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(SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR)-VOTOPS

THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR ENDEAVOUR TO BLAST OFF AS ONE OF THE LAST FIVE SHUTTLE

(SNOW STORM)-SOTVO

""I never saw anything like this and trying to get around is like a turtle swimming through peanut butter."

(CALI MUDSLIDES)-VOTOPS

AND LOS ANGELES IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY

HUNDREDS ARE EVACUATED AS MUDSLIDES DAMAGE DOZENS OF HOMES AND DESTROY CARS.

630 SHOW OPEN-CLIP

SNOW STORM-SAT23 LIVE OC

YOU ARE LOOKING AT A LIVE PICTURE OF OUR NATIONS CAPITAL.

AS WASHINGTON D-C AND MUCH OF THE MID-ATLANTIC ARE BURIED UNDER A THICK, HEAVY BLANKET OF SNOW.

IT'S BEEN FALLING FASTER THAN CREWS CAN CLEAR AND OFFICIALS ARE PLEADING WITH PEOPLE TO STAY HOME AND OUT OF THE WAY.

POWER HAS BEEN KNOCKED OUT FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS ACROSS THE REGION.

FIRST FORECAST-WXCTR

DEVELOPING-CLIP

NORTHEAST SNOW LATEST-VOTOPS

IN A BIG CHUNK OF THE EAST, IT'S BEEN SNOWING TO HARD FOR CREWS TO CLEAR THE ROADS -- AND IT'S SNAPPING TREES AND POWER LINES.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES HAVE LOST POWER FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO NEW JERSEY.

IN OUR NATIONS CAPITAL.THIS STORM IS

CHALLENGING WASHINGTON D.C.'S RECORD SNOWFALL OF 28 INCHES IN

SNOW STORM SAT-VOTOPSWIPE

IN PENNSYLVANIA--

THE GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY ISSUED A STATEWIDE DISASTER EMERGENCY.

PEOPLE IN PITTSBURGH WERE UP EARLY THIS MORNING TRYING TO DIG OUT FROM A

MOUNTAIN OF SNOW THAT FELL OVERNIGHT.

IT'S MUCH OF THE SAME IN MARYLAND--

THE BLIZZARD HAS LEFT ABOUT 150-THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER STATEWIDE.

IT HAS FORCED THE STATE TO SHUT DOWN ITS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

SNOW STORM SAT-SOT VO

"No one with an ounce of common sense goes out and plays in the waves in a hurricane and no one with an once of common sense shouldn't be out there on the roads today."

LOCAL AIRPORT DELAYS-INTRO

THE STORMS IN THE NORTHEAST ARE IMPACTING TRAVEL IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

LOCAL AIRPORT DELAYS-PKG

FOR MANY THIS IS THE FLORIDA VACATION THAT JUST WON'T END. THE TILGHMANS ALREADY FACED TWO FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORNING --

"If we don't get out tonight we won't get out till Wednesday is what they're telling us."

WEDNESDAY IT IS -- TONIGHT'S FLIGHT TO ATLANTIC CITY WAS JUST CANCELLED.

"That means we're staying here what, five days past where we had planned to stay?"

THROUGHOUT THE DAY FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF WASHINGTON D-C, BALTIMORE, ATLANTIC CITY AND PHILADELPHIA WERE A NO-GO.

EVEN THOSE GETTING THE GREEN LIGHT ON FLIGHTS NORTH WORRY THE ROADS ARE SO BAD THEY'LL BE STRANDED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

"If we can make it to Columbus we'll stay there at least overnight because we called our daughter this morning and she said they can't even get out of their driveway."

"Getting out of Southwest Florida isn't the only problem today. The arrivals board is just as big a mess as the departures."

nats: "we made it!"

THESE TWO *BARELY MADE IT -- AND ONLY BECAUSE OF SOME CAREFUL LAST-MINUTE RE-BOOKING. IF THEIR SUPER BOWL TICKETS WEREN'T MOTIVATION ENOUGH TO MAKE IT WORK -- WHAT THEY LEFT BEHIND WAS

"Blowing snow, lots of snow. Pretty lucky to get out."

THE TILGHMANS ON THE OTHER HAND -- STILL WAITING FOUR MORE DAYS FOR THEIR LUCK. THEY HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS AT HOME TO RUN -- AND NO ROOM IN THE BUDGET FOR EXTRA DAYS OFF.

"It's going to hurt. It's going to hurt."

AT LEAST THEY HAVE FAMILY HERE TO STAY WITH.

SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR-VO

NASA IS PREPARING FOR LIFT OFF.

THE SHUTTLE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE FLIGHT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

IT WILL BE HEADED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

STIFF WIND RATTLED THE FLORIDA LAUNCHING SITE THIS AFTERNOON. BUT FORECASTERS WERE HOPEFUL THE GUSTS WOULD SUBSIDE IN TIME FOR SUNDAY'S 4:39 A.M. LIFTOFF.

THE ODDS OF GOOD WEATHER ARE 80 PERCENT.

ENDEAVOUR IS LOADED WITH A NEW ROOM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, AS WELL AS AN OBSERVATION DECK.

DEVELOPING-CLIP

COLORADO PLANE CRASH-VOTOPS

WE'RE FOLLOWING DEVELOPING NEWS

AS THE F-A-A SAYS A LEAST 5 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN A MID AIR COLLISON IN BOULDER, COLORADO.

THE ONLY INFORMATION WE KNOW RIGHT NOW IS A SMALL PLANE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER PLANE THAT WAS TOWING GLIDER.

CAPE REPAVING-VOWIPE

500 DOLLARS EACH -- FOR NEW ROADS IN THE NORTH CAPE.

IT'S A DEAL ONE CAPE CORAL COUNCIL MEMBER IS FEELING OUT WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO COMPLAIN THEIR STREETS ARE IN DANGEROUS DISREPAIR.

IN HIS FIRST TOWN HALL MEETING COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN MCGRAIL DISCUSSED A 10-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT TO RE-PAVE 120 MILES OF ROAD.

THAT WOULD MEAN A 500-DOLLAR ASSESSMENT FOR AS MANY AS 20-THOUSAND PROPERTY OWNERS.

CAPE REPAVING-(2)SOTVO

"The residents who have to drive those roads every day are telling me I'll be happy, I'll write you a check tomorrow."

"The thing that's not acceptable is not doing anything and if a $500 assessment is what it takes, it's cheaper than putting new set of tires on your car every year."

IF COUNCIL PASSES THE ASSESSMENT THE WORK COULD BEGIN NEXT YEAR ACCORDING TO MCGRAIL.

LEE ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION-SS CG

DEPUTIES ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO PICK UP A TEENAGE GIRL IN SOUTH FORT MYERS.

THE GIRL SAYS SHE WAS WALKING HOME ON MCGREGOR BOULEVARD NEAR A-AND-W BULB ROAD LAST NIGHT.

THAT'S WHEN A MAN PULLED UP AND ASKED HER TO GET IN HIS CAR.

SHE RAN HOME AND IS O-K.

DEPUTIES ARE LOOKING FOR A TAN WHITE MALE.

30 TO 35 YEARS OLD.

WITH SHORT BLONDE HAIR.

BLUE EYES.

AND FACIAL HAIR.

HE WAS DRIVING A BLACK OR BURGANDY FOUR DOOR SMALL S-U-V OR STATION WAGON--WITH A LOUD ENGINE.

MEHRIGE MURDER HEARING-VO

A FLORIDA MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING FOUR OF HIS RELATIVES AFTER THANKSGIVING DINNER MADE A SURPRISE APPEARANCE IN COURT.

PAUL MERHIGE APPEARED AT A HEARING YESTERDAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER EVIDENCE IN HIS MURDER CASE WOULD BE SEALED.

MERHIGE IS ACCUSED OF FATALLY SHOOTING HIS TWIN SISTERS, AUNT AND SIX-YEAR-OLD COUSIN.

HE ALREADY PLEADED "NOT GUILTY" TO ALL FOUR COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND THREE COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

TOYOTA PRIUS LATEST-VO

TOYOTA DEALERS ARE EXPECTING TO HEAR EARLY NEXT WEEK HOW TO FIX A BRAKE PROBLEM WITH 20-10 PRIUS HYBRIDS.

MORE THAN 100 DRIVERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT LOSING THEIR BRAKES MOMENTARILY WHEN DRIVING ON BUMPY ROADS.

ART FEST-VOWIPE

THOUSANDS HEAD DOWNTOWN FOR ARTFEST FORT MYERS.

DOWNTOWN WAS PACKED TODAY AS VENDORS SHOWED OFF PAINTINGS, PHOTOS, AND SCULPTURES.

ORGANIZERS EXPECT SOME 55-THOUSAND PEOPLE DOWNTOWN THIS WEEKEND, TAKING IN THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND FOOD.

ART FEST-SOTVO

"We come every Friday for Artwalk, and we come every year for ArtFest. This year., we're not buying as much as we used to."

DESPITE THAT, ORGANIZERS HOPE FOR THE BIG CROWDS.

ARTFEST FORT MYERS HAS ENDED FOR THE DAY.

COMING UP NEXT-CLIP

TEASE ONE-OC

TWO PASSIONATE VIEWS TAKE TO THE STREETS TODAY.

We're here to say that people are ready to assert their rights and stand up for themselves."

DOMINICAN REPUBLICAN CHOPPER CRASH-VO

WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE HELICOPTER CRASH THAT KILLED 2 LOCAL MEN WHO WERE DELIVERING AID TO THE PEOPLE OF HAITI.

PILOT JOHN WARD OF FORT MYERS, AND JAMES JALOVEC FROM NAPLES, A BUSINESSMAN WHO OWNED A SEWAGE COMPANY BASED IN SEBRING CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ENROUTE TO HAITI.

JAMES' SON, MARK JALOVEC TOLD CNN IN A PHONE INTERVIEW THAT HIS FATHER BEGAN DISCUSSING THE PROSPECT OF HELPING OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE JANUARY 12 EARTHQUAKE.

HE SAID HIS FATHER LAST CALLED HIM ON MONDAY, AFTER HE AND WARD HAD FLOWN DOCTORS FROM AN ORPHANAGE OUTSIDE PORT-AU-PRINCE TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

KIWANIS HAITI-VOWIPE

A LEHIGH ACRES GROUP HAS TWO MONTHS TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO FEED 65-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN HAITI AND HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

TODAY--MEMBERS OF THE LEHIGH ACRES KIWANIS CLUB LAUNCHED A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR "KIWANIS ONE DAY."

IT'S A DAY VOLUNTEERS AROUND THE WORLD COMMIT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE.

THIS YEAR LOCAL KIWANIS MEMBERS WILL PARTNER WITH "KIDS AGAINST HUNGER" FOR A FOOD PACKING EVENT SIMILAR TO THE ONE SEEN HERE.

KIWANIS HAITI-SOTVO

"We're looking to set up a series of events, whether it be car washes, peanut days, working in a booth during spring festival here in Lehigh."

TEA PARTY-OC

TEA PARTY PROTESTORS LINED UP AND DOWN US-41 IN NORTH NAPLES THIS AFTERNOON.

THEY WERE THERE PROTESTING GOVERNMENT WASTE AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES.

TEA PARTY-PKG

THE CROWD--LARGE.

THE SIGNS--POINTED.

AND BOTH SIDES--PASSIONATE.

"I am out here to show support for our Constitution. We are against higher taxes. We want the government out of our lives."

"I'm out here because I love my country. Obama is doing a wonderful job, and we need to support him and the Congress needs to support him.

BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS LINED UP ALONG U-S 41 AND PINE RIDGE ROAD IN NORTH NAPLES.

ONE SIDE, THE TEA PARTY PROTESTORS, WHO MADE UP A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE SIGNS AND THE PEOPLE TODAY.

PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY DON'T SEE THIS AS AN ISSUE OF LEFT OR RIGHT.

"I think people still like the President but we don't agree with his policies."

"A lot of the times, they are on the same side of the aisle, and it's not the people's side. We're here to say that people are ready to assert their rights and stand up for themselves."

THE OTHER SIDE--THE ANTI-TEA PARTY PROTESTORS SAY, RIGHT NOW, THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO TO GET THE COUNTRY BACK INTO SHAPE.

"I think we're all ticked off at certain things. However, their point of view seems to be less government and lower taxes, which is not what is best for the country."

THERE IS NO CONFRONTATION HERE.JUST RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT.

"It's a free country as far as I know. I still have the first amendment."

AND THEY BOTH SAY THEY'RE HERE FOR ONE MISSION.

"The point isn't to make it larger or smaller, but to make it better."

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOTH SIDES, IS HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

A) WEATHER TEASE-2SHOTWXCTR

FORECAST OPEN-CLIP

WEATHER-RP

FULL WX

Cooler weather settles in as overnight lows tonight head back into the mid 40s to near 50 degrees. Scattered clouds move in at times, so if you're waking up early to catch the shuttle launch at 4:39 A.M. we may have a few clouds to contend with, but overall the hope is still there to catch part of the launch. Look in the northeast sky at and a couple minutes after launch time.

Despite quite a bit of sunshine, highs tomorrow struggle to get out of the 60s. The breeze won't be quite as strong but a northerly wind at 10-15 mph does add an extra chill to the air.

After a cool day, temperatures tomorrow night drop off into the low to mid 40s across the urban areas to the upper 30s deep inland.

RACCOONS ATTACK!-ONCAM

A 60-DAY RABIES ALERT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOLLOWING THREE RACCOON ATTACKS IN FIVE DAYS.

THE FIRST ATTACK HAPPENED JANUARY 24, FOLLOWED BY TWO MORE JANUARY 29 TH.

ALL THREE ATTACKS HAPPENED WITHIN A TWO-MILE AREA.

CALIFORNIA MUDSLIDE-VOTOPS

500 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED IN MUDSLIDES NORTH OF LOS ANGELES AS AN INTENSE WINTER STORM SOAKS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

NEARLY TWO INCHES OF RAINS FELL OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE MORNING, TRIGGERING MUDSLIDES AND FLOODING.

AT LEAST 41 HOMES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED, AND DOZENS OF VEHICLES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.

WHALING COLLISON-VO

AN ANTI-WHALING SHIP AND A JAPANESE HARPOON BOAT COLLIDED IN THE ICY WATERS OFF ANTARCTICA TODAY.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT VIDEO RELEASED BY THE U-S BASED "SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY".

THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR CLASH THIS YEAR BETWEEN THE MARINE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GROUP AND JAPAN'S WHALING FLEET.

THE VIDEO SHOWS THE TWO SHIPS SIDE-BY-SIDE, MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH THE WATER.

DOLPHINS PLAY FOOTBALL-VO

THE DOLPHINS WILL BE PLAYING FOOTBALL ON SUNDAY, JUST NOT IN THE SUPER BOWL.

OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, WE MEAN THESE DOLPHINS AT THE DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER IN THE FLORIDA KEYS.

WHILE IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE THEM CATCH A FOOTBALL WITH THEIR FINS.JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THEM THROW IT.

AND IF THEY SCORE, THEY EVEN KNOW HOW TO DO A LITTLE END-ZONE DANCE.

SPORTS OPEN-CLIP

CAMPBELL FGCU MEN-ONCAM

GOOD EVENING, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THURSDAY'S WIN OVER EAST TENNESSEE STATE PUT THE F-G-C-U WOMEN'S HOOPS TEAM IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FOR AN ATLANTIC SUN REGULAR SEASON TITLE.

IT PUT THE EAGLES A GAME-AND-A-HALF AHEAD OF THE BUCS. THE ONLY TEAM TO BEAT THEM IN CONFERENCE PLAY THIS SEASON.

CAMPBELL FGCU MEN-VOTOPS

THE F-G-C-U MEN PLAYING BEFORE THE WOMEN TONIGHT. TRYING TO BEAT THOSE CAMPBELL CAMELS.

EARLY ON. LORNE MERTHIE HITS THE THREE FOR THE CAMELS. THEY GO UP 6-4.

THAT STARTS A RUN. KYLE VEJRASKA THREE POINT PLAY. 11-4 CAMPBELL.

MISS ST FLORIDA-VOTOPS

THE GATORS IN A GOOD ONE THIS AFTERNOON AGAINST MISSISSIPPI STATE.

FLORIDA TRAILED 29-27 AT HALFTIME, BUT CAME OUT ON A MISSION.

FLORIDA BUILT A BIG LEAD. LED BY 12 WITH 2 1/2 TO GO. BUT THE BULLDOGS RACED BACK INTO CONTENTION WITH A 7-NOTHING RUN TO MAKE IT A 4-POINT GAME WITH UNDER 30 SECONDS TO GO.

BUT THE GATORS SHUT THE DOOR. 20 EACH FOR VERNON MACKIN AND CHANDLER PARSONS.

VILLANOVA GEORGETOWN-VOTOPS

TWO TOP TEN BIG EAST TEAMS COLLIDING. SECOND-RANKED VILLANOVA AT GEORGETOWN.

AS THE SNOWPOCALYLSE FELL OUTSIDE THE ARENA - GEORGETOWN WAS SCORING A FLURRY OF POINTS. THE HOYAS BUILT A 23 POINT FIRST HALF LEAD.

NORTHERN TRUST OPEN-ONCAM

NORTH FORT MYERS GRAD GEORGE MCNEILL HAS PLAYED VERY WELL THROUGH THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS OF MOST P-G-A TOURNAMENTS THIS YEAR.

NOW, HE'S LOOKING TO MAKE HIS MARK ON THE WEEKENDS, TOO.

NORTHERN TRUST OPEN-VOTOPS

THEY HAD TO FINISH ROUND 2 TODAY AT RIVIERA COUNTRY CLUB UP IN HOLLYWOOD HILLS. THEN THEY STARTED ROUND 3.

PHIL MICKELSON DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND THE STAGGERED ROUNDS. HE ROLLED OUT AN EAGLED THE FIRST HOLE OF THE THIRD ROUND THIS AFTERNOON.

THESE GUYS WERE CHIPPING IN FROM OFF THE GREEN ALL DAY LONG. ERNIE ELS DOING SO HERE.

GOLF LEADERBOARD-CGTOPS

STRICKER'S STILL ON THE COURSE. UP BY THREE RIGHT NOW.

LIKE STRICKER, DUSTIN JOHNSON PLAYED IN THIS PAST SHARK SHOOTOUT. HE'S IN SECOND.

NFL OWNERS LABOR-ONCAM

OUTSIDE OF THE SUPER BOWL. MOST TALK ABOUT THE N-F-L HAS BEEN ABOUT.WELL. TALKS.

LABOR TALKS.

OWNERS MET FOR HOURS TO TALK ABOUT A NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.

HARGROVE SUPER BOWL-VOTOPS

THE BIG GAME IS NOW JUST ONE DAY AWAY. AND YOU KNOW THOSE BUTTERFLIES ARE STARTING TO BUILD UP IN PORT CHARLOTTE GRAD ANTHONY HARGROVE'S STOMACH.

HE SEEMED EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT HIS LONG JOURNEY TO THE SUPER BOWL WHEN WE CHATTED WITH HIM ON MEDIA DAY.

HARGROVE SOUND-SOTTOPS

ONE MORE WIN TO GO.

NFL HALL OF FAME-VOTOPS

WHAT A CLASS WE HAVE HEADING INTO THE N-F-L HALL OF FAME THIS YEAR!

MAYBE THE GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME. JERRY RICE. IS THE LEAD DOG. AND N-F-L ALL-TIME LEADING RUSHER EMMITT SMITH WILL BE WITH HIM.

DAYTONA QUALIFYING-VOTOPS

AND NASCAR'S VERSION OF THE SUPERBOWL IS NEXT SUNDAY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

MARK MARTIN TOOK THE POLE POSITION IN TODAY'S QUALIFYING. TOPPING 191 MILES PER HOUR.

MARTIN'S HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS TEAMMATE DALE EARNHARDT, JUNIOR, WILL JOIN HIM IN THE FRONT ROW.

SPORTS CLOSE-ONCAM

GOODBYE-3SHOT