[AM-Athletes-Grades]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-29 TC 6:13]
[GRAPHIC=none]
One parent pitched the idea and now the Pittsylvania County school board is looking into it.
Are student athletes making the grade and should they be held to a tougher standard?
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co./File Tape]
Currently, the county requires student athletes to pass three classes the previous semester in order to be on a team.
One school board member is proposing that students now be required to pass all four subjects.
The students would also have to have fewer than two behavioral office referrals.
The majority of people who spoke at a forum last night believe changing the rules would do more harm than good.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:42:27; 3:34:56]
[IN Q=I believe one of the adverse]
((PATRICK TOUART/TEACHER: I BELIEVE ONE OF THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF THIS PROPOSAL IS IT COULD INCREASE THE DROP OUT RATE AMONGST ATHLETES AS MANY OF THE STUDENTS ATHLETICS SERVES AS A MOTIVATIONAL FORCE FOR THEM TO REMAIN IN SCHOOL AND CERTAINLY SCHOOL PROGRAMS.))
((DR. JERRY WEBB/SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS: IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF WHAT IS ONE RIGHT AND ONE WRONG WE WANT TO BE SURE WHAT WE DO IS REFLECTIVE OF THE SENTIMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.))
[SUPER=01-Patrick Touart/Teacher; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Webb/Pittsylvania Co. Superintendent; :17]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=of our community]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The school board must now decide whether changes need to made or should the requirements remain the same.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=none]
There is no indication when the board may vote, but it should come soon because if changes are made they would go into effect for the next school year.
[11Walmart-Protest]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-15 TC3:38:00]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Walmart is coming under fire.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Wal Mart]
((WAL MART, TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES RIGHT. YEAH))
[SUPER=03-Danville]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=employees right. Yeah!]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Nearly forty people protested outside the Walmart in Danville last night.
They called it the "People's Campaign- Justice at Walmart."
The group made up of labor and community activisits wanted to highlight what they call unfair wages and a lack of afforable healthcare for Walmart employees.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:28:22]
[IN Q=You will find]
((DON CASH/ORGANIZER: YOU WILL FIND THAT MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK AT WALMART QUALIFY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND WE THINK THAT'S A SHAME THAT THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE WORLD WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF REPUTATION OF DISCRIMINATION AND THAT'S DOCUMENTED BY THE NUMEROUS OF LAWSUITS BY THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES.))
[SUPER=01-Don Cash/Organizer]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=thousands of employees]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Similar protests will take place over the next few days at Walmart's throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland.
The company did not return a phone call seeking comment on the protest.
(------------)
[Wildfire]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Wildfire]
Exploding propane tanks and downed power lines are adding insult to injury for firefighters battling a wildfire in Arizona.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Near Tucson, AZ;]
So far, the blaze has engulfed more than 200 homes.
Many others are still threatened by the flames.
Powerful 60- mile- an- hour winds and thousands of dried- out pine trees are helping to fuel the wildfire.
Officials hope to get it under control before they're left with the same kind of widespread destruction caused by dozens of fires last year.
(------------)
[Soldier-Hearing]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Final arguments are expected today at a hearing in Kentucky for the American soldier accused of attacking fellow U-S soldiers in Kuwait.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
Prosecutors say Sergeant Hasam Akbar acted out of sympathy for Iraqi Muslims, when he allegedly rolled live greandes into a tent, killing two soldiers and injuring 15.
The hearing will determine if Akbar will face charges of pre- meditated murder.
(------------)
[11Resource-Officer]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-30 TC09:06]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Roanoke school superintendent Wayne Harris says he did not play a role in the re-assignment of a school resource officer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Police officer Butch Lewis was recently assigned to patrol duty after ten years at Patrick Henry High School.
Supporters say he is being punished for discussing concerns about school safety with a newspaper reporter.
Yesterday, Harris said he had no involvement in the decision.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=And I have nothing to do]
((WAYNE HARRIS/ROANOKE CITY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ASSIGNMENT OR REASSIGNMENT OF ANY SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AND HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN ANY WAY IN ANY REASSIGNMENT OR ASSIGNMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Wayne Harris/Roanoke City Schools Superintendent;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=in any reassignment or assignment.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the National Association of School Resource Officers has come to Lewis' defense.
In a letter released last night, Curt Lavarello (LAV-uh-REL-ow) says that Lewis' transfer should "send a very clear message that crime is being covered up and those who speak out will be dealt with swiftly."
[11Tech-ACC]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-13 TC1:43:54]
[GRAPHIC=Big East/ACC]
Thousands of fans are waiting for a decision, but Virginia Tech officials say if they were invited to join the A-C-C, it's news to them.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/File Tape;]
On Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that the A-C-C presidents have included the Hokies in their expansion plans, along with Miami, Syracuse and Boston College.
But, the university says it has NOT been invited to join the A-C-C, either formally or informally.
If that changes, though, Tech would have some tough decisions to make.
(/////SOT////)
[SOT 733]
[IN Q=the big east]
((CHARLES STEGER/VT PRESIDENT:THE BIG EAST IS A CORPORATION. EACH OF THE PRESIDENTS WHO SERVES ON THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE BIG EAST HAS A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS DEFINED IN LAW TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COLLECTIVE ENTITY))
[SUPER=10-Charles Steger/Virginia Tech President/June 6;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=collective entity;]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Steger says any member of the Big East conference has a legal obligation to notify the others before any negotiations are made.
It's something he says Miami and Boston College failed to do when the offer came to them.
(------------)
[11Kilgore-ACC]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-14 TC3:52:42]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Attorney General Jerry Kilgore says the latest development in the Big East- ACC clash will likely hit the courtroom before the football field.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC/June 4]
Two weeks ago, Virginia Tech filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Now the Hokies may join that organization.
Kilgore says there will be legal matters to address no matter what Tech decides.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:00:38]
[IN Q=IF THE PRESS REPORTS ARE ALL]
((ATTORNEY GENERAL JERRY KILGORE: IF THE PRESS REPORTS ARE ALL TRUE THERE WILL BE LEGAL ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH ARISING FROM THE LAWSUIT FILED IN CONNECTICUT, ARISING FROM OTHER ISSUES AS TECH OR UVA WILL GO FOWARD INTO A NEWLY DEVELOPED CONFERENCE.))
[SUPER=@kilgore]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=NEWLY DEVELOPED CONFERENCE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Kilgore says his office is advising Virginia Tech of all their legal options.
But he says the final decision rests with Tech's Board of Visitors.
(------------)
[S-AVS]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-137 1:47:20]
[GRAPHIC=Avalanche]
In other news, The weather cooperated last night.
The Salem Avalanche was able to play its double header against Myrtle Beach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/Pelicans vs. Avalanche; :00]
In game one at the top of the sixth inning, the Pelicans' Tony Pena grounds to Salem Shortstop Ryan Stegall, who zips the throw to first in time for the out, 5-1 Salem.
In the bottom half of the inning, Hector Gimenez (him-i-nez) says "See ya later", a solo shot to right field.
It's 6-2 Avs, and that is the final in game one.
In game two, It was 1-nothing Pelicans in the bottom of the second.
Salem's Brooks Conrad grounds to the Myrtle Beach short stop.
They turn the double play, but Salem wins Game Two, 2-1.
(------------)
[Marketwatch]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
In business news, Two former Gemstar executives face civil charges.
And, Stocks plummeted yesterday.
Alexis Christoforous has those stories and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=in New York.]
((> Another pair of former corporate executives are in trouble for cooking the
> books.
(GR)
> The SEC filed civil charges against the former top officers of the media
> company Gemstar-T V Guide. The former CEO and CFO are charged with inflating
> gemstar's revenues by more than 200 million dollars from 2000 to 2002.
(OC)
> After sliding for several weeks, mortgage
> rates have steadied.
>
(GR)
> the average rate on a 30 year loan is 5.21 percent the rate for a 15 yr,
> popular option for refinancers, edged up to four-point-62 percent, after
> dropping to an all-time low of four-point-60 last week.
>
(OC)
> On Wall Street, stocks gave back some recent gains as investors wonder if
> the market rose too far too fast since mid march.
>
(GR)
> the dow slid 114 points
>
> while the nasdaq fell back 28
>
(GR)
> Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia barely budged on news that the
> companies namesake is set to go to trial January 12th for her sale of
> Imclone Systems stock.
(OC)
> Investors are anxious to put the trial behind them and at least for now
> one uncertainty has been eliminated.. the actual trial date.
>
(GR)
> Oracle's $6.3 billion hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft, if successful,
> could cost the software industry as many as 4,300 high-paying jobs -
> that's according to analyst estimates. PeopleSoft has been a fairly stable
> employer in the San Francisco Bay Area.PeopleSoft has not announced a job
> cut since CEO Craig Conway joined the company as chief operating officer
> in May 1999.
>
> TRACK ALL THE PREMARKET ACTION AT CBS.MW.COM . I'M AC IN NEW YORK.))
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS]
[COMM]
[11Lake-Water]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=03-12 1:49:31]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Health officials say it may not be healthy to swim at another popular Smith Mountain Lake destination.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./File Tape;]
The health department is issuing a water quality advisory for the Crazy Horse Campground and Marina.
Officials say heavy rainfall washed too much bacteria into the area.
They advise people not to swim, wade or water ski there until the advisory is lifted.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The same warning is still in effect for the lake's upper Blackwater River section.
[11Alleghany-Water]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-23 TC30:15]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Residents in one Alleghany County Community are being told their tap water is contaminated.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :24+]
[SUPER=03-Alleghany Co.;]
The Virginia Department of Health is warning of an unacceptable level of coliform bacteria and excessive turbidity in the "Valley Ridge Water Company" system.
About 170 customers are affected, including Alleghany High School, the Jackson River Technical Center, a country club, two medical offices and dozens of homes.
The state says the spring must be filtered, or shut down, unless another water source is found.
(------------)
[Smallpox-Vaccine]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The smallpox vaccine could be hazardous to your heart--
That's according to a federal health advisory committee.
It's recommending that the Bush administration stop its plans to vaccinate 10- million emergency workers because of potentially dangerous heart risks.
The panel says the government should go ahead with giving the
shot to health workers, but NOT expand the program to police
officers, firefighters and other emergency workers.
[Terrorism]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Sentencing is in August for an Ohio truck driver who pleaded guilty to supporting terrorism.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Columbus, OH;]
Iyman (EYE- min) Faris admits meeting Osama bin Laden at an al-Qaida training camp.
He says they plotted a terrorist attack on New York's Brooklyn Bridge.
Faris faces up to 20 years in prison and 500- thousand dollars in fines.
(------------)
[Harry-Potter]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The countdown is on to the bewitching hour of midnight--
That's when the latest installment in the "Harry Potter" series goes on sale.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Indianapolis, IN;]
But some lucky fans of the teenage wizard have already snapped up copies at stores around the country.
Despite heavy security and legal agreements, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" slipped out ahead of the 12:01 A-M Saturday deadline.
Meanwhile, author J-K Rowling is disenchanted with a New York newspaper that published details of the book.
She's suing "The Daily News" for 100- million dollars.
(------------)
(Kimberly tosses to bump)
[bump-chyron]
[comm #3]
[11D-Day]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-21 TC43:31]
[GRAPHIC=National D-Day Memorial]
A federal judge has released the National D-Day Foundation from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.. the latest step in the memorial's efforts to repay its creditors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]
The foundation still owes about 3 and a half million dollars to Coleman-Adams Construction and architect Byron Dickson.
It has five years to get those debts paid off.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:16:47]
[IN Q=We don't see]
((BILL MCINTOSH/D-DAY FOUNDATION PRESIDENT:WE DON'T SEE ANY IMPEDIMENT TO DOING THAT. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS IS EASY, THERE'S NOTHING EASY ABOUT IT, OR THAT IT'S GOING TO BE OVER IN A HURRY, BUT WE HAVE ALL THE PIECES IN PLACE TO ALLOW US TO SUCCESSFULLY TO PURSUE IT.))
[SUPER=01-Bill McIntosh/D-Day Foundation President]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=to pursue it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
McIntosh says several major gifts may be forthcoming now that the organization is out of bankruptcy.
The foundation ran into financial trouble as it overspent in the rush to finish the memorial before its dedication in 2001.
(------------)
[Biz-Brief]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
In business news, Both the Dow and the Nasdaq lost ground yesterday.
Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:23]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((STOCKS TUMBLED THURSDAY AS A WEAKNESS IN GENERAL ELECTRIC AND FINANCIAL SHARES GAVE INVESTORS AN EXCUSE TO CASH IN ON WALL STREET'S THREE-MONTH RALLY.
THE DOW CLOSED DOWN 114 POINTS...AND THE NASDAQ WAS ALSO DOWN 28.
THE LABOR DEPARTMENT SAYS 13-THOUSAND FEWER AMERICANS FILED FOR FIRST TIME UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS DURING THE WEEK ENDING JUNE 14-TH.
NEW JOBLESS CLAIMS FELL TO 421-THOUSAND.
ANY TOTAL OF NEW CLAIMS ABOVE 400-THOUSAND IS SAID TO INDICATE A WEAK LABOR MARKET.
THE U-S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT SIX-POINT-ONE PERCENT -- A NINE-YEAR HIGH.
SEVERAL BANKS HAVE TRIMMED EARNINGS ESTIMATES FOR GE IN ADVANCE OF AN ANALYSTS' MEETING SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY MORNING.
THE COMPANY SAYS THE DOLLAR VOLUME OF ITS PLASTICS ORDERS DROPPED SHARPLY IN MAY -- BY AS MUCH AS 20 PERCENT FROM A YEAR EARLIER.
MEANWHILE, A UNIT OF G-E CAPITAL CORPORATION SAYS IT HAS AGREED TO SELL ITS BILLION-DOLLAR STAKE IN SHOPPING CENTER OWNER REGENCY CENTERS.
G-E SHARES LOST NEARLY THREE PERCENT ON THE DAY.
LEHMAN BROTHERS HAS REPORTED A 48-PERCENT EARNINGS TURN AROUND FROM LAST YEAR.
THE BROKERAGE FIRM POSTED SECOND QUARTER EARNINGS OF A DOLLAR-67-CENTS PER SHARE.
THATS UP FROM A DOLLAR-EIGHT A YEAR AGO.
LEHMAN BROTHERS SAYS THE POPULARITY OF BOND-TRADING CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR 437-MILLION-DOLLAR REVENUE.
WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF, I'M STAN CASE.))
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS]
[STOCKS]
[COMM]
[Weekend-Preview]
[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#=Wknd Preview]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
(Steve adlibs intro)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=(music)]
[RUNS=1:38]
[OUT Q=be right back..]
(Tape tosses to bump)
[BUMP]
[comm]