WDBJ 7 morning news for 01/21/04

[Rke-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=04-02 12:44]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=1]
An overnight fire damaged six units of a Roanoke apartment building and left 21 people looking for new places to live.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Roanoke fire officials got the call at 12:45 a.m. to the Sterlingwood Apartments on Montauk Road in northwest Roanoke.
That's between William Fleming High School and the Countryside Golf Course. Firefighters needed close to an hour to gain control, but are officials are happy that THIS apartment fire did not results in deaths or injuries.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:02:01]
[IN Q=At this time of morning]
[SUPER=01-Bobbie Slayton/Roanoke Battalion Chief;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=were already out.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Fire officials say the fire started in a bathroom exhaust fan. There are no injuries reported. Again, the fire at Sterlingwood Apartments damaged 6 units and displaced 21 people.
(------------)

[11Fatal-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=03-45 TC1:57:35]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Fire]
[ENG#=2]
Friends and family are remembering the boy killed in a weekend fire in another Roanoke apartment building.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=nat singing]
((NAT SINGING))
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=nat singing]
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
They came together for a candlelight vigil to remember three-year-old Kyonte Harris. Kyonte died on Sunday morning when fire raced through his family's home on Tinker Drive. The group prayed, sang and remembered how full of life little Kyonte was - a feeling his mother shares.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=My baby was so...]
((KYANA POINDEXTER, KYONTE'S MOTHER: MY BABY WAS SO SWEET. HE LAUGHED, HE PLAYED - HE LIKED TO PLAY BALL, HE LIKED LIFE PERIOD. EVERYWHERE I WAS, HE WAS - I NAMED HIM AFTER ME, KYONTE. MY SON WILL NEVER LEAVE ME, HE'S ALWAYS THERE.))
[SUPER=01-Kyana Poindexter/Kyonte's Mother]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=.. he's always there.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
On top of dealing with the grief from her son's death, Poindexter and her family claim they've been searched and harrassed by the police. A Roanoke City Police spokeswoman says the searches were part of an "on-going investigation" she can not comment on.
(------------)

[11City-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-42 TC1:31:14]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Fire]
[ENG#=3]

Investigators have not yet determined the cause of that fire, but city officials hope the incident will focus more attention on fire safety.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

City Manager Darlene Burcham raised the subject at last night's city council meeting.
She said she hopes the tragedy will encourage more residents to install smoke detectors.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 02;19:22]
[IN Q=We don't yet know that particular fire]
((DARLENE BURCHAM/ROANOKE CITY MANAGER; WE DON'T YET KNOW WHY THAT PARTICULAR FIRE HAPPENED, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME WE OUGHT TO REMEMBER THAT TRAGEDY IN POSITIVE WAYS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE AVOID A FUTURE TRAGEDY BY ASKING OUR CITIZENS TO PLEASE BUY A SMOKE DETECTOR, INSTALL A SMOKE DETECTOR, CHECK THE BATTERIES.))
[SUPER=@Burcham]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=check the batteries.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Burcham says any city resident who cannot afford to purchase a smoke detector can obtain one through the Fire Department for free.
(------------)

[State-Union]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=George W. Bush]
[ENG#=4]

Terrorism and the economy took center stage during the State of the Union Address.
President Bush say the country has made strides on both fronts, but afterwards, many Democrats said they disagreed.
Elizabeth Sanchez has highlights from last night's speech.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Armed with]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Tom Daschle/(D) Senate Minority Leader; 1:12]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Ted Kennedy/(D) Massachusetts; 1:18]
[SUPER=01-Elizabeth Sanchez/CBS News; 1:28]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=Sanchez, CBS News, Washington.]

(( ARMED WITH WHAT HE CONSIDERS A STRONG NATIONAL SECURITY RECORD.. PRESIDENT BUSH TOOK THE PODIUM IN FRONT OF A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS. HE DELIVERED A STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS THAT ALSO OUTLINED THE THEMES OF HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

BUSH SOT 21:14:17 We have not come all this way through tragedy, and
trial, and war only to falter and leave our work unfinished.
THE PRESIDENT SAID HIS ADMINISTRATION IS SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING TERRORISM.. BUT THE U-S STILL FACES THE THREAT OF AN ATTACK. HE URGED CONGRESS TO RENEW THE PATRIOT ACT IN ORDER TO PROTECT AMERICAN CITIZENS.
BUSH DEFENDED HIS DECISION TO WAGE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ.. AND DIRECTLY CHALLENGED HIS OPPONENTS.

BUSH SOT 21:33:13 America will never seek a permission slip to defend
the security of our people.
ON THE DOMESTIC FRONT.. BUSH GAVE THE ECONOMY TOP BILLING. HE SAID HIS TAX CUTS HAVE MADE ECONOMY STRONGER.

BUSH SOT 21:43:51 What the Congress has given, the Congress should not
take away: For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be permanent.
THE PRESIDENT PROPOSED SOME NEW PROGRAMS TO HELP AMERICANS COMPETE IN A CHANGING ECONOMY.. INCLUDING JOB TRAINING GRANTS AND MORE MONEY TO HELP STUDENTS WITH READING AND MATH.
DEMOCRATS CHALLENGED MANY OF PRESIDENTS CLAIMS. SENATE MINORITY LEADER TOM DASCHLE TOOK AIM AT BUSHS TAX CUTS. SENATOR TED KENNEDY CRITICIZED THE WAR IN IRAQ.

Sen. Tom Daschle (D-ND), Senate Minority Leader SOT 22:52:12 America
can't afford to keep rewarding the accumulation of wealth over the dignity of work. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) 22:20:40 We went to war without a plan for after the war and that deflected our attention from homeland security al-qaida and terror.
STANDUP CLOSE: MORE CRITICISM IS EXPECTED TODAY FROM BUSHS DEMOCRATIC RIVALS STUMPING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF WILL HIT THE ROAD TO TAKING HIS STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE. ELIZABETH SANCHEZ, CBS NEWS, WASHINGTON. ))

[Stewart]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Martha Stewart]
[ENG#=1]

Jury questioning continues today in the trial of America's most famous homemaker.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]

Martha Stewart is accused of lying to the government about a stock trade.
Yesterday, Stewart repeated her innocent plea when juror questioning began.
At the end of yesterday's proceeding, attorneys wouldn't say how many of the 12 jury slots were filled, but the judge said opening statements will probably begin next week.
The trial is expected to last into March.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=2]

In business news, corporate earnings reports are like to drive the markets today.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Profit reports]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:23]
[OUT Q=in New York.]

((PROFIT REPORTS ARE COMING FAST AND FURIOUS ON WALL STREET... THE HEADLINER TODAY IS SURE TO BE MOTOROLA... AFTER THE STOCK MARKET CLOSED, THE CELLPHONE GIANT SAID PROFIT NEARLY TRIPLED WHILE SALES TOPPED 8 BILLION DOLLARS. MOTOROLA ALSO HAD AN UPBEAT OUTLOOK FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER. AND Advanced Micro Devices posted its first profit in more than two years.Sales set a new company record as demand for itsmicroprocessors and flash memory surged in the fourth quarter. Dow down 71.85 Nasdaq up 7.52 THE COMPANIES tHAT ARE EXPECTED TO SHOW US THEIR PROFIT REPORT CARDS TODAY INCLUDE CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, AMR, THE PARENT OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES, HARLEY DAVIDSON AND JP MORGAN CHASE, WHICH JUST LAST WEEK ANNOUNCED IT WAS BUYING BANK ONE. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE WIRELESS SECTOR. CINGULAR WIRELESS HAS MADE A FORMAL BID TO BUY ATT WIRELESS. THE ASKING PRICE HAS NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC. A BUYOUT WOULD CREATE THE LARGEST WIRELESS SERVICE IN THE COUNTRY, DWARFING THE CURRENT LEADER, VERIZON WIRELESS. ATT WIRELESS IS SAID TO ALSO BE MULLING OFFERS FROM NTT DOCOMO, NEXTEL AND VODAPHONE AND MAY HOLD OUT FOR THE HIGHEST BIDDER. FIND OUT MORE OR TRACK YOUR STOCKS AT CBS.MW.COM IN NY I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS.))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[School-Violence]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[**ANCHOR TAG**]
[ENG#=1]
Roanoke residents now have the chance to offer their concerns and suggestions regarding violence in city schools.
The school safety task force held several public forums last night.
Justin McLeod was there and has more on what people are saying.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Debbie Jones/Parent; :32]
[SUPER=01-Karen Pillis/Parent; :43]
[SUPER=01-Jaye Jones/Parent; 1:01 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=01-Jim O'Hare/School Safety Task Force Member; 1:21]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:29]
[RUNS=1:43]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
((((NAT SOUND OF FACILITATOR GIVING INSTRUCTIONS))
What you see here could be described as a meeting of the minds. ((QUICK NAT SOUND OF MEETING))
It was an informal setting, designed to allow the public to tell the school safety task force exactly how it feels.

[SOT 1:09:04]
[IN Q=I'm ready to hear]
((KATHRYN HATAM/WILLIAM FLEMING SENIOR: I'M READY TO HEAR IT ALL, IT'S MY JOB TO LISTEN.)) [Runs03]
[OUT Q=job to listen]

They listened at four separate forums, all in different sections of the city.
Participants were first asked to fill out a survey about school safety.
They then gathered in small groups to talk about it.
[SOT 1:07:48]
[IN Q=Yeah, I do believe]
((DEBBIE JONES/PARENT: YEAH, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE SAFETY PROBLEM, VIOLENCE IN THE SCHOOLS, IT'S THERE.)) [Runs05]
[OUT Q=it's there]

But some say violence in Roanoke schools is not as widespread or that uncommon from any other school system.
[SOT 1:22:03]
[IN Q=I think we have]
((KAREN PILLIS/PARENT: I THINK WE HAVE A WIDE DIVERSITY SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I THINK THERE ARE GOING TO BE INCIDENTS IN SUCH A SCHOOL SYSTEM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.)) [Runs09]
[OUT Q=over the country]

But the focus here is how to help the Roanoke school system.
Participants were asked to come up with the most pressing safety needs and then prioritize those needs.
[SOT 1:05:46]
[IN Q=Communication between]
((JAYE JONES/PARENT: COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE PARENTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO US.)) [Runs04]
[OUT Q=important to us]

There were many concerns brought up.
They include bullying, disrespect, parental involvement, gang violence, better discipline, and too much negative press.
Safety task force members will now take all this information and try to come up with solutions.
[SOT 1:03:14]
[IN Q=We don't come]
((JIM O'HARE/COMMITTE MEMBER: WE DON'T COME UP WITH MANY ANSWERS. WE'RE COMING TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SEE WHAT QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED INORDER TO MAKE THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY IN A WHOLE A SAFER PLACE.)) [Runs08]
[OUT Q=A SAFER PLACE]
[SOT ]
[IN Q= ]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: THE NEXT STEP FOR THE TASK FORCE IS TO GET STUDENT INPUT. A SURVEY WILL SOON BE HEADING OUT TO STUDENTS IN GRADES FOURTH, SIXTH, EIGHTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH. THE TASK FORCE WILL THEN TALLY THOSE RESULTS, COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ISSUE A REPORT BY MID-MARCH. JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))))

(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=None]

If you were unable to attend last night's forums but would still like to give your opinion, you can do so online at the school system's website.
(+++++++)
[TAKE WDBJ WEBSITE PINNACLE]
We've put a link to that website on ours at wdbj7.com. Go there and click websites in the news. You have until February 28th to give your opinion which will remain anonymous.
(-------------)

[2Rke-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=04-02 12:44]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=1]
21 residents of a Roanoke apartment must find somewhere new to live, after an overnight fire damaged six apartment units.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/This Morning;]
Roanoke fire officials got the call at 12:45 a.m. to the Sterlingwood Apartments on Montauk Road in northwest Roanoke.
That's between William Fleming High School and the Countryside Golf Course. Firefighters needed close to an hour to gain control, but are officials are happy that THIS apartment fire did not results in deaths or injuries.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:02:01]
[IN Q=At this time of morning]
[SUPER=01-Bobbie Slayton/Roanoke Battalion Chief;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=were already out.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Fire officials say the fire started in a bathroom exhaust fan. There are no injuries reported. Again, the fire at Sterlingwood Apartments damaged 6 units and displaced 21 people.
(------------)

[Nursing-Home]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Fire]
[ENG#=2]

The cause of a deadly fire at a Knoxville Tennessee area nursing home remains a mystery.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Maryville, TN;]

Authorities say at least three people died and more than a dozen others were injured in the fire at the Home Away from Home Nursing Center in Maryville.
A witness says he was visiting his girlfriend, who works at the nursing home, when they heard a loud explosion.

It took firefighters more than two hours to get the blaze under control.
The fire comes four months after a blaze at a Nashville nursing home that killed 15 people.
(------------)

[Trumbo]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Bo Trumbo]
[ENG#=None]
Former State Senator Bo Trumbo is about to take a new seat -- in the courthouse. The General Assembly has unanimously elected Trumbo to fill a vacancy in the 25th circuit, which extends from Craig and Botetourt Counties north to Highland County. His duties as judge begin February 1st. Trumbo will replace Duncan Byrd, who died in a traffic accident last summer.

[Biz-Brief]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=2]

In business news, corporate earnings take center stage this week on Wall Street. Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The major averages]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :14]
[RUNS=1:16]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((THE MAJOR AVERAGES CLOSED MIXED ON TUESDAY DESPITE THE LATEST EARNINGS REPORTS.
THE DOW LOST 71-POINTS...
AND THE NASDAQ WAS UP SEVEN.
CITI-GROUP, THE WORLD'S LARGEST FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY REPORTED NET INCOME OF 91-CENTS PER SHARE FOR ITS FOURTH QUARTER...UP FROM 47-CENTS A YEAR EARLIER.
CITI-GROUP DID TAKE A 242-MILLION-DOLLAR HIT IN THE PROFITS COLUMN FOR THE QUARTER RELATED TO LOSSES IN THE PARMALAT COLLAPSE.
3-M REPORTED A 21-PERCENT JUMP IN ITS FOURTH QUARTER EARNINGS.
THE CHICAGO BASED COMPANY POSTED NET-INCOME OF 77-CENTS A SHARE...UP FROM 65-CENTS A YEAR AGO.
THAT BEAT ANALYSTS' EXPECTATIONS BY A PENNY.
3-M SAYS INCREASES IN PRODUCTIVITY AND IN SALES CONTRIBUTED TO THE UP-TICK.
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON POSTED EARNINGS OF 62-CENTS A SHARE FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.
THAT'S UP FROM 46-CENTS A YEAR EARLIER.
THE COMPANY SAYS RESULTS WERE BOOSTED BY STRONG PRESCRIPTION DRUG SALES AND THE POPULARITY OF A NEW "STINT" DEVICE FOR KEEPING OPEN FORMERLY CLOGGED ATERIES.
CIRCUIT CITY IS SELLING ITS CREDIT CARD BUSINESS.
BANK ONE CORPORATION IS SET TO BUY THE PRIVATE LABEL.
CIRCUIT CITY SAYS IT EXPECTS THE NET CASH FROM THE SALE TO BE ABOUT 355-MILLION-DOLLARS.
WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF, I'M STAN CASE.))

[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[Early-Years]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Early Years]
[GRAPHIC=Early Years]
[ENG#=2]

Determining exactly what is in the best interest of the child is a challenge in many divorce cases-- especially when it comes to awarding custody.
In this week's "Early Years" segment, and in those over the next couple of weeks, we'll hear from Roanoke attorney Toni Foster.
(+++++++)
[Early Years FS]
Today we asked her about some of the issues courts take into consideration when making this important decision.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=They look at...they call]
[SUPER=01-Toni Foster/Attorney;]
[RUNS=2:18]
[OUT Q=News 7 Mornin will be right back.]
(------------)

(Tape tosses to bump)

[BUMP]
[COMMERCIAL]