[11Budget-React]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-49 TC26:33]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]

Governor Jim Gilmore is sticking to his promise of axing the car tax - but some state lawmakers are skeptical about WHERE that money will be made up.
Gilmore presented his final two-year budget yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

It includes three and six percent budget cuts to state agencies, as well as 600 million dollars in borrowed money for building projects.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Well we're not]
[sot tape TWO 10:23:59]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: WELL, WE'RE NOT IN GOOD TIMES. WE'RE IN DIFFICULT TIMES RIGHT NOW. IT'S AGAIN CREATED BY NATIONAL POLICY, NOT BY ANYTHING WE'RE DOING IN THE STATE.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore; ]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=the state.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

But Gilmore keeps the NO car tax on track.
The budget assumes the General Assembly will agree.
Before lawmakers even vote in the early spring, many localities will have already sent out bills with 70-percent of the tax phased out.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=When this]
[sot tape two 11:05:10]
((SEN. DICK SASLAW/D-SPRINGFIELD: WHEN THIS THING'S AT 100 PERCENT, IT'S 1-POINT-2 BILLION. WHERE ARE WE GONNA FIND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS? YOU'LL BE GONE.))
[sot tape TWO 11:20:32]
((TRUMBO: IF THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO PUT HIMSELF OUT THERE ON THAT LIMB AND ASSUME WE'RE GONNA PASS IT. THAT'S HIS DECISION. NOT OURS.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Dick Saslaw/(D) Springfield; :00]
[SUPER=@Trumbo; :09]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=not ours.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

One of the building projects bond money would pay for in the Governor's budget: a 15 million dollar new Natural History Museum in Martinsville.
(------------)

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[5Gas-Bills]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kth]
[TAPE#=500-6 1:37:16]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Gas]

A steep increase in the gas bill is leaving many local customers seeing red.
The higher bills are the result of lower temperatures and higher gas rates.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Roanoke gas has been busy answering phones- Customers want to why the bills are so high.
One customer service rep took over 160 phone calls in one day- from people who want to know what's going on.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=On average]
((ON AVERAGE WE ARE EXPECTING TYPICAL NATURAL GAS CUSTOMERS TO SEE ABOUT A SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR HIGHER BILL FOR THEIR DECEMBER USAGE THAN DECEMBER LAST YEAR))
[SUPER=01-John Williamson/Roanoke Gas President;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=December last year.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And don't expect the bills to come down any time soon. Officials say if the temperatures keep dropping, the bills are sure to rise. That's because demand is up from past years.
(------------)

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[Homeless-Ceremony]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=00-54 TC 18:27:27]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Gas prices were far from the thoughts of those who attended a memorial service in the Roanoke Valley today... Instead - they were remembering those who don't even have homes, AND have lost their lives.
It's National Homeless Persons DAY.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly /Microwave;]
Kelli Thompson joins us with more on today's service in Coyner Springs.
[LIVE=KELLI/FULL]
[SUPER=19-Kelli/Thompson]
[SUPER=05-Coyner Springs]
Kim today's Memorial Service was a way for the Roanoke community to show their awareness of homelessness and how much they care. ((ROLLCUE:... loss of her uncle.))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It shows support]
[SUPER=07-LaTasha Cummings]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=comfort for the family.]
(------------------)
[vo-nat]

(ad lib)


[out-q=here in the Roanoke Valley.]
(-----------------)


[LIVE=KELLI/FULL]
[SUPER=05-Coyner Springs;]



[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Microwave;]

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[Mideast-Peace]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Mideast Peace]

It's day three of a meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators.
President Clinton has proposed an outline for a peace accord, and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright joined the negotiators in Washington today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tel Aviv, Israel;]

As efforts continue to bring back peace talks, the violence has not let up in the Middle East.
Today four Israeli soldiers were injured when a Palestinian rammed a truck into them at a roadblock.
The soldiers then fired at the truck and wounded the driver.
But those working toward peace say the two sides appear to be finally drawing closer on the volatile issue of Jerusalem.
(------------)

---

[5-Business-loans]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A new partnership should be good for business... particularly for small business owners in our area. They can soon get bigger loans with better interest rates... resulting from
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce's alignment with Total Action Against Poverty. It will bump credit lines up from 25 thousand dollars to 75 thousand dollars.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We'll review the business]
((ROY BALDWIN/CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: WE'LL REVIEW THE BUSINESS PLAN, HELP PUT IT TOGETHER, AND FIND MORE INFORMATION FOR THEM. TAP HAS A PROGRAM THAT THEY WILL PUT THEM THROUGH THAT GENERATES THE SAME SORT OF EXPERTISE TO PREPARE A BUSINESS PLAN.))
[SUPER=01-Roy Baldwin/Chamber of Commerce]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=a business plan.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The program is designed to provide funds for entrepreneurs who might not otherwise be able to finance their businesses.
(------------)

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[Golden-Globes]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It's a good year for "The Grinch", a "Gladiator", and Mel Gibson.
Nominees for this year's Golden Globe Awards were announced this morning.
Those who win THESE trophies often have a good shot at bringing home the gold, come Oscar time.
Teri Okita has more on the nominees.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Beverly Hills, CA;]
[SUPER=01-Christine Lahti/Actress;]
[SUPER=01-Kelsey Grammer/Actor;]
[SUPER=01-Teri Okita/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:49]
[OUT Q=Okita, CBS News, Hollywood.]
((
(LOCATOR: BEVERLY HILLS, CA)

TRACK: THE GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS..GO TO BOTH TELEVISION AND FILMS ..AND THIS YEARS MOVIE HEAVYWEIGHTS, WITH FIVE NOMINATIONS EACH, INCLUDING BEST DRAMA: THE ROMAN EPIC GLADIATOR AND TRAFFIC, A SOON-TO-BE-RELEASED FILM ABOUT DRUG TRAFFICKING. ALSO IN THE MIX: BILLY ELLIOT, ERIN BROCKOVICH, SUNSHINE, AND THE WONDER BOYS. THE NOMINEES FOR BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA:

(Super: Christine Lahti/Actress)
SOT: (19:49) Javier Bardem ... Quills (20:01 BUTT TO 20:03) The nominees
for best actress ...Joan Allen ... Erin Brokovich. (20:19) (:26)
TRACK: IN THE BEST MUSICAL OR COMEDY PICTURE, THE NOMINEES ARE: ALMOST FAMOUS, BEST IN SHOW, CHICKEN RUN, AND THE NEW MOVIES CHOCOLAT, AND O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
UP FOR BEST ACTOR AND ACTRESS IN A COMEDY:

(Super: Kelsey Grammer/Actor)
SOT: (18:16) The nominees are ... what women want. (18:29 BUTT TO 18:36)
Juliette Binoche ... Nurse Betty. (18:47) (:24)

(Super: Teri Okita/Reporting)
STANDUP: THE GOLDEN GLOBES IS A PRECURSOR AND OFTEN A GOOD INDICATOR OF HOW MOVIES WILL DO WHEN THE ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS ROLL AROUND. THE GOLDEN GLOBES AWARDS SHOW WILL BE PRESENTED ON JANUARY 21ST IN BEVERLY HILLS. TERI OKITA, CBS NEWS, HOLLYWOOD.
))

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[Economy]

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

Amid concerns about a possible recession, confirmation today from the federal government that the economy IS slowing down.
The Commerce Department says the economy in the third quarter posted its slowest rate of growth in FOUR years.

Earlier this week, the Federal Reserve took note of the slowdown.
Financial analysts believe an interest rate cut could come in the next month.

---

[Santa-Run]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-41 TC1:21:19]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas]

And finally today-- Fire-engine red goes nicely with Santa's outfit. And it's a good thing - because Santa's sleigh wasn't ready for his early appearance in Botetourt County last night.
Teresa Hamilton caught up with St. Nick and his helpers as they visited one local community.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Ho ho]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.; ]
[SUPER=@Teresa2; ]
[RUNS=1:45]
[OUT Q=th, news 7, Botetourt Co.]
(((//////sot//////)
[sot]
[in q=Ho ho]
((HO HO HO, MERRY CHRISTMAS.)) [RUNS04]
[OUT Q= merry christmas.]
Santa traded in his sleigh and reindeer for a ride aboard a Troutville fire engine. With less than a week until Christmas-- Santa decided to enlist a little help from local fire fighters and rescue volunteers to make a few last minute rounds.
(////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[in q= HO HO]
((HO HO HO, MERRY CHRISTMAS)) [runs05]
[OUT Q= merry christmas.]
(////sot////)
[sot 00:15:35]
[IN Q= Had you]
((Had you been excited about him coming? OH, MY HOUSE, I WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN, I WAS SO EXCITED.)) [runs05]
[OUT Q= so excited.]
5 year old Meredith wasn't the only one excited by Santa's visit. Despite the cold there was no shortage of excited little ones as Old Saint Nick and his helpers made their way through several Botetourt County neighborhoods. The trip also gave Santa an opportunity to brush up on a few Christmas lists from his biggest fans.
((////sot/////))
[sot 00:11:21 ]
[IN Q= What did you]
((WHAT DID YOU TELL HIM? I WANT TRAIN STUFF.)) [runs05]
[out q= train stuff.]
(////sot//////)
[sot 00:13:02]
[in q=He's great]
((HE'S GREAT, I LIKE HIM BECAUSE HE COMES EVERY YEAR WITH PRESENTS AND I LIKE HIS FIRE DOG.)) [runs07]
[OUT Q= like his fire dog.]
Santa also made a house call to check in on seven year old Lauren Robertson... who suffers from cerebral palsy. This is the fifth year... Santa has made his annual trek through the Troutville/Daleville area.
((////SOT////))
[sot 00:21:35]
[in q= We just]
((WE JUST WANT ALL THE KIDS IN THE VALLEY, IN THE AREA, TO HAVE A VERY SAFE AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND FOR THEM TO KNOW WE'LL BE BACK IN A FEW DAYS TO VISIT THEM.)) [runs06]
[OUT Q= visit them.]
((//////sot//////))
[sot ]
[in q=]
((WAVE TO SANTA, BYE SANTA.))
[SOT]
((BYE, MERRY CHRISTMAS.)) But days from now... you can bet the red glow of the engine will be replaced by another red glow... that of Rudolph's nose. Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7, Botetourt County.))