WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 11/24/03

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

You'd pay less for groceries, more for cigarettes.
We'll have Governor Warner's new tax proposal.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :07]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
And, the New River Valley struggles to keep its vacant plants from becoming the dinosaurs of the textile industry.
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[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 sports - Maryland accepts a bid to the Gator Bowl - UVa - Tech week opens,
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[VO-NAT]
and the Hokies Brayn Randall speaks out in tonight's Tech 20003 Report.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Temperatures dropped almost 20 degrees in one hour as a cold front crossed our region. An update on the winds and rain in a moment.
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[ANCHOR=Shannon 4-Shot]

News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT ]
[IN Q=HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=FROM HAVING THE WHEELS COME OFF.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The governor's tax plan is out.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

How will it affect your wallet?
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[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

And I'm Keith Humphry.
[Tax-Reform]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-50 TC41:53]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Some Virginians will pay more but most will pay less.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot-Shot]

That is how Governor Warner is characterizing his tax reform plan.
He unveiled it today.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-SHannon & Meghan/State Microwave;]

For the details, we turn to Meghan Muldoon in Richmond.
Warner's plan produces a net tax increase of 500 million dollars a year.
[LIVE= Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=@Meghan1]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]

But it also provides tax breaks and the governor says two out of three Virginians will actually pay less in taxes.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=GOVERNOR MARK WARNER MADE A POINT OF]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=@MarkWarner; :08]
[SUPER=@Griffith; :1:31]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUT Q=A TAX RATE CHANGE OR TAX INCREASE PLAN.]
(( Governor Mark Warner made a point of highlighting that under his tax reform plan, 65% of Virginia taxpayers will save money.
[SOT 14:11:04]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: THIS DOES PROVIDE GREAT TAX RELIEF FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF VIRGINIANS.)) [RUNS:06]
Warner's plan would lower the income tax rates for Virginians making under 20 thousand a year.
It would also trim the grocery tax by a penny and a half.
And his plan would complete the phaseout of the car tax which has stalled at a 70% reduction and eliminate the estate tax on farms.
But clearly some Virginians will pay more.
[SOT :11:48]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: YES WE DO INCREASE OVERALL REVENUE.)) [RUNS:02]
Warner says his plan will raise 500 million dollars a year in new revenue.
Smokers would see a 22 and a half cent tax hike on cigarettes.
And consumers would see a one cent increase in the state's sales tax.
Warner is also tinkering with the age deduction.
Those already 65 and older will continue to receive the tax credit but seniors turning 65 after January 1, 2005, may not.
His plan also calls for closing corporate loopholes and taxing Internet purchases.
As well as increasing the tax rate on Virginians making over 100-thousand.
Warner says Virginia has run out of one time budget fixes.
[SOT 14:14:12]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: THE NOTION THAT WE CAN SIMPLY TO THE NEXT THAT KIND OF PRACTICES ENDS NOW.)) [RUNS:11]
Some Republicans immediately criticized the governor for breaking his campaign promise by raising taxes.
[SOT 23:47:43]
[IN Q=]
((DELEGATE MORGAN GRIFFITH/R-SALEM: WELL, I AM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT IT'S NOT TAX REFORM BUT INSTEAD A TAX RATE CHANGE OR TAX INCREASE PLAN.)) [RUNS:05]
[OUT Q=A TAX RATE CHANGE OR TAX INCREASE PLAN.] ))
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[LIVE= Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

Warner decided against taxing services and increasing the fuel tax.
Now it is the General Assembly's turn to decide what it wants or doesn't want to tax.
If Governor Warner hopes to win over skeptical lawmakers, he must first sell his plan to the public.
He'll visit Roanoke tomorrow as he kicks off a statewide campaign.
[DOUBLE BOXES=JoeD & Meghan /State Microwave-Newsroom;]

Joe Dashiell reports the Governor will have his work cut out for him.

[Local-Reaction]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-36 TC1:48:52]
[GRAPHIC=]

[***TAX REFORM IN MONITOR***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=JoeD & Meghan/Newsroom;]
(Meghan tosses to JOeD)

Meghan, it's a complicated proposal...
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL NEwsroom]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
and if you talk to ten people, you're liable to hear ten different opinions.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Soon after the governor delivered his tax proposal]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jean Christy; :12]
[SUPER=01-Amy Long; :33]
[SUPER=01-James Crockett; :41]
[SUPER=01-Serina Garst; 1:03]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=you can't beat that. LAUGHTER.]

((Soon after the governor delivered his tax proposal in Richmond, Jean Christy was in the checkout line at the Tanglewood Kroger buying thanksgiving dinner.
She says a cut in the sales tax on food would be welcome.
[SOT]
[IN Q=Well I think that's good]
((WELL I THINK THAT'S GOOD. I'M SORRY IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE ONE PERCENT. BECAUSE I THINK THE FOOD TAX IS UNFAIR, BECAUSE IT HITS THE LOWER INCOME PEOPLE MUCH HARDER.))
[RUNS= :10]
[OUT Q=hits the lower income much harder.]

Linda Ensor stocked the shelves at the Tobacco Company cigarette outlet near Cave Spring Corner as customers offered mixed reaction to the ten-fold increase in the cigarette tax that Governor Warner has proposed.
[SOT]
[IN Q=I don't think]
((I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY FAIR TO RAISE THE TAX ON SMOKERS JUST BECAUSE WE SMOKE. THAT'S JUST NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO. )) ((GET DOWN TO IT SMOKIN AIN'T GOOD FOR YOU. YOU KNOW THAT YOURSELF, AND I NEED TO GET AWAY FROM IT MYSELF TELL YOU THE GOD'S TRUTH ABOUT IT.))
[RUNS= :19]
[OUT Q=the god's truth about it.]

In the tobacco outlet, and the grocery checkout line... there was little agreement on the governor's plan.
We even found a Republican who thinks another look at the car tax, wouldn't be such a bad idea.
[SOT]
[IN Q=I think it's a fair tax]
((I THINK IT'S A FAIR TAX. IF YOU HAVE FIVE CARS, YOU PAY TAX ON FIVE CARS. IF YOU HAVE ONE CAR YOU PAY TAX ON ONE CAR. AND THE OLDER IT GETS THE LESS YOU PAY. YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. LAUGHTER...))
[RUNS= :13]
[OUT Q=LAUGHTER.]))
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[LIVE= JoeD /FULL NEwsroom]

No need for car tax critics to worry. As Meghan Muldoon noted the Governor's plan calls for the complete phase out after he leaves office.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Joe & Keith-SHannon / Newsroom;]

But keith and shannon... it won't be easy to build consensus around a complex tax proposal that invites opposition from many different constituencies.

[Gretna-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=03-41 TC1:00:40]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

Gretna High School is taking extra steps to make fans feel safe after last week's shooting outside a football game.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gretna/Friday;]

The school moved its regional championship game with Rustburg from Friday night to Saturday afternoon at 1:30.
It's also hired extra deputies to patrol AND block off parts of Coffey Street, where 29-year-old Lyndell Powell, a former student, was fatally shot Friday night.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:08]
[IN Q=We want people]
((JAMES McDANIEL/SUPERINTENDENT: WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT COMING TO THE GAME. THIS IS A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR GRETNA HAWKS ... BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE PLAYOFFS BEING HELD HERE AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT. ))
[SUPER=01-James McDaniel/Superintendent;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=good about that.]
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[VO-NAT]

23-year-old Edwin Rontae Hodnett of Chatham and Jonathan Lynn Carter of Danville face first degree murder charges.
School officials emphasize that the shooting happened OFF school property and that neither man attended the school OR the game.
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[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

[Amherst-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
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[TAPE#=03-45 TC46:20]
[GRAPHIC=]

[/////WIPE/////WIPE/////WIPE]

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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]

Police hope to make an arrest in a shooting this morning that critically injured a Lynchburg man.
Amherst County authorities say 32-year-old Richard Lee Law was shot at least once during an altercation outside the Quik-E convenience store near South Coolwell Road.
Law then reportedly drove his car across Route 29, jumped a curb and smashed through the wall of a restaurant near the Knight's Inn.
He's in critical condition at Lynchburg General Hospital.
The restaurant has been vacant for some time.
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[Muhammad]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=John Muhammad]

A Virginia Beach jury says John Allen Muhammad should die for the sniper shootings.
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[VO-NAT]

The foreman says jurors were moved by the violence of the crimes and the apparent lack of remorse from Muhammad.

The judge can either confirm the jury's recommendation or reduce it to LIFE in prison, something Virginia judges rarely do.
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[Schools]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=School Info.]

One school announcement for tonight.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE SCHOOLTOUCH FS]
Night classes at Patrick Henry Community College are canceled tonight due to a power outage.
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[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]

Companies leave behind more than laid-off workers when they close up shop.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Still ahead on News 7, see how the New River Valley is trying to find new uses for abandoned factories.
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[VO-NAT]

Plus last week's flooding could carry a hefty pricetag.
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[Downtown-Pulaski]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-38 TC1:47:19]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

More and more empty factories are littering the landscape in the New River Valley.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

These huge plants are reminders of the struggling textile industry.
[ANCHOR=Shannon ]
[SS=None]

New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa tells us how the region is trying to market them.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-November 11; :00]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski; :12]
[SUPER=01-Aric Bopp/New River Valley Economic Dev. Alliance; :15]
[SUPER=01-David Tickner/Pulaski Community Dev. Director; :39]
[SUPER=@Rachel1; :59]
[SUPER=01-John White/Pulaski Economic Dev. Director; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=News 7, Pulaski]
((The region's textile jobs aren't just disappearing without a trace....
nats- machines/people....
they're leaving behind some hard to shake memories of what used to be. Thousands of square feet of empty space... tailor made and hard to sell.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:6:15:00]
[IN Q=Modern industry...]
((ARIC BOPP: MODERN INDUSTRY, MODERN TECHNOLOGIES, MODERN COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR BUILDINGS WITH HIGHER CEILING HEIGHTS, BUILDINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE THEN SOME OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS WE HAVE.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=buildins we have.]

Apparently not buildings like this one with a 14-foot ceiling and specially designed heating and air conditioning unit. It was only built in 1996... used by Renfro, then abandoned 4 years later.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:4:23:00 ]
[IN Q=The county still ]
((DAVID TICKNER: THE COUNTY STILL OWES SOME MONEY ON THE BUILDING, HAS DONE SOME REFINANCING FOR THE BUILDING. SO, JUST SITTING HERE, AND NOT REALLY BEING ON THE TAX ROLLS AND GENERATING ANY REVENUE HURTS US PRETTY BAD.)) [RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=us pretty bad.]

4-more empty buildings like this are why county officials are now stepping outside the box... searching for new ways to market the facilities.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:11:28:00]
[IN Q=Even Radford]
((RACHEL DEPOMPA:EVEN RADFORD UNIVERSITY'S GETTING INVOLVED. 2-GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TYPE OF COMPANIES DON'T NEED AN EXTREMELY HIGH CEILING SO THE COUNTY CAN TRY AND LURE THEM IN. )) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=Lure them in.]

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:2:53:00]
[IN Q=We're looking at different]
((JOHN WHITE: WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN THE AREA, FOOD PROCESSING PERHAPS IF WE COULD TARGET SOME OF THESE INDUSTRIES THAT WOULD BE MORE ADAPTABLE TO THE KIND OF BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE, )) [RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=that we have.]

Officials may even try to renovate a building, but in tough economic times, even they know that might not be enough.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:3:50:00 ]
[IN Q=We need]
((JOHN WHITE: WE NEED TO PUT THIS BUILDING BACK TO WORK, THAT'S OUR GOAL.)) [RUNS:04]
[OUT Q=our goal.]

...in turn putting more people back to work. Rachel DePompa, News 7, Pulaski.))

[Flooding-Costs]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-40 TC1:26:36]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

New River Valley flood damage could top two and a half million dollars.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.]

Giles, Pulaski, Bland and Tazewell Counties and the cities of Galax and Radford have all reported damage.
Early estimates in Giles County alone show nearly 1-point-7 million dollars. Officials say at least 40 homes and two businesses were flooded.
FEMA officials spent the day in Bland and Pulaski Counties and will be in Giles County tomorrow.
If FEMA agrees with the early estimates it could send a formal request to the President for a disaster declaration.
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[Alleghany-Water]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-43 TC1:02:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Just days after a water boiling notice was issued to some residents in Alleghany County, the owner of the water company that serves the area appealed a separate notice issued to him.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Alleghany Co.;]
Valley Ridge Water Company was issued a notice in September, that it had until the beginning of December to come up with a plan to correct its health violation. The state health department said the spring system the company was using posed a health risk to customers, and that the company had 18-months to find an alternative. But, Valley Ridge owner Doodlebug Dressler says two months to come up with plan just isn't enough time.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 445]
[IN Q=but believe me]
((BUT BELIEVE ME, AS LONG AS I'M LIVING, I'M GONNA DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF VALLEY RIDGE))
[SUPER=01-Doodlebug Dressler/Valley Ridge Water Company Owner;]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=people of valley ridge]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=KEITH]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Today a judge granted Dressler a two-month extension. Right now, residents in the Valley Ridge area are using water from the county's well system.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A recovery in the dollar gave Wall Street investors more courage. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-x/119.26/9747.79/x/53.26/1947.14;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW climbed 119 points.
NADAQ rose 53.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-h/2.50/80.31/h/0.50/50.59/h/0.33/27.45/h/0.96/69.14/h/0.55/74.90;]
[SUPER=272-h/0.27/39.43/h/0.23/15.23/h/0.05/6.90/h/0.54/60.69/h/0.19/28.75;]
[SUPER=273-h/0.26/6.48/h/1.19/42.18//Unchg/18.65/h/0.31/21.34/h/0.27/5.76;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.05/9.37/h/0.81/70.36/h/0.30/32.50/h/0.50/45.55/h/1.27/56.08;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Poplar-Forest]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-44 TC50:52]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

A month before Christmas arrives, Congressman Bob Goodlatte played Santa throughout the Sixth District.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-shot]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]

Goodlatte stopped in Bedford County to present Poplar Forest with a set of reproduction prints from the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The prints are from a set created by the Library of Congress to commemorate the bicentennial of the duo's historic trip.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:23:51]
[IN Q=The prints are]
((LYNNE BEEBE/POPLAR FOREST: THE PRINTS ARE A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR US TO EXHIBIT ABOUT THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION THAT WE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE THESE KINDS OF RESOURCE OTHERWISE, SO THIS IS A TREMENDOUS GIFT.))
[SUPER=01-Lynne Beebe/Poplar Forest]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=a tremendous gift.]
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[VO-NAT]

Goodlatte also handed over a check for 1-thousand-25 dollars.. 25 percent of his Congressional pay raise that he donates to charity every year.
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[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - the Tech 2003 Report focuses in on Tech's quarterback situation and AOL,
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[VO-NAT]
and the Maryland Terrapins are headed to Jacksonville to ring in the New Year - as they are formally invited to the Gator Bowl.
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[S-Tech2003]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-160]
[GRAPHIC=TECH 2003]

The final Tech 2003 segment of this season focuses on the quarterback carousel, the reason Tech will be ready for UVa, and a unique instant message from AOL.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bryan Randall/Va. Tech Junior Quarterback; :18]
[SUPER=01-Jake Grove/VT Senior Center; 1:08]
[SUPER=01-Locke White/VT Director of Licensing and Trademarks; 1:45]
[RUNS=2:04]
[OUT Q=...A VIRGINIA TECH HOKIE LOOK."]
(-----------)
(( We begin with the quarterbacks - since the Miami game it has been a plural noun that most fans would like to make singular - and by the way so would the veteran - Bryan Randall. ((BRYAN RANDALL:)) Randall will start against UVa - and according to Beamer's web site - the Williamsburg native will play the entire game on Saturday. The question is will the entire Tech team come to play? The Hokies have lost three of their last five games, and with the exception of Kevin Jones have completely unpredictable. ((JAKE GROVE:)) If you can't be there Saturday - you can at least talk about the game, and if you're one of the millions of AOL users - you can now do so with your Hokie colors. Virginia Tech is the first University in the nation to be featured on AOL's Expressions.)) ((LOCKE WHITE:))

[S-UVa]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-164]
[GRAPHIC=TECH/UVA]

Saturday at one - UVa and Tech meet at Scott Stadium to decide ownership to the Commonwealth Cup. Steve Mason says the Hokies have owned the Cup and much more the past four years.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Year; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jamaine Winborne/UVa Cornerback; :10]
[SUPER=01-Al Groh/0-and-2 Against VT at UVa; :31]
[SUPER=01-Marquis Weeks/UVa Running Back; :44]
[SUPER=01-Chris Canty/UVa Defensive End; :52]
[SUPER=@steve1; 1:08]
[RUNS=1:14]
[OUT Q=...NEWS 7 SPORTS]
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[S-Gator]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-158]
[GRAPHIC=ACC FB]
The first ACC bowl team to find out its destination other than Florida State got its travel plans this afternoon at 3.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-ACC; :00]
That's when the Maryland Terrapins officially accepted an invitation to play in the 59th Gator Bowl. The Terrapins will face a Big East team, possibly West Virginia, but that likely will not be known until after this coming weekend. Maryland was last in the Gator Bowl in 1975. (------------)