The White House announced they are finalizing a plan to close the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, fulfilling one of President Obama's campaign promises. Congress would have to approve any plan to close the prison. The facility remains open despite Obama signing an executive order in 2009 to close it within one year due to obstacles placed by lawmakers.

1. [[SS]]
A same-sex couple was granted a marriage license Monday morning after filing a
lawsuit against Hood County Clerk Katie Lang.
[[ONCAM]]
Jim Cato and Joe Stapleson say they were turned away repeatedly while trying to
obtain the license last week.
Lang previously cited her religious opposition to same-sex marriage in denying the
license.
Their attorney said they want Lang to agree to issue licenses to same-sex couples
without delay before they drop the case.
They are also seeking attorney fees.
Lang was not immediately available for comment Monday.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A toddler is dead after finding a pistol and shooting himself in the head.
[[ONCAM]]
The Harris County Sheriff's office responded to reports in the Houston suburb of Spring
that a 3 year old boy had been hurt.
Dectives say the boy's grandparents were babysitting and put him down for a nap in the
master bedroom.
When the grandparents went to check on him they saw that he found a pistol and shot
himself in the head.
The case is being reffered to a grand jury.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A bald eagle was released into the wild last month after being treated for avian pox and
a broken beak.
[[ONCAM]]
A San Antonio-based non profit,Last Chance Forever, rescued the eagle in 2012 after a
man attempted to capture the eagle and train it for falconry.
The Houston-area man was convicted of violating the Mirgatory Bird Treaty Act, put on
probation and fined $15,000 for disturbing the eagle's nest.

2. John Karger, the group's executive director, declined to say where the eagle was set
free.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
For the first time in 50 years, a cruise operator may soon be starting up trips to Cuba.
[[ONCAM]]
Carnival Cruises says it will launch 7-night "people to people" cruises beginning in May
2016.
The US Treasury Department approved the trips, but are still waiting on Cuban
authorities to give the OK.
[[VO]]
Only US travelers that fall under one of 12 approved catagories cmay visit the country
without a license.
Catagories include traveling for educational activities, like people to people exchanges.
Leisure travel to Cuba is still banned.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The election was last year, but Governor Greg Abbott still has more than 17 million
dollars in campaign funds
[[ONCAM]]
The Governor released his account balance Wednesday, but has not yet disclosed his
largest donors.
Those names will be released next week in mandatory campaign finance filings.
Governor Abbott is still raising money, even though the next gubernatorial election is
three years away.

3. The 47 million dollars he raised in the 2014 election was also a record.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Pope Francis is in Bolivia in the next stop of his South American Tour Wednesday.
[[VO]]
Pope Francis landed near La Paz, Bolivia’s capital to a waiting crowd of nearly four
thousand people.
The Pope has praised Bolivia for trying to include the lower classes in its political and
economic life.
Bolivian President Evo Morales (EH-voh mohr-AHL-ays) said both he and Francis were
both advocating for those most in need.
In Morales' words "He who betrays a poor person, betrays Pope Francis."
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The ban on openly gay adult leaders in the Boy Scouts has been all but repealed.
[[ONCAM]]
In a unanimous decision Monday, the executive committee of the Boy Scouts of
America approved a resolution that would end the ban.
[[VO]]
The resolution would allow individual scout units to set their own policy on the long-
divisive issue.
The committee action comes after an emphatic speech by BSA president and former
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
In the speech, Gates said the long-standing ban on particiaption by openly gay adults
was no longer sustainable.
In 2013, after bitter internal debate, the B-S-A decided to allow gay youth into the
organization, but not gay adults as leaders.
[[END]]

4. [[SS]]
Shrimp and oyster havesting business could be in danger after record rainfalls here in
Texas.
[[ONCAM]]
The average intake of brown shrimp from Texas offshore waters is about 25 million
pounds per year, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that
this year we will only catch approximately 18 million pounds. The Galveston County
Daily News reports the shrimp are expected to be smaller and harder to catch. Oysters,
which thrive in higher salinity, were wiped out when the freshwater flowed into
Galveston Bay. A spokesperson for Prestige Oysters says it could be up to three years
before the business recovers.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A free same-sex wedding expo is set to debut in the Alamo City this August...
[[ONCAM]]
...the first of its kind for the city following the historic ruling by the Supreme Court ruling
that legalized same-sex marraige nationwide.
[[VO]]
The event , Same Love Same RIghts' LGBT Wedding Expo, is slated for August 23 from
12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Westin River Walk, 420 W. Market Street.
Organizers expect around 400 people to attend.
The expo will feature LGBT-friendly wedding professionals, free samples, LGBT
ceremony planning tips, raffles and more during the three-hour event, according to
Rainbow Wedding Network.
The Company has had several expos in Dallas, Austin, and Houston, but this is the first
for San Antonio.
The event is family friendly, and the website says children are welcome.
There are currently 280 tickets reserved so far for the event, but more are expected to
sign up.
The expo is free, but a $5 donation is requested.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Republican presidential candidate Donald trump took the lead in a national poll released
on Tuesday.
[[ONCAM]]

5. It marks the first time he has held the top spot since announcing his candidacy.
[[VO]]
According to the Suffolk university and U-S-A Today Survey, Trump is polling at 17
percent support.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush trailed behind him at 14 percent. The rest of the
GOP field remains in the single digits.
The poll's margin of error is plus or minus fice and a quarter percentage points.
Trump has been climbing the polls in the wake of the wide spread media coverage of
his controversial remarks regarding illegal immigration.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
After the death of a Texas corrections officer on Wednesday, Governor Greg Abbott
released a statement, giving his condolences to the officer's family.
[[FS]]
The Governor said that "Officer Davison was a public servant in the truest sense of the
phrase, but more importantly, he was a parent to two children who will remain in our
thoughts and prayers as they grieve the loss of their father. The State of Texas will
ensure that the inmate responsible for this heinous act is prosecuted to the fullest extent
of the law.”
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A corrections officer was killed in an attack at a northeast Texas Prison.
[[ONCAM]]
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark says the officer,
Timothy Davison had been with the agency since December.
The department says Davison was escorting an inmate to his cell Wednesday morning
when the prisoner used an object to beat the officer.
Davison was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
Officials have not identified the weapon used.
A 37 year old inmate with a history of violence towards officers has been identified as
the assailant.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
San Marcos Police are looking for a man witnesses say videoed and exposed himself to
a child

6. [[ONCAM]]
in a local restaurant Saturday July fourth at around 7:20 p.m.
The man is described as a white male, standing at five feet and ten inches, about 170
pounds with gray hair and blue eyes.
He was wearing an orange longhorn hat, gray t-shirt, and black jogging shorts.
A customer of the Whataburger located at 4040 South IH-35 claims she saw the man
filming the child, then exposed himself. She alerted the child’s parents, notified store
management, and called the police.
The subject was seen leaving the are in a 1990's style Dodge Caravan minivan soon
after.
[[FS]]
People with information about the case are asked to call Detective Robert Elrod at 512-
753-2132 during normal business hours, or the SMPD non-emergency number at 512-
753-2108.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Former Congressman Michael Grimm was sentened to 8 months in federal prison on
Friday.
[[VO]]
The former Marine and FBI agent turned Congressman resigned last year after pleading
guilty to tax fraud, a felony.
Grimm apologized in court Friday morning, but the apology came too late for Judge
Pamela Chen.
Prosecutors had argued for a prison sentence of up to 30 months, while Grimm's
lawyers said he should face no prison time.
Judge Chen says quote "That this type of crime is common does not lessen its
significance ...Your moral compass, Mr. Grimm, needs some reorientation."
Former Congressman Grimm is expected to surrender September 10th.
[[END]]
[[SOT]]

7. "I've been a police officer in three different decades, I've been a police leader for a long
time, I have never seen an investigation as aggressive, robust and thorough as this one
is and will be."
[[ONCAM]]
The four Marines killed in Thrusday's attack in Chattanooga, Tennesee have been
identified.
Lance Corporal Skip Wells, Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Sullivan, Staff Sergeant David
Wyatt, and Sergeant Carson Holmquist were killed Thrusday when a lone gunman
opened fire at a military recruitment center.
The gunman, who we will not identify in order to not glorify in any way this horrific event,
was killed by police.
Authorities are investigating the attack as an act of terrorism, but have yet to discover
direct ties to any terrorist networks.
The shooter's relatives and friends have said that they never thought of him as a violent
person.
Investigators say finding the killer's motive is top priority.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The unemployment rate in Texas fell slightly in June to 4.2 percent, down from May's
4.3 percent.
[[ONCAM]]
The Texas Workforce Commission said Friday that this marks the third month this year
that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 4.2 percent, the lowest rate
of unemployment for the state since July of 2007.
Texas has added jobs in 56 of the previous 57 months, including a total of 53,600
positions in the first half of 2015.
Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate in June at 3.2 percent, while the McAllen-
Edinburg-Mission area had the highest at 7.8 percent.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The I-R-S has collected more than one billion dollars from Americans who have not
gotten health insurance.
[[ONCAM]]

8. According to the agency, seven point five million Americans paid an average of 200
dollars for not purchasing health insurace in 20-14.
[[VO]]
That's more than the three to six million that the government estimated in January.
20-14 was the first year Americans were required to have coverage under the
Affordable Care Act.
So far, the I-R-S says it has collected about one point five billion dollars in penalty
payments.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The man who landed his gyro-copter on U-S Capitol grounds in April is rejecting a plea
deal for a ten month prison sentence.
[[ONCAM]]
The offer to 61 year-old Douglas Hughes is set to expire Wednesday, and the case
appears to be headed to trial.
[[VO]]
Hughes faces numerous charges and nearly ten years in prison if convicted.
Hughes says he flew the gyrocopter to the capitol to deliver letters to Congress
protesting campaign finance laws..
The Washington Post reports that Hughes is continuing his crusade, hoping for
nationwide demonstrations to protest special interest money in politics.
He also asked the court if he could accept money from an unnamed group to pay for a
high-profile First Amendment attorney.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
One of President Obama's 2008 campaign promises is close to being fulfilled.
[[ONCAM]]
The White House says it is nearing a plan to close the controversial Guantanamo Bay
detention facility in Cuba.
They announced Wednesday that the plan is in its final stages.
President Obama signed an executive order in 2009 to close the facility within one year,
but the prison remains open.

9. [[SOT]]
"That has been something that our national security officials have been working on for
quite some time, primarily because it is a priority of the president."
[[ONCAM]]
Congress would have to approve any plan to close Guantanamo Bay.
Over the years, lawmakers have placed significant obstacles in the way of transferring
detainees.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The controversial Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba is one step closer to
closing.
[[ONCAM]]
The White House announced Wednesday they are finalizing a plan to carry out one of
President Obama's key campaign promises.
The president signed an executive order in 2009 to close the facility within one year, but
the prison remains open.
Congress would have to approve any plan to close Guantanamo Bay.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Starbucks is seeing a rise in profits, despite a recent wage hike.
[[ONCAM]]
Starbucks' store operating expenses have increased 18 percent in the last year.
[[VO]]
The company says the main reason for the uptick is because cities all over the country
are raising the minimum wage.
Starbucks C-E-O Howard Schultz has spoken out against a wage increase, saying it will
come with hidden consequences.
Earlier this month, Starbucks announed a price hike for most of its drinks in stores all
over the country.
[[END]]

10. [[SS]]
Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is criticizing quote "A lot of
inaccuracies" about her email controversy.
[[ONCAM]]
The inspector general for the intelligence community said in a letter to Congress that
some of Clinton's emails contained classified information, but were not handled as such.
He says that some of the emails should have been transmitted via a secure network.
This is what the Former Secretary of State had to say on Friday:
[[SOT]]
"There have been a lot of inaccuracies, as Congressman Cummings made clear this
morning, maybe the heat is getting to everybody. We all have a responsibility to get this
right. I have released 55k pages of emails. I have said repeatedly that I will answer
questions before the House committee. We're all accountable to get the facts right, and
I will do my part."
[[ONCAM]]
In the past, Clinton has denied sending classified information from her personal server.
The inspectors general for intelligence community and the State Department have
asked the Department of Justice to open an investigation.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Police have identified the women who died in Thursday's shooting at a movie theater in
Lafayette, Louisiana.
[[ONCAM]]
33 year old Jillian Johnson and 21 year old Mayci Breaux were killed when the shooter
opened fire at the theater.
[[VO]]
Jillian, on the left, was a Lafayette native who co-owned a gift and toy shop with her
husband and was part of a Cajun/folk music band.
Mayci was a student at Louisiana State University in Eunice and worked at a clothing
boutique.
She was supposed to start radiology school at Lafayette general hospital in the coming
days.
Nine other people were injured in the shooting, including Mayci's boyfriend.

11. At least two of the wounded have been treated and released from a hospital.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug designed to lower
cholesterol.
[[VO]]
Praluent is the first in a new class of drugs that removes L-D-L cholesterol from the
blood.
It's an option for people who aren't responding to other available medications or who
suffer from side effects.
The F-D-A is also considering another cholesterol lowering option that was approved in
Europe earlier this week.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The F-D-A wants to change the way sugar is labeled on packaged foods.
[[ONCAM]]
On Friday, the agency proposed that nutrition labels should show a daily value for
added sugars.
[[VO]]
Right now, labels show the total amount of sugar, but don't differentiate between added
sugar and sugars found naturally in food.
The public will get to weigh in on the proposal before the FDA makes a decision.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The Inspector General of the Intelligence Community says some of the emails Hillary
Clinton sent from her private email account while Secretary of State contained classified
information.
[[ONCAM]]
Charles McCullough said those emails were not marked as classified though...so
Clinton may not have been aware of her error.
He referred the case to the Justice Department for review.

12. But it's not a CRIMINAL referral as the New York Times first reported Thursday...and
later issued a correction on.
Clinton maintains she's done nothing wrong...and Friday criticized the Times.
[[SOT]]
"I have released 55 thousand pages of emails, I have said repeatedly I will answer
questions before the house committee. We are all accountable to the American people
to get the facts right."
[[ON CAM]]
Clinton has released about 30-thousand emails she sent using her private email
account.
McCullough says in the sampling of 40 emails he saw, four contained classified
material.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
After last year's ebola scare, the United States Air Force is stepping up its readiness
level.
[[ONCAM]]
The new Transport Isolation System is the next step in fighting not just ebola, but other
infectious diseases.
[[VOSOT]]
"We now have this capability for worldwide movement that the world didn't have a year
ago."
"We can provide critical care in the air...inside the TIS that other units really aren't
capable of doing."
[[a]]
A metal frame is holding together tight, sturdy plastic.
THe T-I-S is designed to fit inside a C-17 aircraft.
The system can handle up to ten patients.
So far the Marine Corps Biocontainment Unit has only had one patient, but should the
need arise, they'll be ready.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A man was arrested at DFW Airport Monday while trying to board a plane without a
ticket

13. [[ONCAM]]
Authorities say the 26 year old man somehow got through a TSA checkpoint Sunday
night despite not having a ticket.
[[VO]]
He then boarded a commercial flight.
An airport agent contacted law enforcement after the man got on the flight.
He was arrested on a charge of criminal trespassing.
A TSA spokesman said the agency is reviewing the incident and have added more
barriers to screening areas at the airport.
Officials have not released the man's name.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
New details are emerging in the case of Sandra Bland.
[[ONCAM]]
Toxicology experts in Tarrant County and the University of Florida say it's likely she had
access to marijuana in jail before she died.
[[VO]]
Monday, authorities released Bland's initial toxicology report.
It shows her bloodstream had 18-micrograms per liter of T-H-C, one of the active
components of marijauna.
Waller County's District Attorney declined to comment on the report.
Last week, one of the prosecutors said that he wouldn't rule out drugs being smuggled
into the jail.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Democratic Presidential Candidate Martin O'Malley will meet with African American
leaders in South Carolina next week.
[[ONCAM]]
The former Maryland governor was invited by the black leadership group "20/20
Leaders of America".
[[VO]]
It will be O'Malley's first official campaign trip to the early primary state, hosted by
Columbia's first black mayor, Steve Benjamin.

14. The visit comes after the Governor responded to protesters chanting "Black lives
matter" by saying "All lives matter".
The phrase black lives matter is often used by activists protesting the death of black
Americans at the hands of police.
O'Mally apologized for his comments, saying that he wasn't trying to detract from the
group's message.
Governor O'Malley is running for the Democratic ticket against former Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders, and former Senator Jim Webb.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The Pentagon says the war against ISIS has cost taxpayers more that three point two
billion dollars--and counting.
[[ONCAM]]
The cost of military operations targeting militants of the Islamic State racks up to about
nine million dollars a day.
[[VO]]
Most of that money is spent on daily flying operations by the Air Force.
Costs averaged five point six million dollars a day last August, but costs have risen as
the Islamic State expanded from Iraq and into Syria.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A Republican Congressman called on President Obama to fire I-R-S chief John
Koskinen.
[[ONCAM]]
House Government Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz says Koskinen
misled Congress.
He also says that Koskinen obstructed the investigation into the I-R-S's alleged
targeting of conservative groups.
THe G-O-P's outrage stems from the deletion of thousands of e-mails belonging to
Louis Lerner, the former I-R-S employee at the center of the allegations.
[[SOT]]

15. "We believe that the IRS has failed to comply with a duly issued subpoena, they have
failed to adhere to their internal preserve, uh, preservation order that they put in place,
and Mr. Koskinen failed to testify truthfully.
[[ONCAM]]
The committee's top democrat, Elijah Cummings, called Chaffetz's comments part of a
quote "manufactured political crisis".
Cummings said that the Inspector General found no evidence that the actions of the IRS
were politically motivated.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
America's roads have three months grace...
[[ONCAM]]
Wednesday, the U-S House of Representatives passed an extension to fund the
nation's troubled infrastructure.
It's the second time in as many weeks the House has passed an extension for the
Highway Trust Fund, which runs out of money Friday.
[[VO]]
The Senate has passed a three year highway bill, but the House didn't take the bait.
Republican leaders in both chambers are scrambling to come to consensus on the
opposing bills before the July 29th deadline.
National Association of Manufacturers CEO Jay Timmons says that a long-term
highway funding bill would quote "immediately secure and create jobs for manufacturers
in the United States."
Since 2009, Congress has passed 33 short-term patches, leaving states to wonder
exactly how much money they would recieve in the coming months.
Federal funding currently accounts for about a third of the Texas Department of
Transportation's budget.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
A lawyer for the man arrested on terror charges on Wednesday says his client had no
intention of engaging in terrorism.
[[ONCAM]]
The FBI took the 44 year old Arafat Nagi into custody this morning.

16. Federal prosecutors allege that Arafat, a U-S citizen, planned on giving support to ISIS.
He has traveled to Turkey twice in recent years, and has also purchesed military-grade
combat gear.
Nagi's attorney says prosecutors will have a hard time proving any wrongdoing.
[[SOT]]
"There's nothing inherently illegal about any of those things and a confidential informant
is often one of the weakest types of evidence..."
[[ONCAM]]
If convicted, Nagi faces up to 15 years in prison and a 250 dollar fine.
His attorney will plead "not guilty" on his behalf if an idictment is issued.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
The war of words between Donald Trump and former Texas Governor Rick Perry
escalated on Wednesday.
[[ONCAM]]
After a speech on his plans for Wall Street reform if elected President, Perry
responeded to Trumps allegations that he lacks energy, toughness, and quote "brain
power".
[[SOT]]
"Let's get a pull up bar out there and see who can do the most pull-ups."
[[ONCAM]]
Perry is one of Trump's most outspoken critics, even calling for the contoversial
businessman to drop out of the 20-16 race.
Trump responded by saying that Perry doesn't have the intellingence required to be
president.
Perry is currently struggling to meet Fox News' requierments to appear onstage at the
first GOP primary debate.
Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, and seven other cadidates will appear onstage
on August 6th.
[[END]]

17. [[SS]]
110 films from around the world will debut at San Antonio's 21st annual film festival.
[[ONCAM]]
The huge, six day event will feature award ceremonies and brunch with celebrities.
Here's a look at one of the films to be screened...
[[nats :03]]
A special screening of "To Whom It May Concern" starting Wilmer Valderrama and
Dawn Olivieri will happen at noon Saturday.
Celebrities will host free panels on Saturday from 10 to 2 pm where people can ask
questions and network with film-makers.
[[oncam]]
The films shown will be family friendly, and cheap to get into.
It's just 10 dollars for day screenings and 15 dollars for the evening.
We spoke with the festival director who says, San Antonio's film industry shows no
since of slowing down.
[[sot]]
"This is an event that furthers the film community of San Antonio.
Beyond the realms, and foot print of Bexar County from Toronto to London to Beijing,
All over the world, literally people are flying in for this now."
[[ONCAM]]
The festival will be held at the Toben Center for Performing Arts.
To find out more, go to S-A film dot com.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Chevron announced on Friday that its earnings dropped almost 90 percent from last
year.
[[ONCAM]]
Texas' own Exxon Mobil has also seen dramatic profit loss.
[[VO]]
It earned half as much as it did in 20-14.

18. The poor earnings are caused by oil and gas prices dropping to lower levels than we've
seen in years.
Oil is now at 50 dollars a barrel, down from last year's average of 112 dollars.
Experts don't see prices rebounding any time soon because of an abundance of oil in
the Middle East.
In the past year Chevron's stock fell 30 percent, while Exxon's is down 20 percent.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Presidential candidate Chris Christie thinks it's premature to dismiss Donald Trump's
presence in the polls.
[[ONCAM]]
The New Jersey Governor dismissed Senator Rand Paul's assertion that Trump's rise
was the result of quote "a temporary sort of loss of sanity."
Christie said that Trump controls the longevity of his own campaign.
[[SOT]]
"Donald's going to be as serious a candidate as he wants to be. He can determine
through the depth of his answers, the seriousness of his answers, whether he's a
serious candidate or he isn't.
[[ONCAM]]
Christie, as well as Texas' own Rick Perry, along with several other candidates, risks
being absent from the first primary debate.
Fox News has restricted the number or candidates allowed at the debate to ten, based
on the five most recent poll numbers as of Tuesday August fourth.
Governor Christie is not discouraged, however, he says he intends to make next week's
debate.
[[END]]
[[ONCAM]]
The military is still dealing the with the fallout from a cyber attack last week.
[[VO]]
A key e-mail system remains offline, and officials aren't sure when it can be fixed.
Four thousand employees of the top military commanders still can't access their e-mails.

19. Officials believe an individual or group hacked into the Pentagon server, which holds
thousands of emails related to everything from operations to budget matters.
They say no classified documents were compromised.
The U-S Cyber Command is investigating the incident.
We don't know if any other government servers were affected.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
Citibank revealed on Monday that it is being investigated over its student loan services.
[[ONCAM]]
According to a person familiar with the investigation, the Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau is conducting the probe.
[[VO]]
The C-F-P-B is the same agency that penalized Discover for aggressive debt collection
practices, inflating student loan bills, and giving customers misleading information.
Discover had to refund 16 million dollars to consumers, and pay a two point five million
dollar penalty.
The C-F-P-B's crackdown comes after it sought comments from student borrowers
about the payment process.
The agency says more than 40 million Americans have student loans, totaling more
than one point two trillion dollars.
[[END]]
[[SS]]
14 of the 17 Republicans running for the White House attended a presidential forum on
Monday.
[[ONCAM]]
One of the three candidates missing was the leader in the polls, the controversial
Donald Trump.
[[VO]]
The G-O-P contenders took the stage in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Texas senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Rand Paul participated remotely from
Washington.
Trump reportedly skipped the event because he was upset about an editorial in a
newspaper that co-sponsered the forum.
The event came ahead of the first Republican presidential primary debate on Thursday.

20. [[END]]