[usair-strike]

[ANCHOR=melanie]

[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=US Airways]


Contract negotiations continue this afternoon between U-S Airways and its flight attendants.
The flight attendants are set to strike at midnight.
The airline says it will shut down rather than subject passengers to disruptions.
So its making plans to accomodate those passengers.
Bob Orr reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]

[10:03:12]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Bob Orr/Reporting; 1:06]
[RUNS=1:24]
[OUT Q=Reagan National Airport]



[Roanoke-Airport]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=00-]
[GRAPHIC=US-Airways]



The Roanoke Regional Airport officials are uncertain how a strike would affect travel to and from the area. But they believe most passengers will be able to get where they need to go.
[Double Boxes=Melanie ANCHOR/Joe D.Microwave]


Joe Dashiell is at the airport this afternoon with more on the situation.
[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Joe1]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]




(rollcue... if they're patient)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Our big advice]
[SUPER=01-Jacqueline Shuck/Airport Director]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=ultimate destination]


[CONTINUE VO :30 Seconds]
[Super=03-Roanoke]
(outcue from VO....could be problematic)



[Live=Joe D. Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]
(ad lib)



[Double Boxes=Melanie ANCHOR/Joe D. Microwave]


[Imposter]


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


Authorities in Nelson County are looking for a man who is posing as a police officer.
The man pulled over a woman yesterday afternoon on Route 29.
He told her to get out of her vehicle and to bring her keys and purse.
When the woman said she was going to call 9-1-1 the man fled.
(+++++++)

[TAKE PINNACLE 1002]
Authorities describe the man as a white male with brown hair and a beard.
Approximately 35 years old and about 6 feet tall.
He was driving a white Crown Victoria or Chevy Caprice.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Authorities say to be on the safe side, leave your vehicle running if you are pulled over, keep the doors locked -- and only let the window down just enough to hand out information.
And if you feel uncomfortable stopping at night, authorities say turn on your hazard lights continue at a normal rate of speed until you reach a well lit area.
Anyone who may have seen the suspect should call 9-1-1 or the Nelson County Sheriff's office.

[ReSpec'd-Shutdown]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-02]
[GRAPHIC=none]

[***ANCHOR TAG***]
Employees at a Roanoke distribution and packaging company say they weren't given any warning that the plant was closing. It shutdown less than a month after it was purchased by Martinsville corporation.
Joy Sutton has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=this is what]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Vernon Woods/Employee; :15]
[SUPER=01-Bonnie Duffield/Former Owner; :31]
[SUPER=@Joy2; 1:20]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=n7 roanoke]

(([nat sound 5:49:55 of guy hauling away ref.] [RUNS5]
This is what employees of ReSpec'd Limited found when the returned from lunch Thursday afternoon -- the chairs, tables, almost everything inside the plant were being hauled away.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:51:57]
[IN Q=I found out]

((VERNON WOODS/EMPLOYEE: I FOUND OUT THAT THE COMPANY WAS BEING TAKEN OVER, WE'D BEEN CLOSED DOWN AND ALL ASSETS WERE BEING MOVED OUT AND WE WAS OUT OF A JOB )) [RUNS7]
[OUT Q=out of a job]


The plant was purchased on March 1st by The Lester Group in Martinsville -- as part of a joint venture with one its competitors Professional Distribution Services Incorporated.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT5:57:12]
[IN Q=I felt very confident]

((BONNIE DUFFIELD/FORMER OWNER: I FELT VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT THEY WOULD LEND FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR THE BUSINESS TO THRIVE AND I COULD GO OUT AND CONTINUE TO SELL)) [RUNS13]
[OUT Q=I felt very confident]

[nat sound 5:49:35] [RUNS03] The plants eleven employees say this was a big surprise --especially since business was going well.
George Gorman the General Manager for P-D-S did not want to comment on camera -- but did tell us that certain circumstances caused a change in plans.
He would not address the circumstances -- but says the decision was made by The Lester Group.
But employees say they worked too hard -- to watch the companies future be packed away.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:55:02]
[IN Q=We still have the]

((VERNON WOODS/EMPLOYEE: WE STILL HAVE THE BUILDING, WE STILL HAVE THE CONTRACTS, WE MIGHT HAVE NO ASSETS LIKE THE TABLE, BUT WE PLAN TO COME TO WORK AND EVEN IF WE HAVE TO SET ON THE FLOOR TO DO THE WORK)) [RUNS10]
[OUT Q=to do the work]


And these employees say they are moving-up and with the help of the previous owner they plan to turn this plant into an employee owned business.
Joy Sutton, News 7, Roanoke.))
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Management for Lester Group says this was move was prompted by a change in business conditions -- that it was not a financial matter nor a reflection on the quality of work produced by the employees.












[POPE]


[ANCHOR=MEL]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Pope John Paul II]


Pope John Paul today celebrated Mass on the Israeli hillside where the Bible says Jesus preached his Sermon on the Mount.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Korazim, Israel;]

[6:03:14]
Some 100-thousand packed onto a hillside near the Sea of Galilee.
Many people believe the pope's prayers, so close to the Golan Heights, will leave a powerful impression.
(///////SOT//////)
[IN=]

(( Moshe Gurevich/Israeli Resident MAYBE PEACE WILL START HERE. MAYBE PEACE WILL START WITH HIS VISIT. ))
[SUPER=01-Moshe Gurevich/Israeli Resident]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT=with his visit.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]


The Pope also presided over a Mass with thousands of young people who had traveled to Israel from all parts of the World.
(////////SOT////////)
[IN=WE CAME HERE....]

(( Theresa Fritz/Colorado Student; WE CAME HERE JUST BECAUSE OF THAT. IT JUST MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY BIG THING-THE POPE COMING TO DO THIS AT THIS TIME. ))

[SUPER=01-Theresa Fritz/Denver Student;]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT=to do this at this time.]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]


Pope John Paul urged the young Catholics to spread the Bible's message of selfless love and forgiveness.

(--------------)[elian]



[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Elian Gonzalez]


Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez may be one step closer to being sent back to Cuba.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]

[8:10:55]
The Justice Department reportedly set a deadline for noon today for the boy's Miami relatives to file and appeal to block his return to Cuba.
No word yet if that deadline has been met.
(------------)


[5-Reform-Party]


[ANCHOR=mELANIE]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=599-17 1;54;30]
[GRAPHIC=reform party]


A federal judge said he'll rule Monday on who controls the Reform Party. Testimony in the case continued yesterday in Lynchburg's Federal Court.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Jack Gargan was ousted as party chairman last month by supporters of Reform Party founder Ross Perot. Gargan claims the meeting and the vote to remove him were illegal and he should remain in control. But current chairman Pat Choate says Gargan was acting like a tyrant and refused to head the wishes of the executive committee.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Pat Choate/Current Reform Party Chairman;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=will be removed]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Both sides say it will come down to how judge Norman Moon interprets the Party's Constitution. Moon says he will release his ruling after four Monday afternoon.
(------------)




[5-Smart-Road]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=500-4 39:59]
[GRAPHIC=Smart Road]


Officials say the Smart Road is a highway to economic opportunity.
It's now officially open for business and Smart Road researchers got a chance to show it off yesterday.
Marya Jones has the story .
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This two-mile]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ray Pethtel/Virginia Tech Transportation Inst.; :12]
[SUPER=01-Dan Brugh/VDOT Resident Engineer; :43]
[super=@Marya2; :56]
[RUNS=1:11]
[OUT Q=News 7]

(( This two-mile stretch of road already houses more than 70 transportation research projects.
Projects that Virginia Tech and VDOT officials say will put Blacksburg ... and Virginia ... in the transportation research fast lane.
[SOT 1:55:06 - :17]

(( RAY PETHTEL/ VIRGINIA TECH TRANSPORTATION INST.: THIS IS A UNIQUE PROJECT. IT'S THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD TODAY. THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THIS FACILITY BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. ))
[RUNS=:11]


Two years in the construction and 30-million dollars in the making, the Smart Road is a collaborative project between VDOT and Virginia Tech.
One day, the road will connect Interstate 81 to Blacksburg.
But in the meantime, it's a concrete and asphalt laboratory ... meant to help VDOT find out how to eliminate hazards in highway travel.
[SOT 2:06:13 - :25]

((DAN BRUGH/VDOT: WE HOPE THAT WE HAVE MUCH SAFER HIGHWAYS...THAT THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, FATALITIES...THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE REDUCED.))
[RUNS=:12]


Officials say the road's special technology also makes it a lure to businesses worldwide that want to test drive their automotive products... in a number of different weather and lighting conditions.
The road is expected to bring in 20-million dollars in research revenue in the next year. Marya Jones News 7))

[VMI-Cadet]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=VMI]


She helped break the gender barrier at V-M-I and this fall Erin Nicole Claunch will become one of two battalion commanders at the school.
The cadet will leading half of the 12-hundred-member cadet corps her senior year.
Her selection was based on grades, leadership ability and physical fitness accomplishments.


[oscar-predictions]


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


The Stars will be shinning bright in Hollywood this weekend at the Oscars.
Dennis Cunnigham gives us his predictions.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dennis Cunnigham/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=2:12]
[OUT Q=CBS News]



[reward]


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


He's not getting an Oscar, but he did get an Oscar award.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-@File;]


The man who found the 52 stolen Oscar statuettes collected his 50-thousand dollar award yesterday.
He rescued them a dumpster.
Fulgear says he will use the money to make a down payment on a new home for his son.
As an added bonus for his good deed, Fulgear will get a seat at Sunday's ceremony.
A local radio station is even chipping in for the Tux.
(------------)


[cowboy-lotto]


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


Lady Luck is smiling down once again on former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Austin, TX;]

[10:18:49]
Henderson won the state's 28 million dollars lotto jackpot.
Henderson was part of the Cowboys' legendary "Doomsday Defense" in the 19-70s, which included a Super Bowl victory in 19-78, but he fell on hard times in the year's that followed.
Henderson was arrested for crack cocaine use and sexual assault charges in the 80's, but has tried to redeem himself in recent years, becoming active in (------------) community affairs.
by SS