WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 08/02/01

[HEADLINES]

[TALENT=Kimberly]

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

The F-B-I is suspicious of the latest clue in the Chandra Levy case--
An anonymous tipster says Levy's body is buried near Fort Lee, but authorities are NOT yet searching there.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And a Wytheville man is under arrest for allegedly pretending to be a paramedic.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Leo]
[SS=None]

After a foggy morning things are beginning to improve....I'll have your forecast.....
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]

News 7 at noon is next.
[Noon-open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Kimberly1;]
[SUPER=@Leo1; ]

[Video-Open]

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

The focus of the search for a missing Washington intern may be shifting to a military base just south of Richmond.

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[Levy-Tip]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=News 7]

It's one of HUNDREDS of tips police are receiving in the Chandra Levy case.
But authorities want to FIRST make sure this one is legitimate before they further their investigation.
Lee Cowan has more on the web site tip that points to Fort Lee.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-David Eckert/wetip.com; :30]
[SUPER=01-Robert Levy/Chandra's Father; 1:10 QUICK]
[SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/CBS News; 1:15]
[RUNS=1:27]
[OUT Q=Cowan, CBS News, Washington.]
(( Intro: WASHINGTON, D-C POLICE ARE MOVING CAUTIOUSLY ON THE LATEST, CHILLING TIP INVOLVING MISSING INTERN CHANDRA .
Despite an intriguing anonymous tip -- there are no plans this morning to search a military base in Petersburg Virginia for the body of Chandra Levy.
The FBI wants to determine if the tip is credible -- and police don't want to unnecessarily raise anyone's expectations -- least of all the Levy family.

(TAKE PKG)

(NARR:)

Although the anonymous tip was faxed to D.C. police more than 24 hours ago -- so far not the police, not the FBI, not even officials at the Ft. Lee Military base have started an all out search for Chandra Levy's body.
The reason: Investigators fear the tip may be nothing but a ruse.

(GRAPHIC:)

D.C. police called it another "unconfirmed rumor."

The FBI says it will take "appropriate investigative steps" but only "if the tip is deemed credible."

(NARR:)

It came during a 25 minute phone call to a California-based tip-line Tuesday night -- the caller describing how Chandra Levy's body was buried under a parking lot near a construction site on the base -- a site D.C. police say DOES exist.

(SOT)
(David Eckert)
(WeTip)
"I do not want to go into too much depth on the tip as it might compromise the investigation, but basically, a possible time schedule as to when and where and how the body was disposed of. And I can't say anymore than that."

(NARR:)

For the Levy family -- it seemed another grim turn.

(SOTS)
(Robert Levy)
(Chandra Levy's Father)
(Question shouted) "Do you think it's credible?
(Dr. Levy) "We don't know anything."

(COWAN:)
"And at this point, neither do investigators -- who insist they're pursuing THIS tip as hard as the hundreds of other tips they get every week. But pursuing a tip -- means checking to see if it's reasonable -- a standard this tip --sources say -- simply doesn't seem to meet. " ))

[Paramedic]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=]
Lexington Police have arrested a Wytheville man for allegedly posing as a paramedic.
Police arrested 33-year old David Sult this week for not having proper life saving certification, and obtaining items by false pretenses. Police say Sult was suspended from the Lexington Livesaving and First Aid Crew last month, after giving false information about his credentials.
They say he left Lexington with nearly 8-hundred dollars of rescue squad equipment. Sult is currently free on 10-thousand-dollars bond.

[Clearbrook]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-44]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Chief Rick Burch says he believes a plan for city and county cooperation has compelling benefits for both localities.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

All of the details haven't been worked out, but the plan would send six city firefighters to the county's Clearbrook Station.
Burch says the benefits are clear.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:44:06]
[IN Q=We can serve both the county]
[SUPER=01-Rick Burch/Roanoke Co. Fire & EMS Chief]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=a different station over by Roanoke Memorial Hospital.]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Chief Burch says representatives of the city, the county, and the county's fire and rescue volunteers will work out operational details.
He hopes the changes will take effect early next year.

[Artificial-Heart]

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

A month ago, he was near death.
Today, his doctors are optimistic that he'll be able to go home someday.
The un- identified patient in Louisville, Kentucky is the first human implanted with a fully self- contained artificial heart.
30- days after the landmark surgery, the TITANIUM heart is functioning properly.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:08:26 ]
[IN Q=We're kind of worried]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Robert Dowling/Jewish Hospital;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=doctor stuff.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Los Angeles, CA;]

Meanwhile, a California man awaiting a heart transplant has received a PORTABLE, artifical heart.
Charles Jones has been hospitalized since mid- June, suffering from heart and kidney failure.
Now the new 21-pound device is helping his heart pump blood.
It's so portable that Jones is able to move around freely, as he waits for a new human heart.
(------------)

[Patients-Rights]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Health Care]

Health care takes center stage on Capitol Hill today--
President Bush is lobbying House lawmakers to approve the Patients' Bill of Rights.
The bill's supporters are scrambling to get it approved before legislators go on vacation tomorrow.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]

This after Bush struck a compromise deal with Republicans yesterday, which provides for a limited right of patients to sue their H-M-O's.
Georgia Congressman Charlie Norwood brokered the deal.
But Democrats, and some moderate Republicans think it's too restrictive.
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[Energy-Bill]

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

A major legislative victory for President Bush' energy plan--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]

Ending 12 hours of floor debate, lawmakers approved the plan early this morning.
The measure includes support for oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Bush says development of Alaska's oil is key to meeting America's energy demands for years to come.
The bill also includes almost 34- billion dollars' worth of tax breaks for the energy industry.
Its fate now lies in the hands of the Senate.
(------------)
[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Family and friends of a murder victim gather in Roanoke to raise awareness of domestic violence. We'll have more after this break,
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[VO-NAT ]

and while many companies are laying off employees, we'll tell you about a local company that needs another thousand workers.
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[Talent=Leo]
[Wx-Tease] [Weatherpro] [Streaming Video] [music up full] [comm1]

[Goshen-Bridge]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=01-43]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The bridge across Calfpasture River on Route 746 is gone... for now.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Goshen/June;]
The historic Goshen Bridge is undergoing renovation for the first time since being built 110-years ago. All that remains are the support beams used to dismantle the structure.
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Parts of the original bridge are being sandblasted and salvaged by a Christiansburg company. Those pieces and newly manufactured parts will then undergo a galvanizing treatment to prevent corrosion over the next half century. Reconstruction is expected to be complete in spring of next year.
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[11Echostar]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=AM]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-26 TC1:11:50]
[GRAPHIC=Echostar Now Hiring]

One of the largest employers in the New River Valley is hiring more employees.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :21]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Officials at the "television dish network" Echostar say a new promotion will allow them to hire a thousand new employees. The goal is to hire 300 within 90-days. The facility houses a state of the art call center. After 4-weeks of training, workers will typically take calls from customers who are having problems with their television service.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:15:59]
[IN Q=A LOT OF CALLS]
((PHYLLIS BLACK; A LOT OF CALLS LOT OF TECH CALLS PEOPLE WANTING THEIR EQUIPMENT FIXED THEY WANT IT DONE RIGHT THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO PLEASE THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Phyllis Black/Customer Service;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=DO IS TO PLEASE THEM.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
For information about Echostar call 540-394-2600. Pay starts at 8-50 an hour and all shifts are available.
(------------)

[11Domestic-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-38 TC38:57]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Roanoke woman was stabbed to death last week in Atlanta.
Police arrested Julia Cole's boyfriend and charged him with the crime.
Last night in Roanoke, her family and friends remembered Cole, and prayed that no one else would fall victim to domestic violence.
Jennifer Miele has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A candlelight vigil]
[SUPER=01-Pearl Cole/Victim's Mother; :10]
[SUPER=01-Carolynn Cole/Victim's Sister; :28]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :35]
[SUPER=03-Jonesboro, GA/Last Week; :42]
[SUPER=01-Ellen Brown/TAP Women's Resource Center; :50]
[SUPER=@jennifer2; 1:00]
[RUNS=1:47]
[OUT Q=JM News 7 Roanoke.]

((A candlelight vigil for a 33-year-old Roanoke native cut down in her prime.
Julia Cole's mother cannot understand why.
[SOT]
((THAT'S ALL I ASK THE LORD TO GIVE ME ALL THE STRENGTH HE CAN GIVE ME. JUST WRAP HIS ARMS AROUND ME AND KEEP ME STRONG.)) [RUNS07]
Cole was on her way to work at a hospital near Atlanta last Tuesday morning, when police say her estranged boyfriend, 34-year-old Fred Pugh, attacked her.
[SOT]
[tc:01:14:28] ((CAROLYNN COLE: HE STABBED HER OVER 50 TIMES IN HER CHEST AND IN HER FACE. HE CUT BIG CHUNKS OUT. WE HAD TO HAVE HER FACE PACKED.)) [RUNS08]
Cole's sisters say the couple grew up together in Roanoke, parented three daughters and had plans to get married.

But, they say, violence plagued their 18-year relationship.
When Cole attempted to end things, family member say Pugh "snapped."
[SOT]
[01:21:39] ((ELLEN BROWN/TAP: OFTEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OR A LONG PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR BUILDS UP TO AN INCIDENT WHERE A DEATH OCCURS.)) [runs07]
Ellen Brown works in the Women's Resource Center at Total Action Against Poverty.
She helped to organize the vigil.
[SOT]
[tc: 01:21:29] ((ELLEN BROWN: THE PURPOSE IS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE DEVASTATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.)) [runs07]
More than a dozen members of Cole's family turned out, hoping to help prevent another tragedy like this one.
[SOT]
[01:15:39] ((CAROLYNN COLE: IF A MAN IS TRYING TO HURT YOU IN SOME SORT OF WAY PLEASE TELL SOMEBODY SO THEY CAN HELP YOU. BECAUSE, SHE NEVER TOLD ANYONE WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS SHE WAS HAVING AND NOBODY EXPECTED HIM TO DO THESE KIND OF THINGS TO HER.)) [runs10]
Fred Pugh has been taken into custody.
Cole's family says they'll focus now on the couple's three children left to go on without a mother OR a father.
Jennifer Miele, News 7, Roanoke.))
[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Coming up a little later in the newscast, if you had a few thousand dollars to blow, would you spend it on 23-hundred pounds of rubber bands? We'll meet someone who did.
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[VO-NAT ]
And next, we'll celebrate the 20th birthday of M-TV.
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[MTV-Anniversary]

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

It's been 20 years since America first heard the phrase, "I want my M-TV."
Last night, M-TV hosted a birthday bash in New York City.
Guests included artists whose careers were never the same after August first, 19-81, when the channel aired its first music video.
Randall Pinkston reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY; 1:16]
[SUPER=04-MTV; 1:31]
[SUPER=01-Randall Pinkston/Reporting; 1:36]
[RUNS=1:43]
[OUT Q=Pinkston, CBS News, New York.]

[Weather] [NOON WEATHER] [08/02/2001] [TWO SHOT]
[ADD CHYRON/ENG/FULL] ROANOKE STATS LYNCHBURG STATS
[MUSIC UNDER] [COMMERCIAL]

[CK/VIEWERNET=]SCHOOL STATS
[SUPER=#573;]
[CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS FORECASTS EXTENDED FORECAST

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]

On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was UP 34 points.

[super=460-x/34/x/11;]

Nasdaq has gained 11.

(x=up y=down)[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
In Sports - A pair of receivers is hoping to get a good deal thrown its way.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And a Rocket is shooting for the Raptors. We'll have details after the break.
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[Hakeem]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=NBA]

Hakeem Olajuwon's days as a Houston Rocket are over.
(------------)
[VO-NAT ]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]

The 17 year N-B-A veteran is heading to the Toronto Raptors for a first and second round draft pick.
Olajuwon called off talks with the Rockets yesterday, after rejecting the team's three- year, 13- million dollar offer.
Houston owner Les Alexander calls Olajuwon's decision disappointing for the entire Rockets organization.
The 38-year-old center has averaged 22 and a-half points and eleven rebounds in a career spent entirely with the Rockets.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

One of Olajuwon's new teammates will be Vince Carter, who agreed yesterday to a six-year contract extension worth about 94 million dollars. Carter has averaged 24-point-six points in his three years with the Raptors.

[S-AVS]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-99 (47:51)]
[GRAPHIC=Hillcats/Avalanche]
The Avalanche took the early lead and held on to beat Lynchburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Hillcats vs. Avalanche; :]

This kid having a fun time at Merrit Hutchinson Stadium.
The Avalanche was leading 3 to nothing--
Then later in the second, Choo Freeman gets all of this pitch.
He sends it deep over the Centerfield wall, and the Avalanche leads 4 to nothing.
[SUPER=37-Salem/5/Lynchburg/4/;]

Salem continued to score in the third.
Greg Catalontte hits a fielder's choice-- scoring another Avalanche run to make it 5 to nothing. Salem holds on for the 5 to 4 win.
(------------)

[S-Legion]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-103 (22:19)]
[GRAPHIC=Baseball Logo]
The Mid-Atlantic Region baseball tourney will be held in Lynchburg later this month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :]

It's the 76th anniversary of competition in the program. And the tournament is the second biggest American Legion tournament held in the United States.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="We've got...]
[SUPER=01-Jim Burton/Baseball Committee Chairman; :]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=......get here."]
(----------)
[ANCHOR=kim]
[GRAPHIC=Hold Logo]

The tournament starts August 16th and runs through the 20th.

[S-Receivers]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-100 4323TC]
[GRAPHIC=REDSKINS CAMP]
Two rookies are hoping to receive a permanent place on the playing field. Mike Stevens has more from the Redskins training camp.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Carlisle, PA; :00]
[SUPER=01-Darnerien McCants/Redskins Rookie Receiver; :21]
[SUPER=01-Latef Grim/Redskins Rookie Free Agent Receiver; :55]
[SUPER=@mike1; 1:59]
[RUNS=2:04]
[OUT Q=...NEWS 7 SPORTS."]
(( There names are not exactly of the household variety, but their potential is unlimited. Fifth round draft pick Darnerien McCants and big six foot three inch receiver from little Delaware State is poised to become the NFL's next impact wideout from a non-traditional football power. ((DARNERIEN MCCANTS:)) Another rookie, who is certainly no stranger to Tech football fans, is Latef Grim from the University of Pittsburgh. Grim torched the Hokies for 188 yards in catches at Pitt back in 1999 and then racked up 106 more last season in Blacksburg. Yet he admits he's still a little nervous about the pro game. ((LATEF GRIM:)) Two things that are helping Grim is that head coach Marty Schottenheimer, one of the greatest players in Pitt history,
has a soft place in heart for former Panthers. And that Grim played in the same offensive scheme in college.)) ((LATEF GRIM:)) ((LATEF GRIM:))

[Rubber-Band]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

A man in San Jose, California never has trouble finding a rubber band when he needs one.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Francisco, CA;]

Sammy Kishek and his brother Billy spent two and a half years building their rubber band ball.
It was officially weighed yesterday...
Its two thousand- 327 pounds shattered the old world record by 300 pounds.
The brothers say they have spent thousands of dollars on their creation.
They plan on keeping it at their supermarket in San Francisco.
(------------)

[Overdue-Book]

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

And before we leave you this afternoon--
An overdue book has been returned to the Boston Public Library.
But it's more valuable now than when it was checked out 80 YEARS ago.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Boston, MA;]

It's an 18-59 first edition of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection".
And it's one of only 12-hundred-50 original copies.
A New Hampshire couple inherited the literary treasure from a great- aunt.
They brought the book back to the library after finding out how valuable it is.
Just how much is the book worth?
Between 15 and 72- thousand dollars.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly 2-shot]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The real question is after 80 years, how much did they owe in late fees?[Quickcast] [WXPRO/FULL]Quickcast[REPRS@CL] SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends [SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]