DIRECTORS PAGE

HL1) CAPE POTHOLE PROBLEM-SOTVO

-Homeowner-"One day it was raining, the water was full so I didn't see it. I hit it and boy what a bang!"

POPHOLES POSING COSTLY PROBLEMS FOR DRIVERS IN THE CAPE --

HL2) CANDY FLAVORED TOBACCO-VOTOPS

CANDY FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS ARE ENDING UP IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN.

HL3) METRO PKWY SPEEDING-VOTOPS

AND ON THE PATROL FOR SPEEDERS --

JUST TWO DAYS AFTER THE METRO PARKWAY EXTENSION OPENS TO TRAFFIC --

DRIVERS ARE CAUGHT BREAKING THE LAW --

SANDY CLIP-CLIP

FIRST WEATHER-WX WALL

DEV CLIP-CLIP

ALLEY CRASH-ABC NBC FDOTTOPS

DEVELOPING TONIGHT AT SIX --

TRAFFIC IS MOVING AT A SNAIL'S PACE ON ON ALLIGATOR ALLEY IN COLLIER COUNTY,. THIS IS ON THE NORTH BOUND LANES.

THE ROAD IS STILL BLOCKED NEAR MILE MARKER 84 FOLLOWING A CRASH -- A CAR ROLLED OVER.

TRAFFIC IS BEING DIVERTED AROUND THE CRASH.

EMERGENCY CREWS ARE STILL ON SITE.

DEV CLIP-CLIP

HAWES RESIGNS-SOTVO-OC

19:25 Frank Mann

The board of County Commissioners hereby requests and accepts Ms Hawes resignation

ALSO DEVELOPING TONIGHT AT 6--

LEE COUNTY MANAGER KAREN HAWES WILL GET NEARLY 200-THOUSAND DOLLARS.ALL TO WALK AWAY FROM THE JOB.

AS ABC 7 FIRST REPORTED YESTERDAY, HER LAST DAY IS OCTOBER 31-ST.

HAWES RESIGNS-PKG

LIKE SHE WAS ON TRIAL -

KAREN HAWES BARELY LOOKED AT THE FIVE LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS THEY DEBATED HER FUTURE FOR NEARLY AN HOUR.

as recently as this morning I debated the best way to make a motion

HER ONLY COMMENT CAME WHEN ASKED IF SHE WANTED TO DEFEND HERSELF-

no commissioners I do not.

A 4 TO 1 VOTE WILL SEND HAWES HOME FOR GOOD ON OCTOBER 31ST.

AFTER 28 YEARS WITH LEE COUNTY GOVERNMENT -

2 SCANDALS ARE ENDING HER CONTRACT.

THE SUDDEN SHUTDOWN OF THE COUNTY'S MEDSTAR PROGRAM - WHICH INCLUDES THE MIS-BILLING OF 3 MILLION DOLLARS.

THEN - A STALLED CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING 200 JOBS TO THE COUNTY.

the fact that management didn't bring issues to her level - she shouldn't be faulted for.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VOTE - HAWES PACKED UP AND LEFT THE MEETING.

SHE LEAVES WITH A SEVERANCE PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES ONE YEAR SALARY OF 170 THOUSAND DOLLARS PLUS VACATION AND SICK PAY - AND HEALTH BENEFITS.

NOW THE HUNT IS ON FOR HER REPLACEMENT.

COMMISSIONER JOHN MANNING SAYS THE SEARCH COULD GO NATIONWIDE - IF SOMEONE CLOSE TO THE COUNTY ISN'T HIRED FIRST.

I think we will have good internal staff and external people who have done this before and I think we can come to this next Tuesday.

BREAKING CLIP-CLIP

VR LABS-VO

AND BREAKING INTO OUR NEWSROOM JUST MOMENTS AGO --

V-R LABS -- THE C OMPANY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING 200 JOBS TO LEE COUNTY WITH THE HELP OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY IS FACING DEFAULT.

THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TRIED TWICE TO GET V-R LABS TO PROVE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ITS HIRED -

AND TONIGHT -- HE SENT A LETTER TO BONITA SPRINGS BASED COMPANY STATING IT IS IN DANGER OF DEFAULT.

ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S LETTER -V-R LABS HAS 30 DAYS TO PROVIDE THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION.

CAPE SETUP SPLIT SCREEN-VOTOPS-WIPE

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S LARGEST CITY IS TACKLING TWO MAJOR ISSUES TONIGHT.

THE CONTROVERSIAL UTILITIES EXPANSION PROJECT NOW HAS THE GO-AHEAD TO GET STARTED AGAIN.

AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, TONIGHT ABC 7 CAN GIVE YOU A TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT.

AND --

POTHOLES!

SOME NEIGHBORS CALL THEM CRATERS.

AND WHEN THEY CALLED FOR HELP TO GET DOZENS FILLED--

CAPE POTHOLE PROBLEM-MAP-OC

YOU'LL FIND THE POTHOLE PROBLEM ON SOUTHWEST 13-TH STREET BETWEEN CHIQUITA BOULEVARD AND SOUTHWEST 15-TH PLACE.

CAPE POTHOLE PROBLEM-PKG

ROBERT SCHAFFER LOVES THE "POTS" IN HIS BACKYARD.

-Robert talking about his garden, etc

BUT IT'S THE "HOLES" OUT FRONT THAT HAS HIM HOSED.

-Robert Schaffer/Homeowner-"We need a new road sooner or later, they're going to have to do it."

SCHAFFER AND SEVERAL OF HIS NEIGHBORS WANT THE POTHOLE-RIDDEN ROAD REPLACED *BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.

-Schaffer-"The ones on the bridge are bad cause at night you can't see them, you hit it, you can careen into the water."

FOR LADY POSADA IT COMES DOWN TO MECHANICS.

-01:27:20-"Los an reglado varias veces.

POSADA SAYS THE POTHOLES IN FRONT OF HER CAPE CORAL HOMES ARE DAMAGING HER CAR - PROMPTING POSADA TO CONTACT THE CITY FOR A SOLUTION.

-Alex Boyer-"As you can see the city has patched the potholes in the past but it's only a matter of time before the potholes open back up."

COUNCILWOMAN RANA ERBRICK IS WORKING TO GET THE RESIDENTS A NEW ROAD.

-Rana Erbrick/Cape Councilwoman-"That road is going to be completely redone."

BUT UNHAPPY HOMEOWNERS WILL HAVE TO BE PATIENT. HOMES LOCATED ON SOUTHWEST 13-TH STREET ARE SLATED FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE.

-Erbrick-"Part of the UEP project are to redo the roads. So you have to look at how much money are you going to put into doing little things when you know in 1-year you're going through and ripping it out."

SCHAFFER SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS. BUT LIKE THE ROAD -- HIS PATIENCE IS WEARING THIN.

-Schaffer-"On a rainy day the water was filled so I didn't see it. I hit it, boy what a bang."

TEAM COVERAGE-CLIP

CAPE UEP APPROVED-VO-WIPE

TONIGHT WE HAVE ABC 7 TEAM COVERAGE FROM OUR CAPE CORAL MOBILE NEWSROOM.

THREE LETTERS THAT GET THE BLOOD BOILING OF PEOPLE LIVING IN PARTS OF THE CAPE KNOWN AS SOUTHWEST SIX SEVEN --

*U-*E-*P.

THE UTILITIES EXPANSION PROJECT IS ON AGAIN.

NEW TONIGHT, EARLY PROJECTIONS SHOW MORE THAN SIX-THOUSAND PROPERTIES WILL BE AFFECTED IN A FOUR MILE SQUARE AREA.

THOSE HOMEOWNERS WILL BE ASKED TO PAY ANYWHERE FROM 18-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO 30-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

CAPE UEP APPROVED-SOTVO

5948 "we're committed to making sure it gets done, gets done right, and on time."

0452 "I could live with out without it. I'm fine with the well."

CITY LEADERS HOPE TO GET SHOVELS IN THE GROUND BY NEXT JULY.

CHAR CO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-VO-WIPE

NOW TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY --

WHERE A THREE MILLION DOLLAR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT HAS STALLED.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOTED *NOT TO SPEND THE MONEY ON A NEW BUSINESS INCUBATOR.

THE PLAN WAS TO BUY THE OLD IMPAC UNIVERSITY SITE IN PUNTA GORDA, AND TURN IT INTO A CENTER TO PROMOTE DIGITAL MEDIA AND HEALTHCARE BUSINESSES.

CHAR CO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-SOTVO

Tease bites:

Commissioner Robert Skidmore, Supports Incubator

"If the community wants to do no economic development, or at least no economic development that takes them outside of any kind of comfort zone, we need to know that." 8 seconds

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SAID THE INCUBATOR WOULD HAVE GENERATED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE ECONOMY OVER 20 YEARS --

CHURCH AC UNITS STOLEN-VO-WIPE

IN YOUR ABC 7 CRIMEWATCH TONIGHT--

FOR THE THIRD TIME IN TWO WEEKS THIEVES HIT A NORTH FORT MYERS CHURCH STEALING ITS AIR CONDITIONING UNITS.

BUT WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS TIME-

A VOLUNTEER AT THE CHURCH SAYS HE CAME FACE TO FACE WITH THE THIEF BEFORE HE STOLE THE UNITS.

IT HAPPENED AT NORTHSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH ON LITTLETON ROAD.

HERE'S A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE.

CHURCH AC UNITS STOLEN-SOTVO

"He scared this individual that he was afraid to talk about it for a while he said the person had threatened him" 25:27-25:33

A YEAR AGO - THIEVES STOLE UNITS FROM THIS SAME CHURCH.

MATLACHE COUNTERFEIT BILLS-SS VO

COPS SAYS SO-CALLED FUNNY MONEY IS BEING PASSED AROUND ON MATLACHA.

LAST WEEK, TWO BUSINESSES ON PINE ISLAND WERE HIT BY PEOPLE PASSING OUT COUNTERFEIT BILLS.

THOSE TWO BUSINESSES -- THE BONEFISH GRILL AND BERT'S BAR AND GRILL.

IN EACH CASE, SOMEONE CAME IN, BOUGHT SODAS USING FAKE 20-DOLLAR-BILLS -- AND LEFT WITH THE CHANGE.

THE PHONY BILLS EVEN PASSED A QUICK TEST COMMONLY USED BY RETAILERS TO DETECT FAKES.

THE SCAMMERS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE CAMERA BUT SO FAR NO ARRESTS.

YVYV-CLIP

OBAMA FLORIDA-SOTVO-WIPE

FRESH OFF THE FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE --

THE CANDIDATES ARE BACK ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

PRESIDENT OBAMA BEGAN HIS POST-DEBATE SPRINT WITH A RALLY IN DELRAY BEACH.

I've laid out a plan for jobs and middle-class security. And unlike Mitt Romney, I'm actually proud to talk about what's in it -- -- because my plan actually will move America forward.

THE PRESIDENT DEBUTED A FULL-COLOR, 20-PAGE GUIDE DETAILING HIS PLANS FOR A SECOND TERM.

ROMNEY NEVADA-SOTVO-OC

the truth is attacks on me are not an agenda.

MEANWHILE, GOVERNOR ROMNEY LEFT FLORIDA THIS MORNING -- FOR A CAMPAIGN RALLY IN NEVADA.

HE'LL BE JOINED BY RUNNING MATE PAUL RYAN.

AFTER THAT, THE PAIR WILL JET OFF TO COLORADO FOR ANOTHER RALLY --

METRO PARKWAY EXT SPEEDING RIDEALONG-VO-WIPE

A MAN IS STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION TONIGHT AFTER A SERIOUS CRASH ON THE JUST-OPENED METRO PARKWAY EXTENSION.

TODAY DEPUTIES CRACKED DOWN ON SPEEDERS WHERE THE WRECK HAPPENED -- AND OUR CAMERAS WERE ROLLING AS WE CAUGHT THEM IN THE ACT.

THE SPEED LIMIT IS 45 THERE -- BUT WE CAUGHT SOME GOING MORE THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR OVER THE LIMIT.

METRO PARKWAY EXT SPEEDING RIDEALONG-SOTVO

John Millican, LCSO Traffic Unit

"there's been several of us out here today from the sheriff's office traffic unit and we're just trying to drive people's driving habits so we're not out here to be the bad guy we just don't want anybody hurt and we don't want any of these construction workers hurt."

DEPUTIES ARE STILL INVESTIGATING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S CASH.

LEE SCHOOLS LIGHTNING DETECTION-VO-WIPE

WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE NEW LIGHTNING DETECTION EQUIPMENT COMING TO SOME LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS.

IT'S CALLED WEATHERBUG.

HERE AT ABC7 WE USE THAT SOFTWARE IN THE STORMWARN SEVEN WEATHERCENTER.

WE TOLD YOUR THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED SPENDING THE MONEY.TWO WEEKS AGO.

THE DECISION CAME JUST DAYS AFTER A LIGHTNING STRIKE KILLED A SIXTH GRADER AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY.

ALL 13 LEE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS WILL GET THEIR OWN LIGHTNING SENSOR AND ALERT SYSTEM.

LEE SCHOOLS LIGHTNING DETECTION-SOTVO

It brings safety to the district. The new addition with the lightning detector is going to provide real time lightning detection that'll save lives.

NEXT AT 6 OPEN-CLIP

TEASE ONE----

9:42 using flavors such as fruit and candy to mask the harsh taste of tobacco 49

AND, HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT SWEET TASTE IS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN.

WHY THEY'RE NOW CALLING FOR A STATEWIDE BAN.

THINNER, LIGHTER, FASTER -- NO, NOT THE SIX-MILLION DOLLAR MAN.

IT'S APPLE'S LATEST PROJECT -- FIND OUT WHY IT WON'T COST YOU AN ARM AND A LEG.

TZ1 A CANDY FLAVORED TOBACCO-SOTVO

TZ1 B APPLE IPAD-VOTOPS

JP STORMWARN OPEN-CLIP

WEATHER-PWC

TOSS GABY-VO IN TC MON

APPLE. GRAPE. WATERMELON.CHERRY.

THOSE CANDY FLAVORS ARE NOW JUST A FEW OF THE MANY TOBACCO FLAVORS ON THE MARKET.

AND IT'S HITTING A CHORD IN CHILDREN.

THEY'RE BUYING IT!!!

CANDY FLAVORED TOBACCO-PKG

IT LOOKS LIKE CANDY--

IT SMELLS LIKE CANDY--

"Strawberry, grape, watermelon. 27:56 blue raspberry, vanilla orange"

BUT THE PRODUCT INSIDE THIS COLORFUL PACKAGING COULD KILL YOU.

"Tobacco use is leading preventable cause of disease and death."

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY CANDY-FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS TARGET CHILDREN--

USING FRUIT AND CANDY FLAVORS TO MASK THE HARSH TASTE OF TOBACCO--

AND GET KIDS HOOKED EARLY-ON.

"A lot of kids are doing it, their parents might not know, they're probably getting it off the streets, from friends and even family members."

"Some of these products might be located in your home and parents might not even know they are tobacco products just because of the way they are marketed."

IN 2009 CANDY-FLAVORED CIGARETTES WERE BANNED--

BUT FLAVORED CIGARS, CIGARILLOS, AND CHEWING TOBACCO ARE STILL ON STORE SHELVES.

"The tobacco industries create products every year to try and get around those restrictions."

anyone 18 years or older can get the candy flavored tobacco at pretty much any convenience store-- it's legal--and county health officials say there's nothing they can do about it."

COLLIER COUNTY HAS PASSED RESOLUTIONS URGING VENDORS TO STOP SELLING THE PRODUCTS--

BUT ONLY A STATE LAW CAN ACTUALLY BAN THE PRODUCTS.

"A resolution really doesn't have teeth, we are passing them just as a way to bring awareness to this issue."

APPLE iPAD MINI-VO

THINNER, LIGHTER -- THOSE ARE THE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE *EVERY NEW APPLE PRODUCT -- AND THE LATEST ONE IS NO DIFFERENT.

APPLE HAS REVEALED A SMALLER VERSION OF THE I-PAD TODAY.

THE I-PAD MINI SCREEN IS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS THE SIZE OF THE CURRENT GENERATION.

IT ALSO WEIGHS HALF AS MUCH AND IS AS THIN AS A PENCIL.

WITH THIS --

UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN KICKOFF-VO

THIS MORNING THE UNITED WAY KICKED OFF AN EIGHT-MILLION DOLLAR PUSH TO SUPPORT LOCAL AGENCIES.

THE NON-PROFIT HELD IT'S KICK OFF EVENT AT THE HARBOR SIDE EVENT CENTER IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS.

THE UNITED WAY HELPS 70 SERVICE AGENCIES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

COMPANIES ALREADY STARTED THE BALL ROLLING THIS YEAR, RAISING MORE THAN FOUR-AND-A-HALF-MILLION DOLLARS.

COMING UP NEXT OPEN-CLIP

TEASE TWO-POP

A GOOD DAY FOR ONE MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGER. A BAD DAY FOR ANOTHER.

TZ2 SPORTS-VO

WORLD NEWS TEASE-BLK-SOT

TONIGHT AT 7 OPEN-CLIP

TZ 7 1) PREDATOR ESCAPE-VO-WIPE

A TEEN GETS THE SCARE OF HER LIFE WHEN THREE MEN TRY TO PRY OPEN HER FRONT DOOR.

NEW TONIGHT AT 7--

TZ 7 2) WHALE TALKS-NATSVO

YOU'VE HEARD THE PHRASE WHEN PIGS FLY--

BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN WHALES TALK?

SPORTS OPEN-CLIP

OZZIE GUILLEN-VOTTOPS

IT'S SAFE TO SAY. THINGS DID NOT WORK OUT SO WELL FOR OZZIE GUILLEN. IN MIAMI

WHEN THE GUY WASN'T SAYING ALL THE WRONG THINGS. LIKE HOW MUCH HE LOVES FIDEL CASTRO. HE AND THE MARLINS WERE LOSING A LOT OF BASEBALL GAMES. FINISHING LAST IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST.

BOSTON RED SOX-POPMON

BOSTON RED SOX-VOTOPS

TODAY FARRELL WAS OFFICIALLY NAMED THE NEW MANAGER IN BOSTON

HE'S THE 46TH MANAGER IN RED SOX HISTORY.

LAST YEAR FARRELL WAS THE SKIPPER IN TORONTO. AND WAS SAID TO BE THE RED SOX FIRST CHOICE BEFORE EVENTUALLY HIRING BOBBY VALENTINE.

BOSTON RED SOX-SOTTOPS

WORLD SERIES-VOTOPS

NEXT YEAR. FARRELL HOPES TO BE WHERE THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS ARE THIS OCTOBER. GETTING READY FOR THE WORLD SERIES.

GAME ONE OF THE FALL CLASSIC COMES YOUR WAY ON WEDNESDAY. FROM SAN FRAN. WITH THE GIANTS HOSTING DETROIT

WORLD SERIES-SOTTOPS

FLORIDA GATORS-POPMON

FLORIDA GATORS-SOTTOPS

MIAMI DOLPHINS-VOTOPS

AFTER A BYE WEEK FOR MIAMI. THE DOLPHINS. ARE GETTING READY TO TRAVEL TO NYC. TO FACE THE JETS THIS SUNDAY.

OF COURSE WE ARE STILL VERY EARLY IN THE SEASON. BUT THE FINS ARE ALREADY TALKINIG PLAYOFFS.

MIAMI DOLPHINS-SOTTOPS

LANCE ARMSTRONG-VOTOPS

LANCE ARMSTRONG. IS NO LONGER CALLING HIMSELF. THE 7-TIME TOUR DE FRANCE CHAMPION.

GOODBYE-4SHOT