WDBJ 7 news at 11 for 03/31/03

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Jean]

[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=JJA]
[TAPE#]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up on News 7-
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
The war hits home as a young man from Troutville becomes the first from our region to die in Iraq. Two other Marines from the same unit are also being mourned. We'll have more on what caused their Huey to go down.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
And we'll hear from the man who may become Tech's new basketball coach.
News 7 is next.

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]

(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

The war in Iraq takes the life of a Marine from Troutville.
His family and his fellow Marines are devastated.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We all]
((WE ALL SUFFERED A GREAT LOSS.))
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=a great loss.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at 11]
[SUPER=219-Shannon Young/syoung*wdbj7.com]

Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.

[Lalush]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Mike Lalush]
The death of Sergeant Michae Lalush is the first war related fatality to touch our region. The 23- year old was born in California but moved to Botetourt County with his family, while in high school. [***Lalush Graphic in Monitor]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Teresa /Newsroom Pod;]
Teresa Hamilton spoke with Lalush's parents a short time ago at their home near Daleville.
[LIVE= Teresa /FULL Newsroom Pod]
[SUPER=219-Teresa Hamilton/thamilton*wdbj7.com]
Shannon, the Lalush family is clearly devastated having only found out about their son's death some 24- hours ago. But they did speak with us briefly off- camera. They say joining the Marines was all their son ever wanted to do and as such died doing what he loved. ((ROLLCUE:...))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A sign ]
[SUPER=203-Botetourt Co.; :00]
[RUNS=:44]
[OUT Q=doing the right thing. ]
(( A sign outside Lord Botetourt High school will have new meaning when students return to school tomorrow morning. Sergeant Mike Lalush gradated from Lord Botetourt in 1997-- having decided to join the Marines his junior year. A high school guidance counselor told NEWS 7 Lalush was a good boy with above average test scores-- who obviously knew what he wanted to do. It's a statement echoed by Lalush's parents who say their son decided early on to join the military-- where he did well, moving up quickly and amassing a number of awards. When asked what they would want folks to know about their son-- they said their son "loved the Marines and his country and felt he was doing the right thing". ))
(-------------)
[LIVE= Teresa /FULL Newsroom Pod]
Mike Lalush would have turned 24 in just a few weeks. He leaves behind his parents and a sister.

[Crash-Pkg]

[ANCHOR=Teresa at Pod]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-05 TC1:05:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Sunday's crash has also been especially tough on Mike Lalush's unit.
The commanding officer says he's lost three sons.
Byron Pitts is with the Marines and filed this report.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=219-Byron Pitts/CBS News; :00]
[RUNS=1:56]
[OUT Q=US Marine Corps in Iraq]
((WHEN THIS MARINE HELICOPER SQUADRON FIRST ARRIVED IN THE REGION FROM CAMP PENDLETON, CA THERE COMMANDION OFFICER TOLD THEM 'SOME OF US MAY DIE, BUT WE WILL ALL GO HOME.' LATE SUNDAY HIS REMINDER, BECAME REAL.'
SOT
'MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILIES! For the Commanding officer of HMLA 169... the loss of three Marines... was like the loss of three sons. 'WE ALL SUFFERED A GREAT LOSS. WE SAID BEFORE WE CAME OVER IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED WE WERE ALL COMMIITTED TO GO ON WITH THE MISSION. BUT UH, WE GO ON WITH HEAVY HEART.' And Sunday night... the day's mission was nearly complete. The Huey had stopped for refueling. In the dark.. and the dust... the helicopter's giant propeller blade stirred up the sand causing what's called 'brown out'... Temporarily blinding the pilot and crew. The Huey lurched forward and crashed. For week's their commanding officer reminded his pilot's 'brown outs' posed nearly as great a threat as the Iraqi army.
THIS IS THE DAY WE ALWAYS HOPED WOULD NEVER HAPPEN BUT BECAUSE WE'RE PROFESSIONALS BECAUSE WE'RE COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE BECAUE WE DO WHAT WE DO, WE MENTALLY PREPARED OURSELVES FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS LOSS.
(18:59)IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT MENTAL PREPARATIONS YOU MAKE WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS IT BECOMES ABSOLUTELY PERSO
NAL. SOME FAMILIES OF MARINES HAVE SUFFERED LOSS ALREADY, IT'S A TERRIBLE THING. One crewman was single, another recently married. The captain leaves behind a wife and three children. RELATIVES OF THE MARINES WHO'VE DIED HAVE ASKED THE MARINE CORP NOT TO RELEASED THEIR NAMES, AT LEAST NOT YET. THEIR SQUADRON WILL HOLD A MEMORIAL SERVICE ON TUESDAY. THE WORK WILL STOP. MARINES WILL PRAY.' But then as always, they will return to work... as they mourn the loss... not just of marines... but men they loved like brothers.. Byron Pitts, CBS NEWS, with the US Marine Corp in Iraq.))

[May]

[ANCHOR=Shan]
[NEWSCAST=11 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-15 TC2:11:29]
[GRAPHIC=War in Iraq]

Another Virginia famiy is mourning the loss of a soldier in Iraq.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :21]
31-year-old Staff Sergeant Donald May Junior of Richmond was one of three Marines listed as missing after they disappeared near the Euphrates River last Tuesday.
[SUPER=203-Richmond;]
May's mother says there are ``no words'' to describe her loss. The only son of two Marines who had a life-long love of the military was killed when his tank went off a bridge into the water.
(///// SOT at :21 /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=He got out after his first four years...]
[SUPER=201-Brenda Reese May/Mother;]
((BRENDA REESE MAY/MOTHER: HE GOT OUT AFTER HIS FIRST FOUR YEARS AND HE STAYED IN RESERVES AND HE TOOK UP ARTILLERY BECAUSE OF THE LOCAL BATTERY HERE IN RICHMOND AND WHEN HE DECIDED TO GO BACK HE DECIDED TO GO INTO TANKS LIKE HIS FATHER.))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=into tanks like his father.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[SS=HOLD]
Governor Mark Warner today offered his condolences to May's family. The soldier is survived by a son, a daughter and a pregnant wife. The other two Marines killed in the crash were from California.

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Shan]
[NEWSCAST=11 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD OTS]

Meantime, seven Iraqi women and children are dead after US troops fired on their van at a coalition checkpoint.
Chris Lawrence is in Kuwait with more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=90-miles from Baghdad troops are fighting...]
[SUPER=201-Maj. Gen. Stan McChrystal/U. S. Army; :30]
[SUPER=201-Naji Sabri/Iraqi Foreign Minister; :54]
[SUPER=219-Chris Lawrence/CBS News; 1:11]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=STD]
(( - nat up of soldiers banging down door 90 MILES FROM BAGHDADTROOPS ARE FIGHTING BLOCK TO BLOCK HOUSE BY HOUSE. IN NAJAF, SOLDIERS KILLED 40 IRAQI PARAMILITARIES
(nat of rifles on the ground)
AND FOUND THEM WELL-ARMED. BUT THE MAIN TARGET REMAINS IRAQS ELITE REPUBLICAN GUARD. THEY FOUGHT COALITION GROUND TROOPS FOR THE FIRST TIME MONDAY LESS THAN 50 MILES FROM BAGHDAD. BUT AFTER CONSTANT POUNDING BY AMERICAN BOMBS
(natz up of bombing)
SADDAMS STRONGEST MAY BY STARTING TO FALTER.
(SOT: Major General McChrystal/U.S. Army)
"I wouldnt put a number on it, but Ill say very significant weakening of the forces." BUT EVEN BOMBS HAVEN'T KEPT PICTURES OF SADDAM HUSSEIN OFF IRAQI T.V
(nat up of meeting)
THE PENTAGON DOESNT KNOW WHEN IT WAS RECORDED BUT SADDAM WAS SHOWN MONDAY MEETING WITH HIS SONS AND MILITARY COMMANDERS. AND HIS MEN BOAST OF 5-THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS READY TO BECOME MARTYRS.
(SOT: Naji Sabri/Iraqi Foreign Minister)
I can tell you now that we are going to turn our desert into a big graveyard for American and British soldiers. TO THE SOUTH SADDAM LOYALISTS FOUGHT BACK FIERCELY AND KILLED ANOTHER BRITISH SOLDIER IN BASRA.
( -nat of yelling and blast)
BRITISH TANKS STILL SURROUND THE CITY BUT THOSE INSIDE SAY THEY CAN WITHSTAND A SEIGE FOR MONTHS. Chris Lawrence/CBS News Stand-up Close - TO COME: .....SHOOTING DEATHS OF IRAQI WOMEN AND CHILDREN.))

[Care-Package]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=03-03 TC1:40:58]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD OTS]

Your Hometown Station and the American Red Cross are teaming up to send packages from home to US troops overseas.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Roanoke]
The move is an effort to collect items that will make troops feel more comfortable while they're away from home. Lucinda Kanode dropped off her donation and says she's certain it'll be appreciated.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 50:27:11]
[IN Q=I read some of the]
((LUCINDA KANODE: I READ SOME OF THE NOTES THEY HAD ON THE INTERNET AND THEY WERE VERY NICE TALKING ABOUT HOW PLEASED THEY WERE TO RECEIVED THESE THINGS AND SOME OF THE LITTLE THINGS JUST MEANT A LOT TO THEM.))
[SUPER=201-Lucinda Kanode;]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=a lot to them]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The campaign runs through Friday. Toiletries, paper- back- books and small games are a few of the items being collected. Sunscreen and wrap- around sunglasses are also good for the desert conditions in Iraq. You can drop off items at our Digital Broadcast Center along with many locations across the region.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[WIPE TO WDBJ WEBPAGE FS] To find the location nearest you log onto our website and click on the "Packages from Home" icon.
(-------------)

[RSO]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-10 TC31:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Fans of the Roanoke Symphony are hoping for an encore of the orchestra's first 50 years.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The Symphony celebrated its Golden Anniversary tonight at a packed Roanoke Civic Center Auditorium.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=NAT MUSIC]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=nat clapping]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Symphony held its very first performance 50 years ago tonight.
Other anniversary performances are scheduled for Staunton, Blacksburg and Lexington.
(------------)

[Tease1]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[WRITER=dse]
[NEWSCAST=11p]
[SS=None]

More cases of a mysterious illness are being reported on the East Coast...
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

while some schools in Canada are taking no chances.
The latest on SARS when News 7 returns.
(-------------)

[Sports-preview]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=MST]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Hey folks..]
[RUNS=:25]
[OUT Q=...the BIG 7."]
(-------------------)
(( Hey folks - Mike Stevens back in the News 7 sports office as Jim Baron and the Hokies get ready to walk to walk tomorrow in Blacksburg. We'll hear from the top candidate to be the school's new hoop coach. Plus, the Hidden Valley girls have a new coach, Frank Beamer suspended this guy indefinitely.

And Derek Jeter separates his shoulder tonight on the Big 7.))[SARS]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=tco]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The newly described mystery flu-like illness that's gripping much of Asia has hit North Carolina again.
Two new cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome were confirmed late today.
Two other victims are recovering
In Canada, some high school students are being quarantined at home because of the disease.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond Hill, Canada]

SARS control measures are underway at one school near Toronto.
Hundreds of students from Alexander Mackenzie High School are being sent home wearing masks and asked to stay in quarantine for up to 10 days.
The high school is located across the street from a hospital where a fourth person with SARS died this weekend.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT=16:11:35.07]
[IN Q=16:11:35.07," York Region Health Services..."]
(("YORK REGION HEALTH SERVICES IS HERE TO GET DOWN THE NAMES OF ANY STUDENTS WHO BETWEEN MARCH 16 &28 HAVE BEEN TO YORK CENTRAL HOSPITAL WITHOUT ANY PROTECTIVE WEAR."))
[SUPER=01-Lucia Cascioli/York District School Board]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=any protective wear."]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

No official numbers have been released, but students estimate three or four hundred of their classmates are going into isolation.
Public health officials now estimate Ontario has 100 cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
(-------------)

[Missing-Child]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-53 TC2:05:40]
[GRAPHIC=Logan Bowman]

Charges in the Logan Bowman case have now been forwarded to a grand jury.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Independence;]
A judge ruled today that there is enough evidence against the missing five-year-old's mother and her former live-in boyfriend. Cynthia Davis and Dennis Schemerhorn have both been charged with two counts of felony child neglect. Authorities say the two gave conflicting stories about Logan's disappearance and, at one point, failed to seek medical attention for the boy when he suffered water burns. However, their attorneys say the charges are weak.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:06]
[IN Q=WE DON'T HAVE]
(( JONATHON VENZIE/DAVIS' ATTY: WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW EXTENSIVE IT WAS OR ANYTHING ELSE. THEY'RE ASSUMING THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION OR MORE PREPARATION BY THE COMMONWEALTH FOR TRIAL WHEN THEIR BURDEN IS HIGHER, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY AN INTERESTING QUESTION. 3:23))
[SUPER=01-Jonathon Venzie/Davis' Attorney;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=AN INTERESTING QUESTION. ]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Logan has been missing since January. Authorities say they are still treating his disappearance as a missing person's case, even though they believe he may be dead.
(------------)

[Squad-Checks]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-04 TC57:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]

New state regulations now require your local rescue squads to perform a criminal background check on prospective volunteers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co./File Tape]

In many localities, squads already do.. but the practice is not uniform, and the information is not necessarily kept private.
So Bedford County is drawing up an ordinance that would require checks on both current and prospective volunteers for the local rescue squads and fire departments.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:36:04]
[IN Q=In a smaller]
((JACK JONES/EMERGENCY SERVICES COORDINATOR: IN A SMALLER COMMUNITY WE'RE PRETTY FORTUNATE BECAUSE PEOPLE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER SO THEY KNOW WHO S PERHAPS BELONGING THERE AND WHO IS NOT. IN THE OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE IT'S A TRANSIENT POPULATION, SO PEOPLE JUST DO NOT KNOW THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING IN.))
[SUPER=01-Jack Jones/Emergency Services Coordinator]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=that are coming in.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Jones says he doesn't anticipate the background checks will deter anyone from wanting to volunteer.
(------------)

[Estate-tax]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-02 TC1:39:44]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It's going to be close...that's what those who support repealing Virginia's estate tax are saying about this week's vote to override the governor's veto.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Warner vetoed a Republican-backed bill to eliminate the inheritance tax.
He needs only two lawmakers to switch sides for his veto to stand.
Patrons of the estate tax repeal warn that those changing their votes could suffer on election day.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:32:43]
[IN Q=AS THOSE SENATORS WHO ARE REFLECTING]
((AS THOSE SENATORS WHO ARE RELECTING ON WHETHER OR NOT TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE THEY NEED TO REFLECT ON WHAT THE REACTION OF THE CONSTITUENCY IS GOING TO BE FOR SOMEONE WHO FLIP-FLOPS THEIR VOTE BECAUSE POLITICAL PRESSURE HAS BEEN ASSERTED ON THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Tommy Norment/(R) Williamsburg]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=BEEN ASSERTED ON THEM.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The governor also vetoed a bill creating a "Choose Life" license plate.
And he altered two anti-abortion measures.
Republicans have a chance to undo all that during Wednesday's veto session.
(------------)

[Tease2]
[ANCHOR=Jean]
[WRITER=dse]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[SS=None]

Crews are still cleaning up from this weekend's snow storm.
We'll have a progress report when News 7 returns.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Plus a baby baboon at a North Carolina zoo gets a little help from Grandma.
(----------------)

[Commercial]

[Pilot]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Customers who purchased kerosene from a Botetourt County service station are being urged to listen up. Officials with Petroleum Transport company say one of their drivers put gasoline into the kerosene tank at the Pilot Truck Stop in Troutville. Anyone who purchased kerosene within the last 24 hours is urged to bring the contents back to the service station. If you light a kerosene heater containing gasoline-- the heater could explode.

[Power-Outage]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-08 TC48:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]

American Electric Power crews are making progress, but it could be midnight Wednesday before all customers get their power back.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski;]
Just over 11-thousand are still without service due to the wet, heavy snow delivered by Sunday's storm. A-E-P says more than 300 workers are fixing snapped lines throughout the region. They're dealing with widely scattered outages as well as downed trees and limbs on power lines.
The company is asking customers still without power to call in, if they haven't reported the outage for a while. At the height of the outages, almost 60-thousand residents in Southwest and Central Virginia were without service.
(------------)

[Cleanup]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=03-07 TC1:09:43]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Crews in the City of Roanoke say it may take WEEKS to clean up all the Bradford Pear trees.
Many of the delicate trees broke under the weight of Sunday's snow, bringing down powerlines and denting a few cars. But property damage was minimal.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:57]
[IN Q=The tree]
((DAN HENRY/URBAN FORESTER: THE TREE BLOOMS VERY EARLY. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF OUR EARLIEST BLOOMING TREES AND IT LEAFS OUT PRETTY EARLY, SO IT'S HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO SPRINGTIME SNOWS.))
[SUPER=01-Dan Henry/Urban Forester;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=springtime snows.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Because they're so fragile, the city stopped planting the trees back in the 1980s.
About 25 percent of the remaining Bradford Pears were damaged in this most recent snowstorm.
The city still has at least 750 that are in good shape.
(------------)

[S-Extra]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=EXTRA]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

We'll hear from Jim Baron - the top candidate to replace Ricky Stokes. Hidden Valley gets a new girls' hoop coach. Plus, Coach Beamer suspend a player tonight and Jeter gets hurt.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vinton; :00]
But first tonight's Extra Point. The Vinton War Memorial welcomed the state Group Two A cheer champs from William Byrd high school tonight for a special ceremony. The only Roanoke County school to win back to back state titles was honored for its accomplishments tonight by the Vinton area chamber of commerce as Mayor Donald Davis gave each team member a certificate. The team's head coach is Barbara Shutt. Now tonight's scores.
(------------)
[GO TO SCORES] [go to scores]
[SUPER=#556;]
[SUPER=x5027;]
[SUPER=0098-j/Tennessee/73//Villanova/49//NCAA Mideast Women's Final//Duke/46//Texas Tech/46/2/NCAA Midwest Women's Fin
al/;]
[SUPER=x5010;]
[SUPER=0091-j/Minnesota/3//Detroit/1///j/Baltimore/6//Cleveland/5///Final In 13 Innings/;]
[SUPER=x5009;]
[SUPER=0091-j/Tampa Bay/6//Boston/4//Seth McClung Gets Win/j/New York/8//Toronto/4//Jeter Separates Shoulder/;]
[SUPER=x5009;]
[SUPER=0092-j/Montreal/10//Atlanta/2///j/Chicago/15//New York/2///;]
[SUPER=x5009;]
[SUPER=0092-j/Philadelphia/8//Florida/5///j/Pittsburgh/10//Cincinnati/1///;]
[SUPER=x5009;]
[SUPER=0092-j/San Francisco/5//San Diego/2///j/Los Angeles/8//Arizona/0///;]
[SUPER=x5012;]
[SUPER=0095-j/Virginia Tech/3//Seton Hall/0///j/Ferrum/6//Methodist/2//Ferrum Loses Game Two 13-1/;]
[RUNS=:35]
[OUTCUE=last score."]
(---------------)

[S-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-140 11309tc]
[GRAPHIC=TECH HOOPS]
Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver said he wanted to have a new men's basketball coach hired before the final four. It appears he will get his wish.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Kingston, RI; :00]
Rhode Island head coach Jim Baron remains the clear front runner for the Tech job. Baron, his wife and two sons will spend today in Blacksburg touring the campus. If things work out - he could be named the new head coach as early as Wednesday. Baron and Tech athletic director Jim Weaver met on Baron's home turf last Friday - today the Brooklyn native will get the grand tour of the Tech campus and the Cassell.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=THEY WANTED...]
[SUPER=01-Jim Baron/Top Candidate for VT Basketball Job; :03]
[RUNS=:30]
[OUT Q=...A LOOK AT IT."]
(------------)
[vo nat con't] Rhode Island officials reportedly met with Baron today and made a pitch to keep him in Kingston. He has turned around programs at St. Francis, St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island, but he has an overall losing record.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=TECH HOOPS]
If Baron does not work out, the safety net candidate
[GRAPHIC=DECHELLIS]

is current East Tennessee State head coach Ed DeChellis. Sources have told News 7 that Weaver and DeChellis met this past weekend in Marion to discuss the opening.

[S-Titans]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-143 5052tc]
[GRAPHIC=TITANS]

The Hidden Valley Titans have a girls' head basketball coach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
Steve Buchanan takes over the program which will be in its second year of existence next season. Buchanan was an assistant for the Hidden Valley boys' varsity team this past season, and he also was an assistant on Cave Spring's state title team the year before. He currently teaches physical education at Oak Grove elementary and will eventually teach Phys. Ed at the high school.
Buchanan also was a head boy's basketball coach at Lansing high in New York State.
(------------)

[S-Jeter]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-144 4432tc]
[GRAPHIC=mlb]

Yesterday was opening day in the big leagues. But as soon as the season began it has ended for the Yankees' Derek Jeter at least for awhile.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-MLB; :00]
Jeter was knocked out of New York's opener last night with a dislocated left shoulder after a violent collision at third base with Toronto catcher Ken Huckaby. Jeter was down for more than 10 minutes before he was helped onto a cart by trainers Gene Monahan and Steve Donohue, strapped in place sitting upright and taken off the field. The shoulder was popped back in place and Jeter was taken to a hospital for X-rays. No immediate word on how long the five time all-star will be out.
(------------)

[S-Local]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-141]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]
Greenbrier East product Seth McClung picked up a major league win last night as he pitched the 8th and 9th inning for the Devils Rays and struck out three. He gets the victory in his first big league game.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tampa, FL/MLB; :00]
The Red Sox bullpen on the other hand ruined a masterful performance from Pedro Martinez by giving up five runs in the ninth inning.
[SUPER=35-Boston/4/Tampa Bay/6;]
Tampa Bay beats Boston 6-to-4.
(------------)

[S-Richmond]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=ECHL]

The Express opens the ECHL playoffs on Thursday night in Greensboro. Last night - Roanoke's Dan Carlson was named the ECHL's player of the week. The news is not so good for Richmond. The Renegades missed the playoffs, and now the franchise is likely just plain folding. The team has been in Richmond 13 seasons, but did not renew its lease agreement with the Richmond Coliseum. The team has lost nearly $1 million bucks the last two season.

[S-Hokies]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-138 10525tc]
[GRAPHIC=TECH]

Frank Beamer has suspended one of his players indefinitely for violating an unspecified team rule.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Season; :00]
Jimmy E. Williams, the often injured defensive tackle who has been plagued by injuries the entire time he has been at Tech is now off the team. The rising senior from Memphis played in five games last season. He has one year of eligibility left.
(------------)

[S-UVA]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-147 57:19]
[GRAPHIC=UVa]
The Virginia Cavaliers spring ball workouts continue this week in Charlottesville with new offensive coordinator Ron Prince putting his stamp on the team. Al Groh won't let his assistant coaches talk - but he can't silence Steve Mason.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC; :00]
[SUPER=01-Al Groh/UVa Third Year Head Coach; :19]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :30]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :45]
[SUPER=01-Marquis Weeks/UVa Tailback & Fullback; :55]
[SUPER=01-Michael Johnson/UVa Running Back; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUT Q=...News 7 sports"]
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((A 9 and 5 season was capped by a bowl win. 14 red shirt and true freshman played extensive minutes on that team and are back this spring. Al Groh returns 19 starters, but you would never know he enters spring football with a possible top 15 football team. ((:)) ((STEVE MASON:))
Prince has the luxury of coaching the returning ACC player of the year in quarterback Matt Schaub. Although it is early in spring ball, the offensive players liken their new coordinator to their old one, Bill Musgrave. ((:)) ((:))
Musgrave's creative play calling proved crucial in the Cavaliers attack, however , Groh is minimizing the importance of a coordinator. ((:))
Mike Groh also assumes a new role this season as quarterbacks coach. Steve Mason news 7 sports.))

[Baby-Baboon]

[ANCHOR=Shan]
[NEWSCAST=11 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Zoo keepers in North Carolina say a makeshift family is helping a baby baboon survive.
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[VO-NAT :17]
[SUPER=03-Asheboro, NC;]
The male is one of only three baby baboons at the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro. Because so few have been born in recent years, the mother didn't know what to do with her new offspring and abandoned it. Zoo keepers found a "nanny" of sorts in the baby's biological "grandmother".
(///// SOT at :17 /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The process we went through...]
((CINDY MARTIN/BABOON KEEPER: THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH WAS TO FIND ANOTHER FEMALE THAT HAD BABIES BEFORE TO SEE IF SHE WOULD PICK HER UP AND TAKE CARE OF HER.))
[SUPER=01-Cindy Martin/Baboon Keeper;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=and take care of her.]
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[VO-NAT :08]
Three times a day, keepers bribe the female to allow the baby to eat. The two have formed a bond and the group has accepted a new member. (------------)