WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 06/26/03

[7-VOB-Tech-BOV]

[ANCHOR=Marya]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Tech/ACC]

It's official.
The Atlantic Coast Conference has officially invited Virginia Tech to join the conference.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Tech's Board of Visitors met yesterday afternoon at the Hotel Roanoke.
The board unanimously authorized Tech President Charles Steger to negotiate a deal with the A-C-C.
Steger expects the decision to draw criticism because the university now hopes to join a conference it was just days ago suing.
However, he says Virginia Tech did everything by the book.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:31:09]
[IN Q=The Big East]
((CHARLES STEGER/VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT: THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE BY LAWS HAVE PROVISIONS FOR A MEMBER EXITING THE CONFERENCE AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED AND WILL FOLLOW THOSE PROVISIONS.))
[SUPER=01-Charles Steger/Virginia Tech President;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=follow those provisions]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

There's no indication how long Virginia Tech will take before deciding whether to join the ACC.
But we believe it will come before Monday because that's when the penalty for leaving the Big East jumps from one million to two million dollars.
(------------)

[7-11Kilgore-Lawsuit]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-17 TC1:11:32]
[GRAPHIC=TEch ACC Lawsuit]

Virginia Tech is no longer a plaintiff in the Big East lawsuit against the A-C-C, but according to Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, the school could find itself a defendant.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :09]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Kilgore says Virginia Tech withdrew from the lawsuit yesterday in order to get an invitation from the A-C-C, but that further legal issues may arise.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:59:41]
[IN Q=NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN EASY]
((ATTORNEY GENERAL JERRY KILGORE: NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN EASY, TEMPERS HAVE FLARED ON ALL SIDES WITHOUT THE LITIGATION WILL BE IN THIS POSITION TODAY. ))
[SUPER=@Kilgore]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=BE IN THIS POSITION TODAY.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Kilgore also credited University of Virginia President John Casteen and Governor Mark Warner with helping Tech in its bid.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Marya]
[SS=HOLD]

A statement issued by the remaining plaintiffs says that Syracuse and Boston College belong in the Big East.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit say they're holding out hope that Miami and Virginia Tech will remain conference members.

[7-6-Beamer]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-25 TC48:32]
[GRAPHIC=Frank Beamer]

Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer is out of the hospital.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Season]

Beamer was admitted to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta on Tuesday after experiencing chest pains.
He underwent some tests that found no blockages in his heart and was released yesterday afternoon.
Beamer then returned to his vacation home in Georgia.
(------------)

[45-VOB-Tech-BOV]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Tech/ACC]

Virginia Tech is beginning talks with the A-C-C after being invited to join the conference yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Tech's Board of Visitors met yesterday afternoon at the Hotel Roanoke.
The board unanimously authorized Tech President Charles Steger to negotiate a deal with the A-C-C.
Steger expects the decision to draw criticism because the university now hopes to join a conference it was suing just days ago.
However, he says Virginia Tech did everything by the book.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:31:09]
[IN Q=The Big East]
((CHARLES STEGER/VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT: THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE BY LAWS HAVE PROVISIONS FOR A MEMBER EXITING THE CONFERENCE AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED AND WILL FOLLOW THOSE PROVISIONS.))
[SUPER=01-Charles Steger/Virginia Tech President;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=follow those provisions]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

There's no indication how long Virginia Tech will take before deciding whether to join the ACC.
But it is believed that it will come before Monday because that's when the penalty for leaving the Big East jumps from one million to two million dollars.
(------------)

[45-11ITT-Strike]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=ITT Strike]

Some Roanoke County workers are going back to the bargaining table.
I-T-T Night Vision says it's resumed contract negotiations with union members. About 600 employees went on strike this past weekend when a deal couldn't be reached. Production at the plant continues.

[45-11Warner]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-14 TC3:59:38]
[GRAPHIC=MArk Warner]

Governor Mark Warner's trip to a Northern Virginia nighclub is stirring up controversy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

The Washington Post reported Tuesday in a gossip column that Warner visited a racy nightclub on Saturday night.
The Post also noted that the governor was without his wife and children, who are on vacation.
The Family Policy Network says Warner has some explaining to do.
Warner admits he stopped by the Home nightclub in Northern Virginia, but says he didn't do anything inappropriate.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:56:11]
[IN Q=I HAD DINNER WITH]
((I HAD DINNER IN DC WITH A COUPLE OF OUT-OF-TOWN LAW SCHOOL ROOMMATES, FRIEND, WENT OUT FOR A DRINK AFTERWARDS.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=WENT OUT FOR A DRINK AFTERWARDS.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Home nightclub is described on its website as a cross between the Playboy Mansion and Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
A spokeswoman for Warner says the event has been "mischaracterized."
(------------)

[8-VOB-Tech-BOV]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-]
[GRAPHIC=Tech/ACC]

It's official.
The Atlantic Coast Conference has officially invited Virginia Tech to join the conference.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Tech's Board of Visitors met yesterday afternoon at the Hotel Roanoke.
The board unanimously authorized Tech President Charles Steger to negotiate a deal with the A-C-C.
Steger expects the decision to draw criticism because the university now hopes to join a conference it was suing just days ago.
However, he says Virginia Tech did everything by the book.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:31:09]
[IN Q=The Big East]
((CHARLES STEGER/VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT: THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE BY LAWS HAVE PROVISIONS FOR A MEMBER EXITING THE CONFERENCE AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED AND WILL FOLLOW THOSE PROVISIONS.))
[SUPER=01-Charles Steger/Virginia Tech President;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=follow those provisions]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

There's no indication how long Virginia Tech will take before deciding whether to join the ACC.
But it is believed that it will come before Monday because that's when the penalty for leaving the Big East jumps from one million to two million dollars.
(------------)

[8-11Tech-Reaction]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-13 TC1:51:08]
[GRAPHIC=Tech/ACC]
Reactions to the news on Tech's campus are mixed.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/File Tape;]
Many students and faculty say they never doubted Tech would accept an offer to join the A-C-C, if given the chance. But, with everything that has happened, Tech filing a lawsuit against the A-C-C and accusing schools like Miami and Boston College of betrayal, many say Tech will end up looking like a hypocrite and that it's better off staying in the Big East.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:56]
[IN Q=i think it will]
((NICHOLAS MORMAN/STUDENT: 5:56 I THINK EVENTUALLY IT'LL GET STRONGER AND IF WE CAN STAY A TOP TEAM IN THE CONFERENCE RATHER THAN GOING TO THE ACC WE'RE GOING TO BE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RUNG. I THINK THAT'S TO OUR ADVANTAGE 602)) ((CLARK SIMMERS/STUDENT: 509WITHOUT THE LAWSUIT I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY IT'S A PLUS. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE IN A CONFERENCE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS...VERY TALENTED 523.))
[SUPER=01-Nicholas Morman/Student; :00]
[SUPER=01-Clark Simmers/Student; :08]
[RUNS=20]
[OUT Q=very talented]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
On the other hand, others say Tech made the right decision.
(//////SOT//////)
[SOT 1240]
[IN Q=without Miami]
((MATT WATSON: WITHOUT MIAMI IN THE BIG EAST...I THINK TECH SHOULD GO WHEREVER MIAMI GOES. ))
[SUPER=01-Matt Watson/Student;]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=miami goes]
(------------)