[11S-ACC]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=net S]
[GRAPHIC=ACC Big East]
There has been no official word from the A-C-C, but sources say that Miami and Virginia Tech will be invited to join the conference.
Syracuse and Boston College are apparently no longer part of the A-C-C's expansion plans.
However, a spokeman for Syracuse told the Washington Post last night that his school has heard nothing from the ACC.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]
That could change very soon.
The ACC is expected to formally announce its decision later today.
There are a couple of reasons to remain skeptical, but if the ACC takes Tech and Miami - it leaves open the possibility it could snag another team down the road - possibly Notre Dame.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[SS=HOLD]
Again, sources in North Carolina told News 7 sports last night, and the Washington Post will also report in this morning's edition that Tech and Miami will be asked to formally join the ACC.
We'll have more on this story later today on News 7 .
[11Beamer]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-25 TC47:44]
[GRAPHIC=Frank Beamer]
Tech Head football coach Frank Beamer was admitted to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta after experiencing chest discomfort.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Season;]
Yesterday, Beamer was driven to the hospital from his beach home in Georgia.
A hospital spokeswoman says he then underwent a coronary arteriorgram.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The arteriogram shows]
((THE ARTERIOGRAM SHOWS NO MAJOR BLOCKAGES. HE IS QUITE STABLE AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT HE WILL BE DISCHARGED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.))
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=next few days.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Beamer is under observation.
Close friends of the coach spoke to him last night and say he is feeling much better.
He apparently wanted to fly back to Roanoke to see doctors at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, but physicians in Atlanta encouraged him to stay.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]
In 1989, Beamer had an angioplasty procedure performed at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
At that time he did NOT have a heart attack but a narrowing of an artery.
Frank Beamer is 56 years old and has been the head coach at Tech for 16 seasons.
[Henry-Robbery]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=mornin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Henry County investigators say a man robbed a restaurant last night.
A employee at Pat's Pizza in Bassett says a man came into the store and asked for change at about 7.
When she opened the cash drawer, he told her to give him the money.
The worker gave it to him, though no weapon was produced.
Deputies are still looking for the robber.
[11Missing-Girl]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-13 TC1:48:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Authorities are still looking for a missing Pulaski County girl.
Her family say she isn't the type to run away.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
16-year-old Tara Sheets was reported missing early Sunday morning, after she took her dog out for a walk.
The dog came back, but Tara did not.
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.;]
Her grandmother says Tara spent a lot of time talking to friends through Internet chat rooms, and believes there may be a connection to her disappearance.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5658]
[IN Q=every time]
((MARY SHEETS/TARA'S GRANDMOTHER: EVERY TIME TARA WOULD MEET SOMEBODY ON THE INTERNET SHE WOULD TELL ME. SHE WOULD TELL ME THE NAME SHE WOULD TELL ME WHAT THEY SAID AND WE WOULD TALK ABOUT IT.))
[SUPER=01-Mary Sheets/Tara's Grandmother;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=talk about it]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Sheets says Tara once gave out her address to someone she met over the Internet, but promised her she'd never do it again.
(XXXXXXXX)
[TAKE PINNACLE FULL]
Authorities are treating Tara's case as an abduction.
If you have any information, you're asked to call the Pulaski County Crimeline at 540-980-7810.
(------------)
[Bin-Laden]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=mornin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Sources say the government missed its chance to kill Osama bin Laden before September 11th.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
When President Bush took office in January 2001, the White House was told Predator drones spotted bin Laden as many as three times.
Officials were urged to arm the unmanned planes with missiles to kill the al-Qaida leader.
But sources say the administration failed to get the drones back into the skies until after the 9-11 attacks.
(------------)
[Homeland-Security]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The House has approved more than 29-BILLION dollars for the new Homeland Security department.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
It marks the first time Homeland Security funding has been lumped into a single department.
The money will help pay for airport screeners, first responders and efforts to combat bioterrorism.
It will also fund 170-thousand jobs.
(------------)
[11Deer-Hunt]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-18 TC 1:36:19]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Lynchburg does it, so does Blacksburg.
Now you can add Martinsville to the list.
Last night, city council approved an ordinance that would allow deer hunting in the city with bows and arrows.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]
This all came about nearly a year ago after numerous complaints from residents.
Some have problems with deer eating their gardens, others complain about deer jumping in front of their vehicles.
The council then appointed a task force and held several public meetings before proposing this ordinance.
[SUPER=@file]
City leaders believe the bow hunting of deer in the city will work because of several restrictions that will be in place.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:35:05 TAPE 1; 4:51:28]
[IN Q=It's a bow and arrow]
((GENE TEAGUE/MARTINSVILLE MAYOR: IT'S A BOW AND ARROW TYPE HUNTING. IT'S RESTRICTED TO THOSE WHO KNOW HOW TO DO IT, THOSE WHO HAVE A PERMIT, THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN A SAFETY COURSE. JOE BLOW ON THE STREET WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PICK UP A BOW AND ARROW AND START HUNTING DEER.))
((JOEY MOORE/MARTINSVILLE MAYOR: I GREW UP IN MARTINSVILLE AS A KID AND WAS ALWAYS IN THE WOODS AND NEVER SAW A DEER AND NOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS RIDE DOWN THE ROAD AND IN THE MORNING JUST KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Gene Teague/Martinsville Mayor; :03]
[SUPER=01-Joey Moore/Martinsville Resident; :13]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=to see them]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Hunters will also have to obtain a permit from the police department.
They will then need written permission from a landowner where they wish to hunt.
And for most people, hunting will have to be from elevated platforms at least seven feet above the ground.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[SS=none]
This ordinance is only in place for a year. The city will then review the program and decide whether to renew it.
[Marketwatch]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
In business news, Investors are waiting to see how much the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.
And, it was a mixed bag on Wall Street yesterday.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:21]
[OUT Q=in New York.]
((It's Fed day on Wall Street.. and the question is not if but by how much
federal policymakers will cut interest rates later today to keep the
economic recovery alive.
Economists appear divided on whether the fed will cut short term interest
rates, which are already at 41 year lows - by a quarter point or a half
point. But whatever the fed does, it will have to explain its decision to
the world. That's why the accompanying statement it releases is so important
-maybe even more important than the rate verdict itself.
(gr)
the dow rose nearly 37 points
the nasdaq slipped 5
@1/8gr)
On the stocks to watch list: The Federal Trade Commission is expected to
approve Nestle's $2.8 billion acquisition of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream
Nestle and Dreyer's are expected to sell brands Godiva, Whole Fruit and
Dreamery to Canadaian ice cream maker Coolbrands.
(oc)
IF YOU'RE HOPING FOR A PAY RAISE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE
GREAT EXPECTATIONS. PAY INCREASES ARE COMING AT AT THE LOWEST LEVEL IN 10
YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE CONFERENCE BOARD, SALARIED WORKERS WILL RECEIVE AN
AVERAGE 3.5 PERCENT PAY HIGH THIS YEAR..AND THEY CAN EXPECT ABOUT THE SAME
NEXT YEAR.IN THIS CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE COMPANIES ARE BEING VERY CAUTIOUS
ABOUT COST CONTROL.
(gr)
TRACK ALL THE PREMARKET ACTION AT CBS.MW.COM . I'M AC IN NEW YORK.)
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS]
[COMM]
[Virginia-Tech]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net K]
[GRAPHIC=ACC/Big East]
It looks like Syracuse and Boston College are out of the A-C-C's expansion plans.
According to a high ranking league source, The A-C-C has invited just Miami and Virginia Tech to join its conference.
The ACC is expected to formally announce its decision later today.
The source told The Associated Press that league presidents decided yesterday that the only way expansion would work is if the Hurricanes and Hokies joined what would become an eleven-team conference.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Season;]
Meanwhile, Tech head football coach Frank Beamer was admitted to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta yesterday after experiencing chest discomfort.
A hospital spokeswoman says he then underwent a coronary arteriorgram which showed no major blockages.
Beamer is under observation.
Close friends of the coach spoke to him last night and say he is feeling much better.
(------------)
[AZ-Wildfires]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=mornin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Wildfire]
A fast-moving fire in Albuquerque had driven more than one-thousand people have been driven from their homes.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Near Albuquerque, NM;]
The fire is among several burning in Arizona and New Mexico.
New estimates show 345 buldings have been destroyed and 16-thousand homes are without power.
New Mexico's governor has declared a state of emergency.
(------------)
[Tornado]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado]
Tornado-spawning storms have ravaged several midwestern states overnight.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-South Dakota;]
In South Dakota, the governor says a twister leveled the town of Manchester.
Buildings are gone and streets torn up, but no injuries were reported.
In Minnesota, a tornado is blamed for heavy damage to a farm and a church.
(------------)
[11Lake-Water]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-20 TC45:32 ]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The owner of a Smith Mountain Lake campground says the water around his property IS safe to swim in.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :30]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co./Sunday;]
Last week, the health department issued a water quality advisory for the Crazy Horse Campground and Marina.
Officials said heavy rainfall washed too much bacteria into the area and that visitors should avoid the water.
But the marina's owner says tests conducted Monday by a private company and found *below-normal* levels of bacteria.
A spokesman with the Health Department says differing levels of bacteria are to be expected and that the results won't change the agency's advisory.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Franklin County Health Department tests six locations at Smith Mountain Lake every Monday.
This week's results are due today or tomorrow.
[11Pipeline]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-22 TC44:47]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Governor Mark Warner has received a lot of mail from opponents of Duke Energy's natural gas pipeline.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
Close to 900 postcards were delivered to the State Capitol.
Each one asks the governor to step in and stop the drilling under the New River.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:51:41]
[IN Q=IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE]
((ED JENNINGS: IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE OXYGEN LEVELS OF THE RIVER AND TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN BE AFFECTING WATER QUALITY NOT JUST IN WYTHE COUNTY BUT THIS COULD BE AFFECTING THE NEW RIVER GORGE STATE PARK IN WEST VIRGINIA. IT HAS HUGE IMPLICATION TO THE BIOLOGICAL AND FISHLIFE ALONG THE RIVER. ))
[SUPER=07-Ed Jennings]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=ALONG THE RIVER.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Wytheville/May 30]
Drilling for the 94-mile pipeline began in March.
State officials say at this point there is little they can do to stop the project.
(------------)
(Marya tosses to bump)
[bump-chyron]
[comm #3]
[11County-Super]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwa]
[TAPE#=03-17 TC 1:09:44]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Roanoke County is one step closer to a new public safety building.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
The current public safety building is a converted school that was built in the 1930s as a New Deal public-works project.
At their meeting yesterday, Supervisors unanimously voted to move forward with plans for the new building.
Right now, moving forward means accepting a plan from contractor Northrop-Grumman (Gruh-min) and inviting competition from other contractors.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 08:29:25-08:29:34]
[IN Q=We're going to trigger]
((MIKE ALTIZER/ROANOKE CO. SUPERVISOR: WE'RE GOING TO TRIGGER A MECHANISM THAT'S GOING TO DEFINE WHAT WE WILL DO AND HOW MUCH WE WILL DO AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, HOW WE WILL PAY FOR IT.))
[SUPER=@Altizer]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=will pay for it.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[SS=None]
Northrop-Grumman is the only contractor that's submitted a proposal to design, construct, and finance the new building.
But the price is considered proprietary information under the law.
Other companies now have 45 days to submit competing proposals.
[Biz-Brief]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
In business news, Federal Reserve policy makers are discussing the state of the economy and their target for short term interest rates.
Most observers believe that the Fed will cut interest rates today.
But there is debate over the size of the rate cut.
The unceratinity has traders wondering which way to jump in anticipation of the stock market's response to the Fed's decision.
In other news, Stan Case has more on yesterday's closing numbers in today's business brief..
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
THE DOW WORKED HARD TO SUSTAIN A SMALL GAIN TUESDAY.
BUT THE NASDAQ FELL VICTIM TO TECHNOLOGY SELLING.
THE DOW WAS UP 36 POINTS.
THE NASDAQ WAS DOWN FIVE.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IS LITTLE CHANGED IN JUNE.
THE CONFERENCE BOARD'S SURVEY OF U-S HOUSEHOLDS CAME IN AT 83-POINT-FIVE, DOWN FROM 83-POINT-SIX IN MAY, BUT CONSIDERABLY BETTER THAN THE 82 EXPECTED BY ECONOMISTS.
THOSE SAME CONSUMERS' VIEW OF CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS SLIPPED TO 64-POINT-NINE FROM 67-PLUS.
BUT THE "EXPECTATIONS INDEX" -- FOR THE ECONOMY SIX MONTHS FROM NOW -- ROSE TO ALMOST 96 FROM 94-AND-A-HALF.
FEDEX REPORTED FOURTH QUARTER EARNINGS OF 92-CENTS A SHARE, UP FROM 78-CENTS A YEAR AGO.
ALTHOUGH FEDEX SAW NO INCREASE IN ITS CORE PACKAGE VOLUME, THE DELIVERY COMPANY SAYS HIGHER PRICING PER PACKAGE CONTRIBUTED TO MORE THAN FIVE-AND-A-HALF BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE FOR THE QUARTER.
KROGER EARNED 46-CENTS-PER DILUTED SHARE IN ITS FIRST QUARTER.
THAT'S A PENNY BETTER THAN ANALYSTS HAD PREDICTED.
BUT THE CINCINNATI BASED COMPANY WARNED THAT EARNINGS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR MIGHT FALL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE OF COMPETITION FROM DISCOUNT STORES.
KROGER IS THE NATION'S LARGEST GROCERY CHAIN, BUT ITS ANNUAL SALES ARE A DISTANT SECOND TO THE GROCERY SALES OF WAL-MART.
WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF, I'M STAN CASE.))
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS]
[STOCKS]
[COMM]
[6-FAMIS]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=cda]
[TAPE#=502-12 TC1:30:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Many Virginia children are receiving health insurance with the help of a state medical program, but more could still be helped.
The Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan, or FAMIS, provides benefits to children 18 and younger.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Officials say Virginia enrollment in FAMIS is up 35% since September.
The state says 80% of eligible children are now covered by it or Medicaid.
Still, 80-thousand eligible children in Virginia remain uninsured.
For more information on the program, call toll-free 866-87-FAMIS
(+++++++)
[TAKE WDBJ7 Web Page FS]
or for a direct link to its web site, go to our home page at wdbj7-dot-com and click web sites in the news.
(------------)
[Early-Years]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Early Years]
Some say reading is the most important of the R's.
But a new government report shows that some students are not reading at the levels they should.
(++++++++)
[TAKE FS Early Years]
Karen Ryan explains in today's Early Years segment.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Rod Paige/U. S. Department of Education; :17]
[SUPER=01-Val Plisko/National Center for Education Statistics; :40]
[SUPER=01-Karen Ryan/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=I'm Karen Ryan reporting.]
((FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN EVALUATING STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN SEVERAL SUBJECTS. A NEW REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS CALLED "THE NATION'S REPORT CARD: READING 2002," EVALUATES STUDENTS IN FOURTH, EIGHTH AND TWELFTH GRADES.
sot paige: reading is the one skill upon which all the other learning is based. we know from research that if a child
does not learn to read at grade level by third grade the chances are diminished that that child will ever learn to read on grade level.
THE 2002 RESULTS SHOW THAT 32 PERCENT OF FOURTH GRADERS, 43 PERCENT OF EIGHTH GRADERS, AND 38 PERCENT OF TWELFTH GRADERS READ AT THE "BASIC" LEVEL. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED EITHER PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED READERS IS MUCH SMALLER.
sot plisko: what we've seen over the decade, since 1992, is no overall improvement at the 4th grade level, improvement
at the 8th grade level and a decline at the 12th grade level.
THE REPORT SHOWS THAT SOME GROUPS HAVE MADE GAINS IN RECENT YEARS - IN PARTICULAR, LOW INCOME FOURTH GRADERS AND BLACK STUDENTS:
sot paige: that i think signals to the nation that these students can learn and that we can create in this nation a sch
ool system that educates all of our children.
STILL, EDUCATORS SAY THE WIDE GAP BETWEEN THE PERFORMANCE OF MINORITY AND WHITE STUDENTS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IN WASHINGTON, I'M KAREN RYAN REPORTING. ))
(+++++++++)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[Take FS WDBJ WEB ADDRESS 4472ESSC]
For more information on the "Nation's Report Card: Reading 2002" including state level results, you'll find a link on our website at W-D-B-J 7 dot com. Just click on the websites in the news I-con.
News 7 Mornin will be right back.
(++++++++++)
[Toss to Break]
[COMM]
[6-B'burg-Sewer]
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-19 TC54:27]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A sewer issue is stirring up residents in Blacksburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Dozens turned out yesterday for a public hearing on plans to improve the town's sewer system.
The system is now nearing capacity.
Officials say they could upgrade it, build a new system to include service in the Tom's Creek area, or add more treatment sites.
However, many residents say they're concerned about what the improvements will do to the environment.
The town will decide July 8th.
(------------)