[News-Heads]
(------------------)
[VO-NAT]
A meeting in Florida could determine how sunny the future looks for Virginia Tech football, and the entire Big East conference.
Mike Stevens will check in live with an update.
(---------------)
[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY]
And it was an early wake-up call for firefighters, as they battled flames at a store in Elliston.
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]
A cloudy day with a few glimpses of sunshine late this afternoon but more rain is heading our way. I'll have your hometown forecast.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY 2-Shot]
News 7 at Noon starts right now...
[Noon-open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Kimberly1;]
[SUPER=@Leo1; ]
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Virginia Tech's athletic future and its place in the Big East conference are being debated at this hour just outside of Jacksonville, Florida.
(------------)
[Big-East]
[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=4:18 on 03-25]
[GRAPHIC=News 7]
Officials with Tech and all the Big East schools are discussing what should be done now that the A-C-C has asked Boston, Syracuse, and Miami to join its conference.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Mike Starlink;]
Mike Stevens joins us from the Ponte Vedra Inn.
Good afternoon, Mike.
[LIVE=Mike full]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]
[SUPER=05-Ponte Vedra, FL;]
((ROLLCUE:..ROLLED FROM THE TRUCK.))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I don't]
[SUPER=01-Jim Weaver/Virginia Tech Athletic Director; :00]
[SUPER=03-Ponte Vedra, FL; :28]
[SUPER=01-Bonnie Henrickson/Virginia Tech Women's Basketball Coach; :49]
[SUPER=01-John Beilein/WVU Men's Basketball Coach; :59]
[SUPER=01-Geno Auriemma/Connecticut Women's Head Coach; 1:15]
[RUNS=1:41]
[OUT Q=successful you know...laughs.]
[LIVE=Mike /FULL]
[SUPER=05-Ponte Vedra, FL;]
Mike adlibs
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Mike ;]
(Mike, what kind of effect could this have on the community, besides a loss of sports prestige?)
[Layoffs]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A South Boston furniture company is confirming hundreds of layoffs.
The plant manager of O'Sullivan Industries says two-hundred employees, both hourly and salary, will be cut within the next 60 to 90-days.
Officials blame a weak economy, sluggish furniture sales and a rise in import competition.
Following the cuts, about 250-people will remain employed at the location.
[Monty-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=03-17 TC 29:38]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
Fire heavily damaged a business in Elliston early this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.]
Firefighters were called to an uupholstry shop on Brake Road around 3:30.
Some antique furniture was lost in the blaze, but no was one was hurt.
There's no word on what started the fire.
(------------)
[Israel-Explosion]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Explosion]
After a deadly weekend of suicide bombing attacks in Israel, there's word of another one.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Afula, Israel;]
Army Radio reports that four people died today in an explosion at a shopping center in northern Israel.
Rescue workers say at least 15 people were injured, some of them seriously.
Army radio also reports that the bomber was a woman.
[SUPER=03-Gaza Strip;]
This marks the fifth bombing in two days in the Middle East.
Earlier today, a Palestinian on a bicycle blew himself up next to an Israeli Army patrol, wounding three soldiers.
The attacks are further dividing Israelis and Palestinians, who were holding peace talks for the first time in nearly three years.
(------------)
[Saudi-Arrests]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Saudi Arabia remains on high alert for more attacks against foreigners, as a man with a gun is detained outside a U-S consulate.
Aleen Sirgany reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Dhahran, Saudi Arabia;]
[SUPER=01-Prince Nayef/Minister of the Interior;]
[SUPER=01-Aleen Sirgany/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Sirgany, CBS News, Washington.]
((
ONE WEEK AFTER SUICIDE BOMBERS ATTACKED THREE HOUSING COMPOUNDS IN SAUDI
ARABIA, IT APPEARS POLICE THERE MAY HAVE THWARTED ANOTHER POSSIBLE
ATTACK. A GUNMAN OUTSIDE THE U.S CONSULATE WAS DETAINED TODAY AND IS
NOW BEING QUESTIONED....BY THE SAUDIS. THE CONSULATE IS CLOSED UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE.
SAUDI OFFICIALS ARE SENDING THE STRONGEST SIGNAL YET THAT LAST WEEKS
ATTACK WAS LINKED TO THE AL-QAIDA NETWORK. AND THEY SAY IT APPEARS FOUR
OF THE SUSPECTS NOW IN CUSTODY ARE PART OF OSAMA BIN LADENS TERRORIST
GROUP.
(nat sot Voice of translator / Prince Nayef /Minister of the Interior)
THEY'RE BEING INTERROGATED
AS DOZENS OF F-B-I AGENTS JOIN SAUDI OFFICIALS IN THE SEARCH FOR
ANSWERS, BACK AT HOME PRESIDENT BUSH, ONCE AGAIN, WARNED THE U.S AND THE
WORLD CANT AFFORD TO LET THEIR GUARD DOWN.
(SOT)BUSH:
The world's free nations have the courage and the determination to fight
this war and together we will defeat the forces of global terror.
INVESTIGATORS STILL ARENT SURE IF FRIDAYS TERRORIST ATTACK IN MOROCCO
IS RELATED TO THE SAUDI ATTACK..... OR IS THE WORK OF THE AL-QAIDA
NETWORK. 41 PEOPLE THERE LOST THEIR LIVES.
(STANDUP)
MORE WARNINGS..
))
[Flooding]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]
A search is on for more flood victims in remote areas of Sri Lanka.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ratnapura, Sri Lanka;]
Flooding and landslides have killed as many as 200 people there.
And forecasters say more rain is coming, which would make life even harder for the 150- thousand people left homeless.
[SUPER=03-Hunan Province, China;]
Meanwhile, in southern China, flooding has killed at least 45 people,and has also forced about 200- thousand others from their homes.
Nearly every year, southern and central China experience deadly flooding, which is often blamed on over-building and extensive farming.
So far, the heavy rain has caused tens of millions of dollars in damage.
(------------)
[Tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Next on News 7 at noon, a troubled singer is arrested again on drug charges.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Also there's a job vacancy at the White House. We'll tell you who's leaving after the break.
(---------------)
[music up full]
[comm1]
[Civic-Center]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The city of Roanoke has hired a new manager for the civic center and Victory Stadium.
Wilhemina Boyd will be the city's director of civic facilities.
She's been head of convention and event services in Dallas for the past four years.
Boyd replaces Jim Evans, who was forced to resign last year.
[Fleischer]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Someone else will soon be speaking for President Bush.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
White House press secretary Ari Fleischer has announced he's stepping down from his post in July.
He says he'll enter the private sector.
Fleischer says he's decided his ''time has come to leave the White House.''
He added that he wants to make the move before the President's re- election campaign is in full swing.
His replacement will likely be his deputy, Scott McClellan.
(------------)
[Mine-Collapse]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Last summer, the nation watched the dramatic rescue of nine Pennsylvania coal miners, who were trapped underground for days.
(------------)
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
Now, several of the miners are filing a lawsuit against the owners of the mine.
They say the owners and operators should have known how dangerous it was.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Well, the public]
((HOWARD MESSER/MINERS' ATTORNEY: WELL THE PUBLIC RECORDS HERE IN SUMMERSET COUNTY CLEARLY ESTABLISH THAT AS EARLY AS 1963 THE AREA THAT THESE MEN WERE MINING HAD MINED OUT, OR AT LEAST EXHAUSTED TO SOME EXTENT. AS A RESULT A SIMPLE CHECK OF THE PUBLIC RECORD IN SUMMERSET COUNTY AS WE A LEDGE IN OUR LAWSUIT WOULD HAVE LED THEM TO THIS INFORMATION. ))
[SUPER=01-Howard Messer/Miners' Attorney;]
[RUNS=:28]
[OUT Q=led them to this information.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
By law in Pennsylvania, the miners can't ask for a specific amount in their suit, but they say they hope the judgement is fair.
(-------------)
[Weiland]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The lead singer of the group Stone Temple Pilots is no stranger to drug charges.
Now Scott Weiland is in trouble with the law again.
Yesterday he was arrested near Los Angeles for drug possession, but was released hours later on 10- thousand dollars' bail.
Police stopped Weiland for driving without his lights on.
They say the singer had drugs in the car.
He's been arrested in the past for cocaine and heroin possession, and went to jail in 19-99 after violating his probation and failing to complete drug rehab.
[11Supermax]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-22 TC-7:05]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Virginia's two Supermax prisons have cut capacity by more than 75 percent.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :32+]
[SUPER=03-Wise Co./September 2001;]
The most recent cutback was earlier this year at Red Onion State Prison in Wise County, where fewer than half of the original 12-hundred beds remain designated for the most violent inmates.
Wallens Ridge State Prison was downgraded last year to a maximum-security prison.
Critics say the changes prove that Virginia grossly overestimated its number of violent and predatory inmates, when it spent nearly 150 million dollars on the prisons.
The Virginia Department of Corrections says the reductions are just a result of a change in the way the department classifies inmates.
(------------)
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Coming up next on the newscast, the MATRIX makes some big bucks at the box office.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Plus a local man gets his big league dreams granted decades after he gave up a promising sports career.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[Box-Office]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
"The Matrix Reloaded" is not only the number one film in the country....
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-"The Matrix Reloaded" - Warner Brothers;]
but the movie has taken in the highest opening weekend gross of any R-rated film on record.
Warner Brothers estimates its sequel to 1999's ``The Matrix'' took in an estimated 93-point-three million dollars this weekend. That's nearly 60 percent of the total gross of the weekend's top 12 films.
(------------)
[Anchor=Kimberly]
[TAKE FS CHYRON]
[SUPER=77-The Matrix Reloaded/93.3/Daddy Day Care/19.2/X2: X-Men United/17.1/Down With Love/7.6/The Lizzie McGuire Movi
e/4.5;]
The Eddie Murphy family comedy ``Daddy Day Care'' finished in second place.
``X2: X-Men United'' is in third place. ``Down With Love'' is fourth, and ``The Lizzie McGuire Movie'' is fifth.
[Super=#555;reset]
[Akers]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=03-19 02:34]
[GRAPHIC=None]
You probably never heard of Paul "Huck" Akers, but by many accounts, he was one of the better ball players to come out of southwest Virginia.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-CBS Early Show;]
Indeed, Huck was good enough to dream of playing in the major leagues, but he gave up that dream decades ago to provide a living for his wife and twin daughters in Fries.
He is now 81 and had a more recent wish: to see an Atlanta Braves game.
Today, the CBS Early Show granted that wish: four tickets, air fare, a Braves jersey, ballcap and more:
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 8:13:47]
[IN Q=We'd also like you]
[SUPER=01-Bobby Cox/Braves Manager]
[RUNS=10]
((BOBBY COX/BRAVES MANAGER: WE'D ALSO LIKE YOU TO BE OUR GUEST DURING BATTING PRACTICE, WATCHING THE TEAM WARM UP, AND LATER ON, SERVE AS OUR HONORARY TEAM CAPTAIN DURING PRE-GAME CEREMONIES.))
[OUT Q=during pre-game ceremonies.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The day should be even more special because, despite Akers' earlier big-league dreams, he has never seen a major league game in his life.
(------------)
[Weather]
[NOON WEATHER]
[5/19/2003]
[TWO SHOT]
[WXPRO/FULL]
[MUSIC UNDER]
[COMMERCIAL]
[SUPER=#573;]
[CK/VIEWERNET;]
[CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS
[WXPRO/FULL] FORECASTS
EXTENDED FORECAST
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=None]
On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was DOWN 155 points. The NASDAQ has lost 27.
[super=460-y/155/y/27;]
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Next on the newscast, we'll see why Virginia Tech's Big East problems have more than just football fans worried...
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and the Scott Robertson Memorial Golf tournament was cut short this weekend... we'll have the winners coming up.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[11Tech-Business]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=03-20 TC-24:05]
[GRAPHIC=Acc/Big East]
As Mike Stevens told us earlier, Virginia Tech officials are in Ponte Vedra, Florida trying to keep the Big East conference in one piece.
But the problems created by the possible A-C-C defections of Syracuse, Boston and Miami would have an impact on more than just the sports world.
Jennifer Wishon has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Jeremy Allen manages]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Diffell/Tech Bookstore Manager; :07]
[SUPER=@Jennifer1; :35 ]
[SUPER=01-Jeremy Allen/Amerisuites General Manager; :43]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/September 1999; 1:00]
[RUNS=1:54]
[OUT Q=JW, News 7, Blacksburg]
((At the Tech Bookstore there's more to celebrate on game day than just football.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:18:04]
[IN Q=During a football game]
((JERRY DIFFELL/TECH BOOKSTORE MANAGER: DURING A FOOTBALL GAME YOU'RE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH RABID FANS WHO ARE CROWDED IN TO HERE AND I WISH ON THOSE DAYS WE HAD A STORE ABOUT FIVE TIMES BIGGER.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=five times bigger]
In fact, Hokie gear is so popular Diffell says he plans to expand his merchandise displays into the store's textbook department.
But Diffell says he's not worried about conferences because of the Hokies' strong fan base.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 8:22:06]
[IN Q=No matter where]
((JERRY DIFFELL/TECH BOOKSTORE MANAGER: NO MATTER WHERE VIRGINIA TECH ENDS UP WE'RE GONNA BE JUST FINE.))
[RUNS= 07]
[OUT Q=be just fine]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:42:15]
[IN Q=One local merchant]
((JENNIFER WISHON/REPORTING: ONE LOCAL MERCHANT VIVIDLY REMEMBERS VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL WHEN THE EXISTING STANDS WERE ONLY HALF FULL AND THERE WAS NO NEED FOR EXTRA SEATING IN THE END ZONE.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=the end zone]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:22:07]
[IN Q=My main concern is]
((JEREMY ALLEN/AMERISUITES GENERAL MANAGER: MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT IF THE TEAMS DO GO TO THE ACC THAT THE BIG EAST WILL LOOSE IT'S LEGITIMACY AS A CONFERENCE, LOOSE IT'S BIG EAST TIE IN, LOOSE A LOT OF TV CONTRACTS.))
[RUNS= 12]
[OUT Q=of TV contracts]
Allen is afraid a weakened Big East Conference could mean a loss of fans.
After football really took off at Virginia Tech back in 1999 ticket sales skyrocketed along with interest in the university.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:09:02]
[IN Q=Graduation, football, weekends]
((GRADUATION, FOOTBALL WEEKENDS, ORIENTATION, PARENT'S WEEKENDS, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY SEND US A LOT OF BUSINESS.))
[RUNS= 07]
[OUT Q=a lot of business]
Virginia Tech's football schedule came out the end of January.
By the first week in February the Amerisuites in Blacksburg was booked on weekends of home games.
Business has also changed at the Tech Bookstore.
There isn't such a thing as a slow day anymore and plenty of that has to do with the academic and athletic success Virginia Tech has enjoyed.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:00:07]
[IN Q=No matter where]
((JERRY DIFFELL/TECH BOOKSTORE MANAGER: NO MATTER WHERE I GO AND PEOPLE SAY OH, BLACKSBURG. THEY KNOW OH VIRGINIA TECH WOW, MICHAEL VICK, FOOTBALL, FRANK BEAMER. WE'RE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY NOW.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=the country now]
Now residents in this part of the country wait to learn the fate of the Big East Conference.
Jennifer Wishon, News 7, Blacksburg.))
[S-Busch]
[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-137]
[GRAPHIC=Nascar 2003]
The Nascar Busch Series had a rare Sunday all to itself yesterday, with the running of the I-T-T 200 in Nazareth, PA.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nazareth, PA/FX; :00]
Ron Hornaday dominated on the afternoon, leading 148 of the 200 laps.
Hornaday pulled away during the final green flag segment, then held off a hard- charging Brian Vickers for his third Busch series win, and his second at the Nazareth Speedway.
(------------)
[S-Scott]
[ANCHOR=kim]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-138 TC12707]
[GRAPHIC=Scott Robertson Golf]
Mother Nature was the big winner yesterday at the Roanoke Country Club, shortening the Scott Robertson Memorial Golf Tournament on both the girls' and the boys' sides.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
The 15 to 18 year old girls got in nine holes on the day before the tournament was called because of rain.
Paula Creamer was declared the tournament winner after 45 holes.
She beat Nicole Hage by three shots.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Paula Creamer/Girls Scott Robertson Champ; :00]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=same for everybody."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
In the boys division, Chad Wilcox and Jared Texter were tied entering the day, but the title was decided in a one- hole playoff that was won by Wilcox.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Chad Wilcox/15-18 Yr. Old Scott Robertson Champ; :00]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=means a lot to me."]
(------------------)
[Quickcast]
[WXPRO/FULL]
FINAL LOOK AT THE WEATHER 1 MAP
[REPRS@CL]
SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends
[SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]
by SS