DIRECTORS PAGE

BREAKING OPEN-CLIP

WILDCAT RUN BRUSH FIRE-MITTO TOPS

BREAKING NEWS AT SIX,

THERE'S A BRUSH FIRE IN THE WILDCAT RUN PERSERVE, EAST OF ESTERO IN LEE COUNTY.

IT'S BELIEVED THIS IS A REKINDLING FROM A FIRE THAT BROKE OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK.

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF A LOT OF SMOKE.

A STRIKE TEAM IS HEADING THERE TO FIGHT THIS FIRE.

WILDCAT RUN BRUSH FIRE-REM LIVE

LEHIGH BRUSH FIRE-TRX VOTOPS

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PICTURES.

ANOTHER BRUSH FIRE IN LEHIGH ACRES NEARLY DESTROYED TWO HOMES. LUCKILY FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO KNOCK IT DOWN BEFORE IT DID ANY DAMAGE.

IT STARTED IN THE ONE-THOUSAND BLOCK OF HALBY AVENUE SOUTH.

SHANE SIMPKINS-TRX VOTOPS OC

A JURY HAS CONVICTED A MAN OF MURDERING AN ESTERO GRANDMOTHER.

AFTER AN HOUR AND A HALF OF DELIBERATION, SHANE SIMPKINS IS GUILTY OF KILLING MARY ANN ZARB.

NBC 2'S MATT WRIGHT WAS IN THE COURTROOM FROM THE BEGINNING.

SHANE SIMPKINS-PKG BNR

IT TOOK THE JURY JUST AN HOUR AND A HALF TO DECIDE SHANE SIMPKINS KILLED MARY ANN ZARB. THEY FOUND HIM GUILTY OF MURDER. BURGLARY. AND GRAND THEFT.

TWO YEARS AFTER THE CRIME. FOLLOWING AN EMOTIONAL TRIAL. A SHORT WAIT FOR THE VERDICT.

IT COULDN'T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR MARY ANN ZARB'S CHILDREN.

SHANE SIMPKINS KILLED AND STOLE FROM 64 YEAR OLD ZARB IN 2011.

NEWLY WIDOWED. SHE HAD JUST MOVED TO AN ESTERO CONDO WHEN SHE HIRED SIMPKINS TO REMODEL.

HE STRANGLED HER. AND WITH CHRISTOPHER NEUBERGER DUMPED HER BODY ON THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY LINE.

PROSECUTORS SHOWED THE JURY 25-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CHECKS SIMPKINS FORCED ZARB TO WRITE HIM BEFORE KILLING HER.

THEN. HE WENT ON A SPENDING SPREE. TELLING OTHERS ZARB WAS VACATIONING.

SIMPKINS' WAS A WHIRLWIND TRIAL.

HE FIRED HIS ATTORNEY MIDWAY THROUGH. THEN HIRED HIM BACK.

AND SIMPKINS TOOK THE STAND IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.

ALSO TAKING THE STAND- SIMPKINS ACCOMPLICE.

NEUBERGER TOOK A DEAL TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIM

HE'LL SPEND 10 YEARS IN JAIL FOR HIS PART IN ZARB'S MURDER.

WITH A FINAL DECISION MADE- ZARB'S FAMILY HAS A WARNING.

IMMOKALEE PLANE CRASH-TRX OC MITTO OC

MATT THANKS.

NEW AT SIX,

A SMALL PLANE CRASHED IN COLLIER COUNTY THIS MORNING. SENDING THE PILOT TO THE HOSPITAL.

EMERGENCY CREWS HAD A HARD TIME FINDING THE CRASH.

THAT HAPPENED IN A WOODS NEAR IMMOKALEE JUST SOUTHWEST OF LAKE TRAFFORD.

AN INVESTIGATION IS BEING HANDLED BY THE F-A-A AND THE N-T-S-B

IMMOKALEE PLANE CRASH-PKG BNR

COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICIALS SAY THE CALL CAME IN JUST BEFORE TEN THIS MORNING

REPORTS OF A PLANE CRASH NEAR IMMOKALEE ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF LAKE TRAFFORD.

SHERIFFS OFFICIALS TELL US THEU HAD TO USE THE PILOTS PHONE GPS TO LOCATE HIM BECAUSE OF THE DENSLY

WOODED AREA.

THE SEARCH--WE'RE TOLD TOOK ONE AND HALF HOURS.

OFFICIALS THE PILOT--WHOSE NAME ISN'T BEING RELEASED WAS TRANSPORTED TO LEE MEMORIAL WITH UNKNOWN INJURIES.

WE'RE TOLD SEVERAL CREWS RESPONDED TO THE AREA.

WE'RE ALSO TOLD THE PILOT HAD NO PASSENGERS.

CLAM PASS DREDGING-OC NATS VO OC

GEORGE THANKS.

IT'S A CELEBRATION FOR MANY IN THE NORTH NAPLES COMMUNITY TONIGHT.

nats of applause

THAT'S BECAUSE CLAM PASS CONNECTS TO THE GULF OF MEXICO ONCE AGAIN.

SAND MADE THE CHANNEL IMPASSABLE FOR MONTHS, THREATENING MANGROVES AND WILDLIFE.

AT ONE POINT SEVERAL PEOPLE TRIED DIGGING IT OUT THEMSELVES WITH SHOVELS.

AS NBC-2'S LEIGH DANA REPORTS --

CLAM PASS DREDGING-TRX PKG BNR

ON NAPLES' BEAUTIFUL BEACHES

NATS

HEAVY MACHINERY TEMPORARILY DISRUPTS THE IMAGE OF ITS PRESTINE SHORELINE.

NAT

BUT THESE FOLKS - DIDN'T CARE.

26:58 not at all, everybody applauded this effort

THE DISTURBANCE- ALL TO REOPEN CLAM PASS.

THE WATERWAY CLOGGED UP IN LATE DECEMBER.

13:11 the pass was basically getting shallower and shallower and after several storms we had it was inevitable it would close completely

WHICH CLOSED OFF BOAT ACCESS TO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

tom cravens/ chairman/ pelican bay services division

27:00 it began to stink and creating environmental problems

leigh 29:42

crews have been out here for 10 days, working 10-12 hours to get these two waterways connected

NAT OPENING UP

THE DREDGING -- COMPLETED IN RECORD TIME SATURDAY.

anita Dipasco

10:26 I feel like I can breathe because the pass can breathe. Honestly I feel it.

12:46 this is just like a historical event for us at least for the residents of Pelican Bay

THE PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION SIGNED A CONTRACT EARLIER THIS YEAR- FOR 200-THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK WITH KYLE CONSTRUCTION.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY -

ALLOWING THEM TO GET THE PERMIT AND WORK DONE FASTER.

tom cravens/ chairman/ pelican bay services division

26:12 we got the permit in an extremely short period of time,. The county spent two years to get a permit and they never got one.

THOSE FRUSTRATED WITH DELAYS -

WENT TO WORK, DIGGING OUT CLAM PASS THEMSELVES.

jan Forszpaniak

12:53 I was digging this pass at night after work, getting calluses.

anita

11:18 I wasn't the best digger but my heart was in it.

ALL SHOVELS ASIDE,

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS- BOATS CAN GO THROUGH.

OSPREY NESTS-VO

LEIGH THANKS.

ALL THAT CONTRUCTION.

SURPRISINGLY **NOT DISTURBING ONE LOCAL RESIDENT.

CHECK OUT THIS OSPREY NEST.

DESPITE THE BIG TRUCKS AND LOUD NOISE. NEIGHBORS TELL US THE BIRDS ARE CARRYING ON WITH THEIR BUSINESS--

FL HOT AIR BALLOON CRASH-VO BNR

TWO PEOPLE, INCLUDING AN N-F-L PLAYER, WERE INJURED WHEN THEIR HOT AIR BALLOON CRASHED INTO POWER LINES IN SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY.

N-F-L FREE AGENT RECEIVER DONTE STALLWORTH AND A 27-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WERE RUSHED TO A TRAUMA CENTER WITH SERIOUS BURNS.

THE THIRD PASSENGER WASN'T HURT.

STALLWORTH'S AGENT SAID HE WON'T HAVE PERMANENT DAMAGE FROM THE ACCIDENT.

MANATEES HARD TO COUNT-TRX VO

NEW AT SIX,

FLORIDA WILDLIFE OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE CANCELLING THEIR ANNUAL MANATEE CENSUS BECAUSE THE WATERS ARE TOO WARM.

IN COLD WATER MANATEES GATHER NEAR POWER PLANTS AND SPRINGS, MAKING THEM EASY TO SPOT.

BECAUSE THE WATER IS WARM, THEY'RE STAYING SPREAD OUT.

THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN ROW THE COUNT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

PANTHER DEATH-OC

A PANTHER HAS BEEN KILLED IN HENDRY COUNTY.

FLORIDA WILDLIFE OFFICIALS FOUND THE PANTHER TODAY.

THEY SAY THE 2-TO-3 YEAR-OLD MALE WAS HIT BY A CAR ON STATE ROAD 80 JUST EAST OF LABELLE.

THIS IS THE 7TH PANTHER TO BE FOUND DEAD THIS YEAR.

THE FIFTH TO BE HIT BY A CAR.

NEW AT SIX-CLIP

TEASE ONE

20:02:58-20:03:07"It's really quite lovely. I'd hate to see just a commercial restaurant with a lot of advertising on it come in here."

THE ART OF THE OLYMPIANS COULD HAVE TO FIND A NEW HOME AS CITY OFFICIALS EXPLORE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE BUILDING IN THE NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

PLUS,

NOT HAVING CREDIT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T HAVE A CREDIT SCORE.

NEW AT SIX,

A NEW WAY TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER, WITH SERVICES YOU ALREADY HAVE.

A) ART OF THE OLYMPIANS-SOTVO

B) ANOTHER CREDIT SCORE-VO

WEATHER-STC

GEN TRX-TRX

ART OF THE OLYMPIANS-AWS PLASMA

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS A LIVE LOOK FROM OUR CAMERA AT ART OF THE OLYMPIANS IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS.

THE VIEW- SPECTACULAR.

BUT NOW- THE FUTURE OF THE PROPERTY IS UP FOR TALKS.

THE ART OF THE OLYMPIANS MUSEUM'S LEASE IS UP IN 2 WEEKS.

ART OF THE OLYMPIANS-PKG BNR

I think every year it gets better and better.

IT'S EASY FOR RESIDENTS LIKE BONNIE LAMOURIE TO NOTICE ALL THE CHANGES DOWNTOWN.

NATS

LIKE THE RECENT OPENING OF THE RIVER BASIN-

AND SOME NEW RESTAURANTS.

.Way more green space, the fountains going, things happening more every day.

THOSE THINGS ARE BRINGING MORE PEOPLE HERE.

AND RIGHT ON THE RIVERFRONT. IS THIS PRIME REAL ESTATE,

HOME OF THE ART OF THE OLYMPIANS MUSEUM.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS ITS LEASE MONDAY WHICH IS UP FOR RENEWEL IN TWO WEEKS.

We want to find out what's good for the city and the art of the Olympians. That's the main priority. Then after that, that may lead us to other options as to what we can do with that building.

FORT MYERS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL FLANDERS SAYS LOCAL RESTAURANT OPERATORS ARE EYEING THE BUILDING.

They're interested in looking at that building on what it would take to transform it into a waterfront restaurant. It is our, well, one of our only waterfront buildings we have.

SOME DOWNTOWN TODAY SAY MORE RESTAURANTS ARE NEEDED.

I would definitely say a restaurant. We need more people to come down here.

BUT ACCORDING TO FLANDERS.

THE LEASE REQUIRES BOTH THE CITY AND MUSEUM MANAGERS TO AGREE ON ANY CHANGES IN LOCATION.

NATS

OLYMPIANS MANAGEMENT TELLS ME THEY INTEND TO KEEP THIS SPOT FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS.

SINCE THEY PLAN TO START UP MORE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, PROMOTE NEW EXHIBITS, AND HOST MORE TOURS SOON.

I'd prefer that it stays something that represents the city. I think the city has done a wonderful job with the waterfront, restoring it. I'd hate to see just a commercial restaurant with a lot if advertising on it come in here.

NEW AT SIX-CLIP

TEASE TWO

nats of parade

ST. PATRICKS DAY MAY BE TOMORROW,

A) NAPLES ST PATTYS DAY-NATS VO

GEN TRX-TRX

LESTER NIGHTLY TEASE-SOT TO BREAK

FORECAST OPEN-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.

SUNNY AND WARM WEEKEND

High pressure continues to inch over the state, and as long as it prevails in our weather pattern, we'll see mostly sunny skies and warming temperatures.

Our weekend forecast includes just that, so yes the weekend is looking great.

The outlook for Sunday is almost like Saturday. Lots of sunshine and highs in the 80s after starting in the mid 50s. The only difference is the fact it won't be AS sunny. A weather disturbance is approaching for our west, and it will add cloud cover to the sky later in the day on Sunday. So I'll call it partly sunny. Your lows will be drop to 57 degrees, and with the sunshine mixed with a warm southerly breeze daytime highs will get to 83 degrees.

Not a bad St. Patty's day!

Monday will be decent, too, but the changes will continue to occur. It'll be a partly cloudy day with highs getting to 84 degrees.

Next week we will track a weak front moving into the area on Tuesday. At this point it is still looking like a dry pattern with only a 30 percent chance of a shower late Tuesday with the arrival of thE front.

ANOTHER CREDIT SCORE-TRX VO

FOR THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO DON'T HAVE A CREDIT HISTORY OR A GOOD CREDIT SCORE,

THERE'S A NEW SYSTEM THAT MAY THROW YOU A LIFELINE.

EQUI-FAX, EXPERIAN AND TRANS-UNION ARE THE THREE BIG CREDIT REPORTING BUREAUS.

TOGETHER THEY'RE ROLLING OUT A NEW VERSION OF THEIR 'VANTAGE-SCORE'.

THE SERVICE PULLS DATA FROM SOURCES LIKE RENT PAYMENTS, CELL PHONE PAYMENTS AND UTILITIES.

THEY SAY IT WILL GIVE BANKS A BETTER WAY OF DETERMINING A PERSON'S FINANCIAL STABILITY,

SUBWAY SUSPECT SEARCH-2 SS

THE SEARCH CONTINUES IN LEE COUNTY FOR TWO MEN DEPUTIES SAY ROBBED A SUBWAY RESTAURANT IN LEHIGH ACRES

HERE ARE THE SURVEILLANCE PICTURES FROM THE ROBBERY FOUR DAYS AGO.

YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE SUSPECTS WITH THEIR FACES COVERED.

THE ROBBERY HAPPENED AT THE SUBWAY ON LEE BOULEVARD.

NOBODY WAS INJURED.

NAPLES ST PADDYS DAY-TRX NATSVO WIPE

NEW AT SIX,

ARE YOU WEARING YOUR GREEN TODAY?

THEY ARE IN NAPLES.

nats of parade

THIS WAS THE 35TH ANNUAL SAINT PATRICKS DAY PARADE.

IT'S THE LARGEST PRIVATELY FUNDED PARADE IN FLORIDA -

NAPLES ST PADDYS DAY-2SOTVO

cristine Dougherty/Pittsburg 52:42

My parents winter in Florida. It's a lot warmer Naples St. Patricks Day than the Pittsburg St. Pat's Parade

Nakin Nolasco/naples

51:32 it's exciting. The kids really enjoy it. Great weather

COLOR VIBE 5K-VO BNR

IT WAS A COLORFUL SATURDAY AT THE COLOR VIBE 5-K IN FORT MYERS!

CHECK OUT THESE PICTURES.

HUNDREDS OF RUNNERS WERE SPLASHED WITH COLORED POWDER AT DIFFERENT STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE RACE.

THE RACE IS BEING HELD IN MORE THAN 30 CITIES ALL OVER THE U-S.

IT SUPPORTS LOCAL CHARITIES AND NON-PROFITS IN EACH CITY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND MORE PHOTOS OF TODAY'S RACE,

TEASE SPORTS-2-SHOT

A)-VOTOPS

GEN TRX-TRX

BREAK THREE

SPORTS OPEN-CLIP

FLORIDA BAMA SEC SEMIS-VO OFF TOP

ALABAMA HAD A DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD OVER FLORIDA IN THE S-E-C SEMIS. BUT HERE COME THE GATORS. KENNY BOYNTON GOES COAST-TO-COAST. FLORIDA WITH FOUR.

THE CITY OF PALMS CLASSIC ALUM BOYNTON SCORED 11 STRAIGHT POINTS DURING A 15-0 RUN. THIS BUCKET GIVES FLORIDA THE LEAD.

GATORS POST-SOTTOPS

MIAMI LOOKING FOR 1 SEED-ONCAM

WITH DUKE BOWING OUT EARLY IN THE A-C-C TOURNAMENT LAST NIGHT. THE DOOR OPENED UP FOR MIAMI TO MAKE CLAIM ON A NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE BIG DANCE.

MIAMI NC STATE ACC SEMIS-VOTOPS

THEY'D NEED TWO WINS TO WEAR THE A-C-C TOURNEY CROWN. MIAMI/NC STATE IN THE SEMIS.

ALL DURAND SCOTT DID WAS PLAY THE GAME OF HIS LIFE. KNOCKS DOWN ONE OF HIS FIVE THREES. 26-13 MIAMI.

CANES PLAYED A GREAT FIRST HALF. AND CLOSED THE DOOR IN THE SECOND. SCOTT AHEAD OF THE PACK FOR THE DUNK.

HE HAD A CAREER-HIGH 32 POINTS.

CANES POST-SOTTOPS

FGCU NCAA RESUME-ONCAM

WITH A WEEK OFF FROM ACTION. THE F-G-C-U EAGLES HAVE SPENT THE WEEK HOPING OTHER TEAMS- INCLUDING MIAMI- WOULD BOOST THEIR TOURNAMENT RESUME.

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH. WHO THE EAGLES LOST TO IN THEIR OPENER. HAS ADVANCED TO THE A-TEN TITLE GAME??

THAT WILL HELP. BUT NOT AS MUCH AS A 'CANES A-C-C TITLE WOULD.

AFTER ALL, F-G-C-U BEAT MIAMI THIS YEAR.

BROWN ON MIAMI WIN-SOTVO

FGCU WOMEN WAITING-VOTOPS

THE F-G-C-U WOMEN WILL HAVE TO WAIT A DAY LONGER THAN THE MEN TO FIND OUT THEIR NCAA TOURNEY FATE.

THEIR SELECTION SHOW IS ON MONDAY.

AND THE LADIES WILL BE A LOT MORE NERVOUS THAN THE MEN, TOO.

FGCU IS GUARANTEED AN N-I-T BID.

IAMSTRONG REAX-SOTTOPS

FGCU SOFTBALL STETSON-CGTOPS

ALFREDO ACEVES DRAMA-ONCAM

RED SOX RAYS-VOTOPS

IT WAS ACEVES'S FIRST START IN A BIG LEAGUE SPRING GAME SINCE RETURNING FROM TEAM MEXICO.

FIRST INNING- LYLE OVERBAY 2-RBI SINGLE. 2-0 SOX.

SECOND INNING- RONALD BERMUDEZ RBI SINGLE. 3-0 SOX.

THIRD INNING. SEAN RODRIGUEZ 2-RUN HOMER. 3-2 SOX

PIRATES TWINS-VOTOPS

EVERYTHING GOING RIGHT FOR F-G-C-U. SOME SOLID FIRST PITCHES FROM EDDIE MURRAY AND SHERWOOD BROWN BEFORE TODAY'S TWINS/PIRATES GAME AT HAMMOND STADIUM.

AARON HICKS BATTING LEADOFF FOR MINNESOTA. AFTER A SINGLE. SWIPES SECOND BASE. HIS SECOND STEAL OF THE SPRING.

HICKS AT THIRD LATTER IN THE INNING.JOSH WILLINGHAM DRIVES HIM IN WITH AN R-B-I GROUNDOUT TO TIE GAME.

TAMPA BAY CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF-VOTOPS

THREE ROUNDS IN THE BOOK AT THE TAMPA BAY CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE P-G-A TOUR.

THREE WAY TIE FOR THE LEAD HEADING INTO THE FINAL ROUND. KEVIN STREELMAN. GEORGE COETZEE. AND THIS MAN. FORMER MAJOR WINNER JUSTIN LEONARD. SINKS THE BIRDIE.

THEY'RE ALL ON TOP AT SIX UNDER.

SPORTS CLOSE-ONCAM

FORMER F-G-C-U STAR CHRIS SALE. MAKING THE START FOR THE WHITE SOX AGAINST OAKLAND TODAY.

???

THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BEATS PUERTO RICO, 2-0, TO WIN THE MIAMI POOL AT THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC.

THE FLORIDA EVERBLADES HOST SOUTH CAROLINA AT SEVEN P-M.

CLOSE-4SHOT

THAT'S GOING TO DO IT FOR US HERE ON NBC2 AT 6:00.

JOIN US AGAIN AT 11:00.

AND REMEMBER FOR BREAKING NEWS, WEATHER INFORMATION AND ALL YOUR NEWS ONLINE VISIT NBC-DASH-TWO-DOT-COM.