WDBJ 7 morning news for 02/24/00

[Headlines]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

It was Smooth-sailing for Carlos Santana at last night's Grammy Awards.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

And the Roanoke Valley could be split into different area codes.
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

You might want to bring along the umbrella...just in case.
There are some widely scattered showers heading toward our area...otherwise expect another mostly cloudy, but very mild day.
[ANCHOR=Steve]
(ad lib live tease)
[2-shot]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[E-Area-Code]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-57 TC 59:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The 540 area code is filling up and that may mean a change to your area code.
Kate Weidaw tells us about whats under consideration.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=by the fall]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ken Schrad/SCC Information Director; :14]
[SUPER=01-Barry Snidegrass/Chamber of Commerce; :47]
[SUPER=@Kate1; :59]
[RUNS=1:07]
[OUT Q=kw news 7]
((By the fall of 2001 the 540 area code will run out of available numbers. That's because businesses and residents are using more products that require a phone line.

[SOT 26:11]
[INQ=]
((KEN SCHRAD/SCC INFO. DIRECTOR: WE ENJOY BEING CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET WE ENJOY SECOND LINES IN OUR HOME TO TALK TO OUR CHILDREN WE ENJOY HAVING CELL PHONES AND PAGERS TO BE IN CONTACT WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AT WORK.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 13]

So the State Corporation Commission held a public hearing in Roanoke County to see how residents and business owners think the area code problem should be resolved. Four plans were displayed. Three maps show how the Roanoke Valley would be geographically split -- giving each half a different area code. The fourth map displays an overlay approach that would give only new phones the different area code.

[SOT 20:10]
[INQ=]
((BARRY SNIDEGRASS/SALEM ROANOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: FROM AN OVERALL BUSINESS LOOK DISTRIBUTIVE OVERLAY SEEMS TO MAKE MUCH SENSE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 5]

And most businesses agree an overlay could cut back costs of having to change letter heads, business cards, and advertising.
[STANDUP]
[INQ=]
((KATE WEIDAW/REPORTING:The commission will be traveling across the state to hear public input before making its decision sometime this summer. Kate Weidaw News 7.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 8]))

[US-Airways]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=US Airways]

U-S Airways says if it can't reach a contract agreement with its flight attendants, it will shut the airline down rather than endure a strike.
Both sides are now beginning a 30-day cooling-off period.
If there's no deal, attendants will be free to strike at a minute past midnight on March 25th.
The union says if there's no agreement, it may stage a mass walkout, or strike individual flights without warning to management or passengers.

[E-Munsey-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-01 47:49]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Link Thomas was devastated when his son was arrested last week for allegedly killing 16- year old Tara Munsey.

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

Thomas says his son, Jeff, is a devoted family man-- who's more interested in helping than hurting people.
It's a feeling echoed by Thomas' stepmother, Martha, who says Jeff told her he did NOT kill the Radford High School sophomore.
Whatever the case... the Thomas' say their heart and prayers go out to the Munseys.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I can]
((I CAN HONESTLY SAY IF IT WASN'T FOR SOME OF MY FRIENDS AND FOR THEIR PRAYERS AND THE CLOSENESS THAT I FEEL WITH THE LORD, I DON'T THINK I COULD MAKE IT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.))
[SUPER=01-Link Thomas/Jeff Thomas' Father;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=with you.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Thomas' say they believe their son knows something about the crime but do NOT believe he's capable of murder.
(------------)

[E-Missing-Girl]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-03 37:50]
[GRAPHIC=Holden]

Family members, nieghbors and schoolmates are mourning the death of a little Nelson County girl who spent two days lost in the woods.
Steve Smallshaw reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Just 24 hours]
[SUPER=03-Nelson Co./Yesterday; :00]
[SUPER=01-Henry Conner/Holden Family Friend; :16]
[SUPER=01-Nina Garrett/Principal; :44]
[SUPER=@ssm2; :55]
[RUNS=1:02]
[OUT Q=News7, Nelson County.]
(( Just 24 hours earlier, the road to the Holden family home had been a beehive of activity.. on Wednesday it was eerily quiet.
The scores of searchers and volunteers are gone, leaving family members alone with their grief.
[SOT 00:40:04]
((HENRY CONNER/HOLDEN FAMILY FRIEND: THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE FIVE OR SIX STAGES OF GRIEF AND THEY'RE STILL AT NUMBER ONE, DENIAL, AND THAT TYPE OF THING.))
[RUNS= 09]
[OUT Q=type of thing.]

Jackie Holden had been a second- grader at Rockfish River Elementary School.
The flags there are at half- staff, but spirits are even lower.
Faculty and students already had been mourning the loss of an assistant principal, killed in a car accident over the weekend.
Jackie's death has brought another wave of flowers and a new set of ribbons.. pink this time, her favorite color.

[SOT 00:45:44]
((NINA GARRETT/ROCKFISH RIVER E.S. PRINCIPAL: BUT IT'S A VERY SAD SITUATION FOR US. MY FACULTY IS DEVASTATED BUT THEY'RE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND THEY'RE VERY CHILD- ORIENTED AND SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION.))
[RUNS= 11]

Garrett says students will plant a memorial garden in Jackie's honor this spring.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Nelson County.))

[1-Sports]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=sports cut in]
[GRAPHIC=None]

In sports, high school girls and boys basketball tournaments are well underway.
Mike Stevens has highlights.
Good Morning Mike.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Good morning]
[RUNS=2:18]
[OUT Q=little bit]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
(Melanie ad lib toss to Kimberly/Wx)

[One-Steve]

[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[Small Studio]
[SUPER=15-Steve/Pardon;]
[SUPER=01-Mabel Swanson/U. S. Postal Service;]

(toss to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM] ((Archive: postal service))

[grammys]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Grammys]

Carlos Santana is back on top of the music world.
The guitarist took eight Grammys at last night's awards ceremony.
No performer since Michael Jackson in 1983 has taken that much Grammy gold in a single evening.
Manuel Gallegus has highlights of the 42nd annual Grammy Awards.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:00:49]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Los Angeles, CA; :00]
[SUPER=01-Manuel Gallegus/Reporting; 1:12]
[RUNS=1:24]
[OUT Q=CBS News, Los Angeles.]
((Carlos Santana rocked his way into music a generation ago at Woodstock. At the 42nd annual Grammy Awards, he blasted his way on to the stage of the Staples Center picking up award after award for his album "Supernatural".
(SOT ) Carlos Santana
The 52-year-old artist also won for rock album, rock performance by a group and a mantle full of other awards.
(NATS)
But with only TEN Grammys presented in prime time, the ceremony was all about the music.
(NATS)
Performers included Whitney Houston
(NATS)
Backstreet Boys.
(NATS)
and Elton John, who received a Grammy Legend Award.
(NATS)
The 3-hour broadcast also had its share of gasps and gaffs. From risque outfits To bad hair But in the end, it was all about the awards as the music industry honored it's own. From long time favorites like Sting to Best New Artist Christina Aguilera.
(NAT SOT)
(STANDUP)
Aguierga is part of a Latin Wave sweeping the industry. From Marc Anthony to Ricky Martin. So much so in fact, that the first ever Latin Grammy's will be held this fall. Manuel Gallegus, CBS News, Los Angeles.))

[E-Dental-Program]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=00-05 3:40]
[GRAPHIC=None]

More than 7-thousand Roanoke children who live at or below the poverty level are on the verge of having nowhere to go for dental care.
Roanoke's the latest locality to lose funding
(----------------)
[vo-nat] for a pediatric dental program.
Child Health Investment Project, or CHIP, is working to get help from the city... because many private sector dentists will not treat low-income patients.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 15:02:59]
[IN Q=The Medicaid reimbursement]
((ROBIN HALDIMAN/CHIP EXEC. DIRECTOR: THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES ARE STILL LOW. THE NATURE OF DENTAL CARE IS THAT IS TAKES LONGER FOR AN APPOINTMENT, SO WHEN THERE ARE BROKEN OR MISSED APPOINTMENTS, WHICH THERE FREQUENTLY ARE WITH THE MEDICAID OR LOW INCOME POPULATION.))
[super=01-Robin Haldiman/CHIP Executive Director]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=income population.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

At a city council meeting,
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Tuesday; ]
Vice-Mayor Nelson Harris said the issue is critical.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 15:11:21]
[IN Q=There is]
((NELSON HARRIS/VICE-MAYOR: THERE IS REALLY NO PLACE FOR THESE CHILDREN TO GO AND GET DENTAL CARE THAT A LOT OF US WOULD TAKE FOR GRANTED.))
[super=01-Nelson Harris/Roanoke Vice-Mayor]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=take for granted]
(-------------)
[anchor=Kimberly]
[graphic=None]

Dental problems are reportedly the second-leading cause of school absenteeism.

[Health-Check]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin Health Check]

In medical news, you may want to cool down a baby's bath water.
Doctor Dave Hnida has that story and more in this morning's Health check.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Dave Hnida/Reporting; :00 ]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
((A ROUTINE.. AND OFTEN FUN PART OF INFANT CARE: GIVING A BABY A BATH. BUT A WORD A WARNING. USING WATER THATS TOO HOT MAY TRIGGER A SEIZURE. ITS CALLED HOT WATER EPILEPSY- FORTUNATELY NOT VERY COMMON- BUT IF IT HAPPENS TO YOU- IT'LL SCARE YOU TO DEATH. ACCORDING A STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF CHILD NEUROLOGY- THE AGE GROUP MOST SUSCEPTIBLE- 6 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS- ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN OLDER CHILDREN. YOUR BEST PREVENTION- THINK WARM BATHES.. NOT HOT.
VT=VO
ALSO TODAY- WANT TO STRENGTHEN THE MOST IMPORTANT MUSCLE IN YOUR BODY- YOUR HEART MUSCLE?... LIFT WEIGHTS. A STUDY IN CIRCULATION SAYS PUMPING IRON CAN LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL, AND HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT. ITS DOESN'T TAKE MUCH- ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK PICK A GROUP OF EXERCISES- FOR ARMS - LEGS- CHEST- AND DO ONE SET OF 10-15 LIFTS.-- AND REMEMBER DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH WHILE LIFTING. IT TAKES ABOUT 3 WEEKS FOR THOSE GOOD CHANGES TO TAKE PLACE.
VT=VO
AND FINALLY- IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW WOULD DEVELOP BREAST CANCER- COUNT ON GETTING A BONE MARROW BIOPSY.. RIGHT NOW WE USUALLY JUST DO A BIOPSY OF THE TUMOR AND SOME LYMPH NODES- BUT A STUDY IN THE NEJM SAYS ADDING A BONE MARROW EXAM CAN BE A GREAT HELP IN DECIDING THE BEST TREATMENT AND IMPROVING SURVIVAL. ON CAM THATS A LOOK AT SOME OF THE DAYS TOP HEALTH STORIES. IM DRDH FOR CBS))

(ad lib to weather)

[Two-Steve]

[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#NONE]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[Small Studio]
[SUPER=15-Steve/Pardon;]
[SUPER=01-Rachel Ivory/U.S. Postal Service;]

[Double Boxes=KMC & SPA]
(toss to Kimberly)
[2-HEADLINES]
[2-shot=Mel/Kmc]
[SUPER=#4049; Morning Headlines]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Here's a look at today's top stories.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Some 7-thousand Roanoke children from low income families are in jeopardy of losing their dental care.
Roanoke is losing funding for its pediatric dental program.
Child Health Investment Project also known as CHIP, is working to get help from the city because many private sector dentists will not treat low-income patients.
Roanoke's vice Mayor calls the situation, critical.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kim]

While the four primary presidential candidates criss-cross the nation this week in advance of Super Tuesday former President George Bush did some stumping for his son in Salem.
Bush said despite his Sons losses in Michigan and Arizona, George W. Bush is a fighter who will ultimately prevail.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Carlos Santana has smoothly sailed through the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.
Santana won eight awards Wednesday night, tying Michael Jackson's 1983 record for most Grammys on a single night.

"Supernatural'' won the biggest honor, Album of the Year.
A track off that multi-platinum album, ``Smooth,'' was named record and song of the year..
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And that's what's making news on this Thursday February 24.
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

News 7 Mornin' will be right back.

[NATIONAL-CAMPAIGN]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=MORN]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]

The four major contenders for President are campaigning in the four corners of the country, with an eye toward the super Tuesday primaries.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Bremerton, WA;]

And never mind the charges of mudslinging between George W. Bush and John McCain.
McCain's campaign ran into some real mud last night.
The Arizona senator's plane was stuck for about two hours in Bremerton, Washington, when its tires sank into the mud.
Meantime, George W. Bush went one on one with California voters, even acknowledging the momentum McCain has maintained.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((GEORGE W. BUSH, R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE; ITS INSULTING TALKING ABOUT MCCAIN AS A VICE PRESIDENT - HE'S A VIABLE CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE.))
[SUPER=201-George W. Bush/(R) Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=For the Presidency.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=204-File Tape;]

The Texas Governor is taking time off the presidential campaign trail to consider the fate of a female death row inmate.
Betty Lou Beets is set to die tonight.
She would be only the 2nd women executed in Texas since the Civil War.
[SUPER=203-Deerfield Beach, FL;]

Meantime on the Democratic side, Al Gore is campaigning in the south
[SUPER=203-New York, NY;]

While Bill Bradley spent yesterday in New York City.
(------------)

[E-President-Bush]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-53 1:22:06]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

The candidates may be looking ahead to Super Tuesday, but next week Virginia's Republican Primary will be in the national spotlight.
Yesterday, Former President George Bush visited the Roanoke Valley in an effort to boost his son's campaign here.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Salem]

Bush acknowledged his disappointment with Tuesday's primary results, but said his son is a fighter who will ultimately prevail.
He discounted the potential crossover from Democrats and Independents, and predicted another Bush victory on Tuesday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 30:37]
[IN Q=It's the function]
((IT'S THE FUNCTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO PICK THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE AND I THINK IF WE GET SOME REPUBLICANS TO GO IN AND VOTE IN VIRGINIA, I BELIEVE GEORGE WILL WIN HERE, JUST AS HE DID IN SOUTH CAROLINA, JUST AS HE DID IN IOWA.))
[SUPER=201-George Bush/Former President;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=just as he did in Iowa.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Bush says Virginia could play an important role next week by shaping the direction the Super Tuesday states will follow.
(------------)

[E-McCain]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-54 1:23:55]
[GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe]

[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Spokane, WA]

Senator John McCain's troops in Virginia are ecstatic, following Tuesday's victories in Michigan and Arizona.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT :52]
[IN Q=It is]
((PAUL GALANTI/MCCAIN'S VIRGINIA CHAIRMAN: IT IS A GREAT FEELING. I MEAN, IT SURPRISED A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT IT DIDN'T SURPRISE ME. LAST TIME WE TALKED ... YOU DON'T STOP WORKING BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY.))
[SUPER=201-Paul Galanti/McCain's Virginia Chairman; ]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=too much money.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Melanie]
[SS=Campaign 2000]

Tuesday's Virginia primary is considered a likely Bush victory.
But it is open to Democrats and Independents, and McCain supporters are encouraging them to vote in Virginia.
McCain is now unlikely to visit Virginia this weekend-- choosing to concentrate on larger states.

[2-E-Missing-Girl]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-03 37:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The searching is over, and now friends, family and schoolmates have to deal with the death of a little Nelson County girl.
Steve Smallshaw reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Just 24 hours]
[SUPER=03-Nelson Co./Tuesday; :00]
[SUPER=01-Henry Conner/Holden Family Friend; :16]
[SUPER=01-Nina Garrett/Principal; :44]
[SUPER=@ssm2; :55]
[RUNS=1:02]
[OUT Q=News7, Nelson County.]
(( Just 24 hours earlier, the road to the Holden family home had been a beehive of activity.. on Wednesday it was eerily quiet.
The scores of searchers and volunteers are gone, leaving family members alone with their grief.
[SOT 00:40:04]
((HENRY CONNER/HOLDEN FAMILY FRIEND: THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE FIVE OR SIX STAGES OF GRIEF AND THEY'RE STILL AT NUMBER ONE, DENIAL, AND THAT TYPE OF THING.))
[RUNS= 09]
[OUT Q=type of thing.]

Jackie Holden had been a second- grader at Rockfish River Elementary School.
The flags there are at half- staff, but spirits are even lower.
Faculty and students already had been mourning the loss of an assistant principal, killed in a car accident over the weekend.
Jackie's death has brought another wave of flowers and a new set of ribbons.. pink this time, her favorite color.

[2-E-Munsey-Murder]

[E-Sodomy]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-52 1:32:24]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Capitol]

Virginia's centuries-old sodomy law remains intact.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

A Senate committee shot down the bill that's come the closest to modifying it this decade.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[sot 15:15:55]
((JACK KNAPP/VA. ASSEMBLY OF INDEP. BAPTISTS: IT'S A TIME FOR STRENGTHENING THE MORAL FIBER OF OUR COMMONWEALTH AND REDUCING THE PENALTY AGAINST THIS WILL NOT DO THAT. THANK YOU.))
[SUPER=01-Jack Knapp/Va. Assembly of Ind. Baptists;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=Thank you.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The bill would have made oral or anal sex a misdemeanor instead of a felony.
A Richmond woman in a wheelchair argued the law makes her a felon.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=People in wheelchairs]
[sot 15:14:27]
((LOREE ERICKSON/BILL SUPPORTER: PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS ARE TYPICALLY THOUGHT OF TO BE NON-SEXUAL. ALSO, CRIMES AGAINST NATURE LAWS CRIMINALIZE THE TYPE OF SEX I AM ABLE TO HAVE. IT DEMEANS MY INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.))
[SUPER=01-Loree Erickson/Bill Supporter;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=intimate relationships.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The bill's sponsor says she hopes the sodomy law will be shot down in court-- since it keeps failing in the General Assembly.
(------------)

[Three-Steve]

[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#NONE]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[Small Studio]
[SUPER=15-Steve/Pardon;]
[SUPER=01-Rachel Ivory/U.S. Postal Service;]

[SUPER=01-Valerie Crouse/U. S. Postal Service;]

[double Boxes=SPA & MEL]
(toss to Melanie)

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
(ad lib toss to bump)
[BUMP-Chyron]
[COMM #6]
((Archive: postal service cultural event))

[awards]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Grammys]

The youth movement in pop music got a lesson from some old-timers at the Grammy awards last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Los Angeles, CA;]
[3:02:29]
Teen pop idols Britney Spears, Ricky Martin and the Backstreet Boys were among the young nominees expected to win awards.
All were shut out by music veterans like Santana, Cher and Sting.
Carlos Santana was the night's big winner.
The Latin-flavored guitarist took home eight Grammys, tieing Michael Jackson's 19-83 record.
Among them, album of the year for his chart-topper ``Supernatural.''
He also won for best record and song of the year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:06]
[IN Q=]
((SANTANA:THIS PROVES THAT QUALITY AND QUANTITY CAN GO TOGETHER. TO ME IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE OF SERVICE TO PEOPLE.))

[SUPER=01-Carlos Santa/Grammy Winner;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=TO BE OF SERVICE TO PEOPLE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Sting pulled the upset of the evening, beating Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony for best pop vocal performance with ``Brand New Day.''
In a mild upset for the younger stars, Christina Aguilera beat out Britney Spears as best new artist.
Other winners included the Dixie Chicks for best Country album.
(------------)

[E-Winning-Team]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=99-59 34:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Sources tell News 7 that some Danville police officers, their families, and some family members close to the chief are involved in an alleged pyramid scheme.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

Chief Neal Morris will not comment about his department or family members accused of participating in the program that asks people to contribute money in the hopes of gaining more money in the end.
Yesterday he spoke out about the rumors that he is involved with this gifting program.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:21:26]
[IN Q=I think there]
((NEAL MORRIS/DANVILLE POLICE CHIEF: I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF RUMORS FLOATING AROUND I'VE SAID ALL ALONG ABOUT BEING INVOLVED I'M NOT.))
[SUPER=01-Neal Morris/Danville Police Chief;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=I am not.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Chief Morris called the State Police to do an independent investigation.
(------------)

[harding]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Form Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding is in more hot water.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Camas, WA;]
[3:13:28]
She's been arrested in Washington state.. accused of assaulting the man she lives with.

She's been released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in court later today.
Harding gained national attention in 19-94 when she pleaded guilty to covering up for her former husband and his friends, who hatched a plot to injure Harding's chief skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan.
(------------)

[3-Sports]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=sports cut in]
[GRAPHIC=None]

In sports, Mike Stevens has highlights from the Roundhouse and more high school hoops action.
Good Morning Mike.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Morning folks]
[RUNS=2:08]
[OUT Q=Thursday everybody]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
(weather toss)

[Local-Recap]
[SUPER=#4059;Local Recap]
[2-Shot=Mel/Kmc]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Now here's another look at today's top local stories:
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

The 540 area code could run out of numbers by the fall of 2001.
So, the state corporation commission is holding public hearings throughout the area-- looking for solutions.
Three of proposals under consideration would split the Roanoke Valley into different area codes.
A fourth would give a new area code to new customers only.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

The father and stepmother of Jeff Thomas say their son is incapable of murder, though they think he does know something about the murder of Tara Munsey.
They say he's a devoted family man-- who's more interested in helping than hurting people.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

A Nelson County family and their neighbors are mourning the death of a little girl who spent two days lost in the woods.
Jackie Holden was a second- grader at Rockfish River Elementary School.
Faculty and students there were already mourning the loss of an assistant principal, killed in a car accident over the weekend.
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[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Now here's Keith Humphry with a preview of News 7 at Six.
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[OUT Q=on News-7 at six.]
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(live ad lib, tease tomorrow)
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