WDBJ 7 morning news for 05/28/03

[Bush]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Bush]

It's signing day for President Bush.
Today he'll sign the 330- billion - dollar tax cut plan that he says will boost the economy and create jobs.
Democrats says it's another windfall for the rich that'll add to an already record- setting deficit.
The package speeds up income tax credits, and cuts dividend and capital gains taxes.
It also boosts the child tax credit--
The White House says about 25- million households with children should get a check in July as an advance payment.

[AM-L'Burg-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-18 TC 58:12]
[GRAPHIC=none]

They fought back and have lost again.
Last night, the Alliance for Families and Children asked Lynchburg city council to restore thousands of dollars in city aid.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

A large number of supporters gathered to make their plea once again before city council.
They needed five votes to pass a resolution to reinstate forty four thousand dollars for childcare and substance abuse programs.
Three members voted for it, three against, including one member who changed his vote from last week.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 34:02; 31:38]
[IN Q=How often can the losing]
((JOSEPH SEIFFERT/VOTED AGAINST MEASURE: HOW OFTEN CAN THE LOSING SIDE OR LOSING PARTY BRING IT UP WHEN IT HAS ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS MOTION IS APPROPIATE. IT SEEKS TO GO AROUND THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THAT VOTE ON THAT BUDGET.)) ((BERT DODSON/VOTED FOR MEASURE: TO DEFUND THESE PROGRAMS I THINK SENDS A WRONG MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY. LAST WEEK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO TWO GOVERNMENT CLASSES AT E.C. GLASS AND THE QUESTION CAME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN WHY ARE YOU TAKING OUT SUBSTANCE PROGRAMS FOR OUR SCHOOLS.))
[SUPER=01-Joseph Seifert/Voted Against Measure; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bert Dodson/Voted For Measure; :13]
[RUNS=:27]
[OUT Q=for our schools]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Council member Robert Garber felt it was inapporpiate for the city to fund an organization that a council members sits on.
Joan Foster is the director of the alliance and had to abstain from voting.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=none]

The alliance hopes to continue funding the programs through a fundraising campaign.

[11Walton]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-13 TC1:05:17]
[GRAPHIC=Percy Walton]

Convicted killer Percy Walton will spend more time on death row.
His execution is on hold after the U-S Supreme Court refused to overturn the stay issued by a federal judge in Roanoke.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/File Tape]

Walton was scheduled to die tonight for the 1996 murders of an elderly couple and a neighbor.
His attorneys recently argued that he is mentally retarded.
The U-S Supreme Court ruled last year that it is unconstitutional to execute a retarded person.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]

A spokesman for the Attorney General says the high court's ruling in the Walton case is the type of decision that leads victims of crime to distrust the judicial process.
The case will be scheduled for oral arguments later this year.

[Serial-Killer]

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

Authorities in Atlanta have captured a suspected serial killer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA;]

After a nationwide manhunt, 34- year- old Derrick Todd Lee was taken into custody last night.
Earlier this month, Lee disappeared from Louisiana after authorities got a D-N-A sample from him.
It was part of a dragnet in which police took samples from more than a thousand men.
Lee's D-N-A was linked to the murders of five women in Louisiana.
He's also suspected in a sixth murder more than a decade ago.
But investigators think that could be just the tip of the iceberg.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We're gong to go]
((TODD PENNINGTON/ATLANTA POLICE CHIEF:WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE CASES AND SEE IF WE CAN MATCH UP ANY DNA WITH THIS SUSPECT AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THOSE OPEN MURDER CASES HERE IN ATLANTA. ))
[SUPER=01-Todd Pennington/Atlanta Police Chief;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=cases here in Atlanta.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Police in New Orleans are expected to look at a string of murders, in which 18 prostitutes were killed.
(------------)

[11Westside-Incident]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-25 TC26:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Roanoke Police and School officials have finished their investigations of an alleged assault on an elementary school playground.
They say they found nothing to warrant formal charges.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Police and school officials conducted separate investigations following reports that an 11- year- old girl was sexually assaulted by four boys during recess at Westside Elementary.
School officials say they found no evidence that an assault had occurred.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 41:09]
[IN Q=We interviewed children]
((ANNIE HARMAN/EXECUTIVE FOR STUDENT SERVICES; WE INTERVIEWED CHILDREN AND TEACHERS . WE TALKED TO SOME PARENTS AND FOUND THAT THE ALLEGATIONS WEREN'T FOUNDED. WE DIDN'T FIND ANY INDICATIONS THERE WAS A SEXUAL ASSAULT AT ALL.))
[SUPER=01-Annie Harman/Executive for Student Services]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=sexual assault at all.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The eleven year- old girl is not attending Westside any longer.
The boys were suspended, but Harman says they will be allowed to make up work, and will have the suspensions removed from their records.

[11Miss-Roanoke]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A new woman is wearing the Miss Roanoke Valley crown.
Alana Malick, a first year law student and Roanoke native, now holds the title and will participate in the Miss Virginia competition next month.
She was the runner-up in April's competition.
The winner, Sara Sheffield, voluntarily resigned last week.
Sheffield is a sergeant in the U-S Army and pageant officials say she wouldn't have been able to participate in the state competition because of her military commitment.

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, Wall Street reacts to good ecomonic news.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=in New York.]
((INVESTORS HAVE ONE TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.. STOCKS SOARED YESTERDAY THANKS TO BULLISH ECONOMIC NEWS.. NAMELY : CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AT A SIX MONTH HIGH IN APRIL AND AN UNEXPECTED JUMP IN SALES OF NEW AND USED HOMES...
THOSE REPORTS FED INVESTOR HOPE FOR AN ECONOMIC REBOUND

(gr)
THE DOW SHOT UP NEARLY 180 POINTS OR 2 PERCENT.. SINCE ITS 2003 CLOSING LOW ON MARCH 11TH, THE DOW IS UP 18 PERCENT

(gr)
THE NASDAQ RAN UP MORE THAN 46 POINTS OR 3 PERCENT...

(gr)
ON THE STOCKS TO WATCH LIST: AMAZON.COM - THE LARGEST INTERNET RETAILER HOLDS ITS ANALYST MEETING TODAY.. IN THE LAST SESSION, THE STOCK RALLIED MORE THAN 6 PERCENT TO A 52 WEEK HIGH.

(oc)
THE BIOTECH FIRM GENENTECH CONTINUES TO BE A BIG STORY ON WALL STREET..

(gr)
THE STOCK WAS UP STRONG FOR THE SIXTH STRAIGHT SESSION... LAST WEEK, A TRIAL STUDY FOUND ITS DRUG AVASTIN WAS HELPED COLON CANCER PATIENTS LIVE LONGER.. SINCE THEN, SHARES OF GENENTECH ARE UP 28 PERCENT.

(oc)
ON THE ECONOMIC CALENDAR REPORTS ON DURABLE GOODS AND LATER THIS WEEK, PERSONAL INCOMES AND SPENDING.

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

(oc)
AT THE NASDAQ I'M AC IN NEW YORK.))

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

[Iraq]

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

The thrill of victory may be fading for American troops in Iraq.
Unit commanders say morale is plummeting for many soldiers, because they're having to stay on and serve as peacekeepers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Fallujah, Iraq;]

Meanwhile, the troops are on guard after losing eight soldiers since Sunday in attacks, explosions, and accidents.
Two Americans were killed in Fallujah yesterday, when Iraqis opened fire.
Residents of that city have made it clear that U-S troops are NOT welcome.
(------------)

[Peterson]

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

A judge in California is considering a gag order on attorneys to prevent leaks to the media concerning the murder case of Scott Peterson.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Modesto, CA;]

Peterson's attorney could also file new motions after finding out that police recording his client's phone calls.

The judge is allowing attorney Mark Geragos to see the police records of calls between Peterson and another attorney.
Police also listened in on a call between Peterson and a private investigator.
Peterson's accused of killing his pregnant wife, Laci and their unborn son.
(------------)

[11Roanoke-Times]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-22 TC19:17]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Roanoke Times is now in the middle of its 31-million dollar expansion, and the newspaper's state-of-the-art printing press is beginning to take shape.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Components of the Heidelberg Mainstream 80 press are being trucked to Roanoke from a manufacturing facility in Dover, New Hampshire. Some pieces weigh more than 20 tons, and require a powerful crane to move them into place.
Since mid-March, two thirds of the 52 truckloads have arrived, and the equipment is filling 47- thousand square feet of space in the new building.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 27:23]
[IN Q=I've been quite impressed with the riggers]
((CHIP HARRIS/PROJECT DIRECTOR: I'VE BEEN QUITE IMPRESSED WITH THE RIGGERS. THE WAY THE COMPONENTS HAVE COME IN , AND THE EASE , SEEMINGLY THE EASE WITH WHICH THEY CAN BRING THEM UP AND INSTALL THEM AS PRECISELY AS THEY HAVE TO. THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THESE WARS BEFORE AND KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. IT'S EVIDENT.))
[SUPER=01-Chip Harris/Project Director;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=know what they're doing. It's evident.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Installation should be complete by the end of June, but the commissioning procress and trial runs will continue through the summer.
The Roanoke Times hopes to have the new press in full operation by the end of October.
(------------)

[6-Pulaski-Furniture]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-09 TC1:56:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]
An antique that's worth thousands. That's what people hope they have when they're on the P-B-S program "Antiques Roadshow." And now thanks to Pulaski Furniture, the pieces of history you see on T-V can be yours. Business Reporter Rachel Cannon has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-WGBH; :00]
[SUPER=03-High Point, NC; :06]
[SUPER=01-Lawrence E. Webb, Jr./Pulaski Furniture President & CEO; :12]
[SUPER=01-James Kelly/Pulaski Furniture Executive Vice-President; :40]
[SUPER=@rachel2; 1:29]
[RUNS=1:37]
[OUT Q=High Point. North Carolina]
(( When Antiques Roadshow comes to town, people line up to get an appraisal. Pulaski Furniture hopes they will also line up to buy from a new collection based on the popular P-B-S show.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:26:04]
[IN Q=in today';s]
((LAWRENCE E. WEBB, JR./PULASKI FURNITURE PRES & CEO; IN TODAY'S WORLD THERE IS AN OVER SUPPLY OF FURNITURE AND SO THE KEY IS TO BE ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF AND WE BELIEVE WE'VE DONE THAT WITH THIS.))
[OUT Q=THIS.]
The Antiques Roadshow collection features 70-pieces. NATS 02:33:37 "THIS IS THE STORY OF THE CHAIR MARTHA WASHINGTON OWNED" From chairs ... to bedroom sets. All the items have been seen on Roadshow and each one has a story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:20:08]
[IN Q=wwe put]
((JAMES KELLY/PULASKI FURNITURE EXEC VP; WE PUT A HANG TAG ON EVERY PIECE THAT SHOWS THE ORIGIN OF THE ORIGINAL PIECE WHERE IT CAME FROM WHERE IT SHOWS UP ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW AND A BRIEF HISTORY.))
[OUT Q=HISTORY.]
Pulaski officials say research shows the nine-million viewers who watch the program each week are interested in history and being educated. While they admire antiques, they want modern conveniences. That's where Pulaski comes in.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:26]
[IN Q=our creative]
((LAWRENCE E. WEBB, JR./PULASKI FURNITURE PRES & CEO; OUR CREATIVE PEOPLE WHEN THEY FIRST HEARD THE IDEA WEREN'T SURE BUT THEY WERE CREATIVE ENOUGH KEEP PURSUING IT AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE'VE EVER DONE AND PROBABLY COULD EXCEED ANYTHING WE'VE EVER DONE IN THE PAST.))
[OUT Q=THE PAST]

Webb says reaction from the furniture industry has been overwhelming. The collection will be available to buy from 150-retail outlets around the country.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:24:17]
[IN Q=we have]
((JAMES KELLY/PULASKI FURNITURE EXEC VP; WE HAVE MAJOR PLACEMENTS LIKE NOTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN.))
[OUT Q=SEEN]
And they only see it getting bigger. Antiques Roadshow has an archive of 40-thousand pieces just waiting to replicated. Rachel Cannon, News 7, High Point. North Carolina.))
(Kimberly tosses to bump)

[bump-chyron]

[comm #3]

[11Blacksburg-Body]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Police have identified a Blacksburg man found dead over the weekend.
A passerby discovered the body of 28- year- old Spencer Allen Lewis around 9:30 Sunday morning.
Lewis was lying in the grass in the 2900 block of South Main Street.
There's no word yet on the cause of death, but Blacksburg Police are now awaiting the results of an autopsy.

[11Voting-Machines]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwa]
[TAPE#=03-11 TC1:26:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Roanoke County's voting machines are going high tech.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

A new computerized voting system was unveiled yesterday before members of Roanoke County's Board of Supervisors.

The new system complies with the Help Americans Vote Act, which requires the elimination of lever-based voting machines in coming years.
With WIN-vote, voters cast their ballots by simply touching a computer screen.
Roanoke County Registrar Diane Henson says change is inevitable and that now's the right time to try the new system.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Just the opportunity]
((DIANE HENSON/ROANOKE CO. REGISTRAR: JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ITSELF CAME ABOUT AND WE FIGURED IT WAS TIME TO TRY IT OUT IN CASE WE WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE OUT AT ANOTHER ELECTION, WE STILL HAVE TO DO THAT IF WE NEED TO.))
[SUPER=01-Diane Henson/Roanoke Co. Registrar]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=if we need to.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Citizens voting in the Democratic primary on June 10th will be the first to try out the new system.
WIN-vote would cost between 300 and 700-THOUSAND dollars.

[Biz-Brief]

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

In business news, Consumer Confidence is up. And Best Buy is expanding. Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :21]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case]

((STOCKS ROSE SHARPLY TUESDAY, AS TRADERS FOUND OPTIMISTIC NEWS IN CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AND HOUSING SALES.

THE DOW GAINED 179 POINTS ON THE DAY.
AND THE NASDAQ WAS UP 46.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE WAS UP MODERATELY IN MAY TO A SIX-MONTH HIGH.
CONSUMERS APPEAR TO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO A TURNAROUND IN CONDITIONS FOR BOTH BUSINESSES AND THE JOB MARKET.
THE CONFERENCE BOARD'S INDEX OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE ROSE TO 83-POINT-EIGHT, UP FROM 81 IN APRIL.
ECONOMISTS HAD EXPECTED A SLIGHTLY LARGER JUMP.

NEW HOME SALES WERE UP BY ONE-POINT-SEVEN-PERCENT FOR APRIL.
THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SAYS NEW HOMES SOLD AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF JUST OVER A MILLION DURING THE MONTH.
SALES OF EXISTING HOME WERE ALSO UP.
THE INCREASE WAS FIVE-POINT-SIX PERCENT IN APRIL.
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS REPORTED SALES AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF FIVE-POINT-84 MILLION UNITS.

BEST BUY IS EXPANDING.
THE MINNEAPOLIS BASED RETAILER HAS SIGNED A LEASE FOR 24 ADDITIONAL STORES IN 17 STATES.
THREE OF THE STORES ARE IN NEW MARKETS.
THE COMPANY HOPES TO HAVE THE BUSINESSES OPEN BY MARCH OF 2004.
BEST BUY IS NORTH AMERICA'S LARGEST RETAILER OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS.

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

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

[11Pulaski-Furniture]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=03-09 TC1:58:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]

You've seen the originals on T-V....
(------------)
[VO-NAT :17]
[SUPER=04-WGBH;]
Now Pulaski Furniture has designed a collection based on the popular P-B-S television show "Antiques Roadshow."
[SUPER=03-High Point, NC;]
It has everything from chairs to bedroom sets. The pieces are replicas of items appraised on Roadshow. Pulaski officials say the marketing hook is that every piece has a story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02:20:08]
[IN Q=wwe put]
((JAMES KELLY/PULASKI FURNITURE EXEC VP; WE PUT A HANG TAG ON EVERY PIECE THAT SHOWS THE ORIGIN OF THE ORIGINAL PIECE WHERE IT CAME FROM WHERE IT SHOWS UP ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW AND A BRIEF HISTORY.))
[SUPER=01-James Kelly/Pulaski Furniture Executive Vice-President;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=A BRIEF HISTORY.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Kelly says they conducted research that found people like antiques but want furniture with modern conveniences. The collection will be sold by 150-retailers. Pulaski says it's launching its first national advertising campaign with the concept and that they will be expanding it in the future. Antiques Roadshow has an archive of 40-thousand items to choose from.
(------------)

[11Bedford-Teacher]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-10 1:43:18]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Bedford County teacher got a gold star from her students.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :18]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]
Yesterday, The County's Public Schools named seventh grade teacher Carol Wiatt (WYE-itt) Teacher of the Year. The English teacher was chosen from a group that included one educator from every school in the county. Wiatt's been with Staunton River Middle School since 1999. She has 31-years of teaching experience, all in Virginia.
(///// SOT at :18 /////)
[SOT:49-:59]
[IN Q=Of all the teachers that teach here...]
((CAROL WIATT/BEDFORD CO. "TEACHER OF THE YEAR": OF ALL THE TEACHERS THAT TEACH HERE, TO BE SELECTED AS THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR, YOU CAN'T ASK FOR A GREATER HONOR AT ALL. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS, WORKING FOR THEM AND DOING FOR THEM AND PROVIDING FOR THEM THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN.))
[SUPER=01-Carol Wiatt/Bedford Co. "Teacher of the Year";]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=the best way that we can.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT :09]
Judges kept the winner a secret until they could call students to a surprise meeting.
(------------)

[Winner]

[Steve will adlib]

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

[SUPER=45-Deborah Sapp/Roanoke;]

[COMM]