[11Roanoke-Shooting]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-54 TC 27:38]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]
[ENG#=1]
Roanoke Police are investigating a triple shooting.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
It happened last night at the Laurel Ridge Apartments off Old Spanish Trail.
Officers confirm 3 people were shot and were taken to the hospital.
They have not released any information about their conditions or any possible suspects.
(------------)
[Malvo]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Malvo]
[ENG#=2]
This morning, jurors in Chesapeake will continue deliberating whether convicted D-C area sniper Lee Malvo should live or die.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
The jury deliberated for about three hours after hearing closing arguments.
Yesterday, the panel heard from Malvo's father, who described his son's childhood living and playing in Jamaica.
The defense says Malvo was manipulated by his accomplice, John Muhammad.
But prosecutors say Malvo deserves to die for his crimes.
(------------)
[CA-Quake]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=3]
Today people in California continue to pick up the pieces following yesterday's earthquake.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Paso Robles, CA;]
The six-point-five quake in central California caused heavy damage in the small town of Paso Robles (ROH-buhlz)-- bringing down buildings and killing at least two people.
Thousands of homes lost power and telephone service.
The tremor could be felt from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
Authorities say it's the strongest quake to hit California since 19-99.
(------------)
[Holiday-Shopping]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas Shopping]
[ENG#=4]
Many of the nation's retailers are likely wishing for a holiday miracle.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
Not even a weekend buying binge could turn around what's been considered modest holiday sales.
Several businesses, including Wal-Mart and Target, say Christmas buying is tracking below their projections.
Industry analysts say sales will be better than last year, but not that much better.
(------------)
[PKGGift-Certificates]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-51 TC 31:25]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas Shopping]
[ENG#=1]
One thing retailers are banking on is the sale of gift cards and gift certificates.
But as Justin McLeod discovered there are several limitations you need to know about.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Kerry Mosley/Bedford Resident; :13]
[SUPER=01-Julie Wheeler/Better Business Bureau; :36 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=01-Chris Anderson/Roanoke Resident; :53]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:38]
[RUNS=1:52]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
((((NAT SOUND OF WRAPPING GIFT))
It's the one gift that requires no wrapping, in fact it can simply fit in an envelope.
We're talking about gift certificates and gift cards.
[SOT 1:03:39]
[IN Q=At Christmas]
((KERRY MOSLEY/BEDFORD RESIDENT: AT CHRISTMAS I BUY ABOUT TEN FOR THOSE PEOPLE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO GET THEM.))
[Runs07]
[OUT Q=to get them]
If you're one of those shoppers, then buyer beware.
That's because in Virginia, you may be surprised to hear stores pretty much hold all the cards meaning they can set their own policies including expiration dates.
[SOT 41:09]
[IN Q=As long as]
((JULIE WHEELER/BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU: AS LONG AS THEY PROMINENTLY HAVE IT ON THE CARD OR THE ACTUAL GIFT CERTIFICATE DOCUMENT.))
[Runs06]
[OUT Q=gift certificate documenet]
[GRAPHIC 1]
We did some checking and found several area stores that have no expiration dates at all.
The Better Business Bureau says any good business will give you at least three months to use the card.
The bottom line? Read the fine print.
[SOT 1:08:03]
[IN Q=I've never read it]
((CHRIS ANDERSON/ROANOKE RESIDENT: I'VE NEVER READ IT. WHETHER I SHOULD OR NOT I AM NOT SURE. I'VE NEVER READ IT.))
[Runs06]
[OUT Q=never read it]
Nowadays he should.
That's because many stores now charge what is called a non-use fee.
[SOT 45:08]
[IN Q=If they leave]
((JULIE WHEELER/BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU: IF THEY LEAVE THAT GIFT CARD OUT THERE AT ITS FULL VALUE AND PEOPLE DON'T USE IT FOR TEN YEARS THEN THAT'S A LIABILITY TO THEM.))
[Runs07]
[OUT Q=liability to them]
[GRAPHIC 2]
So some businesses now dedcut a set amount each month from the remaining balance of the card if you fail to use it within a certain time limit.
We checked at several stores and found a wide range of restrictions.
[SOT 1:07:10; 1:04:31]
[IN Q=I think it is very]
((ADRIAN WADE/ROANOKE CO. RESIDENT: I THINK IT IS VERY UNFAIR. YOU DON'T GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH.))
((KERRY MOSELY/BEDFORD RESIDENT: I THINK IT IS UNFAIR BECAUSE IF IT'S A GIFT IT'S UNTIL THEY USE IT. I THINK THE TIME SHOULD BE LONGER.))
[Runs10]
[OUT Q=SHOULD BE LONGER]
[SOT ]
[IN Q=Something else to look]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: SOMETHING ELSE TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN BUYING A GIFT CERTIFICATE OR GIFT CARD IS WHETHER IT'S AN ESTABLISHED BUSINESS. IF IT GOES BANKRUPT AND CLOSES ITS DOOR, THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAYS YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK.
JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))))
[11New-official]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=mrn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-44 TC1:20:37]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
The city of Roanoke has sworn in its first African-American clerk of court.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
In front of a packed courtroom, Brenda Hamilton was installed as the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Hamilton was elected to the position in November.
She has worked at the clerk's office for 27 years.
Hamilton says she never expected to be a trailblazer but that she is happy it worked out that way.
And while she is glad to make history, she says her election was about qualifications, not color.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:30:41]
[IN Q=IT WASN'T ABOUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY]
((BRENDA HAMILTON/ROANOKE'S FIRST BLACK CLERK OF COURT: IT WASN'T ABOUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY GETTING ME IN OR THE WHITE COMMUNITY. IT WAS THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IT WASN'T ABOUT MY SKIN COLOR, IT WAS ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT I HAD GIVEN THE PEOPLE FOR 27 YEARS.))
[SUPER=01-Brenda Hamilton/Clerk of Circuit Court]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=I HAD GIVEN THE PEOPLE FOR 27 YEARS.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Roanoke also swore in the city's first female treasurer.
Evelyn Powers will take over from retiring treasurer David Anderson beginning on January first.
(------------)
[6-Maptech]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=New Jobs]
In business news, New jobs are coming to Montgomery County. MapTech is building a 15-thousand square foot facility in the Blacksburg Industrial Park.
The quarter of a million dollar expansion will help create five high paying jobs in the next three years.
MapTech is a computer based research company that currently employees 20-people.
[Marketwatch]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]
In other business news, Italy's dairy giant is under investigation.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=in New York, I'm AC.]
((> ANALYSTS ARE CALLING IT EUROPE'S ENRON. ITALY'S DAIRY GIANT PARMALAT IS
> BEING INVESTIGATED IN A 5 BILLION DOLLARS ACCOUNTING SCANDAL. YESTERDEAY,
> THREE FORMER FINANCE DIRECTORS OF PARMALAT WERE TARGETED IN THE CRIMINAL
> PROBE. THE COMPANY BEHIND PARMALAT YOGURT AND ARCHWAY COOKIES COULD FILE
> FOR BANKRUPTCY AS EARLY AS TODAY.
>
> The blue-chip Dow and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index both hit
> fresh 19-month highs in quiet trading on Monday, as investors brushed off
> a heightened U.S. security alert and kept a positive outlook on the
> economy ahead of some key economic reports. this week we'll get a look at
> third quarter gross domestic product personal income and spending and
> consumer sentiment and new home sales.
>
> the dow rallied nearly 60 points and is up 25 percent this year
>
> the nasdaq tacked on nearly five and is up 46 percent this year.
> THE SO-CALLED JANUARY EFFECT IS REPORTEDLY ON SCHEDULE FOR THE STOCK
> MARKET IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF 2004. THE MARKET RESEARCH FIRM TRIMTABS
> FINDS THAT INDIVIDUAL INVESTORS CONTINUE TO POUR MONEY INTO STOCK FUNDS
> DESPITE THISYEAR'S MUTUAL FUND SCANDALS.
>
> FOR MORE ON THE DAY IN BUSINESS OR TO CHECK OUR STOCKS HEAD TO
> CBS.MW.COM... ))
>
>
>
>
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS]
[COMM]
[911-Fund]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]
Nearly all of the families of 9-11 victims have filed a claim for federal compensation.
The fund's office stayed open until the midnight deadline to take in a flurry of last-minute applications.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY/September 11, 2001;]
Officials say 95- percent of the families have filed for the money.
The fund's director says it was a historic response to a
historic event.
Fewer than 150 families of those killed opted out, because those
who accept compensation can't sue any American companies or government agencies.
The fund has until June 15th to pay compensation to all those
who qualify.
(------------)
[11Amherst-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-47 TC1:03:37]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=2]
A fire has left an Amherst County family homeless.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Amherst Co.]
The blaze already had a good head start when the first crews arrived at the home on Lowesville Road yesterday afternoon.
Three boys.. two brothers and their cousin.. were at home when they heard a popping noise upstairs.
After finding fire in an upstairs room, they ran from the house and asked a motorist to call 9-1-1.
It took fire crews from three departments about an hour to bring it under control.
Investigators say a malfunctioning strobe light in an upstairs bedroom started the fire.
(------------)
[11Bus-Crash]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-45 TC1:25:23]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]
[ENG#=2]
A survivor of Sunday's fatal bus crash in Henry County says the accident has only strengthened her faith in God.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]
Karen Compton was one of the eight passengers injured when the Freedom Baptist Church bus collided head-on with an on-coming car Sunday on Route-57.
The bus went over a guardrail and rolled about 70-feet down an embankment.
Compton says it was God, not luck that saved her life.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 801]
[IN Q=we had to have]
((KAREN COMPTON/SURVIVED CRASH: WE HAD TO HAVE HAD GUARDIAN ANGELS WITH US, THIS BUS WENT ALMOST A HUNDRED FEET DOWN THIS HILL TUMBLING.))
[SUPER=01-Karen Compton/Crash Survivor;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=this hill, tumbling]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
All eight passengers of the bus were taken to nearby hospitals, and are expected to recover.
But the car's driver, 21-year-old Telisa Ann Hunt of Henry, died instantly.
State police say it appears Hunt was driving on the wrong side of the road for several feet before she crashed, but they're still trying to find out why.
(------------)
[6-Cameras]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-41 TC1:42:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]
A Virginia Tech professor hopes to prevent more accidents like the bus crash.
He's in the middle of a two year study in Montgomery County involving a road with frequent head on collisions.
New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It has a]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;:00]
[SUPER=01-Antoine Hobeika/Virginia Tech Professor;:26]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;:52]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=News 7, Montgomery Co.]
((It has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous roads in Montgomery County.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:2:24:45:00]
[IN Q=The media and]
((ANTOINE HOBEIKA: THE MEDIA AND THE COMMUNITY CALLS IT THE DEATH ROAD))
[RUNS:03]
[OUT Q=the death road.]
NATS CARS AT ANGLE 2:21:45:00
12-thousand cars travel this 5-mile stretch of Peppers Ferry Road each day.
NATS CARS-NEED....
It's been the scene of 12-deaths and 29-injuries in the last 6-years... A major reason you now see these cameras on the telephone poles.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:2:24:57:00 ]
[IN Q=The problem]
((ANTOINE HOBEIKA:THE PROBLEMS'S HERE THIS CREST CURVE UP HERE PEOPLE WOULD NOT SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE AND SO PEOPLE WOULD TRY TO VIOLATE AND THEN SUDDENLY THEY MEET ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON.))
[RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=head-on.]
Virginia Tech Professor Antoine Hobeika is trying to keep people from passing cars in this section of Pepper's Ferry. When a car tries to cross the yellow line, the camera detects it and lights begin to flash, warning them not to pass.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:35:59:00 ]
[IN Q=Researchers say]
((RACHEL DEPOMPA:RESEARCHERS SAY THEY CATCH ABOUT 2-3 VIOLATORS A DAY AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING ABOUT 10-MILES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT WHEN THEY DECIDE TO PASS.))
[RUNS:07]
[OUT Q=decide to pass.]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:2:29:52:00]
[IN Q=It's very]
((ANTOINE HOBEIKA: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE RESEARCHERS AT TECH OR ANYWHERE ELSE REALLY TAKE THE RESEARCH TO THE STREET AND HELP COMMUNITIES TO SOLVE SOME OF THE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS.))
[RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=problems.]
The cameras aren't being used to ticket people, though that may be in the future. Hobeika will soon ask V-DOT for permission to add another camera to record license plate numbers and get information on those who frequently try to "pass by" the law. Rachel DePompa, News 7, Montgomery county.))
(Kimberly tosses to bump)
[bump-chyron]
[comm #3]
[Biz-Brief]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=2]
In business news, Stocks continue to climb above the 10-thousand level.
The Dow is up almost 600 points this month.
Stan Case has more on the rally in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((DESPITE LACKLUSTER TRADING THROUGHOUT THE SESSION, LATE-DAY BUYING HELPED BLUE CHIPS TO RALLY AND THE BIG BOARD ENJOYED ITS HIGHEST CLOSE IN 19 MONTHS.
THE DOW GAINED 59 POINTS...
AND THE NASDAQ WAS UP FOUR.
WAL-MART SAYS SOME SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS IN SALES OVER THE WEEKEND FAILED TO MAKE UP FOR THE SLUGGISH START TO DECEMBER.
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST RETAILER SAYS IT STILL EXPECTS DECEMBER'S SAME-STORE SALES TO REACH THE LOWER END OF ITS FORECAST. THAT CALLED FOR A THREE PERCENT TO FIVE PERCENT GAIN.
SHARES OF CONAGRA FOODS GAINED TWO PERCENT ON THE DAY--TOUCHING A 52-WEEK HIGH--AFTER IT REPORTED QUARTERLY EARNINGS WERE UP NEARLY 15 PERCENT.
THE MAKER OF HEALTHY CHOICE MEALS AND HUNT'S KETCHUP SAID IT EARNED 51 CENTS A DILUTED SHARE.
CONAGRA HAS BEEN MOVING AWAY FROM COMMODITY PRODUCTS AND TOWARD HIGHER-MARGIN, PACKAGED FOODS.
PFIZER SAID SUNDAY IT HAS AGREED TO BUY ESPERION THERAPEUTICS FOR ABOUT ONE-POINT-THREE BILLION DOLLARS.
THE MOVE WOULD PUT PFIZER IN A POSITION TO HAVE THREE BLOCKBUSTER CHOLESTEROL MEDICINES ON THE MARKET: ITS OWN LIPITOR; ESPERION'S ETC-216, NOW IN TESTING; AND PFIZER'S OWN EXPERIMENTAL DRUG, WHICH COMPANY EXECUTIVES BELIEVE COULD TOP LIPITOR'S TEN-BILLION DOLLARS IN ANNUAL SALES.
WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF, I'M Stan case.))
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS]
[STOCKS]
[COMM]