WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 03/07/00

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Jean]

[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up on News 7 at Five, the search continues for two women missing since a Radford Manufacturing plant exploded Sunday night. We'll have a live report.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and Salem's largest employers could experience changes now that another company has controlling interest.
(------------)
[Weather-Head]
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]

Another record breaking day on tap for tomorrow. We'll look at just how warm we got this afternoon, and check out the rest of the week, too.

[Medical-Head]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#med heads]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
And in medical news,
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
we'll see how a new treatment is helping some patients avoid painful back surgery.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=JEAN]

[open]
[SUPER=#4063; Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Jean1;]
[SUPER=@Tonya1;]
[SUPER=@Patrick1;]
[SUPER=@robin1;]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]

[5-Radford-Explosion]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=599-17 LIVE]
[GRAPHIC=New River Castings]

Rescue workers are still looking for the two women missing since Sunday night's explosion at a Radford manufacturing plant.
It's the third night their families have had to wait for news of their loved ones.
[Double Boxes=Jean/Marya Starlink]

Marya Jones joins us from outside the New River Castings plant in Radford with the latest..
[Live=Marya Full]
[SUPER=@Marya1;]
[SUPER=05-Radford]
(rollcue... ***ROLLED FROM THE TRUCK )
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Edward Anderson/Father;]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]
[SUPER=01-Willie Hall/Sheppard's Fiance; :24]
[SUPER=01-Bart McIntire/ATF Agent;]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=]
(())

[Live=MARYA Full]
[SUPER=05-Radford;]
(ad lib)

[Double Boxes=Jean/Marya]

[5-Survivor]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=599-18 1:40:25]
[GRAPHIC=Hold graphic]

One of the hospitalized survivors of the explosion talked to News 7 today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.; ]
Jessie Chrisley was working about 20 yards from the blast that fractured his left leg Sunday night. He has no memory of the explosion. Chrisley says the last thing he remembers was talking to a couple of co-workers on the assembly line.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 00:42:02]
[IN Q=The next thing]
((JESSIE CHRISLEY/EXPLOSION SURVIVOR: THE NEXT I KNOW IT ALL WENT BLACK, I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. REPORTER QUESTION: "WHAT'S THE NEXT THING YOU REMEMBER?" BEING IN THE AMBULANCE.))
[SUPER=01-Jessie Chrisley/Explosion Survivor; ]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=being in the ambulance.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Chrisley is expected to be released from Carilion New River Valley Medical Center Thursday.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[SS=HOLD]
Tim Epperling and Max Horton are also in stable condition at NRV Medical Center. Michael Treadway is recovering at Roanoke Memorial Hospital . Daniel Stevens is in serious condition at R-M-H.

[5-GE-Toshiba]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=500-6 26:05]
[GRAPHIC=General electric]

It's not clear if the news will end old rumors or start new ones.
But management at General Electric says a deal with a Japanese company is just what Salem needs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

G-E announced a joint venture with Toshiba today.
It's a deal to strengthen part of the business in Salem that's been losing money.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 49:30]
[IN Q=the drives business]
((TOM FRANKS/GE GENERAL MANAGER: THE DRIVES BUSINESS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS LOST 40-50 MILLION DOLLARS. WE'VE CUT INTO THAT, BUT STILL, THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MONEY.))
[SUPER=01-Tom Franks/GE General Manager;]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=LOSE MONEY]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The joint venture with Toshiba will try to make G-E more competitive in the global market.
The Japanese company will take over 51-percent of the G-E business that makes high-tech industrial drive systems.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 49:30]
[IN Q=the drives business]
((GEORGE BRAMMER/AG EDWARDS & SONS: THEY'RE GOING TO POOL THEIR RESOURCES AND WORK TOGETHER, SO THERE'S NO INDICATION AT THIS POINT THAT TOSHIBA WOULD COME IN AND FORCE SOME CHANGE LOCALLY.))
[SUPER=01-George Brammer/A.G. Edwards & Sons;]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=change locally]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

There have been rumors about layoffs flying around the Salem plant for months.
G-E says the joint-venture won't cost any jobs in the short-term ... but the company will have to wait and see how the deal plays out in the next 18 to 20 months.
(------------)

[5-Dog-Bite]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=500-3 27:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A woman whose four year old son was mauled by a pit bull yesterday thinks the dogs should be outlawed.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Shirley Morris says a pit bull tore through her son Jeffrey's ears, eyelids, face and scalp. He still can not move the right side of his face. Jeffrey had played with the pit bull all weekend.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:11:25]
[IN Q=These dogs]
((THESE DOGS AIN'T CUT TO BE WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO BE. ONE MINUTE THEY'RE LOVABLE, THE NEXT MINUTE THEY'LL KILL YA.))

[SUPER=01-Shirley Morris/Mother;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=they'll kill ya]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The boy's cousin Michelle and her boyfriend owned the 95-pound pit bull, which has been put to sleep. Sheriff's deputies have charged her boyfriend with shooting the dog's two puppies.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:16:42]
[SOT 11:16:50]
[IN Q=After going through]
((MICHELLE MORRIS/COUSIN: AFTER GOING THROUGH WHAT WE SAW THE CHILD GO THROUGH .... BUTT BUTT BUTT ... HE FLIPPED. HE DIDN'T WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH BY GIVING THEM AWAY.))
[SUPER=01-Michelle Morris/Cousin;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=giving them away]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Jeffrey's mother says he can hear her and that he knows what happened to him. The dog had had its rabies shots.
(------------)

[(toss to R)]
(toss to Patrick)
[Robin-Tease] [03/07/2000]
[SS=NONE]PATRICK IN WX-CENTER
[WXPRO/FULL] WEATHER MAP TOMORROW FORECAST FIVE DAY FORECAST
[SS=NONE]PATRICK TOSS BACK[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[SS=NONE]

Coming up next on the newscast, Martinsville police say the local hospital is safe even after a man brings a gun into its emergency room,
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
and today is Super Tuesday. We'll see what the presidential candidates are doing on the biggest day so far in the campaign.
(--------------)

[CLOSED CAPTIONING]

[5-Hospital-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=500-8 17:57]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Authorities say no one was in danger when a patient brought a gun to the Martinsville hospital and killed himself.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]

It happened around one this afternoon in a restroom right ouside of the emergency room. Authorities say the 34-year old man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. They do not believe the man had intentions of harming anyone else. Investigators say the hospital has good security, but the entrance of the hospital is undergoing construction which could make it difficult to effectively police the area.
(------------)

[5-Super-Tuesday]

[ANCHOR=jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Today is Super Tuesday- the most crucial day yet in the 2-thousand presidential campaign-
As Bobbi Harley reports, New York and California are the most delegate rich, but for some candidates every race counts.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Georgia;]
[SUPER=01-Bobbi Harley/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
(( OUT BRIGHT AND EARLY - NOT ONLY THE CANDIDATES - BUT SUPPORTERS WORKING THE POLLING PLACES.
SOT - I think Im making a difference, I think any American who gets
involved is, theres just too few of us.
THE SIGNS AND THE T-SHIRTS MIGHT REMIND PEOPLE IN SIXTEEN STATES FROM COAST TO COAST THAT TODAY IS SUPER TUESDAY - BUT THE MESSAGE DIDNT SEEM TO CHANGE ANY VOTERS MINDS. - Its the candidates themselves, their words and stance on the issues, not the signs. BUT ON THIS BLOCKBUSTER TUESDAY - ANY LITTLE BIT HELPS - ENOUGH DELEGATES ARE AT STAKE TO CUT THE CAMPAIGN FIELD IN HALF. THE BIG PRIZES: CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK - BUT FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO ST. LOUIS TO ARIZONA WHERE THE FIRST INTERNET VOTES EVER HAVE BEEN CAST - ITS KEEPING THE CANDIDATES INTENSE. - JOHN MCCAIN - Good morning Dave Shelley and Chain Saw REPUBLICAN CONTENDER JOHN MCCAIN WORKING THE RADIO TALK SHOW CIRCUIT FROM LOS ANGELES - NOWS DO OR DIE TIME FOR HIS CAMPAIGN. FRONT RUNNER GEORGE W. BUSH - EXPECTED TO WIN AT LEAST MORE THAN HALF OF THE REPUBLICAN CONTESTS - ALREADY STARTED LOOKING AHEAD TO THE GENERAL ELECTION. FOR THE DEMOCRATS... - AL GORE - 23:55:19 - Keep pushing hard to get everybody out to the polls. ...VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE HAS A WIDE MARGIN OVER BILL BRADLEY - WHOSE SWAN SONG MAY HAVE COME IN THE FORM OF SOME DEDICATED STAFFERS - WHO BARED A BIT IN NEW YORK CITY HOPING TO BRING IN SOME VOTES. BRADLEY, BRADLEY.))

[5-Web-day]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Website of the Day]

The presidential candidates are usually surrounded by hundreds of reporters.
However this year there are at least two journalists of a different kind. Their stories are strictly for the internet. Patrick Evans has more in our website of the day.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[BRING IN PINNACLE :43]
[RUNS=:49]
[OUT Q=vote for me.]
(( If you want to see a different perspective on the Presidential campaign this Super Tuesday, check out our website of the day.
Patrick Coolican and Steve Myers are two youn aspiring journalists who are driving across the country following the candidates during the mad rush of presidential primaries.
While they will daily post their observations from the road, Myers and Coolican are not trying to compete with the larger news services.
They claim they are just trying to fill in the gaps with the stories the networks are missing.
Their format is simple. In addition to their daily reports and weekly analysis, they are interviewing many of the people they come across along the way to gauge what the general population thinks about the race.
As for the candidates themselves, the site has listings on their stands on a variety of issues.
So if you want a behind the scenes look at the Presidential campaign, head to our website of the day. you can find

a link to it on our home page at WDBJ7-dot-com. I'm Patrick Evans.))[Tease#2]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Coming up next on the newscast, we'll see how the nice weather is helping some Southside tobacco growers,
(--------------------)
and it's the last blast before Lent as partiers send Mardi Gras out with a blast.
(-------------------)

[STOX][5-Tobacco]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#599-14]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco]

The exceptionally warm weather this week is energizing farmers to prepare their crops. As Surae Chinn tells us it's also helping some farmers get ahead.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Then you got your]
[SUPER=01-Joe Watts/Tobacco Farmer; :17]
[SUPER=01-Larry McPeters/Extension Agent; :29]
[SUPER=@Surae1; :37]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=News 7, Halifax County.]
(natsot 15:26:52 Then you got your drum seeder that drops the see in to the squares.)

It's not unusual for tobacco farmers like Joe Watts to start the seeding process. What is unusual is the near 80 degree temperatures this week.
[SOT 15:28:00]
((JOE WATTS/TOBACCO FARMER: ANYTIME YOU'VE GOT WEATHER MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH PROBLEMS WITH THE WEATHER. OUR WHOLE FUTURE IS BASED MAINLY ON THE WEATHER.))
[RUN=10]
[SOT 15:25:24]
((LARRY MCPETERS/EXTENSION AGENT: FARMERS WILL GET AHEAD AS FAR AS LAND PREPARATION AND FARM ACTIVITIES.))
[RUN=06]

((SURAE CHINN/REPORTING: FOR JOE AND MANY OTHER FARMERS THE SEEDING PROCESS SYMBOLIZES GROWTH, INCOME AND RENEWED HOPE FOR A GOOD CROP. WITH THE HOT WEATHER THERE'S EVEN MORE HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.))
[RUN=10]
[SOT 15:27:22]
((JOE WATTS/TOBACCO FARMER: ALL FARMERS LIKE THIS KIND OF WEATHER WHEN YOU GET YOUR LAND READY.))
[RUN=06]

But doing too much too soon could be harmful.
[SOT 15:23;31]
((LARRY MCPETERS/EXTENSION AGENT: IT'S A LITTLE BIT TO EARLY TO TOP DRESS PASTEUR AND HAY CROPS. DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT UNTIL THE GRASS IS GROWING.))
[RUN=08]

Some farmers just can't wait.
[SOT15:23:52]
((LARRY MCPETERS/EXTENSION AGENT: IT'S THE WEATHER, THE WEATHER IS CREATING THE SITUATION WHERE THEY WANT TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING AND TRY TO GET AHEAD.))
[RUN=08]
[SOT 15:29:39]
((JOE WATTS/TOBACCO FARMER: THERE'S NOTHING LIKE WORKING ON THE LAND. NOTHING.))
[RUN=04]

And there's nothing like getting a head start in the sunshine. Surae Chinn News 7 Halifax County.
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[Forecasts]
[SUPER=#577;]
[SUPER=X5000;]
[SUPER=330-Partly/Cloudy/46-50/Mostly Sunny/Very Warm/80-84;]
[SUPER=331-Partly Cloudy/Very Mild/48-52/Mostly Sunny/& Hot/82-85;]
[SUPER=332-Partly Cloudy/& Mild/46-50/Partly Sunny/Very Warm/74-78;]
[SUPER=333-Partly/Cloudy/44-48/Partly Sunny/Very Warm/74-77;]
[SUPER=334-Partly/Cloudy/45-48/Partly Sunny/Very Warm/72-76;]
[SUPER=X5001;][tease#3]

[health music under]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#tease 3]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Still to come on the newscast, the Winston Cup points leader is in the area. Mike Stevens will tell us why today in Sports,
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
and on health check, we'll see how doctors are stretching their patients to help them avoid back surgery.
(----------------)
[NO health bump]
[Comm Break#3]

[5-Back-pain]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=500-1 31:10]
[GRAPHIC=Back pain]

Millions of Americans suffer from back pain. For many the choice comes down to living in pain or surgery.
But a new treatment is helping many patients avoid the scalpel.
Dr. Dave Hnida has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Sheri Grudowski/Back Pain Sufferer; :04]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Brandon Reiter; 1:24]
[RUNS=2:02]
[OUT Q=CBS NEws]
((" OH BOY IVE TRIED EVERYTHING.REALLY I HAVE. IVE TRIED ACCUPUNCTURE. PHYSICAL THERAPY, MESSAGE. IVE GONE TO CHIROPRACTORS, DOCTORS. EVERYTHING REALLY."
AND NO RELIEF MEANT SHERI HAD JUST TWO CHOICES: SURGERY... OR JUST LEARN TO LIVE IN PAIN. THAT IS.. UNTIL SHE LEARNED ABOUT VAX-D-- A NEW TREATMENT FOR DISK PROBLEMS IN THE LOWER BACK.
HERES HOW VAX D WORKS:

(GRAPHICS)
A DISK IS LIKE A JELLY DONUT.. AND WHEN YOU RUPTURE A DISK- THE JELLY COMES OUT- PRESSING ON SPINAL NERVES.
WITH VAX D- THE SPINE IS SLOWLY PULLED APART-- AND THE PRESSURE SUCKS THE JELLY BACK INTO THE DISK.
SOUNDS PAINFUL
"NOT REALLY. THERES NOT REALLY ANY PAIN EXCEPT STRETCHING THE ARMS OUT."
DR BRANDON REITER SAYS THE PROCEDURE ISNT FOR EVERYONE- ITS ONLY FOR DISK PROBLEMS - NOT PULLED MUSCLES.. THE SUCCESS RATE FOR VAX D IS ABOUT 75%.. GREAT ODDS FOR PATIENTS WHO'S NEXT STOP IS USUALLY SURGERY.
SUPER: DR. BRANDON REITER
----------------------------------------------

" IVE HAD SEVERAL ORTHOPEDISTS REFERRING ME PATIENTS AND SPINE SPECIALISTS ARE RECOMMENDING TREATMENTS FOR THEIR PATIENTS BEFORE UNDERGOING SURGERY."
AND STUDIES SHOW EVEN WHEN VAX- D DOESN'T HELP - IT DOESN'T MAKE THE PROBLEM ANY WORSE.
RELIEF THOUGH IS NOT OVERNIGHT- IT USUALLY TAKES 5 TREATMENTS A WEEK FOR A MONTH TO FEEL BETTER. BUT NOT FOR SHERI
" THIS HAS BEEN REMARKABLE. I NOTICED FEELING BETTER THE FIRST DAY I DID IT."
MORE IMPORTANTLY- IT NOW LOOKS LIKE SHE'S AVOIDED THE SCALPEL
" I FEEL GREAT. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO OTHER PEOPLE. ITS WORKING FOR ME." I'. DR. DAVE HNIDA FOR CBS NEWS. ))

[S5-Express]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-58 1:26:18 ]
[GRAPHIC=TICKER]
Welcome everybody to the Tuesday ticker that begins on the Roanoke Civic Center hardwater.
[GRAPHIC=Express/Greensboro]

The Express is back at the Round House tonight to take on Northeast Division rival Greensboro.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
The Express is 3-1 and OH against the Generals this season. Greensboro is in last place in the Northeast Division but Roanoke is hardly taking the Generals lightly.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Thy're]
[SUPER=01-Scott Gordon/Express Head Coach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ben Schust/Express Center; :19]
((SCOTT GORDON/EXPRESS HEAD COACH:THEY'RE A LOT OF GUYS THERE THAT CAME AT THE TRADE DEADLINE THAT WANT TO PROVE THEMSELVES TO THE NEW COACH AND THEY DO HAVE SOME YOUNG GUYS THAT ARE GONNA BE A LITTLE MORE HUNGRY THAN SOME OLDER GUYS THAT ARE ON A LAST PLACE TEAM SO, YOU CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING LIGHTLY, I KNOW THEIR GOALTENDER HAS PLAYED REALLY WELL AGAINST US ALL YEAR LONG AND THAT IN ITSELF IS REASON TO MAKE SURE WE ARE READY FOR THE GAME.)) ((BEN SCHUST/EXPRESS CENTER:I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE THEM AS BIG A GAME AS ANY THIS YEAR. THEY'VE MADE SOME CHANGES IN THE LAST WEEK WITH THE TRADE DEADLINE AND THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT FIGHTING FOR THEIR JOBS FOR NEXT YEAR AND I THINK BRUBAKER WILL HAVE THEM FIRED UP. WE HAVE HANDLED THEM FAIRLY WELL THIS YEAR, WE HAD A TOUGH ONE AGAINST THEM DOWN THERE. YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO TREAT THEM LIKE A HAMPTON ROADS OR A RICHMOND GAME.))
[RUNS=:41]
[OUT Q=...Richmond game"]
(----------------)

[S5-Labonte]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-57 ]
[GRAPHIC=MARTINSVILLE]

The Winston Cup circuit won't pull into Martinsville for another month, but that didn't keep the folks
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00]
from Goodyear and the current Winston Cup points leader from giving the track a workout today. Bobby Labonte has been hired by Goodyear to spend two days at the speedway to make sure that the tire Goodyear brings back for the Goody's 500 doesn't cause any serious headaches.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Bobby Labonte/Winston Cup Points Leader; :00]
((BOBBY LABONTE: YOU KNOW WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET A CONSISTENT TIRE. THERE REALLY WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH LAST YEAR'S TIRE BUT THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO IT. THEY WANT TO FIND ONE THAT'S MORE CONSISTENT AND MAYBE HAS A LITTLE MORE GRIP AND NOT AS MUCH HEAT BUILD UP IN IT. AND THEN WE WILL TRY TO GET SOME PERFORMANCE OUT IT ALSO.)) ((STEVE BOYER/GOODYEAR ENGINEER: WE HOPE AS MUCH AS ANYTHING TO BE VERY CONFIDENT IN OUR NEW TIRE. WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BRING A NEW TIRE BACK, BUT WE WANT TO GET SOME GOOD LONG RUNS ON IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE SAFE AND GOOD FOR EVERY COMPETITOR COMING BACK HERE FOR THE RACE.))
[SUPER=01-Steve Boyer/Goodyear Tire Engineer; :19]
[RUNS=:33]
[OUT Q=for the race."]
(------------)
[TALENT=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=BOBBY LABONTE]
More from Martinsville as Labonte talks about his hot start to the 2000 season tonight on News 7 at six.[5-Mardi-Gras]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The party-goers are gearing up for one last blast tonight in New Orleans. Today is Fat Tuesday, the last day of Mardi Gras and the thousands of people jamming Bourbon Street are refusing to let the season go out quietly.
Drew Levinson has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-New Orleans;]
[SUPER=01-Drew Levinson/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=CBS News New Orleans]
(LOCATOR: NEW ORLEANS)
Don't tell the people here in New Orleans, this isn't Super Tuesday. In fact on this Fat Tuesday many people don't even know or at least don't care about the political contests going on around the country.
sot
"Do you know that there is something political going on in this country today? Yeah what. Super Tuesday, You didn't know that did you, no. "Um other than Mardi Gras, other than Mardi Gras. No I'm not aware of that, What is it. How about Super Tuesday? What? Super Tuesday, where's that going on."
A record three million revelers, many in elaborate costumes have descended on the Crescent City. Most of these normally reserved folks are here for a chance to let loose. And often times that means letting loose of a little clothing. For some alot of clothing, but we can't show you that here, you'll just have to trust us...it's the naked truth.

(track)

In exchange for the bare facts, you get beads. You also get beads for doing other things like begging and that's what most people do.

sot
"it's just fun, it's just that's all. the fun of mardi gras thats all.
"it just means i've been down here and i'm having fun."
"it means happiness and fun, the more the better, the more the better, more the better."
For most people Fat Tuesday is followed by the religious Ash Wednesday, but for many here, their prayers will be answered once the hangover is gone.
Drew Levinson, CBS News, New Orleans.
[Close-ID] [5pm] SUPER=x4035; fax/copyright [SUPER=x4034;email/copyright]