WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 02/11/03

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Norfolk Southern is quelling fears about possible contamination after a local train derailment.
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[VO-NAT :04]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
And, Virginia's Supreme Court marks a memorable first.
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[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News & Sports - lots to talk about at Daytona including a big crash today. Plus, Travis Wells joins us from the track with the latest on this year's Winston Cup rookies.
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[VO-NAT]
And the 49ers name Dennis Erickson their new head coach this afternoon.
(------------)

[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Interesting week weatherwise, with flurries, very strong winds, a quiet spell them more wintery precipitation this weekend. We will put it all together for you.
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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]
A Norfolk Southern train headed toward Roanoke jumps the tracks.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Two people are hurt and there's a big mess to clean up.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

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

And I'm Shannon Young.
[Derailment]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-02 TC22:52]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

It may be days before investigators determine the cause of a train derailment this morning in Pulaski County.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Myranda & Keith-Shannon/Microwave;]
New River Valley Bureau Chief Myranda Stephens has details. Keith and Shannon, the train was traveling from Bluefield to Roanoke,
[LIVE=Myranda/FULL]
[SUPER=@Myranda1;]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
when it derailed around three this morning at the end of Gate-10 Road behind the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.
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[VO-NAT]
[****MYRANDA'S MIC HOT****]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.;]
The train was carrying limestone and grain, when 13-cars and three locomotives fell off track. Officials say the spill did NOT release any hazardous materials, but haz-mat crews were called-in to clean up a small amount of oil that leaked from one of the engines. Officials say the cleanup process may take another day or so, but overall, people who live in the area should not be worried.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:54]
[IN Q=NO THEY'RE REMAINING]
((JOHN CASEY/EMS DIRECTOR: THEY'RE REMAINING ON SCENE JUST FOR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. MOSTLY FOR THE WORKERS THERE'S A LOT OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT BEING USED TO MOVE THAT. BUT, NO THREATS TO LIFE IN THE AREA, NO THREATS TO PROPERTY OTHER THAN THE DAMAGE THAT'S ALREADY OCCURRED, SO PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL JUST FINE AND BE AWARE THAT IT'S WELL BEING TAKEN CARE OF 24:14))
[SUPER=01-John Casey/EMS Director;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=TAKEN CARE OF]
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[VO-NAT]
[****MYRANDA'S MIC HOT****] A two-man crew was operating the train. Both men suffered only minor injuries and were taken to Carilion New River Valley Center where they were treated and released.
(-------------)
[LIVE=Myranda/FULL]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
And while the cause of the derailment is still under investigation...
[DOUBLE BOXES=Myranda & Keith-Shannon/Microwave;]
A spokesperson for Norfolk Southern says it appears there wasn't any outside interference or reason to believe this was a terrorist attack.

[Poindexter]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-53 TC46:49]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]
It was Jermaine Poindexter's mother who identified him as a suspect in the fatal fire at Hurt Park last year.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/May]

The victim, Alice Diane Jackson, was found dead inside her apartment on 18th Street with her hands bound behind her back. Her two young children later died of smoke inhalation. An affidavit filed in federal court today says Poindexter's mother, Peggy Helms, came forward within days of the fire saying her son was responsible. The A-T-F also credits her with providing information that led to Poindexter's arrest last month in Louisville.
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=HOLD]
This morning her other son allegedly threatened to burn down her home and kill her. He'll appear before a U-S Magistrate tomorrow.

[Child-Abuse]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mpu]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Roanoke woman faces two counts of child abuse after her children were found with illegal drugs in their systems.

On Sunday, 32-year old Tonya Gordon was having a dispute with a male acquaintance in the presence of her 3-year-old and 5-year-old sons when the police were called.
Officers confiscated drug paraphanalia and cash.
Child protective services placed the children in foster care. They're said to be doing fine.
Gordon was also charged with obstruction of justice and possession of a controlled substance.
She was released on a three-thousand dollar bond, with a trial date in April.

[XGR]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-51 TC1:22:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Virginia drivers may soon have to buckle up or get pulled over.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

The House Transportation Committee voted 11 to 10 today to make failure to wear a seat belt a primary offense.
That means the police can stop and ticket you for not buckling up.
Currently, they can only do that if you're pulled over for something else.
The primary seat belt law had been defeated by the same committee earlier in the session.
The bill also increases the penalty for failure to wear a seat belt.
The legislation now goes to the floor of the House of Delegates for a vote.
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[Hassell]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-48 TC1:41:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It's a historic first for Virginia...
today Leroy Rountree Hassell (has-SELL) Senior was sworn in as the Supreme Court's first black chief justice.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Meghan/State Microwave]

Richmond Bureau Chief Meghan Muldoon was at the investiture of the Court's newest Chief Justice.
She joins us now from the State Capitol.
Hassell, the youngest member of the court,
[LIVE=Meghan Full/State Microwave]
[SUPER=@meghan1;]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]

was sworn in as the 24th Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=LEROY ROUNTREE HASSELL SENIOR]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=01-Leroy Hassell/Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice; :]
[SUPER=01-Doug Wilder/Former Governor; :]
[SUPER=01-Del. Viola Baskerville/(D) Richmond; :]
[SUPER=01-Del. Morgan Griffith/(R) Salem; :]
[RUNS=:]
[OUT Q=HELPS THEM DO THAT.]
(([NAT SOUND - standing ovation]
Leroy Rountree Hassell Senior was sworn in before a standing-room-only crowd.
Hassell, a 47-year-old Norfolk native, is the state's first black chief justice in its 224-year history.
But the U-V-A and Harvard Law grad does not want to be known solely for his race.
[SOT 11:39:46]
[IN Q=I DO NOT WISH TO SERVE]
[RUNS:15]
[OUT Q=AND ITS PEOPLE.]

Former Governor Doug Wilder said electing a black chief justice shows how far minorities in the once-Confederate state have come.
But he says there's still got a long way to go.
He cited the repeal of the estate tax as one of the examples of how the General Assembly is turning back the clock.

[SOT 12:55:57]
[IN Q=WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEING FIRED]
[RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE/FIGHT CONTINUES.]

Some members of the black caucus agree that cutting state services in order to give a tax break to the wealthy may hurt minorities.
[SOT 15:53:44]
[IN Q=WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAJORITY]
((DELEGATE VIOLA BASKERVILLE/D-RICHMOND: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAJORITY OF VIRGINIANS WITH RESPECT TO ECONOMIC DISPARITY, CERTAINLY COMMUNITIES OF COLAR ARE GOING TO BE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE DISPARATELY IMPACTED.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=THOSE PEOPLE DISPARATELY IMPACTED.]

But Salem Delegate Morgan Griffith says repealing the estate tax is not an issue of race but of economics.
[SOT 15:03:31]
[IN Q=INSTEAD OF BEING THE ODD MAN OUT]
[RUNS:13]
[OUT Q=HELPS THEM DO THAT.] ))
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[LIVE=Meghan Full/State microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]

(adlib)
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Meghan/State microwave]

[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]

A three year plan to fight welfare fraud in the Hill City finally gets results.
That's next on News 7 at Six.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Plus if you've been keeping an eye on the rising price of gas, your not alone.
We'll see how some truckers are trying to deal with the jump.
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[Welfare-Fraud]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-50 TC1:11:32]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Her lawyer calls her offense more of a "technical violation" than the crime of the century.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

But Cheryl Mays' guilty plea to welfare fraud today marked a sort of milestone for both social workers and prosecutors in Lynchburg.
Steve Smallshaw explains.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Deborah Matteucci]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Deborah Matteucci/Welfare Fraud Investigator; :16]
[SUPER=01-Mike Doucette/Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney; :48]
[SUPER=@ssm2; 1:23]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.]
(( Deborah Matteucci has been investigating welfare fraud in Lynchburg for three years.
Tuesday marked the first time she's brought a case to court.
56-year-old Cheryl Yvonne Mays pleaded guilty to receiving more than two thousand dollars worth of food stamps she wasn't eligible for.
[SOT 22:35:07]
((DEBORAH MATTEUCCI/WELFARE FRAUD INVESTIGATOR: IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. IT WAS A PERSONAL VICTORY, I GUESS, ON A LOT OF LEVELS FOR THE AGENCY AND FOR MYSELF BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT THIS IS NOT TOLERATED IN THE CITY OF LYNCHBURG.))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUT Q=city of Lynchburg.]

Matteucci gets about 15 potential cases a month, but bringing fraud suspects to justice hasn't been easy.
She agrees with prosecutors the cases can be labor-intensive and difficult to present to a judge or jury... which may be why it's reportedly been years since welfare fraud has been prosecuted in Lynchburg.
[SOT 1:23:18]
((MIKE DOUCETTE/DEPUTY COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: IT REALLY HASN'T TAKEN SO LONG IN THE SENSE THAT ANY WHITE COLLAR CRIME IS TOUGH TO DO. WHITE COLLAR CRIMES GENERALLY ARE VERY LABOR- INTENSIVE AND WE'VE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT HERE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO SIT DOWN WITH SOCIAL SERVICES, DISCUSS THE CASES AND COME UP WITH A CERTAIN FRAMEWORK IN HOW TO PRESENT THESE CASES IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY.))
[RUNS= 21]
[OUT Q=most effective way.]

Now that the first case is done, more are on the way.
[SOT 1:25:19]
((DOUCETTE: IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THESE CRIMES AND THAT HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH SOCIAL SERVICES AND WELFARE.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=and welfare.]

Mays will be sentenced in April.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg. ))

[Graham]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mpu]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

An investment broker wants to take his business experience to Virginia's House of Delegates.
Democrat Tom Graham will announce his candidacy next Monday for the Fifth district seat.
Graham believes new emphasis on vocational training, along with a new requirement for unemployment recipients to continue their education, will help Southwest Virginia's substantial unemployment rate.
Republican Bill Carrico currently represents the Fifth House district, which includes Galax and parts of Grayson, Carroll, Smyth and Wythe counties.

[Diesel-Fuel]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=02-47 TC1:47:03]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Trucking companies are keeping an anxious eye on the rising cost of diesel fuel.
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[VO-NAT :17]
[SUPER=03-Troutville;]
Local truck stops are charging close to a dollar seventy a gallon with bulk fuel rates at about a dollar sixty-six. This time last year, truckers were paying about a dollar fifteen.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The fuel manager at a one local trucking company says he thinks current events are to blame.
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[SOT 1:03:38-1:04:01]
[IN Q=I guess because of the simple fact...]
((CHARLIE STEVENS/FLEETMASTER EXPRESS FUEL MANAGER: I GUESS BECAUSE OF THE SIMPLE FACT THAT SOMEBODY SAID WE WERE GOING TO WAR... IT COMES DOWN TO PRICE GOUGING. THE PRICE HAS GONE UP 10-CENTS IN TWO DAYS, 20-CENTS IN THREE DAYS AND IT KEEPS GOING UP. THERE'S NO RHYME OR REASON, IT'S UP AND DOWN SO OFTEN IT'S HARD FOR US TO MAINTAIN.))
[SUPER=01-Charlie Stevens/Fleetmaster Express Fuel Manager;]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=hard for us to maintain.]
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[VO-NAT :10]
Stevens says, should the price of diesel continue to climb, Fleetmaster may have to raise the fuel surcharge it passes onto its customers.
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[Stocks]

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

An already sluggish stock market took a turn for the worse late in the session after the release of a tape purportedly of Osama bin Laden. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/77.00/7843.11/y/1.17/1295.51;]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The DOW dropped 77 points.
NASDAQ lost a point.
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[VO]
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[SUPER=272-i/0.16/6.60/i/1.13/53.75/i/0.55/39.85/i/0.13/22.50/i/0.18/4.20;]
[SUPER=273-i/1.14/39.63/i/0.15/14.04/i/0.50/18.83/i/0.17/2.86/i/0.54/37.55;]
[SUPER=274-h/0.25/9.49/i/0.94/54.28/i/0.41/36.93/i/0.57/34.42/h/0.23/47.25;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[County-Supers]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-49 TC1:31:22]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-SHot]

Roanoke County's busiest fire and rescue station, and one of the most remote will both receive help under a plan approved by the Board of Supervisors this afternoon.
[ANCHOR=SHannon 2-Shot]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Newsroom;]

Joe Dashiell has more on a vote that will bring additional paramedic firefighters to Hollins and Catawba.
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Joe1]

Keith and Shannon, the county has been working to reduce response times and improve coverage when volunteers are not available.
Today, the supervisors decided to fill ten more career positions.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=And it's just no way]
[SUPER=@Church; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :16]
[SUPER=@Flora; :32]
[RUNS=:55]
[OUT Q=meet its heavy demand.]
(([SOT TAPE 1 02:50:33]
[IN Q=And it's just no way]
((AND IT'S JUST NO WAY, YOU CAN DO 30 MILES AN HOUR 35, 40. YOU CAN'T DO A LOT OVER THAT. AND THAT'S JUST TO GET TO THE STATION YOU'RE TALKING OVER EIGHT MINUTES OR NINE. THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE EMERGENCY CALL ARE AT THE STATION, AND WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT.))
[RUNS= :14]
[OUT Q=and we know they're not.]

The drive up 311 takes time, too much time, Butch Church believes, for the crews at the Mason's Cove to reach many Catawba residents.
But as Church requested three paramedics for Catawba, county officials also recommended additional help for the county's busiest station at Hollins.
[SOT TAPE 1 02:54:47]
[IN Q=Today, four thousand calls]
((TODAY FOUR THOUSAND CALLS FOR CAREER AND VOLUNTEERS COMBINED IS A LOT OF PEOPLE. THAT'S A LOT OF CALLS FOR THOSE PERSONNEL.))
[RUNS= :10]
[OUT Q=for those personnel.]

The supervisors ultimately approved the equivalent of ten full time positions... making permanent four positions assigned to Mason's Cove last May, three for new career staff at Catawba, and another three to help Hollins meet its heavy demand.))
(-------------)
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]

Despite today's vote, the additional help won't arrive overnight.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Newsroom;]

Keith and Shannon, the county must hire recruits, and send them to the training academy, so it could be late fall before they're on the job.
(QUESTION: WHERE WILL THEY FIND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THESE NEW POSITIONS?)

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sports tease]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 Sports - the Niners finally get a head coach. Travis Wells checks in tonight from Daytona with a look at this year's rookie crop in Winston Cup racing.
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[VO-NAT]
Plus, one of those rookies caused a major problem today at Daytona as a multi-car crash marred Cup practice at the track.
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[S-Daytona]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-145 TC2521]
[GRAPHIC=Nascar 2003]

The learning curve for rookies in Nascar Winston Cup racing is a pretty steep one. Travis Wells examines the drivers in the class of 2003 as they try to earn their stripes with the big boys.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio..]
[SUPER=03-Daytona, FL; :00]
[SUPER=01-Greg Biffle/2002 Busch Series Champ; :22]
[SUPER=@travis1; :46]
[SUPER=01-Jamie McMurray/Won in 2nd Cup Start; :53]
[SUPER=01-Casey Mears/Ganassi Racing Rookie; 1:31]
[RUNS=1:50]
[OUT Q=News 7 Sports."]
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[S-Crash]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-147 2124tc]
[GRAPHIC=NASCAR 2003]

Speaking of Jack Sprague the outspoken and often hard headed rookie learned a painful lesson today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Daytona Beach, FL; :00]

Sprague caused a five car accident during Cup practice this morning as the cars were heading into turn one. He ran into Steve Park and Mike Skinner and in effect blocked the track for everyone else. Jeff Burton and Elliott Sadler ran right into the mess. Burton, Sadler and Skinner all had to go to back-up cars. That means they will be in the back of the field for Thursday's Twin qualifiers. No one was injured in the wreck.
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[S-Gordon]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-143 2624tc]
[GRAPHIC=JEFF GORDON]

Jeff Gordon's personal life again spewed over into the track at Daytona - or at least it tried to get in the gate.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Concord, NC/1999; :00]
Attorneys for his estranged wife Brooke tried to subpoena car owners at the Daytona International Speedway, but guess what? NASCAR officials didn't allow those serving the papers into the track. Brooke's lawyers have asked to examine the contracts other car owners have with their drivers and sponsors to determine what Jeff is worth as a car owner.
(------------)
[TALENT=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD JEFF]
However, you can run, but you can't hide and as he left the track today - a sheriff's deputy handed Gordon's former car owner, Ray Evernham, his subpeona.

[S-Niners]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-137 4529TC]
[GRAPHIC=nfl]

The San Francisco 49ers have one of theNFL's most storied franchises, but for a few weeks it looked like the team couldn't find a head coach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL; :00]
Finally today, the Niners hired Dennis Erickson away from Oregon State. Local fans will remember Erickson when he won a couple of national titles and went 63-and-9 in six years at the University of Miami. However, he was just 31-and-33 in his four years in the NFL with the Seahawks.
(------------)

[S-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Tech hoops]
The suddenly red-hot Virginia Tech men's basketball team swings back into action tonight in Miami as the Hokies take on the slumping Huricanes.
Tech is 10-and-11 overall and 3-and-5 in the Big East. We'll have some highlights of this one for you tonight at 11.

[S-Bimbo]

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

Former Hokie Bimbo Coles will be back on the NBA hardwood tonight. The Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Bimbo Coles was activated today after missing two months and a total 31 games with a bruised thigh. Coles is now 34. He was averaging 5 points a game before his injury.