[1-News-Head]

[TALENT=Keith]

The chairman at Dan River Mills tries to address the rumors.

Also coming up on NEWS 7 at SIX:
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


The dedication of the D-Day memorial is still a year away but local officials want to hire a full- time tourism director to channel visitors to other attractions.
(------------)



[Sports-Head]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Tonight on News 7 sports, the final four finale tips off tonight on Your Hometown Station. The Express gets steamrolled by the schedule makers. Michale Vick cranks up his left cannon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

and Junior makes his big league debut for the Reds this afternoon.
(------------)

[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]


Heavy Rain is expected tonight and then a quick cool-down is on tap tomorrow afternoon.

Details coming up.[Video-Open]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]



(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We're all]

((WE'RE ALL AFRAID WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OUR JOBS.))
[RUNS=:03 ]
[OUT Q=our job.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Rumor control at Dan River-- the story behind early negotiations.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]

Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.

[Dan-River]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=99-59 TC1:21:10]
[GRAPHIC=Dan River Negotiations]


The rumors started as soon as Dan River Mills requested negotiations .. long before the present union contract expired.
The company chairman has sent a letter to union employees in efforts to dispel these rumors.
[Double Boxes=Keith & Surae/Danville Bureau]


Surae Chinn is in our Danville Bureau with more.
[Live=Surae Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=@Surae1;]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]


Keith, the letter addresses two issues. One-- is changing 8 hour shifts into 12. The other surrounds concerns that Dan River could move more jobs to Mexico.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Dear associates]
[SUPER=01-Joe Bouknight/Dan River Inc.; :30]
[SUPER=01-Patsy Ferris/Dan River Inc. Employee; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:17]
[OUT Q=have a job.]

(( "Dear Associates, the company chairman's letter reads, there are a lot of rumors circulating around the Company's request to enter into contract discussions."
The letter to employees explains why the company is moving part of its apparel weaving operation to Mexico. "Because of intense competition from low-wage Asian countries...it's a question of survival." But what about the rest of the Danville plant?
The chairman addresses that in the letter and so does the company spokesperson on camera.
[SOT 1:09:07]

((JOE BOUKNIGHT/DAN RIVER INC.: THE COMPANY HAS NOT MADE ANY DECISION ABOUT SENDING HOME FASHIONS TO MEXICO IN FACT HOME FASHION IS THE BIGGEST PART OF WHAT WE DO HERE.)) [RUNS09]
The other main issue concerns converting the entire plant to 12 hour shifts. Bouknight says that's not true. But that isn't to say some job shifts could change.
[SOT 1:09:35]

((JOE BOUKNIGHT/DAN RIVER INC.: THE COMPANY IF IT DECIDES THAT 12 HOUR SHIFTS IS THE BEST SOLUTION HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. AT THIS POINT THE COMPANY HAS MADE NO DECISIONS.)) [RUNS:12]
Patsy Ferris has been an employee for 33 years. She hasn't seen this letter but she's optimistic.
[SOT=15:25:49]

((PATSY FERRIS/WORK MENDER: I HOPE SOME OF THE RUMORS ARE WRONG AND I STILL HAVE A JOB.)) [RUNS:06]))
(---------------)
[Live=Surae Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=@Surae1;]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]


The company spokesperson says they also hope to reduce job losses by expanding another part of its more successful operation. Union leaders again have not returned our calls for a week.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Surae/Danville Bureau]


Keith, those new negotiations are scheduled to start on Wednesday.


[Steak&Ale]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=99-56 TC1:51:18]
[GRAPHIC=Steak & Ale]


The Roanoke County Steak and Ale is starting from scratch today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; ]


The restaurant reopened for dinner tonight after closing Friday for health reasons.
Some 70 people reported some type of food poisoning after eating there March 22nd, 23rd and 24th.
The restaurant threw out every bit of food that was opened last week.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 01:16:23]
[IN Q=Staff have to]

((DR. MOLLY RUTLEDGE/HEALTH DEPT. DIRECTOR: STAFF HAVE TO PASS A TEST AND ALSO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF FOOD SAFETY AS FAR AS WHAT THEIR JOB IS BEFORE THEY CAN COME BACK TO WORK.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Molly Rutledge/Health Dept. Director; ]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=come back to work.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Doctor Rutledge says the restaurant was checked out over the weekend and this morning.
Lab results determining exactly what caused the illness are expected back on Wednesday.
(------------)



[Lewis-Gale]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-08 TC25:53]
[GRAPHIC=departing Docs]


Some doctors who resigned from the Lewis Gale Clinic believe they've finally found the cure to a year long dispute.

They've reached an agreement with the clinic that will allow them to continue practicing medicine in their communities.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Teresa/Newsroom]


Teresa Hamilton has been working on the story.
[Live= Teresa/Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Teresa1;]


Keith, the doctors involved in the settlement have formed their own independently owned group practice.
But more importantly-- the agreement allows them to keep their patients medical records.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I've been]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Clement Binnings/Physician; :00]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :16]
[RUNS=1:16]
[OUT Q=care base.]



((SOT 03:34:04
[IN Q= I've been]

((DR. CLEMENT BINNINGS/PHYSICIAN: I'VE BEEN IN PRACTICE FOR 13- YEARS AND WE HAVE A STRONG FOLLOWING OF PATIENTS TO WHOM WE FEEL A VERY STRONG RESPONSIBILITY.)) [runs12]
[OUT Q= strong responsibility.]


Dr. Clement Binnings and Dr. Edwin Polverino resigned from the Lewis Gale Clinic in January.
At a press conference today both declined to elaborate on their problems with the clinic' parent company, Phycor, preferring to focus on the future.
[sot ]

((OUR ISSUES ARE SOMEWHAT UNIQUE TO FAMILY MEDICINE AND THEIR MAY COME AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO DISCUSS ALL THAT BUT RIGHT NOW OUR FOCUS IS ON TODAY.)) [runs10]
The two, along with nine other doctors, have reached an agreement with Phycor that will allow them to continue practicing medicine in their communities.
Under the settlement-- they'll also get to keep their patients' medical records and, for a year, will be allowed to continue practicing out of their offices in both Salem locations, Floyd and Fincastle.
Their goal now is to recruit more doctors.
[sot 03:39:13]
[IN Q=What we]

((WHAT WE HOPE TO DO IS REBUILD, WE'VE LOST ELEVEN EXCELLENT PHYSICIANS AND WE NEED TO REBUILD THE PRIMARY CARE BASE.))
[RUNS08]
[OUT Q= care base.] ))
[LIVE=Teresa Full/Newsroom]


The eleven doctors just referred to resigned before January and can not practice here for 18- months which has created a void.
[double boxes=Keith and Teresa/Newsroom]


Keith, both doctors declined to reveal the financial terms of the agreement.

[Confed-Month]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-06 TC34:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Virginia's statewide leaders are cringing after David Duke brought his "European American rights" message to the Commonwealth Saturday.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 02:27:48]
[IN Q=I'm just proud]

((DAVID DUKE: I'M JUST PROUD TO BE HERE AND PROUD OF A WONDERFUL RESPONSE. I LOVE YOU ALL! yay! ))
[SUPER=01-David Duke/Former KKK Leader;]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=love you all! yay!]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chesterfield Co.]


The former Klan leader organized a shopping rally to try to thwart a black leader's call for a boycott of suburban Richmond malls.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 02:26:29]
[IN Q=It's about]

((DAVID DUKE: IT'S ABOUT TIME WE STOOD UP TO THE N-DOUBLE-A-C-P AND THAT WE SHOW PEOPLE THAT EUROPEAN AMERICANS CAN HAVE A POSITION AS WELL. IF THEY WANTED TO SPONSOR A BLACKOUT OF THIS MALL, WELL WE'RE HAVING A WHITE-IN TODAY.))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=white-in today.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Today;]


Attorney General Mark Earley is himself a member of the N-double-A-C-P.
(/////SOT/////)
[sot 10:36:19]
[IN Q=We've fot]

((MARK EARLEY/VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GO...TOOK HIS HOOD OFF.))
[SOT 02:32:36]

((GOV. JIM GILMORE: CALM AND MATURE LEADERSHIP OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HELP. MY OBJECTIVE IS TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW THEY ALL HAVE A STAKE IN THE FUTURE OF VIRGINIA TOGETHER.))
[SUPER=@Earley; :00]
[SUPER=@Gilmore; :17]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=Virginia together.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Governor Gilmore has yet to release his Confederate History Month proclamation-- staffers say he's been busy with bills.
(------------)



[Floyd-Fire]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-02 TC1:23:02]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Fire]


The lights flickered, dimmed and almost went out last night on Route 221 in Floyd County.
(------------)

[V/O-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Floyd Co./Last Night]


It was the first indication of trouble... that led to a fatal fire next door.
Christopher and Kimberly Johnson had been away for the weekend, but his cousin was staying in the house.
Freddie DeWeese didn't think much about the lights flickering around 7-P-M. It wasn't until 9:30 that his daughter noticed an orange glow next door.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 53:35]
[IN Q=I'd say it]

((I'D SAY IT HAD BEEN BURNING AT LEAST TWO TO 2-AND-A HALF HOURS.))
[SUPER=01-Freddie DeWeese/Neighbor]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=2 1/2 hours.]
(------------)

[V/O-NAT]
A sheriff's investigator found arcing on the in-coming electrical line and believes that's what started the fire.
(------------)



[Foxridge-Fire]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-04 TC1:02:42]
[GRAPHIC=Fire Invest.]


Insurance investigators are at odds with firefighters over what sparked a destructive fire at a Blacksburg apartment complex.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/February 21;]


The February blaze gutted the 29-hundred building of Foxridge Apartments and left 28 people homeless.
Firefighters say the cause of the fire was an overloaded electrical outlet.
But a recent insurance company report says it was a resident's cigarette.
Both causes are accidental, but firefighters' finding would allow residents to sue for damages.
(------------)



[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]


Other Bedford County attractions prepare to cash-in on the D-Day Memorial.
Find out how they'll do it when News 7 at Six returns.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]


And Carvins Cove is on the rise and that means water restrictions are finally on their way out.
First let's talk to Robin Reed.
(----------------)



[Water-Restrictions]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-57 TC1:39:20]
[GRAPHIC=Water Restrictions]


A year after the city of Roanoke issued the call for voluntary water conservation... the officials are lifting all restrictions.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Carvins Cove/Last Week;]


The water level at Carvins Cove is now just four point one feet below the spillway.
This afternoon, members of city council announced that the request for voluntary conservation will come to an end on Wednesday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:16:09]
[IN Q=Droughts are tough]

((KIT KISER/UTILITIES DIRECTOR: DROUGHTS ARE TOUGH. THEY'RE ALWAYS TOUGH. YOU ALWAYS STRUGGLE TO GET THROUGH 'EM, BUT YOU ALWAYS KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO SOME SEMBLANCE OF NORMAL RAINFALL. WE'RE NOT QUITE NORMAL, BUT WE'VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RUN.))
[SUPER=01-Kit Kiser/Utilities Director]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=had a pretty good run.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-August 17]


This time last year, the water level was 18 feet below the spillway.
Kit Kiser says he expects the city to make it through 2000 without any more water restrictions.
(------------)




[Bedford-Tourism]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-58 TC1:44:56]
[GRAPHIC=D-Day Memorial]


Bedford's D-Day Memorial may be getting all the attention, but officials want visitors to know the city and county have a lot more to offer.
Steve Smallshaw tells us plans are in the works to use the D-Day site as a drawing card for tourism.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's still a]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Barbara Ring/Bedford Area Chamber of Comm.; :15]
[SUPER=@ssm1; :37]
[SUPER=01-Bill Rolfe/Bedford Co. Administrator; :54]
[SUPER=01-Ellen Wandrei/Bedford City-County Museum; 1:17]
[RUNS=1:24]
[OUT Q=News7, Bedford County.]

(( It's still a year away from completion, but the D-Day Memorial in Bedford already is drawing visitors to this hilltop in the middle of the county.
It's also becoming the centerpiece of Bedford's push to be a tourism mecca.
[SOT 17:30:41]

((BARBARA RING/BEDFORD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: WE'VE DONE A LOT OF MARKETING AND ADVERTISING IN PUBLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST AND SEEN A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR TOURISM INFORMATION.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=tourism information.]


Those requests are starting to overwhelm the Chamber of Commerce staff... which has asked the city and county to look into creating a separate tourism bureau to handle all the new attention the D-Day Memorial is expected to generate. [Standup 17:51:07] ((So the pieces are finally starting to come together. Over the next year or so, Bedford city and county will probably hire a full- time tourism director and construct a separate visitors center somewhere along Route 460 near the D-Day site...so tourists visiting the memorial can find out what else the area has to offer.))
[RUNS= 17]
[OUT Q=has to offer.]
[SOT 17:42:04]

((BILL ROLFE/BEDFORD CO. ADMINISTRATOR: D- DAY'S TALKING ABOUT 50- THOUSAND PLUS PEOPLE A YEAR COMING IN TO VISIT AND WHAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET 'EM TO STAY ANOTHER NIGHT AND SEE SOME OF THE OTHER ATTRACTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR AREA.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=in our area.]


That includes the Peaks of Otter, Smith Mountain Lake and Poplar Forest to name just a few.
At the Bedford museum, it's a happy coincidence they just expanded and are adding a new World War Two exhibit this year.
[SOT 17:38:08]

((ELLEN WANDREI/BEDFORD CITY-COUNTY MUSEUM: IT REALLY IS A NEW BEGINNING AND WE'RE JUST VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE.))
[RUNS= 05]
[OUT Q=being made.]


Steve Smallshaw, News7, Bedford County.))

[Barnes]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]


Henry County authorities believe they have solved a murder case almost 17 years old.
In June of 1983, Randy Lee Beaver was stabbed at his sister's home in Ridgeway.
Today, a 57-year-old prison inmate John Monroe Barnes was indicted the murder.

[Amherst-Murder]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-05 TC34:40]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]


A different teenager has been charged with a weekend murder in Amherst County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]


Authorities say 17- year- old Jeremy Brandon Wright of Lynchburg gunned down 24- year- old James Franklin Junior in Madison Heights early Saturday.
Police say a 16- year- old male who originally confessed to the crime recanted his story after learning the victim had died.
(------------)



[Gretna-Death]


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


Pittsylvania County authorities say a Gretna man found dead last week died of natural causes.
Authorities treated 38 year old William Troy Meadows' death as suspicious . But an autopsy done over the weekend proved there was no foul play.

[Stocks]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]


Technology stocks took a pounding today, thanks to the verdict against Microsoft.
That meant a good day for the DOW-- [TAKE DOW, NASDAQ & BLOOMBERG PAGE ]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-x/300.01/11221.93/y/349.12/4223.71/x/1.28/112.81;]

it gained 300 points.
But NASDAQ suffered its biggest one-day point loss ever, falling 349 points.
The Bloomberg News 7 Index gained more than a point.
[SUPER=431-u/29&/h1r/58/h3!/55f/h1*/63!/hr/26;]
[SUPER=432-i@/28/ha/2f/ha/38%/h1c/38d/h#/37d;]
[SUPER=433-h3#/158*/h1#/18d/ha/14b/i5e/25f/h2a/22d;]
[SUPER=434-u/17/h2e/60/hb/36a/h2e/69&/h5!/61%;]


[Crime-Prevention]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-09 TC1:12:45]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Virginia's labelling its most crime-ridden communities.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]


But the goal is to make it a good label: a certified crime prevention community that meets 19 crime prevention standards.
(///////SOT\\\\\\\)
[SOT]
[SOT 10:18:30]
[IN Q=And it]

((MARK EARLEY/VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: AND IT IS GONNA PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE AND CERTIFY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED A DEFINED SET OF SAFETY STRATEGIES.))
[SUPER=@Earley]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=safety strategies.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Keith]
[SS=None]


The state says it's a first-in-the-nation program that it hopes will attract new companies and win more federal grant money and lower insurance premiums.

[Delightful-Occasions]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-07 TC41:47]
[GRAPHIC=None]


The lingerie store neighbors were so upset about in Roanoke's Wasena area has packed up shop.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Delightful Occasions lasted almost a year on Main Street. But owner Jasmine Wittington says she didn't want to stay where her store wasn't welcome.
[SUPER=04-Last Month]


Residents complained about her wares hanging outside.
Wittington also operated an escort service from here. She plans to re-open the store at Happy's Flea Market.
(------------)



[Sports Tease]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up tonight on News 7 sports, the NCAA men's hoop title will be decided tonight. The Express gets a non-so-friendly first round playoff schedule, plus it's opening day in the big leagues
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

and Michael Vick reloads and fine tunes during spring practice.
(------------)


[S-MLB]


[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-53]
[GRAPHIC=mlb]


The 2000 major league baseball season opened today with 13 games on the docket.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Baltimore, MD/Fox-MLB; :00]

Including one in Baltimore, where Parry McCluer grad Charlie Manuel made his major league managerial debut against the O's. Manuel would face his former boss Mike Hargrove and right now the Tribe is on top of the Orioles 4-to-1 in the 9th.
[SUPER=03-Cincinnati, OH/ESPN;]


Ken Griffey Junior debuted at Cincinnati's Synergy Field today. But it's raining on his parade He's gone oh for two in this afternoon's rain delayed contest with the Brewers.
(------------)
[anchor=Mike]
[ss=hold]


The Mets have beaten the Padres two to one.[S-Final]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-2:05:45]

[wipe tp fs pinnacle 7510]
(------------)


The final of the men's NC-Double-A Tournament tips of tonight on your Hometown Station.
Coverage of the Michigan State-Florida game begins at nine o'clock.
The Spartans say they're happy to be playing Florida.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=i'm not saying]

((MATEEN CLEAVES/MICHIGAN STATE SENIOR: I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PHYSICAL GAME, BUT WE CAN PRETTY MUCH GET UP AND DOWN WITH FLORIDA. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH CAUSE THEY PLAY A LOT OF PEOPLE AND PRESSURE YOU FOR 94 FEET. BILLY DONOVAN/FLORIDA HEAD COACH: EVERY TIME WE PRESS THERE'S A CHANCE WE COULD GIVE UP AN EASY BASKET OF WE COULD FOUL. EVERY TIME WE RUN THE BALL DOWN THE COURT THERE'S A CHANCE WE MAY TURN IT OVER. IT'S A LOT EASIER TO WALK IT UP THE FLOOR BUT I WANT OUR GUYS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES ON THE COURT AND HAVE FUN PLAYING THE GAME.))
[SUPER=01-Mateen Cleaves/Michigan State Senior; :00]
[super=01-Billy Donovan/Florida Head Coach; :14]
[RUNS=32]
[OUT Q=playing the game]
(--------------------)




[S-Express]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-65 12:52]
[GRAPHIC=Express/Johnstown]


The Express opens the ECHL playoffs tomorrow night at the Round House against Johnstown at seven o'clock.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]


The Express is 3-3 and 1 against the Chiefs this season and all seven games were decided by one goal. One interesting point, Johnstown is the only team in the ECHL to have beaten the Express twice at home.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="the last....]
[SUPER=01-Scott Gordon/Express Head Coach; :00]

((SCOTT GORDON/EXPRESS HEAD COACH:))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=....have to do"]
(-------------)
[anchor=mike]
[graphic=express]


Defenseman David Froh was released this morning in order for the Express to finalize it's playoff roster. Defenseman Aaron Gates and center Mike Peron are questionable for tomorrow night's game.

[S-Schedule]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=EXPRESS/JOHNSTOWN]


The Express worked all season long to earn home ice advantage for the playoffs - but right now the team has anything but an advantage.
(-------------------)

[GO TO PINNACLE 18095] A lack of flexibility on behalf of Johnstown management coupled with the fact that the Roanoke Civic Center is booked later this week with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Britney Spears has forced the Express to play two of the first three games of the series on the road. It won't get any easier to schedule next week as the Ringling Brothers circus comes to the town for five days in the coliseum.
(----------------------)



[S-Vick]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-58 1:41:35]
[GRAPHIC=Tech spring football]


The Virginia Tech football team opened the spring season over the weekend. Frank Beamer calls this spring wide open.
[GRAPHIC=michael vick]


A case could also be made that he is referring to the kind of passing attack the Hokies will show case this season with Michael Vick at the helm.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]


Vick returns for his sophomore season licking his chops. He will have one of the top receiving corps in the country to throw to. Speedster Andre Davis is a mainstay and Tech has also added some freshman receivers who could have an immediate impact.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="got]
[SUPER=01-Michael Vick/Pre-Season Heisman Favorite; :00]

((MICHAEL VICK:PRE-SEASON HEISMAN FAVORITE:))
[RUNS=:31]
[OUT Q=....most of it"]

(----------------)
by SS