[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Kimberly]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
Still no contact between American officials and the crew of a Navy spy plane in China.
Chinese officials say the crew members are safe, but appear to be holding out for an apology from the U-S.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
And two accidents today on Interstate 81--
ONE of them a fatal accident that killed one person.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Shannon]
[SS=None]
We're getting a short breather in the shower activity.
I'll let you know when the weather will start looking a bit more like spring.
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]
Stay where you are-- News 7 at noon is next.
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Did the Chinese board the American spy plane that made an emergency landing in China?
And if so-- how much, if anything were they able to find out?
(------------)
[Military-Plane]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
Those are a couple of questions American diplomats are hoping crew members can answer-- the crew they're anxiously waiting to see today.
But the Chinese government is insisting on an apology for the incident.
Teri Okita has more on the DIPLOMATIC standoff.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Hainan, China;]
[SUPER=01-Joseph Prueher/U. S. Ambassador to China;]
[SUPER=01-Eric McVadon/Former Navy Pilot;]
[SUPER=01-Ramon Mercado, Sr./Crew Member's Father;]
[SUPER=01-Teri Okita/Reporting;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Okita, CBS News..]
((
(LOCATOR: HAINEN, CHINA)
U-S diplomats in Hainen China are still waiting to see the 24 U-S crew
members of a downed spy plane. And tensions between the two countries
are escalating.
(NAT: FOREIGN MINISTER)
China's foreign minister is demanding an apology from the US for causing
one of their fighter jets to crash after an aerial skirmish over the
weekend. The pilot is still missing. But the US questions where the
fault lies and an apology is unlikely.
(SOT: Adm. Joseph Prueher/U.S. Ambassador to China, "As a matter of fact
I do have a problem with it and I think our government would have a
problem with it as well")
China also wants the US to stop its surveillance missions, another
demand unlikely to be met. As the hours drag on, diplomacy grows
increaasingly important.
(SOT: Rear Adm. Eric McVadon/Former Navy pilot, "I think we need to take
the long vision of this, both countries need to recognize that we're two
important countries in the world... we need to hyave a good
relationship... need to find a way to put this behind us")
The Chinese took the crew members to a military guesthouse and initial
reports are they are safe. But with no contact from the crew, families
back home become more worried.
(SOT: Ramon Mercado, Sr./Father, "As long as the Chinese have the crew
we're helpless.")
STAND-UP: US military officials say the Chinese undoubtedly boarded the
spy plane and examined the sophisticated spy equpment. It could be a
potential windfall for the Chinese, but without talking to the crew,
it's unclear if they were able to destroy some of the intelligence
information before making that emergency landing. TO, CBS NEWS
))
[US-Sub]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Meanwhile, tensions are mounting between the U-S and ANOTHER Asian country.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Yokosuka, Japan/File Tape;]
Japanese officials want the U-S to explain why there was no advance warning of a nuclear submarine's plans to stop near Tokyo yesterday.
They say the U-S told them the sub would stop OUTSIDE the port, but never told them it would enter.
Officials say the six- thousand- ton sub stayed in the port about 20 minutes before leaving.
The incident has re-ignited tensions in the wake of the February collision of a U-S submarine and a Japanese fishing vessel that killed nine Japanese.
(------------)
[81-Fatal]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-09]
[GRAPHIC=81 accidents]
Two accidents this morning on Interstate-81...the first one, a fatality.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]
It happened at around 8:30 a-m, when a car hit a person who had gotten out of another vehicle.
Authorities closed the Southbound lanes, backing traffic up for miles, which resulted in a second accident.
The driver of a U-P-S truck was hurt after hitting the vehicle in front of him.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT-4:29:16]
[IN Q=THE WHITE]
((TROOPER S. K. CAUDELL/VA STATE POLICE; THE WHITE TRUCK HAD STOPPED IN THE TRAFFIC FOR THE BACK-UP THE UPS TRUCK DID NOT SEE IT IN TIME HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP BUT WAS UNABLE TO AND STRUCK THE WHITE TRUCK IN THE REAR.))
[SUPER=01-S. K. Caudell/Virginia State Police]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=IN THE REAR]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The driver was taken was taken to Montgonmery Regional Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
(------------)
State police and other authorities were unable to provide any other information about the fatal accident.
[Child-Death]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-04 TC1:12:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The mother of a four year old boy who died in February is now charged with his murder.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bassett/February]
The boy's stepfather called Henry County 9-1-1 after finding the child unresponsive in bed.
The medical examiner determined Stephen Kelly died from blunt force injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen.
The boy's mother, 22 year old Donniele Norman, is charged with second degree murder.
Norman was arrested yesterday and is being held at the Henry County jail with no bond.
(------------)
[Bus-Ax]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=01-10 TC28:17]
[GRAPHIC=School Bus Accident]
One person was killed when a truck collided with a school bus head- on in Franklin County.
Investigators say speed was a factor in the accident.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./Yesterday;]
22- year old Jason Marshall (JAM-isun) Jamison died instantly when his truck collided head-on with the bus.
The crash occurred yesterday on Bethlehem Road-- just outside Boones Mill.
The young man was driving a truck for Jamison Electric-- which is a family run business.
Dela Mae Fisher lives near the accident site and heard the collision.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 08:19:37 08:18:08]
[IN Q=And I heard the ]
((DELA MAE FISHER: AND I HEARD THE NOISE AND TURNED AROUND TO LOOK OUT THERE, THAT'S WHEN I SEEN THE WHEEL GOING ACROSS THE ROAD AND THE TRUCK FLIPPED OVER.
MIKE STATER/VA STATE POLICE: THE PANEL TRUCK WAS TRAVELING EAST AND OBVIOUSLY THE BUS WAS TRAVELING WEST. THE TRUCK VEERED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD STRIKING THE BUS. IT WOULD APPEAR THE BUS VEERED TO THE RIGHT TRYING TO AVERT THE ACCIDENT HEAD ON BY THE TRUCK.))
[SUPER=07-Dela Mae Fisher; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mike Stater/Virginia State Police; 10]
[RUNS=23]
[OUT Q=by the truck.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Authorities say Jamison was going too fast when he took the curve.
The driver of the school bus and her 12 year old son were the only ones on the bus and were treated for minor injuries.
Both vehicles were a total loss.
(------------)
[Customer-Choice]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Deregulation]
Electricity deregulation mean thousands of Virginians will be able to choose from four power providers by January first of next year.
Their choices -- American Electric Power, Allegheny Power, Delmarva Power and Light, AND Dominion Virginia.
The State says electricity choice will attract competitive suppliers and benefit the most customers.
Those who oppose it say Virginia may end up with a power crisis like California.
[Strawberry]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Strawberry]
The Florida Prosecutors' office says the PUBLIC would benefit if former New York Yankee Darryl Strawberry is locked up for good.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]
Strawberry is back in custody after checking himself into a hospital yesterday for an un-disclosed illness.
[SUPER=03-Tampa, FL;]
He had been missing for four days from a Tampa drug treatment center, where he was under house arrest.
He's charged with violating a probation warrant.
Florida prosecutors plan to seek jail time for Strawberry.
Strawberry is receiving treatment for a drug addiction and for colon cancer.
(------------)
[Internet-Hearing]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Don Henley and Ted Nugent are among the
musicians gathered before the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
But it's NOT for a concert...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
The committee is debating the future of Napster, which is in the process of blocking copyrighted music to users who've been downloading it for free.
Napster is trying to come up with an alternative that would please the record companies.
Henley says so far, artists have NOT been fairly represented during Napster negotiations.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:42:03]
[IN Q=Most, if not all]
((DON HENLEY/RECORDING ARTISTS' COALITION: MOST, IF NOT ALL DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN BETWEEN THE LABELS AND INTERNET COMPANIES. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR THESE DISCUSSIONS IF IT WERE NOT FOR ARTISTS AND THEIR CREATIVE WORKS. WE MUST BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS FRAMEWORK.))
[SUPER=01-Don Henley/Recording Artists' Coalition;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=of this framework.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Henley says lawmakers should keep in mind that many Napster users would be willing to pay for the service.
(------------)
[State-Budget]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=01-06 TC1:35:22]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]
Virginia's budget negotiators briefly got together yesterday, but there is still no agreement in the legislature.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
In their first face to face meeting in five weeks, the eight lawmakers expressed a new urgency in reaching a state budget agreement.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14:09:04]
[IN Q=I think the people have]
((SEN. JOHN CHICHESTER/R-STAFFORD CO.: I THINK THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN THROUGH THE POLLINGS. AND THE SENSE OF THE MEMBERS, HAVE FELT THAT THE CAR TAX ISN'T THE ALPHA AND OMEGA OF LIFE. AND THAT THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT THAT ARE VITAL.))
[sot 13:50:59]
((DEL. JIM DILLARD/R-FAIRFAX: ONLY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CAN FREE UP CERTAIN MONIES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO US, SO THERE ARE JUST ALL KINDS OF REASONS THAT WE NEED A BUDGET. NOT TO MENTION THE PUBLIC'S JUST QUESTION AS TO WHY WE CAN'T GET TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A BUDGET.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Chichester/(R) Stafford Co.; :00 ]
[SUPER=01-Del. Jim Dillard/(R) Fairfax; :21]
[RUNS=:35]
[OUT Q=and come up with a budget.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The negotiators say Governor Jim Gilmore's state worker, teacher, and constitutional officer pay raise plan is likely dead on arrival.
That makes budget deliberations more important.
(------------)
[TALENT=Kimberly]
[SS=Veto Session]
The entire legislature reconvenes tomorrow for a one-day veto override session.
A six- day special session begins Thursday to re-draw Virginia's political districts, with data from the 2000 census.
[City-Council]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-15 TC08:37]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke City Council]
Roanoke City Council is hoping to make the selection of board and commission members more efficient. (---------
---)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Council members approved a re-design of the committee system... instituting a formal selection process. They also eliminated several panels, such as the bid specifications committee, that council members felt were unnecessary.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:27:40]
[IN Q=That committee was originated]
((BILL CARDER/ROANOKE VICE-MAYOR: THAT WAS A COMMITTEE ORIGINATED FOR VEHICLES WHICH HAS TURNED INTO ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. WE BELIEVE STATE LAW AND LOCAL ORDINANCES COVER THAT BUT BY ELIMINATING THAT COMMITTEE WE SPEED THINGS UP BY THIRTY DAYS.))
[SUPER=01-Bill Carder/Roanoke Vice-Mayor]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=speed things up by thirty days.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Yesterday, city council also designated the former Norfolk and Western Passenger Station as the city's depot for future passenger rail service.
Council members will consider a request for money to renovate the building when they begin working on the budget later this Spring.
(------------)
[Social-Security]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-13 TC14:21]
[GRAPHIC=Social Security]
The future of social security does not look bright and that concerns some students at Washington and Lee University's Law School.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington; QUICK!!!]
Money will have already run out by the time these students retire.
In fact, social security will begin running a deficit by 2014.
The cost for the government will be more than twice the national debt.
The government would have to take up to 40 percent of every worker's paycheck just to keep social security intact.
Speakers yesterday said the Government should create personal accounts -- another name for "individual savings accounts." You pay in, and your employer matches it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[tc:00:07:06]
[IN Q=There would be issues]
((KAREN BURKE/LAW PROFESSOR: THERE WOULD BE ISSUES ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD RECEIVE THOSE BENEFITS. WOULD YOU RECEIVE IT AS A LIFETIME ANNUITY AS PEOPLE CURRENTLY DO, OR WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO TAKE IT IN A LUMP SUM DISTRIBUTION?))
[SUPER=01-Karen Burke/Law Professor]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=lump sum distribution.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
A few speakers recommend raising the retirement age from 65 to 70 so more people would pay in for a longer period of time.
(------------)
[Middle-School]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-12 TC22:34]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Montgomery County officials broke ground for the new Christiansburg Middle School.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Construction on Buffalo Drive will begin this summer with an anticipated completion date of Fall 2003.
Officials say a new building is needed because the current middle school is crowded and old.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT-20:12:22]
[IN Q=YOU'RE GOING]
((MARY BIGGS/MONTGOMERY CO. SUPERVISOR; YOU'RE GOING TO SEE STATE OF THE ART FACILITY AS FAR AS CLASSROOM SPACE GOES, AREAS FOR SPECIALTIES SUCH AS YOUR ART AND MUSIC AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU MIGHT HAVE IN THAT AREA.))
[SUPER=01-Mary Biggs/Montgomery Co. Supervisor]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=HAVE IN THAT AREA]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Approximately 760-students will attend school in the new building.
(------------)
[Lex-Church]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-08 TC46:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Repairs to a Lexington landmark are underway.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington]
Crews began replacing the roof on the 155- year- old Lexington Presbyterian Church yesterday.. more than eight months after fire gutted the historic building.
It's the first step toward making the structure weather-proof so that interior work can begin.
Church members say they're glad to see their building start to take on a more familiar look.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:32:39]
[IN Q=It's a real]
((SKIP HESS/LEXINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MEMBER: IT'S A REAL GOOD THING, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THE WORK ACTUALLY BEGIN NOW THAT YOU CAN SEE A CHANGE IN THE HORIZON LINE HERE IN THE TOWN, WHICH WILL KIND OF GET US BACK TO THE OLD WAY OF DOING THINGS, SEEING THE STEEPLE THERE AND THE CLOCK AND ALL THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Skip Hess/Church Member]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=clock and all that.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Crews hope to raise a new steeple on the church some time this fall.
The building is expected to be finished next spring.
(------------)
[Center-US]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
And finally today--
It's NOT the center of the universe, but it IS the center of the U-S.
And it has fewer than 200 residents.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Edgar Springs, MO;]
According to the 2000 census, the Missouri town of Edgar Springs is the U-S population center.
It's considered the center of population GRAVITY-- where the country would balance if it were a flat surface with the population equally distributed.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:38:07]
[IN Q=There ain't]
((CATHY STORM/RESIDENT: THERE AIN'T TOO MUCH THAT HAPPENS IN EDGAR SPRINGS, SO, YOU KNOW...Reporter: You take what you can get. STORM: YEAH...REALLY!))
[SUPER=01-Cathy Storm/Resident; quick!!]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=yeah, really]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Edgar Springs has only 190 people.
(------------)
by SS