WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 08/13/02

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

A local hospital's adding onto its building but cutting its workforce.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
The term "gang- land" conjures up images of Chicago or L-A. Add Lynchburg to the list.
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[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 Sports - Vick and Dunn halor back from Falcons' camp with Steve Mason. The Roy Stanley auction gets a big boost from an RU professor.
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[VO-NAT]
And the Fleming Colonels are looking to rebound this season. Thet are in the Friday Football Extra preseason spotlight tonight.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Same story, different day. The weather is hot and dry with no relief in the short term forecast. Details ahead.
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[ANCHOR=Shannon 4-Shot]

News 7 at six is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

It's been three months after Memorial Hospital changed hands.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Now, the new owner of the Martinsville facility is eliminating 96 positions.
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[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.
[ANCHOR=SHannon 2-Shot]

And I'm Shannon Young.
[Hospital-Layoffs]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-26 TC54:26]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Province Healthcare announced the reorganization this morning... saying the hospital needed to bring costs in line with industry standards. [HOSPITAL LAYOFFS GRAPHIC]
[TOSS ACROSS=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Pulpit;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Joe Dashiell spent the day in Martinsville and has more tonight on the lay-offs.
Keith and Shannon, Province Healthcare had agreed to retain all employees for a year after the company acquired Memorial Hospital.
[LIVE=JoeD /FULL Pulpit]
[SUPER=@joe1;]

But officials say it became apparent that changes would be required.
Province will pay severance through the anniversary of the acquisition, May 15th of next year, but the news came as a surprize to workers we spoke with this afternoon.
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[VO-NAT]
[***JOE'S MIC HOT***]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville;]

Province officials say they're making the changes now, because the transition will be easier during the summer months when the hospital sees fewer patients.
Officials say the changes will allow them to operate more efficiently, while maintaining the quality of patient care.
They say the changes will not affect plans for hospital improvements including the renovation of the top three floors and the addition of a permanent M-R-I unit.
(--------------------)
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Pulpit]

Province officials declined to be interviewed on camera today, but they said the reorganization would allow the hospital to reach industry staffing levels... and would not eliminate positions in areas that provide direct patient care.
[TOSS ACROSS=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Pulpit;]

But Keith and Jean, today's news is another blow for the Martinsville Henry County community, and for the dismissed workers, some of whom had been with the hospital for many years.

[Salem-Land]

[ANCHOR=Shan]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=02-21 TC1:31:56]
[GRAPHIC=NEw Jobs]

Meanwhile, there's good news for Salem.
A food distributor is expanding its facilities and its workforce there, thanks to the City and the Governor.
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[VO-NAT :18]
[SUPER=03-Salem;]
US Foodservice is building three new buildings at its Hammit Road location. Salem will pitch in by building an access road. City Council voted to buy the necessary land for 5-hundred thousand dollars but will have assistance to the tune of 3-hudnred thousand dollars from the Governor's Opportunity Fund.
(///// SOT at :18 /////)
[SOT 11:42:13-11:42:28]
[IN Q=That's 600-thousand between our money and state money...]
((JOE YATES/SALEM PLANNING DIRECTOR: THAT'S 600-THOUSAND BETWEEN OUR MONEY AND STATE MONEY AND APPROXIMATELY 100-THOUSAND FOR A ROAD AND 1-HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF FORT LEWIS BLVD. AND WEST MAIN STREET.))
[SUPER=01-Joe Yates/Salem Planning Director;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=of Fort Lewis Bldv. and West Main Street.]
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[VO-NAT :10]
US Foodservice will pick up the extra one hundred thousand dollar tab. Yates says he hopes to see construction on the access road completed in about six months.
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[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[SS=None]
US Foodservice chose to stay in Salem rather than move to possible sites in North Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland, where the company's headquartered. The expansion includes the addition of 200-new jobs.

[Evonitz]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-31 TC20:26]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

The murders of three Spotsylvania County girls nearly seven years ago have been solved.
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[VO-NAT]

Investigators say D-N-A evidence proves that Richard (ee-VONN'-its) Evonitz kidnapped and killed 16-year-old Sofia Silva in 1996 and sisters Kristin and Kati Lisk in 1997.
Police also linked fibers from his car and apartment to all three girls.
Evonitz lived near Fredericksburg at the time of the murders.
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[SOT 16:51:42]
[IN Q=pLEASE]
((RON LISK/VICTIMS' FATHER; PLEASE HANG ON TIGHT TO YOUR CHILDREN... TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM EVERYDAY.))
[SUPER=01-Ron Lisk/Victims' Father;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=everyday.]
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[VO-NAT]

Evonitz killed himself in June, as police in Florida tried to arrest him for the kidnapping and rape of a 15-year-old South Carolina girl.
Investigators say he has not been linked to any other unsolved murders.
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[L'burg-Council]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-24 TC1:11:22]
[GRAPHIC=None]

F-B-I statistics show 94 percent of mid- to large-sized cities have a problem with gangs.. you can now count Lynchburg among their ranks.
Police there say they're going to need some help getting a handle on the problem before it escalates out of control.
Steve Smallshaw reports.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Lynchburg police say]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Todd Swisher/Lynchburg Police Dept.; :30]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Wayne Duff/Lynchburg Police Dept.; :44]
[SUPER=01-Bill Petty/Commonwealth's Attorney; 1:13]
[SUPER=@ssm2; 1:20]
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[OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.]
(( Lynchburg police say roughly a half-dozen gangs are operating in the Hill City.. their members are more heavily armed than ever and the crimes they're committing are getting more violent.
[natsot 15:16:22]
((YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A MAN RIGHT HERE WALK AROUND, AND HE WILL ACTUALLY START FIRING A WEAPON, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FOUR MUZZLE FLASHES COMING FROM HIS HANDGUN, AS HE'S RUNNING TOWARDS THAT WHITE JEEP.))
[RUNS= 10]

This shootout at a local pizza place was just one of several recent gang-related shootings, that have left one teenager dead and several other people wounded.
[SOT 14:51:03]
((LT. TODD SWISHER/LYNCHBURG POLICE: ALL THESE AFOREMENTIONED GANGS ARE ESTABLISHED, FAIRLY WELL-ORGANIZED AND EXTREMELY TERRITORIAL (11) WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT SURPRISING CONSIDERING THEY CONTROL THE STREET-LEVEL DRUG SALES IN THE CITY OF LYNCHBURG.))
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[OUT Q=city of Lynchburg.]
[SOT 15:04:36]
((LT. WAYNE DUFF/LYNCHBURG POLICE: THEY ARE PROTECTING A BELIEF OF THEIRS AS WELL AS A TERRITORY, AND WHEN THESE TERRITORIES GET CROSSED, THAT'S WHEN WE START HAVING THESE VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS.))
[RUNS= 09]
[OUT Q=violent confrontations.]

It's just a matter of time, authorities say, before innocent people are caught in the crossfire.
Prosecutor Bill Petty told city council today the time to act is now.
[SOT 15:25:32]
((BILL PETTY/COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: WE HAVE A BRIEF MOMENT OF OPPORTUNITY TO GET AHEAD OF THIS PROBLEM. ONCE IT BECOMES INGRATIATED IN LYNCHBURG, I FEAR QUITE FRANKLY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME AS WE SEE IN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES AND CHICAGO AND SOME OF THESE BIGGER CITIES.))
[RUNS= 15]
[OUT Q=these bigger cities.]

City leaders say they may form a task force to start studying the problem and look for some solutions.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))

[West-Nile]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=West Nile Virus]

The Roanoke Health Department says it will continue to test dead birds for West Nile, after finding yet another another one with the virus.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/File Tape]

Officials say a dead crow found last Thursday along the railroad tracks near 19th Street and Salem Avenue tested positive.
Those resuls came back from the state lab in Richmond yesterday.
This bird is the third found in the Roanoke Valley to have the virus.... another was found in Patrick County.
Officials say they will continue to test dead bluejays, crows and raptors for the virus until ten positive cases are discovered.
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[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]

Still ahead on NEws 7 at Six.... one area county claims it biggest pot bust ever.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Plus Giles County tries to get the word out about water restrictions... we'll see how residents are responding, next.
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[Giles-Water]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-33 TC13:33]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The well is running dry in Giles County. Officials say the main water source for 4-thousand connections is falling to its lowest level since being opened.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
They're now asking residents to help the situation by conserving water.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Rachel /Microwave;]
New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel Cannon joins up from our Blacksburg newsroom tonight with more on the story, Rachel? Keith and Shannon at this point the restrictions are voluntary.
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL Microwave]
[SUPER=@Rachel1; ]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg]
People are being asked not to wash their car or water their lawns and plants...they're also encouraged to use any methods to conserve water. Officials hope some significant rainfall and conservation will help recharge the system.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Steve Mertz/Giles Co. Resident; :14]
[SUPER=01-Don Cumbee/Giles Co. Public Service Authority; 1:05 QUICK]
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[OUT Q=BUT WE WOULD.]
((NATS The water is still flowing at the local car wash. Many Giles County residents are only just hearing about voluntary water restrictions. Steve Mertz says now that he knows, he'll do his part.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 47:40:04]
[IN Q=AS FAR]
((STEVE MERTZ/GILES CO. RESIDENT; AS FAR AS WATERING LAWN AND STUFF THE GRASS IS ALREADY DEAD SO WHY WATER IT.))
[OUT Q=IT]
Public Service Authority Director Don Cumbee says the well dipping from 80 feet to 30 feet is a serious concern. He uses an advanced computer system to monitor levels.
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[SOT 1:45:48]
[IN Q=this is]
((DON CUMBEE/GILES CO. PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY; THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD ANY TYPE DROP THIS DRASTICALLY.))
[OUT Q=DRASTICALLY.]
It's also the first time the have had to ask residents to conserve since going online in 19-99. The PSA serves residents of the county and six localities. All which are seeing drought conditions.
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[SOT 47:02:13]
[IN Q=I KNOW]
((STEVE MERTZ/GILES CO.; I KNOW WE NEED A LOT OF RAIN, WE HAD A LOT A RAIN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN WE HAD THOSE QUICK FLOODS BUT FLOODS IS REAL QUICK AND GONE.))
[OUT Q=GONE.]
Cumbee says flood aftermath may play a small role, if any, in the current water woes .... water usage was high during clean up efforts... but he says its really the lack of rain that is more to blame.
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[SOT 1:46:18]
[IN Q=it is]
((IT IS DRAMATICALLY INFLUENCED BY THE AMOUNT OF RAINWATER WE RECEIVE.))
[OUT Q=RECIEVE.]
[BUTT BUTT BUTT]
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[SOT 1:46:53]
[IN Q=we're]
((WE'RE HOPING WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO MANDATORY RESTRICTIONS BUT WE WOULD.))
[OUT Q=WOULD]))
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[LIVE= Rachel /FULL Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
Cumbee says they would do that before using emergency water sources, but that right now he can't say when that may happen...
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Rachel /Microwave;]
... for now they are dealing with the problem with by using reservoirs with adequate water supply.

[Kent-Square]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-28 TC31:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Blacksburg Town Council will vote on a controversial development plan tonight.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Month;]
The Kent Square project is proposed to be built here in downtown Blacksburg. It includes a parking garage and retail space. Tonight town officials are expected to vote in favor of the project and enter into an agreement with private developers. Some residents have spoken out against it - - saying the project is too big for the area, will create traffic hassles and require too much money from the town. The meeting is set for 7:30. The public will be allowed to speak during the comment period.
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[Barnette]

[ANCHOR=keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

A federal jury in Charlotte has sentenced convicted killer Aquila (A-keel-ia) Barnette to death ... for a second time.
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[VO-NAT :15 MAX]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/File]

Barnette was convicted of killing a man at the Charlotte airport and stealing his car in 19-96 .. then killing his former girlfriend, Robin Williams, in Roanoke. An appeals court overturned his first death sentence two years ago.
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[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=SHannon 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Stocks sank late in the day, after the Federal Reserve decided not to cut interest rates. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/206.50/8482.39/y/37.57/1269.27;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW lost 206 and a half points.
NASDAQ dropped 38.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-h/1.21/50.01/i/1.00/32.00/h/0.07/61.32/i/1.09/67.36/i/0.04/15.59;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.16/5.84/i/1.10/61.20/i/1.05/56.87/i/1.30/30.95/i/0.29/14.79;]
[SUPER=273-i/1.17/43.80/i/0.43/19.17/i/0.76/20.28/i/0.17/1.83//Unchg/49.35;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.25/11.55/i/1.39/64.67/i/0.70/29.40/i/0.67/34.80/h/0.30/48.71;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Carroll-Pot]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
It's the biggest pot bust in Carroll County history.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Today-- authorities seized more than 12- hundred marijuana plants they say is worth more than a million dollars.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE MAP FULL] The plants-- which ranged from one to 12- feet tall, were found inside two greenhouses in the Wards Gap section of the county. Authorities later charged 47- year old Jerry Wayne Chappell of Cana with manufacturing marijuana.
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[Spence]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-32 TC40:19]
[GRAPHIC=Spence Sentencing]
The owner of George's Place has been telling federal investigators what he knows about the crack cocaine trade, but it hasn't helped him... so far.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/January]
George Spence was sentenced today to serve 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute crack. If he comes up with information drug enforcement agents can use, Spence may be back for a reduction in sentence. But for now the government has not filed a motion to reward him for "substantial assistance." In the meantime Spence has agreed to give up the proceeds from the sale of his Antiques Store on Williamson Road and his Cadillac .
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Spence's co-conspirator, Ronnie Neamo was ordered to undergo "intensive drug treatment" as part of the TEN -year sentence he got today.

[Police-Graduation]

[ANCHOR=SHannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=02-23 TC1:13:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Roanoke Police Academy says its latest class is ready for duty.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Eight new officers pinned on their badges and joined the Roanoke City force today.
Roanoke County's police department added four members during ceremonies at the Jefferson Center.
They started their training ten months ago.
The class is the 48th to graduate from the Roanoke Police Academy.
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[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on the Big 7 - we'll meet the man who has helped take the Roy Stanley memorial auction to a new level. Fleming is in the Friday Football Extra spotlight tonight.
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[VO-NAT]
And Steve Mason visits with Vick and Warrick Dunn tonight at Falcons' Camp.
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[S-Auction]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=ROY OBIT]

We begin tonight with some more information about the upcoming Roy Stanley Memorial auction that is coming up this Thursday night at the Salem Civic Center. So many people from so many walks of life have donated items to make this a success in Roy's memory. But no one has kicked in more that Radford University professor Dr. Denny Templeton.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=THE NICE...]
[SUPER=01-Denny Templeton/Radford University Professor; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=...ABOUT IT."]
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[VO-NAT con't]
Templeton has donated more than 200 items including the Ken Griffey Junior autographed bat. The Dick Butkus, Joe Montana and Jim Brown footballs. The Bart Starr autographed Packers helmet and the Hank Aaron autographed cap just to mention a few.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=we just...]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=...sort of clicked.]
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[S-Colonels]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-104 1:41:18]
[GRAPHIC=FFE]

William Fleming was 5 and 5 in its' first season in the Blue Ridge District. This year, the Colonels return 13 starters.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]

Fleming is huge this year with a line that should tower over the opposition in 2002.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Keith Smith/Fleming Football Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=.....will be a plus for us"]
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[VO-NAT]

The Colonels return seven defensive starters and six offensive starters. The quarterback and fullbacks are back and there is speed at wide out.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=........about those positions"]
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[S-Dunn]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-128 41:20]
[GRAPHIC=NFL]

With the recent addition of Michigan State star T.J. Duckett, the Atlanta Falcons will field one of the most electrifying backfields in the NFL. The core of that unit right now is Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn. Steve Mason has more.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Greenville, SC; :00]
[SUPER=01-Warrick Dunn/Falcons Running Back; :10(QUICK)]
[SUPER=01-Dan Reeves/Falcons Head Coach; :30]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :42]
[SUPER=01-Michael Vick/Falcons Second Year Quarterback; :56]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA; 1:27]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=....News 7 sports" ]
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((NAT SOUND))
((The Falcons ignored their budget when they signed Dunn to a six year deal worth a reported 25 million dollars. ((:))
There was a very distinctive sound each time Michael Vick handed off to Dunn in training camp. Dan Reeves hopes cameras aren't the only things clickin with the Atlanta offense this season. The addition of Dunn should help. ((:)) ((:)) ((:)) ((:))
Dunn played most of last season with a painful toe injury and still posted a career best 68 receptions. Healthy physically and also mentally, now that t he Falcons are NOT using him as a straight a head runner as Tampa Bay did. ((:))
Duckett, who looked sharp in short work against Jacksonville in a pre season game last Thursday, delivers a jolt of competition for Dunn. Steve Mason News 7 sports.))