[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Kimberly]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
President Bush is hitting the road to promote his new budget plan for the nation.
That, as Fed chairman Alan Greenspan offers a dismal picture of the nation's economy.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
And in local headlines-- four newspapers in the area have a new owner.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Jacey]
[SS=None]
A few sprinkles in the early morning hours but now we're headed toward a sunny afternoon. Let's take a look at the forecast in a few minutes.
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is next.
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
A Blueprint for New Beginnings....that's what President Bush is calling his budget.
The new President is on a road trip, promoting his spending plan for the nation.
(------------)
[Bush-Budget]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Bush]
Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
The President has formally sent Congress his nearly two- TRILLION- dollar budget.
Bush says the 200- plus- page document tames "explosive" growth and makes "reasonable" spending increases.
Stephen Clark has more on the President's effort to sell his plan.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Robert Byrd/(D) West Virginia;]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Hillary Clinton/(D) New York;]
[SUPER=01-Stephen Clark/Reporting;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Clark, CBS News, Washington.]
(
PACKAGE:
TRACK: AFTER MONTHS OF TALKING ABOUT HIS NEARLY 2-TRILLION DOLLAR
BUDGET PLANNOW ITS TIME FOR PRESIDENT BUSH TO CONVINCE ENOUGH PEOPLE
...TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. HE'S OFF ON A 2-DAY, 5-STATE SALES PITCH.
SOT: Bush: 9:53:38 This is a plan that will benefit hard-working
Americans
TRACK: THE PRESIDENT OFFICIALLY SENT THE BUDGET TO CONGRESS THIS
MORNING. HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS: INCREASED SPENDING FOR EDUCATION AND
DEFENSE, OFFSET BY CUTS IN 10 OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING AGRICULTURE
AND TRANSPORTATION. AND IT INCLUDES HIS CONTROVERSIAL 1.6-TRILLION
DOLLAR TAX CUT PLAN, WHICH HE TOLD CONGRESS IS JUST THE RIGHT SIZE.
(SOT: Bush last night: 21:39:32 I didn't throw darts at a board to come
up with a number for tax relief. I looked at problems in the tax code,
and calculated the cost to fix them.)
TRACK: SOME DEMOCRATS CALL THE PLAN IRRESPONSIBLE.
(SOT: 23:26:37 Sen. Robert Byrd/(D-West Virginia): Thats a monstrosity.
I think its sheer madness. (04)
SOT: Sen. Hillary Clinton/(D-New York) 22:58:56 I am personally
concerned that the tax cut is too large; it will not be affordable.
(05)
(GRAPHIC):
TRACK: BUT ITS SO FAR, SO GOOD FROM THE PUBLIC. A CBS NEWS POLL
FINDS THAT 88 PERCENT APPROVE OF WHAT THEY HEARD LAST NIGHT. AND 67
PERCENT NOW FAVOR THE TAX CUT.
STAND-UP: THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL VOTE ON THE TAX CUT PLAN IS SCHEDULED
FOR TOMORROW. BUT WITH A SPLIT SENATE AND A CLOSELY DIVIDED HOUSE, YOU
CAN BET THERE'S GOING TO BE DEBATE ON THIS PLAN FOR QUITE A WHILE.
STEPHEN CLARK,
))
[Greenspan]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is on Capitol Hill, portraying a dark view of the nation's economy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
Greenspan is telling the House Financial Service Committee that the economic slowdown will likely continue.
But he adds that the Fed is ready to act more aggressively than it has in the past in order to keep the country from spiraling into a recession.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:48:32]
[IN Q=Although the sources]
((ALAN GREENSPAN/FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: ALTHOUGH THE SOURCES OF LONGER-TERM STRENGTHS OF OUR ECONOMY REMAIN IN PLACE, EXCESSES BUILT UP IN 1999 AND EARLY 2000 HAVE EXPANDED A RE- TRENCHMENT THAT HAS YET TO RUN ITS FULL COURSE. ))
[SUPER=01-Alan Greenspan/Federal Reserve Chairman;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=its full course.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Greenspan blames much of the economy's troubles on businesses trying to deal with plunging sales by quickly cutting back on production.
(------------)
[Salem-Paper]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Extra extra... Four local newspapers were sold today.
The Salem Times Register, New Castle Record, Fincastle Herald, and Vinton Messenger will become part of Main Street Media.
M-S-M currently owns the Christiansburg - Montgomery County Newspaper.
Salem Paper Group Owner Ray Robinson has been printing news since 1965.
He'll retire as President of the Virginia Press Association on July 1st.
[Thomas]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=00-49]
[GRAPHIC=Thomas Trial]
Jeffrey Thomas spent several hours hanging out and smoking marijuana with Tara Munsey the day she was murdered.
That was the testimony this morning of several witnesses who were high school friends of Tara.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.;]
Prosecutor Mike Fleenor has been calling them as witnesses to show a timeline of events in the hours leading up to Tara's death. (:07 of Fleenor from 6:00 version)
In opening statements, Fleenor told jurors he'd present witnesses and D-N-A evidence that would show Thomas killed Munsey after an attempted rape last year. (:10 of Thomas walking )
Defense attorney Mike Barbour attacked prosecutors' evidence and witness credibility, pointing out someone else's D-N-A was on her body. ( WALKING SHOT OF BARBOUR )
(------------)
[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
We'll have an update tonight on News 7 at 5 and 6.[Akers]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=00-54 TC1:23:35]
[GRAPHIC=Thomas Akers]
The Virginia Supreme Court refused to intervene in the case of a condemned killer.
Thomas Akers is scheduled to be executed tomorrow night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount/January 1999;]
Akers is set to die for the murder of a Roanoke man in Franklin County.
He's refusing to cooperate with the attorneys handling the appeal.
But they're still planning to take the case to the U-S Supreme Court.
(------------)
[Bank-Robbery]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Bank Robbery]
Authorities are looking for a man who held up a bank in Shawsville this morning.
He walked into the First Virginia Bank branch, pulled out a gun, demanded money, and fled.
No one was hurt.
[Center-Square]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=01-07]
[GRAPHIC=Center in the Square]
Center in the Square is planning on a future without state money.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The center in downtown Roanoke is home to several museums and Mill Mountain theater.
However, it does NOT charge rent to any of the organizations.
The facility gets much of its funding to operate and maintain the building from the state.
But Center in the Square officials say, so far, the state has NOT awarded it any money in this year's budget.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:06:17]
[IN Q=The impact]
((JIM SEARS/CENTER IN THE SQUARE: THE IMPACT OF THAT WILL BE FEWER SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO ARE ABLE TO COME TO THE MUSEUM AND WHO ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE EDUCATION FROM THE MUSEUM, LESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LESS TOURISM IN THE AREA, LESS THINGS THAT WILL GENERATE INCOME IN THIS REGION.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Sears/Center in the Square; :00]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=this region.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Sears say to make ends meet the center will be closed on Mondays and will reduce staff hours and other services.
The center will also take out a loan and step up local fundraising efforts to get through the year.
(------------)
[Accreditation]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-05]
[GRAPHIC=Education]
When student performance on the S-O-L's fails to make the grade, the state emphasizes improvement rather than punishment.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]
Thirteen percent of Virginia schools are accredited with warning because of low S-O-L scores.
Virginia's Department of Education recently sent in academic review teams to make recommendations for changes at each of those schools.
The state mandates all schools must be fully accredited by 2007.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:45:35]
[IN Q=Its very easy to say]
((KIRK SCHRODER/BOARD OF EDUCATION: ITS VERY EASY TO SAY OH WE'RE GOING TO SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN, STOP ITS FUNDING, AND BE ALL TOUGH ABOUT IT. THESE ISSUES DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THE PROBLEMS, THE CHALLENEGES, AND SOLUTIONS ARE NOT GOING TO COME OVERNIGHT.))
[SUPER=01-Kirk Schroder/Board of Education]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=to come overnight]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Tonight on News 7 at Six, we'll visit one Southside school that has accreditation with warning.
The state's academic review team recently visited this school and we'll show you what changes are already in the works.
(------------)
[Milosevic]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Yugoslavia's former president is on the verge of being arrested.
Prosecutors in Belgrade have ordered a police investigation of Slobodan Milosevic.
In a statement, the prosecutor's office told police to look into reports that Milosevic transferred more than 400 pounds of gold
out of the country last year.
Yugoslavia's new pro-democracy leaders have pledged to bring Milosevic to trial for 13 years of alleged crimes during his term as leader.
He was ousted last October.
[Train-Crash]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Train Investigation]
At least 13 people are confirmed dead after this morning's train collision in Northern England.
Authorities say a passenger train collided with a vehicle on the tracks, and then crashed into a freight train.
Tom Fenton has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Selby, England; :00]
[SUPER=01-Christopher Garnett/Railroad Executive; :20]
[SUPER=01-Tom Fenton/Reporting; :58]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=Fenton, CBS News, London.]
((
Hours after the crash, rescue workers were still trying to free
passengers trapped in the mangled cars. Some of them were heard tapping
signals to rescuers, pleading for help. The sequence of events appears
to be this: a vehicle towing another vehicle slid down an embankment
onto the tracks. That derailed the high speed passenger train, which was
then hit by a freight train loaded with coal.
sot: Christopher Garnett/Railroad Executive
An eyewitness said the result was carnage.
(SOT EYEWITNESS)
HORRIFIC, ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC. I CANNOT BELIEVE THE STATE OF THE TRAIN,
ABSOLUTE MANGLED PIECES OF METAL EVERYWHERE.
What makes this such a horrendous accident is the fact that the
combined speed of the two trains may have been close to 200 miles an
hour. This is one of Britain's masin lines, and the high speed passenger
train was carrying passengers from the northeast of England to London.
Rescuers called it a freak accident, and the bad weather in the north
may have contributed to it.
(standup close)
The number of dead may rise, and police say at this point there are 30
injured. The driver of the two vehicle is apparently o.k. One report
says he phoned the emergency services, warning that the vehicles were on
the tracks, but it was too late.
))
[Fabricated-Metals]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-06 TC52:43]
[GRAPHIC=NOne]
Employees at a Roanoke County company lost their health insurance long before they lost their jobs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
Barry Moran spent 23 years at Fabricated Metals until its doors closed in October.
Moran and his wife say the company stopped paying insurance premiums two months before shutting down.. but never told employees.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Closing is bad]
((BARRY MORAN/FORMER FMI EMPLOYEE: CLOSING IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT DOING THAT TO OUR INSURANCE AND 401 K'S IS PLUM RIDICULOUS. THEY STILL OWE US FOR A LOT OF MEDICAL BILLS AND WE ARE HERE TO GET THINGS STRAITENED OUT, WHETHER IT TAKES THE COURT TO DO IT OR WHATEVER IT MAY TAKE.))
[SUPER=01-Barry Moran/Former FMI Employee]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=whatever it may take.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The company says financial trouble forced it to shut its doors and stop paying premiums.
But the company also says it DID give the insurance premium money back to its employees.
Fabricated Metals officials would not go on camera, and instead issued this statement "We have always tried to treat employees the best we can, and have done so through the years. Circumstances beyond our control forced us to close. We tried to do everything we could to honor our employees' concerns."
Yesterday employees urged Roanoke County Police to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, the company says it just doesn't have the money to pay employee medical bills.
(----------)
[Gas-Pipeline]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-53 TC1:16:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Opponents of a proposed gas pipeline don't have much time to persuade the State Corporation Commission as to where they think the line should go.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
A hearing examiner has recommended that the S-C-C approve the merger of Virginia Gas and a New Jersey Company, but he also encouraged them to reconsider the possibility of co-locating the proposed pipeline along existing easements.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
Yesterday, the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors approved funding for another look at that issue.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 01:23:24]
[IN Q=Let's get the good data]
((BRENT RILEY/PIPELINE OPPONENT: LET'S GET THE GOOD DATA. LET'S PULL THIS TOGETHER IN THE SHORT RUN. LET'S KIND OF QUANTIFY WHAT THIS MEANS TO US AS A COUNTY, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT IT DOES TO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS.))
[SUPER=01-Brent Riley/Pipeline Opponent;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=what it does to individual property owners.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Unless the State Corporation Commission grants an extension, the county only has until March 8th to provide additional information.
[Police-Dogs]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-47 TC1:53:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The investigation into an attack on an officer by one of the Lynchburg police department's drug dogs is almost complete.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/February 13]
Two weeks ago, Officer Rick (ru-Jerry) Ruggieri suffered injuries to his face and hands when a dog turned on him at the police training grounds.
A former police officer claims the department isn't telling the whole story about what happened - and that a less- experienced handler was present that day.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 22:21:29]
[IN Q=You should believe]
((COL. CHARLES BENNETT/LYNCHBURG POLICE CHIEF: YOU SHOULD BELIEVE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE OR SOMEONE WHO HAS NO FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER OF THE INCIDENT. AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE INCIDENT, SHE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT. WAS SHE THERE? WELL, YES, BUT THERE WERE ALSO 40 OTHER PEOPLE THERE, WE DIDN'T GIVE YOU THEIR NAMES EITHER, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T GERMANE TO THE ISSUE.))
[SUPER=01-Charles Bennett/Lynchburg Police Chief;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=to the issue.]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
Bennett says the department's investigation should be completed by next week.
(-------------)
[Mardi-Gras]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The partying is over, but the fallout lingers from Mardi Gras celebrations around the country.
Two men are reportedly near death from injuries sustained when the celebration turned violent in Seattle.
Dozens of others were injured in clash between revelers and police.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Philadelphia, PA;]
The partying also got out of hand in Philadelphia.
Revelers smashed windows and looted stores. Police arrested more than 200 people.
[SUPER=03-New Orleans, LA;]
Meanwhile, Fat Tuesday revelers in the Big Easy chose to party PEACEFULLY last night.
Around a million people have jammed the city's streets over the past few days.
(------------)
[Tyminski]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=00-55 TC 1:25:30]
[GRAPHIC=none]
A Franklin County musician sang his bluegrass music in front of a national audience last night.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Worldwide Pants, Inc.;]
Dan Tyminski serves as actor George Clooney's singing voice in the film, "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"
And last night, Tyminski appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman".
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 0:55:52]
[IN Q=We're very ]
((DAVID LETTERMAN: WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEXT GUESTS, ALL OF WHOM ARE FEATURED ON THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE FILM, "OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?" PLEASE WELCOME EMMYLOU HARRIS, ALLISON KRAUSS, GILLIAN WELCH, ALONG WITH DAN TYMINSKI AND THE SOGGY BOTTOM BOYS. KIDS?))
((DAN TYMINSKI/SINGER: I AM A MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW....))
[SUPER=07-David Letterman; :00]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=constant sorrow...]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
The film, "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" is set in 1930s Mississippi and is a re- telling of Homer's "The Odyssey".
(------------)
by SS