Per request here is the code. The commented out bit is just problem solving to be sure it wasn't the culprit.
Thx for lookin'!
jg

sub do_the_clean_up {
    open (ST,"$search_terms_file") or die "where's the search_terms fi
+le? : $!";
    flock (ST,LOCK_EX) or die "Couldn't flock search_terms: $!";
    my  @search_terms = <ST>;
    flock(ST,LOCK_UN);
    close ST or die "search_terms won't close : $!";

     chomp (@search_terms);

    open (FTS,"$file_to_search") or die "where's the file_to_search? :
+ $!";
    flock (FTS,LOCK_EX) or die "Couldn't flock file_to_search.: $!";
     my @file = <FTS>;
    flock(FTS,LOCK_UN);
    close FTS or die "Couldn't close file_to_search. : $!";

    foreach $term(@search_terms) {
        if ( !grep { /$term/ } @file ) {
            $term="$news_directory$term";
            push (@delete_me,$term);
         } else {
             push (@keep_me,$term);
        }
    }
    chomp @delete_me;
    unlink @delete_me[0] or die "Couldn't unlink @delete_me[0]: $!";

#    open (NEWST,"+< $search_terms_file") or die "where's the search_t
+erms file? : $!";
#    flock (NEWST,LOCK_EX) or die "Couldn't flock search_terms: $!";
#    seek NEWST, 0, 0;
#    truncate (NEWST,0) or die "Can't truncate: $!";
#    foreach (@keep_me) {
#        print NEWST "$_\n";
#        }
#    flock(NEWST,LOCK_UN);
#    close NEWST or die "search_terms won't close : $!";
    print "Location: $this_script_url\n\n";
    exit;
}
[download]

_____________________________________________________
If it gets a little bit out of hand sometimes, don't let it fool you into thinkin' you don't care.TvZ

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