WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 09/06/02

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]

We're going to take a break from U-S Open coverage for News 7 at Six.

Coming up tonight... the reward in the Jennifer Short case grows by leaps and bounds.
(XXXXXXX)
[LIVE=Microwave Cam]

Plus fans are already headed to the Roanoke Civic Center to see Elton John.
Find out how you can avoid the crush.
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[Sports-head]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Tonight in sports, a preview of tomorrow night's battle between Virginia and South Carolina
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[VO-NAT]

and qualifying results from the state capitol, where Jimmie Johnson blistered RIR for his 4th pole of the season.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Because of the extreme drought, AEP warns boaters to be very careful on Smith Mountain Lake this weekend. Sunshine and seasonal temperatures will be in place.
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[ANCHOR=Shannon 3-Shot]

News 7 at Six is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
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[TAPE#=Video Open]
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[VO-NAT - :10+]
Reward money pours in from all over the country in hopes of bringing out information out about the apparent abduction of 9 year old Jennifer Short and the murders of her parents.
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[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at 6]

Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.
Keith is off tonight.

[Missing-Girl]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-28 TC1:01:44]
[GRAPHIC=Jennifer Short]

Henry County Authorities say the reward for information about the disappearance of Jennifer Short and the murder of her parents has grown substantially .
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[VO]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co./File Tape; :00 (QUICK)]
Currently, about 57-thousand dollars is being offered for information in the case. Twenty thousand dollars was donated by an unnamed individual in Virginia. More than eleven-thousand was raised by private funds at three local banks. A donation of ten thousand dollars was made by an employer of a Short family member. And an additional ten thousand dollars came from a reward fund for three tourists murdered at Yosemite National Park in California 3 years ago. Henry County, Martinsville, and Crimestoppers have pitched in a total of three thousand dollars, and a Crimestoppers bike ride raised nearly that much. Meanwhile, authorities have NOT released any additional information about the investigation.
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[Bank-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-36 TC32:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]
They had a lead ... but Henry County authorities say they're still looking for a suspect in a bank robbery this morning. Officials say a man with a handgun approached a teller opening the front doors at Patrick Henry National Bank around 6:30 . He pushed the teller inside, demanded money and fled on foot towards King's Mountain Road.
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[VO-NAT]
The suspect is described as a thin white male. He was last seen wearing a lightweight black jacket, black backpack and black jeans. Call the Henry County Sheriff's Office if you have any information on the case....
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[Elton]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-34 TC23:40]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Rocket Man touches down in Roanoke for a repeat performance tonight.
Elton John is expected to perform in a front of a crowd of more than ten thousand people.
That will undoubtedly lead to traffic jams and a parking shortage.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Justin /Microwave;]

Justin McLeod joins us now live to tell us how the Civic Center plans to avoid any problems... Justin?
Shannon, the key tonight is to come early, have a lot of patience and follow the signs.
[LIVE= Justin /FULL Microwave]
[SUPER=@justin1]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]

The show is still two hours away and already people are beginning to line up.
And this traffic will only get worse before it gets better.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Nat Truck]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Robyn Schon/Roanoke Civic Center; :28]
[RUNS=:43]
[OUT Q=accomodate everybody.]
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[VO-NAT]
[***JUSTIN'S MIC HOT***]
[SUPER=04-February 1999]

The show begins at 8 o'clock.
We're told it will last two and a half hours and Elton John plans to play many of his old favorites as well as songs from his new album titled: "Songs from the West Coast."
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[LIVE= Justin /FULL Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
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[DOUBLE BOXES=Justin and Shannon /Microwave;]

[Goodlatte]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-24 TC1:48:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Members of Congress voiced the nation's sorrow over the loss of lives on September Eleventh...
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[VO-NAT - :17 - 12:53:49]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
More than 300 House and Senate members were on hand for the opening of a special congressional session at Federal Hall in New York City. It's the site where Congress first met more than two centuries ago, and just a few block from where the World Trade Center's Twin Towers stood a year ago.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT - 16:17:35]
[IN Q=It was a celebration...]
((REP. BOB GOODLATTE/(R) 6TH DISTRICT; IT WAS A CELEBRATION OF OUR COUNTRY, OUR DEMOCRACY, THE FREEDOM THAT WE ENJOY AND A MESSAGE TO THOSE THAT WOULD ATTEMPT TO TAKE THAT FREEDOM AWAY FROM US, THAT THIS CONGRESS, THIS COUNRTY IS RESOLVED TO FIGHT TERRORISM. ))
[SUPER=10-Rep. Bob Goodlatte/(R) 6th District/GOP TV;]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=to root out terrorism.]
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[VO-NAT - :11+]
It was mostly a symbolic gathering -- but many lawmakers say the special session was a necessary show of support for New York and its people as the anniversary of September Eleventh approaches.
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[September-11]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-26 TC1:25:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Governor Mark Warner is calling on Virginians to remember September 11th by renewing their ties to their country and communities.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Warner visited the Virginia Air National Guard's headquarters near Richmond today to thank the troops.
Hundreds of Virginia guard members were called into active duty just after the September 11th attacks.
Warner says he hopes the country will regain the sense of unity Americans felt following the tragic events.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 10:41:22-44]
((GOV. MARK WARNER: MY HOPE IS THAT WHAT WE WILL TAKE OUT OF THIS SEPTEMBER 11TH REMEMBRANCE IS ONE A COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL WIN THIS WAR AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERROR AND WE WILL NOT BE COWED. BUT AT THE SAME TIME ON A MORE IMMEDIATE LEVEL WHAT EVERY VIRGINIAN CAN DO IS WE NEED TO RENEW THAT SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, COMMITMENT TO OUR COUNTRY.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner]
[RUNS=:22]
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[VO-NAT]

Warner says the image of smoke billowing from the Pentagon will be etched in his memory forever.
The Governor plans on attending the observance ceremony at the Pentagon next week to mark the first anniversary of the attacks.
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[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[SS=NONE]

Virginia Tech is putting more police officers on campus.
More on that story when News 7 at Six returns.
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[VO-NAT]

Plus the latest on an accident that shut down Route 460 this morning.
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[Bedford-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-31 TC42:57]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

An accident in Bedford County injured two men, one seriously, today...
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[VO-NAT :17]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]
State Police say a pick-up truck collided with a farm tractor while driving on Route 460 around 11 a-m. Both were in the right hand land traveling East when officials say the truck was unable to stop. The driver of the tractor was transported by Lifeguard-10 for his injuries.
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[SOT 2:46:08]
[IN Q=the driver]
((TROOPER BRANDON LONG/VIRGINIA STATE POLICE; THE DRIVER OF THE TRACTOR THERE IS SOME QUESTION WHETHER HE WAS THROWN OFF THE TRACTOR OR HE GOT OFF ON HIS OWN AND GOT OFF ONTO THE GRASS.))
[SUPER=01-Trooper Brandon Long/State Police;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=ONTO THE GRASS]
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[VO-NAT]
The road was closed while the helicopter landed and traffic restricted to one lane during clean-up.
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[Motel-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Department arrrested three suspects just minutes after a hotel robbery early this morning. Shortly before one o'clock, two armed men in masks robbed the Comfort Inn near Interstate 81.
Minutes later, deputies encountered two men in a blue Cadillac who matched the descriptions of the suspects.
Deputies arrested 27 year old Sterlin G. Dawson, the second, and 25 year old James Theodore Ramsey. Both face armed robbery and firearms charges.
Authorities say 25 year old Angela Laverne Perdue was driving the car at the time of the arrest. She was also charged with armed robbery.
Deputies say they found a pellet gun, two masks and cash in the suspects' car.

[Jefferson-Place]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-27 TC1:21:51]
[GRAPHIC=None]

There's a snag in the foundation of the Eight Jefferson Place apartment complex in downtown Roanoke. Construction is solid and right on target, with the building set to be finished in mid October. The small problem developers are running into involves financing...
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Rachel /Newsroom Pod;]
joining us with more is Business Reporter Rachel Cannon.... Shannon, At least two tenants who have pre-leased apartments on the first and second floors are unable to move in.
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;]
The locations are ready but a thing called tax credits is standing in the way. Tax credits are used to finance historic projects, so the Eight Jefferson Place effort qualified.
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[VO-NAT :22]
[***RACHEL'S MIC HOT***]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
It's a 12 point five million dollar conversion of the former Norfolk and Western Railway office building into 87-apartments. Tax credits are awarded, they're sold to investors and the proceeds help fund the project.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Ed Murray with Roanoke's redevelopment housing authority says a California company has been hired to sell those tax credits but haven't yet. Officials hoped it would have been finished by now.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:14:07]
[IN Q=part of the]
((EDWARD MURRAY/ROA REDEVELOPMENT & HOUSING AUTHORITY; PART OF THE TAX CREDIT RULES ARE THAT YOU CANNOT OCCUPY THE BUILDING UNTIL THE TAX CREDITS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SOLD TO THE FINAL INVESTOR AND SO FOR THAT REASON THE TAX CREDITS HAVEN'T BEEN SOLD TO THE FINAL INVESTOR AND FOR THAT REASON WE'RE NOT ABLE TO OCCUPY THE BUILDING YET.))
[SUPER=01-Edward Murray/Roa. Redevelopment & Housing Authority;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=BUILDING YET.]
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[VO-NAT]
The contractor on the project also has to order a certificate of occupancy from the city to get tenants in the building. But officials say they don't expect that to take more then a day.
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[LIVE= Rachel /FULL NEwsroom Pod]
Murray stresses the financing on the project is solid. He says they hope to have the tax credit situation sorted out by next week. If that's successful - - he expects people to be able to move in by next Thursday or Friday.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Rachel & Shannon / Newsroom Pod;]
Shannon, Were told the people waiting for their apartments are staying in hotels while they wait it out.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Stocks ended a volatile week with a winning effort. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-x/143.50/8427.20/x/44.29/1295.29;]

The DOW climbed 143 and a half points.
NASDAQ gained 44.
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[VO]
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[SUPER=274- /Unchg/11.10/h/0.45/67.40/h/0.41/29.83/h/0.67/36.24/h/1.84/52.78;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[Tech-Police]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-32 TC1:30:12]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[***ANCHOR TAG***]
With some help from the federal government, the Virginia Tech police department is hoping to increase its presence on campus...by increasing its worforce.
Myranda Stephens has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-File Tape; :00]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :18]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Debbi Morgan/VA Tech Police Dept.; :39]
[SUPER=@Myranda2; 1:19]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=News 7, Blacksburg. ]
(( If there's one incident police in Blacksburg may never forget--it's this one.
(NATS OF DISTURBANCE)
Last weekend's mob of football fans downtown is why Virginia Tech police say they need more help.
(MORE NATS)
[SOT 25:03]
[RUNS :03] ((ALL OF THE OFFICERS WE CAN GET WILL DEFINITELY HELP (LAUGHS)) )
But, thanks to a 300-thousand dollar grant from the U-S Department of Justice, the university will soon hire three additional police officers.
The Community Oriented Policing grant was awarded to hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the country, but, Virginia Tech was the only one in our region to get funding.
[SOT 23:06]
[RUNS :13] ((THREE YEARS OF THE GRANT, THE SALARIES FOR THE OFFICERS ARE PAID BY THE GRANT WITH THE DEPARTMENT PICKING UP IN THE THIRD YEAR ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE SALARY AND BENEFITS. THE FOURTH YEAR THE UNIVERSITY HAS COMMITTED TO RETAIN THOSE OFFICERS THROUGH THE FOURTH BUDGET YEAR.))
Lieutenant Morgan says over the past year, the department has worked hard to increase its presence on campus, with the addition of two satellite police stations.
All the more reason why it could use the extra help.
[SOT 24:49]
[RUNS :13] ((LT. DEBBI MORGAN: MORE STUDENTS, MORE BUILDINGS AND THE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WILL DEFINITELY HELP EVEN WITH THE BASIC EVERYDAY CALLS, BUT ALSO THOSE HIGH STRESS INCIDENTS LIKE THE ONE DOWNTOWN AND THE FOOTBALL GAMES WHERE WE HAVE JUST HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO CAMPUS 25:02))
Morgan says the department will begin filling the new positions as soon as possible.
And judging from what happened last weekend, the sooner the better.
Myranda Stephens, News 7, Blacksburg. ))
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[Sports tease]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up in sports, rookies rock the house at Richmond, there's a former Hokie now residing in Huntington. We'll find out who, plus
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[VO-NAT]

the Virginia Cavaliers are gearing up for Lou Holtz and the Gamecocks tomorrow night in Charlottesville.
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[S-Qual]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-132 TC4129]
[GRAPHIC=Nascar]

The Winston Cup cars hit the action track at Richmond International Raceway this weekend, but Bobby Hamilton will sit this one out. Hamilton broke his wrist during last night's truck race, and will miss the next three races. Greg Biffle will be behind the wheel of the 55 Chevy this weekend.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond, VA/TNT; :00]

Rookies ruled the day in qualifying this afternoon at the three quarter mile tri-oval. Ryan Newman went out midway thru the round and set the pace with a lap at 125.73 miles per hour. That was good enough to knock Johnny Benson from the top spot.
But then along came Jimmie Johnson who made his way around RIR at a speed of 126.145 miles an hour. It's his 4th pole of the season. Jimmie Johnson becomes the first rookie to sit on the pole at Richmond since Bobby Labonte in 1993.
Now here's the complete starting grid for Saturday's Chevy Monte Carlo 400.
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[GO TO QUALIFYING]
[SUPER=#556]
[SUPER=X5016;]
[SUPER=0107-1. Jimmie Johnson/126.145/2. Ryan Newman//3. Dave Blaney//4. Mark Martin//5. Terry Labonte//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-6. Ricky Rudd//7. Todd Bodine//8. Mike Skinner//9. Johnny Benson//10. Jeff Gordon//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-11. Robby Gordon//12. Dale Jarrett//13. Ward Burton//14. Tony Stewart//15. Jeff Burton//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-16. Ken Schrader//17. Jerry Nadeau//18. Bobby Labonte//19. Bill Elliott//20. Ricky Craven//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-21. Jeremy Mayfield//22. Kurt Busch//23. Rusty Wallace//24. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.//25. Matt Kenseth//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-26. Michael Waltrip//27. Kevin Harvick//28. Joe Nemechek//29. Jeff Green//30. Jimmy Spencer//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-31. John Andretti//32. Sterling Marlin//33. Kenny Wallace//34. Casey Atwood//35. Elliott Sadler//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-36. Kyle Petty//37. Greg Biffle/Prov/38. Steve Park/Prov/39. Mike Wallace/Prov/40. Brett Bodine/Prov/;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-41. Geoffrey Bodine/Prov/42. Tim Sauter/Prov/43. Hermie Sadler/Prov/;]
[RUNS=:50]
[OC...LAST NAME]
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[anchor=travis]
[graphic=nascar]

In one other racing note, Tony Stewart is in the spotlight again for all the wrong reasons. Stewart has been accused of assaulting a female fan in Bristol after the Sharpie 500 two weeks ago. Sullivan County Tennessee Sheriff Wayne Anderson says he will turn the results of his investigation over to county prosecutors. Stewart is already on Nascar probation for several similar incidents.

[S-UVA]

[ANCHOR=trav]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=sp-124 1:06:58]
[GRAPHIC=UVa]

The Virginia Cavaliers take on 22nd ranked South Carolina tomorrow night at Scott Stadium. The game should kick off shortly after 7:30.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Columbia, SC; :00]
Under Lou Holtz, the Gamecocks are 18 and 7 over the last two years counting their opening game win this season.
[SUPER=03-Tallahassee, FL;]

The Wahoos are looking for their first win of the season but USC has respect for the Cavs, especially their dual threat at quarterback.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Lou Holtz/Led Gamecocks to 9-2 Record in 2001; :00]
[SUPER=01-Pat Estes/UVa Sophomore Tight End; :22]
[RUNS=28]
[OUT Q=.......this weekend"]
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[S-Football]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Football]

Elsewhere around the state tomorrow afternoon, VMI hosts Davidson as the Keydets look for their first 2 and oh start in 21 years. Liberty welcomes West Liberty College to Lynchburg for a 3-30 kickoff. JMU opens Atlantic-10 play at 6 o'clock against New Hampshire. In the ODAC, Emory and Henry opens the season at 1 at home against Methodist, while Ferrum hits the road for Wesley College in Dover, Delaware. And national runner-up Bridgewater visits McDaniel College.

[S-Tech]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-128 TC1010]
[GRAPHIC=Virginia Tech]

The Virginia Tech Hokies are off this Saturday as they continue to prepare for Marshall at Lane Stadium next Thursday night.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Morgantown, WV/2001 Season; :00]

Hokie fans will recognize at least one familiar face when the Herd thunders into Blacksburg. Marshall linebackers coach Phil Elmassian spent the 85-86 season coaching the Hokie defensive backs and was the defensive coordinator at Tech from 1993 to 1994. Last season Elmassian served in the same capacity at West Virginia.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Bob Pruett/Marshall Head Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=different stuff now."]
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[S-Tennis]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-126 TC5927]
[GRAPHIC=Tennis]

Half of the women's final is set at the U.S.Open. Earlier today, Venus Williams took care of Amelie Mauresmo in three sets.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Flushing Meadow, NY/U. S. Open; :00]

Williams overcame ten double faults and 43 unforced errors to win 6-3, 5-7, and 6-4.
Right now, her little sister Serena is battling with Lindsey Davenport. Williams won the first set and right now Davenport leads 5-3 in the second. (------------)