[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Melanie]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
Dozens of the people who were on board a hijacked Afghan passenger plane are now seeking asylum in Britain.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
And a passenger aboard a U-S airways jet tries to open an exit door while in flight.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is next.
[HIJACKING]
[ANCHOR=MEL]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Hijacking]
The four day hijacking of an Afghan airliner ended peacefully this morning.
Nineteen people from the plane have been arrested.
But now half of those on board are seeking political asylum.
Kimberly Dozier has the latest.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Stansted, England;]
[SUPER=01-David Stephens/Essex Police;]
[SUPER=01-Kimberly Dozier/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS, STANSTED, ENGLAND.]
[charlotte-landing]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
An unruly passenger forced an emergency last night in Charlotte.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC;]
[7:19:59]
U-S Airways flight 8-85 was traveling from Pittsburgh to Miami when witnesses say a male passenger assaulted a passenger and flight attendants after being refused a drink.
Police say he also tried to open the plane's door while the plane was still in flight.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[2 sot 7:19:28-41 AND 7;18;31-44]
[IN Q=He started pulling levers]
[SUPER=01-Keith Kinard/Passenger; :00]
[SUPER=01-Zack Samious/Passenger; :13]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=had too much to drink.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[7;19:42]
The plane made an emergency landing at Charlotte-Douglass International at about 11 p-m.
And Charlotte authorities took the man into custody.
(------------)
[boeing-md80]
[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Boeing is urging all airlines to inspect the tails of their M-D 80 jets.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Seattle, WA;]
[3:10;40]
The directive also includes MD-90's, D-C nines and Boeing 7-17's.
The recommendation comes after the jackscrew from the Alaska Airlines jet that crashed last week was recovered damaged.
Investigators don't know yet if the damage was caused before the crash or on impact.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:02;27]
[IN Q=]
((RUSS YOUN:WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT A SAMPLE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED AIRPLANE'S...IT'S ABOUT A 2HOUR CHECK...AH LARGELY VISUAL INSPECTION,
LITTLE BIT OF TESTING AND MEASUREMENT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING UNUSUAL OUT THERE. ))
[SUPER=01-Russ Young/Boeing Spokesman;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=UNUSUAL OUT THERE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The cause of the Alaska airlines crash has not been determined, but Officials with the N-T-S-B believe it had something to do with the plane's horizontal stabilzer..located on the jet's tail.
(------------)
[Whitaker]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-57 TC47:10]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]
A surprise announcement this morning from Lynchburg city councilman Jim Whitaker.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
Whitaker told reporters that business and family interests will keep him from seeking a third term representing Ward Four on city council.
Whitaker, who also was Lynchburg's mayor for four years, says he's glad he had the chance to serve his city.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:06:48]
[IN Q=I want to]
((JIM WHITAKER/LYNCHBURG COUNCIL MEMBER: I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO THANK THE CITIZENS WHO'VE TRUSTED IN ME ENOUGH TO ELECT ME TWICE TO CITY COUNCIL AND FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN GETTING ME THERE. IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO HAVE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Whitaker/Lynchburg Council Member]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=had this opportunity.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Whitaker's departure leaves just one Republican.. Robert Garber.. on city council.
G-O-P chairman Wendell Walker says he already has talked with several people interested in running for Whitaker's seat.
(------------)
[Carder]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-04 TC4:47]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Another Republican has entered the race for Roanoke City Council.
This morning Bill Carder, the General Manager of the Patrick Henry Hotel, announced his interest in the May election.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Carder is currently chairman of the Roanoke Special Events Committee and he's active in many business and civic organizations.
Today, he said he would bring a different management style to city council.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 04:47:23]
[IN Q=I think council needs]
((BILL CARDER/R- CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE: I THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO FOCUS MORE ON SETTING VISION, SETTING DIRECTION AND LETTING THE CITY MANAGER DO HER JOB AND HOLD THE CITY MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE FOR ACCOMPLISHING THOSE GOALS. I THINK ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON COUNCIL ARE GOOD PEOPLE. I JUST THINK THAT THE WAY IT'S BEEN RUN LATELY, MICRO-MANAGING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S THE WAY TO RUN THE CITY.))
[SUPER=01-Bill Carder/(R) City Council Candidate]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=the way to run the city.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Ralph Smith is expected to announce his bid for mayor later this month.
And Don Hogan is also running as a Republican for city council.
[E-Barbara-Bush]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=net-A]
[SS=Forbes]
Steve Forbes confirms it -- he's out of the presidential race.
Forbes spent more than 66 million dollars of his own money in two presidential campaigns, but he failed to win a single Republican primary this time around.
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]
Meanwhile, George W. Bush and John McCain are starting to spend more time and money in Virginia.
McCain's first TV spots will be on the air later this week.
Bush is running a new series of ads, attacking McCain.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tysons Corner]
Bush also had his mother campaigning in Charlottesville, Richmond and northern Virginia yesterday.
At one appearance, she boasted about his record on education as governor of Texas.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=He raised teacher]
((BARBARA BUSH/FORMER FIRST LADY: HE RAISED TEACHER SALARIES MORE THAN 8 THOUSAND DOLLARS. HE GAVE MORE CONTROL BACK TO THE LOCAL DISTRICTS AND ENDED SOCIAL PROMOTIONS.))
[SUPER=01-Barbara Bush/Former First Lady;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=social promotions.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
She also expects her son and John McCain to work well together, once the campaign is over... just as her husband and Bob Dole did after their fight for the GOP nomination.
(------------)
[tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Congress is working on a measure to divorce taxpayers from the so-called marriage-penalty.
That's next on News 7 at Noon.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And eight workers are rescued from beneath tons of concrete after a construction accident.
First let's talk to Patrick.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease]
[Weatherpro]
[music up full]
[comm1]
[marriage-penalty]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Taxes]
The House is expected to vote today on a Republican sponsored bill to wipe out the so called "marriage tax penalty."
Diana Olick reports from Capitol Hill.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[10:13:45]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Rep. J. C. Watts/(R) Oklahoma; :15]
[SUPER=01-Rep. Charles Rangel/(D) New York; :54]
[SUPER=01-Diana Olick/Reporting; 1:10]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS, CAPITOL HILL.]
[construction-ax]
[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Eight workers were injured today when tons of concrete fell in on them at Philadelphia construction site.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Philadelphia, PA;]
It happened early this morning at the site of the city's new performing arts center.
A fire official says about 30 cubic yards of freshly poured concrete came tumbling down the workers.
Firefighters searched the rubble and believe all of the victims have been rescued.
They've been taken to are hospitals, at least two are reported in critical condition.
(------------)
[E-Tultex]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-48 1:46:36]
[GRAPHIC=Tultex Chpt. 11]
Apparel-maker Tultex is giving up reorganizing and will sell its assets and go out of business.
That's what a company lawyer said yesterday following a bankruptcy court hearing in Danville.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/File Tape]
A federal judge approved a severance package for C-E-O Randy Rollins.
He'll agree to resign and get 50-thousand dollars.
That's only one third of what company lawyers first requested.
But every dollar is controversial, because laid-off rank-and-file workers did not get severance deals.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:07:01]
[IN Q=it's ridiculous]
((CAROL SHEERER/UNITE! UNION: IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT A CEO OR ANY OF THESE FOLKS CAN GET A SEVERANCE PACKAGE OR RETENTION BONUS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING OUT THE WORK EVERY DAY UNTIL THAT THING SHUTS DOWN ARE NOT GETTING ANYTHING.))
[SUPER=01-Carol Sheerer/UNITE! Union]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=GETTING ANYTHING]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The 245-workers left at Tultex will get bonuses paid between now and March.
(------------)
[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]
[E-Textile-Relief]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-49 1:28:58]
[GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe]
[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
Some laid off Tultex workers were back in Richmond yesterday-- only to see a bill that would give them emergency help get trapped in a committee.
Some Republicans who'd promised aid switched their allegiance after Governor Jim Gilmore took a stand against the bill.
The bill's sponsor addressed the Republicans directly.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We all know]
[sot TAPE TWO 11:47:51]
((ARMSTRONG: WE ALL KNOW WHERE THIS THING IS NOW. IT'S US VERSUS THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.05 ... AND THE REASON YOU DID THAT IS BECAUSE YOU HAD A LOT OF HEART.))
[SUPER=@Armstrong;]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=of heart.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Kimberly]
[SS=None]
The Governor says he's philosophically opposed to helping the textile workers, when there's NOT enough money in the Unemployment Trust Fund to help laid off workers statewide.
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Still ahead on News 7 at Noon, some Franklin county school-children get a lesson in the game of life.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And the F-B-I says its determined to find the hackers who shut down some of the internet's most popular sites.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[cyber-attack]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Justice Department says its confident government computers are safe from the recent wave of Internet vandalism.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[3:03:35-]
Since Monday some of the Internet's most popular web sites have come under attack.
Hackers flooded web sites with so many requests for information: they literally shutdown from overload.
The F-B-I is following leads in the hacker probe, but says its going difficult to crack because it could be one person or a group of people.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((JANET RENO/ATTORNEY GENERAL: WE ARE NOT AWARE OF THE MOTIVES. THEY APPEAR TO BE ATTENDED TO DISRUPT LEGITIMATE ELECTRONIC COMMERCE.))
[SUPER=01-Janet Reno/Attorney General;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=legitimate electronic commerce]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
[10:51:20 yesterday's 10 am newspath]
The stock market is trying to rebound from big losses -- blamed in part on jitters over the wave of cyber vandalism.
Yesterday The DOW dropped 258 points.
The Nasdaq also suffered its first loss in eight sessions.
(------------)
[Endeavor-House]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A proposed mental health group home on Cedar Avenue in Vinton is one step away from becoming reality but neighbors are trying to stop it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vinton]
First Home Care of Norfolk is setting up the home that will house 8 boys with mental health conditions like aggressive behavior, school and family issues and prior substance abuse.
The company says it has an outstanding record.
But neighbors and town council are concerned.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We are not]
((DON DAVIS/VINTON TOWN COUNCIL: WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO GROUP HOMES IN THE TOWN OF VINTON. IT'S JUST THIS PARTICULAR HOME AND THE SPACE THEY HAVE TO UTILIZE IS NOT SUFFICIENT.))
[SUPER=01-Don Davis/Vinton Town Council; ]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=is not sufficient]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Neighbors are concerned because the front yard is too small to play in, the back yard has been paved over, and they're worried about behavior that could take place inside the home.
Town council is pushing legislation in Richmond that would allow the town to have a say in where group homes are placed.
(------------)
[E-Life-Game]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=99-51 48:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Ferrum College students decided to show eighth graders the importance of a good career -- by giving them a paycheck to live on.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
Trevor McCrea is playing a game called the Reality Store.
He's married with three kids.
He spends his salary on a truck, a boat, a live-in nanny, plus a hot tub and a Mercedes for his wife.
He has 12-thousand-dollars leftover.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:40:39]
[IN Q=The secret is]
((THE SECRET IS WE PICKED HIGH PAYING JOBS. I WAS PARTNER IN A LAW FIRM. MY WIFE WAS A NEUROLOGIST.))
[SUPER=01-Trevor McCrea/Student;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=neurologist]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The kids also had to pay for things like taxes and insurance.
Then they added their own category for cell phones.
(------------)
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]
On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN eight points.
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
The names have been drawn for Sunday's Bud Shootout.
Next in sports-- find out who's on the pole
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and Ken Griffey Junior could be seeing Red soon... trade talks could send the Seattle Mariner to Cincinnati.
Patrick has the details, next.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[Shootout]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Bud Shootout]
Mark Martin won a blind draw today and will defend his Bud Shootout title from the pole position.
Martin will start inside of Sterling Marlin on Sunday in the 25-lap race made up of last year's Winston Cup pole winners.
The race includes 14 drivers who won pole positions last year.
A 15th entry will come from a qualifying race.
[Griffey]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]
Cincinnati may become the new home of Seattle Mariner Ken Griffey Junior.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-MLB]
The Associated Press is reporting that Seattle and Cincinnati have agreed to a tentative trade that would send the All Star outfielder to the Reds.
Baseball official Sandy Alderson says Cincinnati has 72 hours to work out a contract extension that would make the deal final.
He would not comment on which other players are involved in the proposed trade.
Last season in Seattle, Junior hit 2-85 with 48 home runs and 134 r-b-i's.
(------------)
[Rocker]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]
It's day two for the John Rocker suspension hearing.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY]
Yesterday, baseball commissioner Bud Selig gave over five hours of testimony explaining his suspension of the Atlanta Braves pitcher.
The baseball players union is set to begin testimony today.
Selig banned Rocker until May first for his deragatory comments about gays, minorities, and foreigners in a recent Sports Illustrated article.
Rocker is seeking to have the suspension overturned.
(------------)
[S-Roanoke]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-45 tc 1:48:11]
[GRAPHIC=ODAC]
The college basketball season is on the down swing and with tournament time nearing, Roanoke College wanted to maintain the second spot in the O-DAC standings.
Conference rival Eastern Mennonite met the Maroons in the Bast Center last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/E. Mennonite vs. Rke. College;]
Mennonite's Brandon Knight dishes off to Keion Green and Green downs the three pointer.
But Roanoke comes right back as Ben Halterman finds Paris Butler who gets three of his 19. The Maroons are on the move.
[SUPER=33-E. Mennonite/81/Roanoke College/105;]
Kyle Murphy makes the move to free himself and gets the score. Roanoke cruises to the 105-81 O-DAC win.
(------------)
[Radford]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Radford Hoops]
Radford was also fighting to maintain conference position last night.
The Highlanders lost a close battle to Winthrop 81 to 78.
But, Radford remains in first place in the Big South with a 7 and 2 conference record.
[S-UVA]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-46 tc 1:58:39]
[GRAPHIC=UVA]
U-V-A's men had dropped two straight games, and were hoping to get back on the winning track last night at Georgia Tech.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA;]
Travis Watson goes under the hoop and up for the basket and two points for Virginia.
On the other end, a mismatch, 6-5 Clarence Moore goes over a 5-10 Donald Hand and Georgia Tech is in control. Moore had 15 on the night.
[SUPER=33-Virginia/47/Georgia Tech/68;]
Alvin Jones muscles to the hoop and the Yellow Jackets hand UVA its third straight ACC loss 68 to 47.
(------------)
by SS