[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Kimberly]
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[VO-NAT]
Gun-toting Saudi Arabian commandos bring a day- old hostage situation on hijacked airplane to a violent end.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
And jurors are deliberating whether to give a Martinsville man the death penalty for killing two women.
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[TALENT=Jacey]
[SS=None]
Another soggy day to end our work week... but there's a good chance you'll be able to make OUTSIDE weekend plans. We'll explain in the forecast.
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is straight ahead.
[Hijacking]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Saudi Arabian commandos storm the Russian plane that was hijacked from Turkey-- ending the nearly day-long standoff with three Chechen men.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Medina, Saudi Arabia;]
During today's raid, more than 100 hostages were freed from the Russian plane.
But three people were killed in the incident, including a passenger, flight attendant and one of the hijackers.
Sources say the hijackers wanted to attract attention to the war with Russian authorities in Chechnya.
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[Hairston]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A jury will now decide the punishment for a Martinsville man who was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend and her daughter.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/October 1999;]
The jury convicted Micheal Hairston yesterday on all eight counts.
They include capital and first degree murder in the shooting deaths of Evonne Hairston and her 16 year old daughter Melveena.
Hairston could receive the death penalty.
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[ANCHOR=Kim]
[ss=none]
We'll have more tonight on News 7 on 6.
[Wolverine-Union]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Workers at Wolverine Gasket in Blacksburg voted to join the United Auto Workers Union.
Employees passed the vote last night by a count of 174 to 89.
[Skurupey-Memorial]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=none]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
A Blacksburg National Guardsman killed in a military plane crash was remembered last night.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]
More than two hundred family and friends of Staff Sergeant Greg Skurupey (Skir-pee) gathered at the First Wesleyan Church in Blacksburg.
[SUPER=03-Unadilla, GA/March 3]
Skurupey was one of 18 soldiers killed on March 3rd when their plane crashed in Georgia on their way back from a training exercise.
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[Firefighters]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-54]
[GRAPHIC=none]
School let out today for the Roanoke Regional Fire and EMS Academy.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
32 recruits graduated from training in basic firefighter skills and emergency medical techniques.
20 will represent Roanoke County and 10 will represent the city.
The first academy held in the new Fire EMS training center was a new venture for both jurisdictions.
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[DNA-Release]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
A Massachusetts man is savoring freedom after spending 20 years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Boston, MA;]
Thanks to his attorney, who's also his SISTER, Kenny Waters was released from prison.
D-N-A evidence proved Waters was innocent of beating and stabbing a woman to death.
His sister, Betty Ann put herself through law school.
More than a decade later, she helped her brother become the 85th prisoner in America to be released on D-N-A evidence.
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[Stock-Market]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Stock Market]
In business news--
It's been a rather dismal day for blue chips..
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
The Dow lost about 150 points in the first hour of trading.
Meanwhile, the NASDAQ's been more than 50 points lower already today.
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[S-WDBJ]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Men's Final Four]
Finally today, the NC-double-A tournament gets underway in a few minutes right here on your hometown station.
(+++++++++++++)
[Take FS Board 1211 ESSC]
At 12:10... Virginia takes on Gonzaga followed by Tennessee and Charlotte.
[Take FS Board 1214 ESSC]
This evening , coverage resumes here on WDBJ at 7:30 when Penn State takes on Providence followed by North Carolina and Princeton.
(++++++++++++)
(Good-Bye !!!!!)
by SS