DIRECTORS PAGE-+

HLA JESSE WATLINGTON FOLO-trxSOTVO

we want people to turn their attention and pray for mom and dad who are just dealing with a loss that no one expects

REMEMBERING JESSE:

HLB FM 20TH HOMICIDE-trxVOTOPS

A VIOLENT YEAR IN FORT MYERS.

HLC MEDSTAR COUNTY MANAGER-trxVOTOPS

5PM OPEN-CLIP

JESSE WATLINGTON FOLO-2SH-VO-TRN-DBX

A CHURCH AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN MOURNING AFTER THE LOSS OF AN ELEVEN YEAR OLD BOY.

JESSE WATLINGTON DIED OVER THE WEEKEND.

HE WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE ON HIS WAY TO FOOTBALL PRACTICE AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY LAST WEEK.

HIS TRAGIC STORY UNITED PEOPLE ALL ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN PRAYER.

N-B-C TWO'S MEAGHAN SMITH HAS FOLLOWED THIS STORY CLOSELY FROM THE BEGINNING --

MEGHAN --

JESSE WATLINGTON FOLO-REM-LIVE

THE PAIN THEY MUST BE GOING THROUGH IS UNIMAGINABLE.

JESSE WATLINGTON FOLO-PKG

*take pkg*

the little boy with the big smile-

36:37 "jesse is at home with the lord."

jesse watlington passed away-

after being taken off life support yesterday afternoon.

39:37 "he didn't breathe on his own for very long- just too much damage from the lightning."

doctors told the 6th grader's parents-

he had no brain activity.

today- his classmates wear purple in his honor.

it was jesse's favorite color.

Nat

wednesday afternoon-

the 11 year-old ran out onto the field with his friends at southwest florida christian academy for football practice-

when out of nowhere-

lightning struck him.

friday-

jesse's parents asked for prayers at tampa general hospital,

while they prayed for their son, who was in a coma- to wake up.

*file sot* "jesse's in god hands now and we need all the possible prayers we can get."

the watlington's made the heartbreaking drive back from tampa,

and are home now-

planning their baby boy's memorial service.

JESSE WATLINGTON FOLO-SSTOPS-REMLIVE

SERVICE IS SET FOR THURSDAY AT ONE- PUBLIC VIEWING BEFORE THAT. THAT'S AT 11AM.

FM 20TH HOMICIDE-trxSS-VO

THE CITY OF FORT MYERS ON TRACK TO SURPASS 20 HOMICIDES IN THE FIRST TEN MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

THAT IS HOW MANY THERE WERE IN ALL OF LAST YEAR.

MORE THAN HALF OF THEM REMAIN UNSOLVED TONIGHT.

EACH ONE MARKED BY A RED DOT ON THIS MAP.

JUST YESTERDAY, -- A BODY WAS FOUND ON THE TARPON STREET PIER OFF PALM BEACH BOULEVARD.

N-B-C TWO ANCHOR HEATHER TURCO IS LIVE IN THE STUDIO WITH THE LATEST ON THAT INVESTIGATION --

AND A YEAR MARKED WITH DEADLY VIOLENCE.

TWENTY HOMICIDES THIS YEAR IN FORT MYERS.

A BODY WAS FOUND ON THE TARPON STREET PIER YESTERDAY MORNING.

A COUPLE NOTICED THE BODY.

POLICE ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE MAN AND HOW HE DIED.

FM 20TH HOMICIDE-PLASMA

FM 20TH HOMICIDE-VOTOPS-WIPE

RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM.

BUT UNTIL THEY NOTIFY FAMILY --

THEY WON'T RELEASE HIS NAME.

POLICE SAY WHILE THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS ACTIVE --

FM 20TH HOMICIDE-VOTOPS

AS FOR THE ALARMING NUMBER OF HOMICIDES --

POLICE ISSUED THIS STATEMENT SAYING --

WHILE OVERALL CRIME IS DOWN IN THE CITY THIS YEAR --

FM 20TH HOMICIDE-PLASMA

JUNE WAS THE DEADLIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR.

SIX PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES.

AS FAR AS PREVENTION --

THE FORT MYERS POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT IS USING EVERY AVAILABLE RESOURCE TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME IN THE CITY --

EVEN PARTNERING WITH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES.

FM CURFEW ENFORCED-ONCAM

FORT MYERS POLICE ARE NOW ENFORCING A CURFEW FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

TEENS MUST BE INDOORS BY NINE P-M ON WEEKNIGHTS --

AND 11 P-M ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS.

IF CAUGHT OUT --

MEDSTAR COUNTY MANAGER-ONCAM

DID THE COUNTY MANAGER HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SHUT DOWN LEE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY HELICOPTER PROGRAM WITHOUT WARNING?

IT'S A QUESTION COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE ASKING - ONE EVEN CALLING FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER'S RESIGNATION BECAUSE OF IT.

MEDSTAR COUNTY MANAGER-TFC CTR

I GOT MY HANDS ON THIS LEGAL OPINION TODAY --

AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SAYS *YES* --

MEDSTAR COUNTY MANAGER-PKG

AT EACH TUESDAY MEETING --

LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BRIAN BIGELOW ASKS COUNTY MANAGER KAREN HAWES MANY QUESTIONS.

NOW, HE'S GETTING SOME ANSWERS.

IN A NEW LEGAL OPINION FROM COUNTY ATTORNEY MICHAEL HUNT -- HE SAYS HAWES *DID HAVE AUTHORITY TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND MEDSTAR.

TAKE PAGE TEAR

THAT POWER COMES FROM THE LEE COUNTY CHARTER.WHICH GRANTS THE COUNTY MANAGER AUTHORITY TO TAKE CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.INCLUDING THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF A DIVISION OR PROGRAM.

TODAY I ASKED COMMISSION CHAIRMAN JOHN MANNING IF HE THOUGHT COMMISSIONERS SHOULD HAVE HAD A SAY IN THE SHUTDOWN.

JOHN MANNING

LEE CO. CO MMISSIONER

MEDSTAR COUNTY MANAGER-TFC CTR

THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, AGAIN, CITED THE LEE COUNTY CHARTER -- AND FOUND KAREN HAWES DID *NOT HAVE TO GET BOARD APPROVAL BEFORE SUSPENDING THE MEDSTAR PROGRAM.

MARCO FATAL CRASH-(2)SS-OC

A MAN ON MARCO ISLAND IS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AFTER A DEADLY MISTAKE.

POLICE SAY ANDREW ROUBICEK WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL

OF THIS CAR WHEN IT CRASHED ON JAMAICA ROAD THIS MORNING.

SHAYNE MURRAY, A PASSENGER IN THE CAR.DIED AT THE SCENE.

AS N-B-C TWO'S RICK RITTER FOUND OUT --

ROUBICEK WALKED HOME --

MARCO FATAL CRASH-PKG-BNR

A TOTALED S-U-V, DEBRIS IN THE STREET AND LAWNS TORN UP- ALL THE AFTERMATH OF A FATAL HIT AND RUN THAT HAS AN ENTIRE MARCO ISLAND NEIGHBORHOOD SHAKEN UP.

ANNE COLAPERT/JAMAICA ROAD RESIDENT

1:14 "I just hadn't seen anything like that."

ANNE COLPAERT IS STILL IN AWE - NEARLY 12 HOURS AFTER WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT - FINDING HER HOUSE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.

ANNE COLPAERT

:31 "I saw the van in front of my house here and all of the mass in the street."

POLICE SAY A WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD CRASH AND FOUND A JEEP CHEROKEE ABANDONED ON JAMAICA ROAD.

911 CALLER

1:16 "He left the car right in the middle of the street, it's smoking and it's pretty well damaged."

OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE JEEP WAS GOING SOUTH WHEN IT SPED UP AND HIT THE CURB.

ANNE

:50 "It had gone air born and rolled over at least 3 times."

20 YEAR OLD, SHAYNE WILLIAM MURRAY, WAS EJECTED FROM THE JEEP AND FOUND DEAD ON ANNE COLPAERTS FRONT LAWN.

1:34 OR 1:54 "The person was in my swale, the one that was ejected from the vehicle."

DRIVING THE S-U-V WAS 22-YEAR OLD ANDREW ROUBICEK, WHO BOTH POLICE AND WITNESSES SAY FLED THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.

911 CALLER

:56 "I think he's drunk, I think he's walking away."

ROUBICEK DIDN'T GET FAR THOUGH- POLICE TRACKED HIM DOWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT'S WHEN HE ADMITTED THAT HE WAS THE DRIVER.

SANDY HARRIS/MARCO ISLAND

12:49 "Very surprised to hear someone would just take off like that."

POLICE TOOK ROUBICEK INTO CUSTODY AND TOOK HIM TO THE MEDICAL CENTER TO CHECK HIS BLOOD FOR ALCOHOL.

CHARGES ARE PENDING AT THIS TIME.

MEANWHILE, NEIGHBORS ARE TRYING TO COME TO GRIPS WITH WHAT TOOK PLACE, AND ARE HOPING THIS TRAGIC EVENT SENDS A MESSAGE.

ANNE

2:29 "Hopefully the community and kids will learn from this."

CHARLOTTE COUNTY CRASH-(3)SS

A SEMI TRUCK DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY --

SHUTTING DOWN STATE ROAD 31 IN PUNTA GORDA FOR MOST OF THE MORNING.

THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO LEE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.

THE TRUCK WAS FULL OF MULCH, MAKING QUITE A MESS ON THE ROADWAY.

IT TOOK CREWS UNTIL ALMOST NOON TO CLEAN UP AND REOPEN STATE ROAD 31.

IDENTITY THEFT ARREST-trxSS

A FLORIDA MAN HAD A LOT MORE THAN HIS OWN INFORMATION ON HIM DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.

FRED JOHNSON IS CHARGED WITH 100 FELONY COUNTS OF FRAUD.

PANTHER DEATH-ONCAM

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN AS MANY DAYS AN ENDANGERED FLORIDA PANTHER WAS HIT AND KILLED BY A CAR.

THE ONE YEAR OLD MALE PANTHER DIED ON STATE ROAD 29 IN COLLIER COUNTY, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF US 41.

IT'S THE 18TH DEATH SO FAR THIS YEAR --

US 41 CLOSURE TONIGHT-NAVITOPS

A TRAFFIC ALERT IN SOUTH LEE COUNTY TONIGHT:

THE NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND LANES OF U-S 41 -- JUST SOUTH OF ALICO ROAD WILL CLOSE AT 8 TONIGHT.

CREWS ARE INSTALLING AN OVERHEAD SIGN WHERE THE NEW METRO PARKWAY EXTENSION WILL MEET UP WITH 41.

WORK IS SCHEDULED TO LAST UNTIL FIVE TOMORROW MORNING.

FL HURRICANE INSURANCE-ONCAM

FOR THE SAKE OF CITIZENS INSURANCE.LET'S HOPE A BIG STORM DOESN'T HIT FLORIDA THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

NEW ESTIMATES HAVE THE STATE FALLING SHORT.UP TO SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS.TO PAY OUT CLAIMS FROM A HURRICANE.

JETBLUE LEED CERTIFIED-VOTOPS-WIPE

JETBLUE PARK IS EVEN GREENER THAN WE FIRST THOUGHT.AND IT'S GOING TO SAVE THE COUNTY SOME SERIOUS MONEY.

LEE COUNTY LEARNED IT WILL SAVE 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR IN MAINTENANCE COSTS AT JETBLUE PARK.

THIS IS ALL BECAUSE THE COUNTY WAS AWARDED A LEED CERTIFICATION.WHICH IS GIVEN TO BUILDINGS THAT SAVE ENERGY AND HELP THE ENVIRONMENT.

JETBLUE LEED CERTIFIED-SOTVO

not only will the components be incorporated into the the tours that you can take during spring training through the Red Sox, but there will also be a series of thematic signs throughout the facility so that you can go on a walking tour yourself and learn about these things when you're there.

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

A 47-VEHICLE PILE UP ON I-75 FRIDAY, SENT DOZENS OF PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL

OFTENTIMES WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, it's a NATURAL REACTION TO SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES,

TZ1 A) SARASOTA 75 CRASH FOLO-VO

TZ1 C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

MARKET CLOSE-CGTOPS

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.

Remember the cold front I talked about all weekend? Well it's still holding steady to our north, and it's pushing a long fetch moisture into southwest Florida.

That'll keep thunderstorms in the forecast for the rest of Monday, but after today. Dry weather will come! Briefly. Don't get your hopes up. Of course there's a price you pay when the rain leaves, too, the temperatures will warm up.

So here's how it all works out.

We'll see some afternoon storms ride up US Hwy 41 and I-75 this afternoon impacting our homeward bound commute. Be sure to keep the headlights on, the windshiled wipers working, and stay below the speed limit when encountering these storms.

I expect them to clear out after 8 PM.

Tomorrow, the front I mentioned will fade away. That's when the changes occur because drier air from our north will begin spilling down.

This dry air does three things for us:

1. Sunny skies

2. Rain free weather

3. Hotter temperatures

Thankfully the humidity levels will be lower so it won't feel as oppressive outside! Highs will range up 3 to 5 degrees above the norm.

On the flip side dry air likes to cool down during the overnight hours, so we'll see overnight temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s.

This will last until Saturday. Clouds begin to increase that day and we will see just isolated storms. Those storms will become more scattered on Sunday.

Tropical weather? Eh, there's some. The National Hurricane Center continues to investigate and area of low pressure pushing over the Bahamas. They're giving it a 10% of developing into something over the next 48 hours.

SARASOTA 75 CRASH FOLO-2SH-VO-SS

OUR WEATHER HERE IN FLORIDA CHANGES QUICKLY.

AND THAT CAN MAKE DRIVING TRICKY.

A HEAVY DOWN POUR IS LIKELY TO BLAME FOR THIS PILE UP. 47 CARS PLUNGED INTO A WALL OF WATER ON FRIDAY.

WE FIRST BROUGHT THIS TO YOU AS BREAKING NEWS --

HAPPENING ON INTERSTATE 75 ALONG THE SARASOTA MANATEE COUNTY LINE.

N-B-C TWO ANCHOR LINDSAY LOGUE FOUND OUT WHILE COMMON SENSE WOULD SAY TO SLOW DOWN DURING A STORM --

SARASOTA 75 CRASH FOLO-TFC CTR

SARASOTA 75 CRASH FOLO-VOTOPS-WIPE

BUT IT WAS MUCH DIFFERENT ON FRIDAY.

TONIGHT TROOPERS SAY DRIVER ERROR --

RAIN AND SPEED ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO A 47 CAR PILE UP.

DRIVING IN THE RAIN CAN MEAN REDUCED VISIBILITY --

AND WATER GATHERING ON THE ROAD SURFACE.

TROOPERS SAY DRIVERS MUST REMAIN MUCH MORE AWARE WHEN RAIN IS COMING DOWN --

SARASOTA 75 CRASH FOLO-SOTVO

sot:Capt. John Donovan, FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL 2:11:50-00 "to always be aware.not too quickly."

TROOPERS ARE STILL INVESTIGATING.

SARASOTA 75 CRASH FOLO-TFC CTR

TROOPERS SAY NO CRIMINAL TRAFFIC CHARGES SUCH AS RECKLESS DRIVING WILL BE FILED FROM THE PILEUP.

HOWEVER, SOME CITATIONS WILL BE ISSUED TO DRIVERS INVOLVED IN THOSE COLLISIONS.

GAINSVILLE DEADLY CRASH-VO

THIS IS AT LEAST THE SECOND CHAIN REACTION PILE-UP ON INTERSTATE 75 THIS YEAR.

11 PEOPLE DIED NEAR GAINSVILLE BACK IN JANUARY IN WHAT'S BEEN CALLED THE DEADLIEST CRASH IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.

AT LEAST 22 PEOPLE WERE INJURED.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS-ONCAM

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR MAILBOX --

VOTERS IN LEE COUNTY SHOULD BE GETTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS THIS WEEK.

SO FAR MORE THAN 72 THOUSAND BALLOTS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED.

THE LAST DAY TO REQUEST THEM IS OCTOBER 31ST.

RICK SCOTT AT FGCU-VOTOPS

GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT MADE A QUICK STOP AT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY TODAY.

GOVERNOR SCOTT VISITED TWO ACADEMIC BUILDINGS AND MET WITH THE UNIVERSITY PROVOST.

F-G-C-U PRESIDENT, WILSON BRADSHAW, IS OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

TAMPA TRIBUNE SOLD-ONCAM

SOLD.

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE HAS NEW OWNERS TODAY.

A PRIVATE EQUITY GROUP FROM LOS ANGELES BOUGHT THE NEWSPAPER AND ITS WEBSITE FOR MORE THAN NINE MILLION DOLLARS.

THE GROUP HAS FORMED A LOCAL COMPANY TO RUN THE PAPER.

COLUMBUS DAY AND OCTOBER PET ADOPTION SPECIALS-VO-

IN HONOR OF COLUMBUS DAY,

ADOPTION FEES ARE BEING REDUCED AT LEE COUNTY DOMESTIC ANIMAL SERVICES.

YOU GET TAKE HOME A NEW PET FOR. 14-92. THE YEAR COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA.

THE REDUCED RATE INCLUDES THE SAME SPAY/NEUTER, AND VACCINATION.

COLUMBUS DAY AND OCTOBER PET ADOPTION SPECIALS-SOT

right now we are at capacity our kennels are full so we need to get as many adopters as possible to find homes for all the animals we have here.

LEE COUNTY D-A-S IS RUNNING DEALS THE WHOLE MONTH.

TEASE TWO-2SHOT

A THEIF TARGETS TWO OLDER WOMEN NOT ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

they say give me money. Give me money

WE'LL TELL YOU WHY INVESTIGATORS SAY THERE IS A FAMILY TIE.

TZ2 A)LEE CO WOMAN ROBBED-SOTVO

ALL NEW TONIGHT AT SIX OPEN-CLIP

TZ2 B) STEVE STANDUP TEASE-SOTTOPS

LEE CO WOMAN ROBBED-2SHOT

A SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WOMAN AND HER DISABLED MOTHER COME FACE TO FACE WITH THREE MASKED MEN.

THE MEN BARGED INTO THEIR NORTH FORT MYERS HOME DEMANDING CASH.

LEE CO WOMAN ROBBED-PKG

-Veronica talking to me in her wheelchair

VERONICA SGPRYCHEL CAN'T WALK. THE 90-YEAR OLD AMPUTEE IS CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR AND RARELY LEAVES HER NORTH FORT MYERS HOME. SHE WAS IN BED SATURDAY NIGHT, WHEN THREE MASKED MEN WALKED INTO HER HOME -- AND DEMANDED CASH FROM HER DAUGHTER WHO WAS WATCHING T-V ON THE SOFA.

ONE OF THEM ARMED WITH A SCREWDRIVER.

-Veronica Sgprychel/victim's mom-"They come and grab here on the couch.say give money."

SGPRYCHEL'S DAUGHTER WENT INTO THE BEDROOM AND HANDED THE ONE OF THE MEN --WHO INVESTIGATORS LATER IDENTIFIED AS JESSE RACO -- AN ENVELOPE FULL OF CASH.

-Sgprychel-"They said give money give money."

THE TRIO TOOK OFF BUT NOT BEFORE A WITNESS GOT A GOOD LOOK AT THE GET-A-WAY CAR.

-Sgt. David Velez/LCSO-"They were definitely out for no good."

THAT CAR -- A MAROON MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE -- BELONGED TO RACO -- A FRIEND OF SGPRYCHEL'S GREAT GRAND-SON.

-Velez-"Putting the pieces of the puzzle together we were basically able to match the description of the car belonging to one of the suspects that was affiliated with the grandson and able to arrest these individuals."

DEPUTIES ARRESTED RACO AND ANOTHER MAN -- BENJAMIN PRESLEY IN CONNECTION TO THE ROBBERY. BOTH MEN ARE CHARGED WITH HOME INVASION ROBBERY WITH A WEAPON.

-Velez-"We're talking about 2 elderly victims.a disabled mom that she's been caring for. Just a despicable crime."

NEW AT 530-2SHOT

THAT DEADLY OUTBREAK OF A RARE FORM OF MENINGITIS IS SPREADING!

NOW MORE THAN 100-PEOPLE ARE SICK--

AND SEVEN VICTIMS ARE DEAD.

TONIGHT NBC2 IS LOOKING AROUND FLORIDA--

TO FIND OUT WHICH MEDICAL CENTERS OR HOSPITALS MAY HAVE SOME OF THE *CONTAMINATED* DRUGS!

AND HAVE YOU SEEN THIS VIDEO YET?

THAT'S A WEDDING PARTY!

ACTUALLY *TWO* WEDDING PARTIES AND FIGHTING!

A) LOCAL MENINGITIS-VO-WIPE

B) WEDDING FIGHT-VOTOPS