSS THE RUNWAY ON IT'S FINAL JOURNEY.

BUT FOR 'BEAR REICK'. WHO HAS WORKED ON THE SHUTTLE FLEET FOR THE PAST

QUARTER OF A CENTURY HE CAN SEE TELL IT'S DIFFERENT.

"They are all my babies. You know I've been doing this for a long time. Its hard to get it out of your blood. I'll never get it out of my blood."

WORKERS ARE GETTING THE SHUTTLE READY TO BE DISPLAYED AT THE VISITOR'S

COMPLEX. COMPONENTS NASA NEEDS OR PLANS TO USE FOR FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS

HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

"This is the hatch to the payload bay the air lock which would normally be

there has been removed by NASA and so a mock-up has been put in its place."

AT THE VISITORS COMPLEX ATLANTIS WILL BE DISPLAYED AS IF IN ORBIT. WITH

PAYLOAD BAY DOORS OPEN AND "ORBITING" AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE

ENGINEERS HAD TO BE CERTAIN THE SHUTTLE COULD BE SUPPORTED IN THAT POSITION

WITHOUT DAMAGING THE NATIONAL TREASURE.

"They have looked out 100 years how does that affect the structure of the

vehicle if we hold it in this position for 100 years."

FOR 'BEAR' HE HATES TO SEE THE SHUTTLE GO. HE TOO JUST GOT HIS LAYOFF

NOTICE. BUT HE SAYS ONCE IT'S IN THE VISITORS COMPLEX HE WILL GET TO SHARE

HIS WORK WITH MORE PEOPLE HE'S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SHOW THE SHUTTLE OFF TOO.

INCLUDING SOME OF HIS GRANDCHILDREN.

ATLANTIS MOVE TO KSC-ONCAM

KEVIN OLIVER REPORTING.

THE SHUTTLE WILL BE ROLLED OVER TO THE

TEASE FOUR-1SHOT

A UNIQUE NEW PARTY THEME TAKING OFF IN THE STATE IS

NOW ON HOLD.

a live alligator swimming in your pool is absurd and dangerous

TZ4 gator pool parties-SOTVO

BREAK FOUR

KIDS JUMP TO ESCAPE FIRE-VOTOPSWIPE

TERRIFYING MOMENTS CAUGHT ON CAMERA

AS A MOTHER AND HER FIVE CHILDREN ARE FORCED TO

JUMP FROM A BURNING BUILDING.

THE FIRE BROKE OUT AT AN APARTMENT OVERNIGHT

WEDNESDAY IN NEWARK.

AS THE HEAVY SMOKE AND FLAMES INTENSIFIED --

TAHONDA MARTIN AND HER FIVE CHILDREN WERE TRAPPED INSIDE ON THE THIRD FLOOR.

THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR WAS THROUGH A WINDOW.

KIDS JUMP TO ESCAPE FIRE-SOTVO

i said my only way out is the window she said no dont do it. i said yeah mom, i'm going help yall. and i jumped from that window right there and i landed, i fell out right here

ONCE SHE HIT THE GROUND -- YA-KEEMA BEGAN YELLING FOR HELP.

LUCKILY, SOME GOOD SAMARITANS WERE NEARBY.

ONE, BY ONE, YA-KEEMA'S SILBLINGS JUMP FROM THE WINDOW --

FALLING INTO THE ARMS OF THE GOOD SAMARITANS.

THREE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.

IT'S BELIEVED THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY A CANDLE LEFT

CHICAGO FIRE INTV-TRAFFIC VO

FOR THE TEAM AT CHICAGO FIREHOUSE 51, NO OCCUPATION IS MORE STRESSFUL OR DANGEROUS, YET SO REWARDING AND EXHILARATING.

THIS COMING WEDNESDAY. YOU CAN CATCH NBC'S NEW SHOW CHICAGO FIRE.

AND TODAY. WE'RE JOINED BY TWO OF THE ACTORS.

CHICAGO FIRE INTV-SATLIVE

TELL US ABOUT THE PREMISE OF CHICAGO FIRE

HOW IS THIS SHOW DIFFERENT THAN OTHER EMERGENCY DRAMAS

LADIES LOVE FIREFIGHTERS. ESPECIALLY THOSE CALENDARS WITH SUSPENDERS AND 6 PACK ABS. SO ARE YOU GUYS WORKING OUT TO GIVE THEM SOME EYE CANDY THIS SEASON.

JIM WX OPEN-CLIP

WEATHER-WX WALL

A bit more sun, with afternoon downpours"

The plume of deep tropical moisture that sat across Southwest Florida over the last couple of days, continues to push away from the peninsula giving a slight improvement to our weather.

The airmass across the area remains warm and humid, therefore it will be a muggy to start to our Thursday morning. Our skies will be a bit sunnier along with mainly dry conditions and that will keep temperatures on warming trend into the upper 80s to low 90s during the afternoon.

Expect a mix of sun and clouds today, along with a scattering of downpours during the late afternoon and lingering into the evening hours. With our steering winds taking more of an easterly turn, the seabreeze will stay pinned closer to home with showers and storms more than likely favoring the urban corridor. The rain activity will not be as widespread as the last few days, in fact rain prospects will be down to about 50%.

A few showers will linger across Southwest Florida through the evening, before skies partially clear and lows settle back into the middle and upper 70s.

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE NBC2 WEATHER STAFF.

BARRICADE SITUATION

DEPUTIES ARE RESPONDING TO A BARRICADED SUBJECT ON SUNSHINE DRIVE IN BONITA SPRINGS.

WE'RE TOLD SUNSHINE STREET IS BLOCKED

HOLLYWOOD MINUTE-ON CAM

THINGS GOT HEATED BETWEEN NICKI MINAJ AND MARIAH CAREY

DURING A TRYOUT TAPING OF AMERICAN IDOL.

HOLLYWOOD MINUTE-PKG

--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS --

DRAMA ON THE SET OF "AMERICAN IDOL."

VIDEO OBTAINED BY T-M-Z, ALLEGEDLY SHOWS RAPPER NICKI MINAJ CURSING AT FELLOW-IDOL JUDGE, MARIAH CAREY.

THE INCIDENT REPORTEDLY HAPPENED DURING AUDITIONS IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, ON TUESDAY.

T-M-Z SAYS THE FEUD ALLEGEDLY WAS OVER A CONTESTANT'S PERFORMANCE.

REPS FOR MINAJ AND CAREY HAVE BEEN CLOSED-LIPPED.

BUT, "IDOL" HOST, RYAN SEACREST SAID QUOTE. "THERE WAS A VERY HEATED, INTENSE ARGUMENT TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY."

SEACREST SAID THE PRODUCERS CALLED IT A DAY. DESPITE A FEW CONTESTANTS REMAINING.

SINGER DARIUS RUCKER HAS REASON TO CELEBRATE.

THE "HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH" FRONT MAN WAS INVITED INTO THE GRAND OLE OPRY, THIS WEEK.

RUCKER WAS PERFORMING ON THE OPRY STAGE WHEN FELLOW MUSICIAN AND FRIEND, BRAD PAISLEY SURPRISED HIM WITH THE NEWS.

RUCKER IS SLATED TO BE INDUCTED ON OCTOBER SIXTEENTH.

NICOLE KIDMAN IS PUTTING RUMORS TO REST.

THE 45-YEAR-OLD ACTRESS SAYS DESPITE MEDIA REPORTS, SHE DIDN'T COUNSEL KATIE HOLMES AFTER HER RECENT SPLIT FROM TOM CRUISE, ACCORDING TO PEOPLE MAGAZINE.

KIDMAN CLARIFIED THAT SHE NEVER SPOKEN TO KATIE HOLMES ABOUT THE DIVORCE. BUT WISHES ACTRESS AND TOM CRUISE ALL THE BEST.

GATOR POOL PARTIES ON HOLD-VO WIPE

IT'S A VIDEO THAT QUICKLY WENT VIRAL: THE GATOR POOL PARTY.

BUT ALLIGATORS ARE NO LONGER ON THE GUEST LIST --

AT LEAST FOR NOW.

NOW, FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE IS ASKING THE OWNER OF ALLIGATOR ATTRACTION TO CHANGE THE WAY THE PARTIES ARE CONDUCTED.

THE INVESTIGATION STEMS FROM COMPLAINTS AFTER THE ALLIGATOR POOL PARTIES STORY SPREAD ACROSS THE INTERNET.

THE F-W-C SAYS ALLOWING THE ALLIGATORS TO SWIM FREELY IN THE POOL IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

GATOR POOL PARTIES ON HOLD-SOT VO

"All we're doing is recommending that he alter his business practices so that he can continue to exhibit the animals."

GARTH BROOKS ENDS VEGAS SHOW-VO

COUNTRY SINGER GARTH BROOKS IS CALLING IT QUITS IN VEGAS.

HIS THREE-YEAR RUN AT THE WYNN LAS VEGAS HOTEL AND CASINO

WILL WRAP UP AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

THE SINGER'S SHOW HAD BEEN WILDLY POPULAR AND DEEMED

"THE BEST SHOW ON ANY VEGAS STAGE EVER" BY LAS VEGAS WEEKLY.

NO WORD ON WHY HE'S LEAVING.

TEASE FIVE-1SHOT

THE KING OF ALL PRANKS HAS BEEN 'PUNKED'!

POLICE ARE CALLING IT ANOTHER CASE OF 'SWATTING' AFTER

A HOME INVASION CALL AT ASHTON KUTCHER'S HOME

TZ5 ashton kutcher hoax-VO

ASHTON KUTCHER HOME INVASION HOAX-TRAFFIC

ACTOR ASHTON KUTCHER IS KNOWN FOR PULLING PRANKS

ON PEOPLE ON HIS SHOW "PUNK'D."

BUT ON WEDNESDAY, HE WAS THE TARGET OF A

VERY EXPENSIVE AND DANGEROUS PRANK.

ASHTON KUTCHER HOME INVASION HOAX-PKG

THERE WAS SOME MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF THE HOLLYWOOD HOMES OF ASHTON KUTCHER. MUCH DIFFERENT THAN HOURS EARLIER WHEN POLICE SWARMED THE ACTOR'S HOME.

WITH AIR TEAMS AND SWAT UNITS, THE LAPD RESPONDED TO A POSSIBLE HOSTAGE SITUATION AND SHOTS FIRED FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE.

We get to the scene and apparently discover that it was a hoax. Around the same time, the assistant of the owner of the residents met police officers and advised us that all the people in the house were employees.

INITIALLY TREATED AS PERSONS OF INTEREST, THE EMPLOYEES WERE CLEARED INTO THE INVESTIGATION OF THE PRANK, ALSO KNOWN AS SWAPPING, BEGAN. THAT'S WHEN EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE TRICKED INTO DISPATCHING OFFICERS TO A BOGUS CRIME IN PROGRESS. POLICE ARE NOW TRYING TO LOCATE THE PERSON OR PERSONS WHO SENT THE TELETYPE MESSAGE. A METHOD OF COMMUNICATION USED BY THE HEARING IMPAIRED TO ALERT THEM.

Definitely a waste of resources. quite a few resources and i can't imagine that is going to make our tax payers happy.

WHILE THE NUMBERS ARE NOT OFFICIAL, LAPD ESTIMATES THE COST OF THE KUTCHER EVENT IS BETWEEN TEN AND 15-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ASHTON KUTCHER HOME INVASION HOAX-TRAFFIC

LOLITA LOPEZ WITH THAT REPORT.

IN CALIFORNIA, MAKING A FALSE CALL TO 9-1-1

CAN LEAD TO JAIL TIME AND FINES.

BALD STUDY-VOTOPSWIPE

YOU MAY NOT CONSIDER BALD BEAUTIFUL, BUT ODDS ARE YOU DO SEE BALD MAN AS POWERFUL, MANLY AND TALL.

RESEARCHERS FOUND MEN WHO CHOOSE TO GO BALD BY SHAVING THEIR HEADS WERE PERCEIVED AS BEING MORE MASCULINE AND PHYSICALLY STRONGER THAN THOSE WITH THINNING HAIR OR FULL LOCKS.

BEFORE YOU GO SHAVE YOUR HEAD CONSIDER THIS --

LOOSE EMU-VOTOPS

AN UNUSUAL SIGHT TIED UP TRAFFIC YESTERDAY AS AN EMU

WAS LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES!

THIS WAS THE SCENE YESTERDAY IN CAPE CANAVERAL.

THE BIRD -- NAMED "TACO" ESCAPED FROM HIS OWNER'S

BACKYARD ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY.

TACO'S OWNER SAYS THE BIRD'S ANTIQUES ARE BECAUSE

TOSS TO NOON TEASE-2-SHOT TRAFFIC

NBC 2 NEWS AT NOON IS NEXT!

NEW AT NOON TEASE-ON CAM AT DESK

NEXT AT NOON - NBC2 IS FOLLOWING A DEVELOPING STORY -

NEW DETAILS JUST RELEASED ABOUT THE 11-YEAR-OLD 6TH GRADER - HIT BY LIGHTNING AT FOOTBALL PRACTICE.

WE'LL HAVE A LIVE UPDATE ON THE BOY'S CONDITION.

PLUS -

we expect victims to report all the time, but the fact is so often they don't.because they're afraid

ANOTHER UPDATE HERE - THIS ONE ON THAT BULLIED BUS DRIVER, WHO MADE NATIONAL NEWS.

FIND OUT HOW KAREN KLEIN IS USING HER STORY TO HELP OTHERS.

AND EVER WONDER WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LOST AND FOUND ITEMS AT THE AIRPORT?

NEW AT NOON - WE'LL TAKE YOU TO one of THE WORLD'S LARGEST - AS the ITEMS GO UP FOR AUCTION.

WE'LL ALSO TAKE A FASCINATING LOOK AT THE PRESIDENT - AND THE WAY HE TALKS TO DIFFERENT GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

IT'S A STORY YOU HAVE TO HEAR - AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK!

NOON TZA) LIGHTNING KID-VO

NOON TZB) BULLIED BUS DRIVER-SOTVO

NOON TZC) JFK AUCTION-VO

NOON TZD) DIFFERENT ACCENTS-VO

CLOSE-2-SHOT PLASMA