from KDVR's news and technology center this is Fox 31 News at 9 o'clock
you call it when you need help why 911 may be in critical condition for cell
phone users. I'm falling a lot. Heavy? Oh yeah. It hurts every time. A Marine from Aurora injured in
Afghanistan talks for the first time about what happened. The search for an
abducted five-year-old girl is over tonight but the manhunt for her
kidnapper continues. Good evening and thanks for joining us I'm Libby Weaver
and I'm Ron Zappolo. Tonight police are calling the man who found the little
girl a hero. First on Fox tonight the girl is being treated at Children's
Hospital at this hour. That's where Fox 31's Phil Keating is tonight. Phil, how
is the little girl? Well we presume she's doing fine. The most important
thing is that she's here, she's safe and she's alive. Now the five-year-old girl,
her eight-year-old sister and their mother are all upstairs right now
happily reunited after a very tense and terrifying couple of hours. Now police
say five-year-old Michelle Brown was outside with her eight-year-old sister
when a man in a red SUV pulled over and then abducted her. That happened around
430 this afternoon around 33rd and Marion. That then triggered a massive
police manhunt searching by car and helicopter for that red SUV and then
suddenly around 630 tonight near 29th and Poplar about three miles to the east.
The five-year-old girl was found crying on the sidewalk by a man who just saw
her standing there apparently very soon after the little girl had been released
by her abductor. That's the girl's mother just ecstatic with relief as she left to
go meet her little girl at the hospital. At 29th and Poplar, police are still
there searching for any evidence that's around there and looking for any
potential witnesses who may have seen something. The important thing is is that
they're safe right now and from from this point on now we have to do our
work. And that work is find this the red SUV that they're looking for driven by a
white male around 30 years old wearing a mustache brown hair and he had his hair
in a ponytail. Now while the suspect description may seem similar to a
description recently released by police in one of those Denver flashing
incidents, at this point police are not linking this case to any other crimes.
Now the little five-year-old girl her eight-year-old sister they're gonna be
upstairs for a while now because they're not only being evaluated and treated
they will also be subjected to some intense police interviewing so that
police can get a better understanding of exactly what happened and maybe a better
description of this suspect. Now at 915 in just a few minutes the man who
apparently was a neighbor or driving by over there at 29th and Poplar, the man
who police are describing as a hero who saw little Michelle Brown saw her crying
picked her up and took her over to district two. He's gonna give a
statement at 915 and we'll have that hopefully for you at around 930 but
again the most important thing to search for that girl is over she's alive
and well. Ron that's the good news Fox 31's Phil Keating live in Denver
tonight. Well it's a warm-up if you call above zero a warm-up. Another night of
freezing temperatures but at least the thermometer won't go below zero. Well
we've seen two seasons in the past three days. Saturday sunshine and a record high
of 72 degrees. Monday an 80 degree difference. The temperature drops to a
frigid 9 degrees and last night a record low minus 8. Well the bitter
temperatures overnight put a fresh layer of snow on the ground another slow go to
work for drivers hitting the road this morning. Bob Goosman standing out in the
cold tonight on the weather deck. Bob we've warmed up to above zero. Any chance
we'll see freezing anytime soon? Well let's yeah I think tomorrow we're gonna
get very close to the freezing mark but what a difference between last night and
tonight. Tonight we're not seeing those strong northeast winds it causes snow to
move on into the area. The moon is just about full and bright but we do have
another little disturbance heading our way for tomorrow. Let's see Doppler radar
see if anything's popping up yet in the mountains. That's where the pre-sib will
begin first nothing yet I think the snow will increase in the mountains overnight
tonight and for us though just a few snow showers with this next system for
your morning drive it is going to be cold but not nearly as cold as a record
we tied this morning. 1962 was the last time we were at minus 8 so it's been 40
years since it's been this cold. Question is when does the cold air leave?
As I mentioned near freezing tomorrow but yet another storm maybe a larger
storm comes at us on Friday with more snow so this has been one solid week or
it will be of cold weather and we have not seen that this season so departure
and don't put away the long johns just yet. Okay Bob Goosman on the weather
deck we'll get an update from you a little bit later. Fox 31 Shull Turner is
live at the Denver rescue mission tonight with a look at what's being done
to warm things up for people who are having a hard time. Shull? Well Ron we are
all feeling the chill out here but cold takes on a whole new meaning when you
don't have any shelter to go home to or you can't even afford to pay heating
bills. A study released today says the homeless population in the metro area is
at about 10,000 on any given night. Now here at the Denver rescue mission you
can see some people are filtering in they have about 110 beds they're all
full so they're setting up 87 cots. Now some people do have shelter but they
can't afford any heat in the house and that's where the LEAP assistance plan
comes in. LEAP stands for low income energy assistance program. Workers at
the Colorado Energy Assistance Foundation tell us they're bracing for a huge
increase in assistance requests due to these ultra cold temperatures and as of
today heating counselors are scheduling appointments every 15 minutes that's 30
per week. No one is turned away so if you're even one day past due on your
utility bill you may qualify. Basically we want to make sure that people are
staying warm I mean it's really cold we see a lot of homelessness happening we
get a lot of people who are coming in here who are really struggling. So if you
want more information on that LEAP assistance program you can call 720-944-1850.
If you want to help the folks back here at the Denver rescue mission help keep
people warm you can contribute at 303-297-1815 and of course more
information is on our website as always Fox 31 news.com just click on viewer
information Ron. Fox 31 Shull Turner live in Denver tonight. He's being
recognized by the state legislature tomorrow but tonight an injured Marine
from Aurora is talking about his experience in Afghanistan and life
without his left foot. Fox 31's Kim Posey spoke with Corporal Chris Chandler today
and Kim he lost his foot in a landmine explosion. Yes he did Libby but his
rehab is going well. Corporal Chris Chandler is walking with the prosthesis
and he's already wondering when he'll get back to work. Still the same person
just lost a foot. Sitting in his family home in Aurora Corporal Chris Chandler
says his recovery is going well. The 21 year old's Marine lost his foot in a
landmine explosion in Afghanistan December 16th. He says it felt like a
dream. We're walking up there and I stepped on a mine and I felt to the left.
Two other Marines were hurt in the blast and Chris says he tried to get up to
help them. I looked at it and I didn't have a foot. Chandler's hand was also hurt. His
fingers were almost blown off. He was flown to the Walter Reed Medical Center
near Washington DC for treatment. That's where he was awarded the Purple Heart
and that's where the support started pouring in. There's boxes of letters. School
children and total strangers sent him letters thanking him for his service.
You don't think that anybody really pays attention to what's going on and all of
a sudden everybody's writing me and telling me that I'm their hero and you
know it's great. The support means a lot to Chandler as he pushes on through
rehab using a prosthesis he can walk. Yeah slowly, slowly trying to run. Can you
run? I ran a block. It's just tiring. Chandler says he's looking forward to
getting his strength back. I want to keep doing what I was doing. He misses his
platoon but is considering all options for the future. Been offered a lot of
jobs you know it's right off the bat. I can go to college now it's free. I could
stay in the military or I could just stay here and recover for a while. Chris
Chandler will be honored at the legislature tomorrow morning then this
Saturday he's going back to San Diego to watch his company come back in. He says
he is very excited to see his platoon again and Libby after that it is off to
Ohio. He's going to meet with the people at his prosthesis clinic and it's back
to Virginia where he will continue his rehab process. And then it sounds like
he's got a lot of options. He does and he is mulling them all over. Good for him.
Alright Kim thanks. New accusations against a former Fox 31 employee already
sentenced for fraud. Scott McDonald now faces another felony theft charge. The
Denver DA says McDonald borrowed $75,000 from someone out of state last spring.
McDonald reportedly promised to invest the money in a Krispy Kreme franchise
but never did. He's already serving time in a halfway house and has to repay
almost $200,000 money he admits to gambling away. A Texas man is the 12th
skier to die on Colorado ski slopes this season. That matches the record death toll
set three years ago. The man whose name has not yet been released was skiing on
an intermediate trail on Vale Mountain this morning. That's not clear exactly
what happened just that he was unresponsive when the ski patrol arrived.
He was taken to Vale Valley Medical Center and died less than an hour later.
Well reporting sexual assaults that happen at schools is a legal issue
that may soon become a legislative one. State lawmakers may soon have a bill to
consider. Fox 31's Will Jones is here now to explain what one lawmaker wants to do.
Well earlier this month a teacher and principal were disciplined for the way
they handle a girl sexual assault. Senator Rob Hernandez says he wants to
change state law to as he puts it add teeth to the process. Not everyone is
gifted with with common sense so sometimes you have to put things in
black and white. The way the law is now teachers have to report suspected child
abuse or neglect to human services or to police. Senator Rob Hernandez wants to
make it more specific so everyone's clear on the types of cases that need
to be reported. Today Hernandez met with Denver Public School
Superintendent Jerry Wartgoe and Denver Police Chief Jerry Whitman to get their
input. Be it administratively or legislatively we all agree that there
needs to be 100% reporting of incidences in a timely manner. Hernandez says this
is a statewide problem and that a solution may come from changing the law.
Our goal is to make sure that we have the best interests of the child and the
protection of the child at heart. Hernandez says there's no deadline to
introduce the bill but his goal is to do it sometime this week or next week.
Libby. All right well thanks. She was hit by a car and left in a coma. Tonight the
amazing recovery of this eight-year-old little girl. Her story next. And calling
911 on your cell phone while you may end up waiting for help when you need it
most. That's at 930.
They are the songs of children fighting for a cause they're just learning about.
Wait until you hear what the songs say before 945. The Broncos must make a
critical decision on a critical player and team officials have told me what the
decision is. That's just ahead on Fox 31 news at 9 o'clock. Car crash an
unconscious driver and her car veering into frigid water all caught on tape.
We'll show you just ahead. I want to call it both ways. The car came like this. That car hit her
changing her life forever. It's something a Commerce City father says he'll never
forget. The day he watched as a truck hit his eight-year-old daughter. It happened
earlier this month in the 3400 block of West Kentucky in Denver. Jasmine Ornelas
was leaving the Boys and Girls Club when she spotted her dad across the street.
She ran to meet him but she never made it. Fox 31's Robert Thompson is in the
newsroom with the latest on this story. Robert first how is the little girl? Ron
she fell into a coma and was in intensive care. Things didn't look so good
until a skyline and a song brought her back. Just out of the hospital eight
year old Jasmine Ornelas uses a walker to get around. She wears a neck brace
and she has one thing to say about her fateful choice two and a half weeks ago
to cross the street. But she didn't. She darted out into traffic and was struck
as her father Jake watched in horror. I just couldn't go into shock. I had to be
there for her where she was then. She was half through while I was using the other way.
They had to keep taking me out of the room because I couldn't.
She was my only baby in the whole world. Her only baby who lay in a coma with a
fractured pelvis and possible brain damage. For two days the balloons piled
up in her hospital room and then Jasmine opened her eyes.
I looked outside and saw all the downtown buildings and I saw an early kiss.
I was waking her up and I was like look she's talking. From life-threatening injuries to a
life-affirming smile Jasmine's recovery left doctors astounded her family
overjoyed. Her parents credit prayer but Jasmine says it was her CD player and a
favorite song that helped put her back in safe.
Denver police say the woman driving that truck that struck Jasmine will not face
criminal charges because they say the accident was unavoidable. She though will
though be ticketed for driving without a license or insurance. Jasmine herself has
months of expensive rehabilitation ahead. Her family has no health insurance. Ron?
Well hopefully they'll get some help. Robert Thompson in the newsroom.
Drivers in federal heights could soon be smiling for the camera. Tonight the city
council is considering the use of two red light cameras at major intersections.
The cameras similar to these would catch speeders and red light runners. The
cameras photograph the back license plate and tickets could be mailed to the
registered owner of each car. Boulder, Golden and Fort Collins already use
similar devices. Former CEO is caught on tape encouraging his workers to invest
their retirement savings in Enron stock. The Senate committee watched the tape
today then fired questions at Jeffrey Skilling. The Enron chief sat at the same
table as the former worker who accused him of altering the books. Skilling
aggressively denied any wrongdoing. Common decency suggests that I be
treated as innocent until proven otherwise. Common sense suggests that
accusations made now before the facts are and are likely to be wrong.
Unfortunately neither common decency nor common sense will carry the day in this
politicized process. Skilling reportedly sold 66 million dollars worth of Enron
stock before he resigned in August. The company collapsed in December. The
pregnant widow of the American journalist killed in Pakistan says she'll
tell their son his dad died a hero. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl
disappeared on the way to an interview late last month. Police say Islamic
extremists killed Pearl though his body is still missing. I am convinced
personally and very deeply that Danny even like you know he faced horror but
he was not defeated by it. I am certainly convinced. US leaders want the prime
suspect in Pearl's murder to face charges in America. The man charged with
kidnapping and killing a little girl in California faces her mother in court. Our
look across America tonight starts in San Diego. David Westerfield told the
judge he did not kidnap or kill seven-year-old Danielle Van Damme. It was
an emotional hearing for Danielle's mother. The little girl disappeared from
her home on February 1st. Police say they found traces of Danielle's blood on
Westerfield's clothes and in his motor home. He lives next to the Van Dammes.
More bodies and more charges against the operator of a crematorium in Georgia.
Just hours after a judge ruled the operator Ray Marsh could get out on bail
more charges were filed. 100 more. That's because for each body found there's one
count of taking money from the families and another for failing to give the
ashes to the families. So far more than 330 corpses have been found and
authorities think there are more. Some good Samaritans jump into an icy cold
pond to keep an unconscious driver from going under. The woman was knocked out
when her car hit a van on an Indiana Road. It then plunged into that pond.
Several people braved the frigid waters to keep the car afloat so the driver
wouldn't drown. They literally held her head up until they could pull the car
out. The driver and her rescuers are all okay. Out of nowhere the ground gave way.
35 feet down and it was a big surprise. That's next. And Bob says we're not done
with the snow yet. His forecast just in.
Well a few people driving in Bowling Green Kentucky experienced a sinking
feeling. This one both dangerous and damaging. Four cars damaged last night
when they fell into a giant sinkhole. Now this was a literal cave-in because the
road did sit on top of a cave. No one was injured. Structural engineers are
conducting tests to see if the rest of the road is stable. How big is the hole?
150 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 35 feet deep.
Now, Fox 31 on Target Weather with Chief Meteorologist Bob Gooseman.
Why build the road over the cave if they knew the cave was there to begin with?
I'm not sure. 72 on Saturday. I think many people remember, well Ron keeps
reminding us how he was golfing on Saturday afternoon, and I think a lot of
people will want to forget what they were doing first thing this morning when
our temperature dropped almost to 10 degrees below zero. Eight below was the
official low, tying a record as we mentioned set back in 1962. But today
with lots of sunshine, and I tell you even though the temperature only managed 21,
that high altitude mountain sun, when that comes out, it starts to melt that
snow, especially any type of snow on the roads and on the sidewalks and really
almost anywhere that that sun will shine. However, we do have a weak, and I do mean
very weak, disturbance heading at us again for the afternoon hours tomorrow.
It's showing up right here. Cloud cover already increasing and thickening up in
the mountains. They'll probably see some snow showers developing tonight, and then
during the probably the early part of tomorrow afternoon, our winds only for
about three or four or five hours are going to switch around to the northeast,
and it may be just enough to get some upslope snow showers developing around
here. Nothing to really worry about, and I even have a forecast at high that will
actually be above freezing tomorrow, 33 degrees, so we can all celebrate. But look
where the heavy, dense air is sitting. The Arctic air not in the high country.
Remember, cold air sits near the surface, so lower elevations, eight degrees DIA
down to three in Lyman. Now tonight, our overnight lows, a few of you may dip
below zero for a while, maybe two, three below zero, then start to rise by morning.
I don't think officially DIA will get back below zero like we were this
morning. I'm forecasting about four or five degrees by morning. 21, the high,
minus eight, there's the old record, so we put an asterisk next to it, and
we say it tied the record set back in 1962, and our record high back in 1950, 71.
But gee, we were at 72 the other day, so we were warmer than that. A cold, quiet
night, that gives way to a weak disturbance that I'll show you in a
minute. There's that weak upslope that develops during the day tomorrow, so one
or two snow showers, but mainly in the mountains, and I do think the mountains
will see some accumulating snow during the day. The reason for our big cold air
blast is lifting to the northeast. Well, there it is. You just saw it, but see
these little kinks in the jet stream? That one goes by tomorrow, but look at
this one. It's a much stronger one, and that one by Thursday night and Friday
will swing through, probably develop a storm in the southern part of our state,
and that should give us some good upslope conditions late in the day, and
I think that's the best day late Thursday night into Friday for some
accumulating snow around here once again, cooling off in the northeast thirties
and forties. 27 Chicago and a regular heat wave. 33 tomorrow, partly cloudy,
very cold tonight, snow developing in the mountains later on minus two in a
few low lying areas to about five or so downtown for tomorrow. Mostly cloudy
skies, just a couple of snow showers. No big deal down here, but if you're
traveling into the mountains, you might want to be careful because they'll see
accumulating snow temperatures in the lower thirties. Your five day
forecast. All these temperatures look much better than we've had. And again,
we'll have an update tomorrow on Thursday night and Friday mornings.
Weak little storm that moves through. But hey, look at that weekend. Upper
forties. Not that it's not 72. Like you said, he waves tomorrow. 33. You bet.
Thanks, Bob. Okay, well, your car is broken down on a remote road. You call
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I love to recreate myself. Hipped one day and like a rock star next day and look
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the store. People are surprised when they hear this is from Walmart. They don't
believe it. You don't have to go to the mall to find great clothes. Go to
Walmart. Right around the corner. It's a lot easier. Frazier's got the teaching bug.
I learned when you used to tutor kids so they wouldn't beat you up. Tonight at 10
30 on Fox 31. I love working at Guarantee Bank. Well not exactly at the bank. Headed
to Bob's back at 10. I've learned when customers need to talk about their
business the bank isn't always the most convenient place. Meeting Jane Williams
back noonish. So I often go to their office their home wherever. Meet Steve's
signature. Be right back. Making customers lives a little easier. That's what my job's
all about. At Guarantee Bank going out of the way is never out of the question.
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This Friday from the makers of Braveheart. I want you to attack.
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Only at Cartoy. It's 930 and Fox 31 News continues. Thanks for staying with us. I'm Ron
Zipolo and I'm Libby Weaver. Well the five-year-old girl kidnapped in Denver
this afternoon is at Children's Hospital tonight. A man found her crying on the
side of the road just a few miles from where she disappeared. Fox 31's Phil
Keating is live at the Denver Police Department where the man and many are
calling a hero has just spoken. Phil? Yeah he just talked to us behind me in
the police department headquarters. He's the one who is driving over around 29th
and Poplar around 630 p.m. tonight and suddenly he sees out in the middle of
the road this girl crying saying she's lost and she needs a ride. Let's take a
look at her picture. She is five-year-old Michelle Brown. She was abducted around
430 this afternoon in North Denver over around the intersection of 33rd and
Marion. She was hanging on the sidewalk with her eight-year-old sister when a
man in a red SUV pulled over and abducted her. Two hours later she was
found by 28-year-old Kiko Sanders, a man being described as a hero by police. This
is what he just said moments ago. I feel like it was just a fatherly instinct and
it was just the right thing to do as far as the hero part. I just I would expect
somebody to do that if my child, my children were missing. Again that was
Kiko Sanders, a father of two, felt he was just doing what came natural. This is a
description of what police are hoping anyone in the public can help them with
tonight. They're looking for that red SUV driven by a white male around 30 years old
wearing a mustache with brown hair wearing his hair in a ponytail tonight.
They've been looking for this red SUV ever since 430 tonight. Haven't had any
luck finding it but right now the five-year-old girl she is safe. She's
been treated. She will soon be released from Children's Hospital tonight. Then the
Denver Police Department will conduct follow-up interviews with her and her
eight-year-old sister tomorrow so they can hopefully come up with a better
understanding of exactly what happened to this poor little girl and also
through interviews with the girl and her sister come up with a better composite so
they can release that sketch tomorrow and hopefully track down and nail this
suspect. Ronna Livia, back to you. Well thank goodness she's safe. All right, Phil Keating
live in Denver tonight. Well a big sale for cell phones is safety. You can get in
trouble and you can call 911 for help. That's how it's supposed to work but
often that 911 call is delayed or diverted. As Fox 31's Wei Wang explains
you could be searching for service. It could be a matter of life or death but it
continues to happen. It was a head-on accident involving two vehicles and they
had the road completely shut down. You make the call, the person who answers
can't help you. They dial 911 and I don't know where they're at trying to
figure out where they're at. It's very scary because we don't know. Roughly
every two seconds a 911 cell phone call is made nationwide. Almost 140,000
a day. 911 what is your emergency? Emergency calls. Usually looking for
help. Ten hundred. But help doesn't always get there.
Douglas County Dispatcher Penny Howden was a victim. Howden drove up on an
accident at Highway 85 in Highlands Ranch Parkway. She called for help but
what she got on the other end was not what Howden expected. Why did I get
Adams County of all the places because that's not even really close to us at
all. Her call got bounced from here clear over to Adams County nowhere near
the accident. She knew enough to get transferred back to her own county and
get help. Most people aren't that informed. People as they're traveling
don't really pay strong attention to where they are at.
Lieutenant Mike Coleman runs Douglas County Communications. He says bouncing
cell phone calls is a national problem. People think they're getting help. Hello.
They're not. We're in the northern part of Douglas County at I-25 and County Line
Road. We're directly under a cell phone tower but that doesn't necessarily mean
Douglas County Dispatch will get our emergency call because if that tower is
full we could get bounced and there's no way of knowing where the cell call will
be re-routed to. We may as well be calling from the middle of the field
because this batch has no way of knowing where we are. We've heard reports from
all over the metro area. We've had people from Pueblo, Fort Collins, Clearout East
in Albert County areas. Areas unfamiliar to Douglas County Dispatch. Lack of
information with cell phones is a huge roadblock. Like this one came in doesn't
give me anything. I don't have a callback number. I don't have anything. This is an
emergency cell phone call screen. No useful information. Some cell phone
networks will show a callback number. Even the location of the cell site the
call bounced off of. Still it's not much. Compare it to this. A call from a regular
phone line. It shows the address, phone number. This one even has a cubicle
location. This right here is gonna tell me which police fire jurisdiction it's
gonna be in and it also tells me the subdivision or the area it's in. Cell
phone bouncing will continue to be a problem possibly turning cell lines into
flat lines until all networks, phones and dispatch centers can generate and
receive the same kind of information. A major task. According to the Federal
Communications Commission, wireless networks were supposed to have fixed the
problem by October 1999. That didn't happen. The FCC is now giving networks
until December 2005 to make it all happen. Until then, for dispatchers like
Howden. I don't know the area necessarily outside of Douglas County. If someone is
asked or given these street names and they don't sound familiar, the first
thing I ask is what city or county are you in? Cell phone distress calls could
continue to be guesswork. In Douglas County, Wei Wang, Fox 31 News. So what are
cell phone providers doing about the problem? We contacted Sprint, AT&T
Wireless, Quest and Verizon. Verizon says it's unaware of call bouncing. Quest says
it knows about the problem that the important thing with emergency calls is
making sure someone somewhere answers the call. All the companies say they are
all in the process of getting what's called an enhanced 911 system. That
system automatically shows the location of people who call 911 using cell
phones. Well, should the Pledge of Allegiance be required or even encouraged
in school? Colorado lawmakers take the first vote on patriotism in the classroom
next. And a call for help from the group that used to give it just ahead.
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or an extra cash discount. At Casey Fine Furniture, we make it your home. Investors
put an end to a two-day rally at the closing bell that Dow dropped 30 points
to 10,115. The Nasdaq slipped three to 1766. Fox 31 News at nine o'clock returns
in one minute.
At the Capitol today in passion speeches about patriotism and whether it should
be taught in the classroom. State senators gave initial approval to a bill
that would encourage schools to teach patriotism to students. The bill also
encourages students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Senators also approved a
plan that would assure undocumented immigrants don't get a Colorado driver's
license. Right now undocumented immigrants can get driver's licenses in
four states and then exchange them for a Colorado driver's license. The plan would
require those immigrants show further proof they are in this country legally.
In the House, representatives approved a proposal that would keep private the
names of parents who legally abandon their babies. Senators vote on it next.
Here in America, children grow up watching shows like Sesame Street,
learning their ABCs and how to count to ten. But as Fox 31's Kim Posey tells us,
a children's show that used to air on Palestinian TV has some people wondering
if children there are being taught to hate.
It's a show that won't make the Saturday morning lineup on any American
network, but it has had a prominent slot on Palestinian TV. It's called the
Children's Club. It comes complete with puppet shows, games and songs. The images
are familiar, but the messages are not. The children are cheered on as they sing.
One girl screams about preparing to die.
We showed this tape to a Middle East expert at Denver University. First of all,
the translations are accurate and it's very sad and very disturbing to look at.
Shaul Gabbai says this kind of teaching is found throughout the culture. On the
Palestinian side, the heroes are those who are suicide bombers and it comes to
play in many of the educational systems, the books and on TV. It's basically a
propaganda against not just Israel, but against the West, against the
United States and against basically the rest of the world. Others aren't so sure.
Translation is absolutely wrong. This Palestinian American says he has a problem
with the tape and the conclusions drawn from it. For example, when these kids
were talking about becoming Fadaiya, which is basically a resistor of the
occupation, that was translated as suicide bomber, which is wholly inaccurate.
It's not only semantically wrong, but it seems to be a deliberate attempt to
inflame. Wadi Mouhazen says memorizing songs doesn't create suicide bombers. He
believes it is the poverty and the human rights abuses that cause Palestinian
people not to care about their own lives. It's living in this type of climate that
will allow people to go down the road, be willing to do something like that and
not simply memorizing lines on a TV show. For him, it is important to address the
root of the problems, not focus on extremist groups. But teachings like
these feed fears, especially since September 11th. These fears are nothing
new for the people of Israel or members of the Allied Jewish Federation in
Denver who are appalled by the tape. I mean one day they're singing in
kindergarten, the next day someone's putting a rock in their hand and then a gun
and then they're strapping dynamite to them. There's extremists on both sides of
this conflict. As the conflict continues, voices on both sides are hoping to be
heard. Kim Posey, Fox 31 News. Now the people we talked to had never seen the
television show and even though this one is no longer on the air, some believe and
other sphere, programs with similar messages have taken its place. Well we
got a lot of calls about it. Tonight the makers of the Ab Energizer respond to
the troubleshooters fame or shame test next. And when will we warm up for real?
Bob Guzman coming up. On the next Seinfeld.
Did you ever laugh? Not really. What do you do? I'm a comedian.
Tonight at 11 on Fox 31.
Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?
Get ready for the original rush. Chaggy Chad and Chris Tucker in the box office hit that started it all.
A special Fox Wednesday movie. Don't you ever touch a black man's radio boy.
Rush Hour. Wednesday night at 7 on Fox 31.
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Jimmy Morris is a small town high school science teacher but on March 29th.
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A simple bet will bring his major league dreams back to life.
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Rated G. Starts Friday, March 29th.
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Fox follow-up tonight to a troubleshooter fame or shame report.
We checked out the ABB Energizer.
It's the belt that you wear throughout the day, and it's supposed to be the equivalent of doing, I'm not kidding you, 600 sit-ups.
A group of students and a professor at Metro State did our test, and he got a troubleshooter shame because the students say it was uncomfortable and didn't work.
Today, the response we've been waiting for from the company that makes ABB Energizer.
The president says he stands by the product, and he says that, quote,
ABB Energizer has hundreds of thousands of happy customers who are completely satisfied with the results, end quote.
So there you go. I guess if you want it, you've got to test it for yourself, but it didn't work.
You've also got to put down a bag of M&Ms while you're sitting on the couch.
You know, everybody wants a quick fix, right?
Yes, right. Five-day forecast. You wanted some warmer weather. We do have it coming.
It's going to be cold tonight, but these temperatures over the next several days look a lot better than they've been.
Just a few snow showers tomorrow and a better shot at accumulating snow late Thursday into Friday, and we'll have a better look at that tomorrow.
Okay. Thanks, Bob.
Well, the American Red Cross answers the call for rescue, but these days they're the ones putting out that call.
A drop in donations has the Red Cross scrambling to keep their coffers full.
Local chapter officials tell us they're suffering from a 50 percent shortfall this month.
The local disaster relief fund is about two weeks away from running on empty, but the need is increasing, especially with this week's freezing temperatures.
We actually had pipes break and the heat go out in their home.
In a situation where it's two or three degrees below zero, you cannot stay in a home that doesn't have heat.
Well, on any given day, the Denver chapter of the Red Cross helps at least 1,200 people.
Well, bringing home the gold to the Pepsi Center, the Avalanche's gold medal winners show off their hardware next.
And was it a gold medal performance tonight against the Calgary Flames? David has that just ahead.
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Fox 31 News has learned that Terrell Davis will be back with the Broncos next season.
Team officials have told me that they're very close to signing a new deal, basically just working out some of the logistics.
Here's what we do know. A large portion of his base salary will be converted to incentives.
TD was scheduled to make nearly $8 million next season.
And the new incentive laden deal will officially put the Broncos under the salary cap, which had to be done before Friday.
So Terrell will have to perform to get paid.
Rod Smith also saved the Broncos nearly $4 million against the cap by agreeing to a new seven-year deal worth $40 million that includes an $11 million signing bonus.
And it saves the team money because they can pay him a lower base and spread out the upfront money evenly over the seven years.
And I think it's fair to say he earned every penny of it last season.
Well, the gold is back in Colorado. Joe Sackett, Rob Blake, and Adam Foote of Team Canada were back on the ice this morning for the Colorado Avalanche.
And Super Joe was nice enough to show his medal off, as you see right there, ready to carry that momentum for another cup run.
Right up there with the Stanley Cup, obviously, the Stanley Cup, you go through the wars all year, and the playoffs, that's a long haul.
I mean, here, you represent your country, and the important thing is to win your last three games, and we did that.
To find a way to raise your level of play when you're with the best hockey players in the world, like, you know, that's something else, and Joe was able to do this.
So, like, it's just to show you, like, how big of a hockey player Joe Sackett is.
There's a look at the other two gold medalists, Adam Foote and Rob Blake.
And Blake is going to hook up here with Joe Sackett on the first goal. Blake puts it on net.
Sackett there with the redirect, and it just trickles by Roman Turek, one-nothing abs.
Then in the second, during a line change, Scott Nicol handcuffed Swah, slips it by him, so now they're even.
In the third, watch this move here by Super Joe, showing no ill effects from the Olympics.
Hands it off to Rodham Verbata, his 12th goal this season, and he's only a rookie.
Then a really goofy goal late in the third, Patrick falls down. Treponier tries to clear it, it hits.
Swah bounces right in front of the net. Savard cleans it up, 2-2 in overtime, and that's where we sit right now.
Patrick actually had an assist on the Rodham Verbata goal as well. The Phoenix Coyotes come to town on Thursday.
Well, the Colorado Rockies break things up a little bit tomorrow with an intrasquad game.
One guy who won't be doing too much is pitcher Mike Hampton, because as Ty Ray tells us, Hampton is going to pace himself this year.
2001 was really a tale of two seasons for Mike Hampton.
He was an all-star, but Mike sputtered in the second half much like the rest of the Rockies.
Hampton sees a much more consistent 2002 season ahead.
You know, we've got some veteran guys in here, some good leadership, and mix in with some young guys, so I think we've got a good chance to surprise some people.
Hampton believes the only way the Rockies can succeed is through stability.
My biggest thing is I hope we can just keep the nucleus together, you know. Last year we had a lot of changes throughout the season.
Mike likes his role as Rockies ace, but one responsibility he wants to dump is that of pinch hitter.
That does it all, folks. Hampton with a base hit.
I hope I don't need him to pinch hit.
That's not to say he can't hit. For a pitcher, Hampton is an offensive tour de force.
Hampton hammers it. Deep black field. This one's head over the Rockies.
Hampton hit 291 with seven home runs in 2001, but at what cost?
Mike Sizer run average balloon over five, by far the worst in his career. It was a matter of trying to do too much.
The biggest thing is I just, I need to lift my body a little bit. I was strong the first half, and then it kind of, kind of, fatigued mentally and physically by the end of the year.
So hopefully we can just maintain some consistency throughout the year.
Consistency. There's that word again. In Tucson with the Rockies. Ty Ray, Fox 31 Sports.
That's a word the Denver Nuggets are using as part of their rebuilding process, and it's begun in a big way by signing the 6'11", 290 pound, Mink Batur from China, the second such player signed in the NBA.
And on Sunday when Denver plays host to Dallas, it will be the first time the two players from China will square off against one another in league action, among other things we've got going in that game.
In college hoops, CU men on the road at Texas A&M, and Blair Wilson was on fire from three point land again. He was five for nine, 24 points on the night.
And the big freshman, David Harrison, added 20 points as well as the Bucks get a much needed road win, 92 to 77 in College Station.
And the women were also in action tonight. Lincoln with similar success, shooting the lights out at 70%.
Jenny Rouillet with 17 points led the way, and number 11 Colorado coasted to an 84 to 60 victory.
Well in Arkansas, Nolan Richardson is having a subpar season by his standards, and he's starting to feel the heat.
I know for a fact that I do not play on the same level as the other coaches around this school play on.
I know that. You know it. And people of my color know that.
So Nolan Richardson is just a little bit frustrated right now when he cools off. He's going to meet with the school chancellor.
Michael Jordan knee surgery?
Could be out the rest of the season, but they're just going into scope, exploratory, to find out what's causing the problem.
Hopefully he'll be back. It's been a great story for the NBA.
Okay, David.
That's it for the news on this Tuesday night. Thanks very much for watching.
We hope to see you back here again tomorrow night at 9 o'clock. Have a great night.
We'll see you back here next time. Bye.