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HEADLINES

A HOUSE FIRE MYSTERY IN PUNTA GORDA.

WE'RE LOOKING INTO WHY IT TOOK 24 HOURS FOR ANYONE TO NOTICE AN ELDERLY COUPLE WAS DEAD INSIDE.

AND STRANGER DANGER ALERT.

COLLIER COUNTY DEPUTIES RAMP UP PATROLS AFTER A MAN STALKS A YOUNG BOY.

"It's extremely scary because we live right directly across from the school and there's at least 20 police officers that live in this neighborhood."

WE'RE LIVE AS DEPUTIES REACH OUT TO ALERT PARENTS.

PLUS.THOUSANDS OF SWIMMING OFF CROWDED FLORIDA BEACHES.

HLA elderly couple found dead-trxVO

HLB stranger danger collier-trxVO

HLB stranger danger collier-SOTVO

HLC sharks off east coast-trxVO

BREAKING CLIP-CLIP

TOSS TO JULIAN-SSTOPS, FLY-LIVE

BREAKING NEWS IN FORT MYERS.

E-M-S, BOMB SQUAD AND FIRE CREWS SURROUND A STATE BUILDING DOWNTOWN.

SOMEONE CALLED A THREAT INTO THE JOSEPH P DELEASSANDRO BUILDING ON VICTORIA STREET.

NBC-2'S JULIAN JOHNSON IS THERE LIVE.

FM BOMB THREAT-REM-LIVE

FM BOMB THREAT-VO

FM BOMB THREAT-REM-LIVE

TOSS TO CHARLIE-OC, VO, TRXOBX

TRAGEDY AND HEARTBREAK IN A QUIET PUNTA GORDA NEIGHBORHOOD.

INVESTIGATORS SAY A FIRE STARTED IN THIS HOME AND HAD TIME TO EXTINGUISH ITSELF BEFORE ANYONE KNEW AN ELDERLY COUPLE WAS INSIDE.

NBC-2'S CHARLIE KEEGAN JOINS US LIVE OUTSIDE THE HOME ON SORRENTO COURT.

ELDERLY COUPLE FOUND DEAD-REM-LIVE

THE FIRE BROKE OUT SOMETIME IN THE LAST 16 To 28 HOURS, BUT NO ONE NOTICED IT.

THE FIRE CHIEF SAYS THE FIRE PUT ITSELF OUT AS IT RAN OUT OF OXYGEN.

ELDERLY COUPLE FOUND DEAD-PKG

Nats

FROM THE OUTISDE IT'S HARD TO TELL A FIRE RIPPED THROUGH THIS PUNTA GORDA HOME.

Chief Ray Briggs, PGFD

"damage is heaviest in the living room with smoke extension throughout the home."

THE ELDERLY COUPLE LIVING HERE WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE BEDROOM AREA.

THE INTERIM FIRE CHIEF SUSPECTS THEY DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION.

Chief Ray Briggs, PGFD

"it certainly points to that. Everything is being investigated by the state fire Marshall."

NEIGHBORS TELL US JOHN AND CAROL FITZMAURICE LIVED HERE.

SOME ARE TOO HEARTBROKEN TO COMMENT ON CAMERA.

THEY DESCRIBE THE COUPLE AS PERMANENT RESIDENTS WHO WERE VERY NICE AND QUIET.

Roger Napolleon, Neighbor

"older but nice. They had a really big Christmas and Halloween decorations."

WHEN ROGER NAPOLLEON LEFT HIS HOUSE THIS MORNING, HE DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL.

HE RETURNED TO THIS SCENE IN THE AFTERNOON, A POLICE OFFICER TOLD HOM HIS NEIGHBORS HAD DIED.

Roger Napolleon, Neighbor

"I was actually shocked bc I didn't see anything when I left. There was no obvious damage to the house, no smoke billowing out. you'd expect to see something like that"

EARLY REPORTS SAY THERE WAS NO WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS IN THE HOUSE, THE FIRE CHIEF IS URGING YOU TO CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS.

Chief Ray Briggs, PGFD

ELDERLY COUPLE FOUND DEAD-REM-LIVE

THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL WAS CALLED IN TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND EXACTLY WHAT KILLED THE COUPLE INSIDE.

OFFICIALS NOT RELEASING THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS BUT NEIGHBORS TELL US JOHN AND CAROL FITZMAURICE LIVED HERE.

TOSS TO RICK-OC, ANIMAP, DBX

TO COLLIER COUNTY NOW.WHERE AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY SAYS A MAN TRIED TO LURE HIM INTO A BLACK MINI VAN.

AS HE WAS HEADING TO SCHOOL ON OIL WELL ROAD.

THE BOY WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY.

NBC-2'S RICK RITTER JOINS US LIVE NEAR THE SCHOOL WITH THE LATEST ON THIS STRANGER DANGER ALERT.

STRANGER DANGER IN COLLIER COUNTY-REM-LIVE

STRANGER DANGER IN COLLIER COUNTY-PKG

A STRANGER DANGER ALERT IN GOLDEN GATE ESTATES - A FRIGHTENING INCIDENT THAT HAS PARENTS ON EDGE.

Heather Sclafani/Corkscrew Elementary School Parent/21:37:04 "It's disgusting."

YESTERDAY MORNING - AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS RIDING HIS SKATEBOARD TO CORKSCREW MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN A BLACK, NISSSAN MINI VAN PULLED UP BEHIND HIM.

THE PASSENGER TOLD THE KID TO GET IN - AND WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR.

THE VICTIM WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY - RIDING HIS SKATEBOARD TOWARD THE SCHOOL - THE VAN TOOK OFF.

Heather/21:36:54 "It's just horrible, there's so many older people there, why don't they go for someone their own age? Why do they have to go for a little bay, or a child?"

THE PASSENGER IS DESCRIBED AS A TALL WHITE MALE THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 18 YEARS OLD - WITH A BROWN CREW CUT, BROWN EYES AND ACNE ON HIS FACE.

FOR CORKSCREW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENT HEATHER SCLAFANI - SHE'S SEEN THIS SITUATION BEFORE.

JUST 3 MONTHS AGO - A SUSPICIOUS MAN TRIED TO PICK UP HER OWN KIDS, RIGHT IN THE SAME AREA.

Heather/21:35:38 "There's no walking to and from school, I don't even care if it's in the crosswalk at this point."

TONIGHT - PARENTS ARE CALLING FOR EXTRA PATROL - AND THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

Krista Williamson/PIO, CCSO/21:29:30 "We're definitely ramping up patrols, obviously we take this kind of incident very seriously."

STRANGER DANGER IN COLLIER COUNTY-REM-LIVE

PAST NAPLES STRANGER DANGER-VO

THIS IS THE SECOND INVESTIGATION THIS YEAR OF STRANGER DANGER IN COLLIER COUNTY.

IN JANUARY, NAPLES POLICE SAY A MAN DRIVING THIS S-U-V FOLLOWED 4 GIRLS HOME FROM SCHOOL.

IT HAPPENED NEAR LAKES PARK ELEMENTARY.

INVESTIGATOR CLIP-CLIP

TOSS TO DAVE-OC, TRX

LeE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT JOSEPH BURKE ONE ON ONE TONIGHT WITH NBC 2 INVESTIGATOR DAVE ELIAS.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT ALLEGATIONS OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT, AND WHETHER OR NOT HE INTERFERED IN AN INVESTIGATION INTO A TOP ADMINISTRATOR IN THE DISTRICT.

BURKE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW-TFC

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS LOOKING INTO ALLEGATIONS THAT DR. BURKE

MOVED one point 6-MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY INTO ANOTHER FUND WITHOUT BOARD

BURKE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW-VO

DURING A SITDOWN INTERVIEW THIS AFTERNOON I ALSO ASKED DR. BURKE ABOUT

CONCERNS THAT HE SPENT NEARLY $300-THOUSAND DOLLARS ON TOP ADMINISTRATORS

BURKE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW-SOTVO

Dr. Burke / 02:26 There was nothing surprising to the board about those positions. They had

already approved them all on the organizational chart and the grant dollars were intendedt to be used

for those positions. 16:37

THE BOARD NOW MUST ANSWER TO THE STATE FOR THESE ACTIONS.

BURKE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW-TFC

TONIGHT AT 6 WE ASK DR. BURKE IF HE

Interfered in AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO ONE OF HIS TOP SUPERVISORS.

FORMER FWC OFFICER ARRESTED-TRX, OC

A FORMER FLORIDA WILDLIFE COMMISSION OFFICER IS ACCUSED OF HAVING SEX WITH A 14 YEAR OLD AND REPORTEDLY PAYING HER AFTERWARD.

DEPUTIES ARRESTED 37 YEAR OLD JOHN HOOVER FOR LEWD BATTERY.

DETECTIVES TELL US THE TEENAGER IS A RUNAWAY.

HOOVER RESIGNED JUST BEFORE TURNING HIMSELF TO AUTHORITIES.

TOSS TO JOE-SS, VIDBOX, SS, DBX

WE GOT A GOOD REMINDER YESTERDAY THAT MARCH IS THE PEAK OF BRUSH FIRE SEASON HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

TWO FIRES SPARKED ON OPPOSITE EDGES OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY.

TO THE EAST, A FIRE DESTROYED 2 STRUCTURES AND BURNED 500 ACRES BURNED OFF BERMONT ROAD.

TO THE WEST, A MUCH SMALLER FIRE AT 70 ACRES. BUT ENOUGH TO PUT THE ROTONDA COMMUNITY ON ALERT.

NBC-2'S JOE ROETZ IS BACK OUT IN ROTONDA TONIGHT.

a bermont fire vo aerials-vo

b rotonda fire vo aerials-vo

ROTONDA FIRE FOLLOW-REM-LIVE

The smell of burnt brush is still strong as firefighters work deep in these woods to put out hot spots.

ROTONDA FIRE FOLLOW-PKG

Pictures tell the story of how real the danger was.

Take Sot

25:04-09

Cullinan

We had the hoses out before the firefighters even got here

Flames flirting with Marcia Cullinan's Jade Street home.

As crews quickly worked by land and air to protect her home - along with neighbors

Take Sot

Misty Bonnau

4 seconds

If the wind would have shifted we would've been sitting here homeless.

Today - The 70 acres surrounding her house - scorched.

Take Sot

Cullinan

26:37-45

You just saw this orange band across the back and just hoped and prayed the wind didn't shift back this way.

With the fire close to contained today - Some crews were tasked with bulldozing lines through the thick woods to stave off any flareups while dozens of fire fighters doused lingering hot spots Neighbors like Johanna Pfieffer are still keeping a close eye out.

Take Sot

Johanna Pfieffer

10 Seconds

I thought fires across the street there is a road blocking it - that's pretty ignorant with wind and fire, I had no idea.

Her home was saved - along with countless others thanks to fast acting firefighters who are still on scene 24 hours later.

With the ground so dry - officials expect to be out here for weeks.

Take Sot

27:23-7

ROTONDA FIRE FOLLOW-REM-LIVE

- Florida Forest Service has pinned down the start of the fire to somewhere around Jade Street - where we are now.

- They are still working to determine a cause.

BERMONT FIRE UPDATE-SSTOPS, VO

THE LARGER FIRE IN THE EASTERN PART OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY IS 100 PERCENT CONTAINED.

THIS WAS OFF BERMONT ROAD NEAR PARADISE PARK.

BERMONT AFTERMATH aerials-WIPE VO

ONE WAS A HUNTING LODGE, THE OTHER A MOBILE HOME GOING THROUGH A REMODEL.

THIS IS WHAT THE DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE FROM THE AIR.

ACEVEDO FIRST COURT APPEARANCE-SS, VO

THE CAPE CORAL MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO KILL HIS WIFE WITH HIS MINIVAN MADE WAS BACK IN COURT AGAIN TODAY.

POLICE SAY JOSE ACEVEDO BEAT HIS WIFE WITH A BASEBALL BAT, AFTER HE CRASHED HIS MINIVAN HER BEDROOM IN THEIR HOME ON SOUTHWEST 16TH TERRACE.

SHE IS HOSPITALIZED WITH SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES.

THE JUDGE SET BOND AT 350-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ACEVEDO FIRST COURT APPEARANCE-SOTVO

You may not write her, call her , email her, text message her, call her from a jail phone, send any messages through any third parties that may get to her

THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM TOLD US THEY HOPE ACEVEDO IS PUNISHED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.

DRIVER IDENTIFIED IN VETERANS CRASH-TRXOC, VO-BNR

NEW AT FIVE - CAPE CORAL POLICE NAME THE SECOND PERSON KILLED IN A CRASH ON VETERAN'S PARKWAY LAST THURSDAY.

OFFICERS TELL US EDWARD MILDNER FROM HERNANDO, WAS DRIVING A WHITE VAN THAT FLIPPED ONTO ITS ROOF.

HIS PASSENGER JOANNE GRIMES OF VENICE, ALSO DIED IN THE ACCIDENT.

VEHICLE VS PEDESTRIAN FMB-ANIMAPVO

THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE CITED AFTER A DEADLY CRASH ON FORT MYERS BEACH LAST NIGHT.

LEE COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY 67 YEAR OLD GARY POLLOCK WAS TRYING TO CROSS SAN CARLOS BOULEVARD NEAR MAIN STREET WHEN A CAR CLIPPED HIM.

POLLOCK WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.

TEASE ONE-2SHOT

NOW.IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO TAKE AN OPEN WATER SWIM OFF THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA.

THOUSANDS OF SHARKS ARE ON THE MOVE AFTER MIGRATING SOUTH FOR THE WINTER.

MORE OF THIS REMARKABLE VIDEO COMING UP.

PLUS -

I can't wait for this to get started. It's been such an eyesore for the last five years."

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE OLD AMTEL HOTEL - THE BIG PINK BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS?

TZ1 A) shark sightings on east coast-VO-WIPE

TZ1 B) gq amtel hotel-SOTVO

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.

NICE WEEKEND AHEAD

High pressure will control the weather over southwest Florida through the weekend. Tonight we will continue to see mainly clear skies and temperatures dropping again to chilly 40's. A few inland places may, once again, touch the upper 30's tomorrow morning.

No rain is on the radar and no showers are in the forecast either. Tomorrow looks like another mostly sunny day with afternoon highs going back to the mid 70's. The average high temperature for tomorrow is 80 degrees and it looks like we will finally get there by the weekend. Winds on Friday will be from the northeast and that will be another signal of the warmer weather to come this weekend.

Skies will be partly cloudy to mostly sunny by Saturday and Sunday and overnight lows moderate to the mid 50's.

SHARK SIGHTINGS ON EAST COAST-TRXVOTOPS

THIS IS DEERFIELD BEACH.

SHARK SIGHTINGS ON EAST COAST-ANIMAP - FLYPKG

THE MIGRATING SHARKS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED FROM PALM BEACH TO JUPITER.

SHARK SIGHTINGS ON EAST COAST-PKG

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE - AS ABOUT ONE THOUSAND SHARKS - MAKE THEIR WAY UP THE

EAST COAST OF FLORIDA.

BUT IT'S IMAGES LIKE THIS- EVEN CLOSER TO SHORE -

--

STARTLING SPRING-BREAKERS - KEEPING THEM - OUT OF THE WATER:

MOS

"There we saw something moving in the water and everybody was saying ahh

sharks!"

THE STUNNING SIGHT OF SPINNER AND BLACK TIP SHARKS -

IS COMMON IN SOUTH FLORIDA-

POLLOCK SOT:

"EVERY YEAR WE EXPECT ANNUAL SHARK MIGRATION TO COME THROUGH THIS AREA"

BUT THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING- SO MANY SHARKS - SO LATE IN THE SEASON-

THE MIGRATION FROM FLORIDA TO NORTH CAROLINA USUALLY ENDS IN FEBRUARY -

BEFORE THE BEACHES BECOME PACKED IN THESE POPULAR SPRING BREAK DESTINATIONS.

SOT-Pollock:

"We had sharks literally going through a feeding frenzy in our

area."

RESEARCHERS AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SAY THEY HAVE NOW COUNTED ABOUT

15,000 SHARKS MOST LESS THAN 200 YARDS FROM SHORE.

THAT'S HOW CLOSE - RESEARCHERS UP THE COAST IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA WERE ON

SUNDAY - WHEN THEY REELED IN THIS 2-THOUSAND POUND GREAT WHITE!

NATS -

"It was right there. maybe 200 yards from the inlet."

AND WHILE - THE BLACK-TIP SHARKS THAT'VE BEEN GETTING A LITTLE TOO CLOSE FOR

COMFORT NEAR DEERFIELD BEACH AND PALM BEACH COUNTY - ONLY ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT

20 PERCENT OF UNPROVOKED ATTACKS IN FLORIDA-

LIFEGUARDS - ARE TAKING NO CHANCES

CLOSING SOME BEACHES.

A PRECAUTION- BEACHGOERS ARE TAKING SERIOUSLY -

HOROWITZ SOT:

"SHARKS ARE NOT TO BE RECKONED WITH / PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO READ THESE

SHARK SIGHTINGS ON EAST COAST-OC

MARCI GONZALEZ REPORTING.

EXPERTS SAY THIS MIGRATION IS LIKELY HAPPENING LATER THIS YEAR BECAUSE FLORIDA HAS HAD A VERY WARM WINTER.

REPEAL OF INTERNATIONAL DRIVER LAW-VO-BNR

A DRIVING LAW THAT CAUGHT A LOT OF FOREIGN TOURISTS OFF-GUARD COULD BE ELIMINATED.

STATE LAWMAKERS ARE RUSHING TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT THAT INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO HAVE A SPECIAL DRIVING PERMIT.

THIS LAW WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY FIRST.

TODAY, COMMITTEES IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED TO THROW OUT THE PERMIT LAW.

RECALLED CARS ALERT-TRX, OC, VO-bnr

CONSUMER ALERT AT FIVE -

ONLINE.MILLIONS OF RECALLED CARS ARE FOR SALE.

AND 92-THOUSAND MORE ARE ON THE ROADS RIGHT HERE IN FLORIDA.

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T FIX AN ISSUE WITH A RECALLED VEHICLE.

THIS VAN HAD AN ELECTRICAL RECALL FOR A PROBLEM UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT -- AND THE OWNER NEVER FIXED IT.

NEW NUMBERS SHOW AS MANY AS ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE RECALLED CARS NEVER GETS FIXED.

YOU CAN DO A FREE RECALL CHECK FOR YOUR VEHICLE ONLINE.

NEW CAPE FIRE CHIEF-OC, SS

CAPE CORAL HAS A NEW FIRE CHIEF.

CITY MANAGER JOHN SZERLAG SELECTED TIMOTHY HAYES TO MAN THE DEPARTMENT.

HE WAS SELECTED FROM FIVE CANDIDATES.

HAYES CURRENTLY WORKS IN GAINESVILLE AS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR ITS FIRE RESCUE.

HE STARTS APRIL 8TH AND WILL BE PAID 125-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

NEW TODAY AT 5-CLIP

TEASE TWO-sottops

"it's been called the downtown eyesore, The Pink Elephant, The rat's nest, So tonight's good question: what's the future of this prime waterfront property?"

AND ALL NEW AT SIX --

A FLORIDA LAW MAKER WANTS TO MAKE IT MANDATORY. ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO AMMUNITION IN FLORIDA --

HAS TO TAKE AN ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASS.

TZ2 A) chad standup tease-sottops

TZ2 B) AMMO ANGER MANAGEMENT-VOTOPS

TOSS TO CHAD-VOTOPS, SS

IT'S A LANDMARK.BUT NOT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OLD AMTEL HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS.

THOMAS MARSH WANTED NBC-2 TO INVESTIGATE THE 'GOOD QUESTION:'

"WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE EYE SORE OF AN EMPTY HOTEL SITTING ON THE RIVER DOWNTOWN. ARE THEY EVER GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT?"

CHAD OLIVER FOUND THE ANSWER AND IS HERE TO BREAK-DOWN THE 60-MILLION DOLLAR PLAN.

GQ WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AMTEL-TFC

IT OPENED BACK IN 19-86 AND DID A BOOMING CONVENTION BUSINESS.

BUT THE OWNERS CHANGED AND SO DID THE NAMES.

IT'S BEEN A SHARATON. RAMADA. AND MOST RECENLTY THE AMTEL-AMBASSADOR HOTEL.

NOW THE CITY OF FORT MYERS HAS REZONED THE PROPERTY.

GQ WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AMTEL-PKG

birds chirping

STRANGE HOW THE BEST VIEW AROUND.

A monstrosity

.CAN LOOK SO - UGLY.

Oh it's not good.

FIVE YEARS. SITTING. VACANT.

right it's a real shame.

Everything about it looks rundown.

Just a rat's nest.

"I tell you we get more questions asked about what's going to be the future of that old hotel."

THE MAN CHARGED WITH BRINGING BUSINESS BACK TO LIFE NOW HAS AN ANSWER.

"It will be a very upscale rental community - 55 and up."

3-HUNDRED APARTMENTS FOR SENIORS. 'CAMPO FELICE' IS THE LATEST VENTURE FOR A DEVELOPER WHO'S RESUME INCLUDES SEVERAL OTHER HIGH-RISES ON THE FORT MYERS RIVERFRONT.

"He was able to negotiate I think a fairly responsible price that's always been a stumbling block."

"For years the asking price has been $25 Million. A big reason this deal went through, the developer got it for nearly half of that, $13 Million."

ADD THE PURCHASE COST WITH MONEY NEEDED FOR RENOVATION.

"It just needs a wonderful facelift.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 60-MILLION DOLLAR FACELIFT. BLUE WINDOWS WILL REFLECT THE RIVER. L-E-D LIGHTS ON THE ROOF WILL TURN BLIGHT INTO A BRIGHT SPOT.

"I can't wait for this to get started. It's been such an eyesore for the last five years."

it looks like a salmon.

A BUILDING BY ANY OTHER COLOR.

Not pink.

GQ WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AMTEL-TFC-BNR

THIS DEAL IS ON TRACK TO CLOSE BY THE END OF MAY.

DEMOLITION WILL START THIS SUMMER WITH THE *HOPE* OF OPENING A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW.

TONIGHT THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY IS REVIEWING THE PARKING PLAN.

THE GARAGE NEEDS WORK BUT IT HAS 600 SPACES.

SOME OF THOSE WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - WHICH SHOULD HELP THE PARKING PROBLEM DOWNTOWN.

THOMAS THERE'S YOUR ANSWER.

I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR YOUR 'GOOD QUESTION.

NEW AT 530-BNR-2SHOT

AFTER YEARS OF DEFEATS--

A TEXTING AND DRIVING *BAN* IS INCHING THROUGH THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE!

NBC2 TALKS TO THE MOTHER OF ONE VICTIM--

AND WONDERS WHY FLORIDA--

IS ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF STATES WITHOUT SUCH A LAW.

AND FRIENDS SAY HE DIDN'T WANT TO DRINK AND DRIVE--

SO HE DECIDED TO WALK.

BUT GARY POLLOCK WAS HIT BY A CAR AND INVESTIGATORS SAY IT'S HIS FAULT.

TONIGHT WE TALK TO SOME PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM BEST.

A) NO TEXTING & DRIVING-VO-WIPE

B) FMB PEDESTRIAN HIT-VOTOPS