DIRECTOR'S PAGE

HEADLINES

BREAKING NEWS - FIRST AT FOUR.

NEW INFORMATION ON THE SEARCH FOR CAR THIEVES.

AFTER THE OWNERS CHASE THEM DOWN!

PLUS - A VIOLENT HOME INVASION IN A SOUTH FORT MYERS GATED COMMUNITY.

FIRST AT FOUR - NEW DETAILS ON THE INVESTIGATION.

AND - A DEADLY SNOW STORM GRIPS THE NORTHEAST.

1 pine manor search-trxSSorVO

2 paseo home invasion-trxVO

3 winter whiteout-trxVO

SHOW OPEN-CLIP

FIRST WEATHER-WXCNTR

COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH

It's happening right now … a cold front is crossing the area and there will be a quick burst of showers as the front passes. When the showers stop … and they won't last long …. The winds will shift to the west/northwest and you will notice a drop in temperature. In fact, we will easily drop into the low 50's by tomorrow morning and it will continue to be a bit breezy tonight.

Tomorrow will be a fairly nice day and it won't be as windy as it was today. Boating and beach weather will be mostly sunny with a north/northwest wind around 10 - 15 mph. The high tomorrow will be cooler than today as well. We hit 80 this afternoon and tomorrow will stay in the 70's. Humidity will be down a bit and it should be a great Thursday.

TOSS TO ELIZABETH-trx 2 SHOT, SS, OBX

BREAKING NEWS, FIRST AT FOUR.

LEE COUNTY DEPUTIES ARE SEARCHING FOR TWO PEOPLE ACCUSED OF STEALING A CAR - AND WRECKING IT INTO A HOME.

IT HAPPENED THIS AFTERNOON AT PINE MANOR IN SOUTH FORT MYERS.

NBC-2'S ELIZABETH BILLINGSELY JOINS US LIVE IN OUR LEE COUNTY MOBILE NEWSROOM.

CHASE IN PINE MANOR-REM 2

THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS IT ALL STARTED AT THE EAGER BEAVER CAR WASH - WHERE A MOTHER AND SON HAPPENED TO SEE THEIR STOLEN CAR.

CHASE IN PINE MANOR-VO

THE LCSO CHOPPER CIRCLED THIS AFTERNOON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR -- AND SEARCH DOGS SCOURED - LOOKING FOR THE MAN AND WOMAN WHO RAN FROM THE CAR, LEAVING IT RUNNING.

WITNESSES SAY TWO LUXURY CARS CAREENED DOWN MAPLE DRIVE - UNTIL THE AUDI CRASHED INTO THIS HOUSE.

CHASE IN PINE MANOR-REM 2

DESPITE THE SEARCH, DEPUTIES WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE TWO WHO RAN.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL CRIME STOPPERS.

TOSS TO KELLY-TRXOC, ANIMAP, DBX

DEVELOPING AT FOUR.

WORD IS SPREADING INSIDE A SOUTH LEE COUNTY GATED-COMMUNITY AFTER A VIOLENT HOME INVASION THIS MORNING.

FORT MYERS POLICE CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR THE PERSON WHO BROKE INTO A HOME AT THE PASEO COMMUNITY AND STABBED A WOMAN.

PASEO HOME INVASION-REM 26

We know that a woman was rushed to the hospital early this morning after someone broke into her home. Neighbors are stunned---since the community is gated and say nothing like this has happened before.

Take tracked vosot

PASEO HOME INVASION-PKG

Nats

Fort Myers police rushed to this town home in the paseo community. A home invasion turned violent after a woman was stabbed. Neighbors tell NBC2 they saw a half dozen police cruisers and an ambulance occupy the typically quiet street. Once the woman was taken off to the hospital, a chopper searched up above for a suspect. But the search turned up empty causing concern for neighbors who were woken up by the flashing blue lights this morning.

Take sound

Nicole Moscheola, Resident

PASEO HOME INVASION-REM 26

TOSS TO STEVE-OC, ANIMAP, DBX

A CAPE CORAL COMMUNITY'S PLEA IS SHOT DOWN FOR A SAFER INTERSECTION.

EVEN CITY LEADER'S SUPPORTED A PLAN THAT WOULD STOP DRIVERS FROM MAKING A U-TURN AT SOUTHEAST 26TH STREET.

INSTEAD, DRIVERS WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT BEFORE MAKING THE U-TURN.

LEE COUNTY OFFICIALS HAVE DENIED THE REQUEST.

CAPE U TURN CONTROVERSY-REM 1

LINDSAY -- THOSE LIVING IN THE EVEREST COMMUNITY FOUGHT FOR MONTHS -- PLEADING WITH ANYONE WHO'D LISTEN ASKING FOR A SIMPLE CHANGE.

TODAY -- WE'VE LEARNED THE COUNTY SAID NO WAY.

CAPE U TURN CONTROVERSY-VO

IN OCTOBER -- CONCERNED CITIZENS RALLIED FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THE U-TURN CHANGE.

THEY WANTED TO BAN THE PRACTICE -- SAYING TRAFFIC WAS BECOMING A NIGHTMARE AND FEARED A NEW GAS STATION WOULD ONLY ADD TO THE PROBLEM.

CITY LEADERS SAID THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE SWITCH BECAUSE DEL PRADO BOULVARD IS A COUNTY OWNED ROAD.

TODAY IN A MEMO OBTAINED BY NBC2 -- LEE COUNTY SAYS STOPPING U-TURNS WOULD BLOCK ACCESS TO BUSINESSES AND A CHURCH AND SAY THERE IS NO DOCUMENTED CRASH PROBLEM.

CAPE U TURN CONTROVERSY-SOTVO

AKE SOT

Luigi Perrotti, driver

"it's a very busy intersection. Cars coming up and down all the time."

Terry Bitder, driver

"that u-turn thing has really caused a lot of wrecks. I really think they should get rid of it but I guess I'm not the county."

CAPE U TURN CONTROVERSY-REM 1

LEE COUNTY PLANS TO MONITOR THE INTERSECTION ONCE THAT RACE TRAC OPENS UP.

FOR MANY WHO LIVE HERE AND PASS THROUGH THIS INTERSECTION EVERY DAY, THEY TELL US THEY FEAR A REAL TRADEGY MUST HAPPEN BEFORE SOMETHING GETS DONE.

CAPE ROLLOVER AX-VO

THREE PEOPLE ARE HURT AFTER A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT IN CAPE CORAL.

IT HAPPENED AROUND 12-30 THIS AFTERNOON ON PINE ISLAND ROAD - RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE KIA DEALERSHIP.

THE CAPE FIRE DEPARTMENT TELLS US TWO CARS WERE INVOLVED IN THE WRECK.

ONE ROLLED OVER.

3 PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

THERE IS NO WORD ON HOW BADLY THEY WERE INJURED.

COLLIER COUNTY ACCIDENT UPDATE-OC, ANIMAP

A TEENAGER IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT IN COLLIER COUNTY YESTERDAY.

YESTERDAY, 19 YEAR OLD IVAN CRUZ AND 19 YEAR OLD EDGAR RENATA CRASHED THEIR PICKUP ALONG STATE ROAD 29 NEAR OIL WELL ROAD.

RENATA DIED IN THE CRASH.

NY FIREFIGHTER FUNERALS-VO

FUNERALS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE TWO NEW YORK STATE FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE AMBUSHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

FOUR FIREFIGHTERS WERE SHOT WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO A FIRE IN WEBSTER, NEW YORK.

TWO OF THEM DIED FROM THEIR INJURIES.

THEIR FUNERALS WILL BE SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

POLICE SAY AN EX-CONVICT, WILLIAM SPENGLER, INTENTIONALLY SET A CAR ON FIRE AND THEN SHOT THE THE FIREFIGHTERS.

FISCAL CLIFF 6 DAYS-OC, VO

PRESIDENT OBAMA CUTS HIS CHRISTMAS VACATION SHORT TO HEAD BACK TO WASHINGTON.

THE PRESIDENT CELEBRATED THE HOLIDAYS IN HAWAII.

HE AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE SIX DAYS TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIND A SOLUTION TO THE FISCAL CLIFF.

THAT'S WHEN A SET OF TAX RATE INCREASES AND SPENDING CUTS WILL BEGIN.

CONGRESS IS DUE BACK TOMORROW.

BIG BOARD-SAT-LIVE-TOPS

MANDELA RELEASED-trx, oc, vo

BREAKING NEWS - FIRST AT FOUR.

SOUTH AFRICA'S FORMER PRESIDENT, NELSON MANDELA, IS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

THE 94 YEAR OLD HAD BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL SINCE DECEMEBER 8TH.

HE WAS RECOVERING FROM A LUNG INFECTION AND GALL STONE SURGERY.

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM.

VIDEO AND COMPUTERS GAME HAVE TAKEN PART OF THE BLAME FOR AMERICA'S LOSING BATTLE WITH OBESITY.

A) kids fitness tech-vo

HOLIDAY STORMS TRAVEL-TRXVOTOPS, OC

DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW, A DEADLY WINTER STORM MOVES TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.

SO FAR, 6 DEATHS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON THE STORM.

IT BROUGHT TORNADOES TO THE SOUTH AND SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW IN THE MIDWEST.

HOLIDAY STORMS TRAVEL-PKG

RSW FLIGHTS-MITTOTOPS

SOME FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ARE CANCELLED.

MOST ARE TO THE MIDWEST AND TO THE NORTHEAST.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUR WEBSITE BEFORE HEADING TO THE AIRPORT.

PORT CHARLOTTE DENNY'S FIGHT-(2) SS

THREE PEOPLE HAD TO BE TASERED AFTER A FIGHT AT A DENNY'S RESTAURANT IN PORT CHARLOTTE.

AT TWO IN THE MORNING ON SUNDAY - DEPUTIES SAY THIS WOMAN PUNCHED ANOTHER WOMAN SO MANY TIMES SHE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

DEPUTIES HAD TO TASE HER TO STOP THE FIGHT.

DURING THE SCUFFLE, THESE TWO MEN ALSO HAD TO BE TASED.

HOLIDAY SALES-VIDBOX

RETAILERS ACROSS THE NATION HOPE HOLIDAY SPENDING SPILLS PAST CHRISTMAS.

ACCORDING TO SPENDING TRACKER, HOLIDAY SALES WERE UP SEVEN-TENTHS OF A PERCENT THIS YEAR.

THAT'S THE WEAKEST INCREASE SINCE 2008.

FIRST ALERT FORECAST-CLIP

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.

COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH

It's happening right now … a cold front is crossing the area and there will be a quick burst of showers as the front passes. When the showers stop … and they won't last long …. The winds will shift to the west/northwest and you will notice a drop in temperature. In fact, we will easily drop into the low 50's by tomorrow morning and it will continue to be a bit breezy tonight.

Tomorrow will be a fairly nice day and it won't be as windy as it was today. Boating and beach weather will be mostly sunny with a north/northwest wind around 10 - 15 mph. The high tomorrow will be cooler than today as well. We hit 80 this afternoon and tomorrow will stay in the 70's. Humidity will be down a bit and it should be a great Thursday.

TRAFFIC-trxTFC FDOT

TRAFFIC BILLBOARD-CLIP

TEASE TWO-ONCAM

COMING UP FIRST AT FOUR.TEXTING COULD SOON BE THE NORM FOR REACHING OUT TO 911.

WE'LL TELL YOU WHY THE GOVERNMENT IS PUSHING FOR TEXTING IN AN EMERGENCY AND WHY DISPATCHERS SAY "NOT SO FAST".

AND - WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DAMAGING STORM HEADED TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES SHOWING WHAT PEOPLE IN MOBILE, ALABAMA ARE DEALING WITH.

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 5 TIMES IN THE CITY.

ROOFS WERE RIPPED OFF, HOMES TORN APART, WINDOWS SHATTERED.

A) 911 texting-vo

B) mobile damage-vo

911 TEXTING-OC

TEXTING COULD BE THE NEW WAY TO CONTACT POLICE IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THINKS PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEND A TEXT MESSAGE TO CALL FOR HELP.

911 TEXTING-PKG

A WRECK, A VICTIM, A TEXT TO 9-1-1?

"One, two, three Main Street."

"Hendricks 911, what's the address?"

TEXTS TO 911 ARE STILL THE FUTURE. YOU CANNOT TEXT 911 NOW.

"Inevitably we are going to see the texting."

TEXTING COULD HAVE PLUSES.

TEXT MESSAGES GO THROUGH FASTER WITHOUT CLOGGING COMMUNICATIONS.

"Might be able to save lives by getting more people with additional means of being able to get in contact with somebody, but I guess I would have a concern about being able to do it when you drive."

"Say there's someone right close to you that you don't want them to see you pick up the phone and you could maybe discretely text."

"That might be good for people that are in a hazardous situation."

THE CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTING SHE SAYS, A TEACHER LOCKED IN A CLOSET COULD SILENTLY SIGNAL HELP.

"We probably get about a dozen of those kind of cases a year. Where somebody is breaking into a house,"

BUT THERE'S A DOWNSIDE TO TEXT 911. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOWHERE NEAR READY. AND IF YOU TEXT THAT "123 MAIN STREET" IN AN EMERGENCY?

"There's two of them in Brownsburg, there's two in Pittsboro."

THE TEXTER MUST ADD THE CITY.

"911, what is your emergency?"

AND WHAT IF THE TEXTER DOESN'T KNOW WHERE HE IS, SAY OUT ON A COUNTRY ROAD?

STEVE COOK MADE A 911 CALL FROM RIGHT OVER THE DISPATCHER'S SHOULDER. AND LOOK.

"Even though I have a GPS phone."

ONE OF THE STATE'S TOP DISPATCHER CENTERS PINPOINTED HIS PHONE.

"Probably 2 miles from here."

"Sir, what is your name?"

ALSO LOST WITH TEXT 911, DISPATCHERS CAN'T EASILY GIVE LIFESAVING DIRECTIONS LIKE C-P-R. TIME WOULD BE LOST SETTING UP A PHONE CALL.

911 TEXTING-OC

DAVID MCANALLY REPORTING.

TEASE THREE

COLLIER COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS MADE ONE KID'S DAY TODAY.

"I didn't think that I would just go to Walmart and be on the news some day."

A) big corkscrew foster-sotvo

BIG CORKSCREW FOSTER CHILD SHOPPING-VO

BIG CORKSCREW FIREFIGHTERS WERE IN A GIVING MOOD THIS DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.

TODAY THEY TOOK A LITTLE GIRL ON A SHOPPING SPREE!

THE EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SPENT THE HOLIDAYS WITH A FOSTER FAMILY--

SO THE FIREFIGHTERS TOOK HER TO WALMART AND LET HER PICK ALL THE PRESENTS SHE WANTED.

SHE GOT EVERYTHING FROM CLOTHES TO TOYS-- HER FAVORITE WAS A HULA-HOOP.

BIG CORKSCREW FOSTER CHILD SHOPPING-SOTVO

"I didn't think that I would just go to Walmart and be on the news some day."

""Just knowing that people in the community care about her and that she's not alone, that people really do want to help and be there for her."

KIDS FITNESS TECH-OC

FROM VIDEO GAMES. TO COMPUTER TIME. TO TIME IN FRONT OF THE TUBE -- TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN BLAMED FOR OUR INCREASINGLY SLUGGISH LIFESTYLE.

NOW A SMALL NORTH CAROLINA COMPANY IS CHANGING THAT -- BY USING TECHNOLOGY TO GET CHILDREN ACTIVE.

KIDS FITNESS TECH-PKG

THESE KIDS ARE DOING THEIR OWN THING ON THE PLAYGROUND. WHILE COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.

THIS IS SQORD. S-Q-O-R-D. IT'S A COMBINATION COMPUTER GAME, SOCIAL NETWORK AND REAL WORLD EXERCISE. COLEMAN GREENE IS A CO-FOUNDER.

"Our idea is not to say that technology is the problem, but rather embrace it, and say that it can be part of the solution."

KIDS WEAR A PRACTICALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE POWER BAND THAT CONTAINS A 3-AXIS ACCELEROMETER. IT TRACKS THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE DAY -- CAPTURING A RANGE OF MOTION, DURATION AND INTENSITY.

"Then you swipe it over a little bay station, which plugs into the side of a computer, then wirelessly uploads to our website."

ON THE WEBSITE, KIDS SEE WHICH OF THEIR FRIENDS "SQORD" THE MOST EXERCISE IN A DAY.

"I did not notice any smack talk on there. no smack talk yet."

ALTHOUGH BRAGGING RIGHTS ARE INVOLVED -- KIDS CAN ONLY COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR FRIENDS BY SELECTING A PRE-DETERMINED LIST OF POSITIVE PHRASES AND VIRTUAL HIGH FIVES.

SQORD TARGETS THE 8- TO 13-YEAR OLD CROWD. CHILDHOOD OBESITY EXPERTS SAY IT'S DURING THIS TIME PERIOD THAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PLUMMETS.

"It's quite a vulnerable period during this middle school transition. and parents may have to work harder to try to find their children outlets for activity."

"The cool thing is that you don't have to be a soccer star or the fastest runner. When you're wearing this band, all you have to do is play."

IN OUR EXPERIMENT WITH SQORD, KIDS LITERALLY WOULD NOT STOP MOVING - JOGGING EXTRA LAPS AND HOPPING AROUND WHILE WAITING TO SEE THEIR SCORE.

"I even noticed that when I put it on, I wanted more points, so I went out and played a little soccer with my brother."

LIKE ANY GOOD ONLINE TOOL, SQORD IS SLOWLY GOING VIRAL -- PIQUING THE INTEREST OF YMCA'S. PILOT PROGRAMS HAVE BEGUN IN SOME FLORIDA AND COLORADO SCHOOLS.

TEASE FOUR-2SHOT

ALL NEW, FIRST AT FOUR.

NEW SURVEYS SHOW FORT MYERS AND CAPE CORAL WILL LEAD THE NATION FOR JOB GROWTH NEXT YEAR.

STRAIGHT AHEAD - THE LOCAL INDUSTRY THAT GOES UNNOTICED BUT PLAYS A BIG PART IN OUR ECONOMY.

AND - A POWERFUL AND DEADLY STORM BLOWS TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.

A) made in swfl-vo

B) winter weather-vo

SHOW OPEN-CLIP

TOSS TO CHAD-2 SHOT, TURN HALFSCREEN RVL, TRX

THANKS FOR JOINING US, FIRST AT FOUR.

I'M LINDSAY LOGUE.

AND I'M PETER BUSCH.

NEED A JOB IN THE NEW YEAR?

YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

SURVEYS SHOW THE CAPE CORAL AND FORT MYERS MARKET WILL SEE THE STRONGEST JOB GROWTH IN THE NATION.

ONE IN FOUR EMPLOYERS EXPECT TO ADD STAFF.

MANY OF THOSE JOBS WILL COME FROM AN AREA OF THE ECONOMY THAT OFTEN GOES UNNOTICED: *MANUFACTURING*.

NBC-2'S CHAD OLIVER HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO WHAT'S "MADE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA."

MADE IN SWFL-PLASMA

BECAUSE TOURISM SO DOMINATES THE FLORIDA ECONOMY - THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT WE DON'T MAKE ANYTHING IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.

I FOUND SEVERAL INNOVATIVE COMPANIES PROVING THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

MADE IN SWFL-VO

THAT'S THE CASE WITH FOX ELECTRONICS.

THEY CREATE THE FREQUENCY FOR OSCILLATORS.

THOSE ARE TINY CHIPS THAT EVENTUALLY OPERATE THINGS LIKE PRINTERS. COMPUTERS. AND CELL PHONES.

THEIR PARTS ALSO END UP IN LUXURY CARS THAT HAVE FRONT AND REAR DETECTION.

MADE IN SWFL-SOTVO

Most people don't even realize they're manufacturing anything here. It's surprising. You mentioned other manufacturers, people don't even know they exist."

FOX IS OFF OF M-L-K BESIDE I-75 - WITHIN THE FORT MYERS ENTERPRISE ZONE.

THAT MEANS THEY RECEIVE CERTAIN TAX BREAKS.

BUT THE NUMBER ONE REASON THEY'RE BASED IN LEE COUNTY - QUALITY OF LIFE.

MADE IN SWFL-PLASMA

COMING UP AT SIX O'CLOCK I'LL BE BACK TO PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON TWO OTHER COMPANIES.

ONE IS ALL *EXPORTS.

THEY DON'T HAVE A CLIENT IN THE U-S BUT THEY'RE HIRING LOCAL AND EXPANDING.

ANOTHER MAKES PARTS THAT PROTECT MILITARY LIVES.

CAPE VALVE REPLACEMENT-OC, SS

A SUCCESSFUL WATER PROJECT IN THE CAPE HAS PEOPLE BOILING THEIR WATER TONIGHT.

CREWS REPLACED A VALVE AFTER A WATER MAIN LINE BROKE EARLIER THIS MONTH.

SINCE WATER HAD TO BE SHUT OFF DURING TODAY'S PROJECT, THIS AREA IS UNDER A BOIL ADVISORY.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR SANTA BARBARA BOULEVARD SHOULD BOIL WATER FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE BEFORE DRINKING IT.

WINTER WEATHER-ANIBOXTOPS RVL

A NASTY WINTER STORM IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.

BUT IT ALREADY LEFT A MARK IN THE MIDWEST AND SOUTH.

INDIANA COULD SEE UP TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET TODAY.

IN ARKANSAS, THE SAME SYSTEM BLANKETED THE STATE WITH SNOW AND KNOCKED OUT ELECTRICITY.

NEARLY 190-THOUSAND CUSTOMERS ARE WITHOUT POWER ACROSS THE STATE AFTER LAST NIGHT'S STORM.

IN ALABAMA, TORNADOES RIPPED THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT'S THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK, A TWISTER TOUCHED DOWN IN MOBILE.

a) in snow blowing-vo

b) ar winter storm-vo

c) al tornado damage-vo

FISCAL CLIFF 6 DAYS-OC

LAWMAKERS AND THE WHITE HOUSE HAVE LESS THAN A WEEK TO SEE EYE TO EYE ON THE FISCAL CLIFF.

IN SIX DAYS, A SET OF TAX RATE INCREASES AND SPENDING CUTS WILL GO INTO EFFECT.

IF CONGRESS DOES NOT REACH A DEAL, THE COUNTRY IS EXPECTED TO GO BACK INTO A CRIPPLING RECESSION.

FISCAL CLIFF 6 DAYS-PKG

PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL BE LEAVING THE WARMTH OF HAWAII AND RETURN TO STORMY WASHINGTON THURSDAY.TO TRY AND STOP THE COUNTRY FROM GOING OVER THE FISCAL CLIFF.

BUT RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO SPECIFIC DEAL ON THE TABLE. DEMOCRATS BLAME REPUBLICANS FOR NOT AGREEING LAST WEEK TO END TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST AMERICANS.

Maryland:21 -:28

"basically what they said is we are not going to let the rich pay one dime more.there's something awfully wrong with that picture and i think the american public is seeing that."

REPUBLICANS WON'T AGREE ON ENDING CUTS FOR PEOPLE MAKING OVER 250-THOUSAND DOLLARS.BUT SAY THERE MAY BE ROOM FOR COMPROMISE.

Texas:40 -:48

"i'd be for no one having a tax increase but i know i'm not in the majority in the united states senate so we've got to sit down and hammer something out."

IF NO DEAL IS REACHED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.AMERICANS WILL SEE THEIR INCOME TAXES GO UP.AND OVER 2-MILLION PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR JOBLESS BENEFITS. 110-BILLION DOLLARS IN SPENDING CUTS WILL HIT MANY FEDERAL AGENCIES.

ANALYSTS ALSO PREDICT FEWER COMPANIES WILL HIRE.

"As a result that paralyzed lack of activity will translate into consumption, lack of hiring, lack of business investment.collectively pointing us to an economic contraction."

ANALYSTS ALSO FEAR THAT WITHOUT A DEAL, WALL STREET WILL STRUGGLE AS WORRIED CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES GREATLY REDUCE THEIR SPENDING.

WITH ONLY THE SENATE RETURNING THURSDAY, PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL LIKELY TURN TO HIS ALLY.SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID TO TRY AND CRAFT SOME KIND OF DEAL.

HOUSING PRICES-VO

MAJOR NEWS FOR THE U-S HOUSING MARKET, TODAY.

HOME PRICES ARE GOING UP NATIONWIDE.

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT -- HOME VALUES ROSE IN 18 OF 20 MAJOR U-S CITIES, IN OCTOBER.

COMPARED WITH THIS TIME LAST YEAR, NATIONAL HOME PRICE INDEX HAVE INCREASED 4-POINT-3 PERCENT.

THIS IS THE LARGEST YEAR-TO-YEAR JUMP IN NEARLY THREE YEARS.

TSUNAMI 8TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY-VO

TODAY -- PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN ASIA ARE REMBERING A DEADLY EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI THAT SHOOK THEIR NATION, EIGHT YEARS AGO.

MASSIVE WAVES BATTERED COUNTRIES ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION -- WHEN THE QUAKE HIT OFF THE COAST OF INDONESIA.

A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE WERE KILLED -- AND NEARLY TWO MILLION WERE LEFT HOMELESS.

NY SHOOTING RESIDENTS RETURN HOME-TRX, OC, VO

WE'RE LEARNING MORE TODAY ABOUT THE AFTERMATH OF A DEADLY SHOOTING -- INVOLVING TWO NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS.

SOME PEOPLE IN WEBSTER, NEW YORK ARE FINALLY ALLOWED TO GO HOME AFTER THEY WERE EVACUATED.

ON CHRISTMAS EVE -- A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE ON TWO FIREFIGHTERS, AS THEY WERE RESPONDING TO A CALL AT HIS HOME.

POLICE SAY THE 62-YEAR-OLD INTENTIALLY SET THE FIRE AS AN AMBUSH.

TWO OTHER FIREFIGHTERS WERE SHOT -- AND ARE EXPECTED TO RECOVER.

THE GUNMAN THEN SHOT HIMESELF.

NEWTOWN MEMORIAL-VO

NOW WE HEAD TO THE SMALL TOWN IN CONNECTICUT-- COPING WITH A UNTHINKABLE TRAGEDY.

THERE ARE PLANS TODAY FOR A PERMANENT MEMORIAL

IN THE WAKE OF THE DEADLY SCHOOL SHOOTING IN NEWTOWN.

WE'RE LEARNING ALL OF THE MOMENTOS ARRIVING THERE FOR THE 26 VICTIMS -- WILL BE USED TO MAKE A PERMANENT MEMORIAL.

PORT CHARLOTTE NEWTOWN VIGIL-VO

A PORT CHARLOTTE WOMAN IS HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTING TONIGHT.

KATHY BURTON DOESN'T HAVE ANY RELATIVES IN NEWTOWN AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THE VICTIMS, BUT THE GRANDMOTHER FELT LIKE SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING.

WITH THE HELP OF HER SON SHE CARVED AND DECORATED TWO ANGELS.

SHE PLACED THE MEMORIAL IN HER YARD AND POSTED THE NAMES AND PICTURES OF THE VICTIMS TO THE ANGELS.

TONIGHT AT 6 O'CLOCK SHE'S INVITING THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN A VIGIL WITH HER.

HEALTH CLIP-CLIP

BABIES SITTING UP SPEEDS LEARNING-VO

LISTEN UP PARENTS --

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS, HELPING INFANTS SIT UP -- MAY BOOST THE LEARNING PROCESS.

THE NEW STUDY FROM TEXAS A-AND-M UNIVERSITY LOOKED AT LEARNING PATTERNS OF FIVE AND SIX MONTH OLDS.

THE OLDER BABIES HAD AN ADVANTAGE -- THEY CAN SIT UP AND REACH FOR OBJECTS, ON THEIR OWN.

RESEARCHERS SAY, WHEN FIVE MONTH OLDS WERE GIVEN SUPPORT -- THEY DEMONSTRATED SIMILAR LEARNING PATTERNS AS THE OLDER BABIES.

PHILLY CONDOMS IN SCHOOL-OC

THERE'S A GROWING PROBLEM WITH THE SPREAD OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES IN PHILADELPHIA.

NOW, SOME HIGH SCHOOLS ARE OFFERING FREE CONDOMS, TO STUDENTS.

22 SCHOOLS ARE ON BOARD -- SINCE TEENS MAKE UP 25-PERCENT OF NEW H-I-V INFECTIONS.

CONDOM DISPENSERS WILL BE INSTALLED INSIDE THE NURSE'S OFFICE.

SOME PARENTS DISAPPROVE --

HEALTH MATTERS-ONCAM

HEALTH MATTERS-PKG

COULD A WONDER DRUG FOR CANCER BE RESIDING IN OUR MEDICINE CABINET? HEALTH EXPERTS ARE BEGINNING TO THINK SO. RESEARCH POINTS TO THE POWER OF ASPIRIN.

DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ/ONCOLOGIST

RUNS:

:21 It's well-known that is has benefits for cardiovascular disease including the prevention of stroke and heart attacks. But within cancer itself, we're finding out that it can prevent not only new diagnosis but also recurrence of cancers.

IN THE LATEST IN A STRING OF STUDIES, HARVARD RESEARCHERS FOUND TAKING LOW DOSE ASPIRIN EVERY OTHER DAY CUT THE RISK OF CERTAIN CANCERS BY MORE THAN 40-PERCENT. THEIR FOCUS WAS ON BOWEL AND STOMACH CANCERS. ADDING TO A GROWING LIST.

DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ/ONCOLOGIST

RUNS:

:21 We all think it's related to decreasing inflammation. In terms of specifics, aspirin has been shown to decrease the recurrence of numerous cancers including breast cancer, we've seen data on colon cancer, as well as skin cancer. You can see that the start of tumors in the liver, or liver metastasis, is actually delayed by the use of aspirin.

AMY OSHIER/REPORTING

RUNS:

Aspirin is one of the world's oldest and cheapest drugs. It costs just pennies a day. But before you stock up, it's important you take stock of your overall health.

DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ/ONCOLOGIST

RUNS:

2:25 Every patient should speak to their doctor about what's going to work best for them. 3:05 Your stomach can be much more sensitive to the acids involved in digestion and can lead to gastritis and even ulceration.

2:25 Some people may be taking other medications that may interact or may augment the side effects of aspirin.

TEASE FIVE-ONCAM

RETAIL STORES HAVE THEIR FINGERS-CROSSED FOR A POST-CHRISTMAS SURGE.

FIRST AT FOUR - WHY TODAY'S TOP DEALS COULD SAVE THE SHOPPING SEASON.

PLUS - MORE THAN TWO MILLION POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TOYS WERE SEIZED AT U-S PORTS.

A) post holiday shopping-vo

B) toy safety lab-vo

C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

ALL NEW AHEAD AT 5:00-CLIP

PAUSE FOR AHEAD AT 5:00 CLIP

CHAOS INSIDE A CHARLOTTE COUNTY RESTAURANT ERUPTS INTO AN ALL-OUT BRAWL.

WHERE FISTS AND CHAIRS WERE FLYING,

AND HOW POLICE FINALLY PUT A STOP TO IT.

SOMETIMES IT CAN *PAY* TO MAKE A MISTAKE.

A) DENNY'S BRAWL-VO

B) LOTTO TICKET ERROR-VO

FIRST ALERT FORECAST-CLIP

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.

COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH

It's happening right now … a cold front is crossing the area and there will be a quick burst of showers as the front passes. When the showers stop … and they won't last long …. The winds will shift to the west/northwest and you will notice a drop in temperature. In fact, we will easily drop into the low 50's by tomorrow morning and it will continue to be a bit breezy tonight.

Tomorrow will be a fairly nice day and it won't be as windy as it was today. Boating and beach weather will be mostly sunny with a north/northwest wind around 10 - 15 mph. The high tomorrow will be cooler than today as well. We hit 80 this afternoon and tomorrow will stay in the 70's. Humidity will be down a bit and it should be a great Thursday.

TRAFFIC-trxTFC FDOT

TRAFFIC BILLBOARD-CLIP

POST HOLIDAY SHOPPING-OC

IF YOU FOUGHT CROWDS BEFORE THE CRACK OF DAWN ON BLACK FRIDAY, YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS.

TODAY IS A GOLD MINE FOR BARGAIN HUNTERS.

POST HOLIDAY SHOPPING-PKG

BIG RETAILERS ARE PUSHING OUT THE POST-CHRISTMAS MERCHANDISE, HOPING TO ADD

TO THEIR BOTTOM LINES. THEY'RE LURING CUSTOMERS WITH GIFT CARDS BY

OFFERING DEEP DISCOUNTS.

SOT/Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst, NPD Group

"ON KEY ITEMS. look for 75 to even 80 percent off on SOME OF THESE items."

RETAILERS THIS YEAR NEED THE BOOST.

THIS WAS THE WEAKEST HOLIDAY SINCE 2008. NEW FIGURES SHOW SALES INCREASED

ONLY SEVEN TENTHS OF A PERCENT. THIS YEAR'S PREDICTION WAS ANYWHERE FROM

THREE TO FOUR PERCENT.

HURRICANE SANDY DAMPENED THE MOOD OF SHOPPERS IN THE NORTHEAST.

AND THE NEWTOWN SHOOTING TRAGEDY MADE THE SLUMP EVEN WORSE.

AND THEN. THERE'S INDECISION ON CAPITOL HILL. ABOUT THE FISCAL CLIFF AND

HIGHER TAXES.

SOT/Dave Henry, shopper from Arizona:

"I think, you know, with the worries, what we're going to be dealing with at

the end of the year tax-wise and everything like that it definitely has

curbed our spending, for sure."

RETAILERS TODAY ARE TRYING TO OUTDO ONE ANOTHER WITH DEALS. OFTEN BETTER

THAN WHAT WAS OFFERED THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING.

AMAZON IS OFFERING A 46-INCH TV, MARKED DOWN 44-PERCENT, FOR 338-DOLLARS

BEST BUY IS CUTTING THE PRICE OF A NIKON DIGITAL CAMERA. 50-PERCENT. TO

129-99.

AND A 170-DOLLAR CASHMERE SWEATER FROM BLOOMINGDALES IS NOW 89.99.

LAST YEAR, ANALYSTS SAY SHOPPERS SPENT MORE THAN 7-BILLION DOLLARS ON THE

DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. THE BARGAINS HAVE BECOME A POST-HOLIDAY TRADITION.

AS GIFT RETURNS ARE MADE BY SHOPPERS STILL IN A SPENDING MOOD.

SOT/DAUGHTER AND THEN MOTHER IN TIMES SQ.

"RETURN THE THINGS WE DIDNT LIKE, FROM RELATIVES."

"AND THEN I BUY WHAT I WANT."

WHETHER YOU'RE SHOPPING IN STORES, OR SURFING FOR DISCOUNTS AND FREE

SHIPPING FROM ONLINE VENDORS, THE RETAILERS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU ON WHAT MAY

POST HOLIDAY SHOPPING-VIDBOXTOPS

BRAD WHEELIS REPORTING.

HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IF YOU'RE RETURNING GIFTS.

OF COURSE, BRING THE GIFT RECEIPT AND DON'T REMOVE THE TAG.

STARBUCKS FISCAL CLIFF-VO

BRAD WHEELIS REPORTING.

COFFEE SUPER-CHAIN, STARBUCKS, IS GETTING POLITICAL.

STARBUCKS WILL PRINT A MESSAGE ABOUT THE FISCAL CLIFF ON THEIR COFFEE CUPS.

THE MESSAGE SAYS: COME TOGETHER.

STARBUCKS C-E-O SAYS IT'S A RESPECTFUL MESSAGE TO SEND TO THE NATION'S LAWMAKERS - URGING THEM TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

JESSICA SIMPSON PREGNANT-SS

JESSICA SIMPSON IS PREGNANT WITH HER SECOND CHILD.

SHE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON TWITTER.

SIMPSON TWEETED THIS PICTURE YESTERDAY.

IT SHOWS HER DAUGHTER, MAXWELL, PLAYING IN THE SAND, WITH THE WORDS - BIG SIS - SPELLED OUT.

DAVID GREGORY INVESTIGATION-VO

THE HOST OF NBC'S MEET THE PRESS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER SHOWING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A GUN MAGAZINE CLIP ON THE SHOW.

ON SUNDAY, DAVID GREGORY INTERVIEWED THE CEO OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

DURING THE INTERVIEW, GREGORY HELD UP A HIGH-CAPACITY GUN MAGAZINE.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF CLIP IN WASHINGTON, DC.

D-C POLICE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING IF GREGORY BROKE CITY LAWS.

TEASE SIX-2SHOT

SOME DESCRIBE A CERTAIN GOVERNMENT AGENCY AS A TORTURE CHAMBER FOR TOYS.

"We simulate the use and abuse with a child of that age can do."

FIRST AT FOUR - THE HANDS-ON LABORATORY MAKING SURE YOUR KIDS ARE SAFE.

A) toy safety lab-SOTVO

FOUR AT FOUR-CGTOPS

1. Rain today, sun tomorrow

2. Home invasion under investigation in Fort Myers

3. 3 arrested in Port Charlotte Denny's brawl

TOY SAFETY LAB-OC

THE U-S HAS STRICT TOY SAFETY STANDARDS, BUT DESPITE THE TIGHT REGULATIONS, 13 CHILDREN DIED FROM TOY-RELATED ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR.

TOY SAFETY LAB-PKG

NO, THIS IS NOT A TORTURE CHAMBER FOR TOYS. ITS YOUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK. TESTING TOYS FOR SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION.

"We simulate the use and abuse with a child of that age can do."

JOHN MASSALE IS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER FOR C-P-S-C.

TOYS ARE TESTED WHEN INVESTIGATORS INTERCEPT POTENTIALLY UNSAFE TOYS AT U-S PORTS.

THIS YEAR MORE THAN TWO MILLION TOYS WERE SEIZED AND TESTED.

"So what we're going to do here is we're going to drop this toy."

THE RED LASERS SIMULATE THE HEIGHT OF A HIGH CHAIR OR A CHILD STANDING.

"What we're going to be looking for is sharp points or small parts anything that comes off of this when we drop it."

Q: "What is this machine?"

A: "This is our tension tester."

MASSALE ATTACHES THIS TOY GIRAFFE AND PULLS, SIMULATING THE FORCE OF A CHILD. TOYS MUST WITHSTAND 15 POUNDS OF FORCE.

"So that came out at 5.23 pounds which is way less than the 15 so obviously that is going to be a failure."

THE PIECE IS THEN DROPPED IN THE SMALL PARTS TUBE. IF IT FITS, THE PART IS TOO SMALL, POSING A CHOKING HAZARD.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS NEEDLE WAS PART OF A CHILD'S DOCTOR KIT. IT WAS SEIZED AT A U-S PORT. THE TEST?

"It's got a little hole in the bottom here and there's a trigger on the inside of this and so if a point is able to penetrate that hole and hit the trigger the light will go off."

WHILE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS TOY IS BEING TORTURED, THIS BENDING TEST ENSURES NO METAL PARTS POKE THROUGH AS A CHILD PLAYS WITH THIS TOY.

THIS PULL TEST MAKES SURE SEAMS ARE STRONG ENOUGH SO SMALL STUFFING PARTS DON'T ESCAPE.

ANOTHER DANGER - MAGNETS. DOZENS OF KIDS HAVE SWALLOWED MAGNETS LIKE THESE AND SUFFERED SERIOUS INTERNAL INJURIES.

THE C-P-S-C TESTS THE SIZE AND STRENGTH OF MAGNETIC TOYS

"If it's small and strong it's a hazard."

NEXT UP - A STRANGULATION TEST

"So for example this telephone cord that can easily wrap on itself we're going to wind through the test probe perimeter of 12 inches."

THAT'S THE DIMENSION OF A CHILD'S HEAD AND NECK. IF IT GOES THROUGH, THE CORD COULD STRANGLE A CHILD.

SOME HAZARDS CANT BE SEEN, SO C-P-S-C TURNS TO ITS CHEMISTRY LAB. SEARCHING FOR DANGEROUS METALS LIKE LEAD, CADMIUM AND ARSENIC. MATT DREYFUS, A CHEMIST WITH C-P-S-C CHECKS THE LEAD LEVELS OF THIS PIECE OF CHILD'S JEWELRY.

"So here we find a big hit for lead this reading 63-thousand parts per million and the limit is only 100 part per million."

THEN MORE PRECISE LEAD TESTING IS DONE. THE CHEM LAB ALSO SCREENS SOFT TOYS FOR PHTHALATES, A BANNED PLASTICIZER.

"Here it's saying that it's very likely there's a Phthalate present in this toy."

SO THE TOY GOES FOR A FULL ANALYSIS.

TOY TESTING IS AN EVERY DAY PRIORITY HERE AT THE C-P-S-C. BUT EXPERTS KNOW PARENTS MUST KEEP A CLOSE EYE.

TOY SAFETY LAB-OC

LIZ CRENSHAW REPORTING.

MORE THAN TWO MILLION TOYS WERE SEIZED AT U-S PORTS THIS YEAR AND TESTED.

GOODBYE-2 SHOT

HERE ARE SOME STORIES COMING UP NEXT.

WE'RE LOOKING INTO A VIOLENT HOME INVASION IN A QUIET, GATED SOUTH FORT MYERS COMMUNITY --

PLUS ROBERT'S UPDATED FORECAST AS RAIN BRINGS COOLER TEMERATURES TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

END TIME-CREDITS