WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 06/07/00

[Microsoft]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Microsoft]

The fate of Microsoft will be determined today.
A federal judge will announce his ruling this afternoon at three.
Lee Cowan has a preview.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
[SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/Reporting;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Cowan, CBS News, Washington.]
(( The historic decision whether to break up the worlds biggest computer software maker is now just hours away and few expect Microsoft will get away with anything.

A breakup would be the harshest remedy for Microsoft's anti competitive practices and the one the Justice Department has been hoping for.

The judge making the decision ..Judge Penfield Jackson seems inclined to split Microsoft into TWO companies there's also a proposal to break it into THREE one for Windows, -- one for software applications, and a separate company to market their Internet browser.

But even some of the states that had joined the Federal Governments case weren't so sure a breakup was the right thing to do and have dropped out of the case.

They worried a split would only serve to create TWO or THREE Microsoft MONOPOLIES.

Even consumer advocates cant seem to agree on what's the right move. Some say a breakup would mean MORE INNOVATION in the marketplace from MORE companies.

In papers filed yesterday, Microsoft called the governments plan too extreme and has already promised to appeal any decision to break the company up confident that a higher court would rule in its favor.
COWAN ON CAM: But that could take months and millions of dollars both sides have it but both sides are beginning to get weary of a case that could drag on so long many of the remedies could be a moot point. Lee Cowan, CBS News, Washington. ))

[Bodies-Found]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Investigators in Kansas have a disturbing case involving the killings of five women that may be linked to the Internet.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Kansas City, MO;]

Police found the bodies of two women stuffed inside barrels on property located in Kansas.
Another three were discovered inside barrels located in a Missouri storage locker.
All of the property belongs to 56- year- old suspect John Robinson.
Authorites say Robinson solicited sex over the Internet using the name, "slavemaster".
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:11:38]
[IN Q=Mr. Robinson]
((PAUL MORRISON/DISTRICT ATTORNEY: MR. ROBINSON WAS IN CONTACT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF. A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, WE HAVE NAMES. WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF THOSE NAMES ARE REAL NAMES OR NOT AND WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN CHAT ROOMS.))
[SUPER=01-Paul Morrison/District Attorney;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=in chat rooms]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Robinson is NOT charged in the five murders.
But he's in jail on five- million dollars' bond for sexual assault charges.
(------------)

[Jackson]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-15 TC38:02]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

Court has been adjourned this afternoon in the trial of a man accused of arson and murder in a 1998 rooming house fire that killed six people.
The jury did hear evidence this morning.
Yesterday, prosecutors said Brian Jackson played a part in planning the Church Avenue fire.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

HIS attorneys told a Roanoke jury they don't know who set the rooming house fire two years ago, but it wasn't the 22-year old Patrick Henry High School graduate.
A man described as his "running buddy," Jay Clements, says otherwise.
Clements testified that Jackson paid a crack addict called T-Bird to buy gasoline that was used to fuel the fire.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:00:00]
[IN Q=Brian had gave]
((BRIAN HAD GAVE T-BIRD THE CRACK AND A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO BUY THE GAS. BRIAN SAID HE WANTED THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN.))
[SUPER=01-Michael "Jay" Clements/Arson Co-Defendant]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=burned down.]
(------------)
[V/O-NAT]
Clements is serving a 25-year sentence for arson.
The defense undermined his testimony by reciting different versions of what Clements has told others.
(------------)

[Grant]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-13]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

A Danville judge has found a man guilty of brutally stabbing his girlfriend.
(------------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/Tuesday;]

23 year old Ray Matthew Grant cried through most of the trial that lasted until nearly seven last night.
The judge immediately handed down the guilty verdict of first degree murder.
The Commonwealth's attorney presented a tape recording of Grant admitting to stabbing 45 year old Mary
Johnson while high on cocaine in January. The medical examiner said the killer stabbed Johnson 75 times.
The defense presented no witnesses or evidence.
Grant will be sentenced July 6th.
(------------)

[Celanese]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-10 TC1:44:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Contract negotiations are at a standstill between Celanese and its workers' union.
The company has put it's final offer on the table and the union is urging its one-thousand members to vote it down next week.
Marya Jones explains why.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Celanese union workers]
[SUPER=03-Narrows; :00]
[SUPER=01-Nedra Atwood/Celanese Worker; :16]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.; :22]
[SUPER=01-Sandie Setzer/Celanese Worker; :31 QUICK!]
[SUPER=@Marya1; 1:16]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=MJN7, Giles County.]

(( Celanese union workers spent the day rallying outside the union hall, waving the signs of their discontent... and soliciting honks of support from passersby.
(/////SOT/////)
[NATSOUND: HONKING 4:35 - :37] ((NATSOUND HONKING.))
[RUNS= :02]

About two weeks away from the end of their present contract with Celco, workers are unhappy with the new one being offered.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:18 - :23]
((NEDRA ATWOOD: I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 34 YRS AND THE WORST I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED.))
[RUNS= :05]

Nedra Atwood and her coworkers say they're not complaining about money ... but staffing levels at the plant that they say can't keep up with production.
It's resulted in frequent mandatory overtime shifts for workers.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 8:16 - :20]
((SANDY SETZER/WORKER: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. YOU'RE TOLD EITHER YOU WORK OR GO OUT THE GATE.))
[RUNS= :04]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:00 - :17]
((NEDRA ATWOOD/WORKER: PEOPLE CAN NOT WORK THREE OR FOUR SHIFTS A WEEK, 16 HOURS, AND NOT HAVE IT WORK ON THEIR SAFETY FACTORS AT THEIR JOBS, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY SEEN WITH OUR SAFETY RECORD. WE'VE HAD MORE INJURIES THIS YEAR THAN THE WHOLE TOTAL OF LAST YEAR. ))
[RUNS= :17]

Celco officials say they've made their third and final offer ... one that's competitive with contracts at other area plants.
They call it a significant improvement over previous contracts.
But union workers out rallying say without more improvements, they may abandon the bargaining table for the picket line.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:34 - :41]
(( I'M SORRY BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HIT 460...WE DON'T WANT TO, BUT THAT'S ALL THAT WE'VE GOT LEFT TO US.))
[RUNS= :07]
(/////SOT/////)
[SU] ((MARYA JONES/NEWS-7: THE CURRENT CONTRACT BETWEEN CELANESE AND ITS UNION MEMBERS EXPIRES JUNE 19TH. WORKERS SAY IF THEY CAN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT BEFORE THEN, A STRIKE MAY NOT BE FAR BEHIND. MARYA JONES, NEWS 7, GILES COUNTY.))
[RUNS= :10]))

[Evangel-Church]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-11]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The Evangel Foursquare Church in Roanoke wants to build a new church and day care center in Roanoke County, but some residents do not welcome the idea.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Last night during a public hearing on the proposa,l residents were saying "not in my neighborhood".
Many are concerned the proposed site at the intersection of Franklin Road and Indian Grave Road will not be able to handle the extra traffic caused by the church.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:49:14 ]
[IN Q=the road]
((MICHELLE BERRY/CLEARBROOK RESIDENT: THE ROAD IS NOT IN GOOD CONDITION THERE ARE CRACKS IN THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE DRAIN DITCH DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO HANDLE THE RAIN WATER.))
[SUPER=01-Michelle Berry/Clearbrook Resident]
[RUNS=8]
[OUT Q=rain water.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Church officials say they would help pay for some road repairs. Others were concerned about what the church would do with the extra land. Out of the 42 point 6 acres only 6 acres will be taken up by the church.
[SOT 21:00:08 ]
[INQ=The reason]
((CHRISTOPHER STICKROD/ASSISTANT PASTOR: THE REASON WE SAY WE ONLY WANT TO DEVELOP WHERE THE BUILDINGS ARE BECAUSE WE WANT TO USE THE REST OF THE AREAS AS A PLACE TO WORSHIP, ENJOY NATURE.))
[SUPER=01-Christopher Stickrod/Assistant Pastor]
[RUNS=16]
[OUTQ=enjoy nature.]

(--------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Roanoke County Planning Commission voted unanimously to pass a favorable vote to the Board of Supervisors who will look at the proposal in two weeks.
(--------------)

[Computer-Virus]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=The Internet]

It appears that cyber attacks aren't limited to just computers anymore.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-London, UK;]

Experts are warning of a new virus that targets cell- phones.
It was specifically written to attack a Spanish- based cell phone network.
But there are concerns that the virus, which resembles the "Love Bug", could cause problems worldwide.
The virus threatens cell phones that display text messages.
Experts say it also could be altered to hit pagers.
(------------)

[Sri-Lanka]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A suicide bomber killed himself and at least 20 others today in Sri Lanka.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Colombo, Sri Lanka;]

Officials say a Cabinet minister was among the dead.
Dozens of people were injured -- some of them seriously.
No one has come forward yet to claim responsibility.
But a rebel group with a faction of suicide bombers known as the Black Tigers is known for targeting government officials.
The group has been fighting for nearly 20 years to create a homeland for minorities in the north and east of the island nation.
(------------)

[Clinton-Medicare]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Medicare]

President Clinton has ordered expanded Medicare coverage.
That means millions of elderly and disabled people will find it easier to take part in clinical drug trials.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Andrews AFB, MD;]

Mr. Clinton made the announcement before flying to Japan.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:02:14 ]
[IN Q=Today America's]
((TODAY, AMERICA'S SENIORS ARE BADLY REPRESENTED IN CLINICAL TRIALS, BUT THEY HAVE THE HEAVIEST SHARE OF ILLNESS. MORE THAN HALF OF OUR CANCER PATIENTS ARE OVER 65, BUT ONLY A THIRD OF THOSE ARE IN CLINICAL TRIALS. ))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=ARE IN CLINICAL TRIALS.]
(------------------)
[TALENT=KIMBERLY]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

Medicare will begin covering the costs of routine patient care associated with trials for new drugs and medical treatments.

[Adult-Home]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-12]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A Narrows assisted care facility is shutting down... sending residents in search of new accommodations.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Narrows;]

24 residents at MacArthur House will have to find new housing or move in with family.
Princeton Memorial Hospital in West Virginia owns the home.
It says it's losing about 20-thousand dollars a month maintaining the old building.
(///// SOT /////)
[BUMP SOTS]
[IN Q=We don't like ]
[SUPER=01-Patrick Smith/Hospital President; :00 QUICK!]
[SUPER=01-Pam McDaniel/MacArthur Home Resident; :07]
[SOT 14:18 - :23]
((PATRICK SMITH/HOSPITAL PRESIDENT: WE DON'T LIKE DOING THIS. THIS IS NOT EASY FOR US. BUT IT'S A NECESSARY EVIL IN THE BUSINESS.))
[sot 7:24 - :34]
((PAM MCDANIEL/RESIDENT: WE HAVE A JOKE GOING ON AROUND HERE... I'VE GOT AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR. I SAID, WELL, IF THEY LOCK THE DOORS, I'M JUST GOING TO GO OUT IN THE PARKING LOT AND STAY.))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=parking lot and stay.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The hospital is building a new home that opens in a year.
Patients from MacArthur House will get first preference.
In the meantime, the home is helping them find a place to live and says it will stay open until they do.
(------------)

[Tobacco-Settlement]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-08]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco-Settlement]

Ten percent of Virginia's tobacco settlement money will be spent to fight teen smoking.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

But by its eighth meeting, the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation is still NOT sure how to spend 400 million dollars to get that message out.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:10:16]
[IN Q=Let's be]
((CHERYL WISE/ANTI-SMOKING ADVOCATE: LET'S BE EXAMPLES... SHOW SOMEONE LIKE MY HUSBAND THAT'S ON AN I-V EVERYDAY...LET'S USE THEM AS EXAMPLES.))
[SUPER=01-Cheryl Wise/Anti-Smoking Advocate;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=them as examples.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Health advocates and a tobacco company executive went head to head.
A Brown and Williamson vice president says health messages don't get through to teens.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:36:32]
[IN Q=They listen]
((CORKY NEWTON/BROWN & WILLIAMSON TOBACCO: THEY LISTEN TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN 20 OR 30 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD... BUILD SOCIAL SKILLS.))
[SUPER=01-Corky Newton/Brown & Williamson Tobacco;]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=social skills.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The commission finally allocated its first half million dollars yesterday.
It will go to continue A-B-C agent sting operations on stores that sell tobacco.
(------------)

[Dog-Plane]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The friendly skies weren't so friendly for one dog from California...
But Dakota's finally getting some first- class treatment after surviving a near- fatal plane ride.
Tony Russomanno has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-San Jose, CA; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mike Bell/Dakota's Owner; :23]
[SUPER=01-Tony Russomanno/Reporting; 1:41]
[RUNS=1:52]
[OUT Q=Tony Russomanno, CBS News]
((
Dakota is safe and sound and seems to be happy to be home in San Jose today. So is Mike Bell, Dakota's companion for more than ten years. The two were on a United Airlines flight from Washington D.C. over the weekend... Mike, in coach.... Dakota, in his carrier in the cargo hold... ...and a picture of the dog on Mike's laptop computer, which made a flight attendant coming up behind him oddly nervous. "THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT TAPPED ME ON THE BACK OF MY SHOULDER AND SAID THE CAPTAIN WANTED TO SEE ME ABOUT MY DOG." It was a long walk up to the front of the plane. "SO THE PILOT CAME OUT OF THE COCKPIT. MEANWHILE, ALL THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE STANDING BEHIND ME. HE CAME OUT AND JUST, THE EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG." A ground dispatcher had just radioed news of a terrible mistake. Dakota had been loaded into the jet's unheated foward cargo hold... instead of the heated and ventilated rear cargo hold used for animals. The jet was then at 31-thousand feet. The outside air temperature was minus 58 degrees. The captain said if Dakota was not already dead, he would be when they landed in San Jose. "SO I WAS AS WHITE AS A GHOST WHEN HE TOLD ME. I WAS IN COMPLETE SHOCK." In desperation, the captain told the rest of the passengers they were diverting to Denver. An hour later, they were on the ground, with crews standing by to tear open the cargo door to get to the dog. "THE PILOT CAME OUT AND SAID HE GOT THE THUMBS UP FROM THE GROUND CREW THAT HE WAS ALIVE." After a reunion on the tarmac, Mike wanted the shivering dog to ride with him for the rest of the flight. "A SUPERVISOR THERE AT DENVER SAID NO IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES BUT THE PILOT INSISTED THAT I GO AHEAD AND BRING HIM ON. SO I BROUGHT HIM ON THE PLANE. I WALKED UP TO THE STAIRS AND WHEN I ENTERED THE PLANE THE PASSENGERS STARTED CHEERING AND CLAPPING." Dakota curled up next to Mike and received visits from the passengers... but declined a snack. "THE CHICKEN WASN'T THAT GOOD ON THE FLIGHT." AIRLINE FOOD, UGH. "NO." ))