[1Joe-Wx]

[ANCHOR=Joe]

[NEWSCAST=Thurs-AM]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-07 TC 32:46:11]
[GRAPHIC=none]


(Leo and Joe adlib)


[DOUBLE BOXES=Leo weather Center /Joe Patio;]


[LIVE=Joe /FULL]
[SUPER=@Joe1]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]

Leo, we've seen some rain in the last couple of hours... but no serious snow or sleet.
There is a glaze on some roads this morning... but the plows and spreaders have been busy... even making it down many neighborhood streets overnight.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Another morning]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=07-Bread Bethel; :20]
[RUNS=:32]
[OUT Q=just drive careful and slow.]

((Another morning, another blanket of light snow over downtown Roanoke.
Drivers will find standing water... and plenty of slippery spots...
But the plows and chemical spreaders have been able to stay ahead of this storm...
and this morning, downtown roads... and the region's highways are in reasonably good shape.
[SOT 15:37]
[IN Q=It's not bad]
[RUNS= :14]
[OUT Q=just drive careful and slow.]))
[LIVE=Joe /FULL]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]

Good advice for anyone who is out in it this morning... Despite a rash of minor accidents last night, it has been pretty quiet this morning, Kimberly
[DOUBLE BOXES=Joe on Patio /Kim at Desk;]

But folks need to keep an eye on the situation, because we may see more precipitation today, and conditions could change

---

[11NRV-Snow]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-09 TC07:16]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

The five-year drought is officially over thanks to all the precipitation.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]
The National Weather Service says a snowstorm has swept through our region every four to seven days, since the beginning of January. They say THAT, along with heavy rains has now put the precipitation level just above normal.
(//////SOT//////)
[SOT 10:52]
[IN Q=OVERALL FOR ALL]
((MIKE GILLEN/NWS: OVERALL FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES THE DROUGHT, AND THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED, THAT EVERYBODY THINKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A DROUGHT, ARE OVER WITH. 11:00 SOIL MOISTURE IN THE UPPER LEVELS HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO NORMAL AND ABOVE NORMAL 11:05))
[SUPER=01-Mike Gillen/National Weather Service;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=NORMAL AND ABOVE NORMAL]
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
Gillen says we could see drought conditions again if the precipitation falls significantly below normal late this Spring or early Summer. He says the chances of that happening, though, not likely.
(-----------)

---

[Rogers]

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

His welcoming smile and soft voice have comforted children for the last several decades.
Fred Rogers, best known as Mister Rogers, has died after losing a battle with stomach cancer.
Michael Okwu takes a look back at the life and career of a childhood legend.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" - PBS;]
[SUPER=04-"Helping Children Understand" - PBS;]
[SUPER=04-Public Service Announcement;]
[SUPER=04-Disney Channel;]
[SUPER=01-Michael Okwu/Reporting;]
[RUNS=3:07]
[OUT Q=be my neighbor.]
(( REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS-- NAT "...it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.") FRED MCFEELEY ROGERS STARTED HIS TELEVISION CAREER AS AN ASSISTANT PRODUCER IN 1951 ... AND ULTIMATELY BECAME ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED AND RESPECTED FACES IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING. HIS WORK IN THE CHILDREN'S ARENA DIDN'T BEGIN UNTIL 1953 ... WHEN HE WAS HIRED BY THE PUBLIC T-V STATION WQED IN PITTSBURGH. THERE, HE DEVELOPED, PRODUCED AND PROVIDED PUPPET VOICES FOR "THE CHILDREN'S CORNER," A LOCALLY-PRODUCED SHOW, WHERE SOME OF HIS NOW-FAMOUS PUPPET CHARACTERS WERE BORN. NAT- "queen sarah and lady aberlaine i presume? Correct as usual king friday." BUT HIS WORLD OF MAKE-BELIEVE TRULY BECAME A REALITY IN 1968, WHEN HIS SERIES, "MR. ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD" WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO P-B-S AFFILIATES. NAT- "it's such a good feeling ..." ROGERS STUDIED MUSIC COMPOSITION IN COLLEGE WHICH LATER HELPED HIM WRITE SONGS FOR HIS SHOW. IN 1962 HE WAS ORDAINED AS A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, WITH A CHARGE TO CONTINUE HIS WORK WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THROUGH THE MEDIA. HE LIVED UP TO THAT CHARGE - OVER THE YEARS HE SPOKE CANDIDLY TO CHILDRENABOUT HEAVY TOPICS LIKE DEATH, DIVORCE, AND THE ANXIETIES OF GROWING UP. HIS AIM WAS ALSO TO HELP PARENTS ... IN 1981 HE PRODUCED A VISIONARY DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HELPING CHILDREN UNDERSTAND VIOLENCE IN THE NEWS. NAT- "all over the world there's so much violence in the news, i felt it was urgent to talk w/families about it." A DECADE LATER, ROGERS TOOK ON THE PERSIAN GULF CRISIS ... IN A SERIES OF P-S-A'S TELLING PARENTS HOW TO TALK TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT WAR. "children aren't responsible for wars. the least and the best we adults can do is to let our children know that we'll take good care of them no matter what." IN 1993, ROGERS WAS HONORED FOR 25 YEARS OF HOSTING THE LONGEST-RUNNING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM ON PUBLIC T-V. AT THAT TIME, HE HAD A MESSAGE FOR T-V PROGRAMMERS EVERYWHERE. "we have to remember to whom the airwaves belong. and we must put as great an emphasis on the nurturing of the human personality as we can." OVER THE YEARS, ROGERS PLAYED HOST TO MANY FAMOUS GUESTS ... INCLUDING PRESIDENT CLINTON ON A DISNEY CHANNEL SPECIAL. "these are some questions that children from around the country asked me to ask you." A LINK TO THE PRESIDENT, A VOICE OF CALM REASON, A GROWN-UP WITH ANSWERS ...
FRED ROGERS WAS A SMALL-SCREEN PIONEER WHO PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN BRINGING UP THE T-V GENERATION. NAT ... "won't you be my neighbor" )

---

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]

Chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix has handed the Security Council his progress report on Iraq three days early.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]

Blix says the Iraqis have NOT committed to disarming, but he appears to want to continue inspections, despite a U-S draft resolution calling for war.
Saddam is also preparing HIS people for war.
Yesterday, the dictator told the Iraqis to dig trenches to protech themselves against bombs.
Meanwhile, Turkey's parliament could vote today to allow 63- thousand U-S troops to deploy there.
With the American military power coming in from both sides, experts say Iraq will hardly be able to put up a fight.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=They are poorly]
((RON GRIFFITHS/RETIRED U. S. ARMY GENERAL: THEY ARE POORLY LED, THEY ARE POORLY MOTIVATED AND I THINK THEIR LOYALTY TO ANY AUTHORITY IN IRAQ IS VERY TENUOUS.))
[SUPER=01-Ron Griffiths/Retired U. S. Army General;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=is very tenuous]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Hoping to use that to their advantage, U-S officials say they'll soon start offering amnesty to Iraqi leaders who desert Saddam.
(------------)

---

[Nursing-Home]

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

A Hartford, Connecticut newspaper is reporting that police believe a nursing home resident lit her bed sheets on fire,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Hartford, CT;]
causing yesterday morning's blaze that killed 10 people and injured nearly two dozen others.
Authorities say they haven't been able to question the 23- year- old woman.
The newspaper says she'd been admitted to the Greenwood Health Center less than a month ago.
Court records show she has M-S and had been a drug abuser.
(------------)

---

[6-Burrow]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Richard Burrow]

Richard Burrow's lawyer filed a motion in federal court yesterday, asking the judge to dismiss fraud charges against the former D-Day Memorial President. Government attorneys have said they were counting on having 70 BUSINESS days to decide whether to re-try Burrow. Burrow's first trial ended December 16th in a hung jury. By Defense Attorney John Lichtenstein's count, the 70 days were up Monday. The government has already asked for an extension of time, but there's been no ruling from the court.

---

[11Medicaid Fraud]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dgr]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A federal grand jury has indicted two operators of the Pearisburg Cab Service.
Claude C. Robbins and Teresa Ann Baker are charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, health care fraud and money laundering.
Prosecutors say over two and half years, the two fraudulently obtained over 200-thousand dollars from Virginia Medicaid by submitting bills for taxi service they never provided.
If convicted, they each face 30 years in prison, and a one million dollar fine.

---

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, Wall Street has resumed its sell-off.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=your local stocks]

((IT APPEARS THE ONLINE TRADING BOOM IS BUST. A NEW REPORT SAYS ONLINE TRADING VOLUMES ARE TUMBLING THIS MONTH AS WALL STREET WAITS FOR WAR...
WITH JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS LEFT IN THE MONTH, ONLINE TRADING VOLUME IS DOWN 20 TO 25 PERCENT FROM JANUARY. THAT NEWS SENT SHARES OF ONLINE BROKERS CHARLES SCWAB AND AMERITRADE LOWER...
ON WALL STREET..STOCKS SANK AS INVESTORS SOUGHT COVER FROM A POSSIBLE WAR WITH IRAQ, SOARING OIL PRICES AND DISAPPOINTING SALES FROM HEWLETT PACKARD.

ESS=dow
THE DOW SANK 102 POINTS
ESS=nasdaq
AND THE NASDAQ TUMBLED 25
CRUDE OIL FUTURES SURGED TO THE HIGHEST PRICE SINCE THE PERSIAN GULF WAR IN 1990. THAT'S AFTER THE ENERGY DEPT SAID U-S INVENTORIES OF OIL AND GASOLINE FELL LAST WEEK.. LEAVING OIL INVENTORIES AT DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS..THE PROSPECT OF WAR WITH OIL RICH IRAQ IS PUTTING EVEN MORE OF A SQUEEZE ON THE OIL INDUSTRY...

ESS=hwp/ibm/dell
HEWLETT PACKARD WAS CLOBBERED,DOWN ABOUT 10 PERCENT..AFTER SALES DISAPPOINTED....THAT DRAGGED OTHER BOX MAKERS LOWER INCLUDING IBM AND DELL.

ESS=video
TWO FORMER KMART VICE PRESIDENT'S WERE ACCUSED OF SECURITIES FRAUD AND CONSPRIRACY FOR OVERSTATING EARNINGS BY MORE THAN 4O MLN DOLLARS. THE INIDICTMENT IS THE FIRST CRIMINAL CASE RELATED TO THE LARGEST BANKRUPTCY BY A U-S RETAILER.

ESS=amr
SHARES OF AMERICAN AIRLINES PARENT COMPANY HIT AN ALL TIME LOW.. THATS AFTER SOME UNION OFFICIALS SAID THEY BELEIVE THE AIRLINE COULD RUN OUT OF CASH WITHIN MONTHS
ONCAM=alexis
AND THAT THE 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS IN PROPOSED LABOR COST CUTS PROPOSED BY MANAGEMENT ISN'T ENOUGH TO REALLY SAVE THE CARRIER.
FOR MORE HEAD TO CBS.MW.COM.. IN NEW YORK, I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS.))



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

---

[11Winter-Storm]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-54 TC1:36:09]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

The winter weather is having an impact on school schedules today.
We have that information running at the top of your screen.
Roanoke City is one of many school systems that decided to close today, BUT yesterday's early dismissal meant some confusion for parents.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :10]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Roanoke City first announced they would close two hours early, and then said they would close at noon. Finally school officials decided to close THREE hours early.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 27:59 on SNOW tape]
[INQ=]
((SCOTT MEADOWS/ROANOKE CITY SCHOOLS; WE TRIED TO KEEP IT A TWO HOUR SO STUDENTS COULD HAVE LUNCHES, AND THE FOOD SERVICE WORKERS START THAT PROCESS EARLY IN THE MORNING, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THAT ONCE IT HAD BEGUN, BUT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE WEATHER WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE CLOSED THREE HOURS EARLY.))
[SUPER=01-Scott Meadows/Roanoke City Schools;]
[RUNS=22]
[OUTQ=three hours early.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :17+]
Meanwhile, school officials are trying to figure out when to make up snow days. So far they have missed 10 days. Spring break and two spring holidays are first on the chopping block, but school officials say if they have many more snow days they will have to take a hard look at the calendar.
(------------)

---

[VOB-Night-Snow]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=03-02 TC 46:20]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]

V-DOT has already plowed through its snow removal budget for the year.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The state allocated 48- million dollars for clearing Virginia's roads. But V-DOT officials say it looks like the state will end up spending TWICE that amount or even more before winter is over.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:00:43]
[IN Q=The president's day]
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/Virginia Department of Transportation;]
((THE PRESIDENTS DAY SNOWSTORM WHICH WAS A STATE WIDE EVENT, COST SOME 40- MILLION DOLLARS, AND NOT ALL OF THE FIGURES ARE IN YET FROM THAT AND WE HAD FLOODING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BECAUSE OF THE SNOW AND MOISTURE THAT WAS ALREADY ON THE GROUND, AND THE RAIN SO WE'RE STILL DOING CLEANUP FROM FLOODING 59 PEOPLE ARE STILL WORKING LONG HOURS AND THE TICKER TAPE IS RUNNING. ))
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=ticker tape is running.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
V-DOT officials say flood clean-up and snow removal along with fixing pot holes will continue, but say other maintence projects may have to be delayed.
(------------)

---

[11Maxey]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-53 TC1:13:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]

They say there's no animosity between them.. now that Campbell County sheriff Robert Maxey has decided to retire and one of his top aides will seek to replace him.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co.]

Maxey had fired Lieutenant Terry Gaddy Monday after learning Gaddy planned to oppose him for re-election this fall.
But last night, Maxey reconsidered and decided to retire after thirty years with the department.. the last twenty as sheriff.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:56:55]
[IN Q=I did not]
((ROBERT MAXEY/CAMPBELL CO. SHERIFF: I DID NOT SPEND THIRTY YEARS HERE TO REACH MY RETIREMENT AGE AND LEAVE ON A BAD NOTE, AND HAVE WHAT I HAVE WORKED FOR THIRTY YEARS TO BUILD UP TO HAVE IT TORN DOWN.))
[SUPER=01-Robert Maxey/Campbell Co. Sheriff]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=have it torn down.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Virginia sheriffs have a legal right to terminate any employee for political reasons.
Gaddy will seek the Republican nomination for the post this spring.
(------------)

---

[WTC-Plans]

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

The official announcement is not until later this morning, but the Associated Press has learned which blueprint will replace the World Trade Center site.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A source says the design features a cluster of sloping, angular buildings with a 17- hundred and 76- foot spire.
It would be the tallest spire in the world.
The choice was made by representatives of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the governor and the mayor.
(------------)
(Kimberly tosses to bump)

[bump-chyron]

[comm #3]

---

[Biz-Brief]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
Welcome back to News 7 Mornin'.
In business news, Two former K-Mart executives have been indicted on criminal and civil charges. They're accused of committing a 42-million dollar accounting fraud. Meanwhile, the Dow and Nasdaq lost ground yesterday. Stan Case has more in this edition of business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:14]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case]
((DEVELOPMENTS ON THE IRAQ FRONT CONTINUED TO UNDERMINE INVESTOR CONFIDENCE WEDNESDAY. AND BLEAK NEWS FROM HEWLETT-PACKARD ADDED A TECHNICAL SPIN TO THE DAY'S DECLINE.
THE DOW LOST 102 POINTS. THE NASDAQ WAS DOWN 25.
---
LATE ON TUESDAY, HEWLETT PACKARD, REPORTED A FIRST QUARTER PROFIT THAT BEAT ANALYSTS' ESTIMATES. BUT THE WORLD'S LEADING P-C MAKER AND DOW COMPONENT ADMITTED THAT SALES WERE WELL BELOW EXPECTATIONS AND WARNED THAT SALES IN THE CURRENT QUARTER WOULD BE WEAKER THAN ANALYSTS HAVE PREDICTED. SHARES LOST MORE THAN 15 PERCENT.
---
A-M-R CORPORATION, THE PARENT COMPANY OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, COULD BE IN BANKRUPTCY AS SOON AS MAY. THAT'S THE WARNING FROM THE COMPANY'S PILOTS' UNION. THEIR ANALYSIS OF A-M-R'S FINANCES FOUND THE COMPANY HAS JUST THREE MONTHS OF CASH RESERVES. THE COMPANY IS TRYING TO NEGOTIATE COMPENSATION CUTS WITH THE PILOTS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES AND WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE UNION'S FORECAST.
---
CRUDE OIL FUTURES ROSE WEDNESDAY TO THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE THE PERSIAN GULF WAR. THEY REFLECT TIGHT U-S INVENTORIES AS THE PROSPECT OF WAR LOOMS. CRUDE FOR APRIL DELIVERY TRADED AS HIGH AS 38-DOLLARS A BARREL -- THE HIGHEST SINCE THE RECORD LEVEL OF 41-DOLLARS IN OCTOBER, 19-90. WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF, I'M STAN CASE. ))

[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [COMM]