WDBJ 7 morning news for 01/13/03

[North-Korea]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

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

As North Korea launches new threats against the U-S, the Bush administration may be ready to head to the bargaining table.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Seoul, South Korea;]

Assistant U-S secretary of state James Kelly seemed to make an offer to North Korea.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Once we get]
((JAMES KELLY/ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: ONCE WE GET BEYOND THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE US, PRIVATE INVESTORS IN OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP NORTH KOREA IN THE ENERGY AREA." ))
[SUPER=01-James Kelly/Assistant Secretary of State;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=the energy area.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Experts believe North Korea's threat to resume building nuclear weapons is an effort to force the U-S to negotiate.

North Korea's economy is bankrupt, and in desperate need of grain, oil, money, and energy.
Because of North Korea's recent actions, the U-N could impose economic sanctions against the country.
But its leaders say they would consider any sanctions a declaration of war.
(------------)

[VA-Deployment]

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

Meanwhile, the military build-up continues for a possible war with Iraq.
(---------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Virginia Beach;]

Four Navy ships set sail from Virginia yesterday.
The amphibious landing ship, "Ashland" is shipping out six months earlier than scheduled.
The Navy won't say where exactly the ships are headed.
But the Pentagon plans to have at least 100- thousand troops in the Persian Gulf by the end of the month.
(----------)

[VOB-Star-Solutions]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Morning]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-46 TC 1:28:10]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The future of interstate 81 will head in a new direction this week.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.]

The Department of Transportation has set a Friday deadline for the private sector to submit proposals to widen the interstate.
V-Dot hopes to receive at least two or three proposals.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:30:21; TAPE 2]
[IN Q=We didn't want to put]
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/V-Dot Spokesperson]
((LAURA BULLOCK/V-DOT SPOKESPERSON: WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ANY KIND OF CONFINES ON THE IDEAS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE FOR I-81. CERTAINLY LOOKING AT REMOVING SOME OF THE TRUCK TRAFFIC TO RAILS IS AN IDEA WE WOULD ENCOURAGE, IT MAY NOT BE THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE FOR I-81.))
[Runs=14]
[OUT Q=there for 1-81]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

V-Dot rejected an earlier proposal to widen interstate 81.
Last January, a consortium of private construction companies called Star Solutions unveiled a plan to widen interstate 81 with separate lanes for cars and trucks.
A spokesperson for Star Solutions says it plans to submit a new proposal by the Friday deadline.
(------------)

[AM-Hidden-Valley]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Morning]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-31 TC 45:16]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Tomorrow is an important day for one Roanoke neighborhood.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The Roanoke County school board is seeking a variance to install lights at one of the fields at Hidden Valley Middle School.
The school system says the lights would be used for soccer and football games 30 nights of the year and the lights would be off no later than 11 o'clock.
But many of the nearby neighbors are fighting to stop the project.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 26:16]
[IN Q=I live just two ridges over]
((BOB CAUDLE/NEARBY RESIDENT: I LIVE JUST TWO RIDGES OVER AND I WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE LIGHTS FROM MY KITCHEN AND MY BEDROOM SO I AM JUST VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE TO IT AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE INFRINGED IN THE BACKYARD OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL ADJACENT TO THIS FIELD.))
[SUPER=01-Bob Caudle/Nearby Resident]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=to this field]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Roanoke City board of zoning appeals will actually decide the matter because the school lies within city limits.

The zoning board is scheduled to vote on the matter tomorrow afternoon.
(------------)

[11Virgilina]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-50 TC-36:25]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The Halifax County school board will have to decide AGAIN whether to close an elementary school.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co./January 2002]

A year ago this week, the school board voted to keep Virgilina Elementary school open.
The school system wanted to close it because of declining enrollment and the need for major improvements to the building.
The school board agreed to give residents one year to raise enrollment to 100 students.
Superintendent Dennis Witt says enrollment is up considerably, but only to 94 students.
The school board will re-visit the issue in May and will decide then whether to close the school.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, Wall Street is on a two week winning streak, with the major market averages all higher for the year so far.
Ed Crane has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Ed Crane/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:34]
[OUT Q=I'm EC, CBS Marketwatch, NY]
((THE MARKETS HEAD INTO THIS WEEK ON A HOT STREAK--THE DOW'S AHEAD BETTER THAN 5 PERCENT YEAR TO DATE, THE NASDAQ'S UP NEARLY 8 AND A HALF PERCENT.
DESPITE SOME DISAPPOINTING NEWS FROM THE LABOR DEPARTMENT AND SOME PUZZLING NEWS FROM FORD. THE MARKETS EDGED HIGHER FRIDAY.

(GR)
THE DOW GAINED ALMOST 9 POINTS,

(GR)
THE NASDAQ FINISHED WITH A GAIN OF NINE AND CHANGE.

(OC)
ANALYSTS WERE EXPECTING THE ECONOMY WOULD HAVE CREATED ABOUT 32 THOUSAND JOBS IN DECEMBER,

(GR)
INSTEAD MORE THAN 100 THOUSAND JOBS WERE LOST. MANY OF THEM IN MANUFACTURING, WHERE JOBS HAVE FALLEN FOR 29 STRAIGHT MONTHS. WHETHER YOU LABEL IT A RECESSION OR JUST A SOFT ECONOMY, 2 MILLION JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST SINCE JANUARY 2001, THE WORST TWO YEAR PERIOD SINCE THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION.

(OC)
THE JOBLESS RATE HOLDS AT 6 PERCENT.

(GR)
FORD IS UP ABOUT 2 PERCENT. THE COMPANY SAID IT WILL EARN ABOUT 70 CENTS PER SHARE IN 2003, NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT ANALYSTS ARE EXPECTING. THE DIFFERENCE APPARENTLY A FORD DECISION TO HOLD THE LINE ON PRICES.

(OC)
A FEDERAL COURT SAYS DRUG MAKER WYETH LABS WILL HAVE TO PAY BACK 226 MILLION DOLLARS IN TAX REFUNDS,

(GR)
RULING THAT A TAX SHELTER SET UP FOR THE COMPANY BY MERRIL LYNCH WAS A SHAM. THE BROKERAGE FIRM IS SAID TO HAVE CRAFTED SIMILAR DEALS FOR DRUG MAKER SCHERING PLOUGH AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS MAKER COLGATE PALMOLIVE, BOTH TRADING LOWER.

(GR)
AIRLINE STOCKS TRADED MOSTLY LOWER. A BANKRUPTCY JUDGE HAS ORDERED UNITED AIRLINES MACHINISTS TO TAKE A 13 PERCENT PAY CUT FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 5 MONTHS..

(OC)
SEVERAL MARKET MOVING EARNINGS REPORTS ON TAP THIS WEEK, INCLUDING THE NUMBERS FROM IBM-INTEL-MICROSOFT AND G-E, YAHOO AND E BAY

(GR)
GET MORE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS AT CBS DOT MARKETWATCH.COM

(OC)
I'M ED CRANE, CBS MARKETWATCH, NY.))

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

[11Plane-Crash]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-53 TC-14:20]
[GRAPHIC=C'lotte Plane Crash]
Investigators have wrapped up their on-site investigation into last week's deadly air crash in Charlotte.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 02-50 tc 35:00]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/Wednesday;]
It could take months or even years to issue a final report about the cause of Wednesday's crash just seconds after takeoff. All 21 people on board were killed. Investigators must finish reviewing maintenance records, testing the charred debris and running computer simulations.

While in Charlotte, a team from the National Transportation Safety Board looked at such factors as the plane's weight and balance, recent maintenance and possible turbulence from a larger jet.
(------------)

[Lieberman]

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

Today Senator Joseph Lieberman is expected to add his name to the join the Presidential race.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

The former candidate for VICE President will make the announcement today at the Connecticut high school he graduated from nearly 44 years ago.
Lieberman joins a crowded field with at least four other Democrats in the race.
He'd said that he would NOT seek the presidency in 2004 if Al Gore did.
But the former vice president announced in December he would not run again.
(------------)

[Peoples-Choice]

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

It was a popularity contest among Hollywood's best and brightest.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Los Angeles, CA;]

The People's Choice Awards were held last night in Los Angeles.
"C-S-I" won for favorite T-V drama, and "Friends" captured honors for favorite T-V comedy.
In the reality- based program category, the big winner was "Survivor: Thailand."
Ray Romano, star of "Everybody Loves Raymond" brought home the trophy for favorite T-V actor.
Jennifer Aniston won for favorite T-V actress.
Meanwhile, there was a tie for favorite motion picture between "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Spider Man."
(------------)

[2-Lieberman]

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

We should know later today whether Senator Joseph Lieberman will join the race for the White House.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

The former candidate for VICE President will make the announcement today at the Connecticut high school he graduated from nearly 44 years ago.
Lieberman joins a crowded field with at least four other Democrats in the race.
He'd said that he would NOT seek the presidency in 2004 if Al Gore did.
But the former vice president announced in December he would not run again.
(------------)

[2-11Virgilina]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-50 TC-36:25]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The Halifax County school board will have to decide AGAIN whether to close an elementary school.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Halifax Co./January 2002]

A year ago this week, the school board voted to keep Virgilina Elementary school open.
The school system wanted to close it because of declining enrollment and the need for major improvements to the building.
The school board agreed to give residents one year to raise enrollment to 100 students.
Superintendent Dennis Witt says enrollment is up considerably, but only to 94 students. (------------) The school board will re-visit the issue in May and will decide then whether to close the school.