WDBJ 7 morning news for 05/07/03

[Tornado-Cleanup]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]

No rest for the weather weary in the Midwest.
Last night, tornadoes swept through southern Illinois, killing one and injuring seven others.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-De Soto, MO;]

The twisters came hours after more violent weather hit already- damaged parts of Kansas and Missouri.
It didn't pack a punch like Sunday's tornadoes, but did leave a mark on several homes and businesses.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It lasted a good]
((JOHN MILLER/RESIDENT: IT LASTED A GOOD 15 TO 20 MINUTES AND WHEN IT LIGHTENED UP A LITTLE BIT SO YOU COULD START TO SEE WE WENT OUT AND STARTED SURVEYING THE DAMAGE, WE KEPT HEARING THINGS HIT THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE AND THEY WERE LARGE TREE LIMBS AND THINGS. ))
[SUPER=01-John Miller/De Soto Resident;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=tree limbs and things.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A junior high school gym was flattened, but no one was injured.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Sunday's tornadoes has risen to 40.
(------------)

[5-Red-Cross]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=502-07 1:46:02]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]

The American Red Cross is sending in relief workers to help communities deal with the tornado damage.
A volunteer from western Virginia traveled to the midwest yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The emergency response vehicle stationed in Roanoke is gassed up and ready to go.
And several more disaster relief volunteers are on standby, waiting for a call to join the effort.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 36:59]
[IN Q=Of course our first priority]
((AMY WHITTAKER: OF COURSE OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT WHENEVER THERE IS A DISASTER NATIONWIDE ALL OF OUR DISASTER VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS OUR ERV ARE READY AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE TO RESPOND.))
[SUPER=01-Amy Whittaker/American Red Cross]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=at a moment's notice to respond.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The first local volunteer sent to the midwest will be involved in family services. She will be sitting down with affected families, making sure their basic needs are being met.
(------------)

[11Gretna-Water]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-13 TC37:58]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Some folks in our area are thanking Mother Nature.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gretna/August; :00]

Just last summer, the town of Gretna was dangerously close to running out of water because its reservoir had nearly dried up.
But yesterday, thanks to a lot of precipitation and some long-range planning, the reservoir is full again.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:56:48]
[IN Q=180 degrees.]
((DAVID LILLY/TOWN MANAGER: 180 DEGREES. IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT NOW. OUR SPRINGS ARE BACK, THE RESERVOIR IS BACK. OF COURSE WE DREDGED IT OUT, WE GOT SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF FIVE THOUSAND CUBIC YARDS OF SILT OUT OF IT. SO WE GAINED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TWO TO THREE MILLION GALLONS OF WATER WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE.))
[SUPER=01-David Lilly/Gretna Town Manager]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=all is said and done.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Lilly says the town and Pittsylvania County are also going to build a nine-mile pipeline from the Pig River to the reservoir.
Most of that 2-million dollar cost will be paid for with state tobacco money.
(------------)

[11Walker]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=03-07 TC2:03:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]
An apology from the witness stand produced tears from the family of Ronald Clark. Clark was murdered in Roanoke a year ago.
(------------)
[V-O-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Yesterday, Kip Lamont Walker started to present his remarks directly to relatives seated two rows behind him, but the judge quietly told him to address his remarks to the bench. Walker described his shock and horror the night Ronald Clark was shot in the face at Towers Mall. It was Christopher Riley who pulled the trigger. Walker just set up the "buy."
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 06:13]
[IN Q=The plan for]
((KIP LAMONT WALKER/DEFENDANT; THE PLAN FOR THAT DAY WAS TO BUY DRUGS. THAT WAS IT. ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER. I GUESS I WAS AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. THERE WAS NO INTENTION FOR MR. CLARK TO DIE OR ANY OF THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Kip Lamont Walker/Defendant]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT=any of that.]
(-------------)
[VOiNAT] The judge tacked on 23 years in prison to 61 years Walker got for robbery and murder in Rockbridge County.
(------------)

[Terrorism]

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

It's not as organized as it once was, but al-Qaida remains a dangerous threat to the U-S.
That's according to the F-B-I's chief of counter terrorism.
Pasquale D'Amuro told a House panel that the F-B-I, C-I-A, and Defense Department have been very effective in arresting al-Qaida operatives, disrupting training camps, and identifying possible sleeper cells.
But he adds that the group still has the ability to attack U-S interests and remains a threat.

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, Cisco Systems posts a profit. And, and the Federal Reserve leaves interest rates alone...for now.
Alexis Christoforous has those stories and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:35]
[OUT Q=in New York.]
((CISCO SYSTEMS COULD GARNER A LOT OF ATTENTION ON WALL STREET TODAY. AFTER THE CLOSING BELL, THE TECH BELLWHETHER SAID THIRD QUARTER PROFIT JUMPED 35 PERCENT AS THE COMPANY CUT COSTS..

(GR)
BUT SALES SLIPPED AS CORPORATE SPENDING PULLED BACK. CISCO IS NOW BRANCHING OUT TO OTHER PRODUCTS INCLUDING CELL PHONES AND DATA STORAGE.
SHARES OF SUN MICROSYSTEMS HIT AN EIGHT MONTH HIGH ON MARKET RUMORS THAT THE TECH COMPANY COULD BE A TAKEOVER TARGET BY THE LIKES OF IBM HEWLETT PACKARD OR DELL COMPUTER.

(OC)
ON WALL STREET.. INVESTORS BARELY BLINKED AFTER THE FEDERAL RESERVE DID THE EXPECTED AND LEFT SHORT TERM INTEREST RATES UNCHANGED. BUT FED CHIEF ALAN GREENSPAN AND COMPANY DID SAY RECENT ECONOMIC DATA WAS DISAPPOINTING - SAYING SLOW GROWTH IS NOW A GREATER RISK TO THE ECONOMY THAN INFLATION.. THAT LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN FOR A POSSIBLE RATE CUT AT THE FED'S JUNE MEETING.

(GR)
THE DOW ADDED NEARLY 57 POINTS

(Gr)
THE NASDAQ CONTINUED ITS WINNING STREAK, RISING 19 POINTS.

(GR)
KMART OFFICIALLY EMERGED FROM BANKRUPTCY TUESDAY ABOUT 15 MONTHS AFTER FILING FOR CHAPTER 11... KMART EXITS BANKRUTPCY WITH ABOUT 600 FEWER STORES, 60 THOUSAND FEWER EMPLOYEES, 2 BLN DOLLARS IN FINANCING AND VERY LITTLE DEBT.

(GR)
SHARES OF THE COMIC BOOK PUBLISHER MARVEL ENTERPRISES HIT A 7 YEAR HIGH AFTER THE COMPANY POSTED A FIRST QUARTER PROFIT COMPARED TO A YEAR EARLIER LOSS. MARVEL SAID LICENSING REVENUES FROM ITS SPIDER MAN, X-MEN AND DAREDEVIL CHARACTERS JUMPED FIVEFOLD.

(GR)
TRACK ALL THE PREMARKET ACTION AT CBS.MW.COM AT THE NASDAQ

(OC)
I'M AC IN NEW YORK.))

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

[Iraq]

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

President Bush says he won't be surprised if the U-S begins to uncover Iraq's weapons program.
He spoke after U-S experts said they were examining a suspected Iraqi mobile weapons lab.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Baghdad, Iraq;]

Meanwhile, before the first bombs fell on Baghdad, one of Saddam Hussein's sons grabbed up to a billion dollars from Iraq's central bank-- most of the money in U-S hundreds.
But some of it may already have been recovered.
A treasury official says last month that American soldiers found over 600- million dollars in a presidential palace.

(------------)

[Columbia]

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

Space Shuttle Columbia investigators have concluded it was the damaged thermal tiles that caused the spacecraft to break apart.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

They suspect those tiles were damaged when a piece of insulating foam hit the wing, but they can't prove it yet.
The scenario was one of the original theories NASA investigators offered.
Seven astronauts were killed in the February first explosion.
Officials say the independent panel probing the accident will be able to make broad safety recommendations this summer.
(------------)

[11Minority-business]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=503-04 6:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Virginia should do more business with companies owned by minorities and women.
That's Governor Mark Warner's view.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Warner told minority business owners yesterday he would like to see them get a larger piece of the procurement pie.

The government of Virginia purchased four-point-two BILLION dollars worth of goods and services last year.
But only two percent of those contracts went to minority-or-female owned businesses.
Warner says that number needs to change.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 47:03]
[IN Q=THAT IS NOT ONLY THE LAW]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: THAT IS NOT ONLY THE LAW IN VIRGINIA. BUT THAT'S ALSO A PRIORITY FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO, WE'RE IMPROVING BUT WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The governor says one of the hurdles is that not enough minority-run businesses take part in the state's procurement programs.
(------------)

[11Powhatan]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-18 TC22:48]
[GRAPHIC=None]

One woman's discovery of a few simple pottery shards could actually be a big historical find.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gloucester]

When Lynn and Bob Ripley bought the 300-acre farm in Tidewater, they didn't believe speculation that it had been the site of a famous Indian village.
But Lynn soon began finding artifacts while taking walks around the property.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It wasn't]
((LYNN RIPLEY/FARM OWNER; IT WASN'T UNTIL THE ARCHEOLOGISTS COME OUT AND LOOKD AT THEM AND GOT SO EXCITED THAT I REALIZED THIS WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.))
[SUPER=01-Lynn Ripley/Farm Owner]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=was something special]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Scientists believe the farm is the location of the village of Powhatan, the powerful Indian chief and father of Pocahontas.
Some 15-thousand Native Americans lived in the village in the 1600's.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This was]
((THIS WAS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN IN A LOT OF SENSES.)) [NO SUPER]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=a lot of senses.]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

This summer, researchers from the College of William & Mary and the historic resources department will look for evidence of homes on the property and find out more about the history there.
(------------)
(Kimberly tosses to bump)

[bump-chyron]

[comm #3]

[11Picard]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=03-17 TC09:13]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

A man from Glade Hill is facing new charges in the death of a school bus driver.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount/April 10]

Police had charged Christopher Picard with the capital murder and robbery of Lori Boyd.
The 37-year-old woman was found in her burning car last September. An autopsy showed she had been strangled.
On Monday, the Franklin County grand jury added two more capital murder charges against Picard, along with abduction, arson and robbery.
Picard's attorney says the evidence doesn't support the capital murder charges and he'll move to have them dismissed.
(------------)

[Biz-Brief]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

In business news, Stocks closed higher yesterday. And, Kmart emerged from bankruptcy. Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]

((STOCKS GAVE BACK MUCH OF THEIR EARLY GAINS TUESDAY AFTER THE FED HELD INTEREST RATES UNCHANGED AND SITED CONTINUING RISKS FOR ECONOMIC WEAKNESS.

THE DOW HELD ON TO A 56-POINT ADVANCE.
THE NASDAQ WAS UP 19.

FEDERAL RESERVE POLICY-MAKERS KEPT THEIR TARGET FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDS RATE AT ONE-AND-A-QUARTER PERCENT.
THAT'S A 41-YEAR LOW FOR THE OVERNIGHT BANK LENDING RATE.
IN THE STATEMENT ACCOMPANYING ITS DECISION, THE FED SAID RECENT ECONOMIC INDICATORS HAVE BEEN "DISAPPOINTING."
THE BOARD OFFERED THE OPINION THAT RISKS TO THE U-S ECONOMY WERE TILTED TOWARD WEAKNESS.

K-MART HAS OFFICIALLY HAS EMERGED FROM BANKRUPTCY.
THE LARGEST U-S RETAILER EVER TO DO SO, FILED FOR CHAPTER 11 PROTECTION IN JANUARY, 2002.
THE COMPANY EMERGES WITH 600 FEWER STORES, TWO BILLION DOLLARS IN FINANCING AND A NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM.
DURING 15 MONTHS UNDER BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION K-MART CLOSED NEARLY 600 OF ITS 21-HUNDRED STORES AND CUT MORE THAN 60-THOUSAND JOBS.

GILLETTE REPORTED DOUBLE-DIGIT GAINS IN EARNINGS AND REVENUE IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
THE BOSTON COMPANY SAID IT EARNED 25 CENTS A SHARE IN THE QUARTER, UP FROM 21 CENTS A SHARE LAST YEAR.
GILLETTE CITED STRONG SALES OF NEW RAZOR AND TOOTHBRUSH PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS GOOD SALES FOR DURACELL BATTERIES.

WITH THE BIZ BRIEF, I'M STAN CASE.))

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

[6-Phobia-Project]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=03-14 TC3:04:13]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Researchers at Virginia Tech believe they may have found a way to help children who suffer from phobias.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford]

For years, 10 year old Will King was scared off dogs --even small dogs like this, terrified him.
That was before he underwent therapy at the Virginia Tech Child Study Center.
As part of a four year study, Psychologist Thomas Ollendick (ALL-in-Dick) is testing a therapy option that requires only one, three hour session to treat the child.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:40]
[IN Q=Basically it's a procedure]
((DR. THOMAS OLLENDICK/VIRGINIA TECH CHILD STUDY CTR.: BASICALLY IT'S A PROCEDURE THAT ALLOWS US TO EXPOSE THE CHILD TO THE FEARED OBJECT AND THEN HELP THEM OVERCOME IT OVER TIME. SO IT'S A VERY DIRECTIVE, ACTIVE, INTENSIVE TREATMENT))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Thomas Ollendick/Virginia Tech Child Study Center;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=intensive treatment]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Ollendick says so far the therapy has worked for about 75-percent of children like Will.
Will completed his therapy more than a year ago. Soon afterwards he got Buddy.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT23:56]
[IN Q=It helped me feel more comfortable]
((WILL KING: IT HELPED ME FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE. I NOW LIKE PLAYING WITH MY DOG IT'S A LOT FUNNER))
[SUPER=01-Will King]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=it's a lot funner]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]

Researchers are still looking for children between the ages 8 and 17 to participate in the study.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[TAKE PINNACLE FULL]
For more information you can call 540-231-3514 or you can find a link to the project web site on our homepage at wdbj7.com
(-------------)

[Winner]

[USE MORGAN"S VOICE]

(///// SOT /////)

[SUPER=45-Terry Williams/Hardy;]

[COMM]

[11Wolf-Birth]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-06 TC1:59:06]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The newest addition to Mill Mountain Zoo has yet to open his eyes.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :28]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Last week, the zoo celebrated the birth of three Red Wolf pups but only one survived. "Jimmy" as he's being called, weighs 438-grams. You can catch a glimpse of the pup in his incubator through the windows of the animal clinic. Although Jimmy's one of four Red Wolves at the zoo he's the only one on display. The others are kept away from the public because of the species' status as one of the most endangered. It's estimated there are only 250 Red Wolves in the world.
(------------)

(Kim toss to bump)

[BUMP] [COMM]

[Hollywood-Minute]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Oprah Winfrey is not getting out of daytime-TV just yet. And a doctor who filed a lawsuit against Rapper 50 Cent is seeking much more than small change. George Ramsey has those stories in our Hollywood Minute.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=With the Hollywood minute]
[SUPER=04-"In Da Club" - Shady-Aftermath Records; :50]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=I'm George Ramsey.]

((WITH HOLLYWOOD MINUTE...I'M GEORGE RAMSEY.
GREAT NEWS FOR OPRAH WINFREY FANS! IT LOOKS LIKE THE QUEEN OF DAYTIME T-V ISN'T GIVING UP HER CROWN. WINFREY HAD DECLARED SHE WOULD END HER SHOW IN 2006...BUT SHE'S APPARENTLY HAD A CHANGE OF HEART! WINFREY IS REPORTEDLY CLOSE TO FINALIZING A DEAL TO RENEW HER SHOW FOR TWO MORE SEASONS. THAT WOULD KEEP HER ON THE AIR UNTIL 2008.

------------------------------------------

MEANWHILE--SINGER-ACTRESS COURTNEY LOVE HAS BEEN DEEMED A QUEEN AS WELL...OF SLEAZE THAT IS.
SPIN MAGAZINE RECENTLY CHOSE THE LEAD SINGER OF 'HOLE' AS PERHAPS THE SLEAZIEST PERSON IN ALL OF MUSIC. THEY SITED MISS LOVE FOR ALWAYS TAKING THE LOW ROAD...AND SAYS NO OTHER MUSICIAN HAS DISPLAYED SUCH UNADULTERATED GUILE. BY THE WAY, SOME OTHERS WHO MADE SPIN'S SLEAZIEST LIST ARE: IKE TURNER, GENE SIMMONS, AND R. KELLY.

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AND--RAPPER 50 CENT MIGHT SOON HAVE TO SHELL OUT A LOT OF CHANGE...TO ONE OF HIS FORMER DOCTORS.
ACCORDING TO THE TV SHOW "CELEBRITY JUSTICE," A NEW YORK DOCTOR HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE RAP STAR. THE SUIT ALLEGES THAT HE OWES MORE THAN 30 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE GUNSHOT WOUNDS AT A QUEENS HOSPITAL THREE YEAR S AGO. WITH THE HOLLYWOOD MINUTE, I'M GEORGE RAMSEY.))