[News-Heads]
[TALENT=Kimberly]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
Dozens of patients say he cures their pain like no one else can--
They attended this morning's arraignment of Doctor Cecil Knox, who's accused of illegally prescribing narcotics.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY]
And authorities in Halifax county are still trying to figure out what started the house fire that killed three children.
[WX-Head]
Sunshine will lead to a very mild afternoon across the region but it won't last long....I'll have your forecast.....
[Noon-open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Kimberly1;]
[SUPER=@Leo1; ]
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:35:50]
[IN Q=This many people]
((THIS MANY PEOPLE DID NOT TURN OUT TO STAND BEHIND A MAN UNLESS HE WAS WORTH SOMETHING.))
[RUNS=07]
[OUT Q=unless he was worth something]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
About 50 patients attend the arraignment of Doctor Cecil Knox. The pain specialist pleads NOT guilty to illegally prescribing narcotics.
(------------)
[Knox]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=01-62]
[GRAPHIC=Knox]
The hearing lasted only a matter of minutes, just enough time to accept a plea of "not guilty" from Knox and three of those indicted along with him.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
They're all members of the same small practice, specializing in pain relief. Government prosecutors say Knox not only prescribed narcotics outside the scope of professional conduct, they allege he committed fraud and accepted kick-backs.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:39:35]
[IN Q=A jury will make]
((A JURY WILL MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISION, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT KNOX VIOLATED THE LAW. WE BELIEVE HE DID. WE BELIEVE THE EVIDENCE WILL SUPPORT THAT OVERWHELMINGLY.))
[SUPER=01-John Brownlee/U.S. Attorney]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=support that overwhelmingly.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Knox remains out on bond. Yesterday he was given two more weeks to complete the process of referring all his patients to other doctors.
Virtually none of his 800 or so patients have found anyone else to take them on as patients. Many of them say no one else feels their pain the way Doctor Knox understands it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:42:45]
[IN Q=Pain the the most]
((PAIN IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO COMMUNICATE TO SOMEONE. IT'S REALLY HARD TO EXPLAIN. IT'S RIGHT UP THERE WITH LOVE, YOU KNOW.))
[SUPER=01-Connie Shriver/Dr. Knox's Patient]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=right up there with love, you know.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The month of October has been set aside to try Knox and his four co-defendants.
(------------)
[3-OxyContin]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC28:35]
[GRAPHIC=Oxycontin]
Five other doctors in our region have already been convicted for over prescribing narcotics.
One of those doctors spoke recently to News 7 and as Teresa Hamilton tells us, he believes prosecutors are looking for someone to blame.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I have a lot of ]
[SUPER=03-Dublin; :10]
[SUPER=07-Dr. Freeman Clark; :27]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; 1:05]
[SUPER=03-Pearisburg; 1:15]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Ken Walker/Giles Co. Physician; 1:27]
[RUNS=2:16]
[OUT Q=Hamilton, NEWS 7.]
(((/////sot/////)
[sot 00:00:30]
[in q=I have a ]
((DR. FREEMAN CLARK/CONVICTED DOCTOR: I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND THERE'S ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY.))
[runs= 06]
[out q= to every story.]
Dr. Freeman Clark is serving a nearly six year sentence for supplying narcotics, including OxyContin to his patients.
Prosecutors say there was NO legitimate reason for the prescriptions-- but the former Bland County family physician says he's a scapegoat for a government eager to pin OxyContin abuse on doctors.
(////sot/////)
[sot 00:05:59]
[in q= I spent ]
((FREEMAN CLARK: I SPENT SO LONG WITH MY PATIENTS, THEY WERE SOMETIMES PEOPLE WOULD WAIT 10 HOURS TO SEE ME AND SOMETIMES I WOULD BE AT MY OFFICE UNTIL THE LATEST 3 THIRTY IN THE MORNING.))
[runs= 10]
[out q= the morning.]
Clark, who's currently housed at the New River Regional Jail, says he worked the extra hours to help the poor and those in chronic pain.
But federal prosecutors say Clark was a drug dealer-- supplying his patients with narcotics while pocketing money for the doctor's visit.
(////sot/////)
[sot 00:06:57]
[in q=No, I do not to ]
(( FREEMAN CLARK: NO, I DO NOT TO THIS DAY THINK I DID ANYTHING WRONG EXCEPT FOR I MIGHT HAVE OVER TRUSTED PATIENTS IF YOU CALL THAT SOMETHING WRONG I DID IT. ))
[runs= 09]
[out q = I DID IT. ]
[take stand up]
The prosecutor who handled Clark's case says 99 percent of doctors prescribe narcotics to people who legitimately need them... and hopes the medical profession doesn't become reluctant to prescribe the medication.
[end su]
But OxyContin abuse is having an impact on doctors.
Ken Walker is a physician in Pearisburg and member of the Attorney General's Task Force studying OxyContin abuse.
(///sot////)
[sot]
[in q= I think ]
((DR. KEN WALKER/ PEARISBURG PHYSICIAN: I THINK THAT'S CAUSING A LOT OF TROUBLE FOR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS LIKE MYSELF THAT THEY'RE SCARED TO GIVE IT TO SOMEONE WHO'S JUST COMING IN OFF THE STREETS WHO THEY DON'T KNOW VERY WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO BE DIVERTED OR ABUSED.))
[RUNS= 15]
[OUT Q= or abused.]
Prosecutors say Dr. Clark was NOT as careful.
They say nearly all of Clark's one- thousand patients received some kind of narcotic.
Clark says it was up to them to use the pills wisely.
(///sot////)
[sot 00:14:19]
[in q= It comes down to ]
((FREEMAN CLARK: IT COMES DOWN TO PEOPLE AREN'T TAKING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PATIENTS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY GET A MEDICATION, ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT AS PRESCRIBED.))
[RUNS= 10]
[out q= as prescribed.]
But a jury found Clark should also be held responsible-- making him the fifth and latest southwest Virginia doctor convicted of illegally writing prescriptions.
Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7. ))
(------------)
[11Halifax-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=02-02 TC39:19]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Authorities have not determined what started the fire that killed three sisters in Halifax County yesterday, but they are treating it as suspicious.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The blaze near Nathalie took the life of 14 year old Lacey Wright, shown here in a yearbook photo...
along with her younger sisters Jessica and Christina.
The girls older brother Wayne managed to escape along with their mother and stepfather.
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co.]
Sheriff Jeff Oakes says his deputies are treating the fire as suspicious because it did not start in an area with a heat source like a stove or fireplace.
He's asking anyone with information to call his office.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Anything that we]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Oakes/Halifax Co. Sheriff]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=for us in our investigation.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Sheriff Oakes says the family did not have insurance and lost everything in the blaze.
(------------)
[Reaction]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=02-03 TC28:15]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The deaths of the three girls have made a difficult year for the Halifax County School system even worse.
Already this year, six students from across the county have died.
Steve Smallshaw has more on what's being done to help students and teachers cope.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Deborah Kipps-Vaughan/Halifax Co. Schools; :22]
[SUPER=@ssm1; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:25]
[OUT Q=SS, News 7 Halifax.]
[Missing-Girl]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
California authorities hope an unsolved child abduction and murder case from 28 years ago may help them solve the disappearance of seven- year- old Danielle van Dam.
Investigators say they're taking a ``fresh look'' at the murder of another San Diego seven-year-old -- Patricia Lee.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
They say that they'lll use D-N-A from that case to see if there is any possible connection to Danielle's abduction.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 6:17:03]
[IN Q=It is a really long]
((LT. JERRY LEWIS/SAN DIEGO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: IT IS A REALLY LONG SHOT NOT ONE WHERE WE ARE
SAYING WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THIS CASE BUT WHAT IT DOES IS OPEN OUR
EYES ON ARCHIVE CASES TO A CASE OF YOUNG GIRL KILLED IN THE SAME GENERAL
AREA NATURALLY WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT." ))
[SUPER=01-Jerry Lewis/San Diego Sheriff's Department;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=take a look at it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Diego, CA;]
Investigators also just removed the doors from the van Dam house, as they continue searching for clues to the abduction, which happened nearly three weeks ago.
(------------)
[Tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Coming up next on the newscast, a suspect admits he was involved in the kidnapping of an American journalist,
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and closer to home, three officials of a local labor union are accused of embezzlement.
(---------------)
[Streaming Video]
[music up full]
[comm1]
[Intermet-Suit]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=02-01 TC56:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Intermet is reacting today to news that five "steelworker-union" officials at the New River Foundry in Radford are charged with embezzling more than 20-thousand dollars.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :30]
[SUPER=03-Radford/March 2000]
A federal indictment says the officials paid themselves 11-thousand dollars from a relief fund.
Intermet and the union set up the fund after an explosion two years ago that killed three workers and closed the plant for months.
Joseph William Burress, Rhonda Lorraine Creed, William Edward Fricker, Elizabeth Jane George and Edward Alexander Ramsey allegedly took the money.
Intermet spokesman Mike Kelly says the company is cooperating with the investigation, and that they've provided authorities with information.
Kelly says they're deeply saddened someone would try and profit from tragedy, and that an overwhelming majority of workers at the plant are honest and hardworking.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Four of the people in the indictment are also charged with using an additional 10-thousand dollars in union funds for personal benefit over several years, going back to 19-96.
[Bush-China]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Bush]
President Bush will be back home at the White House by dinnertime tomorrow--thanks to a Russian gesture of good will.
Russia has granted permission for Air Force One
to fly through its airspace when Bush ends his week-long tour of Asia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Beijing, China;]
But Bush failed to achieve a primary goal-- getting an agreement on a deal to stop the Chinese from selling missile technology to Iran and North Korea.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:01:58]
[IN Q=I then told]
(("I THEN TOLD HIM THAT THE OFFER I MADE YESTERDAY IN SEOUL WAS A REAL
OFFER AND THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THE NORTH KOREAN REGIME,
AND I ASKED HIS HELP IN CONVEYING THAT MESSAGE TO KIM JUNG IL. IF HE SO
CHOOSES, IF HE SPEAKS TO THE LEADER OF NORTH KOREA, HE CAN ASSURE HIM
THAT I AM SINCERE IN MY DESIRE TO HAVE OUR FOLKS MEET."))
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=have our folks meet.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Meanwhile, President Bush is thanking China for its support in the war against terror.
(------------)
[Pearl]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A confession today from one of several suspects in the kidnapping of "Wall Street Journal" reporter Daniel Pearl.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Karachi, Pakistan;]
Fahad (Nah-seem) Naseem told a Pakistani court that he knew about the kidnapping plot two days before it happened.
He arrived at the court under heavy security, in handcuffs, with his face covered.
Naseem confessed that he met the prime suspect Omar Saeed January 21st, when he was asked to send E-mails about the kidnapping.
Two other suspects are due in court on Monday.
(------------)
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Still to come on the newscast, we will see how single income families can save more money for retirement,
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and we'll tell you why one of the members of NSYNC is saying Bye-Bye-Bye to the planet earth.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[NSYNC]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Now that NSYNC is a household name all over the world, one member of the boy band is hoping to conquer a NEW frontier....
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 6:49:06]
[IN Q=nat sound of song "Pop"]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=doesn't matter....]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Los Angeles, CA/File Tape;]
Publicists for singer Lance Bass say the teen heartthrob is in talks with Russian officials about a trip to SPACE.
It would send him where no other boy band has gone before.
Bass's representatives are trying to get him a paid seat on the (Soy- youz) Soyuz rocket in November.
The 25- million- dollar deal would include the right to film the 22- year-old in space for a T-V special.
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
It would be partly funded by advertising deals with big sponsors, based here on earth.
If all goes well, Bass would follow in the footsteps of California businessman Dennis Tito, the first person to experience space as a paying guest.
(------------)
[Live-Interview]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Twenty one million families live on a single income.
That can make saving for two retirements difficult.
But new tax laws can help single income couples contribute more to their I-R-A's.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kim/Bob; Satellite]
Here to explain all that is Bob Corcoran.
He is vice president of Fidelity Investment Retirement Services.
Good Afternoon, Bob.
What exactly are the new tax laws?
[LIVE=Bob /FULL]
[SUPER=01-Bob Corcoran/Fidelity Investment Retirement Services;]
What are some strategies to help single income couples make the most of the new laws?
What else might couples do to boost their retirement savings?
What additional savings opportunities are availible to people older than 50?
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Bob;]
Thanks for joining us today.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]
On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was UP 33 points.
The NASDAQ has dropped 24.
[super=460-x/33/y/24;]
(x=up y=down)
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Coming next on the newscast,
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Steve Mason tells us why injuries have slowed down one of the best players to come out of the Piedmont District.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[Hometown-Hoops]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-120 21:53]
[graphic=hometwon hoops weekly]
Heather Miller is one of the biggest basketball stars ever produced in the Piedmont District.
But as Steve Mason tells us, her A-C-C career has been hampered by some bad breaks.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :00]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/This Season; :21]
[SUPER=01-Heather Miller/Wake Forest Junior; :40]
[SUPER=04-1998 Season; 1:18]
[RUNS=1:45]
[OUT Q=...HOMETOWN HOOPS WEEKLY"]
(-------------)
((STEVE MASON:))
((Heather Miller's versatility is hardly limited to the diverse basketball skills she developed at Bassett. She can cover defenders and she now looks like a cover girl for a super modeling magazine. But her sophomore season has been anything but pretty. A stress fracture in her back that was found during the preseason has forced her to miss all of the 2001-2002 season.
((:))
The back ailment has sidelined Miller physically, but she has found other ways to contribute to her Wake Forest team.
((:))
Heather is Bassett's and the Piedmont District all time leading scorer male or female with 2 thousand 395 points and the memories are never far away.
((:))
When Miller and her demon Deacons play at UVa, Heather rooms with William Fleming product Tonia Brown, who is third in the ACC in three point shooting.
((:))
Miller says she will be back to play next season but has not decided whether or not she will designate this season as a red shirt year. Steve Mason Hometown Hoops Weekly.))
[S-Harvick]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-110]
[GRAPHIC=THE ROCK]
The Winston Cup circuit moves to Rockingham this weekend.
"The Rock" will welcome Daytona 500 champ Ward Burton and defending Subway 400 champ - Kevin Harvick - who won at Rockingham last February after replacing the late Dale Earnhardt.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Daytona Beach, FL; :00]
Harvick also won the Busch Grand National championship last year, along with Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors.
He has also managed to irritate a tremendous number of drivers in a very short period of time.
That's including his current teammate Jeff Green - who had more than his share of clashes with Harvick during their days on the Busch Circuit.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I CAN TAKE IT...]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Green/AOL Chevrolet Driver; :02]
[SUPER=01-Kevin Harvick/Goodwrench Chevy Driver; :25]
[SUPER=01-Richard Childress/Owns Three Winston Cup Teams; :38]
[RUNS=:57]
[OUT Q=...some tough times."]
(------------)
[REPRS@CL]
SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends
[SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]
by SS