WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 01/04/00

[Bomb-Scare]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Bomb Threat]

A bomb threat forced officials to cancel classes at three Franklin County schools this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount]

A switchboard operator at the county high school received a phone call saying there was a bomb on campus.
The call came in just after 8 o'clock, while half the students were still on their way to the school.
Authorities searched the buildings, using a bomb-sniffing dog, and found nothing.
The students were sent home.
And because students at Benjamin Franklin Middle School and the CATCE (CAT-see) center are on the same bus routes, they had to be sent home, too.
(------------)

[Tech-Charters]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=99-49]
[GRAPHIC=Sugar Bowl]

With kick off about 8 hours away, the last group of Hokie fans is on its way to the Sugar Bowl. The last specially chartered plane to New Orleans is taking off at this hour from the Roanoke Regional Airport.

[Double Boxes=melanieANCHOR/ Scott Microwave]

That's where Scott Goldberg is this afternoon.
[Live=Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=151-Scott Goldberg]
[SUPER=154-Roanoke]

(rollcue... the big game)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=One last bunch]
[SUPER=152-Roanoke]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=they can do it]

[out Q on the bite] (())

[Live=Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=154-Roanoke]
(ad lib)

[Double Boxes=melanieANCHOR/Scott Microwave]

[Bowl-Preps]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-47]
[GRAPHIC=Sugar Bowl]
For those who didn't make the trip to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, there is plenty to do around here tonight.
As Kate Weidaw reports, some local night spots want you to know you can come party with them.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=we've had numberous]
[SUPER=150-Deborah Steele/Cinema Grill Owner;:00]
[SUPER=152-Roanoke Co.;:04]
[SUPER=150-Al Polard/Corned Beef & Co. Owner;:18]
[SUPER=150-Tommy Martin/Hokie Fan;:49]
[SUPER=150-Kate Weidaw/Reporting;:55]
[RUNS=1:08]
[OUT Q=kw news 7 roanoke]

(([SOT 6:23:20]
[INQ=]
((DEBORAH STEELE: WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, PROBABLY ENOUGH TO FILL UP 3 THEATERS.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 5]

The Cinema Grill has some of the biggest screens in town to watch the Sugar Bowl on and so far the theater is expecting 250 people. If you want to join the party plan on being there early Tuesday to get a seat.

[SOT 5:32:50]
[INQ=]
((AL POLARD: WE HAVE 48 TVs AND A STAFF THAT'S READY TO SERVE AND WE'RE GOING TO OFFER A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN GET IN NEW ORLEANS HERE IN ROANOKE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 9]

Corned Beef and Company will offer Hokie fans a lively atmosphere -- with a party that will go well past the Sugar Bowl. If you're looking for a smaller place to cheer on the Hokies, Shakers by Valley View Mall could be for you. With drink specials, halftime appetizers and a big screen TV, managers promise you won't be let down.

[SOT 7:11:33]
[INQ=]
((TOMMY MARTIN: I THINK THE BRAMBLETON DELI IS THE COOLEST PLACE IN ROANOKE SO I'M ALWAYS HERE SO I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE I'M HERE WITH MY FRIENDS.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 7]

The Brambleton Deli has already reserved half of its restaurant -- and with a menu full of New Orleans style food it is sure to please any Hokie fan. Kate Weidaw News 7 Roanoke.))

[Bonsack-Hokies]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=99-56]
[GRAPHIC=Sugar Bowl]
Bonsack Elementary School is making Hokie spirit a standard of learning.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:10:06]
[IN Q=Are you ready?]
((ARE YOU READY? SAY IT IN FRENCH. LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!))
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=let the good times roll]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=152-Roanoke Co.;]
Teachers are using New Orleans traditions to tell kids about music and language. They held a Sugar Bowl spelling bee -- the Virginia Tech team won. They also added and subtracted touchdowns and field goals. The final lesson was that it's not who wins, but your spirit, that counts.
(------------)

[national-wx]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The first week of the new century has brought severe weather to portions of the U-S.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Madison, WI;]

Near-blizzard conditions are hitting parts of the East.
Freezing rain and sleet have been reported from Maine to Wisconsin.
[SUPER=03-Owensboro, KY; :08]
Yesterday, parts of the nation's midsection were hit with strong storms that spun tornadoes into Kentucky, Missouri and Mississippi.
A tornado touched down in
Owensboro, Kentucky, sending 13 people to the hospital and damaging more than 800 homes and businesses.
(------------)
[wx-one]
[anchor=kimberly]

[Wx-Tease] [Weatherpro]
All that activity is stemming from a very strong area of low pressure heading into the upper mid west right now.

Let's take a look at the current regional radar picture....you can see the line of showers making its way into Virginia....
[toss back to Melanie]

[TRAIN-AX]

[ANCHOR=MEL]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Three people are dead and dozens injured following the collision of two passenger trains in southern Norway.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Near Aamodt, Norway;]
[10:08:47]
The two trains were carrying around 100 passengers.
At least one locomotive was overturned and one of the passenger cars caught fire.
The accident happened some 100 miles of north of Oslo.
Four rescue helicopters and 12 ambulances were sent to the scene.
(------------)

[infant-death]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A man convicted with his girlfriend of manslaughter in the death of their newborn baby is a free man this afternoon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Price's Corner, DE;]
[9:47:45]
Twenty-one year old Brian Peterson was released from prison this morning after serving 18 months for the 19-96 death of the baby in a Delaware motel room.
[SUPER=@File; :10]
[9;49:10]
Peterson and the child's mother -- Amy Grossberg -- pleaded guilty in 19-98.
The couple said they thought the child was stillborn.
Grossberg is scheduled to be released in May.
(------------)

[Baby-Scalded]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Roanoke City police officers were called to Carilion Community Hospital last night after a baby was brought in with burns and blisters to her legs and backside.
Officials say the 9 month old girl was apparently burned by hot water from a bath tub.
Authorities say the baby was with the mother's boyfriend at the time of the incident.
So far NO charges have been filed.

[Roanoke-Fight]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-50 58:37]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A mother and her son were assaulted with a baseball bat in the Wendy's parking lot near Tanglewood mall.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]

It happened at about eight thirty last night- So far police have not caught the suspects, but witnesses who were at Wendy's say five men were involved in the fight.
The mother was able to drive herself and her son to the hospital.
There is no word on their conditions.
Police say the suspects fled down Route 419.
(------------)

[Saunders-Barger]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-44 1:51:13]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

Two Bedford County women could spend time in prison for embezzling two sisters out of their life savings.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

58- year- old Thelma Mae Barger and 67- year- old Dorothy Saunders.. Saunders is the one in the wheelchair.. pleaded guilty to a three- count indictment yesterday.
Prosecutors say the pair used their power of attorney to bilk Alice and Bettie McNeal out of more than 300- thousand dollars.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:09:27]
[IN Q=Basically they]
((TOM BONDURANT/FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: BASICALLY THEY FOUND A COUPLE OF VICTIMS WHO COULDN'T DEFEND THEMSELVES. THEY GOT IT IN THEIR HEAD THAT THEY WANTED TO BUILD THIS 12- THOUSAND 400 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF AN ECONO LODGE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND THEY RAN OUT OF MONEY.))
[SUPER=01-Tom Bondurant/Federal Prosecutor; :00]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=ran out of money.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Much of the money helped build this massive home near Huddleston.
Bondurant (BON-doo-rant) says that house will be seized if Saunders and Barger don't repay the money.
(------------)

[County-Supers]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co.]

The Roanoke County supervisors have a new chairman.
It is Joe McNamara. He represents the Windsor Hills district.
Cave Spring supervisor Fuzzy Minnix will be the vice chairman this year.
Their roles were designated at the board's organizational meeting yesterday.
Roanoke County has also hired a new economic development director: Business consultant David Porter from Everett, Washington.

[dOLE-BUSH]

[ANCHOR=MEL]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]

As expected former Republican presidential candidate Elizabeth Dole is throwing her support behind George W. Bush.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford, NH;]

The two appeared together today at a news conference in Bedford, New Hampshire.
Both said it was premature to speculate whether Dole might be considered as a running mate.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The party is very fortunate....]
(( DOLE: THE PARTY IS VERY FORTUNATE.....FROM WHICH HE CAN CHOOSE..
.BUSH: I'M GOING TO SELECT SOMEONE....A GOOD FRIEND.))

[SUPER=01-Elizabth Dole/Former Presidential Candidate;]
[SUPER=01-George W. Bush/(R) Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=and a good friend.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Bush plans to take Dole to Iowa to stump for votes in the state's January 24th presidential caucuses.
(------------)

[Nash]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=campaign 2000]

Alvin Nash ran for Roanoke city council four years ago and lost, but now he plans to try again.
Nash says he'll seek one of the three seats up for election this May.
In 1996 he ran as a Republican.
This time he'll run as a Democrat.

[New-Orleans]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Sugar Bowl]

The Sugar Bowl is the main focus of Patrick Evan's trip to New Orleans, but he found something else that's just as sweet at New Orleans famous Brenan's restaurant.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=brenan's]
[SUPER=152-New Orleans, LA]
[SUPER=150-Patrick Evans/Reporting]
[SUPER=150-Michael Roussel/Brennan's Executive Chef;]
[RUNS=2:05]
[OUT Q=News 7 ]

[greenspan]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

President Clinton has reappointed Alan Greenspan to his fourth term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[Super=03-Washington, DC;]

Seventy-three year old Greenspan has been Fed chairman since 19-87.
With the Fed's control of monetary policy, Greenspan has played a key role in what's soon to become the nation's longest-ever (-------------)economic boom.