WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 10/21/02

[News-Heads]

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[VO-NAT]

It COULD be a major break in the sniper investigation.
At least one man is under arrest near Richmond after police surround a white van at a gas station.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And Amherst county authorities are investigating this morning's murder of a Lynchburg man.
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]

A cool damp day to start out our work week...bt drier air's not that far away...I'll have your forecast...
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly 2-Shot]

News 7 at Noon starts right now...

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
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[VO-NAT]

There's been massive police activity at a gas station near Richmond.
Right now, there's no confirmation that it's linked to the serial sniper.
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[Sniper-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at Noon]

Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
Developments are quickly unfolding today--
Police near Richmond surrounded a white van at a gas station this morning.
They took a man who was in the van into custody, and have towed the vehicle away.
A second man at a gas station across the street was also taken into custody.
The Maryland police chief who's heading the investigation says police are going to "respond to a message" they've received.
Meanwhile, there's been no confirmation that the latest shooting over the weekend is connected to the sniper.
Aleen Sirgany is in Rockville, Maryland today and joins us now with the latest on the investigation.
[LIVE=NEWSPATH/FULL]
[SUPER=01-Aleen Sirgany/CBS News;]
[SUPER=05-Rockville, MD;]

((ROLLCUE:...))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Near Richmond;]
[SUPER=01-Charles Moose/Montgomery Co., MD Police Chief;]
[SUPER=05-Rockville, MD;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=back to you.]
(( pkg: IT COULD BE A BREAK IN THE SNIPER CASE.
A DRAMATIC SCENE... DOZENS OF POLICE AND A-T-F AGENTS SURROUND A WHITE VAN WITH A ROOF RACK IN A GAS STATION PARKING LOT NEAR RICHMOND VIRGINIA . A MAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE STOPPED NEAR A PHONE BOTH... POLICE QUICKLY LOADED IT ON A FLATBED TRUCK...AND DROVE AWAY.
AS THIS WAS HAPPENING.... MONTGOMERY COUNTY'S POLICE CHIEF DELIVERED THIS CRYPTIC MESSAGE. POSSIBLY SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE SNIPER FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO DAYS.

SOT: CHIEF CHARLES MOOSE/MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD POLICE: the message that
needs to be delivered is that we are going to respond to a message that we have received. We'll respond later. ``we are preparing our response at this time.
THE CHIEF AGAIN ANSWERED NO QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS MESSAGE...OR ABOUT THE POLICE ACTIVITY IN VIRGINIA.
TODAY'S COMMENTS CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE THAT BEGAN AFTER SOMEONE APPARENTLY LEFT A PHONE NUMBER AT THE ASHLAND SHOOTING. THE RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH REPORTS THE NUMBER WAS FOUND IN THE WOODS BEHIND THE PONDEROSA RESTAURANT ALONG WITH A LENGTHY MESSAGE. ))

[Amherst-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]

A Lynchburg man is dead after a shooting early this morning in Amherst County.
Authorities responded to a call at Smitty's Restaurant on Route 60 east of the town of Amherst around two o'clock.

They found 26-year-old Eugene Payton Davis lying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Davis died after being taken to the hospital.
Police say a suspect vehicle was stopped in Nelson County a short time later.
Seven people were inside the car, but authorities have not said whether any arrests have been made.

[Australia-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

A shooting rampage on a university campus in Australia has left two people dead and eight wounded.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Melbourne, Australia;]

A man armed with several handguns opened fire in a university classroom in Melbourne.
Police say he would have probably taken more lives had a group of students not tackled the gunman to the ground..

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=If he hadn't]
((IF HE HADN'T BEEN TACKLED, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCE ON OUR HANDS.))
[SUPER=01-Trevor Parks/Police Superintendent; quick!!]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=on our hands.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Parks says the incident is not likely related to terrorism.
The suspect is described as an Asian-looking man in his mid-30s.
He's now in police custody.
There's no word yet on a motive.
Classes were called off for the day in the building where the attack took place.
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[Bush-Drugs]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Prescription Drugs]

At the White House this morning, the attention was on the high cost of prescription drugs.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]

President Bush announced plans to bring generic drugs to the public more quickly, by blocking pharmaceutical companies filing patent- protection lawsuits.
Bush estimates that would save consumers and insurance plans more than three- billion dollars.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=We will reduce]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=especially our seniors.]
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[VO-NAT]

Right now, drug companies can tie up generics for years by filing multiple legal claims, each of which automatically extends a patent for 30 months.
Bush's rule would grant only one extension.
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[Viagra]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Health Watch]

A popular prescription drug could soon have some competition.
But it's not a generic that is challenging Viagra.
Dr. Mallika Marshall tells us about some researchers working on a promising alternative.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Boston, MA; :00]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Irwin Goldstein/Boston U. Institute for Sexual Medicine; :56]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Mallika Marshall/CBS News; 1:08]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS]
((This patient "John" who did not want his face or name used in our story has suffered from impotence for the past ten years.
He tried taking Viagra, even at the maximal recommended doses but didn't notice an improvement...

SOT: "JOHN"/PATIENT
Its very frustrating.. when somethings supposed to work and it doesn't
Narr: So he decided to take part in a clinical trial studying the effectiveness of a new - alternative - to Viagra called Levitra.
(lee-vee-tra) -
With Levitra, he got immediate results.

SOT: "JOHN"/PATIENT
It was working, I had no headaches, no dizziness, after I took the pill, within an hour saw I was getting an erection.
even though there haven't been any studies yet here in the u-s directly comparing viagra and Levitra..
Researchers say Levitra is already showing promising results in trials and may even be a better drug for some patients.

SOT: It is faster, more soluble, lasta longer and is more potent so you need
less drug, is more selective so it has less side effects. we expect it to be a wonderful drug.
STANDUP: Dr. Goldstein who just created the nation's first Institute for sexual medicine at Boston University is also helping to develop several other Viagra alternative.

SOT: Dr. Goldstein
I'm actually involved with about six other companies making Viagra like drugs.. to we will have by 2010 about eight Viagra like drugs.
As for Levitra.. the company expects it will receive final approval and be available to patients by prescription sometime next year. Dr. Mallika Marshall, CBS News.))

[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Still to come on the newscast, a boat fire kills one person, two others are missing.
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[VO-NAT ]
Also we will see what a local history museum is doing to make sure it has a future.
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[music up full] [comm1]

[Alaska-Boat]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Explosion]

At least one crew member is dead and two others are missing after a fishing boat catches fire off the coast of Alaska.
Five people suffered serious injuries in the explosion.
The Seattle- based boat was carrying a crew of 25 and an observer from the National Marine Fisheries Service.
No word yet on what caused the explosion.
The fishing boat was about 750 miles southwest of Anchorage at the time.

[11Tech-Cuts]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=02-37 TC-50:12]
[GRAPHIC=Budget Cuts]

The Appropriations Committee of the House of Delegates paid a visit to Virginia Tech. The topic of state budget cuts was high on the agenda.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger talked to the committee about research efforts and the University's economic role in southwest Virginia.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 48:51:28]
[IN Q=We're one of the]
((CHARLES STEGER/PRESIDENT VIRGINIA TECH: WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS YOU KNOW WITH OVER 6,000 EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE RESEARCH EXPENDITURES, LAST YEAR 236 MILLION DOLLARS AND IN ADDITION, JUST AN EXAMPLE THIS WEEKEND WE HAD 65,000 PEOPLE COMING IN FOR THE FOOTBALL GAME SO WE ARE A VERY IMPORTANT ENGINE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE WHOLE WESTERN REGION OF VIRGINIA.))
[SUPER=01-Charles Steger/Virginia Tech President]
[RUNS=21]
[OUT Q=region of Virginia]
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[VO-NAT]
Steger says the latest round of budget cuts are so large the school can't absorb the loss without harming the institution. When added together he says the cuts equal more than 70- million dollars. To put things in perspective, Steger says the operating budget for the College of Engineering alone is 40- million. The Appropriations Committee spent the afternoon touring a few key research labs and the "Smart Road." Today the committee plans to visit the Roanoke Valley Governor's School before heading to Carilion Health Systems for another meeting.
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[11History-Museum]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-38 TC-51:35]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Virginia's Museum of Natural History in Martinsville is considering how to make do with less money. Justin McLeod has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Kathy Lineberry/Museum Visitor; :12]
[SUPER=01-Stephen Pike/Museum Director; :32 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=@justin1; :53]
[RUNS=1:41]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7, Martinsville]
((((NAT SOUND OF COMPUTER TALKING AT 24:55))
If you've ever wanted to learn about our natural history then the place to go is here at Virginia's Museum of Natural History.
[SOT 31:02]
[IN Q=It's a great place]
((KATHY LINEBERRY/MUSEUM VISITOR: IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BRING YOUR KIDS TO LEARN ABOUT NATURAL HISTORY. IT'S FUN.))
[Runs= 08]
[OUT Q=it's fun]

It hasn't however been fun for the museum's employees.
On Tuesday, Governor Warner ordered the museum to cut its budget by 15-percent.
The next day, the museum's director was forced to lay-off six full-time workers.
[SOT :57]
[IN Q=We're cut to the bone]
((STEPHEN PIKE/MUSEUM DIRECTOR: WE'RE CUT TO THE BONE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF OPERATING THE BUILDING BUT WE CAN DO IT.))

[Runs= 05]
[OUT Q=we can do it]

It won't be easy.
The museum already laid off three employees earlier in the year.
The latest round of cuts eliminated the exhibits department.
Luckily, future shows are already planned well into next year.
[SOT 46:03]
[IN Q=Not all of it is]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: NOT ALL OF IT IS BAD NEWS FOR THE MUSEUM. THE NEARLY 15-MILLION DOLLARS IN BONDS NEEDED TO BUILD A BRAND NEW FACILITY ARE STILL INTACT. IT WILL BE BUILT HERE ON STARLING AVENUE AND CONSTRUCTION IS SET TO BEGIN SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.))
[Runs= 13]
[OUT Q=sometime next year]
((NAT SOUND OF OPENING DRAWER AT 16:03))
The new building is needed now more than ever.
The current facility is too small and is more than 80 years old.
But for now, the museum will try to make the best of its current building and the state's financial crisis.
[SOT 2:26]
[IN Q=We'll be doing more fundraising]
((STEPHEN PIKE: WE'LL BE DOING MORE FUNDRAISING AND OUR SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE HELPED OUT WILL HAVE TO STEP UP AND WE'LL HAVE TO FIND NEW SUPPORTERS. BUT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING PRIMARILY TO THE FOLKS WHO ALREADY KNOW THE VALUE OF THIS INSTITUTION WHO CAN BRING OTHERS ALONG.))
[Runs= 10]
[OUT Q=bring others along]

After all, the museum could face even more state cuts later this year.
That's why the museum's director believes public support is needed now more than ever as the museum attempts to write a new chapter in its history.
Justin McLeod, News 7, Martinsville.))

[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Still to come on the newscast, Leo will have the detailed forecast.
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[VO-NAT ]
Plus we will see if some People in the Philippines were able to get their foot in the door of the Guiness Book of World Records.
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[Big-Shoe]

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

Only someone taller than the Statue of Liberty can fit into THESE shoes--
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Marikina, Philippines;]

Manufacturers in the town called the "shoe capital of the Philippines" have made the world's largest shoe.
It was created to promote Marikina and its shoe- making industry.
The mayor says they'll register the giant shoe in the Guinness Book of World Recrods.
Constructed of black leather amounting to about a thousand square feet, the shoe took nearly two months to complete.
Based on research, the shoe would fit a person standing 125 feet tall.
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[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]

On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was UP 74 points. The NASDAQ dropped three.

[super=460-x/74/y/3;]

[tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Coming up in sports... Anaheim takes a crack at even-ing the score with San Francisco for the World Series...
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And two Winston Cup drivers change lanes for the race winner in Martinsville... a re-cap from the Old Dominion 500 is straight ahead...
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[S-MLB]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net F]
[GRAPHIC=World Series 6114]
Anaheim and San Francisco are tied at one game apiece in the World Series after the Angels clinched last night's game...
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Anaheim, CA/MLB-Fox Sports]
In what turned out to be a wild back-and-forth offensive show, Anaheim grabbed a 5-to-0 lead in the first. The Giants came right back with four runs in the second inning. Jeff Kent homered in the third for the Giants. Anaheim had tied the game at nine with a run in the sixth on a two-out single by Garret Anderson. But it was Tim Salmon's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning that led Anaheim to a 11-to-10 win. The World Series is now tied at one game each.
Game three is tomorrow night in San Francisco.
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[S-Race]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-125 1:23:14 TC]
[GRAPHIC=Martinsville Speedway]
Rough grooves in the corners didn't slow Ward Burton as he led a race high 145 laps in the Old Dominion 500 in Martinsville. But Kurt Busch led the pack for the most important circuits, and goes on to win his second short- track race of the season. Steve Mason has a race recap.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ricky Rudd/Finished 3rd; :36]
[SUPER=01-Kurt Busch/Old Dominion 500 Winner; 1:52]
[SUPER=01-Johnny Benson/Finished 2nd; 2:02]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 2:11]
[RUNS=2:29]
[OUT Q=...news 7 sports""]
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[WIPE WIPE WIPE]

[S-Results]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kgu]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=WIPE]

[WIPE WIPE WIPE]

[SUPER=#556]
[SUPER=X5013;]
[SUPER=0106-1. Kurt Busch//2. Johnny Benson//3. Ricky Rudd//4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.//5. Ward Burton//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0106-6. Jimmie Johnson//7. Ricky Craven//8. Dale Jarrett//9. Rusty Wallace//10. Mark Martin//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0106-11. Tony Stewart//12. Bobby Labonte//13. John Andretti//14. Mike Bliss//15. Ryan Newman//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0106-16. Steve Park//17. Jeff Burton//18. Michael Waltrip//19. Matt Kenseth//20. Dave Blaney//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0106-21. Casey Atwood//22. Terry Labonte//23. Robby Gordon//24. Jimmy Spencer//25. Bobby Hamilton//;]
[RUNS=:25]
[OUTCUE=last driver."]

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[SUPER=#555;reset;]

[S-Falcons]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-122 TC13348]
[GRAPHIC=Falcons]

At the Georgia Dome, Michael Vick returned to the field after sitting out last week with a shoulder sprain.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA/Fox Sports; :00]

Vick and the Falcons dominated the Carolina Panthers in Atlanta, sending the Panthers to their 4th straight loss.

Vick threw for 178 yards and rushed for 97 more, including this 44 yard run into the endzone.
He tiptoed down the sideline avoiding several would-be tacklers.
Vick only played three quarters, but the Falcons beat the
[SUPER=30-Carolina/0/Atlanta/30/;]
Panthers 30 to nothing.
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[11Cheerleading]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-36 TC-1:11:37]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
There was plenty to cheer about in Roanoke over the weekend.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The city's Parks and Recreation Department hosted the seventh annual Cheerleading Olympics at Victory Stadium.
The event allows cheerleaders ages 6 to 14 to perform their routine in front of other squads without having to compete.
Each team had six minutes to perform a chant, a cheer, and a dance routine.
More than 200- cheerleaders from 19- area squads took part.
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[Quickcast]
[WXPRO/FULL] FINAL LOOK AT THE WEATHER
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