WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 01/20/04

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

Up next on News 7--

A high speed chase through Amherst County this morning lands a Danville man behind bars.
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[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]

And, the road to the White House now leads to New Hampshire, following John Kerry's comeback win at the Iowa Caucus.

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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]
Another nice sunny day but the temperatures will remain on the cold side. Will the temperatures warm up. I'll let you know in your forecast.

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[ANCHOR=KIM 2-Shot]

Stay with us News 7 at noon, starts right now.

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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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[ENG#=2]

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Dick Gephardt will call it quits after last night's poor showing in the Iowa Caucuses.
Meanwhile, the other Democratic contenders are rolling up their sleeves for New Hampshire.
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[NH-Primary]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
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[GRAPHIC=campaign 2004]

[ENG#=3]

Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
The Iowa Caucus was yesterday's news-- now it's on to the New Hampshire primary.
And with Wesley Clark and Joe Lieberman waiting for them, it's once again a packed field of Democratic candidates.
Drew Levinson reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Manchester, NH;]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Kerry/(D) Presidential Candidate;]
[SUPER=01-Drew Levinson/CBS News;]
[SUPER=01-Howard Dean/(D) Presidential Candidate;]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Edwards/(D) Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Levinson, CBS News, Bedford, NH.]

(( "BRING IT ON, BRING IT ON"
Calling himself the comeback Kerry--Massachusetts Senator John Kerry arrived in New Hampshire hoping to do what he did in Iowa...erase a big Howard Dean lead and win.

(SOT: JOHN KERRY/(D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE)

"IT'S YOUR CHANCE NOW YOU ARE NEXT IN THIS GREAT JOURNEY THAT IS PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND PART OF OUR FUTURE AT THE SAME TIME."

(STANDUP: DREW LEVINSON)

"HERE IN BITTER COLD NEW HAMPSHIRE DEAN IS UP BY EIGHT POINTS, BUT AS THE FORMER VERMONT GOVERNOR SAW LAST NIGHT, EVEN A BIG LEAD CAN QUICKLY MELT AWAY.

(NATSOUND DEAN ARRIVING )

As he arrived in the wee hours of the morning, Dean admitted the setback hurt.

(SOT: HOWARD DEAN/(D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE)

"I USED TO BE THE FRONTRUNNER WHEN I WENT OUT TO IOWA, BUT I AM NOT THE FRONTRUNNER ANYMORE. NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS A GREAT TRADITION OF SUPPORTING THE UNDERDOG, SO GUESS WHAT...LET'S GO GET-EM! (BIG CHEER)

(NATSOUND)

Also riding into New Hampshire on an Iowa High is John Edwards--the North Carolina Senator seemed to appear from nowhere to finish a strong second.
"WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TWO TO THREE WEEKS, IS MY MESSAGE, WHICH IS BASED ON OPTIMISM AND HOPE AND THE POLITICS OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN AMERICA, FINALLY GOT THROUGH."
With, Edwards Kerry and Dean joining Joe Lieberman and Wesley Clark in New Hampshire--the once very crowded Democratic field is starting to widdle down....and depending on what happens next Tuesday it could narrow even more. Drew Levinson, CBS News, Bedford, New Hampshire.))

[Bush-Speech]

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[ENG#=4]

The war on terrorism, the economy, and health care--
All are top concerns that President Bush will address tonight in his State of the Union Speech.
Teri Okita has a preview from Washington.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dan Bartlett/White House Communications Director;]
[SUPER=03-Des Moines, IA;]
[SUPER=01-Teri Okita/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Okita, CBS News, Washington.]

(( TRACK: THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS: "STAY THE COURSE". PRESIDENT BUSH WILL OPEN WITH ISSUES OF NATIONAL SECURITY ... THE SUCCESS OF THE IRAQ WAR, DIPLOMACY WITH NORTH KOREA, AND CONVINCING LIBYA TO SURRENDER ILLEGAL WEAPONS.

(Super: Dan Bartlett/White House Communications Director)
SOT: ... to demonstrate that the President and this administration have
developed effective strategies to deal with all of them.
TRACK: THE PRESIDENT IS EAGER TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR POST-WAR IRAQ, BUT LITTLE MAY BE SAID ABOUT THE FAILURE TO FIND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
TRACK: DOMESTIC ISSUES PLAY A BIGGER ROLE IN THIS YEAR'S ADDRESS ... WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE REBOUNDING ECONOMY, HIS TAX CUTS AND NEW JOB-TRAINING GRANTS. REINING IN THE RISING COSTS OF HEALTHCARE ... THROUGH TAX INCENTIVES AND HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS ... WILL ALSO BE HIGHLIGHTED.

(NATSD OF IRAQ BUYING URANIUM FROM AFRICA)

TRACK: IN LAST YEAR'S ADDRESS, THE PRESIDENT MISTAKENLY ACCUSED SADDAM HUSSEIN OF SEEKING URANIUM FROM NIGER. YOU CAN BE SURE THIS YEAR'S SPEECH WILL BE FACT-CHECKED, WORD-FOR-WORD ... AND THAT DEMOCRATS WILL LISTENING CLOSELY.

(NATSD OF IOWA CAUCUS)

TRACK: ONE DAY AFTER THE IOWA CAUCUS AND ONE WEEK BEFORE THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY, DEMOCRATS WANT TO KEEP THEIR MOMENTUM GOING ... AND DON'T WANT PRESIDENT BUSH TO GET TOO MUCH CREDIT FOR WHAT SOME CALL "MODEST" GAINS.

(Super: Teri Okita/Reporting)
STANDUP: But many pundits say, no doubt the White House timed tonight's speech to steal some of the thunder ... and that Mr. Bush will take full advantage of the opportunity to highlight his election-year agenda. Teri Okita, CBS News, Washington. ))

[Amherst-Chase]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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A Danville man is being held without bond after a high speed chase through Amherst County this morning.
Authorities say 31-year-old Shawn C. Falden tried to flee after he was stopped for allegedly speeding in a construction zone.
The chase ended on Route 151, when Falden crashed his car and took off on foot.
He was quickly located by a sheriff's tracking dog.
Police say Falden was already wanted on attempted abduction and firearms charges in Danville.
He's facing additional traffic, drug and gun charges in Amherst County.

[Algeria-Blast]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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[ENG#=1]

An explosion at the largest refinery in Algeria has killed 23 workers and injured at least 74 others.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Skikda, Algeria;]

Last night's blast was felt miles away, and shut down all activity at the complex-- a key exporter of gas and oil.
Officials haven't yet said when the refinery will re-open, adding that the priority now is to find survivors and secure the gas installations.
So far, authorities believe the cause of the explosion was accidental.
An investigation is under way.
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[Peterson]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
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[ENG#=2]

A judge in the Scott Peterson murder case will likely decide today where the trial will be held.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
Prosecutors are asking a judge to reconsider the decision of moving the trial out of Modesto, after information from a survey concerning potential jurors turned out to be false.
The California State University students who conducted the survey admitted to cheating, and making up the results. Prosecutors say because of that, there's no need to move the trial.
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[Stewart]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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[ENG#=3]

She didn't attract the mob scene that Michael Jackson did when he showed up for HIS recent court appearance--

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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]

A couple of supporters braved the cold weather and greeted Martha Stewart as she arrived at federal court in Manhattan this morning.
Jury selection is wrapping up.
Stewart faces charges that she lied about the sale of her Imclone Systems shares.
If convicted, she could face 30 years in prison, and be fined one- and- a- quarter- million dollars.
Opening statements could begin as early as this week, once the jury is seated.
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[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]
Still to come on the newscast, a state lawmaker says he wants to make sure Virginia does not execute children.
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[VO-NAT ]

Plus a Roanoke police officer loses another round in his fight against the city.
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[COMM BREAK #1]

[Danville-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
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A road construction worker was killed in an accident this morning in Danville.
Police say the woman was directing traffic when she was struck by a backhoe driven by a co-worker.
37-year-old Sandra Kay Reeves was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident happened around 8 in the 4500 block of Westover Drive.
Reeves and the backhoe driver were working for Marshall Construction.

[11Beason]

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[TAPE#=03-55 TC31:46]
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[MINI-Open]

[ENG#=1]

A police lieutenant who got in trouble for ranking his sergeants too high on their performance evaluations has lost his latest step in the grievance process.
But he has one more step to go: a hearing before the Employment Practices Commission.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Lieutentant Bill Beason was reprimanded for lowering the scores for his four patrol sergeants last year. He ranked them all in the 90's.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:41:05]
[IN Q=So in your]
((Keith Humphry, NEWS 7: So in your mind, it's not surprising that all the sergeants would come up with a 93 or higher?
LT. BILL BEASON: NOT AT ALL. THEY'RE ALL VERY CAPABLE PEOPLE. THEY UNDERSTOOD HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS AND WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO AND THEY CONSISTENTLY DID IT. But for whatever reasons the Administration found those numbers too high? EXACTLY.))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Bill Beason/Roanoke Police Department; :05]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=to high? Exactly.]
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[VO-NAT]
He got a memo pointing out that other sergeants were being rated in the 85-86 range. Six months after revising the evaluations he was reprimanded for randomly changing the scores.
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[6Death-Penalty]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-48 TC1:16:58]
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[ENG#=2]

A Northern Virginia lawmaker says the state should not execute children.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Delegate Al Eisenberg has introduced a bill to bar the execution of minors.
Currently, 16-year-olds who commit capital crimes are eligible for the death penalty in Virginia.
Eisenberg wants to raise the eligibility age to eighteen.
The Democrat says Lee Boyd Malvo, who was 17 at the time of the sniper shootings, should never had been tried as an adult.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT :54:37]
[IN Q=WE STILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION]
((DELEGATE AL EISENBERG/D-ARLINGTON: WE STILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT COMPLETE, THEY ARE NOT FULLY FORMED. THEY ARE NOT ADULTS.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Al Eisenberg/(D) Arlington]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=THEY ARE NOT ADULTS.]
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[VO-NAT]

Legislation that would abolish the death penalty in Virginia has also been introduced.
But that bill was killed yesterday in the House Courts of Justice Committee.
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[11Budget-Hearing]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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[ENG#=3]

More than 170 Virginians reminded lawmakers yesterday to remember the state's most vulnerable citizens.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Advocates for the disabled packed a public budget hearing.
They are asking legislators for more money to help care for the state's disabled population.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:36:58]
[IN Q=THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN]
((E. RICKERSON/MOTHER OF DISABLED DAUGHTER: THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR A LONG LONG TIME. PLEASE THINK ABOUT GIVING THEM MORE SUPPORT. BETTY BEVINS/CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, BUCHANAN COUNTY: WE NEED MORE MONEY, WE DEFINITELY DO.))
[SUPER=01-E. Rickerson/Mother of Disabled Daughter; :00]
[SUPER=01-Betty Bevins/Ctr. for Independent Living, Buchanan Co.; :09 quick!]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=more money, we definitely do.]
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[VO-NAT]

Legislators are already struggling with a revenue shortfall.
And they are in a battle over a plan from Governor Warner that would cut some taxes and raise others in order to boost state revenues.
But Warner's plan does NOT provide for funding any major new initiatives.
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[King-MarchVOB]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Morning]
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[TAPE#=03-47 1:38:13]
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[ENG#=4]

Another Martin Luther King Day has come and gone, and the city of Roanoke still doesn't have a permanent way to honor the slain civil rights leader.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

After years of debate and several different plans, the city decided to turn the First Street bridge into a memorial for Doctor King.
Work on renovating the bridge should begin next month but how to actually honor King on the bridge is still being determined.
Several committees made up of city and community leaders will spend the next six months coming up with a plan.
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[SOT 44:10]
[IN Q=We're working on plagues]
((E.M. MITCHELL/BRIDGE COMMITTE MEMBER: WE'RE WORKING ON PLAQUES, WE'RE WORKING ON STATUES, WE'RE WORKING ON DIFFERENT SAYINGS OF DR. KING THAT COULD WALK THROUGH AND SEE SO WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES WE'LL COMBINE EVERYTHING WE HAVE AND COME UP WITH THE BEST IDEAS.))
[SUPER=01-E.M. Mitchell/Bridge Committee Member;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=with the best ideas]
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[VO-NAT]

Nearly a hundred people in Roanoke remembered Dr. King yesterday by taking part in a march and a service at a local church.
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[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Next on the newscast, the state could be stirring up a kettle of trouble with some apple butter makers.
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[VO-NAT ]
Plus could this parrott be the 104 year old pet of Winston Churchill? We'll see what she's squawking about after this break.
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[Apple-Butter]

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While most of the debate at the General Assembly has been over the budget, apple butter is also on the agenda.
Residents in western Virginia want to continue to use copper kettles to prepare apple butter and molasses.
Scott County Delegate Terry Kilgore introduced the bill at the request of older residents in Big Stone Gap and Wise County, who were told to stop using the copper kettles at an apple butter ``stir-off'' last year.
Kilgore said the Virginia Department of Health deemed the kettles toxic if used to prepare certain acidic foods.
But Kilgore says the quote ``old-timers'' told him that copper kettles make apple butter taste good.

[Churchill-Parrot]

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She earned a legendary reputation for squawking four- letter words about Hitler during the second world war.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Reigate, England;]

As it turns out, Winston Churchill's foul- mouthed parrot named Charlie is STILL alive and well, and living in retirement in southern England.
A British newspaper recently tracked down the bird that's now 104- years old.
Churchill reportedly bought the parrot from a pet shop in the 19-30s and kept her until his death in 19-65.
And her caretakers say despite her old age, Charlie still speaks on occasion.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=She doesn't have]
((SYLVIA MARTIN/HEATHFIELD NURSERIES: SHE DOESN'T HAVE A VERY BIG VOCABULARY, SHE DOES SPEAK BUT SHE DOESN'T SWEAR VERY OFTEN. ))
[SUPER=01-Sylvia Martin/Heathfield Nurseries;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=swear very often.]
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[VO-NAT]

Meanwhile, some members of the Churchill family deny that Sir Winston ever owned the famous bird.
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[Weather] [NOON WEATHER] [1/20/2004] [TWO SHOT]

[WEATHERNET/FULL] CURRENTS ZOOM
[MUSIC UNDER] [COMMERCIAL]

[CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS [WXPRO/FULL] FORECASTS EXTENDED FORECAST

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
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On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was DOWN 59 points. The NASDAQ has dropped one.

[super=460-y/59/y/1;]

[Tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Coming up next in sports, NASCAR rolls into Charlotte for its annual media tour.
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[VO-NAT ]

As it unveils the details about its new points system. Stay with us.
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[S-Media]

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[GRAPHIC=Nascar media tour 2004]

[ENG#=1]

The Queen City of Charlotte is the place to be this week for the 21st annual Nascar Media Tour.
Mike Stevens checks in from the Tour, and says that the winds of change are blowing in racing, much to the the chagrin of some of it participants.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC; :00]
[SUPER=@mike2; :10]
[SUPER=01-Ricky Rudd/Wood Brothers Ford Driver; :28]
[SUPER=01-Terry Labonte/Kellogg's Chevy Driver; :59]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Gordon/Four-Time Cup Champion; 1:20]
[RUNS=1:51]
[OUT Q=...NEWS 7 SPORTS."]

[Nascar]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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[ENG#=None]

As Mike Stevens reported, NASCAR has unveiled a new scoring system designed to counter criticism that the old system didn't put enough emphasis on winning.
Under the revised points plan, five additional points will be awarded to the winner of each race.
Last season, Matt Kenseth won the championship despite winning only one race, while Ryan Newman had a season high eight wins and finished sixth in the standings.
The most controversial aspect of the new system will be a change after the first 26 races.
At that point, only the top ten drivers in the standings, and those within 400 points of the lead will take part in the chase for the championship over the final ten races of the season.
The remaining drivers will have their points adjusted, with the first-place driver getting 5-thousand-50 points.
Each successive spot in the standings will be reduced by five points.

[S-Lefty]

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[ENG#=2]

The Roanoke Valley sports club held its monthly meeting last night at the Salem Civic Center, and the featured speaker was Charles G. "Lefty" Driesell
The former Maryland and James Madison coach
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]

spoke for about an hour and half last night.
Driesell retired last season from Georgia State after 41 years of coaching.
He has plenty of free time now, but he still stays close to the game he loves.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Lefty Driesell/Over 700 Career Wins; :00]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=how to coach, you know."]
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[S-East]

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[GRAPHIC=Tech Hoops]

[ENG#=3]

The Virginia Tech Hokies are back on the basketball court tonight at the Cassell.
Notre Dame visits Blacksburg for a 7 pm tipoff. Seth Greenberg's youthful Hokies are still learning about how to compete.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Seth Greenberg/Hokies Head Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=compete for 40 minutes."] DOUBLE OUT!!!!
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Hartford, CT/ESPN;]

Last night in the Big East, Connecticut bounced back from Saturday's loss at Carolina by handing the Pittsburgh Panthers their first loss of the season. Denham Brown led the way for Jim Calhoun and company by scoring 20 points in the 68-65 win.
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