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STORY 16. FAMILY TRAGEDY
(OC) The investigation into the brutal murders of a
(VO) Late this afternoon, police announced that Pamela Laverne Long, a woman they had identified as a person of interest, earlier in the day, has been found, and is cooperating with the investigation.
We believe that Miss Long has significant and substantial information that we need to conclude this case.
(VO) Long is a real estate agent believed to have ties to two of the seven suspects now in custody. Records show she was charged with felony grand larceny in 1988, but police do not believe she was at the
The execution was basically flawless the one gaping hole that would not have made this a perfect operation, if you will, was the fact that the security system, surveillance system was not disabled.
(VO) Investigators speculate that an eighth man may have been responsible for disabling the cameras but never did.
(OC) While robbery seems to be the motive, ABC News has learned that the FBI and the DEA are now assisting with the investigation, after some suspects have reportedly talked about their own links to Mexican drug runners. Even the well-known international gang MS-13. But none of those links has been confirmed.
(VO) So many questions, as a grieving family and community try to stay focused on the couple who opened their hearts and their home to children in need. Jeffrey Kofman, ABC News,
STORY 17. CLOSEOUT
(OC) We're going to turn to another changing American icon, General Motors. When GM emerged from bankruptcy this month, it kept only its most profitable assets. Everything else is being sold in a sort of corporate version of a garage sale. Here's Chris Bury.
(VO) On its speedy exit from bankruptcy, the new GM left behind another company containing all the stuff it no longer wants.
(VO) The bankrupt old GM is now Motors Liquidation Company. Everything must go.
It's a little like, you know, selling a house that your family has owned for 100 years. You'd be kind of amazed at some of the things you can collect in the attic.
(VO) Among the relics, this golf course in
We believe it's one of the finest nine-hole courses in all of
The new GM doesn't really need to be in a golf course business.
(VO) Much of what's collecting dust and growing weeds at Motors Liquidation is not exactly beachfront property.
(OC) Here in
(VO) After toxic waste leaked from its plant here, GM had to buy entire blocks of homes. They've since been cleaned up.
(OC) How difficult is it going to be for GM to sell these properties?
Well, with more properties coming on the market when we already have an overabundance of homes for sale, it's going to be a little difficult.
(VO) The attic is stuffed with odds and ends. Looking for a used crash test sled? How about an old robot? A shut-down factory or two. Hardly a goldmine for GM's creditors.
These assets are not going to produce a lot of money because they're not the good assets. They're not the most valuable assets of General Motors.
(VO) Cleaning out the attic could take many years, but GM boasts of bargains galore at Motors Liquidation Company, including one slightly contaminated golf course. Chris Bury, ABC News,
STORY 18. A CLOSER LOOK
(OC) For our "Closer Look," a revolution. A green revolution, coming to a store near you. Wal-Mart said today that it plans to give all of its products a green rating, measuring the cost of their manufacture to the environment.
(VO) And this puts the muscle of the world's largest retailer, with 200 million customer transactions each week, and $401 billion in sales last year, behind improving the environment.
(OC) As one analyst said today, it could be a game changer. Here's Dan Harris.
(VO) If you want to know how healthy your food is, you can check the nutrition label. Now, Wal-Mart wants you to be able to check a label on all products, from toys to televisions to tennis shoes, to see how green they are. Wal-Mart announced today that it will be asking all of its tens of thousands of suppliers 15 questions.
(VO) Things like "how much does making or using your product contribute to global warming? How much waste was produced in making it? Are the materials environmentally friendly?" The company will then use that information to create a sustainability index rating products for consumers.
We'll help to create a new retail standard for the 21st century.
(OC) Wal-Mart executives say it could be five years before this green information actually shows up in the stores. And they admit they don't know how or where they're going to give you this information. It could show up on the pricing signs, or it could be the sort of thing that you take your smart phone, place it on a product like a pair of jeans to get the information.
They could see the field that cotton came from, probably even a picture of the farmer that raised the cotton.
(VO) But there are questions - like, can we trust this system?
I think one of the biggest challenges to Wal-Mart is going to be the verification of this system. Is it real? Can we really believe it?
(VO) Another issue - will it raise costs?
(OC) Would you be willing to pay more if you knew that one product was more environmentally friendly than another?
Yes.
(OC) Would you actually pay more?
I don't know. Right now, we're trying to - honestly, we're trying to save money. So I don't know, I don't think so.
(VO) Wal-Mart insists greener will be cheaper.
You're eliminating waste. You're making products with less energy or that use less energy, and by doing that, you can actually reduce the costs.
(VO) Wal-Mart says it hopes every retailer joins this process, that this becomes a global retail revolution, changing literally everything you buy. Dan Harris, ABC News,
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