[7-S-Sabato]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-53 1:34:46]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]
Texas Governor George W. Bush plans to attack John McCain on education in tonight's Republican debate.
Virginians who voted in Tuesday's primary may have sealed the fate of McCain.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Friday]
Virginia gave George W- Bush 56 delegates, and much-needed momentum.
U-V-A political analyst Larry Sabato says it's the first time in a century that the Commonwealth has played a major role in presidential politics.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 22:19:20 ]
[IN Q=This is literally]
((LARRY SABATO/U.VA. POLITICAL ANALYST: THIS IS LITERALLY THE TURNING POINT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE SO FAR. IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT FOR GEORGE BUSH, AND GEORGE BUSH IS NOW LIKELY BECAUSE OF VIRGINIA TO BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Sabato/U.Va. Political Analyst;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=Republican nominee.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
If Bush wins the White House, Sabato says he's likely to show his gratitude to Governor Jim Gilmore.
That could mean a cabinet post like Secretary of Commerce... which could mean Lieutenant Governor John Hager becoming Governor for the final year of Gilmore's term.
(------------)
[7-Reform-Party]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
Nearly two million dollars of Federal Election Commission money given to the Reform Party is now in the hands of Lynchburg federal court officers.
A District Judge has ordered the transfer last Friday pending resolution of a dispute about who controls the party and its money.
The money was returned by former party chairman John Gargan and former treasurer Ronn Young.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nashville, TN/February 12]
They were ousted at a chaotic meeting on February 12th when power was returned to allies of Reform Party founder Ross Perot.
Gargan and Young still contend they are the rightful heads of the organization. Hearings on that will be held March 22nd.
(------------)
[7-Still-bust]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Moonshine Bust]
Authorities have shut down an illegal moonshine operation in Pittsylvania County, and it is the same site that was raided last April.
Operation "Lightning Strike" was responsible for the raid in April, and yesterday A-T-F Agents shut down the same site--operated by the same people.
Nelson Giles was arrested along with a Mexican couple.
The government believes the couple is in this country illegally.
[7-E-Halifax-Threat]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=99-58 1:02:22]
[GRAPHIC=Halifax Bomb Threats]
When schools receive bomb threats, school officials immediately evacute students...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co.]
...but not in Halifax County. They do the opposite.
Students are kept in the classroom and not allowed out.
And with three bomb threats in three weeks, many students and parents want this policy changed.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:45:30]
[SOT 1:49:46]
[IN Q=There's so many things]
((TODD EAKES/STUDENT: THERE SO MANY THINGS THAT COULD GO WRONG IN AN EVACUATION BUT SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT COULD GO WRONG WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO SAVE MY LIFE.
LARRY CLARK/PRINCIPAL: WELL MY THOUGHT ON EVACUATION AGAIN IS YOU'RE PUTTING STUDENTS THROUGH CORRIDORS, STAIR TOWERS. THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THERE IS NOT A BOMB IN THOSE AREAS.))
[SUPER=01-Todd Eakes/Student;]
[SUPER=01-Larry Clark/Halifax Co. H. S. Principal;]
[RUNS=27]
[OUT Q=in those areas.]
(-------------------)
[VO-NAT]
The school board is expected to address this issue at its next meeting on March 13th.
(---------------)
[7Weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Here's a look at your Thursday forecast.
Mostly sunny and windy today with high temperatures in the mid 50s.
Tonight, partly cloudy and breezy.
Lows in the mid 30s.
The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NW 20-30/52-56/Partly Cloudy/& Breezy/32-36;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[45-E-Moment-Silence]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-52 1:46:20]
[GRAPHIC=VA Capitol]
The House Education Committee has voted down the minute of silence bill.
But supporters are expected to revive the proposal on the House floor.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
The argue it's timely-- given the latest school shooting near Flint, Michigan.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 09:59:37]
[IN Q=This bill]
((DEL. PAUL HARRIS/R-CHARLOTTESVILLE: THIS BILL IS NOT ATTEMPTING TO ESTABLISH A RELIGION. IT'S SIMPLY AN ATTEMPT TO SAY THAT WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, GIVEN ALL THE CALAMITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SOCIAL FABRIC, THAT THERE SHALL BE A MINUTE OF SILENCE BEFORE WE START OUR SCHOOL DAY.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Paul Harris/(R) Charlottesville; ]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=our school day.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
But opponents argues it's a religious sham-- and probably UNconstitutional.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT tape two 09:55:23]
[IN Q=It is more]
((REV. SHELTON MILES/HALIFAX CO. BAPTIST PASTOR: IT IS MORE A VACCINE AGAINST AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY BEING CAUGHT BY OUR YOUTH THAN MOST ANYTHING YOU COULD PRODUCE. BECAUSE IT LEAVES THOSE FROM SECULAR BACKGROUNDS WITH A FALSE IMPRESSION OF WHAT AUTHENTIC PRAYER TRULY IS.))
[SOT 10:11:49 MOMENT TAPE TWO]
((RODNEY SMOLLA/CONSTITUTIONAL LAWYER: BOTH JUSTICE O'CONNOR AND JUSTICE POWELL SAID I AM VOTING AGAINST THE ALABAMA LAW BECAUSE IT HAS THE WORD PRAYER IN IT.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Shelton Miles/Halifax Co. Baptist Pastor; :00 ]
[SUPER=01-Rodney Smolla/Constitutional Law Professor; :15]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=prayer in it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chesterfield Co./File Tape;]
The House Education Committee decided to leave it a local option for school systems to have a moment of silence-- but to provide state lawyers to defend them if they got sued.
(------------)
[45-E-Hunt-Fish]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-51 1:33:12]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Virginia ballots this November will include a proposed amendment to the state Constitution upholding the rights to hunt and fish.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Senate passed the legislation yesterday, two days after sending it back to committee.
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
But NOT before some senators tried to add to the rights: shopping, golfing, food, and shelter-- in an attempt to derail what they regarded as a foolish change.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT SENATE 2:47:03]
[IN Q=And when]
((SEN. RUSS POTTS/(R) WINCHESTER: AND WHEN THEY PUT THOSE VOTES UP THERE, I'M GONNA VOTE YES. BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THIS AIN'T MY FINEST HOUR, AND IT'S NOT OUR FINEST HOUR EITHER.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Russ Potts/(R) Winchester;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=hour either.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The hunting and fishing constitutional amendment was the idea of Bath County Delegate Creigh (KREE) Deeds.
(------------)
[45-E-Mining-Park]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-54]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Some Radford University students are breathing new life into a public park, while restoring its history.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]
These anthropology students have spent the last year planning a coal mining heritage park.
It will be on the site of the old (MERRY-mack) Merrimac Mines, which saw their heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
When finished, the park will include nature trails, an amphitheatre and a reconstructed miner's cabin.
(///// SOT /////)
[BUMP SOTS ]
[IN Q=For me, the most]
((MELISSA LAMB/RADFORD STUDENT: FOR ME THE MOST EXCITING THING IS BRINGING BACK TO LIFE A WAY OF LIFE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES. ))
((FRED LAWSON/MERRIMAC COAL MINER: THEY REALLY DUG IN. THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT. I SUPPOSE THEY'RE MAKING GOOD GRADES WHEN TEST TIME COMES AROUND, TOO ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE.))
[SUPER=01-Melissa Lamb/Radford Student;]
[SUPER=01-Fred Lawson/Merrimac Coal Miner; :06]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=what they're doing here.]
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]
The students present their plans at a public meeting tomorrow night.
(------------)
[45Weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Shifting gears now to weather...
Mostly sunny and windy today, with afternoon highs near 55.
Turning partly cloudy, with lows falling to near 35.
The five day forecast looks partly to mostly cloudy as we head into the weekend....with highs staying mainly in the 50s.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NW 20-30/52-56/Partly Cloudy/& Breezy/32-36;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
[8-S-Hanger]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-56 1:16:58]
[GRAPHIC=VA Capitol]
It was intended as a joke,but Virginia Senator Emmett Hanger is taking some heat about his comments on the basketball abilities of his fellow white, male Republican colleagues is the Senate.
Ellen Qualls reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's an annual]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Emmett Hanger/(R) Augusta Co.; :05]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Janet Howell/(D) Reston; :16 ]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Louise Lucas/(D) Portsmouth; :38]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Yvonne Miller/(D) Norfolk; :43 ]
[SUPER=@Ellen2; 1:11 ]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=Qualls, News7, Richmond.]
(( It's an annual legislative tradition -- politicians playing basketball for charity.
[sot SENATE FEED 01:40:12]
((SEN. EMMETT HANGER/R-AUGUSTA CO.: I THINK WE'RE PRETTY PATHETIC AS FAR AS BASKETBALL PLAYERS. LOOK AT US! WE HAVE NO AFRICAN-AMERICANS. WE HAVE NO CHEERLEADERS.))
[runs= :09]
The first response was on the cheerleaders part.
[SOT 01:42:58 SENATE FEED]
((SEN. JANET HOWELL/D-RESTON: SURELY HE DOESN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT THE FEMALE SENATOR ALL-STARS CAN ONLY BE CHEERLEADERS.))
[RUNS= :09]
Hanger says, quoting now, "I didn't mean to infer that at all."
But what about the African-American part?
[sot 14:50:31]
((SEN. EMMETT HANGER/R-AUGUSTA CO.: IT'S A KNOWN FACTOR THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES DO EXCEEDINGLY WELL IN BASKETBALL.
THAT'S A KNOWN FACTOR.))
[runs= :10]
[SOT 15:17:08]
((SEN. LOUISE LUCAS/D-PORTSMOUTH: DID HE SAY THAT AS WELL? OH MY GOD. THE PLOT THICKENS.))
[RUNS= :05]
[sot 17:57:59]
((SENATOR Y.B. MILLER/D-NORFOLK: I'M GRIEVING FOR THE PERSON WHO MADE THOSE STATEMENTS, BECAUSE IT REALLY REFLECTS A VERY NARROW-MINDED VIEW.))
[runs= :09]
The implication, said some black Senators, was they had more brawn than brains.
[SOT 15:19:13]
((SEN. LOUISE LUCAS/D-PORTSMOUTH: I THINK HE JUST DOESN'T GET IT. BUT I THINK A LOT OF MEMBERS JUST DON'T GET IT. A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T REALIZE HOW OFFENSIVE SOME OF THOSE REMARKS ARE.))
[RUNS= :08]
[sot 14:51:05 ]
((SEN. EMMETT HANGER/R-AUGUSTA CO.: WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP. I THINK YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. THAT IS JUST A KNOWN QUANTITY.))
[runs= :08]
The Legislative Black Caucus ended the day with a news release labelling Hanger's comments a "slur," and "insensitive."
Ellen Qualls, News 7, Richmond.))
[8-Reform-Party]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
Nearly two million dollars of Federal Election Commission money given to the Reform Party is now in the hands of Lynchburg federal court officers.
District Judge Norman Moon ordered the transfer last Friday pending resolution of a dispute about who controls the party and its money.
The money was returned by former party chairman John Gargan and former treasurer Ronn Young.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nashville, TN/February 12]
They were ousted at a chaotic meeting on February 12th when power was returned to allies of Reform Party founder Ross Perot.
Gargan and Young still contend they are the rightful heads of the organization-- hearings on that will be held March 22nd.
(------------)
[8-S-Blacksburg-Fight]
[ANCHOR=Mel]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-59 42:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Virginia Tech resident advisor who died Monday was beaten after he broke into someone's house.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Monday;]
Police say 29-year-old Thomas L. Hyman was intoxicated outside the house when he got in an argument with a man he didn't know who lived inside.
Police say Hyman then broke the glass on the front door... and was beaten unconscious.
So far, the Commonwealth's attorney is NOT pursuing charges against the man who beat Hyman.
(------------)
[8Weather]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Checking the forecast once more today...
Mostly sunny with cooler northwest winds.
Highs in the mid 50s.
Partly cloudy overnight and still breezy.
Lows in the mid 30s.
The five day forecast looks partly to mostly cloudy as we head into the weekend....with highs staying mainly in the 50s.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NW 20-30/52-56/Partly Cloudy/& Breezy/32-36;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]
by SS