[1-News-Head]
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[V/O-NAT]
Fire, perhaps directed at a man from the Middle East- -if in fact it turns out to be arson. That's our top story.
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
And a LIVE interview with Senator George Allen as the President prepares to address a joint session of Congress.
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 Sports, Al Groh apologizes as his Cavs get ready to the Tigers.
The Express sale is final.
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[VO-NAT]
And the Hidden Valley Titans and Cave Spring Knights are officially moving to the Blue Ridge next season.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]
One last line of heavier showers now moving through the region... I'll have your hometown forecast....
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[ANCHOR=Keith 3-Shot]
News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=You see your house burned]
((YOU SEE YOUR HOUSE BURNED. YOU SPENT ALL OF YOUR MONEY AND IT HURTS YOU.... HURTS REAL BAD.))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=hurts real bad.]
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[VO-NAT]
A Roanoke man loses his home to a suspicious fire.
Investigators consider the possibility it was a hate crime.
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry
[SE-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-20 TC54:49]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
Police and fire investigators have NOT yet declared this a case of arson, but they spent most of the day conducting interviews, and collecting evidence for analysis.
Joe Dashiell reports they are also looking into the possibility that this was a crime directed at the owners of the property,
[***NEWS 7 @ 6 MB GRAPHIC***]
[PASSING SHOT=Keith and Joe/MB SET;]
who are from the middle east. Joe?
Keith, investigators say they don't have enough information yet to reach any conclusions,
[LIVE=JoeD /FULL MB SET]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
but they're considering all of the possibilities... and they've consulted with the State Police, the FBI and the ATF.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Roanoke city fire investigators]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Danny Rakes/Roanoke Fire Investigator; :11]
[SUPER=01-James Pickett/Neighbor; :25]
[SUPER=01-Khazal Al-Rubaii/Property Owner; :40]
[RUNS=:56]
[OUT Q=what you see right now.]
((Roanoke city fire investigators huddled in the rear of the two story house where they believe the blaze started... examining the burned debris, collecting samples for laboratory analysis.
[SOT]
[IN Q=According to the fire crews]
((ACCORDING TO THE FIRE CREWS FIRST ON THE SCENE, THEY HAD HEAVY FIRE CONDITIONS. IT DOES APPEAR TO BE A FAIRLY HOT FIRE YESSIR.))
[RUNS= :07]
[OUT Q=hot fire yessir.]
The two story structure went up in flames around midnight and burned quickly.
James Pickett heard a loud boom, a block away.
[SOT]
[IN Q=And I see real big lights]
((AND I SEE REAL BIG LIGHTS OF FLASHES. THREE FLASHES, JUST LIKE FLICKER, FLICKER FLICKER AND MY WHOLE HOUSE SHOOK.))
[RUNS= :07]
[OUT Q=my whole house shook.]
Months of renovations on the building were almost complete... Owner Khazal Al-Rubaii was planning to move in in early October.
[SOT]
[IN Q=Almost finished]
((ALMOST FINISHED. JUST A FEW THINGS TO DO ON IT TO GET IT DONE. WAS SUPPOSED TO MOVE IN FIRST OF NEXT MONTH. I WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET THE GUYS AT TEN OCLOCK. 10:30 I COME IN AND SEE WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT NOW.))
[RUNS= :16]
[OUT Q=what you see right now.]))
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[LIVE=JoeD /FULL MB SET]
Al-Rubaii is a native of Iraq, who came here seven years ago. He had insurance on the property, but says it will
cover only about half of his loss.
Investigators were careful not to characterize this as a hate crime...
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & JoeD /MB SET;]
but Keith the circumstances of this fire are certainly raising suspicions.
[Attacks-Update]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=01-49 TC18:02]
[GRAPHIC=America Mobilizes]
A Virginia-based National Guard unit is gearing up for active duty.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=143-Henrico Co./1999;]
The 192nd Fighter Wing, based in Richmond, is one of 29 Guard and Reserve units from 24 states and the District of Columbia mobilized today. The Virginia call-up affects 50 Air National Guard members.
(+++++)
[Take Pinnacle Page FS]
Among today's other developments .. New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani says the number of people missing from the World Trade Center attacks now totals more than 63-hundred.
[Next Page]
President Bush is asking Congress to give the country's commercial airlines a quick five billion dollars in assistance.
[Next Page]
And the president prepares to address a joint session of Congress tonight at Nine.
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[Allen]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#01-31 ]
[GRAPHIC=Allen]
Among those who will be listening very closely tonight will be the junior Senator from Virginia-- George Allen.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Allen/Satellite]
He's here with us now from Washington D-C.
Senator, thanks for taking the time to talk with us.
[Live=Allen Full/Satellite]
[SUPER=141-Sen. George Allen/(R) Virginia;]
[SUPER=145-Washington, DC;]
(As a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, do you believe the airlines are in as bad shape as
we're hearing, AND what should be done about that?)
(I've heard Congressman Gephart say we all need to get back in the air and fly. I've also heard a former F-A-A Inspect
or General say she wouldn't fly right now. Would you?)
(AMTRAK? Where would we have been without it last week and this? Time for Congress to subsidize the rails, rather tha
n pull funding?)
(What do you expect we'll hear from the Commander in Chief tonight?)
[Double Boxes=Keith and Allen/Satellite]
[Arsenal-River]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Radford Arsenal]
Recreation areas on the New River could change because of new security measures being put into effect to combat terrorism.
The commanding officer of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant says he's talking to state officials about closing the part of the river that flows through the plant.
About eight miles of the river borders the federal arsenal.
[Frat-Flag]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=01-35 TC1:17:14]
[GRAPHIC=America Responds]
A creative fundraising effort is underway in Christiansburg today...and probably for many days to come.
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[VO-NAT :18.5]
[SUPER=143-Christiansburg;]
Delta Tau Delta, a Virginia Tech fraternity, is waving this American flag 24-hours a day, seven-days a week until it collects 10-thousand dollars.
So far, a full-day of donations has brought in almost two-thousand.
The brothers work two at a time in shifts at the Wal-mart parking lot in Christiansburg.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 25:09:02]
[IN Q=PEOPLE ARE GIVING]
((DENNIS GLEASON/DELTA TAU DELTA FRATERNITY; PEOPLE ARE GIVING MONEY PRETTY STEADILY SOME OF OUR BEST DONATORS HAVE BEEN WALMART EMPLOYEES AND ALSO WE HAVE A LOT OF PARENTS WITH KIDS IN THE CAR WHO PROBABLY WANT TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.))
[SUPER=141-Dennis Gleason/Delta Tau Delta Fraternity;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.]
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[VO-NAT]
At the rate they are going, members say they could reach their goal by Sunday.
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[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]
A Salem court case could throw November's election into confusion.
Find out why when we return.
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[VO-NAT]
And their off to the races in Nelson County. We'll take a spin around the new track a little later on News 7 at Six.
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[Mason-Dixon]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2001]
Virginia voters seem to have mixed feelings over the state of the commonwealth.
(+++++++)
[Take Pinnacle Page FS #1003]
The latest News 7 Mason-Dixon poll numbers show 54-percent of likely voters believe Virginia is heading on the right track.
[Next page #1004]
But 47-percent of Virginians also say they are less than satisfied with the direction of the state and feel it is time for a change.
[Next Page #1000]
Overall, more than a third say education is this year's most important issue in the race for Governor.
The economy is a distant second, with taxes and spending just behind.
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[Redistricting]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-30 TC2:00:29]
[GRAPHIC=VA Redistricting]
It's either gerrymandering or the work of "good government."
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
There seems to be no in between- -no room for compromise- -in the re-districting case now before Judge Richard Pattisall.
Democrats want him to stop the November elections, claiming Republicans subverted the democratic process when they redrew legislative districts.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:53:10]
[IN Q=The plan intentionally]
((THE PLAN INTENTIONALLY PAIRED DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS IN DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS, LEAVING ONLY ONE CONCEIVABLE EXPLANATION.))
[SUPER=01-John Hackert/Plaintiff's Attorney]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=leaving only one conceivable explanation.]
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[VO-NAT]
...and that is: to defeat Democratic incumbents in the General Assembly.
The Attorney General's office dismisses the claim as "frivolous."
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:12:15]
[IN Q=It's an effort]
((IT'S AN EFFORT BY POLITICIANS WHOSE MESSAGE NO LONGER RESONATES WITH THE PEOPLE AND WHO CAN'T WIN THE OFFICE THEY SEEK. SO THEY TRY TO IMPOSE IT THROUGH THIS JUDICIAL PROCESS OF THE COURTS.))
[SUPER=01-Greg Lucyk/Asst. VA Attorney General]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=this judicial process of the courts.]
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[VO-NAT]
The hearing will last at least another day, possibly being carried over into Saturday.
With just 47 days until Election Day, Judge Pattisall is under pressure to make a quick decision, knowing the Supreme Court may have the final say.
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[Mostly-Sofas]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-26 TC2:04:35]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Old Pink Building in downtown Roanoke is now "mostly" full of Sofa's... or full of "Mostly Sofa's."
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Four floors of furniture pack the building including tables, chairs, and of course, sofas.
The furniture retailer, "Mostly Sofa's" already has stores in Lynchburg, Salem and the New River Valley, but is now the largest retail store in downtown Roanoke.
The building's 40 thousand square feet have been renovated over the past few years to suit the store.
Its grand opening was today.
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[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The stock market suffered its third steep decline in four sessions.
[TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/382.92/8376.21/y/56.87/1470.93;]
The DOW plunged another 383 points to close at a three year low.
NASDAQ fell 57.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-h/0.29/47.04/h/0.07/18.06/i/1.37/53.63/i/0.60/13.75/i/0.50/6.50;]
[SUPER=272-i/1.44/59.76/i/1.70/42.30/i/2.13/30.37/i/0.85/18.42/h/0.04/43.40;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.76/23.77/i/1.52/14.31/i/0.83/6.60/i/0.57/47.43/i/1.04/12.66;]
[SUPER=274-i/1.60/63.45/i/1.19/59.95/i/0.65/53.25/i/1.88/28.06/i/0.14/45.31;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Nelson-Racing]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-36 TC1:24:00]
[GRAPHIC=None]
More than 70 years after it last saw competitive racing, horses are back on the track at the Oak Ridge Estate in Nelson County.
Steve Smallshaw has more on the arrival of harness racing and parimutuel betting in central Virginia.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=This is a sound]
[SUPER=03-Nelson Co.; :00]
[SUPER=@ssm1; :37]
[SUPER=01-Stan Bowker/VA Racing Commission; 1:02]
[SUPER=01-Rhonda Holland/Oak Ridge Owner; 1:14]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=News7, Nelson County.]
(( This is a sound John and Rhonda Holland have waited almost ten years to hear.
[natsot hoofbeats ]
[RUNS= 02]
Beginning Friday night, the Hollands will have realized their dream of bringing horse racing back to to the Oak Ridge estate in Nelson County.
[natsot 00:05:27 #1]
((INSIDE THE STONE TRACK IS A FLAT, GRASS TRACK..))
[RUNS= 04]
John Holland made his fortune in the industrial landfill business in Suffolk.
He and his father bought Oak Ridge in 1989 with an eye towards restoring its old race track.. twelve years later, the betting windows are ready, the cameras set to go and the gravel has been laid for just the second pari-mutuel track in Virginia.
[Standup 8:51:46]
((The experience that the owners here at Oak Ridge want to create is a little bit different from across the state and what they're doing at Colonial Downs. Here the public will have a chance to get a feel for what it's like to be in the middle of a harness race, and hopefully that excitement will translate into commercial success.))
[RUNS= 15]
[OUT Q=commercial success.]
Visitors will get an occasional chance to take a ride behind a harness racehorse.. and the three- week racing season will also include concerts, wagon rides and other family- oriented events.
[SOT 8:41:25 #2]
((STAN BOWKER/VA RACING COMMISSION: EVERYWHERE WE WENT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. SO WE KNOW THERE'S ENTHUSIASM FOR IT AND PEOPLE COME HERE FOR OTHER EVENTS AS WELL, BUT WE JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR RACING IN VIRGINIA.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=racing in Virginia.]
[SOT 8:35:42]
((RHONDA HOLLAND/OAK RIDGE OWNER: THE FIRST RACE IS RUN.. THAT'S SUCCESS. NOW ON A MONETARY BASIS, I DON'T KNOW.. ALL I WANT IS TO SEE THE HORSES RUN. THAT'S BEEN THE GOAL, IS TO HAVE THE RACE.))
[RUNS= 12]
[OUT Q=to have the race.]
[natsot racing]
[RUNS= 01]
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Nelson County.))
[Sports Tease]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on the Big 7,
The VHSL approves the moves of Cave Spring and Hidden Valley.
The Express sale is final.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Woodrow Dantzler and the Tigers are standing in the Cavs' way this weekend.
(------------)
[S-VHSL]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-96]
[GRAPHIC=EXPRESS]
News 7 sports learned early this evening that the sale of the Roanoke Express is now official.
ECHL commissioner Rick Adams spoke to the new Express owners today and informed them that a majority of the league owners have given the sale their "ok".
The new ownership is calling itself "Old Time Hockey."
[GRAPHIC=VHSL]
Earlier today, the Virginia High School League's executive committee voted to admit Cave Spring and the new Hidden Valley high into the Blue Ridge starting next season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
That means the Blue Ridge will have 11 members and possibly could play in that crowded house next year.
However, the chairman of the district, Lord Botetourt principal Alan Brenner, says a four school committee has been formed to study what to do about the overcrowding.
Principals and athletic directors from Christiansburg, Alleghany, Northside and Pulaski will explore their options and hopefully have a solution by the end of the winter.
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[S-FFE]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-100 12246TC]
[GRAPHIC=FFE]
Also, today the VHSL decided not to push back the playoffs and extend the regular season to allow high schools that postponed their games last week to reschedule them for the end of the year.
Instead the playoffs will stay on schedule and some teams will have to make up their contests by playing two games in a week's time.
Here's the Friday Football Extra schedule for tomorrow night.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=LOGO AND MUSIC FULL]
[RUNS=:43]
[OUT Q=logo comes full.]
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[S-Clemson]
[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-95 1:32:44]
[GRAPHIC=ACC]
Virginia battles ACC rival Clemson Saturday on the road. Steve Mason says UVa has it's hands full.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :04]
[SUPER=01-Death Valley, SC/Wofford vs. Clemson; :09]
[SUPER=01-Tommy Bowden/Clemson Head Coach; :17]
[SUPER=01-Woody Dantzler/Clemson Quarterback; :25]
[SUPER=01-Al Groh/UVa Head Coach; :36]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 1:06]
[SUPER=01-Darryl Sanders/UVa Defensive End; 1:15]
[SUPER=01-Bryson Spinner/Starting UVa Quarterback for Saturday; 1:36]
[RUNS=1:53]
[OUT Q=...news 7 sports"]
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((Saturday marks the ACC opener for both schools. Both played 1-AA opponents in their last game. And while Virginia barely escaped Richmond and Clemson beat Wofford by 24, the Tigers feel they are very similar to the Cavaliers.
((:))
((:))
The 2 and OH Tigers are ranked 18th in the country and the respect is mutual, especially when it comes to Clemson's multiple offensive sets.
((:))
((STEVE MASON:))
((:))
The UVa defense must stop a team averaging 25 points a game. UVa scores a touchdown less per game, stats that the Virginia offense are aware of.
((:))
((:))
Running back Antwoine Womack had ankle surgery about two weeks ago. Groh indicated that re-scheduling the Penn State game for December first pepped up Womack because he could now play in as many as five games. Steve Mason News 7 sports.))
[Fundraiser]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=01-38 TC1:11:48]
[GRAPHIC=None]
More than 900 people have come to Your Hometown Station to donate money to the Red Cross.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=143-WDBJ Lobby]
The Cave Spring Rebels cheerleaders planned to raise money last Saturday for their annual banquet.
Instead they devoted their event to the relief effort and took in more than a thousand dollars.
Tomorrow's the last day to bring donations and sign the condolence books in our lobby.
(------------)
by SS