WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 10/18/00

[HEADLINES]

[TALENT=Kimberly]

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[VO-NAT]

17 sailors who lost their lives last week aboard the U-S-S Cole are remembered today.
We'll have a wrap-up of today's memorial service in Norfolk.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And a bad day on Wall Street, as the DOW dips lower than it has in seven MONTHS...
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[TALENT=Shannon]
[SS=None]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]

News 7 at noon is next.

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
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[VO-NAT]

Prayers and tears as fallen crew members from the U-S-S Cole are remembered today in Norfolk.

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[Ship-Funeral]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=USS Cole]

Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
It's a somber day in Norfolk.
C-B-S has been showing live coverage of today's funeral for the 17 sailors who died in last week's attack on the U-S-S Cole in Yemen.
Eight sailors are still hospitalized with injuries.
But they insisted on attending today's memorial, along with family and friends of the dead crewmen.
President Clinton was among the speakers at the funeral.
Gretchen Carlson has the story from Norfolk.
[LIVE=Take Newspath FULL]
[SUPER=01-Gretchen Carlson/Reporting]
[SUPER=05-Norfolk]
((ROLLCUE:...))
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Norfolk;]
[SUPER=01-Rear Adm. Barry Black/Chief of Chaplains;]
[SUPER=01-Adm. Vern Clark/Chief of Navy Operations;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=]
(LOCATOR: NORFOLK, VA)
(( NAT SOUND...ceremony --
A SOLEMN FAREWELL FOR THE 17 MEN AND WOMEN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ABOARD THE U.S.S. COLE.

(NAT sot, Rear Adm. Barry Black, Chief of Chaplains )

FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FELLOW SAILORS GATHERED AT THE COLE'S HOMEPORT IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA ... TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE KILLED IN LAST WEEK'S BLAST.

SOT:ADMIRAL VERN CLARK/CHIEF OF NAVY OPERATIONS
They made a difference..on their ship...to nation and forever in history.
MANY OF THE INJURED SAILORS -- INCLUDING THE MOST SERIOUSLY HURT -- INSISTED ON BEING AT THE SERVICE EVEN THOUGH SOME HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.
MEANWHILE, THE U.S. REMAINS INTENT ON FINDING THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAGEDY... AS THE NATION AND THE FAMILIES SAY GOODBYE.

(SOT, PRESIDENT CLINTON )
))
[LIVE=Take Newspath FULL]
[SUPER=05-Norfolk;]

[Warner-Cole]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-40]
[GRAPHIC=USS Cole]

If you're wondering how a terrorist boat could almost sink a Navy destroyer in port, you are NOT alone.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Virginia Senator John Warner is calling the Navy and Marine brass before the Senate Armed Services Committee he chairs.
Warner says he's proud of the way the Navy's handled the attack on the U-S-S Cole, and wants the world to know American ships will NOT shy away from danger zones.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:35:40]
[IN Q=But America]
((SEN. JOHN WARNER: BUT AMERICA IS ENTITLED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT EVERY DAY IS MADE BY PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY...LET THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SEE FOR THEMSELVES EXACTLY HOW THIS IS DONE.))
[SUPER=@Warner;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=is done.]
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[TALENT=Kimberly]
[SS=HOLD]

Senator Warner's hearings start tomorrow morning.

[Stock-Market]

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

A major sell-off is underway on Wall Street.
The Dow fell below 10- thousand for the first time since March.
Corporate giant I-B-M is leading the drop in blue chips.
Susan McGinnis has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
[SUPER=01-Susan McGinnis/Reporting;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=McGinnis, CBS News, ]

[Whitmire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=00-41]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A babysitter is on trial in Roanoke County today in the drowning of a two-year-old girl.
Leni Whitmire is accused of felony child abuse and neglect in the death of Hailey Wilson.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vinton/May 31]

Wilson was one of several children Whitmire cared for at her home in Vinton.
The toddler wandered off one day last spring and drowned in a pool in the backyard.
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[Anchor=Kim]
[ss=hold]

A jury is hearing the case.

The trial is set for one day.[Dog-Deaths]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-27 TC2:01:34]
[GRAPHIC=none]

One dog is dead and two others are recovering after apparently being poisoned.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Terri Beamer's dog, "Bubba," became ill on Saturday and later died.
She believes her dog and two others were poisoned with hamburger meat that had been laced with antifreeze.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=I have two small children]
((TERRI BEAMER: I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN WHO HAVE LOST A FAMILY PET. WE HAD HIM FOR TEN YEARS AND IT'S SOMEONE WHO'S VERY SICK THAT IS WALKING AROUND KILLING ANIMALS.))
[SUPER=07-Terri Beamer]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=walking around killing animals.]
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[VO-NAT]

Police are investigating and yesterday afternoon, an animal control officer collected samples of the meat residents found in their yards near Memorial Avenue.
Three-year- old "Azlyn" (AZZ-linn) is still being treated, but the vet caring for him says she's cautiously optimistic he will recover.
A four and a half year old Dalmatian named "Tag," also remains in a local animal hospital, but he's now on the mend.
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[Golden-Corral]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=500-9 TC1:15:35]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Health Department is investigating a Roanoke restaurant after several people said they became ill after eating there.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Health officials say all seven got sick after eating at the Golden Corral near Crossroads Mall on Friday night.
The Health Department is now investigating whether it's a food- borne outbreak.
Based on the onset of the symptoms, Health officials say it's most likely a bacteria, either staph-yl-o-coccus or (Ba-sill-us) bacillus.
The symptoms include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
If you have these symptoms and recently dined at the Townsquare Boulevard Golden Corral - contact your doctor or the health department.
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[Social-Security]

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

Thanks to growing inflation, social security checks will ALSO get fatter--
Recipients will see their biggest cost-of-living increase in nearly a decade.
Social security checks will grow by three-and-a-half-percent next year.
The average monthly check for retirees will increase from 816- dollars to 845- dollars, beginning January first.

[Heating-Aid]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=00-33 TC1:24:59]
[GRAPHIC=Heating Prices]

Experts say the cost of heating your home this winter will increase as much as 40 percent.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

For those on a fixed or low income that may make it tough, but help is available.
Roanoke Gas offers a program called Heat Share that helps customers pay their heating bill.
The League of Older Americans is helping the elderly find ways of lowering their heating bills.
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[SOT 6:05]
[IN Q=we also]
((ELAINE ENGLEMAN/LEAGUE OF OLDER AMERICANS: WE ALSO WORK WITH THE POWER COMPANY THE GAS COMPANY THE OIL COMPANY TO SEE IF WE CAN GET CHARGES WAVED OR SEE IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE CAN GET THEM ON A BUDGET PLAN PLUS A LITTLE AMOUNT ON THE BACK BILL TO RESTORE HEAT FOR THE WINTER.))
[SUPER=01-Elaine Engleman/League of Older Americans]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=for the winter.]
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[VO-NAT]

The L-O-A also uses the department of social services Energy Assistant Program, which saves most folks an average of 2-hundred dollars during the winter months.
To apply for the savings all you need to do is fill out an application between now and November 13-th.
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[BBB-Awards]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-35 TC1:02:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Better Business Bureau has created a new award for especially honest companies.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Fink's Jewelers is an ethical gem, according to the Better Business Bureau -- earning the customers' trust by saying that no sale is final. Kroger also won an award. Every manager here signs a strict business ethics policy.
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[SOT 12:57:39]
[IN Q=We have several]
((PETE WILLIAMS/KROGER: WE HAVE SEVERAL GUARANTEES LIKE OUR SCAN-RITE GUARANTEE THAT IF SOMETHING'S PRICED WRONG A CUSTOMER'S GIVEN THE PRODUCT. IT'S UP TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO UP HOLD THAT AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS.))
[SUPER=01-Pete Williams/Kroger;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=over the years]
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[VO-NAT]
The moving company called Virginia Varsity Transfer also won an award for being ethical -- so did the Boxley construction company. Now these companies compete for national recognition. The forms to nominate next year's winners will be at the Better Business Bureau in Roanoke within a month. (------------)