CALUMET CITY | John Hennessy, owner of River Oaks Ford in Calumet City, is hoping people vote for his son to become a reporter for a day with Matt Lauer of NBC's "The Today Show."

Hennessy's son, Jack, a fifth-grader in Naperville, Ill., applied for the contest with a video about the garden he planted this summer.

The 10-year-old is one of 16 semifinalists and voting for him ends at 5 p.m. today. To vote for him or to view his video, log on to today.msnbc.msn.com. On Wednesday, NBC will announce the winner. - By Times Staff