up everwhere for the new year: on lunch menus and in grocery and drug stores.consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with the catch with many of them.but first....how to make sure your homes pipes dont freeze tonight. john? with temperatures dropping to near zero tonight....tri state plumbers are expecting a flood of calls from homeowners with frozen pipes tomorrow. tomorrow.but by taking just a few simple steps, you can avoid a busted pipe.plumbers tell 9 on your side if you have pipes next to uninsulated walls, you should take precautions.--open bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors under sinks if they are on outside walls.--leave faucets dripping.--open up doors to pipes in them, so heat gets in there. with the powerball now exceeding a billion dollars, the cincinnati better business bureau is warning about a new found of lotto scams. the bbb says beware an email or call claiming you are a second place lotto winner.it claims you will get a big check, if you pay a big legal fee in advance.legitimate sweepstakes and lotteries will never ask for money in advance. have you noticed all th

consumer reporter john matarese is on your side so you dont have to do it again tomorrow!but first....cheaper uber rides this month. john? julie...just in time for the snow and cold, uber is cutting its fares in 100 cities, including cincinnati. cincinnati.the car service is lowering rates about 25 percent for the winter, to boost business.while that's great news for riders, it's not for local drivers.....whos e complain their income will be cut. data was going the way of the dinosaur....at&t is bringing it back, though with a few catches. catches.at&t announced today that at&t customers who also have directv will qualify for a new unlimited data plan. however, it will cost you $100 a month....and you will have to buy your phone outright, no discount. did you have to scrape your car's windshield this morning....and tug on the door to open it?we are on your side with some things you can do to make tomorrow morning's departure a little bit easier. while you might be cursing the effect this cold weather is having on your driving... driving.......others are thrilled winter has

consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with why that olive oil you buy in the supermarket may not be real olive oil at all!but first....a new way to block those annoying telemarketing calls. john? time warner cable will now make it easier for customers to block unwanted marketing calls, often called robocalls these days. days.twc is teaming up wit the makers of the popular nomorobo app.customers with a time be able to go to the company's voice zone website, and click the nomorobo box.presto, it says, no more robocalls. with business down 20 percent or more since fall....chipotle today unveiled how it plans to lure you back, in the aftermath of the e-coli scare. scare.chipotle says it will be much more upfront with customers about any issues that come up.to kill germs... workers will now dip onions in boiling water....among other things.it will increase food testing ...and will bring back freebies, like the old free burrito days. do you buy olive oil for your health!turns out that olive oil you buy in the supermarket may not be real olive oil at allso we are on your side with h

so consumer reporter john matarese went out to see if that's the case here in cincinnati. any time i go out to eat, fast food or not, i always check my order to make sure you got everything you paid for.but some mcdonalds customers this week are saying their cheese-sticks orders came up a bit empty. the mozzarella chese sticks started out as a way to boost mcdonald's menu.they've only been in restaurants a couple of weeks and already complaints on social media say, the hamburger giant cut the cheese, that's right mozzarella sticks are popping up. customers saying mcdonald's should - quote - "just call it stick" or showing off alternate uses. we went to a couple mcdonalds here in cincinnati to see for ourselves.what we found was plenty of hot gooey cheese. but when we stretched the stick far enough... hey look at that, there's no cheese in one end.but there was plenty of cheese in our experience. mcdonalds offered one possible explanation: "in these instances, we believe the cheese melted out during the baking process in our kitchens and shouldn't have been served.""we apol

i'm john matarese 9 on your side. blue bell lovers, rejoice. rejoice.starting this week the ice cream brand is coming back to freezers across the southeast, including parts of kentucky.blue bell was pulled from stores last year following a listeria outbreak that killed 3 people.the company faced strict regulations during plant decontamination. headed back to court.tracie hunter is trying again to get a judge to see it her way.the today confession to starting a fire. the man that told police he started a house fire will be in court today.the charges he cold temperatures... it feels like it's below zero again... and many school districts are starting late because of it... meterologist jennifer ketchmark has the forecast that includes snow not once but twice this week. breaking overnight... a man is shot and pistol whipped... how he's doing this morning as police search for suspects. good morning.it's another bitterly cold morning in the tri-state.i'm chris riva. riva.i'm kathrine nero.we have many school delays this morning because of the cold. n

i'm john matarese: a tri state man is wiped out, losing 25 hundred dollars to an scammer while trying to sell something online. i'm on your side to make sure this doesnt happen to you. this is dan carroll in chopper you're watching nine on your before contemplating the many choices on steak 'n shake's $4 dollar menu, one must calm the mind in our zen garden. focus. the garlic double steakburger meal. reflect. the taco salad meal. zen. the original double 'n cheese steakburger meal. the $4 menu. where all meals are under $4. a quick-thinking auto body worker made a big assist for police -- trying to chase down a man running away! that suspect took off after a traffic stop in central california.he ran for a couple blocks -- tiring out as police chased him.that's when the man ran right toward the auto shop... and an employee outside lunged and tackled the man.the worker had a warning for criminals in the small town...don't run from police -- because the citizens are crazy enough to take you on! an indianapolis police officer -- and son of a sheriff... is accused of dealing cocaine!nikola

consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with the top 3 tax scams this year. but first....a new iphone bug. john? julie.... imagine this... your phone shows that it still has more than half its battery life left.then it suddenly goes dead! dead!it's been happening to owners of apple's newest iphone.apple today said some 6-s and 6-s pluses suffer from a quirk where the battery icon gets stuck at 50 percent, even as it goes down to zero.apple says reboot your phone contact the company if that doesn't work. the other big consumer news item today: the start of tax filing season! season!the irs tonight is now accepting e-filed returns....but says please dont file until you have your w-2 in hand.meantime, you have two extra days to file this back to monday april 18th. before you start filing though, the irs is warning about a new rash of scams expected to target taxpayers this year.last year, scammers grabbed millions of dollars in refunds that werent theirs: heres how to protect yourself. the start of tax filing season means the start of tax scam season....and for 2

consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with why that all natural label can mean nothing.buit first: a new tax season scam. john? tanya....just as many tri staters are starting to do their taxes, turbotax is warning about a phishing scam involving the popular tax software. software.turbotax says scammers are sending emails problem with your last tax filing. it tells you to click a link to recover your password, and recover your account.never reply to emails like this: it's a scam to steal account information. if you shop for foods labeled "natural," you're not alone. a new survey finds that almost two-thirds of shoppers say they usually look for foods that say they are "natural." but we're on your side with mean what you think. the buzzword at supermarkets these days is "natural." you see it on all kinds of packaged foods natural over non-natural." non-natural.""yes, i look for natural because i feel its healthier."a new survey by out partners at consumer reports magazine finds most people who buy processed foods labeled "natural" assume no toxic pesticides were used, or artif

im john matarese 9 on your side. side. gas prices have droped yet again.triple a announced the national average for a price of regular unleaded gas is now one dollar-96.the average in cincinnati is 1-85.tumbling oil prices and strong refinery capacity could even push gas to just a dollar a gallon in some areas in the coming weeks. that hasn't happened since 19-99.you can always find the lowest gas prices in your neighborhood... at wcpo dot com. a murder mystery in italy after an american woman is killed in her apartment. apartment.police say 35 year old artist *ashley olsen* was likely strangled.an autopsy will be done to make sure.at this time -- her death is being called a *homicide.*it appears she alluded to a possible stalker on her instagram account in the days authorities have not named a suspect. slick roads... the side roads are tricky this morning... we have closings at the bottom of your screen... we're checking the roads for you this morning to help you stay safe. breaking news... a music icon is dead... what da

john matarese explains so you don't waste your money. and here comes the dog.the very logical reason one bride had her dog walk her down the aisle.9 on your sie at 11 you're watching 9 on your side at 11 shoppers in florence have a new option for groceries.aldi will open its doors at 9 tomorrow morning.the store is on houston road - right at ted bushelman boulevard.the first 100 people in the door get a are also entered into a drawing to win a year's worth of free produce! over the last couple of months, we've all had to switch to credit cards with chips in them.but it seems like only a handful of places have the chip readers.consumer reporter john matarese looks at whether these new chip cards are actually working... so you don't waste your money. the new chip cards are supposed to be much safer than old fashioned swipe credit cards.then why are we hearing more reports than ever about credit card skimmers....lea ding to fraud?weren't chip cards supposed to prevent that? --------------chip cards were launched with lots of fanfare last ye

john matarese is on your side with ways to lower your mobile phone bill.. so you don't waste your money.you're is your cell phone bill creeping up toward 200 dollars a month...or higher?consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with simple ways to lower that bill for the new year. year.but first, good news if high ticket prices were scaring you away from tomorrow bengals game. john? craig and julie.....were you hoping to score a ticket to the bengals-steelers wild card playoff game? if you have been on the bubble this long, i am on your side with some good news. news. prices are now plunging as result of tomorrow night's rainy forecast. thanks, steve! we are finding dozens of upper deck seats selling for $75 to $85, well below monday's prices of $120 and higher. lower bowl seats are down too. at $75 a seat, it may be worth grabbing a poncho and going. buy back tends of thousands of cars in the us....because it cant easily fix their emmissions problems. problems.bloomberg news reports that it may be cheaper for vw to buy back diesel cars that violate a

i'm john matarese. this is one of the biggest weekend of the year for tv sales...with lots of big discounts.but should you upgrade to 4-k...or is it just a fad? this is dan carroll in chopper nine... you're watching nine on your some surveillance video you just have to see...a bank manager in north carolina stops a would-be robber -- with a technique that's unlike any other. other.the manager is standing at the bank's front door... when he sees the masked man running up.so he holds the door shut... it looks like a game of tug-of-war with armed bandit.the bad guy on the outside gives up... and runs away.tonight -- police are tonight -- new outrage over the flint water crisis... some state employees were getting *filtered water* -- while residents weren't- and were told there was no problem! problem!a memo sent in january of last year said employees would be provided purified water coolers -- as long as flint's water didn't meet treatment requirements.at that time -- the water was subpar for reasons *not*

consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with what to watch for. but first, why your salt didnt work this morning! john? tanya.... if you were driving, or just salting your driveway this morning, you may have noticed the salt didnt do a very good job.there's a reason...and a fix. the problem is that rock salt does not work below 20 degrees. even some other melters are teens: and we were at 15 this morning.that's why this is one case to pay more. more.our partners at consumer reports magazine say rock salt is least effective. environmentally safe melters are better, but not great below 20 degrees.it says chemical pellets, like prestones driveway heat, are effective even down to zero. the hamilton county jury commissioners office asked me to share a warning tonight....about a scam that is targeting hundreds of tri staters.it concerns a summons for jury duty....and everyone needs to know about this. people have started showing up lately here at the jury room - - at the hamilton county courthouse -- after receiving threatening calls about missing jury d

i'm john matarese. the ftc issued a new warning today about theives filing your tax paperwork....so that they can claim your refund!how to protect yourself, coming up on 9 on your side. this is dan carroll in chopper nine... you're watching nine on your more deaths tonight in the snowstorm that people are still trying to dig out of. of.it's now blamed for at least *45* deaths across 12 states.some were car accidents... those stretched from tennessee to new york.but many others died just trying to clear the snow -- either from heart attacks or exposure to the cold. parts of maryland had some of the highest totals of snow... and areas got so bad *snow plows* couldn't reach side streets! streets!so neighbors in baltimore decided to clear the road themselves!about *30* people on this road worked for six hours... shoveling the group effort -- that brought a smile to many faces. "it's amazing, you know, this morning i came out and i felt like it's like trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon but seeing what

discount flights out of the cincinnati northern kentucky airport.9 on your side consumer reporter john matarese has details.but first....a new way to avoid package theft at your front door. john? do you hate ordering a package from amazon....and worrying that it is going to sit on your doorstep for hours, where a theif can grab it?the new amazon store that opened today in cincinnati could soon make that a thing of the past. past."all you do is a couple of clicks to tell us you are coming., we will get your package in the back room, and in under a minute it will be in the locker ready for you. just scan, tand the locker popsuopen and you are out the door and on your way." way."amazon today opened its first pick up store in the tri state, at u square by the university of cincinnati.it's just the 4th in the country. you order, then pick it up at packages. frontier airlines today announced new discount flights from cincinnati direct to the west coast.but before you get too excited...a caution about some hidden fees you could get hit with. tri staters will have soon more discount flights to the west

others.consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with what you need to know....and how to make sure that the one you choose is spending its money wisely. john? tanya....we all support the men and women who defend our country.and many of us donate generously to help those who have returned from war.but accusations of miss-spending have shaken our trust in who is getting our money.so we are on your side with how to be safe with your donations. the wounded warrior project has raised millions thanks to ads from country star trace adkins and other celebrities. but now it's enveloped in scandal, and local veterans worry news about it, yeh." doug hoskins of bridgetown -- a vietnam vet -- is taking about former staffers' claims of lavish parties, sky high salaries, and other wasteful spending. spending."well i dont think it's right, that's all i can say about it."his wife sandra, who volunteers at cincinnati's v-a hospital, says the accusations are shameful if true. true."we know too many veterans, we know a lot of them, we deal with them once a month at the va hospital, helping them ou

coming up john matarese looks at why it isn't working for so many people. keep moving... the strategy some teachers are using to get students to sit still long enough to learn. dangerous disease... the first case in the u-s of a disease affect newborns.... and the concern it may be spreading. you're watching 9 on your side over the last couple of months, we've all had to switch to credit cards with chips in them.consumer reporter john matarese looks at whether these new chip cards are actually working... the new chip cards are supposed to be much safer than old fashioned swipe credit cards.then why are we hearing more reports than ever about credit card skimmers....lea ding to fraud?weren't chip cards supposed to prevent that? --------------chip cards were launched with lots of fanfare last year....promising safer transactions thanks to that tiny emv chip on the front. but suddenly it seems credit card skimmers are poppin gu on gas pumps everywhere...copying our cards, and giving hackers access.what gives? turns out gas stations and atms have two more years to switch to c

it's just about tax time, again.consuemr reporter john matarese is warning you now, about the scams to be aware from when it's time to file. curing cancer.vice president joe biden takes his latest assignment halfway around the world. here's a live look outside from one of our traffic cameras.snow on the ground, but interstates are clear and the irs is warning about a new rash of scams expected to target you this year.last year, scammers grabbed millions of dollars in refunds that weren't theirs.consumer reporter john matarese shows you how to protect yourself yourselfso you don't waste your money. the start of tax filing season means the start of tax scam season....and for 2016 the scams are exptected to be worse than ever. ever."it kicked back saying it had already been filed."last year kathy laumann fell victim to tax scam number one: someone else filed under her social security number!she then had to prove who she was. was."it's very definitely not, oh we trust you, its someone with your social security number has already filed, so you have already filed."irs spokesperson jennifer j

consumer reporter john matarese will show us why tri-staters are now going back mcdonalds for the first time in years.but first...another fast food restaurant is reporting a data breach. john? a new year, new data breach.it now appears some credit cards used to buy food at wendy's hacked.the krebs security blog, which first reported the target data breach, says wendy's is looking into fraudulent charges on cards recently used at the restaurant.wendy's confirms an investigation, but won't say more.if you used a credit or debit card at wendy's check your statement carefully. good news and bad news tonight for coffee lovers: the good: coffee bean prices are plunging!the bad: no break for you so far. far. a banner crop in south america last year, plus falling prices for all commodities, is credited for a sharp price drop in cofeee beans.but starbucks and other coffee shops have not lowered prices: starbucks blames rising wages and other costs. continuing on today's theme of fast food.... have you noticed anything about mcdonalds lately?the parking lots are filling up again.turns out tri sta

john matarese is on your side with safety precautions for your hoverboard... and some safer alternatives. defending our roads against snow... (sot) 3:49:33 "we're taking all the various forecasts and amounts into account to plan our attack." ... simple steps you can take to help the road crews help you... (sot) "we're trying to be prepared and we hope that everybody at home can also be prepared"you're watching 9 on you're watching 9 on your side at 5:30. concerned about all those reports of fires and injuries from hoverboards?consumer reporter john matarese is on your side with important information for parents.....but first a new investigation into danger door latches. john? tanya....the government tonight is looking into door latches on 400 thousand cars made by ford....because of concerns they may not latch properly. the nhtsa investigation focuses on the 2012 and 2013 ford focus.its similar to an investigation in the ford fusion and lincoln mkz last year that led to recalls.the agency has more than 70 complaints of doors that wouldn't shut or popped open w

nine on your side's john matarese has been digging deeper into these concerns.... and he's here live with what he's found out -- and how you can take action to protect your family. tanya....it was one thing when michigan with a water crisis. now....a northern ohio

consumer reporter john matarese shows us how you can protect your identity too... too...so you don't waste your money. the new year is already bringing new security breaches: the most recent involving some time warner email accounts.and many tri staters are still receiving letters about last years massive government employee data breach.so 9 is on your side with what you can you do to reduce your chances of --------------------- it seems no matter where you do business, you could be hit with a security breach. in the case of leslie yeoman, it led to identity theft. theft."they told me there was some cell phone and some cable set up in my name." companies involved typically offer a year of free credit monitoring. but cyber security expert apolonio garcia tells me while that is better than nothing.....a better way to protect yourself is with a paid service like lifelock. lifelock and similar companies have plans from 10 to 50 dollars a month." but he says there's a less expensive option that can work just as well: freeze your credit, which locks it like a bank vault.

im john matarese 9 on your side. and john will be back today starting at 5....with what you should do in your home now to pepare for the snow and cold expected the next few days. plus: weren't refund anticipation loans banned several years ago? then why are they still around? powerball psychology.the science behind that good feeling we get dreaming about you're watching 9 on your side at noon with the powerball jackpot at an all-time high, a lot of people are succumbing to lottery fever. fever.psychologists say there's actually a part of our brains where fantasy is almost as good as reality. folks like to think about what they would do if they won the money - a new house, a new car or perhaps a lavish vacation. doctors say there are hormones that are released when we fantasize that can make us feel better. joseph rock, psyd/cleveland clinic "our brains aren't wired to think about probability. we understand the chances aren't that good, but we can delude ourselves, and 'hey i've got as good as a chance as anybody." psy

consumer reporter john matarese gets answers so you don't waste your money. high tech pregnancy tests. we're not just talking going digital.wait til you see what this one does with your phone! you're watching 9 on your side in this cold weather, a lot of cars end up getting towed.but if yours is damaged during a tow...who pays?that's what a lockland man wants to know.so he went to john matarese for answers. butch hunt received his dream ride -- a harley davidson -- from his wife for christmas. but when he hired a towing company to bring it home..... home....."when he released the front strap...boom...laid flatbed!"you can see a big dent here and how deep it is....: is....:"put a big dent in the tank...cracked the instrument panel...but he says the towing company has been dragging its feet on covering these repairs. repairs."right next to the nut, you can see it starting beneath the speedometer..."so we paid a visit to the tow company.....no on was in the office....but i did reach the owner on his cell phone, where he said since hunt accepted the driver's offe

. >>> i'm john matarese. a tristate family has been shivering with no heat for more than a week. waiting for their home warranty company to fix the furnace. caution about home warranties. >>> we are tracking some breaking news. north of the border, a school shooting in northeastern -- north central canada. two people were killed in the gunman is in custody. the lockdown was in place for much of this afternoon at a reports of a shooting at a community school. the saskatoon star reports about 900 students attend the school. located in a remote town in saskatchewan. more than 250 miles from the nearest large city of edmonton. unknown if others are injured at this hour. down a man accused of holding up a hamilton bank. budget inn in fairfield. and does not have a permanent detectives say it is him in these images from first financial bank. right now, police are trying to verify his identity. >>> we are still tracking snow in the tristate. a look at the latest snowfall numbers coming in and i will show you how much longer this will last into the night. >> this is the worst thing i've

john matarese has some things you need to know.. so you don't waste your money. with the tri states first real snowfall of 2016 now on the books....and more snow predicted for friday, you might want to pay someone to salt and plow your driveway. but a caution before you do. ----------------------an inexperienced plow driver can damage to your driveway or landscaping. if he's not insured and bonded, you may end up paying to fix the damage.angie's list has several suggestions to protect yourself: yourself:beware someone who stops by with a plow on their truck who you dont know.ask up front if the plowing fee includes walkways and ice melter.and make sure he is insured. insured.need to find a plow? try local landscaping companies.you want a plow driver you can trust, who wont rip up your driveway and say not my problem.that way you dont waste your money.im jm 9 on your side. scientists say last year was earth's hottest year on record... and our planet will only get hotter. hotter."noaa" recorded the earth's temperature at just under 59 degrees last year... up three-

couple of months, we've all had to switch to credit cards with chips in them.consumer reporter john matarese looks at whether these new chip cards are actually working... the new chip cards are supposed to be much safer than old fashioned swipe credit cards.then why are we hearing more reports than ever about credit card skimmers....lea ding to fraud?weren't chip cards supposed to prevent that? --------------chip cards were launched with lots of fanfare last year....promising safer transactions thanks to that tiny emv chip on the front. but suddenly it seems credit card skimmers are poppin gu on gas pumps everywhere...copying our cards, and giving hackers gas stations and atms have two more years to switch to chip readers....giving thieves two more years to try to scam as many customers as they can. can. so from the doesn't that stink file...the slooooow rollout of emv chip cards.less than half of all stores are using them right now: most major grocery chains and many smaller businesses are still asking you to swipe.if you were hoping for more security, you'll say doesn't that stink? some st

john matarese 9 on your side. hollywood is on pins and morning this year's oscar nominees will be announced.you can watch the ceremony right here on nine on your side. we'll have the announcement for you on good morning america.. after good morning tri-state. the oscar awards will be shown on nine on your side february 28-th. you may have seen that car in buffalo that was entombed in a thick layer of ice. the driver left it parked next to lake erie when he felt he needed a ride home from a restaurant. some said the car could be stuck there for months. that turned out not to be the case.. thanks to 350 pounds of flaked calcium. it was enough to melt the sheet of ice.. so it could be towed away .mechanics are going to take a good look to make sure it okay before it hits the weather summary: temperatures are actually rising this tonight as the winds shift out of the south. an area of high pressure moves over the carolinas tonight, and this will push our morning lows higher than right now. commute temperatures will be

im john matarese 9 weather summary: spotty snow showers begin mainly after 3 a.m. by the peak morning rush (6-8 a.m.), a half inch of snow could already be on the ground and this will include cincinnati. scattered snow showers continue until around lunchtime. it will also be very windy in the morning hours causing blowing snow and lower visibility at times. in all, it looks like another inch of snow will fall in the tri-state with more isolated the f-d-a is reviewing a new implant that counteracts the effect of opioids. opioid addiction has exploded in recent years with overdoses increasing across the country. country.according to the f-d-a - the new drug *pro-bu-phine* is implanted in a patient for six months to help counteract cravings. a trial is being reviewed now.the f-d-a could make a decision this winter. the fallout from the bengals wildcard game continues - let's get the latest from nine on your side sports director john popovich. insult added to injury.....the bengals get knocked out of the playoffs. playoffs.and now the nfl says one of the bengals best p

i'm john matarese 9 on your side. tonight -- a new orleans throughfare is trying to get back to normal after a *six-alarm* fire! fire!this four-story building on canal street kept firefighters busy for hours. some of the buildings are historic... and tonight there's concerns they could collapse.firefighters don't yet know what started that fire. authorities in florida tonight say its a miracle no one died when at least one tornado hit southern florida. the storm flipped cars and semis near fort lauderdale... along with tearing off roofs. witnesses report seeing more than one twister.. although has only confirmed one so far... but it touched down in three locations. weather summary: we'll see a few hours of clearing tonight before the clouds roll back into the tri-state. this rollercoaster us a few flurries tomorrow before temperatures jump to the 50s by saturday. temperatures will fall into the 20s after 8 p.m., and overnight lows will fall to mid 20s again by morning. more clouds are back for thursday, as two quick-m

john matarese 9 on your side. it's a big loss for wont be moving its world headquarters tothe queen city. city.instead g-e- will call boston its new home.the company announced last year it was leaving connecticut after the state raised corporate taxes by another 750 million dollars.g-e cited a better environment along with an incentive package as teh reason for the choice. well, there were winners in last night's record powerball jackpot. none from the tri state that we know of.how many winning tickets were sold... and what states the newly crowned a deadly blast.the coffee shop claiming responsibility this

john matarese...on your side...so you don't waste your money. break a wrist...cut yourself opening up a can of soup....or you just dont fell well?before you head to the emergency room, we have a warning about the big bill you that may result from your visit. ----------------have you seen all those freestanding emergency rooms poping up all over?they're convenient, have plenty of parking, and still have the name of your favorite hospital.but a new report in readers digest says many visitors end up with a big surprise:that's because they cost just as much as the the specialists and high tech equipment.it says if its just a minor cut, bruise or fever, look for an independent urgent care...that could end up several hundred dollars cheaper.-------------2 secs separator--------------and from the doesn't that stink file...and even bigger e-r surprise:going to an in- network emergency room, but getting hit with out of network rates!doesn't that stink!readers digest says make sure the doctor and anesthesiologist who are treating you are in your insurance

im john matarese 9 on your side. gas prices have droped yet again.triple a announced today the national average for a price of regular unleaded gas is now one dollar-96.tumbling oil prices and strong refinery capacity could even push gas to just a dollar a gallon in some areas in the coming weeks. that hasn't happened since 19-99.you can always find the lowest gas prices in your neighborhood... at wcpo dot com. a murder mystery in italy after an american woman is killed in her apartment. apartment.police say 35 year old artist *ashley olsen* was likely strangled.an autopsy will be done to make sure.at this time -- her death is being called a *homicide.*it appears she alluded to a possible stalker on her instagram account in the days before her death.italian authorities have not named a suspect. how cool is this?a family in build an 18 foot, giant octopus in front yard.it took them 500 hours to make it. turns out -- the family does something like this every year to raise money for charity. this year's goal is ten mill

john matarese has some warning signs to look for.. so you don't waste your money. with so much concern about tax fraud this year....how can you tell if a letter or email from the irs is real anymore?if you get one...should you respond? or could it be another scam? ----------------almost all of us are now familiar with show up in your email inbox, claiming to be from the irs.it may say click here to see your refund, or click here because of a problem with your return. but these letters -- like letters from several state tax departments -- are legitimate. legitimate.the letters, offically known as publication 5071 c, is a request for identity verification.the irs is sending it to taxpayers where it has questions if you are really the person who filed under your name.you must then log on to a verification webspage at irs.gov or call. call. the key here is that if the irs or state has questions for you, they they will mail you a letter with your name specifically on it.it does not arrive via an email.if you get it, visit the irs website...or call them.that way youre sa

time warner cable.and if you are a customer, you need to hear this warning from 9 on your side's john matarese ... john? craig....good news and bad news about this latest data breach.the good news: it does not involve social security numbers.the bad news: it could involve your time warner email....which many of us have. have.time warner says as many as 300 thousand customers across the country may be affected.it beleives hackers were able to obtain email addresses and passwords of some customers. if you have time warner we are on your side with what you should do. time warner says it has contacted all customers you have time warner email, i would change your password just to be safe.this would be anyone with an email ending with dot rr.com. in case you are wondering, dot rr emails used to be with roadrunner high speed internet....though the company dropped the roadrunner name a year ago.carol. new at five - a 44-year-old man was arrested for having a handgun on school property. this was at five points elementary school in springboro. police say the man was trying to contact his child. he does

consumer reporter john matarese shows us how you can protect your identity too... too...so you don't waste your the new year is already bringing new security breaches: the most recent involving some time warner email accounts.and many tri staters are still receiving letters about last years massive government employee data breach.so 9 is on your side with what you can you do to reduce your chances of being the next victim. --------------------- it seems no matter where you do business, you could be hit with a security breach. in the case of leslie yeoman, it led to identity theft. theft."they told me there was some cell phone and some cable set up in my name." companies involved typically offer a year of free credit monitoring. but cyber security expert apolonio garcia tells me while that is better than nothing.....a better way to protect yourself is with a paid service like lifelock. lifelock and similar companies have plans from 10 to 50 dollars a month." but he says there's a less expensive option that can work just as well: freeze your credit, which vault."you

john matarese is here with why you need to be 'wary' of a possible summons for jury duty money. people have started showing up lately here at the jury room - - at the hamilton county courthouse -- after receiving threatening calls about missing jury duty. duty."we've had two or three show up here, yes."jury coordinator bradley seitz says all of them have were told they needed to pay a fine or face immediate arrest.tim obermeyer is among those who got the chilling call. call. "and he said i'm sheriff tom wilder from the hamilton and i am on the phone to issue you a warrant for your arrest for skipping jury duty."but jury coordinator seitz says no one from the sheriffs department or courthouse is calling: it's another phone scam to get you to send money, via western union or a pre paid debit card. card."they want their money. easily hands down no questions, they want their money."seitz says people are sending hundreds of dollars to avoid arrest....among them a young woman who then showed up in tears. tears. "a 23 year old female....she was not aware it was a scam until i had to br

john matarese has some warning signs to look for.. so you don't waste your money. with so much concern about tax fraud this year....how can you tell if a letter or email from the irs is real anymore?if you get one...should you respond? or could it be another scam? ----------------almost all of us are now familiar with phishing scams: they typically show up in your email inbox, claiming to be from the irs.it may say click here to see your refund, or click here because of a problem with your return. but these letters -- like letters from several state tax departments -- are legitimate. legitimate.the letters, offically known as publication 5071 c, is a request for identity verification.the irs where it has questions if you are really the person who filed under your name.you must then log on to a verification webspage at irs.gov or call. call.the key here is that if the irs or state has questions for you, they they will mail you a letter with your name specifically on it.it does not arrive via an email.if you get it, visit the irs website...or call them.that way youre

john matarese has some warning signs to look for.. so you don't waste your money. with so much concern about tax fraud this year....how can you tell if a letter or email from the irs is real anymore?if you get one...should you respond? or could it be another scam? ----------------almost all of us are now familiar with phishing scams: they typically show up in your email inbox, claiming to be from the irs.it may say click here to see your refund, or click here because of a problem with your return. but these letters -- like letters from several state tax departments -- are legitimate. legitimate.the letters, offically known as publication 5071 c, is a request for identity verification.the irs is sending it to taxpayers where it has questions if you are really the person who filed under your name.you must then log on to a verification call. the key here is that if the irs or state has questions for you, they they will mail you a letter with your name specifically on it.it does not arrive via an email.if you get it, visit the irs website...or call them.that way youre

but you know there's going to be a catch, and john matarese figured it out! we just found one of the most bizarre jobs out there.lgoat snuggler.it's a real thing. where and why this is happening.. when 9 on your side at noon winter is hard on your nose. from first sniffles to endless runny noses. puffs plus lotion is soft. they help soothe irritation by locking in moisture better so you can face winter happily. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. have you noticed all the two-fer, 3-fer, and even 4-for deals this new year?it seems every store and restaurant is rolling out great deals.but as john matarese found out, they come with a big catch: it can be impossible to buy just one. one. something different i2 happening in the supermarket .... in the drugstore....and at fast food restaurants. rather than just give us a sale, they are making us buy more to get the discount discount"do you see that more and more, where you have to buy more than one to get a sale? yeah, they want to entice you to buy more."here at walgreens, we found dozens of sales.... if you buy

before you put that pricey item up for sale, john matarese has a cautionary tale from a tri- of thousands of dollars. e-o-s lip balm.a lot of women are borderline obsessed with the little round lippies.but one woman says it left her lips anything but smooth, and she's filed suit. you're watching 9 on your side many tri staters put used items up for sale on buyer.one hamilton man did just that with his car...but as john matarese shows us, instead of making some money, that man just got scammed for more than 2 thousand dollars. dollars. harry harphant is trying to sell his 2001 honda prelude.so he did what many of us did: taking out an ad on craigslist....in their cincinnati used car section. section."a bruce michaels contacted me, and asked if the car was still available, i told him it was."the potential buyer said -- in this string of text messages -- that he was in south carolina, and was very interested.so he said he would send a check for 5 grand, to cover the price of the car, plus shipping. shipping."he said he would send a check for 5450, 2450 of that would go back for shipping.when

consumer reporter john matarese shows you how...so you don't waste your money. money. break a wrist...cut yourself opening up a can of soup....or you just dont fell well?before you head to the emergency room, we have a warning about the big bill you that may result from your visit. ----------------have you seen all those freestanding over?they're convenient, have plenty of parking, and still have the name of your favorite hospital.but a new report in readers digest says many visitors end up with a big surprise:that's because they cost just as much as the hospital e-r....without all the specialists and high tech equipment.it says if its just a minor cut, bruise or fever, look for an independent urgent care...that could end up several hundred dollars cheaper.-------------2 secs separator--------------and from the doesn't that stink file...and even bigger e-r surprise:going to an in- network emergency room, but getting hit with out of network rates!doesn't that stink!readers digest says make sure the doctor and anesthesiologist who are treating you are in your insurance c

to check are those whose homes were built before 1927 and may have lead pipes.consumer reporter john matarese has outlined the steps you should take to keep your families safe-- on wcpo dot com. also this just in--if you've eaten at wendy's lately, check your credit or debit card statements.wendy's is investigating reports of what it calls "unusual activity" on cards used at its restaurants. the company has enlisted cybersecurity experts to figure out exactly what is going on.until then, keep an eye out for any unauthorized charges on your cards. people in westwood are fed up with crime.just last night, a man was shot and killed on avenue.9 on your side's kristen swilley joins us live with what people are saying this afternoon. its in this parking lot where 27-year-old malone amason was fatally shot. with the sun up and this scene clear neighbors are raising questions about when the violence theyre seeing in westwood will end. this was the scene last night. officers still trying to figure out who started all this and make an arrest.but this is scene is an all too familiar one for people in we

, and they sound like a pretty good deal, too.but before you book that trip, consumer reporter john matarese investigates how much you're really saving on that discount fare. becoming a grandma is always special.but this relationship is something really unique.one she'll never forget. you're watching 9 on your side frontier airlines just announced new discount flights from cincinnati direct to the west coast.but before you get too excited...consumer reporter john matarese has a caution about some hidden fees you could get hit with. with. tri staters will have soon more discount flights to the west coast .... thanks to frontier airlines adding san francisco and los angeles. frontier passenger scott stanley of loveland is thrilled. thrilled."frontier gave us a very good, a good price...a fair price."frontier will have introductory fares as low as 160 round trip to california.but its hidden fees can quickly add up.we compared flights from cvg to las vegas, march 9th to 15th.on delta: 323 dollars.on frontier: 233. but frontier charges 35 dollars each way for your carry on bag....45 dollars if yo

nine on your side's john matarese has been digging deeper into your concerns.... he shows you how to take action to protect your family. rochelle hensley is a mom who wants everyone to have safe food and water here in her ft thomas home. home."want some strawberries? here!"like a lot of parents, she was disturbed by news of flint michigan's lead poisoning crisis. crisis."the biggest concern is having young children...and the lead poisoning."it hit closer to home when she heard about a town outside cleveland with a similar crisis. crisis. "it just seems unbelievable. you trust your water is healthy for your kids, its scary to that it might not be." called "agggressive water," corrosive water that leaches lead and copper right out of pipes. pipes.concerned? you can test your water for minerals with simple kits sold at hardware stores, lowes, and home depto. we bought this "h2-ok kit" for 10 dollars.... then tested rachelle's water for copper.... copper...."your copper's ok.....iron... ....iron... "that looks good, youre almost at nothing on the iron." ...other miner

i'm john matarese, abc7 news. leon: tonight, damage john. to testify against a child care worker facing 39 counts of abuse. the emotional scars she inflicted on their kids. a man with no mood to chat after a day in court. how he defended his spying on a half-dressed neighbor. leon: angry drivers with damaged car. "7 on your side" stepping in. now "abc7 news at 5:00". on your side. leon: at 5:00, we have stories of nightmares amidst the allegations of abuse. recounted one after another in a manassas courtroom as a trial begins for a day care worker facing charges of child abuse. suzanne kennedy is live with new developments in court. suzanne? suzanne: i just got out of the courtroom. a courtroom where parents were wiping away tears and consoling each other as sarah jordan's former coworkers told of the alleged abuse of the toddlers in her care. we heard story after story about how sarah jordan sprayed the children full force in the face with a water hose and routinely told them to fight each other and even tripped them and laughed at the chil