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TOSS TO STEVE-2SHOT-BOXES

PROPERTY OWNERS IN CAPE CORAL ARE ABOUT TO GET MONEY BACK FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

THE CITY IS REFUNDING 19-MILLION DOLLARS.

THE MONEY IS LEFT OVER FROM A 1990'S UTILITY PROJECT.

WE SENT NBC2'S STEVE CAMPION TO FIND OUT **WHO'S GETTING MONEY AND **WHEN THEY'LL GET IT.

CAPE UTILITIES REFUNDS-REM-1

RARELY IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S LARGEST CITY DOES CASH SEEM TO FALL OUT OF THE SKY.

CAPE UTILITIES REFUNDS-PKG

Ernie Fuentes, Cape Coral

1424 "I fix my broken stuff."

CALL ERNIE FUENTES' SINGLE SPRINKLER DIG OUTSIDE HIS NORTHEAST CAPE CORAL HOME -- A SEVERLY SCALED BACK VERISON -- OF WHAT NEIGHBORS REMEMBER IN THE 1990s.

Richard Hanson, Cape Coral

1452 "They dig up the whole area. Right down the middle of the road. It's easy enough to figure out it was a mess for a while."

RICHARD HANSON AND HIS BUDDY FUENTES -- ARE SPLIT -- ON AN UNEXPECTED REFUND CHECK.

Hanson

1521 "Ha ha, who wouldn't be happy about getting a rebate?"

Fuentes

1355 "the money is there. Maybe they should keep it and not raise your taxes."

LESS THAN EXPECTED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH UTILITY EXPANSION EFFORTS LAST CENTURY -- MEAN 19 MILLION DOLLARS IN SAVINGS TODAY.

John Szerlag, Cape Coral City Manager

04:30 "there are 54,000 accounts being refunded, Steve."

CITY MANAGER JOHN SZERLAG -- EXPLAINS SOME PROPERTY OWNERS COULD SEE REFUNDS AS LOW AS 10 BUCKs.

OTHER COMBINED REBATES COULD TOP OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

LEGALLY AND ETHICALLY - SZERLAG SAYS THE CITY NEEDS TO CUT CHECKS.

Szerlag, City Manager

0900 "the right thing to do us refund the property owners. When you bill for a project and there's money left you need to give it back."

BACK ON THIS BLOCK -- FUENTES EMBRACES THE CITY SERVICES --

Fuentes,

1301 "I'm a city boy. I like water and sewers. I don't want spetic and well."

-- AS HANSON ALREADY PLANS WHERE TO SPEND HIS SURPRISE STIMULUS.

Hanson

CAPE UTILITIES REFUNDS-REM-1

CAPE LEADERS SAY CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS WILL RECEIVE THE CHECK -- NO MATTER HOW LONG OR LITTLE THEY'VE LIVE THERE.

THEY ARGUE -- IT WOULD BE UNFAIR AND TOO DIFFICULT TO TRACK DOWN ANYBODY ELSE.

COUNCIL PLANS TO VOTE ON THIS IN APRIL.

ELDERLY WOMAN SCAMMED-ON CAM, SS

A LEE COUNTY WOMAN SAYS SHE WAS ROBBED BY A MAN SHE TRUSTED.

DANIEL TODD -- ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM THE WOMAN WHO HIRED HIM. EVEN TAKING HER WEDDING RINGS FROM HER CLOSET.

ELDERLY WOMAN SCAMMED-PKG

FOR THE PAST YEAR--IF SOMETHING BROKE OR YARD WORK WAS NEEDED JOSEPHINE RICE KNEW WHO TO CALL.

43:05 we always talked down to earth 43:08

NOW THE MAN SHE TRUSTED--DANIEL TODD--IS ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM HER.

40:52 he stopped by he had to fix something in my closet 40:57

SHE SAYS THE NEXT DAY--SHE NOTICED TWO OF HER GUNS, CHECKS AND JEWELRY WERE MISSING.

45:17 its i guess the word is violated 45:24

SHE CALLED DEPUTIES.

THEY SAY TODD CASHED TWO OF RICE'S MISSING CHECKS--TOTALING $1400.

DEPUTIES ALSO TRACKED DOWN RICE'S JEWELRY.

THEY SAY TODD SOLD IT TO "GOLD 2 CASH" IN THE CAPE.

IT WAS TOO LATE TO GET IT BACK--IT HAD BEEN MELTED.

40:29 you cant go back to that place and say remember that i want you to make me one just like that because thats impossible 40:38

TODD WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY.

RICE STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HER FAMILY HEIRLOOMS ARE GONE FOREVER.

40:16 they're irreplaceable 40:18

DOW JONES-CG

FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT DAY--

STOCKS SOARED ON WALL STREET.

AT THE CLOSING BELL--

THE DOW WAS UP 175-POINTS.

THAT'S A 5-YEAR HIGH--

AND IT'S NOW LESS THAN 100-POINTS FROM ITS ALL TIME HIGH!

SEQUESTER DEADLINE-VO

TWO DAYS AND COUNTING BEFORE THE DEADLINE FOR MAJOR FEDERAL SPENDING CUTS KICKS IN.

THE TWO SIDES WILL MEET TOMORROW, BUT THERE'S NO SIGN A COMPROMISE IS NEAR.

85-BILLION DOLLARS IN CUTS *AUTOMATICALLY* GO INTO EFFECT FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT.

UNLIKE THE FISCAL CLIFF--

OR A POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN--

SENATE GUN HEARING-VO WIPE

THE SENATE IS HOLDING HEARINGS ON NEW FEDERAL GUN LEGISLATION.

THE POTENTIAL LAW STEMS FROM THE TRAGEDY AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY IN CONNECTICUT LAST YEAR.

TODAY--

THE FATHER OF ONE OF THE CHILDREN WHO DIED AT THE SCHOOL--

SENATE GUN HEARING-SOT, ON CAM

It was 9:04 when I dropped Jesse off the school clock he gave me a hug and kiss said, 'goodbye I love you', he stopped and said, 'I love mom too' that's the last I saw of Jesse as he ducked around the corner.

THE PROPOSED LAW EXPANDS AND STRENGTHENS BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR ANYONE BUYING A GUN.

IT WOULD ALSO PUT BACK INTO PLACE THE 1994 ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN--

ROSA PARKS STATUE-VO

ROSA PARKS HAS A PERMANENT PLACE IN THE U-S CAPITOL.

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS UNVEILED A 9-FOOT TALL BRONZE STATUE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER TODAY.

SHE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE HONORED IN THE CAPITOL'S STATUARY HALL.

PARKS DIED IN 2005 AT THE AGE OF 92.

POPE'S LAST SPEECH-ON CAM

150-THOUSAND CATHOLICS FLOCKED TO SAINT PETER'S SQUARE TODAY AT THE VATICAN.

FOR POPE BENEDICT THE 16TH'S FINAL APPEARANCE AS HEAD OF THE CHURCH.

HE WENT INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT HIS DECISION TO STEP DOWN.

POPE'S LAST SPEECH-PKG

AN EMOTIONAL SENDOFF AS THOUSANDS FILLED ST PETERS SQUARE FOR POPE BENEDICT THE 16THS LAST PUBLIC APPEARANCE.

THIS FINAL BLESSING AND GENERAL AUDIENCE MOVED OUTSIDE TO ACCOMMODATE THE CROWD. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE GRAVITY OF HIS DECISION TO HE'S STEP DOWN.

"The decision I have made after much prayer is the root of the serene trust in God's will and the deep love of Christ's church. I will continue to accompany the church with my prayers, and I ask each of you to pray for me and for the new Pope."

EARLY THIS MORNING, SOME DASHED TO FIND A PLACE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE -- A BITTERSWEET DAY FOR MANY, INCLUDING CHURCH LEADERS.

"It was such a beautiful moment to see the Holy Father. Have a chance to say goodbye."

NOT JUST THOSE WHO WILL CHOOSE HIS SUCCESSOR, OTHER ROMAN CATHOLICS WERE MOVED AS WELL.

"You had a lot of peope that were very much excited. Eight years as pope."

LOCAL POPE REAX-VO WIPE

LOCAL COMMUNITIES SAID THANK YOU TO THE POPE TODAY.

AVE MARIA HELD A SPECIAL MASS TO HONOR POPE BENEDICT.

THE MASS TODAY WAS STILL STRONG WITH TRADITION--

BUT THE PRIEST ALSO TALKED THE POPE'S DECISION TO STEP DOWN.

FOR CATHOLICS IN AVE MARIA--

LOCAL POPE REAX-SOT, ON CAM

Chris Smith, Attended Mass "It will be a sad time but I'm also just very thankful for the amount and time and love he's given to our church."

Rod Miller, Lives in Ave Maria "I'm glad to see the recognition of Pope Benedict is being given the way it is, he is absolutely following the will of God and we should all pay close attention."

AVE MARIE HELD THREE MASSES TODAY.

YOUNG ADULT CREDIT & DEBT-CG

MIXED NEWS TODAY ABOUT THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS.

FIRST THE GOOD--

YOUNG ADULTS ARE IN LESS DEBT THAN THEY WERE A DECADE AGO.

STUDENT DEBT IS UP-

BUT CREDIT CARD, CAR AND HOME LOANS ARE DOWN.

BUT RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

THAT MOST YOUNG ADULTS ARE BROKE--

AND THEREFORE HAVE NO INTEREST IN TAKING ON A MORTGAGE OR CAR LOAN.

UNEMPLOYMENT FOR YOUNG ADULTS IS MORE THAN TWO POINTS HIGHER--

TITANIC 2-SOTVO

IF YOU'VE ALWAYS WISHED YOU COULD SAIL ON THE TITANIC--

WITHOUT GOING DOWN--

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE.

AN AUSTRALIAN BILLIONAIRE IS BUILDING A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL LUXURIOUS OCEAN LINER.

"I can assure you that from the safety point of view it will be absolutely the most safe cruise ship in the world when it's been launched."

THE TITANIC TWO--

WILL FOLLOW THE SAME PATH AS ITS NAMESAKE--

FROM SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND TO NEW YORK CITY.

IT WILL ALSO HAVE THE SAME INTERIOR AND CABIN LAYOUT--

AND PASSENGERS WILL WEAR COSTUMES FROM THAT ERA.

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

THE CRIME SCENE DISCOVERY.WAS AN ACCIDENT--

NEARLY A DOZEN ANIMALS ABANDONED--

STUCK IN CRATES AND MALNOURISHED.

TONIGHT THE SUSPECT EXPLAINS WHY SHE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO DUMP THEM IN THE WOODS.

AND STUNNING NEWS ABOUT THE FIGHT AGAINST WOMENS BREAST CANCER.

TZ1 A) ANIMAL ABUSE-VO WIPE

TZ1 B) BREAST CANCER-VO TOPS

TZ1 C) WEATHER TEASE-STC

BREAST CANCER DEATHS-ON CAM

MORE AMERICANS ARE WINNING THE WAR ON CANCER.

BUT THERE IS AN ALARMING EXCEPTION.

YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH ADVANCED, INCURABLE FORMS OF BREAST CANCER.

BREAST CANCER DEATHS-PKG

ADVANCED* BREAST CANCER RATES AMONG YOUNGER WOMEN ARE ON THE RISE.

SOT - Dr. Holly Pederson, The Cleveland Clinic / "It's significant. and

it doesn't look like it's likely to go away."

THE CLEVELAND CLINIC'S -- DOCTOR HOLLY PEDERSON -- IS POINTING TO.

.A NEW STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

SHE SAYS WHILE BREAST CANCER IS LESS COMMON AMONG YOUNG WOMEN.

.THE STUDY SHOWED BETWEEN 1979 AND 2009. WOMEN BETWEEN 25 AND 39

DIAGNOSED WITH *ADVANCED* BREAST CANCER. GREW BY 2.1 PERCENT -- *EACH YEAR

*.

SOT - Dr. Holly Pederson, The Cleveland Clinic / "What we're finding is it

can present at a much later stage. and be much more deadly." 6

SOT - Sarah Gianadda, New York / "It concerns me because what it's in the

water system. is it pollution from the environment?" 6

THIS STUDY DID NOT DETERMINE *WHY* THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE.

BUT DOCTORS BELIEVE WOMEN UNDER 40 ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE UN-INSURED.

AND LESS LIKELY TO BE SCREENED.

SOT -- Ingrid Aviles, New York / "It's always good to check it earlier.

the earlier the better." 4

SOT -- Colleen Turley, New York / "I have a high risk of breast cancer in

my family. so I just do it as a preventive measure." 3

DOCTOR PEDERSON ALSO SAYS MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON *EARLY* RISK FACTORS.

SOT - Dr. Holly Pederson, The Cleveland Clinic / "When women start their

menstrual period.is becoming earlier and earlier. and that might be in

part due to the childhood obesity epidemic. THAT increases breast cancer

risk. More and more women are drinking alcohol. THAT increases your breast

BREAST CANCER DEATHS-TAG

BRANDI HITT REPORTING.

DOCTORS RECOMMEND YOUNG WOMEN DO SELF-BREAST EXAMS *EVERY* MONTH--

TEASE TWO-ON CAM

ONE OF LEE COUNTY'S BIGGEST EMPLOYERS IS GROWING!

CHICOS CUT THE RIBBON ON A NEW BUILDING.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW MANY JOBS ARE COMING--

AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

PLUS--

TZ2 A) CHICOS JOBS-VO WIPE

TZ2 B) CHAD STANDUP-SOT TOPS

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.

After seven straight days of highs in the 80s, cooler weather will be moving into Southwest Florida over the next couple of days and into the weekend. Yesterday's cold front didn't bring much rain with it, but it did bring cloudy periods to the area this afternoon as it has stalled out across the southern portion of our viewing area.

Temperatures today were a bit cooler as they climbed into the middle and upper 70s and we did see a slight drop in the humidity due to a light northerly breeze. For the remainder of our Wednesday afternoon, expect mostly cloudy skies and couple of showers mainly south of the Caloosahatchee River as they roll in from the southwest off the Gulf of Mexico. Through the evening, expect a few of these showers to linger across the area as temperatures fall into the upper 60s to low 70s.

Tonight, the clouds should begin to break up across Southwest Florida with partly cloudy skies overnight. Temperatures will also be cooler as they drop into the upper 50s with a few spots reaching the middle 50s by morning.

By Thursday, we should manage to squeeze out more sunshine and daytime highs will remain on a cooling trend as they top out in the middle 70s. As another system passes across the state, Friday and into the weekend we'll notice our skies beginning to cloud up and temperatures will take a tumble. By Saturday we're looking at highs in the 60s with a pretty good chance of a few scattered showers to develop during the afternoon and into Sunday. Overnight lows will drop into the 40s through Tuesday morning with 30s deeper inland.

TOSS TO CHAD-ON CAM, SS

RED TIDE IS KILLING SEA LIFE IS RECORD NUMBERS.

THE TOXINS CAN CAUSE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS IN HUMANS, BUT IS IT DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH

TODAY'S GOOD QUESTION COMES FROM CONNIE ON SANIBEL ISLAND.

SHE ASKS: "HAVE YOU GUYS RESEARCHED THE *LONG-TERM* EFFECTS OF RED TIDE ON HUMANS?

GOOD QUESTION RED TIDE-TFX CTR MON

KELLIE WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF RED TIDE.

SCRATCHY. WATERY EYES.

I WAS AT BONITA BEACH TODAY AND JUST COULDN'T STOP COUGHING.

IT'S CONSIDERABLY WORSE FOR PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA.

WE KNOW RED TIDE CAN KILL FISH.

SCIENTISTS ARE ASKING THE SAME QUESTION AS CONNIE.

GOOD QUESTION RED TIDE-PKG

ROBIN AND BRIAN SIMMONS ARE USED TO THE COLD, WINTER AIR OF CHICAGO.

I think it's 32 and still snowing.

THEY DIDN'T EXPECT TO DEAL WITH THE AIR ON BONITA BEACH.

We needed tissues really bad.

EVEN HOURS AFTER LEAVING THE WATER'S EDGE.

"I was coughing coughing coughing. I woke myself up coughing."

There's a huge health issue here - But people just won't acknowledge it in part because they don't have the research.

RESEARCHERS WITH NOAA EXPOSED LAB RATS TO RED TIDE'S TOXINS AND FOUND

"EXPOSURE TO BREVETOXINS CAN ALTER D-N-A IN THE LUNGS; AN INDICATOR OF CANCER RISK."

BUT THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER TO THIS 'GOOD QUESTION' ACCORDING TO MOTE MARINE'S SENIOR SCIENTIST.

I don't recall the exact dose that the NOAA paper gave the rats but it's like a thousand fold more than what we see in the air."

DOCTOR BARBARA KIRKPATRICK TESTED ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE WITH ASHMA WHO LIVE IN RED TIDE COMMUNITIES.

OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD SHE FOUND THEIR ASTHMA DID *NOT* GET WORSE.

I don't think there's any evidence yet that we have to worry about long-term exposure.

KIRKPATRICK DOESN'T BRUSH-OFF RED TIDE'S HEALTH HAZARD IN THE SHORT-TERM.

GOOD QUESTION RED TIDE-TFC MON, BNR

TYPICALLY RED TIDE BLOOMS LAST TWO OR THREE MONTHS.

THIS ONE IS ABNORMALLY LONG - ABOUT SIX.

BUT THE BLOOMS MOVE ON-SHORE AND THEN OFF-SHORE - SO PEOPLE ON THE BEACH DON'T GET CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO RED TIDE.

WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR GOOD QUESTIONS.

JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE--

EYE CARE FIGHT-VO WIPE

A FIGHT IS BREWING AT THE STATE CAPITOL OVER YOUR EYE CARE.

OPTOMETRISTS ARE PUSHING LEGISLATION--

THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO PRESCRIBE ORAL MEDICATIONS FOR EYE DISEASES AND CONDITIONS.

RIGHT NOW--

ONLY OPHTHALMOLOGISTS CAN WRITE THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS.AND THEY WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

EYE CARE FIGHT-SOTVO

"We believe it's about access to care. It's not about scope of practice. It's not about trying to take patients. This is about making sure that our health care delivery system has a bigger workforce and people can be seen for something that can be handled by an optometrist."

OPTOMETRISTS IN 47 OTHER STATES--

PUTNAM FOR GOVERNOR-VO

A MOVE IS UNDERWAY TO KEEP GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT FROM RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION IN TWO YEARS--

AND IT'S COMING FROM HIS OWN PARTY!

IT COMES AFTER THE GOVERNOR "REVERSED" HIS POSITION--

AND SAID HE WOULD SUPPORT AN EXPANSION OF MEDICAID IN FLORIDA.

AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER ADAM PUTNAM WAS ONE OF THE FIRST REPUBLICANS TO CRITICIZE THAT CHOICE.

TEASE THREE-2SHOT

ANIMAL CONTROL IS INVESTIGATING A TERRIBLE CASE OF ABUSE!

OFFICERS SAY THE ANIMALS WERE ABANDONED IN CRATES--

DEHYDRATED AND MALNOURISHED--

AND SHE TOLD INVESTIGATORS WHY SHE DID IT.

THAT STORY AFTER THE BREAK.

AND ALL NEW AT SIX--

TZ3 A) ANIMAL CRUELTY-VO WIPE

AHEAD AT 6-BANNER

A) DAVE STANDUP TEASE-SOT

FREE EVERGLADES WEEKEND-HALF GFX

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK IS *WAIVING *ALL* FEES THIS WEEKEND!

IT'S THE PARK'S ANNUAL "VINTAGE DAY" CELEBRATION.

IT RUNS FROM TEN UNTIL THREE BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

VINTAGE DAY INCLUDES HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENTS.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AND TOURS.

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK IS ONE OF THE MOST BIOLOGICALLY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE PARKS IN THE WORLD.

WE'VE PUT A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE--

CHICOS JOBS-2SHOT

TODAY CHICO'S OPENED THE DOORS OF IT'S NEWEST BUILDING AT THE COMPANY HEADQUARTERS ON METRO PARKWAY.

THE NEW 3-STORY BUILDING ALSO MEANS *NEW* JOBS!

CHICOS JOBS-PKG

LAST YEAR'S PROMISE IS TODAY'S REALITY-- NATS OF RIBBON CUTTING THIS 146 THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT BUILDING NOW KNOWN AS "BUILDING TEN" IS CHICO'S LATEST EXPANSION, JUST ONE YEAR AFTER BREAKING GROUND.

LEE COUNTY FUNDED MORE THAN 3.26 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE EXPANSION.A PRICE BACK BY A COMMITMENT- THAT THE COMPANY WILL GROW RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THATS WHY THIS BUILDING SITS RIGHT ON CHICO'S 60 ACRE FORT MYERS CAMPUS. A SPACE THAT WON'T STAY EMPTY EMPTY LONG. THE COMPANY WILL HIRE 150 NEW EMPLOYEES.

JIM MOORE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEE COUNTY'S DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

CHICOS JOBS-TAG

DANIELLE KOLENIAK REPORTING.

NOW THAT THE BUILDING IS OPEN--

THE COMPANY PLANS TO HIRE THE 150 NEW EMPLOYEES QUICKLY--

ANIMAL CRUELTY-2SHOT, SS

A CHARLOTTE COUNTY WOMAN IS ACCUSED OF DUMPING HER TEN PETS IN CRATES, IN A REMOTE AREA WITH NO FOOD OR WATER.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS SAY CLEO FIORE LEFT HER CATS AND DOGS ON A VACANT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

2 OF THEM HAD TO BE PUT DOWN BECAUSE THEY WERE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE.

ANIMAL CRUELTY-PKG

in "animal control officers say this case is disturbing. they made the discovery about a mile down this dirt road."

IN RURAL SOUTHERN CHARLOTTE COUNTY-

DOWN OIL WELL ROAD,

PICTURES TELL THE STORY.

10 ANIMALS-

8 CATS AND 2 DOGS,

ARE KEPT IN CAGES,

STACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER IN A MAKE-SHIFT SHELTER.

13:32 "they were all in wire crates- sometimes for days at a time."

SOME HAD NO FOOD- NO WATER,

AND WERE LIVING IN THEIR OWN FILTH.

15:30 "it was very bad conditions."

THE ANIMALS-

WERE REPORTEDLY MALNOURISHED AND DEHYDRATED.

2 CATS WERE IN SUCH BAD CONDITION,

THEY HAD TO BE EUTHANIZED.

THEIR OWNER-

58 YEAR-OLD CLEO FIORE IS NOW CHARGED FOR ALLOWING THEM TO GET THAT WAY.

15:39 "the mosquitos were unbelievable out there and as a result. the dogs were heartworm positive."

ANIMAL CONTROL TELLS US THEY GOT A CALL FROM SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN DOING MAINTENANCE WORK ON THE VACANT LOT AND DISCOVERED THE ANIMALS.

12:33 "had they not- we would have never known that they were because it was an isolated area."

WHEN OFFICERS CONFRONTED FIORE-

THEY SAY SHE TOLD THEM SHE WAS MOVING AND COULDN'T TAKE HER PETS WITH HER, SO SHE DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM ON HER FAMILY'S PROPERTY INSTEAD.

ANIMAL CONTROL TOOK THE DOGS AND CATS-

THEY'RE RECOVERING AT DIFFERENT RESCUE GROUPS.

AS FOR FIORE-

SHE'S BEEN ARRESTED.

SELL THE 6PM-2SHOT

RED TIDE IS KILLING MANATEES AND TURTLES

AND AT SIX NBC2 IS TRACKING THE EFFECTS OF RED TIDE ON LOCAL BUSINESS WHO DEPEND ON HEALTHY GULF WATERS FOR SURVIVAL.

PLUS WE'VE LEARNED A CRASH CAUSED BY A STATE TROOPER ON I-75 IS NOW A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION.