WDBJ 7 morning news for 04/28/00

[2-11Foutz]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-]
[GRAPHIC=Vinton PD Investigation]

Ricky Foutz wants ten million dollars for being asked to resign as Vinton's police Chief.
(----------------)
[V/O-NAT-SOT]

The 27-year veteran of the town police department has filed suit in federal court, citing conspiracy, defamation, and breach of contract among his causes of action.
Foutz say hoping a trial will help to clear his name.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:30:51]
[IN Q=This is the only avenue]
((THIS IS THE ONLY AVENUE I HAVE. I HOPING THE FEDERAL COURTS CAN HELP ME RESTORE AT LEAST SOME OF THAT))
[SUPER=01-Ricky Foutz/Former Vinton Police Chief]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=some of that]
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]

Foutz was given a hand-written letter of resignation to sign November 10th. That was shortly after the grand jury started hearing evidence of mishandling of funds, guns and drugs at the Police Department.
(-----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[ss=none]

Neither the attorneys nor town officials wanted to discuss the details of the 10-point-four million dollar comp

laint.[giuliani]

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

The U-S Senate race between Hillary Clinton and New York mayor, Rudi Giuliani is once again in the spotlight.
Yesterday the Mayor called a press conference, to announce that he has cancer.
Cathy Moss has details.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:13:16]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mayor Rudolph Giulaini/(R) NY; :]
[SUPER=07-Hillary Clinton; :50]
[SUPER=01- Rev. Al Sharpton/Political Activist; 1:03]
[SUPER=01-Cathy Moss/Reporting; 1:16]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q= for cbs news]
((

--------------------------------------------------------------------

------
((SCRIPT))

SOT FULL: Mayor RUDOLPH GIULIANI/(R) NYC

"IT'S A TREATABLE FORM OF PROSTATE CANCER, IT WAS DIAGNOSED AT AN EARLY STAGE."
Narr;A STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING FROM NEW YORK CITY MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI...BUT ONE QUICKLY FOLLOWED WITH A POSITIVE FOCUS.

SOT: RUDOLPH GIULIANI/NEW YORK CITY MAYOR
10:09:17 "THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE LOTS OF POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE AWHILE TO DETERMINE WHICH IS THE BEST ONE TO BRING ABOUT A COMPLETE CURE."
Narr:THE 55-YEAR-OLD MAYOR SAYS IT WILL TAKE A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE HIS TREATMENT PLAN IS WORKED OUT AND WHETHER IT WILL EFFECT HIS RUN FOR THE U-S SENATE. SURGERY, RADIATION AND CHEMOTHERAPY ARE AMONG HIS TREATMENT OPTIONS...OPTIONS THAT COULD FORCE HIM TO CURTIAL HIS SCHEDULE.

SOT: GIULIANI AGAIN (10:18:10)
"SOME FORMS OF TREATMENT WOULD REQUIRE TAKING SOME TIME OFF."

(NATZ OF HILLARY CAMPAIGNING)

Narr:WORD OF GIULIANI'S HEALTH PROBLEMS REACHED HIS OPPONENT.. HILLARY CLINTON.. ON THE CAMPAIGN TRIAL IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

SOT: HILLARY CLINTON
LIKE ALL NEW YORKERS MY PRAYERS AND BEST WISHES ARE WITH THE MAY AS HE UNDERGOES THE TREATMENT THAT IS REQUIRED.
Narr:AND IN NEW YORK CITY, THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON HAD KIND WORDS FOR GIULIANI DESPITE THE SHARP POLITICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MEN.

SOT: REV. AL SHARPTON/POLITICAL ACTIVIST
"I CERTAINLY WISH NO ILL WILL OR HEALTH FOR HIM OR ANYONE ELSE."

(MOSS STANDUP)

GIULIANI'S FATHER DIED OF PROSTATE CANCER BACK IN 19-81... BUT THE MAYOR SAYS HE'S OPTIMISITC BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MEDICAL ADVANCES SINCE THAT TIME.
CATHY MOSS FOR CBS NEWS, NEW YORK))

[11RADAR-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=00-12 TC26:11]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

A driver for the RADAR transportation service has been charged with reckless driving after yesterday's accident.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

A van carrying nine passengers hit the back of a truck, at the intersection of Fourth and Market Streets in Salem.

Seven of the people on board were taken to the hospital.
Most of them were just shaken up-- police say there were no critical injuries.
(------------)

[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

[11Bedford-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-09 TC1:43:24]
[GRAPHIC=]

[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

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

A two- car crash in Bedford County sent two women to the hospital yesterday.
State police say the driver of this Subaru was headed north on Route 8-11 near the New London airport when another vehicle turned in front of her.
The Subaru tee-boned the other car, pushing it into the ditch.
The driver of the second vehicle was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Charges are pending.
(------------)

[11Census-Takers]

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

If yours is one of the 42-million households nationwide that failed to fill out your 2000 census form, expect a visitor sometime soon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Enumerators will be hitting the streets, hoping to track down people who either forgot or refused to respond to the census questionnaire.
Census officials say the enumerators will have a tough task, since many of the people they're looking for don't want to be counted.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:19:19]
[IN Q=People don't realize]
((LARRY HOLLOWAY/CENSUS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE GOING FROM DOOR TO DOOR AND CONTINUOUSLY GETTING THIS INFORMATION IS A VERY DIFFICULT JOB. AND ENUMERATORS ARE A SPECIAL BREED, SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S OUT THERE DOING THAT FOR US.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Holloway/Census Committee Chairman]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=that for us.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Holloway says Lynchburg lost out on ten million dollars in federal funding because not enough people responded to the 1990 census.
(------------)

[11Zoo-Forms]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-07 TC1:11:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Some monkeys are getting a feel of just how much paper work goes into the U-S Census.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

A load of shredded census forms was delivered to the Mill Mountain Zoo.
Zoo keepers decided to use all the paper to play a game of hide and seek with the snow monkeys -- by hiding tasty treats for the animals to find.
The Census Bureau gets rid of the forms once they've been entered into a computer system.
But the monkeys don't seem to mind all the extra paper work.
(------------)

[2-cuban-boy]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Elian Gonzalez]

A legal setback for Elian Gonzalez's Miami relatives.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Miami, FL;]
[YESTERDAY'S 10 AM- 10;02:15 ]
A federal appeals court has denied a request that an outside guardian be appointed. The court also denied a request by the relatives to visit.
Meantime, in the face of criticism she used escessive force in Saturday's pre-dawn seizure of Elian, Janet Reno blames the Miami relatives for getting things off to a violent start.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:03:16]
[IN Q=]
((JANET RENO, US ATTORNEY GENERAL People tried to throw ropes around the agents as they went into the house and obstruct their entry into the house, a couch was pushed up against the door to limit entry into the house))
[SUPER=01-Janet Reno/Attorney General;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=pushed up against the door]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Queenstown, MD;]
[3:00:42]
Some of Elian's Cuban classmates have arrived at the Maryland estate where he's staying with his father.
Meantime, Cuban leader Fidel Castro accuses the U-S of limiting access to Elian Gonzalez by Cuban diplomats.
The boy and his family are staying at a retreat in Maryland, 70 miles from Washington.
Cuban diplomats can only travel up to 25 miles from Washington without special permission.

(------------)

[11Mock-Disaster]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=00-20 TC1:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Some Cave Spring High School students sent out a message to their fellow classmates with a mock prom-night drunk driving accident. The demonstration took place at Victory Stadium.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; ]
The students in the bleachers weren't told ahead of time about the presentation. They witnessed a realistic simulation of a drunk driving accidents complete with fire, rescue and police personnel.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 22:15:58]
[IN Q=We've been doing]
((AMY WHITTAKER/AMERICAN RED CROSS: WE'VE BEEN DOING MOCK ALCOHOL DISASTERS FOR 11 YEARS NOW AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE NOT HAD A DRINKING AND DRIVING ACCIDENT ON PROM NIGHT FOLLOWING A MOCK ALCOHOL DISASTER PRESENTATION, SO THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.))
[SUPER=01-Amy Whittaker/American Red Cross; ]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=for itself.]
[VO NAT]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

Well known athletes at Cave Spring took part in the act.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 22:36:37]
[IN Q=I thought that]
((RENEE GAGNIER/SENIOR: I THOUGHT THAT IF I PARTICIPATED IN THIS THEN IT WOULD EFFECT A LOT OF PEOPLE, HOPEFULLY THEY WERE IMPACTED BY THIS AND THEY'LL BE SMART ENOUGH NOT TO DO ANYTHING.)) ((MICHAEL HAMLER/SENIOR: IT FELT REAL. IT WAS KIND OF SCARY BECAUSE IT COULD HAPPEN JUST LIKE THAT TO ANYBODY.))
[SUPER=01-Renee Gagnier/Senior; :00]
[SUPER=01-Michael Hamler/Senior; :12]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=to anybody.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Both the basketball and football player say pretending to be killed in the fake accident was a sobering message for everyone.
(------------)

[Health-Check]

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

In medical news, a new study suggests there's another good reason to give the gift of life.

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=1:31]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
((ON CAM ONE OF THE BEST REASONS FOR DONATING BLOOD IS THAT YOU HELP SOMEONE ELSE- BUT NOW COMES NEW EVIDENCE GIVING BLOOD COULD ALSO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

VT=VO
A NEW STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA SHOWS PEOPLE WHO DONATE BLOOD LOWER THEIR RISK OF HEART DISEASE. HERE'S WHY. BLOOD CONTAINS IRON- AND THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT HIGH IRON LEVELS CAN DAMAGE YOUR HEART ARTERIES. REGULARLY DONATING A PINT OF BLOOD CAN GET RID OF EXCESS IRON- AND THEREFORE PROTECT YOUR HEART. THIS TOO MUCH IRON THEORY OBVIOUSLY APPLY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ANEMIC OR NEED TO TAKE IRON SUPPLEMENTS.

VT=VO
IF YOU SUFFER FROM TENNIS ELBOW OR SOME OTHER FORM OF TENDONITIS- EAT SOME FISH. THATS RIGHT. A STUDY FROM DENMARK'S OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SHOWS OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS- THE TYPE FOUND IN FISH -- ALONG WITH SOME ANTI OXIDANT VITAMINS - LIKE C AND E- CAN HELP EASE THE PAIN OF SORE TENDONS. THATS IN ADDITION TO THE STANDARD THERAPIES SUCH AS REST, ICE AND STRETCHING.

VT=VO
AND FINALLY- ITS ROUTINE TO BE GIVEN ANESTHESIA BEFORE SURGERY.. BUT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO BE HYPNOTIZED INSTEAD, A NEW STUDY IN THE JOURNAL THE LANCET SAYS- HYPNOSIS MAY BE THE WAY TO GO. IN A STUDY OF MORE THAN 200 PATIENTS- THOSE WHO WERE HYPNOTIZED WERE MORE STABLE DURING SURGERY-NEEDED LESS PAIN MEDICATION AFTER SURGERY- AND HAD SURGERIES THAT WERE ON AVERAGE 17 MINUTES SHORTER THAN PEOPLE WHO HAD GENERAL ANESTHESIA THATS A LOOK AT SOME OF THE DAYS TOP HEALTH STORIES.
ON CAM IM DR DAVE HNIDA FOR CBS NEWS.))

(ad lib to weather)
[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]
[3:36:32]
Details of a plan to break software giant Microsoft into two pieces will be given to a judge this evening.
The Justice Department and 19 states devised the plan to punish the company for violating antitrust laws. The plan will be submitted after the financial markets close.

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
No outside guardian for Elian Gonzalez.
An appeals court ruled yesterday that Elian's Miami relatives can't visit the boy. And it rejected their request for a third party to look after Elian.
The judges did say that Elian must stay in the U-S until the relatives' appeals are heard.

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Former Vinton police chief Ricky Foutz files a multi million lawsuit, hoping a trial will help clear his name.
Foutz was forced to resign to resign in November after a grand jury started hearing evidence of mishandling of funds, guns and drugs at the police department.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And that's what's making news on this Friday April 28-th.
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

News 7 Mornin' will be right back.

[11Foutz-Lawsuit]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#99-59 TC1:49:56]
[GRAPHIC=Vinton PD Lawsuit]

Former Vinton Police Chief Ricky Foutz is suing the town for 10-point-4 million dollars.
There are six counts of action -- including defamation of character, intentional infliction of emotional stress, breach of contract, and illegal search and seizure.
Foutz resigned from the Vinton Police Department last fall during a special grand jury investigation.
No charges were filed -- and now Foutz he wants retribution.
Joy Sutton has the story
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I don't know]
[SUPER=01-Ricky Foutz/Former Vinton Police Chief; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :12]
[Super=@Joy1; 1:03]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=JS N7]
(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:31:05]
[IN Q=I don't know that you can ever]
((I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN EVER FULLY RESTORE A MANS REPUTATION THAT'S BEEN TAKEN FROM HIM. BUT I'VE GOT TO TRY.)) [RUNS11]
[OUT Q=I've got to try]

That's why Former Vinton Police Chief Ricky Foutz says he is suing the town of Vinton.
He 's hoping that through a trial evidence will come out that willclear his name once and for all.
In his 27 page complaint -- Foutz holds the town manager, the mayor, the town attorney, and each member of town council responsible.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:35:29]
[IN Q=Because of the inuendo's]
((BECAUSE OF THE INUENDO'S THEY HAVE MADE. THEY HAVE LED PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT I'VE DONE ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT I HAVEN'T)) [RUNS11]
[OUT Q=haven't done]

Foutz says he was asked to resign -- even before he was told what the allegation were against him
Included in the suit is a copy of the hand-written resignation letter the town attorney drafted and Foutz signed on November 10th.
Foutz says the special grand jury's report was misleading.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:39:27]
[IN Q=A lot of things]
((A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT OR THEY TAKEN HALF SENTENCE AND MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF IT)) [RUNS08]
[OUT Q=out of it]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((JOY SUTTON/REPORTING: FOUTZ MAINTAINS HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG. TOWN MANAGER CLAY GOODMAN IS OUT OF TOWN -- AND NO OTHER TOWN OFFICIALS OR ANY OF THE ATTORNEYS WANTED TO COMMENT. JOY SUTTON, NEWS 7, ))
[SUPER=01-]
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=JS N7]))

[cuban-boy]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Elian Gonzalez]

A legal setback for Elian Gonzalez's Miami relatives.
And new charges by Cuba's President Fidel Castro charges that Elian has been virtually kidnapped.
Meantime, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno is speaking out about the controversy surrounding her handling of the case.
Lee Cowan reports from St. Michaels, Maryland.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[3:03:16]

[SUPER=01-Janet Reno/Attorney General; :10]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Tom Daschle/Senate Minority Leader;1:34]
[SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/Reporting; 1:42]
[RUNS=1:52]
[OUT Q=St. Micheals, MD]
((
------
((CORRESPONDENT SCRIPT))
In the face of criticism she used excessive force in Saturday s pre-dawn raid, Janet Reno blamed the Miami relatives for getting things off to a violent start.

SOT/JANET RENO, US ATTORNEY GENERAL
People tried to throw ropes around the agents as they went into the house and obstruct their entry into the house, a couch was pushed up against the door to limit entry into the house.

Not only, she says, did they endanger the agents, but even Elian himself. When he was being whisked away in the arms of a female agent, Reno claims someone recklessly tried to force both of them to the ground.

SOT/JANET RENO, US ATTORNEY GENERAL
She was grabbed as she was carrying Elian out of the house, she I m told almost went down

The pictures of chaos just 5 days ago are in stark contrast to Elian s new peaceful surroundings, where a young cousin, a schoolteacher, and four classmates have been invited.
It is here they will wait the legal process out in a battle that is slowly moving in the father s favor.

Juan Miguel won 2 legal victories. first-- an us appeals court rejected the Miami relatives request to visit Elian and refused to appoint an independent guardian to look-in on the relatives' behalf. It also ruled that Juan Miguel can intervene in the relatives' request for asylum... meaning the Miami family may soon be out of the loop entirely.

(NAT)

In Little Havana, well-wishers were handing flowers and balloons over the fence in support of the Miami relatives.
While Another group of supporters were in Washington , marching in front of the White House just blocks from where the US Senate was preparing to hold inquiries into the Little Havana raid.

Something the public, and most Democrats seem steadfastly against.

SOT/SEN. TOM DASCHLE, SENAT MINORITY LEADER
The same crowd that brought us impeachment, now brings us Elian Gonzalez into the lights of Congress. And I think that s a mistake.
COWAN ON CAM: For those who are counting the Elian Gonzalez controversy has now cost the US Justice Department nearly 580-thousand dollars -- and it isn

t over yet. Lee Cowan, CBS News, St. Michaels, Maryland.))[microsoft]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Microsoft]

The government is about to recommend the breakup of Microsoft into two companies as punishment for antitrust violations.
The plan is to be submitted to a judge after the financial markets close.
One division would sell the company's Windows operating system.
The other would sell applications software.

[11Philip-Morris]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-03 TC2:02:52]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

Philip Morris says public perceptions are changing.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

However, that didn't stop protesters from taking their fight against the tobacco giant to its annual meeting in Richmond.
As always, the meeting was closed to cameras.
But inside came a new pitch: "smoking isn't cool" and it poses health risks.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 10:39:26]
[IN Q=People I think]
((HELEN MORRISSETT/SHAREHOLDER: PEOPLE I THINK WERE HOPING THAT THINGS WOULD IMPROVE. BUT YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT THE COURTS WILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISIONS I'M SURE.))
[sot 10:53:02]
((ANNE DONLEY/GROUP TO ALLEVIATE SMOKING IN PUBLIC: I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. GEOFFREY BIBLE KEPT TALKING ABOUT HOW HE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PAST, HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE. AND HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE. I GUESS WHEN YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR PRODUCT IS STILL ADDICTING AND KILLING PEOPLE, THEN YOU HAVE TO JUST KEEP CHANGING THE SUBJECT.))
[SUPER=01-Helen Morrissett/Shareholder; :00]
[SUPER=01-Anne Donley/Group to Alleviate Smoking; :11]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=the subject.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A Florida lawsuit enters its punitive damages phase next month.
It could have a multi-BILLION dollar impact on Philip Morris.
The company's stock price fell 37-percent between last year's meeting and this year's.
(------------)

[11Truck-Plant]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A new truck body plant could make Martinsville its new home.
North Carolina economic development officials say the W-F Mickey Body Company plans to build a new plant either in Martinsville or Denton, North Carolina.
The plant would bring 150 jobs that pay an average 14 dollars an hour.
A decision should be made in a week or so.

[11Radford-Sports]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-10 TC41:40]
[GRAPHIC=Radford Univ.]

Two Radford University athletic teams slated to be dropped have new hope for a future.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]

Last month, the university said it couldn't afford to maintain the Division One lacrosse and women's gymnastics teams after this year.
But now university president Douglas Covington says he needs more time to explore options for keeping the programs.
While team members call the news encouraging, they say it doesn't secure their future.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:48:11 - :22]
[IN Q=It's great news]
((CHRIS LAMONIA: IT'S GREAT NEWS BUT WE STILL REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS SUMMER THEY COULD SAY WE'VE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO DROP IT.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Lamonia/Senior Lacrosse Captain;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=going to drop it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The lacrosse team lost half it's top recruits for next year because of the uncertainty.
No one is saying what prompted the university to reconsider OR when the final decision will come.
(------------)

[2-GIULIANI]

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

New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is now reconsidering running for U-S Senate after finding out he has cancer.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]

Giuliani says he was diagnosed Wednesday with a treatable form of prostate cancer.
He says he'll take the next couple of weeks to mull over treatment options.
The 55- year old Mayor admits he may drop out of the race he never officially entered.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:13:16]
[IN Q=]
((: RUDOLPH GIULIANI/NEW YORK CITY MAYOR 10:09:17 "THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE LOTS OF POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE AWHILE TO DETERMINE WHICH IS THE BEST ONE TO BRING ABOUT A COMPLETE.))
[SUPER=01-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani/(R) New York;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=complete cure]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

His political rival, First lady Hillary Rodham clinton put politics aside for the day and personally called the mayor to wish him a speedy recovery.
(------------)

[11NAACP-Boycott]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Virginia's N-double-A-C-P says a tourism boycott of the Commonwealth is VERY POSSIBLE if things don't change.
That's despite a May 10th meeting between Governor Jim Gilmore and civil rights leaders that has been set.
The Governor publicly stood by his Confederate History Month proclamation today, calling it "fair and balanced."
N-double A-C-P director King Salim (sa-LEEM) Khalfani says those comments drew a line in the sand, before the May 10th meeting ever takes place.
Khalfani says he'll seek permission from the national N-double-A-C-P office for the boycott... but may NOT announce anything before the meeting with Gilmore.
[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]

Former Vinton Police Chief Ricky Foutz is suing the town for 10-point-4 million dollars.
He filed suit in federal court, citing conspiracy, defamation, and breach of contract among his causes of action. Foutz hopes a trial will help to clear his name.
He resigned from the Vinton Police Department last fall during a special grand jury investigation.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

A van carrying nine passengers hit the back of a truck in Salem yesterday.
Seven of the people on board were taken to the hospital.
Most of them were just shaken up-- police say there were no critical injuries.
A driver for the RADAR transportation service has been charged with reckless driving.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

There's new hope for the Division one lacrosse and women's gymnastics teams at Radford University.
They were slated to be dropped after this year because the university said it couldn't afford to maintain them. Now university president Douglas Covington says he needs more time to explore options for keeping the programs.

(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
(Kimberly mic hot)
(///////////////)
(Kimberly ad lib weather)
(-------------)
[2-SHOT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Now here's Keith Humphry with a preview of News 7 at Six.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=He's 11]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=news 7 at 6]
(-------------)
[Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Steve]
(toss)
[ANCHOR=Steve]
(live ad lib, tease tomorrow)
(ad lib bye) [Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Steve]