WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 07/04/03

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=MARYA]

Coming up...

It sounds like Saddam Hussein, but is it?
A new audio tape claims he's alive and planning more attacks on Americans.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

And a giant sea blob on a South American beach is baffling residents and scientists alike.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]
The only thing better looking than the fireworks diplays is your 4th of July forecast. It will be a hot one though, with temperatures in the 90's and hazy sunshine. The complete holiday weekend forecast is coming up.
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[ANCHOR=MARYA 2-Shot]

News 7 at Noon starts right now...
[Noon-open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Marya1;]
[SUPER=@Brent1;]

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq Casualties]

A man identifying himself as Saddam Hussein says he's still in Iraq and planning more attacks on Americans.
An audio tape with those claims surfaced today.
This, as U-S troops in Iraq once again came under heavy fire.
One soldier was killed and 18 wounded in separate attacks.
Aleen Sirgany has more from Washington.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nats, Attacks on U-S forces]
[SUPER=03-Baghdad, Iraq; :00]
[SUPER=01-Edward Bryja/U. S. Military Spokesman; :14]
[SUPER=01-Steven Miller/249th Corp. of Engineers; :31]
[SUPER=01-Arnold Schwarzenegger/Actor; 1:10]
[SUPER=01-Aleen Sirgany/CBS News; 1:22]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUT Q=AS, CBS News, Washington.]
(( ATTACKS ON U-S FORCES DIDN'T STOP ON THIS INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY......THEY ONLY GREW IN NUMBER.
A U-S SOLDIER WAS SHOT AND KILLED WHILE GUARDING A BAGHDAD MUSEUM ---
WHILE 18 OTHER AMERICANS WERE HURT IN A MORTAR ATTACK NORTH OF THE CAPITAL.

SOT - MAJOR EDWARD BRYJA/U-S MILITARY SPOKESMAN "3 or 4 mortar rounds
were reported as to landing within the vicinity - one landed inside the perimeter."
HOURS LATER, U-S TROOPS KILLED ELEVEN IRAQIS WHO AMBUSHED A CONVOY....NO AMERICANS WERE HURT. DESPITE THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE -- SOLDIERS REMAIN DETERMINED TO CRUSH RESISTANCE.

SOT - STAFF SGT. STEVEN MILLER/BRAVO COMPANY/249TH ENGINEERS "It goes
with the territory - have to find a way to put a stop to it."
CAPTURING SADDAM HUSSEIN -- OR PROVING HE'S DEAD -- COULD GIVE U-S FORCES THE EDGE THEY NEED. THE DAY AFTER OFFICIALS SLAPPED A 25-MILLION DOLLAR BOUNTY ON SADDAM.....AN AUDIOTAPE AIRED ON AL-JAZEERA TELEVISION -- SUGGESTING, HE'S STILL ALIVE.

(nats...if tape comes in time)

THE VOICE ON THE TAPE, PURPORTED TO BE THE FORMER IRAQI LEADER -- WARNS, HE'S STILL IN IRAQ - PLANNING MORE DEADLY ATTACKS.

(nats....)
THERE WAS SOME DIVERSION FROM THE ONGOING THREATS -- ACTION MOVIE STAR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER PUMPED UP AMERICAN SOLDIERS....CELEBRATING JULY 4TH IN IRAQ.

SOT - ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER/MOVIE STAR "I said to myself instead of
sitting at home in Los Angeles on July 4th, I think I can do better by coming to Iraq and to Kuwait and visit the American soldiers."
STANDUP: THERE'S NO IMMEDIATE WAY TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE AUDIOTAPE - SAID TO BE FROM SADDAM - IS AUTHENTIC. BUT THOSE WHO KNOW SADDAM'S VOICE SAY IT SOUNDS IDENTICAL. ALEEN SIRGANY, CBS NEWS, WASHINGTON.))

[11Former-POW]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-28 TC16:49]
[GRAPHIC=none]
A Virginia man who is a former prisioner of War says he has a new outlook this Independence Day. David Williams says he now appreciates his freedom in a way most can't imagine.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Williams was a prisoner of war in Iraq for three weeks.
[SUPER=03-Chesapeake]

The Apache helicopter crewman got a hero's welcome yesterday at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, where he graduated in 1991.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It feels really]
((DAVID WILLIAMS/FORMER PRISONER OF WAR: IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO BE HOME, IT REALLY DOES. I LOVE TO SEE EVERYONE'S SMILING FACE AND TO SEE AMERICANS IN GENERAL TO BE ABLE TO SHAKE EVERYONE'S HAND. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE HAVING YOUR FREEDOM TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE FOR GRANTED.))
[SUPER=01-David Williams/Former Prisoner of War]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=never take for granted.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

After he was rescued, Williams asked his commanding officers to send him back to Iraq to help finish the job.
They said no.
(------------)

[Mosque-Explosion]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

An explosion at a Shiite Muslim mosque has killed 32 worshippers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Quetta, Pakistan;]

Another 52 people were hurt.
It happened this morning, as 2-thousand people inside observed the Muslim sabbath.
Some witnesses say the attack was carried out by two suicide bombers, but others say attackers threw grenades into the mosque.
One man is in police custody, but no one's claimed responsibility for the bombing.
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[Liberia]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Liberia's president has agreed to step down after being given an ultimatum by the U-S.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Monrovia, Liberia;]

A senior source in the Liberian government says the U-S gave Charles Taylor a 48-hour deadline.
Taylor's a former warlord ... under U-N indictment for crimes against humanity.
Rebels have been fighting a bloody battle with his troops for years.
They've asked the U-S to help oust him.
In an interview with CBS Radio, Taylor pledged to leave the country ... but with certain conditions.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT @ 1:03 IN PKG.]
[IN Q=i do not]
(("I do not want to attach time. I'm not talking about one year. I'm looking at a period anywhere from between 30 to 90 days." ))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=30 to 90 days.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

President Bush is still considering whether to send troops to Liberia.
(------------)

[FL-Explosion]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Search teams found the bodies of three people missing since yesterday's explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Texas.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Kilgore, TX;]

Investigators say the three workers were the only people in the building at the time of the blast.
The warehouse was leveled, five other people were injured and some nearby homes were damaged.
[SUPER=03-Bonita Springs, Florida;]

In Florida, investigators retrieved the bodies of four victims of a fireworks explosion.
It happened Wednesday on a beach in the southwest part of the state. A fifth person died later at the hospital.

(------------)

[4th-AAA]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Holiday Travel]
Many people are hitting the highway this holiday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A Triple-A survey finds nearly 37-million Americans are heading out of town.
About 32 and a half are traveling by car ... up two percent from last year.
Four point three million are going by air ... that's down two percent.
Despite all the travelers, the government is keeping the national terror alert at yellow.
(------------)

[Constitution]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jen]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Fourth of July]
Independence Day celebrates the approval of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. And what better way to commemorate the event than to visit the Constitution Museum in Philadelphia. Jason Carroll takes us there.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Philadelphia, PA; :00]
[SUPER=01-Joe Torsella/Constitution Museum President; :29]
[SUPER=01-Jason Carroll/Reporting; 1:51]
[RUNS=2:02]
[OUT Q=Jason Carroll Philadelphia]

((PHILADELPHIA, A HISTORIC CITY. HOME OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S HOUSE, INDEPENDENT HALL, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO SAY IS WHERE THE CONSTITUTION WAS SIGNED. "Philadelphia." "I'm going to go with Philadelphia" BUT SLOW TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THE CONSTITUTION IS. "What is the constitution?" "Oh, I got to go." "Ahhhh.... It's being free?" "It's like... It's like, I don't know." "I'm not at all surprised by this, but we are determined to do something about it." ENTER THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER. THE FIRST MUSEUM OF ITS KIND DEDICATED TO THE CONSTITUTION. NAT-"You have the history of how we got from there to here". JOE TORSELLA IS PRESIDENT OF THE MUSEUM. HE GAVE US A PREVIEW OF WHAT VISITORS CAN EXPECT. "Can you vote? Goes across 200 hundred years, starting in 1765." (Jason) "Let's see, are you white? That rules me out." (Joe) "No, guess what? In 1765 there were states where African-Americans could vote." "This is an exhibit that lets you be sworn in as president. We designed that with kids in mind but one US Senator asked me if he could do that." (Jason) "Can you tell us which one?" (Joe)" I can't." IT'S NOT JUST AN INTERACTIVE MUSEUM, HERE YOU'LL ALSO FIND AN INTERESTING MIX OF ARTIFACTS. THE INKWELL PRESIDENT LINCOLN USED TO SIGN THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. THE TOOLS USED IN THE WATERGATE HOTEL BURGLARY. A BUTTERFLY BALLOT FROM THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. "James Madison, a rather short fellow over there." AND, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HIMSELF. "The beauty of this document to all of my friends who have parted was that we were all a part of that document." THE IDEA TO CREATE A CONSTITUTIONAL MUSEUM WAS BORN BACK IN 1887. IT TOOK 200 YEARS, BUT CREATORS SAY BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. JASON CARROLL, CNN, PHILADELPHIA. ))

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[WX-Tease] ((KIM TOSS TO LEO)) [7/3/2003]
[SS=NONE]BRENT in WX-CENTER

[WEATHERPRO/FULL] SAT/TEMPS WX STORY

[SS=NONE]

(BRENT TOSS to KIM)

[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Coming up -
Meet a young artist who's giving back while still getting her career on track -
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[VO-NAT ]

And... What Is It? A beached blob is baffling residents and scientists in Chile. That story's just ahead.
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[music up full] [comm1]

[Chile-Blob]

[ANCHOR=marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A mysterious creature that turned up on a beach in Chile is puzzling scientists.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Puerto Montt, Chile;]

Right now, the sea creature is being referred to as a "blob" because no one knows exactly what it is.
It washed up last week and was spotted by a group of people.
It's 40 feet long and grey and blubbery like a whale.
Chilean scientists are puzzled by the blob.
They thought it could be part of a whale carcass, but whale experts say it appears to be something else.
Some speculate it's a rare giant octopus reportedly sighted in Florida in the late 1800s.
The Chileans cut samples from it, hoping other scientists can shed light on the blob.
The samples are headed to labs in the U-S, France and Italy for analysis.
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[Beached-Whales]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jen]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC0=none]

26 pilot whales beached themselves in the Florida Keys this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Near Big Pine Key, FL]
A massive animal rescue effort is underway as marine biologists try to save the whales. Two seperate pods of adults and calf whales are stranded in shallow water. Two animals have reportedly died and rescue workers are struggling in the shallow waters trying to keep the rest alive and back out to sea. Officals say some of the whales are up to 12 feet long and weigh several tons.
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[Young-Artist]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Many successful artists feel the need to give something back ... but very few start while they're still in high school.
Tracy Smith takes a look at a young woman who's bringing art back into schools that can't afford to keep the programs.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Portrait of the artist]
[SUPER=04-CBS News "Sunday Morning" - 1995; :04]
[SUPER=01-Alexandra Nechita/Artist; :38]
[SUPER=01-Harriet Taub/Materials for the Arts; 1:14]
[SUPER=01-Tracy Smith/Reporting; 1:41]
[RUNS=2:09]
[OUT Q=NATS: thank you very much for coming. Laugh.]

[tease next]
[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Still to come - We'll tell you the best places to see the fireworks tonight -
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[VO-NAT ]

and get your motors running... The classics are getting car fanatics all revved up this holiday weekend.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[Car-Show]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=eki]
[TAPE#=502-03 tc 1:59:47]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Parking in downtown Roanoke may be difficult today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

It's the second annual Star City Motor Madness.
Two thousand classic cars are lined up and down the city market...
Cars like this one that was savaged from a junked car just four years ago and transformed into a classic.
(///// SOT /////)
[IN Q=Lots of fun meeting...]
((MIKE LYNCH/CAR ENTHUSIAST: LOTS OF FUN MEETING PEOPLE. PEOPLE ENJOY WHAT I HAVE. SEE WHERE I BROUGHT IT FROM OUT OF A JUNK YARD TO THE STAGE IT IS NOW.))
[SUPER=01-Mike Lynch/Car Enthusiast]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=the stage it is now.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The event is free to anyone who wants to admire these unique cars until 2-pm today.
Any money made from the event will go to the Virginia Museum of Transportation Automotive Gallery.
It ends with an Independence Day Parade down Williamson Road.
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[Weather] [NOON WEATHER] [7/2/2003] [TWO SHOT]

[WXPRO/FULL]

[MUSIC UNDER] [COMMERCIAL]

[SUPER=#574;]
[CK/VIEWERNET;]
[CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS [WXPRO/FULL] FORECASTS EXTENDED FORECAST

[tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

coming up next... we'll take a look at who's leading in this weeks L-P-G-A tournament....
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[VO-NAT ]
and Steve Park grabs his second Pole position of the season as NASCAR drivers gear up for the Pepsi 400.
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[S-Qualify]

[ANCHOR=marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-134 TC15540]
[GRAPHIC=Nascar]

Jeff Green started on the pole for the Daytona 500 in February behind the wheel of Richard Childress' AOL Chevy.

Last night, Steve Park did the honors in the same car and will start on the point for Saturday's Pepsi 400.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Daytona, FL/TNT; :00]

Park, who lost his ride with DEI just a few weeks ago, grabbed his 2nd pole of the season and the fourth of his career with a hot lap at 184.75 miles per hour.
He knocked Jeff Gordon from the top spot.
Kevin Harvick slipped into the outside slot just a few minutes later, for an all-Childress front row.
Here's a look at the complete starting grid.
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[go to qualifying boards]
[SUPER=#556]
[SUPER=X5013;]
[SUPER=0107-1. Steve Park/184.752/2. Kevin Harvick//3. Jeff Gordon//4. Sterling Marlin//5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-6. Michael Waltrip//7. Ken Schrader//8. Jamie McMurray//9. Elliott Sadler//10. Jeremy Mayfield//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-11. Jimmie Johnson//12. Casey Mears//13. Tony Stewart//14. Bill Elliott//15. Bobby Labonte//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-16. Dale Jarrett//17. Ricky Craven//18. Robby Gordon//19. Buckshot Jones//20. Joe Nemechek//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-21. David Green//22. Johnny Benson//23. Mike Wallace//24. Ryan Newman//25. Terry Labonte//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-26. Larry Foyt//27. Ricky Rudd//28. Ward Burton//29. Kenny Wallace//30. Greg Biffle//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-31. Kurt Busch//32. Mike Bliss//33. Mark Martin//34. Jeff Green//35. Jack Sprague//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-36. Jeff Burton//37. Matt Kenseth/Prov/38. Rusty Wallace/Prov/39. Dave Blaney/Prov/40. Jimmy Spencer/Prov/;
]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0107-41. Todd Bodine/Prov/42. Kyle Petty/Prov/43. Stacy Compton/Prov/;]
[RUNS=:45]
[oc...last name]
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[super=#555;]

[S-Golf]

[ANCHOR=marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-150 TC0016]
[GRAPHIC=LPGA]

Scotland's Mhari McKay leads the US Women's Open after an opening round 5-under 66.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-North Plains, OR/ESPN; :00]

The youth movement on the LPGA tour continued yesterday as 13 year old Michelle (Wee) Wie fired a 2-over 73.
Former Scott Robertson golfer Morgan Pressel just wrapped up her round out west. She carded a 1-under 70 and is just 4 back of the lead.
(------------)
[anchor=marya]
[graphic=NONE]

Other golfers of note, Lynchburg's Donna Andrews is on the leaderboard and in the hunt at 2-under par.
Former Patrick Henry Patriot, Vicky Linkous had a rough day struggling to an 88.

[Fireworks]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=4th of July]

No matter where your travels take you, there's bound to be a Fourth of July fireworks display nearby. Here's a list of some of the lightshows you can checkout tonight in our area.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=nat sound music]
[RUNS=1:05]
[OUT Q=nat sound music]

[quickcast next]

[Lexington]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jen]
[TAPE#=03-24 31:24]
[GRAPHIC=4th July]

The city of Lexington put its patriotism on parade with high flying hot air balloons and a colorful convoy of bicycles.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington]
The hot air balloons had to wait for the fog to lift before they were able to make their flight from the VMI parade ground this morning. Many carried American flags as they drifted over Lexington. Uncle Sam was also riding high on a unicylce. He led the annual parade of bicycles down main street. Hundreds of kids peddled from the Rockbridge Regional Library to the campus of Washington and Lee. Many spend more time decorating thier bicycles than riding in the parade.
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[Quickcast]

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