WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 03/06/03

[1-News-Head]

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[VO-NAT :07]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
It took most of the day to clean up what police called "a dangerous accident", but Interstate 77 is open once again.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
And the D-Day Memorial finds a graceful way out of bankruptcy.

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 sports the top wrestlers in the state are ready to roll into Salem. UVa's basketball team appears ready to roll over.
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[VO-NAT]
And Travis Wells checks in from the Big South men's tournament in Lynchburg where the semi-finals feature a dream matchup for area fans of the Flames and Highlanders.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Chilly air is sliding through the mountains this evening. A cooler, sunny day kicks off the weekend.
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[ANCHOR=Keith 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 tanker flips and spills explosive chemicals all over Interstate 77.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Crews are still trying to clean up the mess and get traffic back to normal.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

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

And I'm Shannon Young.
[77-Accident]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-53 TC1:26:18]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Traffic is now moving again in both directions on Interstate-77.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
(XXXXXX)
[TAKE MAP FULL] It happened around six-thirty this morning, north of Wytheville. No one was hurt in the accident, but as New River Valley Bureau Chief Myranda Stephens tells us, it could have been a lot worse.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Wythe Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sgt. Terry Marshall/State Police;]
[SUPER=@Myranda2; 1:11]
[RUNS=1:25]
[OUT Q=News 7, Wythe County.]
((State troopers describe it as one of the most dangerous accidents they've ever witnessed.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 25:20]
[RUNS04] ((SGT. TERRY MARSHALL: 25:20 WE'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING QUITE THIS MAGNITUDE ANYWAY AND THIS DANGEROUS 25:24.)) Police say this tractor-trailer owned by Southern Blasting Service out of North Carolina, was headed to Bluefield, when it ran off the road and flipped on its side. Spilling several gallons of diesel fuel and more than 20-thousand pounds of explosive materials, including ammonium nitrate. Hazmat crews were immediately called-in to clean up the area. But, the spill was so dangerous, police shut-down the highway in both directions, and told workers at a nearby training center to evacuate.
[SOT 23:13]
[RUNS=07]
((REPORTER: SO THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. TROOPER: VERY SERIOUSAMMONIUM NITRATE IS EXTREMELY EXPLOSIVE AND THE LEAST LITTLE SPARK WILL PROBABLY SET IT OFF 23:20)) After more than six-hours the southbound lane was reopened to traffic, but it would take workers nearly twice as long just to get the tractor-trailer back up on its side.
[SOT 23:47]
[RUNS15] ((THE WRECKER SERVICE HAS TO SET THE TRUCK UP VERY GENTLY, SO IT WON'T SPARK AND CREATE THE EXPLOSION AND THEY'RE HAVING TO BRING IN A CRANE TO PICK THE TRUCK UP TO MAKE SURE IT DON'T FALL BACK OVER AND SET OFF AN EXPLOSION 24:02)) The driver of the tanker, 32-year-old Chip Bare was not seriously hurt, but he was cited for reckless driving and failure to maintain a vehicle. Police say he's lucky it wasn't worse. Myranda Stephens, News 7, Wythe County.))

[Boty-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Department is investigating a shooting involving the wife of a federal marshal.
It happened around ten o'clock yesterday morning in the Rainbow Forest subdivision.
Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle says deputies responded to a report that a woman walked into her home, found a burglar and was then shot.
She is recovering from a single gunshot wound.
Her name is not being released at this time.
Investigators say they found the gun at the scene.

[Cana-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

Another shooting, this one in Carroll County led to one arrest.
Authorities say the body of Larry Ralph King was found shortly before seven yesterday morning at a residence in Cana.
He had apparently been shot in the chest.
A tracking dog led deputies to a mobile home where they found 29 year old Lee Howard Wilmoth.
He faces charges including first degree murder and he is being held without bond in the New River Valley Regional jail.

[D-Day-Memorial]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-05 TC25:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It's a done deal. D-Day Memorial officials say they've come to an agreement with creditors that will get them out of bankruptcy court. [***D-Day Memorial Graphic***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Rachel /Pulpit;]
Rachel Cannon has specifics of the plan, Rachel? Keith and Shannon, this is the ending everyone involved with the
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;]
Memorial's financial problems has been hoping for. The agreement is supposed to be signed and delivered to the court this week.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Bedford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bill McIntosh/Foundation President; :11]
[SUPER=04-File Tape; :19]
[SUPER=01-Clif Coleman/Coleman-Adams Construction; :37]
[RUNS=1:03]
[OUT Q=GROW AN ENDOWMENT.]
((((NATS WIND AND CLOUDS 00:24:10)) The dark cloud of bankruptcy is lifting from the D-Day Memorial. With the re-organization, creditors will be paid and fundraising efforts will continue.
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[SOT 00:18:33]
[IN Q=it allows]
((BILL MCINTOSH/FOUNDATION PRESIDENT; IT ALLOWS THE FOUNDATION ENOUGH TIME TO RAISE THE FUNDS THAT WE NEED TO RAISE TO SATISFY ITS DEBTS. ))
[OUT Q=DEBTS.]
McIntosh says all debt, including operational expenses, is about 4.1 million dollars. About 2-million of that is owed to Coleman-Adams Construction. The company says its been a long road to get to this point.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:20:02]
[IN Q=our desire]
((CLIF COLEMAN/COLEMAN-ADAMS CONSTRUCTION; OUR DESIRE FOR THE FOUNDATION TO SUCCEED HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OUR PATIENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THEM SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO CARRY THE DEBT UNTIL WE GET PAID.))
[OUT Q=WE GET PAID.]
Dickson Architects and Associates, due nearly 9-hundred thousand dollars, and other smaller creditors are also included in the agreement. The Foundation says this is a step towards the site's future.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:16:52]
[IN Q=WE ANTICIPATE]
((WE ANTICIPATE MOVING FORWARD WITH AN EDUCATION CENTER AND ULTIMATELY TO CREATE AND GROW AN ENDOWMENT.))
[OUT Q=ENDOWMENT.]))
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[LIVE= Rachel /FULL Pulpit]
McIntosh stresses that payment of debt is the Foundation's first priority. Among fundraising efforts they're pushing at this point is the underwriting of plaques for the Memorial's lower plaza.

[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Rachel /Pulpit;]
They already have 50 plaques that are set to be dedicated on Memorial Day.

[L'burg-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-55 TC1:19:43]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Helping prepare the city budget is one of the most important jobs a council member can perform.. but a Lynchburg city councilwoman may soon find herself out of the loop.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Joan Foster is the chief operating officer for the Alliance for Families and Children, a non-profit agency that receives funding from the city of Lynchburg.
Because that money is lumped in with the rest of the city's budget, commonwealth's attorney Bill Petty says it would be a conflict of interest for her to debate and vote on the budget.
Petty refutes any claim that his decision is partisan.
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[SOT 2:22:57]
[IN Q=We make out]
((BILL PETTY/LYNCHBURG COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: WE MAKE OUR DECISION BASED ON THE LAW AND THE FACTS. I DON'T EVEN KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, COUNCILWOMAN FOSTER'S POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NOR DO I PARTICULARLY CARE.))
[SUPER=01-Bill Petty/Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=do I particularly care.]
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[VO-NAT]

Petty says council could resolve the issue by simply removing the Alliance money from the overall budget and voting on it separately.
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[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]

Last month's floods made an already difficult life even tougher for members of a Vinton family.
We'll talk to them next on News 7.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Plus an outspoken Presidential candidate is bringing his campaign to our area.
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[Flood-death]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-54 TC1:43:21]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
When a Vinton man drowned in Glade Creek last month, of course his death was a devastating blow to the family.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Don Riddleberger's drowning may also threaten what little stablity his wife and daughter had left.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Vinton; :03]
[SUPER=04-February 22; ;08]
[SUPER=01-Shelby Riddleberger/Don's Wife; :16]
[SUPER=01-Magen Riddleberger/Don's Daughter; ]
[RUNS=1:57]
[OUT Q=IT HASN'T AT ALL.]
(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:00:34]
[IN Q=]
((DON WAS A GOOD-HEARTED PERSON, REAL GOOD HEARTED.)) [RUNS:03]
[OUT Q=]
Twelve days after her husband's death, Shelby Riddleberger is finally able to talk about it. Shelby accepts the fact that Don drove around the barricades on Walnut Avenue, on his way to the store to get a gallon of milk.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:51:30 * * *]
[IN Q=]
((I DON'T CRITICIZE HIM. HE WAS GOING TO CHECK IT OUT, BECAUSE HE HAD A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. NO USE SITTING IN IT. I WISH HE HADN'T A DONE IT.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=]
Vinton police told her that witnesses said her husband tried to back out of the high water, once he realized how deep & swift the current was.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:53:]
[IN Q=]
((THEY SAID A WAVE TOOK HIM DOWN.)) [RUNS:03]
[OUT Q=]

[NAT SOT- school bus pulls up]
Don and Shelby have a ten-year old daughter, a fourth grader at Herman L. Horn Elementary School. Magen AND her Mom say they had a sense something was wrong- -when they heard the sirens less than half an hour after Don left the house.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:07:30]
[IN Q=]
((I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAPPEN, BECAUSE I SAW WHERE HE WAS GOING AND IT WAS REALLY FLOODING AND THEY HAD THE ROADS BLOCKED OFF.)) [RUNS09]
[OUT Q=]
Magen had suggested to her Dad that he go to Alvaro's Market, because it was closer, but he insisted on going the other way- -to the grocery store.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:07:45]
[IN Q=]
((HE DIDN'T WANT TO PAY $4 FOR MILK, BECAUSE THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY TO HIM.)) [RUNS05]
[OUT Q=]
Money was tight for the Riddlebergers. Shelby was already disabled when chronic pancreatitis put Don out of work after more than 20 years at the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority. They were actually homeless for a while last year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:55:30]
[IN Q=]
((WE LOST EVERYTHING WHEN DON HAD TO RETIRE. HE COULDN'T WORK, SO....)) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=]
She couldn't afford to bury her husband, couldn't face attending the funeral that was paid for by the Red Cross, Oakey's and friends in the County School system.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:08:40]
[IN Q=]
((YOU MISS YOUR DADDY? I MISS HIM A LOT. HAS IT REALLY SUNK IN, WHAT HAPPENED? NO IT HASN'T AT ALL.)) [RUNS09]
[OUT Q=]))

[DeLong]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-01 TC43:45]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A former Bedford County youth pastor is facing a lengthy jail term for taking indecent liberties with a juvenile girl at his church.
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[VO-NAT]

24-year-old Courtney Lee DeLong was arrested last October after the 13-year-old girl complained to authorities.
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co./October 2002]

DeLong pleaded guilty today to three felony counts involving having sex with the underaged girl.. once in his car and once on the property of Flint Hill Baptist Church.
He faces up to twenty years in prison.
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[Eavesdropping]

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

A lawyer who gave out access codes to a confidential Democratic Party conference call has lost his job.
Joseph Lee the Third resigned from the general counsel's office at the State Corporation Commission this week after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges related to the eavesdropping scandal.
Lee is the first Democratic casualty in the scandal that began last March when the executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia listened in on two Democratic Party conference calls.
Lee admitted passing the phone number and access code to an intermediary, who then gave the information to Ed Matricardi.
Matricardi goes on trial next month.

[Burlington]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

Burlington Industries may go on the auction block, less than a week after a buyout fell through.
A federal judge in North Carolina has approved a new auction to sell the textile company.
Burlington operates facilities in Hurt and Glasgow.

[Stocks]

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

Anticipation about what President Bush will say at his evening press conference scared stock buyers away. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/101.61/6773.99/y/11.48/1302.92;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW dropped 102 points.
NASDAQ lost 11 and a half.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-i/0.28/38.57/h/0.25/22.20/h/0.34/59.92/i/0.19/68.15/i/0.29/7.36;]
[SUPER=272-h/0.09/6.18/h/0.35/55.14/i/0.11/40.43/h/0.15/23.95/i/0.12/4.17;]
[SUPER=273-h/0.11/41.48/i/0.06/12.99/i/0.23/18.65/i/0.03/3.28/i/1.71/37.28;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.09/9.32/i/0.95/55.22/i/1.23/33.40/h/0.06/34.84/i/0.48/47.40;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[Ministers-Council]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-02 TC56:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Lynchburg's mayor said last week the city is making progress in tackling its youth gang problems, but some local groups say it's only the beginning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Area ministers and minority leaders said today the city needs to find more ways to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble.
They also want police officers to undergo sensitivity training to avoid problems of racial profiling.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:23:35]
[IN Q=They must be]
((PATRICIA COLEMAN/PROVIDENCE MINISTRIES: THEY MUST BE MADE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CANNOT LOOK AT A BOOK AND TELL IT BY ITS COVER, THAT THEY MUST HAVE CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING, THAT THEY MUST BE MADE TO THINK BEYOND THE MERE LETTER OF THE LAW TO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE MORE COMMUNITY-BASED.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Patricia Coleman/Providence Ministries International;]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=more community-based.]
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[VO-NAT]

Providence Ministries works with the court system to offer behavior modification programs that serve as an alternative to jail time for young offenders.
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[Sharpton]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-09 TC13:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Reverend Al Sharpton will be bringing his presidential campaign to Lynchburg later this month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/File Tape]

Sharpton will deliver the sermon at Providence Ministries International in Forest on Sunday, March 23rd.
P-M-I officials say Sharpton's speech will highlight issues important to African-Americans around the country.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:27:30]
[IN Q=We are convinced]
((JAMES COLEMAN/PROVIDENCE MINISTRIES: WE ARE CONVINCED THAT WHETHER REVEREND SHARPTON WINS OR LOSES, THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE FOR US. HE WILL BE A FACTOR, A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN SHAPING THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND NOT JUST THAT, BUT SHAPING THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ENTIRE POLITICAL PROCESS TO BE INCLUSIVE.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. James Coleman/Providence Ministries International]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=to be inclusive.]
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[VO-NAT]

Coleman says Sharpton also plans to use the visit to make national position statements on issues critical to the Democratic Party.
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[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - the city of champions is rolling out the mats. The Big South tournament sets up shop in Lynchburg.
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[VO-NAT]
And Virginia is now 500 on the season and in great danger of landing the ACC tournament's play-in game next week.
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[S-ACC]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-140 10035TC]
[GRAPHIC=VIRGINIA]

Things have gone from bad to worse for the UVa men's basketball team. The same team that owns wins against Kentucky and Maryland, can now brag of having lost 7 straight games, and three in a row at home.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/Last Night; :00]
Last night a less than full house greeted the Cavs with boos on several occasions as they let Georgia Tech, a sorry road team, just do as it pleased in the second half. The Cavs lost by 17. They are now 14-and-14 on the season and very much in danger of having to participate in the "play-in" game of the ACC tournament next Thursday night.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[go to pinnacle ] Here's a look at the bottom five teams in the league - as they stand right now. Florida State which plays at Duke tonight will likely finish last. Then it gets interesting. Keep an eye on these three games over the weekend. On Saturday, Clemson is at Georgia Tech, Sunday afternoon -Duke is at UNC, and on Sunday night Virginia hosts Maryland. If several schools end in a tie - UVa is in bad shape. They lost both games to Clemson this year, both games to Ga. Tech and split with FSU and Carolina.
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[wipe to eng#]

[S-Keith]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-139 5712tc]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[wipe to eng#!!!!!!!!!!]
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/Preseason Practice; :00]
The Cavs have confirmed that suspended point guard Keith Jenifer has been released from his scholarship so he can pursue a transfer to another school. Like him or not - the fact is that Virginia went 2 and 7 in the nine games since he was suspended indefinitely on February 4th.
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[S-South]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-145 TC4238]
[GRAPHIC=Liberty]

Liberty University is again playing host to the Big South Tournaments this weekend. In the men's semis tomorrow, UNC-Asheville and defending champ Winthrop will get things started while Radford and Liberty renew their rivalry in the nightcap. Travis Wells has more on the Flames-Highlanders showdown.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio..]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Byron Samuels/Radford Head Coach; :23]
[SUPER=01-Ryan Mantlo/Averaging 11 Points Per Game; :47]
[SUPER=01-Jeremy Monceaux/Averaging 8 Points Per Game; :59]
[SUPER=01-Randy Dunton/Liberty Head Coach; 1:17]
[SUPER=@travis1; 1:29]
[RUNS=1:38]
[OUT Q=News 7 Sports."]
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[S-VMI]

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

The VMI basketball team is playing at this hour in the second round of the Southern Conference tournament in Charleston, South Carolina. The game tipped off at six, the Keydets lead defending tourney champ Davidson 13 to 11 early in the first half of play.

[S-Wrestle]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-141 59:12]
[GRAPHIC=VHSL wrestling]

The group A and 2A state wrestling tournament begins two days of stiff competition at the Salem Civic Center tomorrow at 10 AM.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]

Today, volunteers began filling the arena with the mats that will be used by the combined 108 double and single A schools that will field a total of 448 wrestlers.
Fans will witness some of the best wrestling in the last decade as several teams are in the running for team state titles.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Larry Hall/A & 2A Wrestling Tournament Director; :00]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=......lots of kids here"]
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