See it first on NBC4.
This is the evening news.
Did you know the water you drink contains a lot of salt?
What is being done to reduce it?
Good evening everyone, I'm Coco Douglas.
Jay Richie has the evening off.
Our top story this Monday, salt in our tap water and how it's being taken out.
NBC4's Kyla Andrews takes us to the starting point of this project in Logan, New Mexico.
Plus Paul Ferrante takes a look at bottled water versus tap water.
Then we'll have a full report on how salt, among other minerals, affect your pipes and
appliances.
The salt levels in your water will drop by 30% or more if a drilling project near Logan
is successful.
NBC4's Kyla Andrews shows us how a network of wells will get rid of the salt in Lake
Meredith.
Drilling crews dig thousands of feet creating a disposal well for the salt contaminating
Lake Meredith.
We're just getting rid of it there.
The benefit is going to be from the reduced brine inflow into the river.
This section of the Canadian River just east of Logan, New Mexico contains a lot of the
salt that flows into Lake Meredith.
In the next phase of the project, crews will put production wells onto the river to take
away a lot of the brine.
Here's how the whole project works.
The production wells trap the salt from the river.
Then that salt water feeds into the injection well where it is stored 3,000 feet below the
surface.
The result is fresher water in the river for panhandled towns to tap into.
Over the course of maybe 10 years, as the lake water does get quite a bit less salty,
I think you'll probably see a difference.
And as we bring these other projects on, then the salt's going to go quite a bit down.
The well project will be complete in about a year.
Then it's only a matter of time until the saltiness in the lake begins to fade away.
Kyla Andrews, NBC4.
The City of Amarillo blends the water it gets from Lake Meredith with well water from Randall
and Carson Counties.
Soon, Roberts County will be added to that list.
City Manager John Ward says the blending will continue regardless of the salt content of
the lake.
Amarillo has allotted 40 million gallons of lake water per day and uses every drop of
it.
Over the summer, consumption rises to 60 to 70 million gallons a day, so well water is
always needed.
But Ward says if the level of salt is reduced, ultimately the quality of our drinking water
will be improved year-round.
As those projects continue to improve the water we get out of our tap, many people say
the taste still leaves something to be desired.
NBC4's Paul Ferrante has been following this part of the story and he joins us live with
more.
Paul?
Well, Coco, a lot of us spend extra money each week on bottled water.
It's really just a matter of taste.
But what we're finding out is more and more people are filling up outside the home.
Cool, refreshing water.
We can't live without it, but a lot of people here in the panhandle would prefer to avoid
local tap water completely.
The flavor's awful, first of all.
That was the first thing I noticed when we moved here.
I've kind of gotten used to it, which I don't guess that's a very good thing.
Some people are shelling out big bucks to filter local tap water.
Others bypass the public supply and opt for the bottled stuff.
But a local dentist says that could be a bad idea.
In the fact that our city water is fluoride to an optimum level so that give our teeth
the strength and our kids the strength they need in their teeth.
When you drink the bottled water, the spring water that you buy in the grocery store, the
fact is it does not have any fluoride.
Officials in the beverage industry say Americans spent more than three and a half billion dollars
on bottled water last year.
So it's clearly gaining popularity, and a lot of people say they can't live without
it.
Coco, we talked with some city water officials, and they say local water supplies are regulated
by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Our national water is some of the safest in the world.
So, Paul, local water supplies are okay.
Do we really need to change current standards?
Well, city officials say that they're constantly looking for ways to improve our water supply,
and just because it's safe for us and healthy doesn't mean people like it.
So they're continuing the effort to improve the taste of the water.
Back to you.
Taste is important.
Thank you very much, Paul.
The drinking water affects more than just your taste buds.
The salt and other minerals in the water can be hard on your pipes.
NBC4's Janella Newsom joins us live with that part of the story.
Janella, what did you find out?
Well, we all know that too much salt isn't good for you.
Not good for your pipes, either.
I spoke to a plumber today, and he says you might want to consider copper pipes if you
haven't already.
Unlike galvanized pipes, copper pipes are less likely to have a buildup of mineral deposits.
Of course, it's hard to prevent a pipe from corroding, and that leads to other problems.
It's your ice makers in your refrigerator, and it can affect your water heaters.
It can also affect your shower valves to where you're not getting sufficient hot and cold
water through the valves.
Just a big general buildup of mineral deposits throughout your pipes will cause a lot of
trouble.
Craig suggests using water softeners or conditioners, in-line filters, and whole house filters.
Craig says the water can also affect swimming pool heaters, too.
So Janella, the best thing to do is to use softeners and filters?
That's right, Coco.
Or maybe think about installing copper pipes.
All right, some good advice there.
Thank you, Janella.
So recapping our top story for this evening, a water desalinization project is underway
in Logan.
Crews should complete the work within a year and a half.
Lots of people prefer bottled water, but one local dentist says tap water has its pluses,
too.
And you may have problems now with your pipes due to salt buildup, but those problems could
go away soon.
In other news, police in California think they caught the man responsible for the recent
murders of four women in Yosemite National Park.
The crimes show you can go from an innocent tourist to a victim of a violent attack in
minutes.
Today, we spoke with a family traveling from Phoenix to Missouri.
Leanne Larkin says she planned her summer vacation with safety in mind, since her husband
couldn't make it on the trip.
I'm caravanning with my parents.
We stick close to each other, and if we need to stop for any reason, we just flash our
lights.
But it's much more peace of mind knowing that I'm with somebody just in case I need them.
Larkin says she only lets her kids leave her site if they're with a sibling.
Another rule her family follows is only traveling during daylight hours.
If you have plans to take a trip, the local AAA office has more information to help keep
your loved ones safe.
Potter County Commissioner is OK to use the seized money to investigate illegal gambling
operations.
From the commission agenda today, the Potter County Attorney's Office will have control
of about $5,000 taken from eight-liner prosecutions.
They'll turn that money around to prosecute more cases.
And a recently hired county employee's starting salary is up in the air.
Three of the five commissioners and district judges have a difference of $4,000.
Coming up, Steve McCauley's forecast.
Then, after weather.
A rare afternoon game ends rather dramatically to tell you about the thrilling outcome next.
J. Ritchie.
Coco Douglas.
Meteorologist Steve McCauley.
And Dennis de la Pena Sports.
The news continues after these messages.
Closed captioning brought to you by Northwest Texas Health Care System, celebrating our
new Women's and Children's Center located at Martin Road and Evernillo Boulevard.
Steve McCauley's forecast has the American Meteorological Society seal of approval.
Well another beautiful day across most of the Texas panhandle this afternoon.
It wasn't that hot here in Amarillo.
We finally made it into the lower 90s, but it's been in the 100s out in our eastern counties.
But at least the sky is blue, a few puffy clouds developing out there, and some of us
are lucky enough to be getting some rainfall.
But not here in Amarillo.
Our evening forecast for the city does call for clear skies.
It's going to be warm as temperatures fall slowly through the 80s by 10 o'clock this
evening and the winds will be staying light out of the south at 5 to 15 miles an hour.
Again, we're one of the cooler spots without the rain here in Amarillo, but you can see
off to the northwest where it has been raining throughout much of the afternoon.
We're down to 62 degrees now in return.
Wouldn't that feel good for you folks in Beaver?
At 102 degrees right now.
So there's a 40 degree temperature spread across our viewing area.
That doesn't happen very often, at least not in the summertime.
We can certainly see that during the winter months.
But you can see the hottest stuff is out here in west Oklahoma.
Temperatures generally running in the upper 90s and lower 100s.
Right now we are sunny, 93 degrees.
Not even a cooling breeze.
Winds are variable in direction about 5 miles an hour.
The dew points at 58.
Humidity 31 percent and pressure falling at 30.02.
Your numbers today, 70 balmy degrees this morning.
93, our current temperature is also the official high, actually a little bit above the normal.
Records 102, 1948 and a 56 set back in 1959.
Satellite pressure, not going to see very many clouds here in the Texas Panhandle, but
you will notice them blossoming up across northeastern New Mexico, going into the Colorado
Rockies.
Big old thunderstorms there.
Some of these look like they're bordering on severe levels.
I wouldn't be surprised to get some dime size hail, some of the heavier thunderstorms, but
they're simply not moving very much.
So it will only be our northwestern counties that will have that chance of rain for tonight.
These temperatures look like this.
We're still holding on to 100 degrees up there in Dodd City, Kansas.
Compare that to our 93 here in Amarillo and Lubbock.
96 in Dallas, 90 degrees in Houston and some high humidity and 89 degrees down in Brownsville.
You'll watch the storms flare up across the northwest.
A lot of them up there, but again, the upper level steering currents are extremely weak.
Therefore, if you don't get one that develops right on top of you, chances are you're not
going to be getting wet tonight because they're moving less than 5 miles an hour.
If you look at the Doppler Net and you watch up here in the highlands of New Mexico, the
blossoming thunderstorms going up and then they just sit there and generally rain themselves
out.
They can put down about one to two inches of rain on top of you, especially if you are
living in Union County up in New Mexico.
Let's go to PowerScan Radar.
Take a look first of all up here in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Boy City are just surrounded by showers and thunderstorms following the highway up into
southwestern Kansas.
There you can see the lightning coming down.
Again, nothing severe being indicated here, but they're dropping to the south.
At about 3 to 5 miles an hour.
Let's take it over to New Mexico and show you what's going on over here in Union County.
A big old splattering of showers and thunderstorms.
Good rainfall up here all the way back into the highlands around Rotona, New Mexico.
Again, generally going down to the south at about 3 to 5 miles an hour, but should stay
in our northwestern counties for tonight.
Let's take a look at the forecast.
If you're headed off and seeing that rain coming into New Mexico, then tapering off
as you head up into southwest Kansas.
And if you are going down to the plate Texas tonight, no problem whatsoever.
Clear skies, temperatures starting off around 90, cooling down to about 80 by the end of
the performance.
Overnight low temperatures for tonight will be warm.
Upper 60s, lower 70s, and going back into the mid and upper 90s again for tomorrow.
Down south we'll keep the 70s out here in the east panhandle in west Oklahoma.
And up here on the high plains should be falling into the mid and upper 60s.
Everybody goes back into the 90s to near 100 degrees tomorrow.
And the same old same old, your best chances of rain up there in the northeastern New Mexico
where you do see the green, not much chance down here in the Emerald area.
Forecasting specifically for Emerald and vicinity for tonight, we will go for clear skies, drop
it back to 68.
Winds will be out of the south at 5 to 15 miles an hour.
For tomorrow, we'll go for sunshine, temperatures back up to where they are today, 93.
South winds at 10 to 20 miles an hour.
An extended outlook, including the weekend, not a lot of change.
Temperatures holding in the low to mid 90s.
At lows holding in the mid and upper 60s with rain chances holding less than 20%.
Once again, send us your name, address and phone number or you can log on to the computer
at weatheratkmr.com and you can send us all that information and have a chance to win
a dinner for two at Cafe Roma Desperado's Eat Right Home Plate Diner or the Catfish
Shack and we give that away whenever we get the forecast right within one degree in your
hometown.
So if you're getting wet right now, you're going to be wet for the next two to three
hours.
If you're dry right now, you're going to be dry.
And you know it's hot when you just sit there and do nothing and you sweat.
Exactly.
It's going to be that way for the rest of the week.
Okay.
Staying inside then.
Thank you, Steve.
In tomorrow's edition of the Amarillo Globe News, Amarillo-based Maxor Pharmacies has
sold six of its local retail pharmacy stores to Eckerd Corp. in an effort to focus on its
core business divisions.
The Kauati Indian dancers are on their way to a performance in Berlin to open a new American
embassy and Texan suffering from blistering temperatures.
There are a few simple precautions that can save you from a heat-related illness.
You're watching the evening news on NBC4 and still to come, if you have plans to remodel
your home but don't have all the resources, we'll show you how to make your designing
dreams come true with net results.
Here's something new and different for summer.
Huge inventories on Chrysler and Plymouth cars and minivans.
Ready to move.
During hot summer savings, big cash allowances, big savings or low interest rates, low monthly
payments.
Selection couldn't be better.
Choose from Chrysler Town and Country, Wymeth Voyager or Chrysler Sebring Coupe.
Hot summer savings.
Hurry in.
These savings end soon.
Get into your local Chrysler and Plymouth dealer.
New.
Different.
That's us.
Board Meeting.
What you want is what you get.
Go back to school and call it what you want is what you get.
It's all here at Westgate Mall.
Fall in fashion, selection, only friends that give you what you want.
That's what you get. It's all here at Westgate Mall.
This sale is hot. The summer sell-out at Texas Dodge.
Every new Dodge car, truck, and sport utility is sale-priced.
The selection is incredible and the savings are sizzling.
Take advantage of a $1,000 rebate on every new 99 Dodge Ram pickup.
Club cabs, quad cabs, regular cabs, and Ram-Cup work trucks starting at just $15,495.
It's the hot, hot summer sell-down.
And now, the news continues on NBC4.
Do you want to remodel your home but can't find a good place to start?
The Internet is filled with lots of ideas and people that can make it happen.
Here's Dave Anderson with tonight's net results.
Whether you're just finishing up a remodeling project or you're about to start one,
the Internet will be a big help for you.
Take this site, www.improvenet.com.
Right here, you can gather design ideas, get remodeling tips,
find local lenders, contractors, architects, and even check their backgrounds.
Here on the home page, you choose the project type you're interested in,
say kitchen remodeling, and then select what issue you'd like to explore, like design.
From there, you can check out pictures of dream designs and learn how to build them.
As you search and pick up tips and find favorite designs, you can add them to an idea file.
When you feel like you've gathered enough expert advice, you can return to the home page
and find a local contractor at the click of a button.
So before you pick up a hammer this summer,
sit down at your computer and compile a great plan using the Internet.
We sure enjoy getting your emails here at OneSource,
so keep sending them to netresults at 1s.net.
Next up in sports, a troubled running back gets another shot in the league,
and the Streaking Dillas try to win one under the sun.
Dennis is next with one action-packed matinee.
...
Summer's the best time to get out and see the sights,
and you can really get out there this year with the Jeep Summer of Fun going on now.
Head for the sun in an all-new, $3.39 a month Grand Cherokee Laredo,
now with more power, luxury, and capability than ever.
And all for only $3.39 a month.
So hurry in for these incredible deals today.
Before the Summer of Fun is just another memory.
Check one out at your Jeep deal.
...
Cafe Roma, the best-kept secret in Amarillo, now offers another special treat.
When it's time for a meeting or a special event, let Cafe Roma cater.
We'll create a menu specially suited for your taste.
Relax, enjoy your guests. Cafe Roma caters.
Success for your elegant affair or simple celebration is only a phone call away.
Cafe Roma, at Colter & Wallace in the Regional Medical Center.
...
It's a one-week, all-out sellout at Quality Nissan in Amarillo.
In order to set an all-time sales record and to make room for the new 2000 models,
Quality Nissan says, blow them out!
...
Roomy new Frontier King cabs for just $169 a month.
Plus, you'll find a great selection of the tough new Crew cabs and the rugged Nissan Xterras.
And we've slashed prices on over 200 extra clean used cars and trucks.
Hurry, though, this sale absolutely ends Saturday.
Quality Nissan, Georgia at I-27.
Just shoot me, now twice on Tuesdays.
Jump, jump, just shoot me, two times on Tuesdays.
NBC Tuesday, it's all good, two just shoot me's.
Sucker jam, double-shoot theme song, it's on twice as long.
Frankets, spankets, spank it on a bing-bong.
Tuesday night, just shoot me.
Shoopy-dooby-toot me.
Leather pants, mostly TV.
Robot dance, Nina, Maya, Banjo, Gaia.
Everybody talk about two just shoot me's.
Tuesday night, two just shoot me's.
...
It's not very often that baseball games are played in the heat of the afternoon, you know?
It's kind of tough on some fans, too.
We think so.
People have those nice box seats.
The sunshine's splashing on, you see them kind of running for the cheapies.
And do they have to take off work to get to the game, or?
I think a lot of folks out there are playing a little hooky from their work time.
Yeah, it's kind of funny.
But yeah, if you're gearing up for this evening's Dilla Festivity, stay home.
The fellas are busing their way to Ozark as we speak,
fresh off a rare diamond matinee out at the Dilla Villa.
And as we told you earlier, the box seats, just a few brave ones out there,
with umbrellas to keep away from the sun splash.
Did we say splash?
How about Sean Hughes?
Dilla's down in this one, but the lefty hitting Hughes at that point,
he's a switch hitter, makes that kid happy, and even says hi to his mom.
Not Hughes, but the kid.
A little later, good swing from Timmy Hayes, brings in scampering.
Jared McElveen, things are starting to get interesting.
Dilla's down.
Sam Lee ties things up late when he brings in Vimo.
That's what we call Vince Morn in the bottom of the ninth.
Brian Jones on second tie ball game, until Malik Fowler,
who had missed a couple sacrifice bunts, brings him in.
Dilla's win 5-4, Malik the hero, even though it wasn't necessarily by design.
It feels pretty good.
But I still think I should have, you know,
got the bunt down and left it up to Kenny and Ronnie when it was done.
A humble hero, but a hero nonetheless.
Dilla's next three, they're actually, like we said,
on the bus going to Ozark, and then they come right back
and they'll host Abilene in a three-game set starting July 30th.
Now, we go to some Hall of Fame game exhibition antics.
There's that chicken, he's frequented the Dilla a couple times this year.
Rafael Palmero, Raffy has frequented the long ball plenty.
But again, these don't count, just having fun out there in Cooperstown.
Speaking of having fun, Greg Zahn points at the fence,
and we've got to speed it up, we get him up a plate, boom.
He takes it out just as planned, brings the fans to their feet.
And Dilla's, go ahead and win this, Dilla's.
The Rangers are in this one.
I'm still psyched up about the comeback.
11-9, your final score is there.
Now we go to the NFL and last call for Lawrence Phillips,
the talented but troubled running back looking to officially join the 49ers.
In fact, it is a done deal.
Phillips has signed with San Francisco a two-year deal with the Niners.
Of course, he has been released from two NFL teams within the last year.
24-year-old has recently spent his football time with the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF.
Now let's get back to the NFL and some Cowboys, and they signed Dat Winn, their rookie, three years, 1.2 million.
They also get wide receiver Wayne McGarrity out of Texas.
Terms unreleased on this.
And according to Chan Gailey, the above is simply a bonus.
Before that, if we had not added a player, we should be better this year
because we are in the second year of the offense.
We are in the second year of camp here.
Everybody has a comfort level.
Last stop, a sad sports story, and we're talking about former TCU Hoopster Lee Nailin.
Over the weekend, the 43rd overall NBA draft pick, one of three arrested on drug charges.
Again, this happened Saturday.
Nailin, TCU running back, Ladanian Tomlinson, and Leroy Nesbit, the third.
They're all free right now on bond after their arrest Saturday in suburban Fort Worth on drug charges.
Marijuana possession charge, a class single A misdemeanor.
That's not good because Nailin, the things coming out before the draft were that he had a little trouble past.
Hopefully, hopefully, he'll be okay after that one.
Getting back to the Dillis, did you happen to see Jay Richie out there?
I did not.
I know he wasn't in the sun because not too many people were.
He's missing in action today.
He should be sitting here between us.
No, no.
I don't think he's playing.
He's probably really sick.
I'm trying to catch up with him.
Thank you, Dennis.
Sure.
Well, our sunny skies couldn't be more perfect.
Will they stick around or will we see a few scattered showers?
Steve McCauley is next with a peek at the weekday weather outlook.
Get into your local Chrysler and Plymouth dealer.
New, different, that's us.
Hello, this is Pastor Stan Coffee.
Dr. Tim LaHaye has written an intriguing book on Biblical end times prophecy entitled, Left Behind.
Taking the theme of that book, I'm beginning a new Bible study class entitled, The Rapture.
Taken or left behind?
The Bible gives a message of hope for those who are prepared for the return of Jesus Christ
and a message of warning for those who are not ready.
So join me each Sunday at 9 a.m. for my pastor's non-denominational Bible class.
How do you scratch?
Hail or no hail, this sale continues at regular.
We still have hundreds of new and used cars and trucks with huge discounts due to hail daily.
Save $6,500 on a 2,000-Birthless Saver, or if you prefer one in mint condition, we have fresh inventory arriving daily.
Save $5,700 on a new GMC Extended Cab, or choose from all new 2,000 model GMC trucks.
And due to the tremendous success of our hail sale, we have more great used cars and trucks than ever.
We are the competition.
A new Dateline Monday. They thought they were adopting a baby girl. So did they.
Then the horrible truth. The baby was bait in an online adoption scheme.
Can baby Nicolette be rescued from the cruel plan?
I'm Stone Philip, joining you for an all-new Dateline tonight on NBC.
Tonight on NBC4.
If you want to lock in long-term low rates, don't put off shopping for term insurance
because Kipplinger says a new rule could boost the cost dramatically.
That's tonight at 10 o'clock.
And maybe I'm going on a limb here, but the weather's not going to change dramatically.
I don't really think so. I mean, we're kind of stuck in a rut.
So if you're getting rain now, you're going to get it later this week.
And if it's dry now, you're going to be dry later this week.
Let's take a look at power-scan radar and show you where it's wet right now.
Again, it's our northwestern zone.
I tell you what, that lightning is pretty deadly up there in Union County, New Mexico, also in Cimarron County, the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Everything is drifting slowly to the south at about five miles an hour,
but expected to dissipate before moving into the central panhandle.
Let's take a look at the upcoming weekend.
Again, the same thing. Northwestern zones will be mainly the ones that will be getting wet.
The rest of us should be dry.
Temperatures in the 90s and 100s all across the Lone Star State.
Not a big change on Sunday, maybe a little bit less chance for rain up in our northwestern counties,
but temperatures really are not going to be changing all that much.
We are in the doldrums of summertime, and that just means we're waiting for the big kicker,
and that could be like a tropical system or something like that, but at least not for the next several days.
It's Monday, and we're already talking about the weekend.
Everybody wants to know what's going on on the weekend.
I know, we count down to that. Thank you, Steve.
And thank you so much for watching tonight. We'll see you back here at 10.
Now is the time for a gene...