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Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

Note: Because breaking news happens fast, you may find typographic errors within news scripts. Odd punctuation, visual cues, anchor and producer notes may also appear with the scripts since these are the actual files that the news anchors present to you on Eyewitness News.
Tonight on
Eyewitness News at 10 PM
Eyewitness News at 10 PM
Reporting Today: Deborah Linz
and Rick Lord
Jim Barach is in the Weather Center
and Mark Martin has Sports
Produced by: Jessica Reed
Directed by: Roger Kissinger


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    Eyewitness News This Morning






  • PRESHOWOPEN
      COMING UP ON EYEWITNESS NEWS,

      WHAT IS BEING DONE TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL?.. WE TAKE A LOOK AT DROP OUT RATES IN THE MOUNTAIN STATE..

      BUT FIRST

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    PRESHOWOPEN 2
      A JURY HANDS DOWN A GUILTY VERDICT IN A RAPE AND KIDNAPPING CASE.. THAT'S OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT...

      GOOD EVENING, I'M RICK LORD

      AND I'M DEBORAH LINZ WELCOME TO EYEWITNESS NEWS.

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    KERRY JOHNSON
      AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY FOR ONE WOMAN HAS COME TO AN END, AS HER EX BOYFRIEND IS FOUND GUILTY ON NUMEROUS CHARGES...INCLUDING RAPE AND KIDNAPPING.

      EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER ELIZABETH NOREIKA IS IN THE NEWSROOM WITH THE DETAILS OF THIS STORY...ELIZABETH?

      THE JURY CAME BACK WITH A VERDICT AROUND 5:30......... THEY FOUND KERRY JOHNSON GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES.

      ""

      ALONG WITH KIDNAPPING WITH THE USE OF A FIREARM, A JURY ALSO FOUND 53 YEAR OLD KERRY JOHNSON OF ELKVIEW GUILTY ON 3 COUNTS OF 2ND DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND BURGLARY.

      JOHNSON WAS FOUND GUILTY FOR CUTTING THE PHONE LINES IN HIS EX GIRLFRIENDS CEDAR GROVE HOME, THEN KIDNAPPING AND RAPING HER AT GUNPOINT.

      THIS ALL HAPPENED BACK IN JUNE.

      NOW THE VICTIM TELLS PROSECUTORS THAT SHE IS RELIEVED.

      ""

      THE TRIAL BEGAN ON MONDAY, AND THE PROSECUTION CITES MARK PLANT'S LEADERSHIP FOR A QUICK CONVICTION. JOHNSON WILL BE SENTENCED DECEMBER 18TH.

      THOSE AT THE TRIAL SUPPORTING JOHNSON DID NOT WISH TO COMMENT ON THE TRIAL.

      REPORTING IN THE CHARLESTON NEWSROOM, ELIZABETH NOREIKA EYEWITNESS NEWS.

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    THOMAS GUILTY
      A FORMER WYOMING COUNTY SCHOOL BUS DRIVER IS FOUND GUILTY FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING A STUDENT WHO RODE HIS BUS.

      ROBERT JUNIOR THOMAS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY A PARENT GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAN.

      THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN JULY 2007 DURING SUMMER SCHOOL IN WYOMING COUNTY.

      THOMAS WILL SENTENCED IN JANUARY.

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    11 SHOOTING FOLO
      CHARLESTON POLICE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THE PERSON WHO SHOT AND KILLED A MAN ON THE WEST SIDE LAST NIGHT..

      19 YEAR OLD JAMES MICHAEL WILLIAMS WAS GUNNED DOWN INSIDE HIS APARTMENT AFTER A BULLET CAME THROUGH THE BACK WINDOW AND HIT HIM IN THE CHEST.

      POLICE CANNOT SAY AT THIS TIME IF WILLIAMS WAS THE TARGET OR IF THIS WAS JUST A RANDOM SHOOTING

      IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT,

      CALL THE CHARLESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 304-348-6480.

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    11 PAIN
      TONIGHT THERE ARE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE GETTING PRESCRIPTION PAIN KILLERS FROM TWO DOCTOR'S OFFICES IN WILLIAMSON.

      NONE OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR VIDEO IS CHARGED WITH DOING ANYTHING WRONG, BUT THERE ARE INCREASED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF PATIENTS AROUND TWO "PAIN CLINICS" IN WILLIAMSON. STATE TROOPERS ARE ALSO PROBING ALLEGATIONS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING OF PRESCRIPTION PAIN KILLERS ON THE STREETS AROUND THE TWO DOCTOR'S OFFICES AND A NEARBY PHARMACY WHERE SOME OF THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS ARE FILLED.

      DOCTOR DIANE SHAFER'S CLINIC IS NEXT DOOR TO DR. STEVE WILSON'S OFFICE. SHAFER'S OFFICE SAID SHE WAS IN SURGERY AND UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.

      NO ONE HAS ACCUSED SHAFER OR DR. WILLIAM RYCKMAN WHO OPERATES THE OTHER CLINIC A BLOCK AWAY OF ANY CRIMES HERE. RYCKMAN'S OFFICE MANAGER SAYS NO ONE IS OVER-PRESCRIBING AND THAT THEY CAN'T CONTROL WHAT PEOPLE DO AFTER THEY LEAVE THE OFFICE.

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    BUFFALO ELEMENTARY
      A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AND AN AIDE HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED AFTER THEY WERE CAUGHT ON TAPE VERBALLY HARASSING STUDENTS.

      BOTH WORK AT BUFFALO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL..

      THE PUTNAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SUSPENDED CAROLYN ROGERS AND VON FRANCISCO WITH PAY, PENDING THE INVESTIGATION.

      THEY WERE CAUGHT ON TAPE CALLING THE STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASS "BABIES" AND SAYING THEY HAVE A-D-H-D.

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    DROP OUT PART ONE
      MORE THAN A MILLION KIDS WILL DROP OUT OF AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.

      MANY WILL COME FROM THE MOUNTAIN STATE AND MOST FROM KANAWHA COUNTY.

      EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTERT GILBERT CORSEY JOINS US TONIGHT WITH MORE ON THE CRISIS IN THE CLASSOOM.

      GOOD EVENING DEB, WE'RE STUDYING THIS SUBJECT OVER TWO DAYS BECASUE IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM BEING RECOGNIZED FROM THE STATE LEVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE RURAL CLASSROOM TEACHER.

      SCHOOLS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DROP THE DROPOUT RATE.



      nat: kids outside riverside

      WHEN TALKING ABOUT DROP OUT'S ITS NOT A CASE OF *IF, OR WHEN RATHER *WHICH AND WHO

      WHICH FACES FADE FROM THE CROWD WITH TIME..

      (BLACK OUT FACES ONE BY ONE)

      WHO WILL FAIL TO SEE GRADUATION.

      NAT:

      LAST SCHOOL YEAR 555 KIDS IN KANAWHA COUNTY DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

      NO OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE HAD MORE.

      TEACHERS SAY IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE.

      NAT:16:41:16 is Leon here today.

      AT RIVESIDE HIGH CHANGES COME BVY WAY OF FORMER FOOTBALL COACH FRED MYERS.

      RIVERSIDE HOLDS THE HIGHEST DROPOUT RATE IN THE COUNTY SO COACH MYERS CHANGED HIS GAME.

      NAT: 16:38:20 I'm Coach Myers I'm the graduation coach.

      HIS PLAYERS...52 STUDENTS DEEMED AT RISK.

      NAT: 16:40: stay out of trouble

      HIS CHAMPIONSHIP GOAL...52 DIPLOMAS

      17:16:07 half my friends quit school.

      PLAYERS LIKE JOSH WILLIAMS A 5TH YEAR SENIOR WHO STRUGGLES IN ENGLISH AND ALMOST GAVE UP.

      AND JAMA MARTIN WHO *DID QUIT AND RETURNED THIS YEAR AS A 5TH YEAR NOW LIVING ON HER OWN.

      17:09:10 I quit school to tend to my home life.

      MYERS FACES ISSUES LIKE THIS EVERYDAY.

      SO HE HELPS IN ANY WAY HE CAN...AS A TEACHER, COUNSELOR, OR JUST A FRIEND.

      HE ROAMS THE HALLS MAKING SURE HIS *TEAM STAYS ON TRACK.

      IF HE CAN'T FIND THEM HERE, HE'LL FIND THEM AT HOME

      NAT: 17:08:40 ok I'll find her.

      HIS POSITION COACHES ARE FELLOW TEACHERS..THEY OFFER TUTORING...EXTRA PRACTICE FOR THE WEAKER SUBJECTS...

      16:41:05 I don't have all the answers but I know the people that do so I put those people together.

      HOPING GOOD COACHING WILL LEAD TO A WIN.

      16:43:51 I'd like to see them all graduate every kid, but that's not going to happen but if we get one more welder, or cop or teacher than we've done our job if we can get one more.

      17:14:24 I know somebody really cares about me graduating. I didn't think anyone cared if I did or not. I like it. He's helped me out a lot.

      (end part one????)

      16:47:35 I've got some that don't know where they're going to lay their head down. Some 16 and 17 year old and worried about feeding their kids. Making up Social Studies is the last thing on their mind.

      REAL-LIFE ADULT ISSUES OFTEN COME INTO PLAY WHEN *KIDS DROP OUT.

      BEHAVIORIAL PROBLEMS ALSO SEEM LIKE A COMMON THREAD AS WELL AS KIDS WHO CAN'T MAKE THE GRADE.

      DEBORAH STANLEY IS A COUNSELOR AND A FORMER TEACHER.

      17:20:00 I had a kid who capitalized the first word at the top of the page and every sentence was connected with and or but. He put at period at the end of the page. I was livid. How did this kid get to 11th grade and can't write a sentence. That should not happen.

      IT DOES HAPPEN...AND SCHOOL LEADERS KNOW IT.

      THAT'S WHY THEY'VE ALSO PLACED MORE FOCUS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL TO IDENTIFY CHILDREN LAGGING BEHIND BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL.

      ALSO...A FRESHMAN ACADEMY PROGRAM OFFERING MORE ONE ON ONE ATTENTION TO PREVENT KIDS FROM GETTING LOST IN THE CROWD.

      STUDIES SHOW MOST KANAWHA COUNTY STUDENTS DROP OUT IN THE 9TH GRADE. (BUILD GFX)

      IN FACT, THIS YEAR KANAWHA COUNTY SCHOOL LEADERS ARE STUDYING EVERY STUDENT DROPOUT.

      PULLING EACH ONES RECORDS...GOING OVER TRANSCRIPTS, DISCIPLINE, EVEN WHAT TEACHER THEY HAD AT WHAT SCHOOL....

      18:26:35 There is a lot of reason and things that may go wrong our job is to try and get them involved, try to help them with social agencies to do whatever we can to help them stay in school.



      STAYING IN SCHOOL FOR SOME STUDENTS...MEANS FINDING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

      THAT'S WHERE WE PICK UP TOMORROW..

      ALTERNATIVES TO HIGH SCHOOL...

      WE'LL MEET STUDENTS WHO ARE BRIGHT BUT WERE FAILING OUT OF THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM AND SEE HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO TURN AROUND.

      LIVE IN THE STUDIO GILBERT CORSEY EYEWITNESS NEWS.

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    CHIP PROGRAM
      A POPULAR CHILDHOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM IS IN JEOPARDY ONCE AGAIN.

      CHILDREN IN THE 'CHIP' PROGRAM COULD BE MOVED INTO PRIVATE INSURANCE PLANS THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE EQUAL BENEFITS.

      AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' HEALTH-CARE REFORM PLAN WOULD DISMANTLE "CHIP" IN 20-13.

      THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE PROGRAM HAS COME UNDER FIRE... IN EARLY OCTOBER SENATOR JAY ROCKEFELLER SQUASHED A SIMILAR PROPOSAL IN THE SENATE HEALTH REFORM BILL.

      HE SAYS QUOTE... "HEALTH CARE REFORM SHOULD IMPROVE THE COVERAGE CHILDREN HAVE - NOT TAKE THEIR COVERAGE AWAY."

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    METRO GOV. DEAD
      THE IDEA OF METRO GOVERNMENT MAY SOON BECOME A THING OF THE PAST.

      IT LOOKS LIKE NOT ENOUGH COMMUNTIES ARE GETTING ON BOARD.

      KANAWHA COUNTY COMMISSION PRESIDENT KENT CARPER SAYS SOUTH CHARLESTON HASN'T SUPPORTED THE IDEA SINCE THE BEGINNING... AND NOW SUPPORT IS WANING IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WITH THE CURRENT ECONOMY, TAXPAYERS MAY NOT BE WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE ON A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT, EVEN IT IF WOULD GET RID OF SOME UNECESSARY AND REDUNDANT SERVICES.

      "Sometimes you're better off re-grouping, trying to have some successes and moving forward. Taxpayers will not tolerate waste and duplication in government."

      CARPER SAYS HE THINKS METRO GOVERNMENT "WILL" HAPPEN SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD IN KANAWHA COUNTY.

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    HURRICANE BILLS
      THE CITY OF HURRICANE HAS PLENTY OF MONEY, BUT ISN'T GOING TO PAY ANY BILLS THIS MONTH.

      CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED THREE TO TWO THIS WEEK NOT TO USE ANY OF HURRICANE'S GENERAL FUND TO PAY BILLS IN NOVEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THEY BELIEVE SOME BILLS ARE IMPROPERLY PAID WITHOUT THEIR INPUT.

      MAYOR SCOTT EDWARDS IS WORRIED THAT REFUSING TO PAY BILLS WILL HURT THE CITY'S CREDIT RATING. HE'S SCHEDULED A SPECIAL MEETING FOR NOVEMBER NINTH IN HOPES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL CHANGE THEIR MINDS.

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    HUNTINGTON RESIDENCY
      IF YOU ARE A NEW CITY EMPLOYEE IN HUNTINGTON.. YOU WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

      ALL NEW WORKERS WILL HAVE TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT AND SHOW PROOF OF RESIDENCY WITHIN 90 DAYS OF BEING HIRED.

      THE CITY WILL DO PERIODIC AUDITS TO MAKE SURE THE EMPLOYEES LIVE WITHIN HUNTINGTON CITY LIMITS.

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    GAZETTE HEADLINE
      IT'S TIME TO GET TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TONIGHT...

      EARLY FIGURES FOR GAMBLING AT THE GREENBRIER RESORT ARE RELEASED;

      PLUS, COAL COMPANIES SAY PLENTY OF PERMITS ARE IN HAND, DESPITE THE EPA'S RECENT ACTIONS...

      AND, THE GIRLFRIEND OF A DEAD WEST SIDE MAN SAYS HE DIED IN HER ARMS

      YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THURSDAY'S EDITION OF THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE.

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    FULL WEATHER
      ANCHORS TOSS TO JIM FOR WEATHER

      JIM PITCHES TO WEATHER GRAPHICS

      Join Jim Barach and the entire Storm Team at the Weather Center Online for the only regional web site that provides live, local updates, 24 hours a day!
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    TURNOVER
      LAST WEEK WE TOLD YOU IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GET OUT AND CATCH SOME BIG BASS.

      IN THIS WEEK'S WEST VIRGINIA WILDLIFE REPORT, PATRICK MCMURTRY HAS SOME TIPS ON WHERE TO FIND THE FISH THIS TIME OF YEAR.

      The temperatures are falling, the nights are shorter and the leaves have turned. Those aren't the only things changing in West Virginia-the water in our lakes is also going through a metamorphisis.

      10:11-31Kevin Yokum/DNR Fish Biologist says:

      "Something happens ever fall called turnover. Basically, what happens is durring the warm summer months, the temperatures stratisfy into water columns. If the water is 100', about 50' down there is a line of water segregated to oxygen and the temperature in the lake."

      That means there is a clear line between water with high oxygen content-which the fish like-and water without much oxygen.

      11:00Kevin Yokum/DNR Fish Biologist says:

      "As the nights get cooler, the temperatures decrease, the water on the upper level sinks and the water on the bottom rises causing the water in the lake to turnover to the surface. The things that anglers need to know is that's poor quality coming up."

      That means the fish will be on the move and not necessarily where you might expect them to be.

      13:07Kevin Yokum/DNR Fish Biologist says:

      "A lot of people will fish too deep in the fall and that water is turning over and a lot of fish in the fall will be in shallow water and there is a mixing zone where the air is mixing with the water. Sometimes that has very good oxygen content, especially in deep lakes where you'll find a lot of the fish in less than 8' of water and a place that was terrible in the summer might be red hot in the fall."

      But enjoy that spot when you find it because if you go back the next day, the fish may be gone. That's why fishing is so fun. For West Virginia Wildlife, I'm Patrick McMurtry, Eyewitness News.

      FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TURNOVER IN AREA LAKES, GO TO WCHSTV dot COM SLASH WILDLIFE, OR E-MAIL PATRICK DIRECTLY.

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    JE ROBINS
      IT WAS ANOTHER DAY FOR VACCINATIONS AT LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN KANAWHA COUNTY TODAY..

      THEY EVEN HAD PARENTS VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME.

      DESPITE SOME TEARS, THE CLINIC WENT PRETTY WELL AT J-E ROBINS ELEMENTARY.

      NEARLY A HUNDRED STUDENTS BROUGHT IN PERMISSION SLIPS TO GET THE SHOT OR THE NASAL SPRAY TODAY.

      PARENTS SAY THEY FELL BETTER NOW THAT THEIR KIDS ARE VACCINATED.

      "In the beginning, I was a little bit nervous, but as I've seen everything unfold, it's not as bad as I thought it would be."

      PRINICPAL HENRY NEARMAN SAYS THE CLINIC IS A WIN-WIN... ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN PREVENT H1-N1 SPREADING TO OTHER STUDENTS.

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    VACCINATING STUDENTS
      MEANWHILE, STUDENTS WILL BE VACCINATED AT GRANDVIEW AND CHANDLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TOMORROW.

      AND, ON FRIDAY ...PIEDMONT, GLENVIEW AND VISTA VIEW PRE-SCHOOL.

      ALSO A HEALTH DEPARTMENT CLINIC IS BEING HELD FOR KIDS NOT ENROLLED IN SCHOOL OR WHO ARE HOME-SCHOOLED AND THOSE IN CHARLESTON DAYCARES AND PRE-SCHOOL WILL BE GIVEN OUT AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TOMORROW FROM 3-6PM.

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    CABELL FLU CLINIC
      THE CABELL HUNTINGTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS SCHEDULED A SWINE FLU CLINIC.

      IT WILL BE HELD TOMORROW AT THE FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH IN BARBOURSVILLE, STARTING AT ELEVEN A-M AND RUNNING UNTIL 7 P-M-- OR UNTIL VACCINES RUN OUT.

      THE VACCINE WILL BE OFFERED TO BABIES SIX MONTHS OLD TO 24 YEARS OLD, PREGNANT WOMEN, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, AND ANYONE CARING FOR CHILDREN UNDER SIX MONTHS OLD.

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    SPORTS TEASE
      IT'S TIME FOR SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS IN WEST VIRGINIA...MARK MARTIN BRINGS US A PREVIEW OF HURRICANE'S GIRLS NEXT IN SPORTS, HERE

      ON EYEWITNESS NEWS...

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    SPORTS
      RICK TOSSES TO SPORTS ANCHOR

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    HS SOCCER
      THERE WAS A LOT OF ATTENTION THAT CAME THE WAY OF HURRICANE'S BOYS SOCCER TEAM THIS PAST SEASON...AND WITH GOOD REASON...BUT THE GIRLS TEAM AT HURRICANE ALSO HAS A LOT TO BE PROUD OF IN 2009...AFTER ALL, THEY'VE MADE HISTORY...A.J. GOOD HAS MORE ON A LADY REDSKIN TEAM THAT WILL BE IN SEARCH OF A STATE TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER THIS WEEKEND...

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    GAME ON
      plenty of great action saturday on wchs-tv with college football

      -louisville at wvu

      -ohio state at penn state

      -uconn at cincinnati

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    GAME ON-NFL
      nfl action sunday on fox 11...

      1 o'clock game will feature the cardinals and the bears...

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    WAKE UP WEATHER
      ANCHORS TOSS TO JIM FOR WAKE UP WEATHER

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    BRAILLE STAMP
      FINALLY TONIGHT...THE VATICAN HAS ISSUED A NEW POSTAL STAMP..

      THE NEW STAMP COMMEMORATES THE TWO-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF LOUIS BRAILLE'S BIRTH.

      HE INVENTED A READING SYSTEM FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED..

      THE STAMP DEPICTS A COMMEMORATIVE PORTRAIT OF THE FRENCH INVENTOR AND EMBOSSED POINTS READING: "BRAILLE" AND "S-C-V" -- THE ITALIAN ABBREVIATION FOR VATICAN CITY STATE.

      IT IS THE FIRST STAMP ISSUED BY THE VATICAN WITH BRAILLE CHARACTERS.

      THE VATICAN HAS BEEN BEEN PRINTING STAMPS SINCE 18-52.

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    PRIME PICKS

    TWO AND A HALF MEN
    Tonight at 7:00 PM

    A Jock Strap in Hell
    The guys run into Jake's former teacher (Alicia Witt) who became a stripper after a fling with Charlie






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