DIRECTOR'S PAGE

HEADLINES

BREAKING NEWS - FIRST AT FOUR.

THE TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN SAYS A DEAL IS CLOSE TO STOP TAX HIKES FROM GOING INTO EFFECT TOMORROW.

WHO'S ON-BOARD FOR THE LAST-MINUTE AGREEMENT.

AND - NBC-2 UNCOVERS GAS PRICES WILL GO UP, EVEN IF A DEAL IS REACHED.

WE'LL TELL YOU WHY.

AND - THE WORLD LOOKS FORWARD TO THIS COUNTDOWN.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF 2012.

FIRST AT FOUR - NBC2 RUNS DOWN WHICH SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING READY TO PARTY.AND BRING IN THE NEW YEAR.

PLUS - IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT, YOU COULD OWN AN ENTOURAGE LIKE HOLLYWOOD A-LISTERS.

WHY ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE PAYING BIG BUCKS FOR THESE CROWDS

1 fiscal cliff & gas prices-trxMITTO, VO

2 nye countdown-trxVO

3 hire an entourage-trxVO

4 wx headline-trxwxcntr

FISCAL CLIFF SETUP-trxMITTOTOPS, 2 SHOT

THERE IT IS. THE COUNTDOWN TO THE FISCAL CLIFF. BUT A FINAL AGREEMENT COULD BE CLOSE.

LATE THIS AFTERNOON, TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN, MITCH MCCONNELL ANNOUNCED HE AND THE WHITE HOUSE HAVE AGREED TO PREVENT TAX HIKES THAT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT AFTER MIDNIGHT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M JENNIFER TRAMMELL.

AND I'M STACEY DEFFENBAUGH.

LAWMAKERS PLAY A HIGH STAKES WAITING GAME ON CAPITOL HILL.

FISCAL CLIFF DEADLINE TODAY-SOT, OC

"today it appears an agreement to prevent this new year's tax hike is within sight but its not done. There are still issues left to resolve, but we are hopeful congress can get it done.but it's not done."

FISCAL CLIFF DEADLINE TODAY-PKG

BIG BOARD-SAT-LIVE-TOPS

TOSS TO CHAD-trx, oc, dbx

HOW MUCH YOU PAY FOR *GAS* IS ALSO CONTINGENT ON FISCAL CLIFF NEGOTIATIONS.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT - GOING OVER THAT SO-CALLED 'CLIFF' COULD SAVE YOU MONEY AT THE PUMP.

GAS PRICES & FISCAL CLIFF-CELL-REM

GOOD AFTERNOON.

THIS STATION IS RIGHT ON PAR WITH THE AVERAGE FOR THE CAPE CORAL-FORT MYERS AREA.

$3.35 A GALLON.

WE'RE PAYING ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

BUT PRICES HAVE SPIKED SEVEN CENTS IN THE LAST WEEK.

GAS PRICES & FISCAL CLIFF-VO

ANALYSTS FROM TRIPLE-A TELL ME THEY EXPECTED THIS RISE.

PRICES AT THE PUMP TYPICALLY GO UP LEADING UP TO THE NEW YEAR.

BUT WHERE PRICES GO IN 2013 - WILL BE DETERMINED BY WHAT HAPPENS IN CONGRESS DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

WHY?

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE.

IT'S WHAT DRIVES GAS PRICES UP AND DOWN.

WHEN AMERICANS ARE CONFIDENT AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE ECONOMY - PRICES GO UP IN ANTICIPATION OF MORE DEMAND.

SOME ECONOMISTS SAYS WE COULD DIP BACK INTO A RECESSION *IF CONGRESS ALLOWS THESE TAX HIKES AND SPENDING CUTS TO KICK IN.

GAS PRICES & FISCAL CLIFF-CELL-REM

NO ONE WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER RECESSION.

BUT WE COULD USE LOWER GAS PRICES.

RIGHT NOW FLORIDA DRIVERS ARE PAYING ABOUT 7-CENTS MORE PER GALLON THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

FM HOMICIDE VICTIM-SS, VO

WE NOW KNOW THE NAME OF FORT MYERS' 24TH MURDER VICTIM.

OFFICERS SAY DAVID LAU WAS FOUND DEAD INSIDE A HOME ON LAFAYETTE STREET YESTERDAY MORNING.

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 24TH BIRTHDAY.

NBC2 WAS COVERING A HOUSE FIRE IN THE AREA.

A TENANT, WHO LOST EVERYTHING IN THE FIRE, DISCOVERED LAU'S BODY INSIDE A HOUSE TWO DOORS DOWN.

POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATION HIS DEATH.

TOSS TO KELLY-TRX, OC, SS, DBX

IN GLADES COUNTY, AN EAGLE-EYED PILOT SPOTS A THIEF AT HIS OWN HOME.

HE WAS FLYING HOME FROM NORTH CAROLINA

WHEN DEPUTIES SAY HE SPOTTED GARY HAINES STEAL A TRAILER RIGHT OUT OF HIS GLADES COUNTY DRIVEWAY.

NBC-2'S KELLY CRESWELL IS LIVE IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY WHERE THE SUSPECTED CRIMINAL WAS TRACKED DOWN.

GLADES CO TRAILER THEFT-REM-LIVE

Talk about being in the right place at the right time-- A glades county man caught a thief stealing from his home while he flew over it.

GLADES CO TRAILER THEFT-VO

GLADES CO TRAILER THEFT-SOTVO

David Zehntner, Pilot

"The gentleman had a plane at several points circling him at close altitude and never nice thought I guess that somebody might be watching me."

GLADES CO TRAILER THEFT-REM-LIVE

TOSS TO JULIAN-OC, VO, DBX

CITY CREWS IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS PREPARE FOR MORE THAN 20-THOUSAND PEOPLE TO HELP CELEBRATE THE LAST DAY OF 2012.

WORKERS SPENT MOST OF THE DAY SETTING UP STAGES FOR TONIGHT'S DOWNTOWN COUNTDOWN.

WE'RE A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO HOURS AWAY FROM THE START OF THE PARTY.

NBC-2'S JULIAN JOHNSON IS LIVE NEAR THE ACTION.

FM DOWNTOWN COUNTDOWN-REM-LIVE

FM DOWNTOWN COUNTDOWN-VO

FM DOWNTOWN COUNTDOWN-SOTVO

FM DOWNTOWN COUNTDOWN-REM-LIVE

NYE WRAP-OC

THANKS, JULIAN.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE SEVERAL SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITIES CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH PUBLIC EVENTS.

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

IN CAPE CORAL, BUSINESSES BATTLE FOR YOUR NEW YEAR'S EVE CASH.

A) cape nye biz draw-vo

C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

CAPE NYE BIZ DRAW-VO

SOUTH CAPE CORAL BUSINESSES BATTLE TO DRAW PEOPLE DOWNTOWN TONIGHT --- AWAY FROM SOME OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S BIGGER CELEBRATIONS.

STAFF AT RESTAURANTS AND BARS ALONG SOUTHWEST 47TH TERRACE -- SPENT THE AFTERNOON PUTTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON TONIGHT'S NEW YEAR'S EVE FESTIVITIES.

CAPE NYE BIZ DRAW-SOTVO

3203 "we have a lot of great fun stuff going on and I encourage everyone to come check it out."

1519 "if you live in the Cape, you might as well party in the Cape."

THOUSANDS ARE EXPECTED IN DOWNTOWN CAPE CORAL WITH BARS AND RESTUARANTS OFFERING UP THEIR OWN TAKE ON COUNTDOWN.

MARCO RED TIDE-VO, (3)SS

NBC-2 LEARNS RED TIDE IS STRETCHING FROM CHARLOTTE COUNTY SOUTH TO MARCO ISLAND.

THIS MAP FROM FLORIDA WILDLIFE COMMISSION OUTLINES THE RED TIDE.

WE SPOKE WITH FLORIDA WILDLIFE OFFICIALS THIS MORNING.

THEY TELL US RED TIDE IS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A FISH KILL ON ENGLEWOOD BEACH.

NBC-2 ALSO FOUND THESE DEAD FISH ON MARCO ISLAND.

EVERY MORNING THE ISLAND PICKS UP FISH THAT WASH ASHORE, BUT THERE WERE STILL SOME LEFT OVER.

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.

GREAT WEATHER FOR NEXT YEAR+

As we count down the final hours of 2012, the weather looks quiet and dry across Southwest Florida.

Temperatures will quickly drop into the 60s after sunset, and by midnight most spots will cool into the low 60s. We'll notice a partly cloudy sky early tonight, and the clouds should slowly fade as we progress through the overnight hours.

For the first day of the New Year, temperatures will continue to climb. We'll start the day with morning lows in the upper 50s, but temps will quickly warm into the upper 70s through the afternoon. Our sky will be partly sunny during the afternoon as some fair weather clouds build in from the southeast.

From Wednesday through Thursday, temperatures will be on the warmer side of average. Daytime highs will warm into the low 80s, and overnight lows will cool into the low 60s. Aside from some patchy clouds, our sky will stay fairly sunny.

The next weather system we're tracking won't approach Southwest Florida until Friday.

This system will likely bring in some scattered showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms. It'll be a slow mover, too, and we may see bleak conditions for the entire first weekend of 2013.

TRAFFIC-trxTFC FDOT

TRAFFIC BILLBOARD-CLIP

fiscal cliff deadline

TEASE TWO-ONCAM

STILL TO COME, THE INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MEMORY REVEALS HIS SECRETS.

"I've become very good at remembering names over the years"

FIRST AT FOUR - GRAB A PEN AND PAPER. YOU'LL WANT TO JOT DOWN THESE TIPS TO SHARPEN YOUR MIND.

SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ARE HOSTING NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES TONIGHT.

YOU CAN GET IN ON THE ACTION AT FISHERMEN'S VILLAGE IN PUNTA GORDA.

A) memory tricks-sotvo

B) pg fireworks-CGTOPS

BABCOCK RANCH SOLAR GRID-VO

PLANS TO BUILD THE COUNTRY'S FIRST SOLAR CITY RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ARE MOVING FORWARD.

DEVELOPERS OF THE BABCOCK RANCH SAY THE WHOLE PROJECT SLOWED DOWN DURING THE RECESSION, BUT IT IS NOT DEAD.

FORMER N-F-L PLAYER SYD KITSON STILL WANTS HIS NEW CITY TO BE POWERED BY THE SUN.

HE PLANS ON INSTALLING SOLAR FIELDS TO POWER BABCOCK RANCH.

MEMORY TRICKS-OC

FORGETTING SOMEONE'S NAME MOMENTS AFTER MEETING THEM CAN BE EMBARRASSING.

AND THE PRESSURE COULD BE ON TONIGHT IF YOU MEET A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE AT A PARTY.

MEMORY TRICKS-PKG

FORGETTING SOMEONE'S NAME AT A HOLIDAY PARTY.

"Well of course it's embarrassing."

.IS WHAT CHESTER SANTOS IS TRYING TO CURE.

CHESTER SANTOS / "THE INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MEMORY"

"I've become very good at remembering names over the years"

AS A FORMER NATIONAL MEMORY CHAMPION: HE TEACHES MEMORY WORKSHOPS AT THE SAN FRANCISCO TENNIS CLUB.

"Make it a habit to always shake the hand and repeat the name. Nice to meet you Bob. At the same time I try to imagine if there's any association I can think of."

IN MY CASE: HE IMAGINES ME - BOB - BOBBING FOR APPLES. THEN MENTALLY ATTACHES THAT VISUAL TO A UNIQUE FEATURE: LIKE MY HAIR. OR LACK OF IT, SO NEXT TIME WE MEET MY NAME IS LOCKED IN PLACE.

CHESTER: "Nice to meet you Bob."

BOB: "You've got a nice chest. Chester!"

TO SEE IF HIS TECHNIQUE WORKS: WE SHOWED CHESTER PICTURES OF 24 PEOPLE.

HE DIDN'T KNOW.

GAVE HIM 5 MINUTES TO MEMORIZE ALL 24 NAMES.

AND RECALL THEM.

IN RANDOM ORDER.

WHICH HE DID.

MORE THAN ONCE.

"It's really a skill anyone can develop."

IF NOT: THERE'S ALWAYS PLAN B.

"I always do say I'm Maureen Murphy, I'm sorry but I forgot your name."

REPORTER: "Thanks Meghan."

MEMORY TRICKS-OC

BOB REDELL REPORTING.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN OTHER MEMORY TRICKS, WE'VE POSTED A LINK TO CHESTER'S WEBSITE ON NBC DASH TWO DOT COM.

TEASE THREE

SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON, IS IN THE HOSPITAL AT THIS HOUR.

STRAIGHT AHEAD, FIRST AT FOUR, WHAT THIS LATEST HEALTH SCARE MEANS FOR HER FUTURE IN POLITICS.

NBC-2 IS GETTING YOU UP TO SPEED WITH ALL THE NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

FORT MYERS BEACH WILL HOST ITS PARTY TONIGHT AT TIMES SQUARE ON ESTERO BOULEVARD.

THAT'S RIGHT WHEN YOU CROSS THE BRIDGE.

LIVE MUSIC STARTS AT 7 O'CLOCK.

AT MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS WILL BE LAUNCHED OFF THE PIER.

TROLLEY SERVICE WILL RUN UNTIL 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

A) hillary clinton health-vo

B) fmb nye event-vidbox

HILLARY CLINTON HEALTH-OC

SECRETARY OF STATE, HILLARY CLINTON, WILL START 2013 IN A HOSPITAL.

DOCTORS SAY SHE WILL BE IN THE HOSPITAL AT LEAST UNTIL WEDNESDAY.

THIS COMES AFTER SHE DEVELOPED A BLOOD CLOT STEMMING FROM A CONCUSSION.

HILLARY CLINTON HEALTH-PKG

NEITHER THE STATE DEPARTMENT NOR NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL. WILL SAY WHERE THE BLOOD CLOT'S LOCATED.

.BUT DO SAY GIVEN WHAT HILLARY CLINTON'S BEEN THROUGH, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.

IN EARLY-DECEMBER CLINTON PICKED UP A STOMACH VIRUS, CAUSING DEHYDRATION THAT LED TO A FALL, CONCUSSION, AND NOW THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CLOT.

"Well, generally we're talking about deep vein thrombosis.so, a clot in one of your deep veins, usually in your legs, and the fear is that part of clot will break off and actually travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolus which is a very serious and potentially fatal condition" 1622

OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, CLINTON HAS LOGGED MORE THAN A MILLION MILES FLYING AROUND THE WORLD ON DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS.

.WHICH DOCTORS SAY COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HER D-V-T.

WHILE TODAY CONTRIBUTOR DR. ROSHINI RAJ SAYS THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL TELL US A LOT ABOUT HOW SERIOUS IT IS.

"If it really is that she's just in the hospital for a couple of days to adjust her.the dose of her medication, then I don't think we need to be concerned about long-term consequences."

HOWEVER, A LONGER STAY, SHE SAYS, MIGHT AFFECT CLINTON'S LONG-TERM PLANS. THAT MIGHT INCLUDE ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL RUN IN 2016.

THIS ALL HAPPENS AS CLINTON PREPARES TO LEAVE HER JOB AS SECRETARY OF STATE.AND AS GALLUP'S LIST OF THE MOST ADMIRED WOMEN OF THE WORLD, HAS HILLARY AT THE TOP FOR THE 11TH YEAR IN A ROW.

TEASE FOUR-2SHOT

A NEW YEAR MEANS NEW LAWS FOR FLORIDIANS.

FIRST AT FOUR - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLASHING YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON THE ROAD.

AND - AT LEAST ONE MILLION PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO CROWD DOWNTOWN NEW YORK TONIGHT.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

IN THE CAPE, YOU CAN CATCH FIREWORKS AT CAPE HARBOUR.

THERE WILL ALSO BE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND A BALL DROP AT MIDNIGHT.

A) nye times square-2SHOT, SATLIVE

B) cape coral nye-cgtops

SHOW OPEN-CLIP

BREAKING CLIP

TOP STORIES RECAP-2 SHOT, TURN-ANIBOX RVL

BREAKING NEWS - FIRST AT FOUR.

WITHIN THE PAST 15 MINUTES, NBC-2 CONFIRMS LAWMAKERS WILL NOT REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THE FISCAL CLIFF.

THAT MEANS A SET OF TAX RATE INCREASES AND SPENDING CUTS WILL GO INTO EFFECT TOMORROW.

JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO, CONGRESS ANNOUNCED THEY WILL NOT MEET TONIGHT TO VOTE ON A POSSIBLE DEAL.

THIS AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT OBAMA AND SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL SAID BOTH SIDES WERE CLOSE TO REACHING A DEAL.

ECONOMISTS HAVE SAID GOING OVER THE CLIFF COULD SEND OUR COUNTRY INTO ANOTHER RECESSION.

IN FORT MYERS, POLICE CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO THE CITY'S 24TH MURDER.

2012 WAS THE CITY'S DEADLIEST YEAR.

YESTERDAY MORNING, OFFICERS FOUND DAVID LAU'S BODY INSIDE A HOME ON LAFAYETTE STREET.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, CALL CRIMESTOPPERS.

AND, A MUCH LIGHTER STORY IMPACTING EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD.

TOMORROW MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR.

SOME AREAS OF THE GLOBE ALREADY WELCOMED 2013.

a fiscal cliff countdown-vo

b fm 24th murder-vo

c nye events-vo

TOSS TO RICK-OC, DBX

COLLIER COUNTY IS GETTING READY FOR ITS OWN NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE WARNING BOATERS OF HEAVY TRAFFIC TONIGHT.

NBC-2'S RICK RITTER IS LIVE IN OUR COLLIER COUNTY MOBILE NEWSROOM.

NYE COLLIER PREPS-REM-LIVE

NYE COLLIER PREPS-PKG

2013 IS ALMOST HERE AND THE CELEBRATION WILL BE ON IN NAPLES.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WILL BE AT THE NAPLES PIER--CATCHING THE CITY'S ANNUAL FIREWORKS SHOW.

PARKING AND TRAFFIC WILL CERTAINLY BE CONGESTED---BUT THAT ALSO CARRIES OVER TO THE WATER---WITH BOAT OWNERS LOOKING FOR THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE.

MOST BOATS WILL HAVE TO MANEUVER THROUGH NAPLES BAY AND GORDON'S PASS TO GET TO AND FROM THE FIREWORKS SHOW--WHICH HAS OFFICIALS URGING BOAT OWNERS TO DRIVE "DEFENSIVELY."

TAKE SOT

DURATION = 0:13

ROGER JACOBSEN/NAPLES HARBOR MASTER

NYE COLLIER PREPS-REM-LIVE

OFFICIALS ARE ALSO REMINDING BOATERS TO BE CAUTIOUS WITH THE STRONG OUTGOING TIDE AROUND 9:00.

NYE IN NYC-TRX,SATLIVE TOPS

LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN TIMES SQUARE IN NEW YORK CITY.

THIS IS A LIVE LOOK.

ABOUT ONE MILLION PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR IN THE BIG APPLE.

NYE IN NYC-PKG

NATS/ Up then under testing confetti

THE CONFETTI'S BEEN TESTED.

NATS/ raising numbers

THE NUMBERS AND CRYSTAL BALL HAVE BEEN HOISTED INTO PLACE.

COUPLES HAVE EVEN PRACTICED THEIR MIDNIGHT KISSES.

NATS/ ambiance times square

TIMES SQUARE HAS WAITED 364 DAYS FOR THIS.

WHILE SOME OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WHO WILL PACK THIS GLOWING. GLITTERING PATCH OF MANHATTAN. HAVE WAITED A LIFETIME.

"It's magic, everyone in the world wants to come to New York for New Year's."

QUICK POP nats of girls singing and dancing

IT IS THE BIGGEST NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY ON THE PLANET.

AND AN ARMY OF NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICERS WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE SAFEST.

"We use our helicopters in the air. We have observation posts. We have chemical-radiological detectors that are the deployed. We deploy our mounted unit-- our horses. We have officers on the scooters. So, it is a major commitment on the part of the department."

AND A MAJOR PILGRIMAGE. FOR PARTIERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE.

"It's on my bucket list, I might as well check of the list quickly when you're still able to."

NATS/ pop Dick Clark

FOR 40-YEARS DICK CLARK WAS THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES. SHARING NEW YEAR'S FROM TIMES SQUARE WITH THE WORLD.

THE ICON IS GONE NOW. BUT WILL BE HONORED TONIGHT WITH A SPECIALLY ENGRAVED PANEL ON THE WATERFORD CRYSTAL BALL THAT DROPS AT MIDNIGHT.

"I know he'd be very appreciative of this, and never expect the panel to be in the ball. So, he'll be part of the celebration again. It's really amazing."

PART OF WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN AMAZING START TO 20-13.

NEW FL LAWS-CG

CHANGES ARE COMING IN THE NEW YEAR FOR FLORIDA DRIVERS.

HERE'S JUST A FEW OF THEM.

FLASHING YOUR HEADLIGHTS TO ALERT ONCOMING DRIVERS ABOUT POLICE DOWN THE ROAD WILL **NO LONGER BE ILLEGAL.

ANOTHER CHANGE--

HOMELESS PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GET FREE STATE IDENTIFATION CARDS.

TAX DONATION DEADLINE-VO

TODAY IS A BUSY DAY FOR DONATIONS, AS PEOPLE LOOK AHEAD TO FILING THEIR TAXES.

YOU CAN STILL GET IN UNDER THE WIRE AND MAKE A CHARITABLE DONATION TODAY. IN PERSON OR ONLINE. AND TAKE CREDIT ON YOUR 2012 TAXES.

GOLDEN GATE FIRE CHIEF-VO

GOLDEN GATE'S FIRE CHIEF IS BACK ON THE JOB AFTER RESIGNING LAST WEEK.

NBC-2 LEARNS ROBERT METZGER WILL ENJOY THE CALIFORNIA SUN AS FIRE CHIEF OF REDONDO BEACH.

HIS FIRST DAY IS IN FEBRUARY.

METZGER WILL ALSO SERVE AS THE CITY'S HARBOR MASTER.

BENGHAZI AFTERMATH REPORT-VO

A REPORT RELEASED TODAY REVEALS DISTURBING NEW DETAILS ABOUT SEPTEMBER'S ATTACK ON THE U-S CONSULATE IN BENGHAZI.

IT FOUND THE TERRORISTS WHO PLANNED THE DEADLY ATTACK ESSENTIALLY WALKED RIGHT INTO THE COMPOUND.

THE BI-PARTISAN SENATE REPORT BLAMES THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR FAILING TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR MORE SECURITY.

BENGHAZI AFTERMATH REPORT-SOTVO

The tragedy is, however, is that the reaction to the flashing red indicators was woefully inadequate to the dangers that the flashing light was indicating and as a result this tragedy occurred."

GOP GOVERNORS & HEALTH CARE-OC

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ARE DEALING WITH A DELICATE BALANCE WHILE ADOPTING NEW NATIONAL HEALTHCARE REQUIREMENTS.

MANY, INCLUDING FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, STRONGLY OPPOSED THE PRESIDENT'S PLANS TO REMAKE THE COUNTRY'S HEALTH INSURANCE LAWS.

FL SOLDIER DEATH-OC

A FLORIDA SOLDIER SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN DIED IN AN ATTACK BY ENEMY FORCES.

MARKIE SIMS' UNIT WAS HIT WITH AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE ON SATURDAY.

OR BUS CRASH-VO

A BUS CRASH ON AN ICY OREGON ROAD KILLS AND INJURED MORE THAN 20 OTHERS.

THE TOUR BUS WAS HEADING FROM LAS VEGAS TO VANCOUVER SUNDAY.

IT SLID OFF THE ROAD, THROUGH A GUARDRAIL AND DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT.

ABOUT 40 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD WHEN THE BUS FELL 100-FEET DOWN THE HILL IN FREEZING WEATHER.

OR BUS CRASH-SOTVO

Four or five people, it looked like, were just kind of hand-pulling them with ropes on sleds up into. up the side, up to the rescue vehicle

LANZA REMAINS-VO

THERE ARE NEW DEVELOPMENTS TODAY IN NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT WHERE THE MASS SHOOTING AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOOK PLACE.

TODAY, OFFICIALS CONFIRM THE SHOOTER'S FATHER CLAIMED HIS SON'S BODY AND IT IS AT A FUNERAL HOME.

POLICE SAY ADAM LANZA KILLED HIS MOTHER AT HOME ON DECEMBER 14TH.

HE THEN WENT TO NEARBY SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY AND KILLED 20 FIRST-GRADERS AND SIX ADULTS.

LANZA THEN SHOT HIMSELF.

HEALTH CLIP-CLIP

FDA TUBERCULOSIS DRUG-OC

IN YOUR HEALTHCAST TODAY, ALL NEW, FIRST AT FOUR.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS, THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVES A DRUG FOR TUBERCULOSIS.

JOHNSON AND JOHNSON MANUFACTURES THE PILL.

IT'S MEANT TO BE USED WITH OTHER DRUGS TO FIGHT THE DEADLY INFECTION.

GENERIC PILLS-VO

A BRAND NEW STUDY SHOWS APPEARANCES CAN BE DECIEVING WHEN IT COMES TO GENERIC MEDICATION.

ALTHOUGH OFF-BRAND MEDICINES MAY ACT THE SAME AS TOP SHELF MEDS - THEY MAY NOT LOOK THE SAME.

THE TINY CHANGE CAN PROMPT PAITENTS TO STOP TAKING THE PILLS.

A STUDY OUT OF BOSTON SHOWS MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF PATIENTS WITH GENERIC MEDS WERE LIKELY TO STOP TREATMENT.

HEALTH MATTERS-ONCAM

HEALTH MATTERS-PKG

DESPITE THE GENERATION GAP, THE ELDERLY MAY HAVE MORE IN COMMON WITH THEIR GRANDKIDS THAN YOU THINK. NAMELY SLEEP. OLDER ADULTS NEED ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SLEEP AS THE YOUNGER FOLKS.

DR. JOSE COLON/SLEEP SPECIALIST

RUNS:

14:29 Ninth grader through high school should be getting approximately nine hours per night.

SENIOR CITIZENS ARE IN THE SAME RANGE.

DR. JOSE COLON/SLEEP SPECIALIST

RUNS:

14:29 In our seventies, in general, they get about seven hours a night now, plus a daytime nap.

THAT NAP PUTS SLEEP QUANTITY RIGHT WHERE THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH STATES IT SHOULD BE. BETWEEN 7 AND 9 HOURS FOR YOUNG ADULTS AND THE ELDERLY. BUT THERE'S AN AGE DIVIDE WHEN IT COMES TO THE QUALITY OF SENIOR'S SLEEP.

AMY OSHIER/REPORTING

RUNS:

Older people tend to get sleepy earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. Many report sleeping less deeply and waking up more. Sleep fragmentation is a common complaint.

DR. JOSE COLON/SLEEP SPECIALIST

RUNS:

13:39 There are many things that occur that cause sleep fragmentation. Whether it is because of pain or increased incidence of sleep apnea, medical disorders, reflux, other medications that also can fragment sleep.

DOCTORS CAN PERFORM A SLEEP STUDY TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY UNDERLYING DISORDERS, LIKE APNEA, THAT ARE KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING REST. THE OLDER WE GET, THE MORE WE DEPEND ON THOSE NAPS. AND THAT'S ALRIGHT. TO A POINT.

DR. JOSE COLON/SLEEP SPECIALIST

RUNS:

13:39 In the elderly, many times we do get less sleep at night and we may need to supplement with a nap or so during the daytime. But taking a nap either too long or too late is going to cause problems with sleep onset, because you don't have that sleep drive.

TEASE FIVE-ONCAM

WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE IN THE NEWSROOM ARE SUFFERING FROM A CASE OF THE MONDAYS RIGHT NOW.

BUT NEW RESEARCH SHOWS HOW WE CAN HOLD ON TO THAT WEEKEND HAPPINESS AND CARRY IT OVER INTO WORK.

WE'LL SHARE THE SECRETS, COMING UP.

PLUS - WANT TO FEEL LIKE A CELEBRITY.

A) destress your life-vo

B) hire an entourage-vo

C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

ALL NEW AHEAD AT 5:00-CLIP

A)

B)

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.

GREAT WEATHER FOR NEXT YEAR+

As we count down the final hours of 2012, the weather looks quiet and dry across Southwest Florida.

Temperatures will quickly drop into the 60s after sunset, and by midnight most spots will cool into the low 60s. We'll notice a partly cloudy sky early tonight, and the clouds should slowly fade as we progress through the overnight hours.

For the first day of the New Year, temperatures will continue to climb. We'll start the day with morning lows in the upper 50s, but temps will quickly warm into the upper 70s through the afternoon. Our sky will be partly sunny during the afternoon as some fair weather clouds build in from the southeast.

From Wednesday through Thursday, temperatures will be on the warmer side of average. Daytime highs will warm into the low 80s, and overnight lows will cool into the low 60s. Aside from some patchy clouds, our sky will stay fairly sunny.

The next weather system we're tracking won't approach Southwest Florida until Friday.

This system will likely bring in some scattered showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms. It'll be a slow mover, too, and we may see bleak conditions for the entire first weekend of 2013.

TRAFFIC-trxTFC FDOT

TRAFFIC BILLBOARD-CLIP

HIRE AN ENTOURAGE-OC

IF YOU'VE GOT THE CASH, YOU CAN GET THE FULL A-LIST CELEBRITY EXPERIENCE.

NOW, YOU CAN RENT AN ENTOURAGE - COMPLETE WITH PAPARAZZI.

THE GROUP WILL FOLLOW YOU AROUND AND SCREAM YOUR NAME WHEREVER YOU GO.

HIRE AN ENTOURAGE-PKG

Video: Montage of red carpet, flash bulbs, excitement Music

That's what I thought LA was all about It's why I moved here

But THIS is my reality Video: Me playing tennis against a wall dressed in my

bathrobe

I wanted the show EntourageQUICK UPSOUND: "Entourage"

I got this Video: Me watching local public access TV.

QUICK UPSOUND: The boring town meeting I'm watching on TV.

But help is at hand

VIDEO/AUDIO: Goes to static and screen fuzz.

SOT: Adam Swart. Founder, Crowds on Demand.

16:15.59 I basically run a rent a crowd service.

Some tourists now pay $8,999 for a crowd to follow them shopping. And one

gave us an idea

SOT: Adam Swart. Founder, Crowds on Demand.

16:18.02 She wanted people to think she was the first lady of the

Philippines. N: Did people buy it? Everybody bought it. I mean, do you know

what the first lady of the Philippines looks like?

So I pretended to be the King of Lichtenstein, and went shopping with my

posse Would people buy it?

UPSOUND: One of my posse puts a baseball cap on my head. I'm wearing a

hideous sweater.

16:49.48 What do you think about this? Uhhhh.

UPSOUND: Nicholas!!

Outside a panting crowd paid to scream my name.

UPSOUND: King Nicholas!

SOT: Adam Swart. Founder, Crowds on Demand.

16:25.28 Once you have ten, fifteen people with cameras everyone else is

gonna crowd around.

UPSOUND: King Nicholas I Love You!

For $4,999 you get a paparazzi posse and fake fans to meet you at the

airport

SOT: Adam Swart. Founder, Crowds on Demand.

16:18.02 We give everybody the ability to live like an A-lister.

For $2,999: a crowd to follow you on a date

SOT: Adam Swart. Founder, Crowds on Demand.

16:24.01 The girl would be like, 'Wow, you must really be famous!'

Some C-lebrities actually use this bizarre service for career advancement.

SOT: Adam Swart. Founder, Crowds on Demand.

16:27.54 I'd guess you could say B list celebrities who want a lot of

attention when they're going, mostly in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. / 28.

15 When I was contacted by their agents and publicists I was like, '

Seriously?' 28.22 N: Give us some names, give us some names? A: We are very

discreet about our clients!

Now, the crowd and the shopping just felt weird.

UPSOUND Leave it open. Leave it open

But I liked the dinner afterwards.

UPSOUND

NW - Tell me how good looking I am. B- Man!!

/ NW - Toast to me

My very own entourage. Paid to flatter and laugh at my dumb jokes

18:37.28 So he said to me, 'Get out of town' and I said, 'No, you get out of

town!'

HIRE AN ENTOURAGE-OC

NICK WATT REPORTING.

WE WERE ACTUALLY SURPRISED TO FIND THAT YOU CAN RENT PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN JUST AN ENTOURAGE.

ONE SERVICE ALLOWS YOU TO HIRE A WEDDING PARTY IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO STAND UP WITH YOU.

HILLARY CLINTON hospital-trxvotops

BREAKING NEWS FIRST AT FOUR.

DOCTORS HAVE JUST ANNOUNCED THAT SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY.

SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED AFTER BEING DIAGNOZED WITH A BLOOD CLOT FOLLOWING A CONCUSSION.

KANYE KIM BABY-VO

A CELEBRITY COUPLE THAT HAS NO PROBLEM ATTRACTING PAPRAZZI WILL HAVE TO FIGHT THEM OFF EVEN MORE.

RAPPER KANYE WEST AND REALITY STAR KIM KARDASHIAN ARE EXPECTING A BABY.

WEST ANNOUNCED THE BIG NEWS YESTERDAY DURING A CONCERT IN NEW JERSEY.

KARDASHIAN'S SISTERS AND MOM JOINED IN THE CELEBRATION WITH TWEETS.

KIM IS EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT 12-WEEKS ALONG.

HEF MARRIED TONIGHT-VO

PLAYBOY MOGUL, HUGH HEFNER WILL BEGIN THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW TITLE.

THE 86 YEAR OLD IS SCHEDULED TO GET MARRIED TO HIS 26 YEAR OLD FIANCE.

HEF WILL REPORTEDLY TIE THE KNOT TONIGHT AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION.

CRYSTAL HARRIS HAS ALREADY CHANGED HER LAST NAME TO HEFNER ON HER TWITTER PAGE.

THE COUPLE WAS SUPPOED TO GET MARRIED LAST YEAR, BUT HARRIS CALLED IT OFF LESS THAN A WEEK BEFORE THE BIG DAY.

SKYFALL BREAKS RECORD-VO

THE MOST RECENT JAMES BOND HIT CONTINUES TO BREAK RECORDS.

SKYFALL IS NOW THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BOND FILM AFTER IT PASSED THE ONE *BILLION DOLLAR MARK.

IT ALSO MAKES IT THE HIGHEST GROSSING FILM FOR SONY PICTURES.

TWO OTHER MOVIES PASSED THE COVETED ONE BILLION DOLLAR MARK.

HATED WORDS 2012-(2) CG

PEOPLE HAVE A LOT TO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO "HATED WORDS" IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

HERE'S A LOOK AT WHICH WORDS MADE THIS YEAR'S LIST.

THE TOP PHRASE? "FISCAL CLIFF". YOU'VE HEARD IT SEVERAL TIMES, JUST WITHIN THIS NEWSCAST. IT REFERS TO THE FEDERAL TAX INCREASES AND SPENDING CUTS THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE THE ECONOMY IF CONGRESS DOES NOT REACH A DEAL.

MOST ADMIRED 2012-VO

ALTHOUGH THE CONGRESS DISAPPROVAL RATING HIT AN ALL-TIME LOW THIS YEAR, THE GALLUP POLL SAYS THE NATION'S TOP ADMIRED WOMAN AND MAN WORK IN WASHINGTON D-C.

FOR THE 11TH YEAR IN A ROW, SECRETARY OF STATE, HILLARY CLINTON IS THE MOST ADMIRED WOMAN.

CLOSELY BEHIND IS FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA AND OPRAH WINFREY.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS THE MOST-ADMIRED MAN.

THIS IS HIS 5TH WIN IN A ROW.

TEASE SIX-2SHOT

AS THE HOLIDAYS WIND DOWN, MOST OF US NEED A BOOST TO START OF THE NEW YEAR.

STRAIGHT AHEAD, HOW TO HOLD ON TO A WEEKEND STATE OF MIND TO BATTLE A CASE OF THE MONDAYS.

A) destress your life-VO

FOUR AT FOUR-CGTOPS

1. Pilot catches trailer thief in action

2. Home invasion robbery suspect sought

3. Fort Myers homicide victim identified

DESTRESS YOUR LIFE-TFC

THE HOLIDAYS TEND TO BE AN EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL DRAIN.

DESTRESS YOUR LIFE-PKG

A WHOLE LOT OF US HAVE A CASE OF THE MONDAYS.

"People are most stressed on Mondays."

A SOCIOLOGIST AT U-C BERKELEY -- DR. CHRISTINE CARTER RECENTLY PARTNERED WITH HAMPTON HOTELS FOR A SURVEY ON WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAPPIEST. AND WHEN THEY'RE MOST STRESSED OUT.

NOT SURPRISINGLY: MONDAYS ARE STRESSFUL. WEEKENDS MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY.

BUT WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS -- IS HOW TO INJECT SOME OF THAT WEEKEND STATE OF MIND INTO OUR 9-TO-5 LIVES.

"We can have a little bit of Saturday on Wednesday night for example, and make pancakes for dinner."

BEFORE THE DREADED MONDAY MORNING ARRIVES, MAKE A LIST OF THINGS TO DO AND DECIDE -WHEN- YOU'LL DO THEM.

"You don't actually have to get them done -- you just have to tell your brain when you're going to do it, and that reduces a lot of anxiety."

DR. CARTER SAYS WE'RE HAPPIEST WHEN WE TAKE MULTIPLE MINI-VACATIONS, LIKE 3-DAY WEEKENDS, RATHER THAN FEWER EXTENDED HOLIDAYS.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT MINI-BREAKS THROUGHOUT THE WORK DAY.

EXPERTS SAY EVEN A FEW MINUTES OF WALKING OR DEEP BREATHS OF FRESH AIR CAN DO WONDERS.

DESTRESS YOUR LIFE-TFC

THE SURVEY ALSO REVEALS THE NUMBER ONE GUILTY PLEASURE WEEKEND ACTIVITY IS SIMPLY DOING NOTHING AT ALL.

THAT WRAPS UP THE NEWS FIRST AT FOUR.

GOODBYE-2 SHOT

WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR LAST-MINUTE DEVELOPMENTS -- BREAKING NEWS WITH THE FISCAL CLIFF -- A LIVE REPORT MOMENTS AWAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK.

END TIME-CREDITS