WDBJ 7 morning news for 04/17/02

[Big-Game]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=02-07]
[GRAPHIC=Big Game]

Big Game lottery officials report there's at least ONE winning ticket from last night's 325- million dollar jackpot.

The lucky ticket was sold in Dacula, Georgia-- and there may be others.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Although there was NO jackpot winner here in Virginia, lottery officials say there were 4 second- prize winners of 150-thousand dollars. One of the tickets was sold in Cana, and the other 3 in Northern Virginia. You have to match the 5 numbers excluding the big money ball to win that prize.
(+++++++++)
[Take FS Big Game Numbers] By the way, last night's winning numbers are seven, ten, 25, 26 and 27. The Big Money Ball number is 23.
(-------------)

[Bush-Visit]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

President George W-Bush is due in Lexington today.
The president will be the keynote speaker at Virginia Military Institute for the 25th annual George-C Marshall R-O-T-C award seminar.
Officials say Bush will have a war update, and hinted at some ``new thoughts'' from the president on the topic.
The audience will include more than 260 cadets.
We're covering the story all day, and we'll have the latest on News 7 at Noon, 5 and 6.

[11Tire-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC1:21:35]
[GRAPHIC=Tire Fire]

Fire officials say the big tire dump fire in Roanoke County is out.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
Twenty three days after it began, Roanoke County officials declared the fire: "extinguished," as of yesterday morning.
Tires on Willie Keeling's dump were still burning a bit on Monday. Only now that the fire is out ...can the E-P-A begin assessing the damage and cleaning up the site.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:05:05]
[IN Q=That's a fair]
((CHRIS WAGNER/EPA ON-SITE COORDINATOR; THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. NOW THAT THE FIRE IS OUT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO MORE EXTENSIVE TESTING. THE TIRES WERE SMOLDERING YESTERDAY. DETERMINED BY A WALK-THROUGH WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Wagner/EPA On-Site Coordinator]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=with the fire department.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
It took the help of a hazardous fire suppression team from Texas to get the fire out... with help from state and federal agencies.
(------------)

[11Veto-Session]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Veto Session]

A program that Governor Mark Warner says could help pay for cleanup of sites like the Keeling tire dump will be a hot topic later today in Richmond.
The governor's five dollars per ton fee on trash dumped in Virginia will get a lot of attention when the General Assembly reconvenes for its veto session.
Support for the fee has waned in recent days under an intense lobbying campaign by advocates for trash haulers.
Virginia imports more trash than every state except Pennsylvania.

[VOB-L'burg-Registrar]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-02]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Lynchburg's top prosecutor says the investigation into spending by the city registrar's office IS moving forward.. despite what the local newspaper might say.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Bill Petty is asking for a special grand jury to help investigate allegations of credit card abuse by former electoral board member Al Grant.
The state police began its investigation last December.. but a Sunday editorial suggested Petty has dragged his feet in the matter because Grant is a fellow Republican.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:44:51]
[IN Q=I personally take]
((BILL PETTY/LYNCHBURG PROSECUTOR: I PERSONALLY TAKE GREAT OFFENSE AT THE SUGGESTION THAT THIS OFFICE, THE STATE POLICE, THE LYNCHBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT, IS SOMEHOW ENGAGED IN A GRAND CONSPIRACY TO PROTECT THOSE OF A CERTAIN POLITICAL PARTY.))
[SUPER=01-Bill Petty/Lynchburg Prosecutor]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=certain political party.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Petty says the paper's allegations undermine public confidence in his office and hurt the investigative process.

(------------)

[Texas-Storms]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]

In northern Texas, some fierce storms tore through last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ft. Worth, TX;]

The strong thunderstorms began during afternoon rush hoour-- erupting into at least one tornado that flattened several buildings near a power plant.
Several homes were also flattened by the twister, and trees were toppled.
Alton Wilerson was in his S-U-V when he saw the funnel cloud speeding toward him.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:24:44]
[IN Q=And then all of a sudden]
((ALTON WILERSON/RESIDENT: AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS THE WIND TWISTING THE TREES THROUGH MY TRUCK. I JUST LAID OVER IN THERE. A BIG STICK CAME THROUGH AND I JUMPED IN THE BACK SEAT. GLASS HIT ME IN THE FACE. I STARTED TO RUN TO THE HOUSE, BUT THE HOUSE EXPLODED.))
[SUPER=01-Alton Wilerson/Resident;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=but the house exploded.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

No major injuries were reported.
Now residents face the tough task of cleaning up.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

In business news, Intel shares rallied in after-hours trading after the company reported earnings and revenue that were in-line with forecasts.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:16]
[OUT Q=your local stocks]
((INTEL MAY ADD MORE FUEL TO THE MARKET'S NEWFOUND RALLY... AFTER THE CLOSING BELL, THE COMPUTER CHIP GIANT REPORTED PROFIT OF 15 CENTS A SHARE IN THE FIRST QTR, THAT WAS RIGHT ON TARGET.. INTEL ALSO OFFERED A BRIGHT OUTLOOK FOR REVENUE IN THE CURRENT QTR. SINCE INTEL IS BOTH A MEMBER OF THE DOW AND THE NASDAQ, THAT REPORT IS SURE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON TODAY'S TRADING ACTION.
THE HEADLINERS FOR TODAY'S EARNINGS HIT PARADE INCLUDE..

(gr)IBM, FORD, JP MORGAN, MERRILL LYNCH, PHILIP MORRIS AND PFIZER,

(oc)
INVESTORS WILL ALSO BE FOCUSED ON CAPITOL HILL WHERE FED CHIEF ALAN GREENSPAN WILL ADDRESS LAWMAKERS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY. INVESTORS WILL BE LISTENING FOR CLUES AS TO WHEN THE FED WILL START RAISING INTEREST RATES.
ON WALL STREET, IT WAS A GOOD OLD FASHIONED RALLY... UPBEAT ECONOMIC DATA AND EARNINGS LIT A FIRE UNDER STOCKS.

(gr)
THE DOW ROCKETED 206 POINTS

(gr)
A RED HOT RALLY FOR THE NASDAQ UP 61 POINTS

(gr)
GENERAL MOTORS, JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, NOVELLUS AND TEXAS INSTRUMENTS WERE PRAISED FOR THEIR EARNING REPORT CARDS AND ROSY PROFIT OUTLOOKS.

(gr)
TRACK ALL THE PRE-MARKET ACTION AT CBS.MW.COM ... AT THE NASDAQ

(oc)
I'M AC IN NY.))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM]

[Powell]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A lot more talk, but not much action towards peace in the Middle East--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-West Bank;]

Secretary of State Colin Powell is wrapping up his trip to the region.
Powell has ended his meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat this morning, and is expected to host a news conference in Jerusalem.
Yesterday, Powell met with Israeli leader Ariel Sharon, who seems to be softening his stance on Arafat.
Sharon says he's open to the idea of an international peace conference, and he doesn't care who the Palestinians send.
(------------)

[11Falwell]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-05 TC1:35:25]
[GRAPHIC=Jerry Falwell]

A victory in federal court for the Reverend Jerry Falwell in his battle to let churches across Virginia incorporate.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

A federal judge ruled on Monday that the state ban on "church incorporation" is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment.
The measure has been on the books since the 18th century when state leaders were trying to prevent churches from becoming too powerful.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:56:04]
[IN Q=It's one of]
((JERRY FALWELL, JR./ATTORNEY: IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TIMES IN HISTORY THAT A STATE CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN OVERRULED BY A FEDERAL COURT. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT THE COURT AGREES WITH US THAT THESE LAWS WERE DISCRIMINATORY TOWARDS CHURCHES AND RELIGION AND THAT THEY WERE A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Jerry Falwell, Jr./Attorney]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=the First Amendment.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Falwell is also challenging state limits on how much land a church can own.
A hearing in that case has not been scheduled.
(------------)

[Space-Teacher]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

It's been 16 years since NASA sent a teacher into space, only to have her and the rest of her crew killed in the Challenger explosion.
Now, the teacher-in-space program is back.
Gretchen Carlson has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Barbara Morgan/NASA's First Education Mission Specialist; :32]
[SUPER=01-Sean O'Keefe/NASA Administrator; 1:05]
[SUPER=01-Gretchen Carlson/Reporting; 1:15]
[RUNS=1:23]
[OUT Q=Carlson, CBS News, New York.]
((

(NAT - 10:11:16 laughing)

(TRACK)

Astronaut Barbara Morgan has never given up hope go into space. For the last 16 years she s waited but never stopped working.

(NAT - 10:10:21)
You want to line up your straight edge with you.

(TRACK)
A teacher for most of her professional life Morgan has also been a student at NASA learning everything from the science of space to survival training while still having fun. (show leap frog 10:11:54) But now, as NASA s first education mission specialist Morgan will experience space the real way assigned to a space shuttle mission in 2004.

(SOT - 10:27:59) Barbara Morgan - NASA s 1st Education Mission
Specialist Teachers are patient and persistent and that is how we do our job so well in the classroom.

(TRACK)

Morgan has seen the risk firsthand. In 1986, she was the back up to teacher Christa McAuliffe for the Challenger mission. Morgan says she won t be fulfilling McAuliffe s dream as much as carrying it on.

(SOT - 10:36:34) Barbara Morgan - NASA s 1st Education Mission
Specialist My personal feeling about risk we encourage kids to take risks in our classroom if you don t risk you re not going anywhere.

(TRACK)

NASA administrator Sean O Keefe says through Morgan he hopes to inspire young students to think about careers in space.

(SOT - 10:18:43) Sean O Keefe - NASA Administrator
We need to think very proactively about future generations with education a fundamental premise.

(TRACK)

Educator and student, Barbara Morgan will soon be a full-fledged astronaut as well. Gretchen Carlson, CBS News, New York. ))

(Kimberly tosses to bump)

[bump-chyron]

[comm #3]

[11Missing-Child]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=02-08 TC1:15:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Police say a "missing child alert system" came to the rescue when a four year old boy disappeared on Monday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Monday Night]

Taimere Robinson on the left was mistaken for the boy on the right and picked up by a stranger at a nearby park.

Within an hour of his disappearance, police activated "Amber Alert".
It's a system by which media are alerted to the disappearance and immediately break into programming with a description of a child and the abductor.
The man who mistakenly took the boy returned him after seeing the police alert on television.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Other indpendent]
((SHELLY ALLEY/ROANOKE POLICE SPOKESPERSON: OTHER INDEPENDENT WITNESSES SAW THIS CHILD APPROACHED BY A MAN, CALL HIM BY NAME, PUT HIM IN THE CAR AND DRIVE OFF. THAT MET THE CRITERIA. THERE IS VERY STRICT CRITERIA FOR IT TO MEET FOR USE TO USE THIS.))
[SUPER=01-Shelly Alley/Roanoke Police Spokesperson]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=use this]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This is the first time Amber alert has been used since it was put in place last May.
(------------)

[1st-Business]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ckor]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

In business news this morning, More than a million jeep wranglers and S-U-V's are being recalled.
Here's Barton Eckert with a look at the morning's top business stories..
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Barton Eckert/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:37]
[OUT Q=in Washington.]
(( GOOD MORNING THIS WEDNESDAY THE 17TH OF APRIL.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS MORNING.
--------------------------

UP UP AND AWAY.... . NAME THE SONG WITH "FEEL GOOD" LYRICS. AND YOU HAVE WHAT HAPPENED TUESDAY ON WALL STREET AS STOCKS SOARED TODAY THE LATEST ON THE TRADE DEFICIT FOR FEBRUARY
ON ASIAN MARKETS OVERNIGHT .. IN TOKYO .. THE MARKET UP.
--------------------------

ANOTHER RECALL: THIS TIME IT INVOLVES MORE THAN A MILLION JEEP WRANGLERS AND S-U-V'S.
SAFETY REGULATORS SAY THERE IS AN ENGINE PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. ON THE RECALLED LIST ARE JEEP WRANGLERS FROM MODEL YEAR 2000 THROUGH 2002...
JEEP CHEROKEES FROM 2000 THROUGH 2001...
AND GRAND CHEROKEES 19-99 THROUGH 2002.
--------------------------

THAT MAY NOT BE THE LAST OF THE JEEP RECALLS...
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAYS THIS MORNING THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS SO UPSET WITH CRITICISM SO IT PLANS TO LOWER THE SUSPENSION OF THE NEW JEEP LIBERTY S-U-V TO EASE ROLLOVER POTENTIAL.
--------------------------

HYUNDAI IS GETTING READY TO BUILD CARS IN THE U-S. THE COMPANY HAS BROKEN GROUND ON IT'S FIRST U-S PLANT IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA .
THE NEW, ONE BILLION DOLLAR FACILITY IS EXPECTED TO BRING WITH IT 2-THOUSAND JOBS.
-------------------------- MORE OF US ARE SURFING THE WEB - BUT
NOT BUYING.
THE CONSUMERS UNION, FINDS MOST OF US WHO SHOP AROUND ON THE 'NET DON'T TRUST IT.
IT SAYS ONLY 26 PERCENT TRUSTED E-COMMERCE SITES - WHILE ONLY 29 PERCENT TRUSTED ADVICE SITES.
SMALL BUSINESSES, NEWSPAPERS, AND TV NEWS WERE THE WEBSITES THAT MOST PEOPLE TRUST.
--------------------------

AND THAT'S YOUR FIRST BUSINESS CHECK ON THE MORNING'S TOP BUSINESS HAPPENINGS..
I'M BARTON ECKERT IN WASHINGTON.))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM]

[Med-Day]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin Health Check]

In medical news, studies show that millions of diabetics are not getting the care they need - which is putting them at risk for more problems. And a new dance crave for middle school aged girls that is good for their health.
Melissa McDermott has those stories and more in this morning's Health check.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Melissa McDermott/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
((MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WITH DIABETES AREN'T RECEIVING THE KIND OF CARE THEY NEED, ACCORDING TO A PAPER IN THE ANNUALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE. TWO LARGE NATIONAL STUDIES FOUND THAT 18 PERCENT OF DIABETIC PATIENTS HAD POOR BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL. 34 PERCENT HAD HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND 58 PERCENT HAD HIGH CHOLESTEROL. DOCTORS SAY THE ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED ACROSS THE BOARD.

(ON CAM)
IMAGINE FEELING SEASICK ALL THE TIME. THAT'S WHAT IT CAN BE LIKE FOR PEOPLE WITH MENIERE'S DISEASE. TOO MUCH FLUID AND PRESSURE IN THE INNER EAR CAUSES CONSTANT DIZZINESS. BUT THE TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS DON'T WORK FOR EVERYONE. SO SOME ARE TURNING TO THIS NEW MACHINE CALLED THE MI-NET DEVICE. THE GENERATOR SENDS TINY PULSES OF PRESURE.. SIGNALING THE INNER EAR TO STOP PRODUCING SO MUCH FLUID.
AND IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR BRITNEY SPEARS, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THESE GUYS. BUT THESE KIDS AREN'T LEARNING HOW TO DANCE, THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO WORK OUT. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH IS USING HIP-HOP DANCING TO MAKE EXERCISE COOL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS IN SEVEN U-S CITIES. ORGANIZERS SAY SO FAR THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. IF IT STAYS THAT WAY THE DANCE CLASSES COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE.
AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S TOP HEALTH STORIES. I'M MELISSA MCDERMOTT, CBS NEWS, NEW YORK.))

[6-Stanley-Furniture]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Stanley Furniture currently imports ten percent of its product... the company president says the number will jump to 30 percent within three years.
It's a way to keep prices down, he says.
But what that means for local manufacturing plants is unknown.
The Stanleytown-based company employs three thousand people who make dining room, bedroom, home office and children's furniture.

[6-LifeGuard]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=02-09 TC1:05:03]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Some Radford University students are learning what it's like to be a part of Life Guard 10.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Brad Lee is one of the students participating in the Flight Nurse Internship program.
Several times a month he goes out with crew on calls. He's there- -not only to observe- -but to assist with injured and sick patients.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT10:09:52]
[IN Q=The learning experience has been great]
((BRAD LEE/RADFORD NURSING STUDENT; THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN GREAT. THE CREW IS REALLY GOOD ABOUT TAKING STUDENTS IN AND MAKING US FEEL PART OF FLIGHT CREW... LETTING US EXPERIENCE NEW THINGS))
[SUPER=01-Brad Lee/Radford Nursing Student]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=letting us experience new things]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Life Guard 10 crew members hope this will help students figure out if this is the right career choice for them.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT10:17:00]
[IN Q=They keep us on our toes]
((SUSAN SMITH/FLIGHT NURSE; THEY KEEP US ON OUR TOES WE ALWAYS HAVE TOE TO LEARN THE MORE WE TEACH THEM SO IT WORKS FOR BOTH OF US))
[SUPER=01-Susan Smith/Flight Nurse]
[RUNS=07]
[OUT Q=so it works for both of us.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Lee is one of two Radford University nursing students as well as two College of Health Sciences paramedic students participating in the program this semester. (------------)