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NEWS OPEN-CLIP

HL1) FLU SEASON-SOTVO

The only thing that's predictable about the flu is that it's unpredictable.

Only time will tell us how long our season will last.

THE NUMBER FLU CASES IS STILL ON THE RISE.

KILLING DOZENS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

LIVE DOPPLER-DOPPLER

HL2) MONEY TO SOLVE MURDER-VOTOPS-WIPE

THE FORT MYERS POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS YOUR HELP WITH SOLVING CRIME.

AND YOUR TIP MAY COME WITH A PRIZE.

HL3) DRIVELESS CAR-VOTOPS

A SELF DRIVING CAR.

AUTOMAKERS ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKS OF ATTEMPTING TO MAKE ONE.

ALL THIS IN HOPES OF MAKING DRIVING SAFER AND EASIER.

HELLO-1SHOT PUSH

GOOD MORNING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

TODAY IS SATURDAY JANUARY 12TH.

I'M JOE ROETZ

FIRST WEATHER-WX CTR

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE ABC7 WEATHER STAFF.

IT IS NOT A VERBATIM OF WHAT IS BEING SAID, BUT IS THE FORECAST FOR OUR AREA.

After a week of unseasonably warm weather, not much change is in store for our weekend. Thanks to an area of strong high pressure stretched across the western Atlantic and the Bahamas, our string of warm days will continue with highs in the lower to middle 80s, which puts us within reaching distance of record highs.

This morning we'll start off mild, but comfy with temperatures in the lower half of the 60s. Many of us will wake up with mostly sunny skies, however some patchy fog will be possible during the early morning hours. Partly sunny conditions will be in control of our afternoon skies as our mainly dry pattern stays in place. Highs today will be 8 to 10° above the average with a warm breeze out of the east and southeast.

This evening, skies will go mostly clear and lows will dip back down into the lower 60s in town. There may even be a patch or two of fog by Sunday morning.

FLU UPDATE-1SHOT POP

A DEADLY FLU SEASON IS HITTING STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT'S IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO A RELATIVELY MILD SEASON LAST YEAR.

FLU UPDATE-PKG

A STRONG, AND EARLY FLU SEASON IS PROVING DEADLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

BUT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS SOME SOUTHERN STATES-- WHERE THE FLU HIT EARLIEST-- ARE REPORTING FEWER FLU CASES THAN A WEEK AGO.

STILL, 24 STATES AND NEW YORK CITY ARE STILL INDICATING HIGH INFLUENZA ACTIVITY.

The only thing that's predictable about the flu is that it's unpredictable.

Only time will tell us how long our season will last.

And how moderate or severe this season will be in the end.

FRIDAY, THE CDC REPORTED, 20 PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 HAVE DIED SINCE THE OUTBREAK STARTED AT THE END OF DECEMBER.

THE CENTER DOES NOT TRACK FLU RELATED DEATHS IN ADULTS.

BUT STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE REPORTING DOUBLE DIGIT FATALITIES, LIKE 27 DEATHS IN minnesota, 15 IN INDIANA, AND 22 DEATHS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Generally, perfectly healthy people do not die from influenza, but it does occur. / It's generally the elderly, very young children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseaseas, debilitating diseases and people on certain immunosuppressive drugs.

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE STRAIN IS THE H3N2 VIRUS WHICH IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH MORE SERIOUS DISEASE.

FLU UPDATE-TAG

SANDRA ENDO REPORTING.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET THE FLU-VOWIPE

OUR CREWS HAVE BEEN ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANY SHORTAGES OF FLU REMEDIES SHORTAGES IN OUR AREA.

WE FOUND SPORADIC PROBLEMS.

PHARMACIES COULD BE OUT ONE HOUR,

THEN GET ANOTHER SHIPMENT IN.

TAMIFLU IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PRESCRIPTION REMEDIES.

IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET THE FLU-SOTVO

21:08" Drink a lot of chicken soup, just relax and take fluids."

21:42 "I'm just talking vitamin C right now."

WE TALKED TO A LOCAL DOCTOR ABOUT THOSE FIXES.

HE TOLD US THEIR EFFECTIVENESS VARIES FROM PERSON-TO-PERSON.

HE RECOMMENDS TAM-I-FLU FOR CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND THOSE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS.

BABY FOUND UNRESPONSIVE-CLIP

BABY FOUND UNRESPONSIVE-ONCAM

NEW THIS MORNING--

OUR PARTNERS AT THE NAPLES DAILY NEWS CONFIRMED A 14-MONTH OLD DIED THURSDAY AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL AFTER BEING FOUND UNRESPONSIVE IN A FAMILY SWIMMING POOL IN GOLDEN GATE ESTATES.

DEPUTIES SAY THE TODDLER'S MOTHER WAS AT HOME COOKING WHEN SHE SAW HER DAUGHTER'S CUP BY THE EDGE OF THE POOL AND THE GIRL IN THE WATER SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE AUTOPSY RESULTS.

MONEY TO SOLVE MURDER-VOWIPE

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE A QUICK 25-THOUSAND DOLLARS?

IT'S ALL YOURS IF YOU CAN HELP FORT MYERS POLICE WITH SOME UNSOLVED CRIMES.

20-12 WAS A DEADLY YEAR FOR THE CITY,

THERE WERE 24 MURDERS -- AND MANY OF THEM ARE STILL UNSOLVED.

THE DEPARTMENT WILL OFFER LARGE CASH REWARDS FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO ARREST AND CONVICTION OF ANYONE INVOLVED IN A MURDER.

MONEY TO SOLVE MURDER-SOTVO

SOT: "When you think about it, is a possible relocation money for that individual if they don't want to be here anymore or want to go do something else, there's a lot of things that could be turned around with that kind of money."

CHIEF DOUG BAKER SAYS HE GOT THE IDEA FROM A SIMILAR PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON D-C THAT HAS SEEN SOME SUCCESS.

THE CHIEF ALSO WANTS TO SEE PUBLIC RECORD LAWS CHANGED TO BETTER PROTECT THE IDENTITIES OF PEOPLE WHO WITNESS VIOLENT CRIMES.

MISSING MEN NEW INFORMATION-VO

THERE COULD FINALLY BE A BREAK IN TWO COLLIER COUNTY COLD CASES.

DEPUTIES ARE CHASING TWO NEW LEADS THEY GAINED AFTER A POWERHOUSE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH TYLER PERRY AND THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON.

THE NATIONALLY KNOWN MEN ARE SHINING THE LIGHT ON THE DISAPPEARANCES OF FELIPE' SANTOS AND TERRANCE WILLIAMS.

BOTH WERE LAST SEEN IN 2003 WITH FORMER DEPUTY STEVEN CALKINS.

INVESTIGATORS TELL ABC7 THE TIPS THEY GOT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS COULD BE THE BIGGEST IN YEARS.

ONE TIP IS A POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF FELIPE' SANTOS.

THE OTHER INVOLVES THAT FORMER DEPUTY.

DEPUTIES CAN'T RELEASE WHERE THE POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF SANTOS WAS OR WHO EXACTLY PROVIDED THESE TIPS.

FL MISSING BABY-VO

NEW INFORMATION IN THE SEARCH FOR A FLORIDA TODDLER MISSING FOR A YEAR-AND-A-HALF.

POLICE HAVE DISCOVERED HUMAN REMAINS IN A BACKYARD.

THEY HAVE ALSO ARRESTED THE BOY'S PARENTS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST PICTURES TAKEN OF DONTRELL MELVIN.

HE VANISHED IN 20-11 WHEN HE WAS FIVE MONTHS OLD.

SOUTH FLORIDA INVESTIGATORS SAY EACH PARENT BLAMED THE OTHER.

THAT LED POLICE TO SEARCH THEIR HOUSE.

THEY FOUND REMAINS.

THEY'RE STILL NOT SURE IF IT'S DONTRELL.

RED TIDE WEEKEND-SS VO

RED TIDE IS BLOOMING OFF OUR SHORES FASTER THAN ANY TIME THIS SEASON.

BUT THERE'S SOME GOOD NEWS.

IT SHOULD NOT EFFECT YOUR WEEKEND PLANS.

CHECK OUT THIS MAP.

THE YELLOW AND GREEN PATCHES ARE THE RED TIDE BLOOM.

WE KNOW THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS ARE OFF GASPARILLA ISLAND.

ABC-7'S CAMERA SPOTTED A NUMBER OF DEAD FISH ALONG THE SHORELINE AND IN THE WATER.

IT IS STILL O-K TO GO OUT AND ENJOY THE BEACHES.

BUT AS ALWAYS,

SPEEDING UP WAR STRAT-SOTVOTOPS

OBAMA: AT THE END OF THIS CONFLICT, WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THE SACRIFICES THAT WERE MADE BY THOSE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM HAS BROUGHT ABOUT THE GOAL THAT WE SOUGHT.

THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED HE'S SPEEDING UP THE EXIT STRATEGY FOR OUR TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN.

COALITON FORCES WILL HAND OVER THE COMBAT ROLE TO THE AFGHANS IN SPRING, INSTEAD OF SUMMER.

LEE GRAND THEFT SUSPECT SEARCH-VO

20 GUNS ARE STOLEN FROM A NORTH FORT MYERS HOME-

BUT THANKS TO THE VICTIM'S SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, DEPUTIES KNOW WHO THE BURGLARS ARE.

INVESTIGATORS ARRESTED JOSEPH RIVERA AND MARQUIS KITCHEN,

THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR FINAL SUSPECT IS FELIX GARCIA, IS STILL ON THE RUN.

THE CRIME HAPPENED A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS ON GARDENIA CIRCLE EAST-

THE VICTIM TURNED THESE IMAGES OVER TO THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE- SHOWING THE SUSPECTS IN HIS HOUSE, STEALING HIS WEAPONS.

THE VIDEO SHOWS THEM GETTING OUT OF THE CAR AND GETTING READY TO MAKE THEIR MOVE.

LEE GRAND THEFT SUSPECT SEARCH-SOTVO

21:44 "me- being by myself everyday- all day. it's kind of scary."

AN ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE GUNS.

DEPUTIES ARE HOPING SOMEONE TURNS IN 22 YEAR-OLD GARCIA.

MOTOR CYCLE CRASH STUDY-VO

CRASHES INVOLVING MOTORCYCLES ARE ON THE RISE IN FLORIDA.

NOW. A NATIONWIDE STUDY AIMS TO REVERSE THAT TREND BY WIRING MOTORCYCLES WITH CAMERAS AND SENSORS.

ONE OF THE HUNDRED PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE STUDY LIVES RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

HIS MOTORCYCLE IS FITTED WITH FIVE CAMERAS RECORDING SEVERAL ANGLES.

MOTOR CYCLE CRASH STUDY-SOTVO

mike Ginocchi/study participant: it doesn't bother me. most times I don't even think about it. once in a while I look down at the camera that's on my face and I smile to it.

THE MOTORCYCLES WILL RECORD DATA FOR ONE YEAR. THEN RESEARCHERS WILL ANALYZE THE RESULTS.

THEY HOPE TO LEARN ABOUT DRIVING HABITS.

THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND TRAINING FOR MOTORCYCLE DRIVERS.

TEASE ONE-OC

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT YOUR DAY WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT YOUR CELL PHONE?

TZ1 A (SMART PHONE HUB)-VO-WIPE

STORMWARN CLIP-CLIPTOPS

WEATHER

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE ABC7 WEATHER STAFF.

IT IS NOT A VERBATIM OF WHAT IS BEING SAID, BUT IS THE FORECAST FOR OUR AREA.

After a week of unseasonably warm weather, not much change is in store for our weekend. Thanks to an area of strong high pressure stretched across the western Atlantic and the Bahamas, our string of warm days will continue with highs in the lower to middle 80s, which puts us within reaching distance of record highs.

This morning we'll start off mild, but comfy with temperatures in the lower half of the 60s. Many of us will wake up with mostly sunny skies, however some patchy fog will be possible during the early morning hours. Partly sunny conditions will be in control of our afternoon skies as our mainly dry pattern stays in place. Highs today will be 8 to 10° above the average with a warm breeze out of the east and southeast.

This evening, skies will go mostly clear and lows will dip back down into the lower 60s in town. There may even be a patch or two of fog by Sunday morning.

SMART PHONE HUB-INTRO

THERE ARE TVS, TABLETS AND CAMERAS EVERYWHERE,

BUT THE MAIN THEME OF THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW THIS YEAR?

THE SMARTPHONE - AND HOW IT IS QUICKLY BECOMING THE HUB OF OUR DIGITAL LIFE.

SMART PHONE HUB-PKG

With Android and iPhones pretty much everywhere, other gadget makers are getting creative ….

.designing products that get their wow factor from their connection to your phone.

S-HARMAN

"the phone is the remote control the phone is also your enabler of the network in the car"

A decade ago we were talking about the PC as the digital hub, and ideas like digital camcorders, iPods and programmable universal remotes were brand new.

Today? Every one of those things is built into a basic smartphone. And the cutting-edge ideas involve ways to run your life from a device like this.

Masimo's $250 pulse oximeter connects to a phone to monitor your heart rate and blood oxygen level. Cobra's iRadar system keeps your car

ticket-free by crowdsourcing speed traps. And LG has a robot vacuum you can spy on while it cleans your house.

S-LG

"if you're driving home and you decide, i'd like my home vaccuumed, by the time i get there, you can start your home bot and the vacuum

will be done by the time you're home."

SMART PHONE HUB-TAG

THAT WAS JON FORTT REPORTING.

AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG TO BUY SOME OF THESE COOL NEW GADGETS.

PLAY IT TWICE-VO

AMAZON DOT COM INTRODUCES "AUTORIP".

THE SERVICE GIVES CUSTOMERS "FREE" MP3 VERSIONS OF CD'S THEY BUY FROM AMAZON.

EVERY TIME YOU BUY AN ELIGIBLE C-D, THE MP-3 VERSION WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ADDED TO YOUR "CLOUD PLAYER" LIBRARY.

AND. IT'S RETROACTIVE.

SIGN MY NAME-TOPVO

JACK LEW'S "JOHN HANCOCK" HAS EARNED THE TREASURY SECRETARY NOMINEE A LOT OF LAUGHS.

THE LOOPY ILLEGIBLE SCRIBBLE BECAME AN INTERNET SENSATION THIS WEEK.

NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW LEW WOULD SIGN "YOUR" NAME, WITH THE "JACK LEW SIGNATURE GENERATOR".

SPORTS PKG-PKG

THINGS TO DO-CLIP

THINGS TO DO-CGTOPS (2) BNR

IT'S SHAPING UP TO BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY - SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!

YOU CAN HEAD TO THE 28TH ANNUAL CAPE CORAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS.

THE EVENT IS TODAY AND IT'S FOR EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY TO ENJOY.

IT'S FREE AND BEGINS AT TEN A-M.

OR YOU CAN GO SEE THE RIVERDALE KIWANIS MEDIEVAL FAIRE RIGHT HERE AT THE LAKES REGIONAL PARK IN FORT MYERS.

THE EVENT IS FIFTEEN DOLLARS FOR ADULTS AND FIVE DOLLARS FOR CHILDEN.

AND IT STARTS AT 9:30 A.M

FOR MORE THINGS TO DO -- HEAD ON OVER TO OUR WEBSITE

TEASE TWO-OC

THIS MONTH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL GET SWORN IN FOR THE SECOND TIME.

AND ONE LUCKY MAN IN CONNECTICUT WILL GET THE CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN THE FESTIVITIES.

TZ2 A (INAUGURAL VEHICLE)-VO-WIPE

INAUGURAL VEHICLE-INTRO

ONE LUCKY CONNECTICUT MAN IS PREPARING TO *RIDE* THROUGH WASHINGTON D-C.

IN HIS BELOVED WORLD WAR ONE AMBULANCE.

IT'S A ONE-OF-A-KIND CAR.

AND IT HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO BE PART OF THE INAUGURATION PARADE LATER THIS MONTH.

INAUGURAL VEHICLE-PKG

TO SAY GEORGE KING THE THIRD- IS PROUD OF HIS 1916 MODEL T FORD WORLD WAR I AMBULANCE.

.IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

"This is the most accurate and most interesting project I've ever been a part of."

THE AMBULANCE IS ONLY ONE OF 63 VEHICLES SELECTED TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESSION IN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S INAUGURATION PARADE ON JAN. 21.

"President Obama will be sworn in at the Capitol then he will go down to the white house in the parade procession and we will all follow he and Michelle."

"King says to make the ambulance took not only a lot of hard work, but also years of research-- right down to the kind of wood used."

"We constructed the body out of the exact same materials that were used by the Kellner carriage works, including importing 4000 dollars worth of mahogany from the ivory coast of africa, it's important to do the job right. This is the only ambulance of its kind in the country."

KING SAYS HE HOPES THE AMBULANCE RECREATION WILL SEND A MESSAGE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERISM. A MISSION THAT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE FIRST LADY.

"Michelle Obama gave a number of commencement addresses stressing volunteerism and at that time we were building the ambulance so I wrote her a letter applauding her, so last week I was able to write her that we had been selected and we'd be there."

TEASE THREE-ON CAM

GUN CONTROL.

A TOPIC THAT HAS SHAPED THE OPINIONS OF MANY AROUND THE COUNTRY.

HEAR WHY THAT LED TO THE VICE PRESIDENT MEETING WITH VIDEO GAME REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THE ISSUE

PLUS--AN OFF DUTY DEPUTY SHOOTS A DOG.

RIGHT HERE IN LEE COUNTY.

TZ3) A BIDEN GUN TASK-VO-WIPE

TZ3) DOG SHOT BY DEPUTY-VOTOPS

NEWS OPEN-CLIP

TS1) FLU OUTBREAK-VOTOPS

THE NATION'S DEADLY FLU OUTBREAK COULD BE AT ITS PEAK.

BUT, ONLY THREE STATES HAVE ESCAPED THE WORST OF THE VIRUS -- CALIFORNIA, MISSISSIPPI, AND HAWAII.

WE ARE NOW IN WEEK SIX OF FLU SEASON.

IT CAME A MONTH EARLIER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.

AND, IF *THIS YEAR IS LIKE BEFORE,

LIVE DOPPLER-DOPPLER

TS2) MONEY TO SOLVE MURDER-VOTOPS

POLICE IN FORT MYERS ARE LOOKING FOR HELP WITH SOME UNSOLVED CRIMES.

AND THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY - BIG TIME.

20-12 WAS A DEADLY YEAR FOR THE CITY,

THERE WERE 24 MURDERS -- MANY OF THEM ARE STILL UNSOLVED.

TS3) MISSING MEN-VOTOPS

DEPUTIES ARE CHASING TWO NEW LEADS THEY GAINED AFTER A POWERHOUSE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH TYLER PERRY AND THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON.

THE NATIONALLY KNOWN MEN ARE SHINING ATTENTION ON THE DISAPPEARANCES OF FELIPE' SANTOS AND TERRANCE WILLIAMS.

EACH WAS LAST SEEN IN 2003 WITH FORMER DEPUTY STEVEN CALKINS.

DEPUTIES TELL ABC7 THE TIPS THEY GOT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS COULD BE THE BIGGEST IN YEARS.

ONE TIP IS A POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF FELIPE' SANTOS.

HELLO-1SHOT PUSH

GOOD MORNING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

TODAY IS SATURDAY JANUARY 12TH.

I'M JOE ROETZ

WEATHER-WX CTR

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE ABC7 WEATHER STAFF.

IT IS NOT A VERBATIM OF WHAT IS BEING SAID, BUT IS THE FORECAST FOR OUR AREA.

After a week of unseasonably warm weather, not much change is in store for our weekend. Thanks to an area of strong high pressure stretched across the western Atlantic and the Bahamas, our string of warm days will continue with highs in the lower to middle 80s, which puts us within reaching distance of record highs.

This morning we'll start off mild, but comfy with temperatures in the lower half of the 60s. Many of us will wake up with mostly sunny skies, however some patchy fog will be possible during the early morning hours. Partly sunny conditions will be in control of our afternoon skies as our mainly dry pattern stays in place. Highs today will be 8 to 10° above the average with a warm breeze out of the east and southeast.

This evening, skies will go mostly clear and lows will dip back down into the lower 60s in town. There may even be a patch or two of fog by Sunday morning.

BIDEN GUN TASK FORCE-INTRO

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY ON FRIDAY.

BIDEN IS HEADING UP A PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON GUN CONTROL ISSUES AND IS EXPECTED TO DELIVER RECOMMENDATIONS NEXT WEEK.

BIDEN GUN TASK FORCE-PKG

Uhm, we know that there's no silver bullet.

WITH VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S TASK FORCE CLOSING IN ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW GUN CONTROL LAWS, THE FOCUS IS STARTING TO TURN TO WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN GET PASSED IN CONGRESS.

BUT ON AN IOWA PUBLIC TV SHOW, THE STATE'S REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHARLES GRASSLEY SOUNDED OPEN TO TWO OF BIDEN'S LIKELY PROPOSALS, RESTRICTING HIGH CAPACITY GUN MAGAZINES.AND TIGHTENING BACKGROUND CHECKS.

I also think though that we do have to do things to make sure the database of the FBI has all the information and so people can't buy guns that shouldn't guns.

THE VICE PRESIDENT LAID OUT SOME OF THE IDEAS EMERGING FROM HIS TASK FORCE THURSDAY, BUT HE DID NOT MENTION A PUSH FOR A NEW ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, STIRRING SPECULATION THE WHITE HOUSE IS DROPPING THE PROPOSAL.

BUT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THAT'S NOT SO.

AN ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMAN TOLD CNN: "AVOIDING THIS ISSUE JUST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN POLITICALLY DIFFICULT IN THE PAST IS NOT AN OPTION."

THAT'S DESPITE WHAT WILL BE FIERCE OPPOSITION FROM THE NATION'S TOP GUN LOBBY, THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

I do not think that there is going to be a ban on so-called assault weapons passed by the Congress.

THE N-R-A WARNS IT PLANS AN AGGRESSIVE AD CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSALS.

THE GROUP CAN SIMPLY POINT TO WHAT HAPPENED IN 1994, WHEN PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SIGNED THE LAST ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN INTO LAW.

DEMOCRATS LOST CONTROL OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS TO REPUBLICANS.

He's become the only Republican candidate in Indiana with a "F" rating from the N-R-A.

LAST YEAR, THE N-R-A PROVED IT WAS WILLING TO GO AFTER THE G-O-P AS WELL, RUNNING THIS T-V AD AGAINST FORMER INDIANA SENATOR DICK LUGAR, WHO LOST A PRIMARY BATTLE TO A MORE CONSERVATIVE CHALLENGER.

THE WHITE HOUSE APPEARS TO BE PREPARED FOR THE FIGHT TO COME.

AFTER BIDEN SPENT DAYS MEETING WITH DIFFERENT INTEREST GROUPS, THE LATEST BEING VIDEO GAME MAKERS.

THE VICE PRESIDENT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE IN THE MOOD TO TAKE ON THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

ARE DEMOCRATS AS NERVOUS ABOUT THE N-R-A AS THEY USE TO BE.

No, they're not.

MARYLAND DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN CHRIS VAN HOLLEN SAYS VOTERS ARE EAGER FOR NEW GUN CONTROL LAWS AFTER NEWTOWN.

If you look at the most of the contested congressional races are around the county, ah, they're in suburbs.

BIDEN GUN TASK FORCE-TAG

THAT WAS JIM ACOSTA REPORTING.

DEMOCRATS SAY IT'S UP TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO MAKE THE CASE.

THAT'S WHY THEY EXPECT THE PRESIDENT TO PUT A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON

DOG SHOT BY OFF DUTY DEPUTY-VO-WIPE

AN OFF DUTY DEPUTY SHOOTS AND KILLS A DOG.

THIS MORNING - A CAPE CORAL FAMILY IS MOURNING THE LOSS OF THEIR PITBULL.

NOW WE WANT TO WARN YOU, SOME MAY FIND THE PICTURES DISTURBING.

OFFICERS TELL US THE DOG, NAMED SASSY, WAS NOT ON A LEASH IN NORTHWEST SEVENTH THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

THEY SAY THE NEIGHBOR, AN OFF DUTY LEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY, FELT THREATENED AND SHOT THE PITBULL WHEN IT CONFRONTED HIM.

DOG SHOT BY OFF DUTY DEPUTY-SOTVO

0720 "They told me there was absolutely nothing they could do about this because Sassy was not on a leash. That's not right."

THE DOG'S OWNER TELLS ABC7 THE STORY DOESN'T ADD UP AND THE PITBULL WAS GENTLE.

EARLY VOTING-VO.WIPE

MAKING SURE ANOTHER ELECTION DAY DEBACLE DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND THE PROPOSAL IS COMING FROM THE TOP DOWN.

YOU'LL REMEMBER.VOTERS WAITED UP TO SIX HOURS STATEWIDE TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

SUPERVISORS BELIEVE THE LONG BALLOT, WITH 11 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM.

THE FLORIDA SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS WANTS LAWMAKERS TO LIMIT AMENDMENTS TO 75 WORDS.

HE'S ALSO ASKING TO EXTEND EARLY VOTING BY UP TO 14 DAYS.

EARLY VOTING-SOTVO

Ron Labasky/ Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections that would be optional in each county so small counties that don't have a large number of voters wouldn't be forced into a situation of providing additional early voting days that they really don't have any need for."

A HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK IN TALAHASSEE LOOKING INTO WHAT WENT WRONG ON ELECTION DAY.

LEE COUNTY ELECTION SUPERVISOR SHARON HARRINGTON IS AMONG 10 SUPERVISORS SET TO TESTIFY ON MONDAY.

FGCU INNOVATION HUB-VO-WIPE

WE COULD SOON SEE A NEW REASEARCH AND INOVATION CENTER AT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY. THAT'S IF THE STATE HELPS WITH FUNDING.

THE INNOVATION HUB WILL FOCUS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY.

RIGHT NOW THE UNIVERSITY HAS FOUR AND HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO START BUILDING ON A LOT OFF ALICO ROAD AND AIRPORT HAUL ROAD.

FGCU INNOVATION HUB-SOTVO

This is just another way for students to get involved in the community working or internships and seeing what's being done in the real world.

THE UNIVERSITY WILL FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THE MONEY IN APRIL.

LEE TOURISM TAX-CG REVEAL-OC

TOURISM HAS JUMPED IN LEE COUNTY.

AND THIS MORNING WE A BREAKING DOWN THE LATEST NUMBERS.

THEY SHOW THE COUNTY COLLECTED 1-POINT-3 MILLION DOLLARS IN BED TAXES IN NOVEMBER OF 2012.

BED TAXES ARE TOURISM TAX DOLLARS.

THAT NUMBER IS UP 6-POINT-2 PERCENT FROM NOVEMBER 2011.

NOVEMBER 2012 WAS ALSO A GOOD MONTH FOR AIRPORT TRAFFIC.

MORE THAN 650,000 PEOPLE TRAVELED THROUGH R-S-W IN NOVEMBER.

CANADIAN TOURIST INCREASE-VO-WIPE

TO A LOT OF OUR VIEWERS THIS MORNING, WE ARE SAYING "WELCOME BACK!"

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE RETURNING TO THEIR WINTER HOMES THIS MONTH.

AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS ALSO SEEING A 20 PERCENT SPIKE IN AIR TRAVEL FROM CANADA.

THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW ZERO IN SOME PARTS OF CANADA.

THE WEATHER HERE IS PART OF THE BOOM.

HERE'S THE OTHER PART -- EASY ACCESS.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS ADDED AN ADDITIONAL DAILY FLIGHT FROM TORONTO THIS YEAR.

CANADIAN TOURIST INCREASE-SOT CG (1)

mayo hawco/ canada

20:15 the weather is fantastic. We hear it is unseasonably warm here. For us, it's great.

DONNA STOUT/ PRES ELECT CAPE CORAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

13:58 as the exchange rate changes and the availability to get down here, it's been increasing each year.

TWINS TICKETS-SS

YOU CAN START BUYING SPRING TRAINING TICKETS FOR THE MINNESOTA TWINS TODAY.

THE TEAM WILL START SELLING THOSE TICKETS AT NINE.

YOU CAN BUY THEM AT THE HAMMOND STADIUM BOX OFFICE IN FORT MYERS.

DRIVELESS CAR-INTRO

THE SELF-DRIVING CAR MAY BE YEARS OFF, BUT ITS DEVELOPMENT IS ALREADY

YIELDING SOME SHORT-TERM ADVANCES TO MAKE DRIVING SAFER AND EASIER.

SOME OF THAT RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY IN SILICON VALLEY.

DRIVELESS CAR-PKG

WE CAN ALL RELATE TO THIS. RETURNING TO A PARKING LOT, WE FIND THE CAR IS

BOXED IN, MAKING IT DIFFICULT AND EVEN IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. BUT

TECHNOLOGY CAN SOLVE THIS DILEMMA.

ULTRASONIC SENSORS BUILT INTO THE BUMPERS, ALONG WITH DRIVER ASSISTANCE

TECHNOLOGY, CAN MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE TIGHT SPOT.

WHILE THERE IS A LONG-RANGE VISION TO CREATE AUTONOMOUS OR SELF-DRIVING CARS

, AUDI IS WORKING ON INCREMENTAL TECHNOLOGY.

SOT: Wolfgang Durheimer/Audi Research & Development Director

"We assist him and in very predictable situations we also can allow that he

is a little bit relaxed in what's happening with the car, but he will still

remain behind the steering wheel and be in charge of what's happening with

the car."

AUDI IS PART OF THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP, WHICH RUNS THIS ELECTRONICS RESEARCH

LAB IN SILICON VALLEY. MORE THAN 100 ENGINEERS, DESIGNERS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS

ARE WORKING ON PROTOTYPES AND USING THIS SIMULATOR TO GET FEEDBACK FROM

CONSUMERS. HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF DRIVER ASSISTANCE -- SQUEEZING INTO A

TIGHT SPOT IN THE GARAGE. WHILE CARS SOME DAY MAY BE ABLE TO DRIVE

THEMSELVES, ENGINEERS BELIEVE DRIVERS NEED TO EASE INTO IT AND TO KNOW WHEN

TO INTERVENE.

SOT: Annie Lien/Senior Engineer

"If you suddenly introduce an autonomous technology, you don't quite know if

the person knows how to take over immediately. So we want to make sure

there are steps that people have the experience and practice of being able

to take over when they need to, and then eventually it'll be

natural when they need to take over when the car is a little more autonomous

DRIVELESS CAR-TAG

THAT WAS DAVID LOUIE REPORTING.

TEASE FOUR-OC

CHECK THIS VIDEO OUT!

AFTER TOSSING HIS JOCKEY, THIS HORSE IS ON THE RUN.

FIND OUT WHERE HE WAS GOING IT AND HOW LONG IT TOOK TO CATCH HIM.

TZ4A ( RUNAWAY HORSE)-VO-WIPE

LOTTERY NUMBERS-CG

STORMWARN OPEN-CLIPTOPS

MAIN WEATHER-2SHOT

MAIN WEATHER

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE ABC7 WEATHER STAFF.

IT IS NOT A VERBATIM OF WHAT IS BEING SAID, BUT IS THE FORECAST FOR OUR AREA.

After a week of unseasonably warm weather, not much change is in store for our weekend. Thanks to an area of strong high pressure stretched across the western Atlantic and the Bahamas, our string of warm days will continue with highs in the lower to middle 80s, which puts us within reaching distance of record highs.

This morning we'll start off mild, but comfy with temperatures in the lower half of the 60s. Many of us will wake up with mostly sunny skies, however some patchy fog will be possible during the early morning hours. Partly sunny conditions will be in control of our afternoon skies as our mainly dry pattern stays in place. Highs today will be 8 to 10° above the average with a warm breeze out of the east and southeast.

This evening, skies will go mostly clear and lows will dip back down into the lower 60s in town. There may even be a patch or two of fog by Sunday morning.

BASEBALL COUNTDOWN-TOSS TO LEIGH

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON UNTIL BASEBALL TAKE OVER FORT MYERS.

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY - PITCHERS AND CATCHERS WILL REPORT FOR THE BOSTON RED SOX AND MINNESOTA TWINS.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE YOU THIS MORNING.

THIS MORNING, SINGLE GAME TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR THE TWINS SPRING TRAINING GAMES.

BASEBALL COUNTDOWN-REMLIVE

JOE, AS EXPECTED THERE IS A LINE OUT HERE. IT STARTED FORMING AT 4 THIS MORNING WHEN THE GATES OPENED HERE AT THE LEE COUNTY SPORTS COMPLEX.

THERE ARE ABOUT -- PEOPLE IN LINE.

I WILL TELL YOU THE ATMOSPHERE OUT HERE IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR.

I REMEMBER IT BEING PRETTY COLD OUTSIDE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD BLANKETS, HATS, AND JACKETS ON.

THANKFULLY TODAY IS NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.

BASEBALL COUNTDOWN-SS

SINGLE GAME TIX GO ON SALE AT 9 HERE AT THE BOX OFFICE.

BASEBALL COUNTDOWN-REMLIVE

RUNWAY HORSE-VO

FORGET THE KENTUCKY DERBY.

ONE HORSE MADE A MARYLAND ROAD HIS OWN PERSONAL RACETRACK

OFFICIALS SAY THE HORSE WAS HEADING BACK TO THE BARN FOLLOWING A WORKOUT WHEN HE TOSSED A JOCKEY AND ESCAPED FROM THE LAUREL RACETRACK.

ANOTHER JOCKEY AND TRAINER FOLLOWED THE 4-YEAR-OLD GELDING NAMED BULLET CATCHER IN A TRUCK AND CAPTURED THE HORSE RUNNING ON A CELL PHONE.

RUNWAY GATOR-SS (2)

A PAIR OF PICTURES ARE GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION.

THEY SHOW A CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTY WRESTLING AN ALLIGATOR,

AND POSSIBLY PREVENTING A DISASTER.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

THE SEVEN-FOOT LONG GATOR WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE MAIN RUNWAY AT THE PUNTA GORDA AIRPORT.

A COMMERCIAL JET WAS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT ANY MOMENT.

THAT IS WHEN THE DEPUTY AND COUPLE OF OTHER MEN WRESTLED THE BEAST --

HOLDING IT'S POWERFUL JAWS TOGETHER AND THEN TAPING THEM SHUT.

DEATH STAR-VO

STAR WARS FANS --

YOU'LL BE DISAPPOINTED.

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS OFFICIALLY REJECTED PLANS. TO BUILD A DEATH STAR.

25-THOUSAND PEOPLE SIGNED A PETITION --

ASKING THE U-S TO BUILD A REAL-LIFE VERSION OF THE MOVIE'S FEARSOME BATTLE STATION.

BUT THE CHIEF OF THE SPACE AND SCIENCE WING OF THE BUDGET OFFICE SAYS. NO WAY.

TWO OF THE REASONS HE CITES --

ONE -- IT WOULD COST 850 QUADRILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD A DEATH STAR.

REAL NUMBER, NOT SOMETHING THEY MADE UP.

DISNEY RACES-NATS VO

nats of runners

EXPECT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ORLANDO AREA THIS WEEKEND.

IT'S TIME FOR THE ANNUAL DISNEY MARATHON.

65-THOUSAND RUNNERS ARE EXPECTED TO LACE UP.

THE 5K ALREADY TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY.

THE HALF-MARATHON WILL BE HELD TODAY.

TEASE FIVE-ON CAM

CAN YOU SPEAK MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE?

IF NOT YOU MAY WANT TO LEARN.

WHEN WE RETURN THE INTERESTING STUDY ON HOW BEING BILINGUAL CAN EFFECT YOUR HEALTH.

TZ5 A ( LESS DEMENTIA)-VO

BILINGUAL LESS DEMENTIA-INTRO

A NEW STUDY BY A NEUROSCIENTIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY SUGGESTS THAT PEOPLE WHO SPEAK AT LEAST TWO LANGUAGES MAY RECEIVE LIFELONG MENTAL BENEFITS.

THEY HAVE A DECREASED RISK FOR DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

BILINGUAL LESS DEMENTIA-PKG

"i'm going to try learn some mandarin"

At 74 years-old. this senior is still learning new things, including more languages on top of what he knows already.

"english, french, german, ukrainian and spanish."

While the average person doesn't know that many languages, a new study out of the University of Kentucky shows being bilingual will help keep away dementia.

"people who speak two languages everyday on a regular basis since they were a child tend to slow a little bit less in some cognitive processes compared to people who are monolingual."

Ostap Hawalshka isn't surprised by the new study comparing it to physical activity.

"the old couch potato business that's the physical aspect if you don't use it, you lose it so why should our brains be different?"

But for some who can only speak one language.

The new study isn't sparking an interest to pick up a book or take a class to learn a new one.

"probably not no."

"why?"

"i don't feel i have time and at this age i don't know if i have the ability to learn properly."

"as far as knowing two languages or three languages, no, i'm not motivated working on my memory would be more important."

MO TRAIN DERAILMENT-VOTOPS

A TRAIN DERAILMENT IN MISSOURI FORCED 20 PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES.

EIGHT CARS RAN OFF THE TRACK IN IMPERIAL, JUST SOUTH OF SAINT LOUIS.

THE TRAIN CARS WERE EMPTY, BUT AT LEAST TWO OF THE CARS HAD PREVIOUSLY CARRIED HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

COSTA CONCORDIA ANNIVERSARY-VO

SPEAKING OF TOTAL MESSES.

CREWS ARE STILL TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE CRUISE SHIP THAT CRASHED OFF THE ITALIAN COAST ONE YEAR AGO.

THIS WEEKEND HUNDREDS OF VICTIMS AND THEIR RELATIVES PLAN TO REMEMBER THE COSTA CONCORDIA DISASTER.

THE WRECK ON JANUARY 13TH, 2012, KILLED AT LEAST 32 PEOPLE.

TWO ARE STILL MISSING.

PAYING FOR FACEBOOK MESSAGES-VO

FOR 100 DOLLARS YOU CAN SEND A FACEBOOK MESSAGE TO MARK ZUCKERBERG'S *MAIN INBOX.

IT'S ALL PART OF A PUSH BY THE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE TO CHARGE PEOPLE TO SEND MESSAGES TO USERS WHO ARE NOT IN THEIR NETWORK.

TOP STORIES-CLIPTOPS

TS1) FLU OUTBREAK-VOTOPS

THE NATION"S DEADLY FLU OUTBREAK COULD BE AT ITS PEAK.

BUT, ONLY THREE STATES HAVE ESCAPED THE WORST OF THE VIRUS -- CALIFORNIA, MISSISSIPPI, AND HAWAII.

WE ARE NOW IN WEEK SIX OF FLU SEASON.

IT CAME A MONTH EARLIER THEN EVER BEFORE.

AND,

IF THIS YEAR IS LIKE YEARS' PAST,

TS3) MISSING MEN-VOTOPS

DEPUTIES ARE CHASING TWO NEW LEADS THEY GAINED AFTER A POWERHOUSE NEWS CONFERENCE WITH TYLER PERRY AND THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON.

THE NATIONALLY KNOWN MEN ARE SHINING ATTENTION ON THE DISAPPEARANCES OF FELIPE SANTOS AND TERRANCE WILLIAMS.

EACH WAS LAST SEEN IN 2003 WITH FORMER DEPUTY STEVEN CALKINS.

DEPUTIES TELL ABC7 THE TIPS THEY GOT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS COULD BE THE BIGGEST IN YEARS.

ONE TIP IS A POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF FELIPE SANTOS.

TS4) MOTORCYCLE CRASH STUDY-VOTOPS

CRASHES INVOLVING MOTORCYCLES ARE ON THE RISE IN FLORIDA.

NOW. A NATIONWIDE STUDY AIMS TO REVERSE THAT TREND BY WIRING MOTORCYCLES WITH CAMERAS AND SENSORS.

ONE OF THE HUNDRED PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE STUDY LIVES RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

HIS MOTORCYCLE IS FITTED WITH FIVE CAMERAS RECORDING SEVERAL ANGLES.

TS5) LEE CO THEFT SEARCH-VOTOPS

20 GUNS WERE STOLEN FROM A NORTH FORT MYERS HOME-

BUT THANKS TO THE VICTIM'S SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, DEPUTIES KNOW WHO THE BURGLARS ARE.

INVESTIGATORS ARRESTED JOSEPH RIVERA AND MARQUIS KITCHEN,

THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR FINAL SUSPECT IS FELIX GARCIA, IS STILL ON THE RUN.

THE CRIME HAPPENED A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

FINAL WEATHER-WXCOMP

THIS WEATHERCAST HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE ABC7 WEATHER STAFF.

CLOSE-OC-WEB ANI

AD LIB GOODBYE

THANKS FOR JOINING US--

MORE LOCAL NEWS IN 30 MINUTES.

END TIME