From 5 News, this is 5 News at 5.
The big news today, cheap gas at least for a little while, and the Diamond Hogs are in
Omaha.
Mike Irwin has the latest.
Good afternoon, everyone.
Thank you for joining your 5 News at 5 today.
We're glad you're here.
I'm Bridget Shultz.
Copying our news, drivers at the pump have been feeling the crunch of high gas prices
for many months now.
But today, thanks to a local radio station, many Northwest Arkansas drivers were in for
some low-cost savings.
5 News, Jenny Hamill was there.
She joins us now from the Northwest Arkansas newsroom with more on this story.
So tell us, Jenny, just how low are these prices?
Well, Bridget, in these days, we're paying about $1.78 a gallon for regular unleaded gas.
Imagine getting that same gallon for less than a buckle.
It sounds like a dream, but today, Country Station Sam 98 made it a reality for just
an hour, and I got to tell you, this promotional event was quite a success.
From 1 to 2 p.m. at Murphy, USA, along Highway 102 in Bentonville, Sam 98 offered 10 gallons
of gas for $9.83.
That's 98 cents a gallon.
And Sam 98 advertised hour-long savings on their radio station, and drivers came in droves.
Hundreds of cars formed, two lines backing up traffic, but patiently waiting for this
big deal at the pump.
Some waited for even 30 to 40 minutes, but they said it was well worth the wait.
Well, we heard it on the radio, so that's when we came and got in line.
You don't see this for 98 cents at all, because I've been paying almost $2.
So this is just wonderful.
Bridget, I've got to tell you, I've not seen anything like this at a gas station in my
life, and even a gas station fed off the event.
After the 2 p.m. cutoff, drivers were coming in to see if they could get some savings or
just to see what all the fuss was about.
Reporting from the Northwest Dockers on Newsroom, Jenny Hamill, KFFN5 News.
So, Jenny, you know exactly how many vehicles actually went to the station during the event?
Well, yep.
The 1-98 did get the final tally, and within only 60 minutes, 201 vehicles went through
the station, getting a limit of 10 gallons at 98 cents a gallon.
Bridget?
Thanks, Jenny.
And to check out gas prices across Arkansas and the U.S., just log on to our website at
5newsonline.com and click on Gas Buddy.
Well, let's check in now on your weather.
It was a pretty nice day for everybody to get out and enjoy the low gas prices for a
little while.
Josh Booth joins us now with the latest in your weather.
Josh?
All right, thanks, Bridget.
Yeah, we are seeing a pretty nice day for the most part here on our throughout the afternoon.
Keep in mind, though, we do have a slight chance of some severe thunderstorms as we
head into our evening, mainly throughout Northwest Arkansas.
We are currently under a severe thunderstorm.
Watch, let's take a look at this right now.
Throughout actually 24 counties in Arkansas, you can see we have some flash flooding warnings
through parts of Missouri.
As you can see on your Limeax 5 Doppler radar, a lot of that precipitation that we saw, some
redevelopment of showers in Washington County has diminished pretty clear right now.
But take a look at your regional radar.
You can see a lot of this.
Look at that development there right by Springfield, going down into Fort Smith almost.
We are seeing some light to moderate rainfall amounts, all of that passing.
However, that chance for severe weather does still exist, Bridget.
A complete look at that coming up in your forecast in just a few minutes.
Okay, thanks, Josh.
Looking forward to it.
Well, at this hour, local police are looking for a man accused of aggravated robbery.
According to Fayetteville police officer Shannon Gabbard, the robbery took place around 11
o'clock this morning at the Electric Cowboy on 6th Street.
A man walked in and demanded the accountant there give him the money from the safe.
The accountant said he didn't have access to the safe, but he gave the robber money
from his wallet.
The man took the money and left.
The robber is described as a black male about 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a husky build.
He was wearing a blue shirt, blue pants, a blue Smirnoff hat and brown shoes, and he
was carrying a small black handgun.
If you have any information about this crime, please call the Fayetteville Police Department
at 587-3555.
Well, the Red Cross has visited 81 homes in Greenwood, said to have major damage from
yesterday's flooding.
Most of the damage was done in the west end of the town.
Greenwood received nearly 6 inches of rain and the water left behind mud and debris in
many businesses and houses.
The Red Cross is currently handing out clean-up kits to residents.
And later, a mud-out group from the Arkansas Baptist Convention disaster relief team will
come in to help with the cleaning.
The Sebastian County Department of Emergency Relief has sent paperwork to the State Department
on the damage.
They should know sometime tomorrow morning if the city will be declared a disaster by
the state.
Well, Salisaw residents are still waiting to find out if the town's old high school
can be saved.
The building was heavily damaged last week by what authorities say was an intentionally
set fire.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with arson in the case.
Meanwhile, Earl Strabeck with the old Salisaw High School Association says the group is
waiting for an engineer to inspect the building.
The structure was built by the Workers' Progress Administration during the 1930s and was the
town's high school from 1941 to 1989.
The association bought it from the school district for $3,100 and spent more than $500,000
on renovations before the fire.
Here's good news.
Northwest Airlines announced today that it is starting service between its hub in Detroit
and the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, which services Fayetteville and Bentonville.
The airline will offer two daily flights starting September 13th.
The company said the flights will be operated by Pinnacle Airlines Corporation's Canada
Air Regional Jet, which seats about 50 people.
Departure flights from Detroit are to be at 3, 10, and 9 p.m. departures from Arkansas,
and they'll be made at 6.20 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Arkansas and Texas are about to play in the College World Series.
Our own Mike Irwin is there in Omaha in the middle of all this fun.
Mike joins us now to tell us or catch us up on everything.
And Mike, are there a lot of Razorback fans there already?
Bridget, we have seen a bunch of Razorback fans all around town, specifically here in
Rosewood Blatt Stadium when the two teams worked out about 12 noon.
Arkansas looks like they're going to have a little bit of an advantage maybe over some
of the other teams here.
You can start with the fact that most local fans certainly have no love lost to the University
of Texas due to their big 12 rivalry.
Dave Van Horn up until a couple of years ago was the head baseball coach at Nebraska, and
the Razorbacks even having a couple of players on their team from Omaha.
While the Longhorns were working out this morning, Arkansas left fielder Jake Dugger
was holding court along the first baseline.
Dugger is home, and life couldn't get much better than coming back home and playing Texas
at the College World Series.
It's unbelievable being back here, especially today, being out here, being on the field,
the people out in the stands.
It's really hitting me today now.
It's going to be unbelievable.
It's going to be a lot of fun.
There are four SEC teams in the field of eight for this year's College World Series.
Fans who have arrived early from each of those schools have already promised to pull for
each other until they play each other.
Local baseball fans here in Omaha have reason to pull for Arkansas too.
They like Van Horn and come out here and just want to see good baseball.
I don't really care who wins or not as long as it is in Texas.
So does all this add up to a home field advantage for the Razorbacks tomorrow?
I think so.
I really do.
I think the fans usually pick a team and they'll back it pretty good.
Hopefully it will be us.
If not, we'll play through it.
I'm looking forward to it.
Ann Bridget, the Razorbacks have made the newspapers here in Omaha.
Not the sports section, but the front page of the Omaha World Herald.
Front page story on Dave Van Horn and how he's hoping that local fans will back him.
We'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if that happens.
There may be some backlash around here since he left the University of Nebraska.
So far it looks so good.
If you're a hog fan, get up here.
There's a woo pig suey atmosphere around here.
Boy, it sounds exciting.
We'll see you soon Mike.
Have a good time.
We'll talk to you later today.
Thanks.
Thank you.
We have on the world news a dramatic ending to the public hearings called by the 9-11 commission.
For the first time, we hear audio tapes of some of the hijackers minutes before the planes
crashed.
Terry Okita has the story from Washington.
The final moments of American Airlines flight 11 were cheerily recounted by the hijacker
himself.
When an audio tape played at the last 9-11 commission hearings, alleged ringleader Mohamed
Atta told passengers they'd endanger themselves and the airplane if they tried anything.
Moments later, the plane crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower.
Then another audio tape transmission, this time of a hijacker aboard United Airlines
flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania.
The commission's report details a series of missteps, miscommunication, and confusion
between civilian and military aviation officials that led to delays in sending fighter jets
to intercept the hijacked planes.
There's several situations going on here.
It's escalating big, big time.
We need to get the military involved with this.
Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the planes be shot down and even mistakenly thought to
have been, but the fighter pilots were given mixed messages.
In short, while leaders in Washington believe the fighters circling above them have been
instructed to quote, take out and quote, hostile aircraft, the only words actually conveyed
to the Langley pilots were to quote, ID, type, and tail.
Aviation officials thought they had appropriate emergency plans in place that had been practiced
for some 20 years, but the commission found those plans were created for a more traditional
type of hijacking rather than suicide hijacking.
Terry Okita, CBS News, Washington.
Well when your 5 News at 5 continues, our Jared Broyles will be here to tell you about
help that is available to help you pay for your prescription drugs.
And there's a lot going on weather-wise as we head into the evening hours.
Some showers right now throughout northwest Arkansas.
Complete details in your 7-day forecast.
You're watching 5 News at 5 with Bridget Schultz and Max 5 chief meteorologist, Gary Lewis.
This is 5 News at 5.
Fishing tournaments get a little heated, especially when $100,000 is on the line.
Amateur anglers from all over will converge on the Arkansas River on June 25th and 26th
during the Arkansas Ford Dealers Big Bass Bonanza.
Visit any Arkansas Ford dealer for $20 off your entry fee and your chance at $100,000.
And while you're there, check out the 2004 Motor Trend Truck of the Year.
Don't miss the Arkansas Ford Dealers Big Bass Bonanza.
Toyota's best of the best summer sales drive is on now.
We have the country's best-selling car, the world's best-selling car.
Consumers digest best buys.
No wonder Toyota's the best-selling car line in America.
Get a triple option on the fuel-efficient, funded drive Corolla.
One, take $1,000 cash back.
Two, get 0% financing.
Three, own a Corolla CE for just $169 a month.
Don't miss the best of the best summer sales drive.
See your Arkansas Toyota dealer today.
I'm George W. Bush, and I approve this message.
I'm optimistic about America because I believe in the people of America.
After recession, 9-11, and war, now our economy has been growing for 10 straight months.
The largest tax relief in history, 1.4 million jobs added since August.
Inflation, interest and mortgage rates low, record home ownership.
John Kerry's response, he's talking about the Great Depression.
One thing's sure, pessimism never created a job.
Cultural treasures, spectacular scenery, natural wonders, mysterious finds and recreational adventures.
They're all right here in our own backyard.
Join us each Friday night as we explore great getaways close to home.
Nestled in the Ouachita Mountains is an outdoorsman's paradise.
Whether it's hiking, fishing, camping or trail riding, you can do it all at Winding's Faire.
Come along with us as we head out for Fridays on the Highways, only on 5 News at 5.
Thanks for staying with us, everyone.
Without pharmaceutical companies, free or discounted drug programs,
many patients without prescription drug coverage would simply have to do without.
5 News reporter Jared Boyle joins us now live from our Fort Smith newsroom with information that could help you today.
Jared?
BridgettHelpingPatients.org is a website with information for patients struggling to pay for their prescription drug benefits.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association has created a website
where patients can learn about different drug companies' assistance programs.
Pharma's website is really very easy.
The user simply logs on to HelpingPatients.org.
From there, the patient, caregiver or doctor is asked to enter basic information,
such as the patient's age, where they live, the estimated household income,
the name of the drug that's been prescribed and any medical coverage that patient currently has.
While the website may be helpful to get patients started,
it's important to note that each pharmaceutical company uses a different application form,
so patients shouldn't expect immediate assistance.
In Fort Smith, the Good Samaritan Clinic manager says the paperwork process to apply for help can be overwhelming.
So they might be on six or seven medications.
They conceivably would have to fill out six or seven different forms to do.
But the real purpose of this website is to help patients find the programs they may be eligible for.
Reporting live in the Fort Smith newsroom, Jared Broyles, KFSM 5 News.
So Jared, how long does it take for patients to know if they'll actually receive the assistance?
Well, Bridget, once they've filled out all the paperwork for whatever they're applying for,
it could take anywhere from six to eight weeks.
But of course, that differs from drug company to drug company.
Thanks, Jared.
Well, America's largest organization of retired people is getting behind legislation
to legalize the importation of prescription drugs from other countries.
The AARP announced it will endorse and aggressively work for the passage of the bill.
AARP leaders say while legalizing drug importation is not a complete solution to the high cost of prescription drugs,
it could bring much needed savings to consumers.
So this brings us to today's 5 News WebPoll.
We are asking who should be responsible for helping the uninsured get the health care they need?
If you would like to take part in today's poll, you can log on to our website, 5newsonline.com.
In the meantime, we have the results from our previous poll where we asked, do you have flood insurance?
This, of course, because of the flooding in Greenwood, 19% of you who participated said yes, 81% said no.
Coming up on your 5 News at 5, there's some bad news for those of you who've had liposuction.
But first, a complete look at your weather with forecaster Josh Booth. Stay with us.
Alan Kenning Company is a proud sponsor of the Weathernet.
Weathernet is an award-winning education technology, engaging students with dynamic graphics and real-world conditions.
I'm Josh Allen, executive vice president of Alan Kenning Company.
We support the youth of our community and believe that it's important our students get the best education possible.
That's why Alan Kenning Company is proud to provide the Weathernet system to the Alma Middle Schools.
Alan Kenning Company and 5 News, supporting education in our communities.
Weathernet, exclusively on 5 News.
Time to get up. Can't be late for school.
I told you to go to bed last night, but you don't want to listen.
Get up.
Can't be late for school.
With the Sprint PCS Vision Video Phone, it's easy to shoot and send videos to family and friends.
With the Sprint PCS, now that's better.
I want to be president of the United States because I love this country and I think it's going in the wrong direction.
People are worried about how they're going to be able to have a retirement.
How are you going to have healthcare?
43 million Americans don't even have it.
This is wrong.
In the richest country on the face of the planet, no American ought to be struggling to be able to have healthcare.
It ought to be a right that we make accessible and affordable to every single American.
I'm John Kerry and I approve this message.
Bill Clinton's ready to tell his story. All of it.
I did a bad thing.
Where can you hear it? Where else? 60 Minutes, Sunday.
All this week on the early show, ever dream of getting married on TV?
Kind of not, right here live in our plaza.
This couple did and you could do it too.
You found your gown.
How about having your dream wedding planned exactly the way you want it in just one week?
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
Don't miss our wedding in a week series all this week on the early show.
Now, forecaster Josh Booth with your live Max 5 Doppler forecast.
Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley's most accurate weather.
And good evening to you.
Certainly a lot to talk about as we head into the rest of our night tonight and going into Friday and Saturday.
That chance for severe weather will continue.
I'm Josh Booth, Chief Meteorologist Garrett Lewis will be back with us next week.
Take a look at your live Weathernet site locations first up here, exclusive to our station here at Channel 5.
83 degrees in Bentonville at Spring Hill Middle School currently.
78 in Springdale.
88 degrees in Poto and 90 degrees in Elma.
We do have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect throughout much of the viewing area.
This will go into effect until 8 o'clock tonight from Fort Smith, Sebastian County here all the way up to Benton County.
We do right now.
Let's put your live Max 5 Doppler right here.
I want to show you what we're looking at here.
I apologize for earlier in the broadcast, but we are getting the correct data right now.
And let me show you what's going on.
If we zoom into Fayetteville right here, we'll make this at about a we'll see a 21 mile radius.
We're zooming into Fayetteville.
We are seeing some light to moderate rainfall amounts right now just to the south of Fayetteville and to the north northeast of Greenland this hour.
Keep in mind that while that slight chance of severe thunderstorms over northwest Arkansas will continue throughout the evening,
a lot of that sunshine we saw today triggering those scattered thunderstorms throughout the afternoon and for early tonight.
Here's what it looks like right now on your regional radar.
As you can see, look at that development from Springfield as we put it back in motion for you from earlier going right up until a little after five here.
We're certainly watching this very closely again.
The atmosphere pretty unstable thanks to that abundance of sunshine that we saw throughout the day today.
Your regional satellite view right now has put this into motion again, partly cloudy skies for the most part.
Really following those showers that are popping up that we are seeing.
OK, eighty nine degrees in Fort Smith.
Some more temperatures for you.
The low seventies in Fayetteville, eighty eight degrees in Clarksville.
Here's what it feels like, though, with our heat index.
And I'm telling you, I can feel it in the studio here in our Fort Smith studio.
That's a warm one out there.
Ninety six degrees is what it feels like outside, folks.
When we factor that humidity in one oh one in Poto, ninety four degrees Clarksville.
How about Fayetteville? Seventy six eighty seven in Rogers.
That humidity is really playing a role in our forecast today, making it quite warm for us.
Eighty nine degrees, our current temperature of Oklahoma City, seventy in Springfield.
And we're at the upper eighties right now in Little Rock and in Memphis.
All right. Well, as we zoom out for you, take a look at what's happening nationally.
Again, as you can see here, we're watching this very closely.
Those showers and storms as well as two parts of Missouri.
Looks like the majority of these showers and severe thunderstorms are going to stay to our north throughout the night tonight.
We do have a chance, though, of those becoming severe.
We're going to keep an eye out there for you.
The upper sixties for the most part tonight winds out of the east at five to ten sixty seven Huntsville.
Sixty seven degrees in Eureka Springs, sixty eight degrees in Winslow.
How about the River Valley in the Washtenaw for tonight?
Well, for the most part, we're going to see temperatures in the low 70s.
Seventy one Van Buren, seventy two Ozarks, seventy two degrees in Clarksville for tomorrow.
Our Friday slight risk of severe weather.
Main threat going to be large hail and some gusty winds out there.
Here's a look at your seven day forecast for northwest Arkansas.
That's where we'll start.
Eighty seven degrees for Friday, a 30 percent chance of showers for tomorrow.
That'll continue going into our Saturday morning.
And then as we head into our Sunday here, we'll see a 30 percent chance of showers as well.
That chance for rain, though, just that summer afternoon pop up showers, as we like to say.
That's going to continue on through much of our work week next week, going into Wednesday and Thursday.
How about the River Valley and the Washtenaw again?
For the most part, our high temperatures tomorrow, ninety two.
It's going to feel a lot warmer out there, though, with that humidity factored in.
I'll tell you that right now.
Eighty eight degrees on our Saturday, a 30 percent chance of showers and the upper 80s,
low 90s for the most part as we head into our work week next week.
So those showers, Bridget, really trying to cool us off a little bit.
Anyway, that's the good news for us.
Just keep in mind that we do have that slight potential for severe weather throughout northwest Arkansas,
northeastern Oklahoma as we head into the next several hours here.
It's just that time of year.
We have to watch out for that.
That's right. Summer time is here.
Just no more flooding.
Yeah, I know. Hopefully not.
We are seeing some flooding, though, in parts of Missouri tonight, but we're crossing our fingers.
Yeah. Thanks, Josh.
OK.
Well, coming up next in Health Watch, it's a program that's designed to help Arkansans who have diabetes.
And it's called The Patch, and it could be to women what Viagra is to men.
But first, Dr. Phil's tip of the day.
My tip of the day deals with teenage pregnancies.
Any time you have sexually active children, or you think you may, you have to plug in.
It is so important for parents to get to their pregnant teens early.
Prenatal care, the vitamins that go with that, are so important.
And we see in the research a significant shift in birth weight of children of teenage mothers.
And it's because they start too late in prenatal care and don't stop some of the things they shouldn't be doing
and starting some of the things they need to be doing.
Do not assume that you know what your sons and daughters are doing sexually.
And if you have a daughter that is sexually active, create the flow so she can come to you
such that you can get the care in a timely way if necessary.
Five Views at Five is sponsored by Branson, Missouri, the cure for spring fever.
Our family had a problem.
I'm Willie Ames. We were diagnosed with summertime blues.
Thank goodness our doctor prescribed Branson, Missouri.
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In today's health news, men have Viagra, but women may soon have something similar in the form of a patch.
The patch delivers low doses of testosterone, which is supposed to boost a woman's sexual drive.
In clinical tests, women reported a 49 percent increase in sexual desire.
The company who makes the patch believes this data could lead to an FDA approval.
Liposuction may make your waistline smaller, but it won't make you any healthier.
In a new study, women who had more than 20 pounds of belly fat sucked out did not appear to lower their risk of diabetes or heart disease.
Researchers say only diet and exercise can get rid of a deeper fat called visceral fat, which is suspected of causing health problems.
Governor Mike Huckabee says a new program that combines state and private efforts will help diabetes patients in two ways.
He says the program will improve patients' quality of life and save taxpayer dollars by reducing the need for some medical care.
The Arkansas Diabetes Control Program is getting funding by grants from Eli Lilly and Company.
The program has added 12 diabetes education centers across the state, and about 1,000 Medicaid patients use the free counseling now.
Officials hope to put an education center in every Arkansas county, adding to the 33 centers already operating.
The program is part of the state's Healthy Arkansas initiative.
Well, still to come, one more look at your weather with Josh Booth, and we'll take you to a summer camp for horse lovers.
Stay with us.
Well, let's check back in with everybody's favorite forecaster, Josh Booth. He has the latest in your weather.
All right, yes, let's go right to it. A lot to talk about tonight, Bridget, actually.
We're going to start off with your, actually, as you can see here, we do have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect as we head into our evening tonight until 8 o'clock.
Actually, 24 counties in Arkansas, as you can see there, highlighted from Sebastian County on up through Benton County, actually, tonight.
This will be in effect until 8 o'clock, and I want to show you what's going on right now at the very latest with your live Max 5 Doppler radar.
As you can see, we are seeing some showers and storms right now near Rogers.
We'll zoom in for you one final time as we round out the half hour here, and as you can see, we're just seeing some light to moderate rainfall amounts at an 18-mile radius right near Lowell Bethel Heights just to the south of Rogers.
So one of the very latest for you coming up at 6 o'clock tonight, and I think after we head out of the evening tonight, Bridget, we'll be able to rest easy for the most part until tomorrow.
Good. Until tomorrow.
That's right.
Thanks, Josh.
Okay.
We'll leave you until 6 with an unusual summer camp.
This week, boys and girls 8 to 18 are taking the opportunity to learn more about riding and caring for horses.
The University of Arkansas's DE Equine Program is sponsoring the Horse Lovers Day Camp, and upon completion, participants will have developed or improved their riding skills.
It will also help increase their knowledge of tack and horse care.
Thanks for being here, everyone.
We'll see you again in about 30 minutes.
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