WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 07/19/00

[Mideast-Peace]

[ANCHOR=JoeD]

[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Mideast Peace talks]

President Clinton put off his trip to japan for a day to continue trying to get israeli prime minister ehud barak and palestinian president yasser arafat to agree on tough middle east peace issues.
Jennifer Jones is in washington with the latest.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
[SUPER=01-Joe Lockhart/White House Press Secretary; :]
[SUPER=01-Michael Melchior/Israeli Minister; :]
[SUPER=01-Hanan Ashrawi/Palestinian Negotiator; :]
[Super=01-Jennifer Jones/Reporting]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=JJ CBS News Washington]

((Even with President Clinton delaying his departure for Japan...Peace talks remain in a stalemate.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat standing firmly on his demands, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak refusing to give in and now reportedly threatening to pull up stakes. Confirmation comes from Barak's office in Jerusalem ...saying the Prime Minister decided to stop negotiating because the Palestinians " are not yet ready to accept hard decisions that are required".
The sticking point is the status of Jerusalem. Sources say Barak is refusing to recognize a Palestinian state, unless the Palestinians accept undivided Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem.
He was willing to make compromises which were really painful, like cutting off an arm of the body in order to save the heart, but there also has to be from the other side willingness to compromise.
---But for Arafat a compromise includes a divided sovereignty over Jerusalem. The most passionate of the core issues o
n the table at the Peace Summit and what may lead to the failure of the talks.
I think until the Israelis come to the realization that this is no longer a situation of occupation and of imposition and dictates, then there can be no solution. ....JJ CBS News Washington))
[ANCHOR=JoeD]
[GRAPHIC=]

Late word from Washington indicates that negotiators are still at the table... with a settlement still a possibil

ity.[Lightning-Strike]

[ANCHOR=Joe]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=net-J]
[GRAPHIC=]

A two-year investigation by Operation Lightining Strike has netted indictments against 20 suspected moonshiners in Franklin County, Philedelphia and North Carolina.
The indictments are the result of an Alchoholic Beverage Control Department task force based in Rocky Mount.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./May, 1999]

The indictments allege between 19-85 and May, 19-99, Farmers Exchange - a county supply store in Rocky Mount - supplied various moonshine operations.
William "Dee" Stanley and Kenny Cobler of Franklin County were among those indicted .. Their operation is charged with the estimated production and distribution of 118-thousand gallons of liquor from 19-92 to 99.
The A-B-C says more indictments will be unsealed today.
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[Bees]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-21]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A colony of so-called "Killer Bees" has been identified in Alleghany County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]

Bee experts from Virginia Tech confirmed this morning that Africanized bees were responsible for an attack earlier this month that killed a goat in Low Moor.
Frank the Goat died after being stung hundreds of times.
His owner, James Downey, was stung at least 30 times.
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[SOT 58:32 - :44]
[IN Q=We think this]
[SUPER=01-Tim Mack/Tech Entomologist;]
((TIM MACK/ TECH ENTOMOLOGIST: WE THINK THIS A COMPLETELY ISOLATED EVENT. THIS IS JUST THE RESULT OF INTERSTATE COMMERCE. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER STATES RECENTLY, SUCH AS ILLINOIS AND MAINE, FOR EXAMPLE.))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=Maine, for example.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Killer bees look just like other honeybees. But when disturbed, they have a more aggressive -- sometimes deadly -- attack.
Experts believe the bees were carried into the area recently on a train or truck.
The hive was destroyed.
Scientists will continue to survey the Low Moor area for other colonies.
(------------)

[Church-Fire]

[ANCHOR=JDA]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=00-19 TC57:38]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Members of the Lexington Presbyterian Church plan to hold Sunday services in their own church annex even though a fire destroyed their sanctuary. The fire chief says the fire did 2 and half million dollars worth of damage. People who did not belong to the church are already donating money to rebuild it.
Kate Weidaw talked to church members and fire officials following yesterday's blaze.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Lexington;:00]
[SUPER=01-Robert Foresman/Lexington Fire Chief;:37]
[SUPER=01-Joe Martin/Church Member for 44 Years;:58 QUICK!!!!]
[SUPER=01-Cammy Bryan/Church Member;1:04]
[SUPER=@Kate2;1:18]
[RUNS=1:25]
[OUT Q=News 7, Lexington.]

[Drowning]

[ANCHOR=Joe]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-16 TC1:49:03]
[GRAPHIC=Drowning]

Searchers found the body of a West Virginia boy who drowned in the New River.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.;]

13-year-old Cody Cash was discovered around one yesterday by divers.
His body was found on the river floor -- in water about 20 feet deep.
He was only a short distance from the area where he was sucked under by the strong current Monday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:43 - :55]
[IN Q=Diving work]
((JOHN CASEY/RESCUE WORKER: DIVING WORK IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. IT'S VERY REWARDING BECAUSE YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING TO CLOSURE FOR THE FAMILY, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT AS REWARDING BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING A RECOVERY VERSUS RESCUE OPERATIONS.))
[SUPER=01-John Casey/Rescue Worker;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=versus rescue operations.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Cody and his 8-year-old sister went to the river to fish with a 10-year old friend and his mother.
All four got caught in the river's current.
All but Cody were pulled to safety.
About 40 people -- most of them volunteers -- showed up to help with the recovery.
(------------)

[Washington-Park]

[ANCHOR=Joe]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-22]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The future of Washington Park is being debated today, but not by city officials or community leaders.... instead, by the children.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Kids of all ages came together to tell decision makers what they think the park needs.
The children aren't concerned about how much involvement the Catholic Diocese has in the park, or even when they will be allowed to use it. They say they just want to make it better.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=We need some]
((WE NEED SOME MORE STUFF TO PLAY WITH, TO CLIMB ON POLES AND STUFF.))
[SUPER=07-Chlesea Sumner]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=poles and stuff.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

While the children were good listeners today, they were also good speakers.
Roanoke's city manager says their input is invaluable to the park's future.
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(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=These children]
((THESE CHILDREN ARE VERY CAPABLE OF TELLING US WHAT WOULD MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER, WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE AT THE PARK, AND THEY ARE PROBABLY THE BEST INPUT THAT WE CAN GET.))
[SUPER=01-Darlene Burcham/Roanoke City Manager]
[RUNS=07]
[OUT Q=we can get.]
(------------)
[Anchor=Joe]
[SS=None]

Further discussion about the park will continue tomorrow, this time with senior citizens.

[Farrakhan]

[ANCHOR=Joe]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-15 1:34:59]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The Sons of Confederate Veterans have a new ally supporting Confederate History month.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan says Virginia's Confederate History Month is a good idea, because history should be remembered.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:10:13 ]
[IN Q=Why shouldn't]
((LOUIS FARRAKHAN/NATION OF ISLAM: WHY SHOULDN'T ROBERT E. LEE'S PICTURE BE HELD HIGH? HE FOUGHT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED. HE LOST. BUT HE'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY. THE CONFEDERATE FLAG IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY. WHAT IT REPRESENTED YESTERDAY, IT CAN'T REPRESENT THAT TODAY. WE'RE TOO AWAKE. WE'RE TOO AWARE. SO YOU CAN FLY IT ANYWHERE YOU WANT TO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.))
[SUPER=01-Louis Farrakhan/Nation of Islam;]
[RUNS=:34]
[OUT Q=I'm concerned.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Farrakhan was in Richmond promoting his October "Million Family March."
But he told reporters African Americans are wrong to focus on symbols of the past.
(------------)
[TALENT=Joe]
[SS=none]

Virginia chapters of the N-double-A-C-P and Southern Christian Leadership Conference are considering a national boycott of the Commonwealth.
The groups say they will mobilize after Labor Day if Governor Jim Gilmore does NOT promise he won't declare another Confederate History Month next spring.

[Putin]

[ANCHOR=JoeD]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has become the first Kremlin leader to visit North Korea.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pyongyang, North Korea]

The Russian president made his first stop at a memorial where he paid respects to the state's founder, Kim Il-sung.
Putin's visit is aimed at improving bilateral ties that have foundered over the past decade as Moscow has drawn closer to capitalist South Korea.
But he's also expected to register Russia's deep concern over the U.S. proposal to construct a limited national missile defense.
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[Wythe-Deputy]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A former Wythe County deputy has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Trenton Davis is charged with one count of aggravated sexual battery.
Davis resigned from the sheriff's department in May, days after the alleged incident occurred.
Sources say a friend set the deputy up on a date with the teen.
Davis is free on 5-thousand dollars bond.

[Incubator]

[ANCHOR=Joe]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-18 TC1:30:35]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Danville and Pittsylvania County are teaming help to small businesses get off the ground and succeed. Surae Chinn has the story.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Mark Gignac is]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
[SUPER=01-Mark Gignac/E. D. S. President; :19]
[SUPER=01-Harold Garrison/Dan River Business Dev. Center; :45]
[SUPER=@Surae1; 1:13]
[RUNS=1:44]
[OUT Q=News7, Pittsylvania County.]
(( Mark GIGNAC is president of Engineering Design and Sales or E.D.S. It's become a thriving business in Danville.

He never thought it would be this way when his dad started the business in their basement years ago.
[SOT 12:13:06] (NATS OF WORKERS)

((MARK GIGNAC/E.D.S. PRESIDENT: 25 YEARS AGO VIRTUALLY NO HELP YOU WERE ON YOUR OWN.)) [RUNS:07]
Gignac is not alone anymore, he employs 80 people in his power supply and battery charge manufacturing business. But it took his family a quarter of a century. Now Danville and Pittsylvania County have teamed up to help new and struggling small business owners get to the top quicker.
[SOT 16:40:31]
((HAROLD GARRISON/DAN RIVER BUSINESS DEV. CENTER PRES: AN INCUBATOR IS APLACE WHERE SMALL BUSINESS CAN START UP AND NUR
TURED.)) [SOT 1:40:40](( WE ARE ACTUALLY AND MOVE OUT WITHIN A 3 YEAR PERIOD.))
[RUNS:10] [nats of ground breaking]
And plans are currently in the works for that. The Dan River Business Development Center broke ground for an incubator.
[SOT 12:14:00]
((MARK GIGNAC/E.D.S. PRESIDENT: WHAT WE HOPE TO DO WITH THE INCUBATOR IS HELP WITH IDEAS AND ENSURE THEY SUCCEED SOMETHING THAT DID NOT EXIST YEARS AGO.)) [RUNS:09]
[SOT 23:38:58]
((SURAE CHINN/REPORTING: THIS IS CONSIDERED BY MANY A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME 30 INCOMING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS A PLACE THAT COULD INCREASE THE ODDS FOR STRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.)) [RUNS:10]
[SOT 16:43:16]
((HAROLD GARRISON/DAN RIVER BUSINESS DEV. CENTER: IT IS THE ONLY AND BEST PLACE TO START A BUSINESS QUADRUPLE RATE OF SUCCESS FOR STARTING ON YOUR OWN WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.)) [RUNS:10]
And the assistance is what these business savvy people say will make or break your success. Surae Chinn, News7, Pittsylvania County.))

[Mason-Dixon]

[ANCHOR=Joe]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]

In the latest poll conducted for News 7, more than 600 Virginians were asked whom they would vote for if the election were held today.
The results show in the presidential race Republican George W. Bush is leading Democrat Al Gore here in Virginia.

(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN BOARD #1]

Statewide Bush has an eleven point lead over the Vice-President, though that's dropped a few points since the last poll in September.
[TAKE PAGE #2]

The poll conducted by Mason Dixon shows Bush leading in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads by a relatively small margin.
48 percent of those polled in the Lynchburg area said they would vote for the Texas Governor.
According to the survey, Bush would take 51 percent of the vote in the Roanoke area and Southwest Virginia.
The poll has a four percent margin of error.
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[Elian]

[ANCHOR=JoeD]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Elian Gonzalez]

Elian Gonzalez is out of the United States, but his image is still filling the airwaves.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Havana, Cuba]

Video footage of the boy was part of a 45-minute program on his life in Cuba since his return June 28th.
Elian was shown playing with friends, at home with his father and attending classes at school.
Gonzalez became the subject of an international custody dispute between his father in Cuba and the boy's Miami (------------) relatives. Though the boy returned to Cuba last month, the latest video suggests the propaganda war isn't over.