WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 01/22/01

[HEADLINES]

[TALENT=Kimberly]

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[VO-NAT]

President Bush reverses a Clinton administration decision on abortion funding--
That's just one of issues Bush is tackling on his second full day in office.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And we'll meet a Roanoke Valley man who's put a LOT of mileage on his bike.
He's toured through dozens of countries on two- wheels.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Jacey]
[SS=None]

Today's temperature is the only thing proving to us it is late January... A beautiful sunny day is in the forecast.... and not just for today either.
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]

News 7 at noon, coming up in just a moment.

[Video-Open]

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

President Bush is wasting no time getting down to business, and setting the tone for his more conservative administration.
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[Bush]

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

Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
Funding for abortions...private schools...and the nation's military...just some of the issues President Bush jumped into on his first Monday in office.
Drew Levinson reports from Washington.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John McCain/(R) Arizona;]
[SUPER=01-Drew Levinson/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:07]
[OUT Q=Levinson, CBS News, Washington.]
((
RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
Just moments after Vice President Cheney swore in the New White House staff-President Bush told them it was time to get busy.

(SOT BUSH 9:13:54)
THIS IS ONLY OUR SECOND DAY, BUT TIME MOVES FAST AROUND HERE.
The president wants to push through his education plan which includes school vouchers and making sure every child can read by third grade.
His one-point-six trillion dollar tax cut plan will be introduced in the senate tomorrow.
Though he wants to concentrate first on those tems as well as increasing military spending he knows Arizona Senator John McCain--with his campaign finance reform bill is knocking on the door.

(SOT: SEN. JOHN McCAIN/ R-ARIZONA 6:33:52)
WERE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE, BUT WE ALL KNOW IF YOU WAIT ON AN ISSUE LIKE THIS YOU WILL KILL IT.
McCains bill would ban soft money that corporations, unions and the wealthy can give to political parties.

(STAND DREW LEVINSON..........ABORTION...........)
))

[Roe-Wade]

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

Bush's move is energizing anti- abortion groups.
At this hour, abortion opponents are staging their annual march on Washington.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

Today marks the 28th anniversary of the historic Roe versus Wade ruling, which legalized abortion.
For the first time in eight years, the nation's president does not support abortion rights.
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[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY]
[GRAPHIC=hold]

Americans in general, meanwhile, remain split on the issue.
An exit poll in the Presidential election found voters favored keeping abortion legal by a vote of 55 to 42 percent.
But only 20 percent think it should be legal in all cases.

[Young-Drivers]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=VA State Capitol]
Virginia lawmakers will take another look at teen aged drivers tonight. The Senate Transportation Committee will focus on two bills that would restrict drivers under age 18. One bill would raise the minimum age for both a learner's permit and a drivers license by 6 months. The other bill would prohibit young drivers from carrying more than one underage passenger, with the exception of family members, for the first six months of having a license.

[Econo-Lodge]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=01-05; TC 00:14]
[GRAPHIC=Armed Robbery]
Authorities are still looking for two men who allegedly robbed the Econo Lodge in Daleville Saturday.
This isn't the first hotel along this stretch of Interstate 81 to become a target for criminals.
Now authorities and hotel managers are making changes to avoid future robberies.
Kate Weidaw has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ronald Sprinkle/Botetourt Co. Sheriff; :08]
[SUPER=01-Warren Craven/"Comfort Inn" Clerk; :56 QUICK!!]
[SUPER=@Kate2; 1:08]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=kw news 7 Botetourt Co.]
(( Hotels and motels off the Troutville exit of Interstate 81 continue to be a target for armed robberies.

[SOT 2:06]
[INQ=]
((SHERIFF RONALD SPRINKLE: IT'S A PRIME SPOT FOR PEOPLE TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE AND DO IT THERE WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO AND GET ON THE INTERSTATE. IT'S JUST LOCATED IN A GOOD AREA FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO OCCUR.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 14]

A clerk told authorities that two black men robbed the Econolodge at gunpoint Saturday night. While no one was hurt, the robbers got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. And since there are no security camera in the Econolodge office, it will now be a challenge for authorities to catch the robbers.

[SOT 1:34]
[INQ=]
((SHERIFF RONALD SPRINKLE: HOPEFULLY WORD OF MOUTH OR MAYBE ANOTHER JURISDICTION HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYPE THING AND WE CAN PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER WITH SOME SUSPECTS.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 12]

The Comfort Inn down the street isn't taking any chances after being robbed last summer.

[SOT 7:59]
[INQ=]
((WARREN CRAVEN/FRONT DESK CLERK: WE INSTALLED A CAMERA SYSTEM AND ALSO WE LOCK THE DOORS AT NIGHT AROUND 10 OR 11.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 8]

The Sheriff's Department hopes added patrols to the area and extra security measures taken at local hotels will be enough to keep thieves away. Kate Weidaw News 7 Botetourt County.))

[Cyclist]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-54]
[GRAPHIC=none]

For most of us, a challenging bicycle ride is a trip around town, or a weekend visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Randal Johnson's latest two- wheel adventure was the trip of a lifetime.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Johnson is back in the Roanoke Valley after a year-long absence... in which he visited 40 countries, six continents and covered more than 15- thousand miles on his bike.
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[SOT 01:49:48]
[IN Q=The first three weeks]
((THE FIRST THREE WEEKS MY KNEES HURT EVERY MORNING AND I TOOK IBUPROFEN, BUT THEY STOPPED. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX WEEKS I LOST 20 POUNDS. I WENT FROM 175 POUNDS TO 155. THERE WAS NEVER A DAY THAT I GOT UP THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO GET ON THE BICYCLE.))
[SUPER=07-Randal Johnson]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=didn't want to get on the bicycle.]
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[VO-NAT]

We'll have more on Johnson's adventures, his most enjoyable moments and two close encounters with cars... tonight on News 7 at Five and Six.
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[CA-Power]

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

California could see its power- strapped electrical supply system put to a new test today.
This, after the state struggled through what was expected to be a somewhat trouble- free weekend.
Sandra Hughes reports.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-San Francisco, CA/Last Week; :03]
[SUPER=01-Jan Smutny-Jones/Independent Energy Producers; :29]
[SUPER=01-David Freeman/Los Angeles Department of Power; :58 quick]
[SUPER=01-Sandra Hughes/Reporting; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=Sandra Hughes, CBS News, Los Angeles.]
((

(SUPER: Last Week/San Francisco)
NARR: The brief power outages on Sunday were not nearly as extensive as those last week, where millions of people experienced widely-scattered blackouts for about an hour at a time; the ones yesterday hit relatively few people around Sacramento for 20 minutes. Operators of California's main power grid knew that several power plants were going offline this past weekend for maintenance, but they thought they had enough power lined up. Those power plant operators say it's a losing battle to keep things going steadily:

SOT Jan Smutny-Jones, Director, Independent Energy Producers "These
plants are really old... Korean War vintage, some of them... they break down a lot."
One thing that has kept the state from completely breaking down is the fact that California's largest city, Los Angeles, has its own generators and is not part of the big power grid. LA has so much extra power, it has been regularly selling 1000 megawatts to the rest of the state:

SOT David Freeman, L.A. Dept of Water and Power "It's not an act of
charity, but it is an act of love."
L.A. hopes it's not charity, but the two largest utilities insist they are nearly bankrupt. Governor Gray Davis is pinning his hopes on an auction scheduled for this week, where power plant operators will bid to provide electricity to California on a long-term basis. If the price is right... there may be light at the end of the tunnel. Sandra Hughes, CBS News, Los Angeles.

))[Global-Warming]

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

While Californians are worried about power outages--
U-N officials in China are concerned about global warming.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Shanghai, China;]

It's the most comprehensive study to date on the phenomenon.
A U-N climate conference warns of drought and other disasters after a new prediction that global temperatures could rise more than 10 degrees this century.
The Shanghai report says the evidence shows more clearly than ever, that pollution, not natural factors cause most temperature increases.
Participants hope the report re- starts world talks on ways to curb the so-called "Greenhouse Effect".
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[Sandusky-House]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-51; 1:11:29]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Lynchburg's oldest home will soon serve a new purpose.
Sandusky's owner is selling her home to a group that hopes to turn it into a museum.
Steve Smallshaw has the story.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Built in 1808]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Louise Adkinson/House Owner; :32]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Peter Houck/Historic Sandusky, Inc.; :57]
[SUPER=01-Tom Ledford/Lynchburg Museum Director; 1:50]
[SUPER=@ssm2; 2:01]
[RUNS=2:07]
[OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.]

(( Built in 1808, it was one of the first brick homes in the area that's still standing.
Over the years, Lynchburg has grown up around it, but Sandusky looks much the way it did 150 years ago.
[natsot 11:08:34]
((LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT TIMBER..))
[RUNS= 02]

Few people appreciate the history of Sandusky more than its current resident, Louise Adkinson.
Adkinson and her husband bought the home fifty years ago, and have maintained it over the years with an eye towards its historical value.
With her husband gone, the house is too much for Adkinson to handle alone.
[SOT 10:20:17]
((LOUISE ADKINSON/HOME OWNER: I HATE IT.. IT'S GOING TO KILL ME TO LEAVE, BUT I SEE IT'S TIME AND IF OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=can do it.]

Making the transition less painful is knowing the property is going to good hands.
Historic Sandusky Incorporated is a newly- formed, non- profit group that's buying the house from Adkinson with an eye towards turning it into a museum.
[SOT 16:12:30]
((DR. PETER HOUCK/HISTORIC SANDUSKY INC.: IN MY OPINION IT WILL BE LIKE POPLAR FOREST AND POINT OF HONOR, IT WILL BE ONE OF THE CROWN JEWELS OF HISTORY IN LYNCHBURG. PEOPLE WHO COME TO THIS AREA WILL TOUR IT ALONG WITH OTHER PLACES LIKE THE CONFEDERATE CEMETERY AND PLACES LIKE THAT AS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT PLACES TO SEE WHEN THEY COME TO CENTRAL VIRGINIA.))
[RUNS= 22]
[OUT Q=to central Virginia.]

Sandusky represents an important chapter in Lynchburg's history.
During the Battle of Lynchburg, Union General David Hunter used the home as his headquarters.. two future presidents, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley were on his staff and most likely stayed here.
Soldiers also cut a hole in the roof to post a lookout.. the trap door can still be seen, and the ladder reaching it inside remains unchanged.
Telling the story of that battle and of Lynchburg's place in the Confederacy will be much easier with Sandusky open to the public.
[SOT 15:45:38]
((TOM LEDFORD/LYNCHBURG MUSEUM DIRECTOR: SO IT WILL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT SO VISITORS CAN BE THERE AND IN A SENSE, BE AT THE BATTLE, BE WHERE THESE EVENTS OCCURRED.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=events occurred.]

Sale of the home will be finalized in March.
Officials hope to re- open it as a museum within a year.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))

[Chinese-Celebration]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=00-48; 1:21:37]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A celebration was held in Roanoke to ring in the Chinese New Year.
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[SOT 56:56 - 57:00]
[IN Q=Music...]
((NAT SOUND UP FULL))
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=music...]
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Last night, dancers dressed in traditional and modern Chinese clothing performed dances for a crowd at Virginia Western Community College.. The New Years celebration was based on the ancient tradition of remembering ancestors and repaying debts. Proceeds from the feast and program will benefit children in Roanoke's Chinese sister city. 2001 is known as the year of the Snake.
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[Feedback]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=Feedback]
[GRAPHIC=Feedback]
The way News 7 handled Michael Vick's decision to leave Virginia Tech for the N-F-L did not sit well with some viewers last week.. But this week we've heard from viewers who were happy with our coverage. Here's News-7's Feedback, with assignment editor Joe McKean.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Animation Open]
[RUNS=1:02]
[OUT Q=Animation Close]
((A viewer from Roanoke [Tonlya Bowden] said:
"I was very pleased with the coverage you gave to the announcement of Michael Vick signing to go to the pros...This was good news about a young man making an important life decision that is not only positive for him, but also for Virginia Tech and the state. Keep up the good work. Important news is not just bad news."
Similar sentiments came from a viewer in Appomattox [Kyle Martin].
"I do agree that the special report was going a little far but I also think we should celebrate such talent in our area. Any player as good as Vick would get this kind of attention. I guess some people are just jealous. I know UVA fans are."
The mailing address for News-7 is PO Box 7, Roanoke, 24022-0007.
The fax number is 343-7269.
Our email address: news@wdbj7.com.
And our home page, wdbj7.com, has an online forum.
Joe McKean, News-7.))

[Box-Office]

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

"Save the Last Dance" holds on to the top box office spot for the second week in a row.

(------------)
[VO-NAT - 01/22/2001 - 03NA - 03:45:40]
[SUPER=04-"Save the Last Dance"; HOT CHANGE]
[SUPER=04-Paramount;]

In the movie, Julia Stiles is a fallen ballerina who recaptures her passion for dance. According to preliminary estimates, it took in about 16 (m) million dollars in ticket sales this weekend.

(++++++)
[TAKE FS SUPER]
[SUPER=77-Save the Last Dance/Cast Away/Traffic/Snatch/What Women Want;]
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[Anchor=Kim]
[ss=none]
[Super=#555;reset]

Cast Away is still holding on to the number two spot. Traffic is in third. Snatch opens at number four and What Wom

en Want wrap us this week's top five. `[S-Super]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-80]
[GRAPHIC=Super Bowl]

Super Bowl 35 kicks off right here on your Hometown Station this Sunday. Tonight at five, six and 11, we begin our week long series, "Hometown Super Bowl Heroes.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-East Rutherford, NJ; :00]

Our WDBJ sports team traveled to the homes of the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens to talk with former Cave Spring star Tiki Barber and Heritage hero Keith Hamilton of the Giants.
[SUPER=03-Baltimore, MD;]You will also here from former Jefferson Forest great Anthony Poindexter, one time E.C. Glass
standout Cornell Brown and former UVa star Jamie Sharper of the Baltimore Ravens. Be sure to join us at five, six and 1(------------) 1 for the beginning of our Hometown Super Bowl Heroes series.