WDBJ 7 morning news for 02/18/04

[11Vick]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC27:29]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 Mornin']
[ENG#=1]
Three Virginia Tech football players are facing criminal charges, including quarterback Marcus Vick.
The 19 year old faces 4 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One of his best friends, Mike Imoh and former high school teammate Brenden Hill all face the same charge.
Police won't say much, but we know the charges stem from allegations made by two teenage girls and a search of the three men's apartment 3-weeks ago.
New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=According to a]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Last Season; :00]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;1:00]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=News 7 Blacksburg.]
((According to a search warrant affidavit, the teenage girls told police Marcus Vick has sex with a 15 year old girl during a private gathering at his Blacksburg apartment.
The girls also told investigators Vick, Tech running back Mike Imoh and wide receiver Brenden Hill gave the girls alcohol and that Imoh and Hill took pictures of them as they stripped.
Police searched the apartment 3 weeks ago and confiscated things like bed sheets, condom wrappers and a digital camera and the Virginia Driver's License of his older brother Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.
MarcusVick is charged with 4 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor while Imoh and Hill face 3 counts each. If convicted they could get up to a year in jail and/or be fined up to 25-hundred dollars for each count. All 3 have retained lawyers.
A Tech spokesperson issued a statement saying "The University has been apprised of the situation and considers it a serious issue."))
(------------)

[11C'Burg-Scam]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Christiansburg Police are warning residents about a new phone scam.
Someone is posing as the International Sweep Stakes.
Investigators say the scammer will tell the victim they are the winner of more than 350-thousand dollars.
The catch is, you have send a check for 1-percent of the winnings in order to get the money.
(+++++++)
[TAKE BETTER BUSINESS GRAPHIC]
The Better Business Bureau says its had numerous complaints about the scam.
They say if you get a call, don't send any money.
You can call the bureau at 1-800-533-5501 to find out if a business is legitimate.
(-------------)

[WI-Primary]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]
[ENG#=2]

Wisconsin may have whittled down the field, but the state's primary didn't end the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I want to thank]
((SEN. JOHN KERRY/D- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE:I WANT TO THANK THE STATE OF WISCONSIN FOR MOVING THIS CAUSE AND CAMPAIGN FORWARD.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Kerry/(D) Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=campaign forward.]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Madison, WI;]

Senator John Kerry got his win, but barely.
Wisconsin voters who made up their minds in the last few days, along with Independents and Republicans who could vote in the primary, propelled John Edwards to a surprise second place finish.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The voters of]
((SEN. JOHN EDWARDS/D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: THE VOTERS OF WISCONSIN SENT A CLEAR MESSAGE. THE MESSAGE WAS THIS: OBJECTS IN YOUR MIRROR MAY BE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR. ))
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Edwards/(D) Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=than they appear.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Meanwhile, Howard Dean finished third.
Today the former Governor of Vermont will head home to talk with staff and supporters about the future of his campaign.
(------------)

[Gay-Marriage]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=3]

Gay couples can say "I do" for at least a few more days in San Francisco.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Francisco, CA;]

In two separate court hearings where opponents challenged same- sex weddings, the judges said they needed more legal explanation before making a ruling.
One hearing is postponed until Friday, the second is postponed until late next month.
San Francisco's mayor says the city will keep issuing licenses until the court tells them to stop.
The city has performed more than 26- hundred same-sex marraiges since Thursday.
(------------)

[5-City-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=504-03 2:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]

Roanoke city's school board will soon be making some changes in the way it reports school violence.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The board says it failed to include certain incidents that occured on school property in its quarterly reports to the State Department of Education. They include ones that occured during non-school related events after school hours, where an offender was not identified and where the offense did NOT involve a Roanoke city student.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2452]
[IN Q=the information]
((GLORIA MANNS/ROANOKE CITY SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN: THE INFORMATION THAT WERE ARE REPORTING TODAY IS INFORMATION THAT WILL BE EASILY RETRIEVABLE, WE'LL GET IT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND IT'S ALREADY THERE WITH THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PUTTING IT WHERE, IN THE CATEGORIES THAT IT NEEDS TO GO TO, OR WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN OTHER WORDS.))
[SUPER=01-Gloria Manns/Roanoke City School Board Chairman;]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=in other words]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Although the department of education handbook states these incidents be included in the reports, Manns says a state representative told the board they were NOT required. In addition to making the changes, Manns says the city police department will now provide the board with weekly reports of all incidents on school property that involve police, regardless of when it occurred.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]

In business news, Tyson Foods has announced its cutting thousands of jobs.
and the Muppets have a new place to call home.
Alexis Christoforous has those stories 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.]
((According to a search warrant affidavit, the teenage girls told police Marcus Vick has sex with a 15 year old girl during a private gathering at his Blacksburg apartment.
The girls also told investigators Vick, Tech running back Mike Imoh and wide receiver Brenden Hill gave the girls alcohol and that Imoh and Hill took pictures of them as they stripped.
Police searched the apartment 3 weeks ago and confiscated things like bed sheets, condom wrappers and a digital camera and the Virginia Driver's License of his older brother Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.
MarcusVick is charged with 4 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor while Imoh and Hill face 3 counts each. If convicted they could get up to a year in jail and/or be fined up to 25-hundred dollars for each count. All 3 have retained lawyers.
A Tech spokesperson issued a statement saying "The University has been apprised of the situation and considers it a serious issue."))
(------------)

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

[11Council]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-01 TC36:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
Construction of a new stadium and amphitheater has been put on hold, with a surprise motion and narrow vote by Roanoke City Council.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Site preparations are almost complete, and city officials have been negotiating with the low bidder to bring the construction project within the 18- million dollar budget.
But after the recent defeat of two incumbents in the Democratic firehouse primary, supporters of Victory Stadium have encouraged council to suspend the project until after the May elections.
Yesterday afternoon, Linda Wyatt said the issue had become so divisive she felt it was important to give the new council members a chance to review the decision.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=When you get]
((LINDA WYATT/(D) ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL; WHEN YOU GET A COMMUNITY THAT'S DIVIDED, AND ARE SO ENTRENCHED IN THEIR POSITIONS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO LISTEN. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CITY.)) ((SHERMAN LEA/(D) ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE; WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF COUNCILMAN WYATT TAKING THE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS STEP, BUT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WHO VOTED TO AT LEAST DEFER THIS UNTIL A NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED WE THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.))
[SUPER=@Wyatt; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sherman Lea/(D) Roanoke City Council Candidate;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=the right thing to do.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Meanwhile, Wyatt says she doesn't believe Victory Stadium can be renovated for the ten million dollars that supporters have estimated.
She hopes they will be held to the same standard as proponents of the new stadium.
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[5-XGR]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=503-02 TC1:54:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Two competing tax plans and philosophies are set to collide in the General Assembly.
Lawmakers have staked out very different approaches to fixing the state budget.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved a tax reform proposal that raises one billion dollars a year in additional revenue.
The plan incorporates many of the tax changes proposed by Governor Warner.
Senator John Chichester says Virginia needs the tax hikes to stay in sound fiscal shape for years to come.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14:33:30]
[IN Q=IT'S ABOUT STRATEGIC THINKING AND]
((SENATOR JOHN CHICHESTER/R-FREDERICKSBURG: IT'S ABOUT STRATEGIC THINKING AND ITS ABOUT PLANNING AND INVESTMENT. ITS NOT ABOUT COBBLING TOGETHER A REVENUE SOURCE THAT WILL SATISFY THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Chichester/(R) Fredericksburg; :00]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=will satisfy the heat of the moment.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

But the House of Delegates has so far rejected any effort to raise taxes.
Instead, House leaders say they can fix the budget by taking away millions of dollars in tax breaks to businesses.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 09:47:23]
[IN Q=WE HAVEN'T RAISED TAXES BUT WE'RE]
((SPEAKER BILL HOWELL/R-FREDERICKSBURG: WE HAVEN'T RAISED TAXES BUT WE'RE GENERATING NEW MONEY FROM SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING THOSE TAXES. THAT'S TRUE TAX REFORM.))
[SUPER=01-Del. Bill Howell/Speaker of the House;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=that's true tax reform.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Legislators have less than four weeks to reach a compromise before they adjourn on March 13th.
(------------)

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]
[ENG#=none]

There's been a deadly attack at a Polish army camp in Iraq.
Insurgents have killed two Iraqi civilians and wounded eight soldiers.
A Polish officer says a bomb detonated as two cars tried to drive near the front of the camp, located 60 miles south of Baghdad.
Six Poles, a Hungarian and an American are among the injured.
None of the injured soldiers' injuries is considered to be life-threatening.

[Stewart]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Stewart]
[ENG#=3]

The prosecution continues with its case against domestic diva Martha Stewart today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]

Stewart stands accused of lying to the government about her well- timed sale of Imclone stocks in December, 2001.
The judge has now decided to allow friends of star prosecution witness Douglas Faneuil to testify.
Before he began cooperating with the government, Faneuil supposedly told his friends that he had been asked to do something wrong.
The prosecution is expected to rest its case later this week.
(------------)
(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP]

[COMM][Biz-Brief]

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

In business news, Stocks closed higher yesterday. Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:10]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]

((STOCKS RALLIED TUESDAY ON THE NEWS OF A MERGER IN THE CELLPHONE INDUSTRY.

THE DOW CLOSED UP 87-POINTS...
AND THE NASDAQ GAINED 26.

SHARES OF A-T-AND-T WIRELESS WERE UP MORE THAN 16 PERCENT AFTER THE COMPANY CONFIRMED ITS BEING BOUGHT FOR 41-BILLION DOLLARS BY CINGULAR WIRELESS.
AFTER PAYING 15-DOLLARS A SHARE FOR THE COMPETING COMPANY,
CINGULAR WILL BE THE NATION'S LARGEST CELL PHONE PROVIDER.
CINGULAR IS A JOINT VENTURE OF S-B-C COMMUNICATIONS AND BELL-SOUTH.

DEERE AND COMPANY POSTED A 150-PERCENT JUMP IN EARNINGS FOR ITS FISCAL FIRST QUARTER.
THE WORLD'S LARGEST FARM EQUIPMENT MAKER REPORTS NET INCOME OF 68-CENTS A SHARE FOR THE PERIOD.
THAT'S UP FROM 28-CENTS A YEAR EARLIER.
DEERE SAYS INCREASED SALES OF ITS FARM, CONSTRUCTION, AND FORESTRY EQUIPMENT ACCOUNTED FOR THE NUMBERS.
THE COMPANY ALSO RAISED ITS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE YEAR.

KRISPY KREME REPORTS A 26-PERCENT INCREASE IN OVERALL SALES FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.
THE DONUT MAKER SAYS NEW STORE OPENINGS PLAYED A PART IN THE NUMBERS.
A FULL EARNING REPORT IS EXPECTED ON MARCH TENTH.
THE COMPANY CURRENTLY OPERATES 388 STORES NATIONWIDE.
THEY EXPECT TO OPEN 120 MORE THIS YEAR.

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#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Early Years]
[ENG#=none]

Faith Christian School is opening a brand new grammar school this fall, and registration is under way.
(++++++++++)
[Take FS Paws and Claws]
In this week's "Early Years" segment, we'll learn about what's involved in the classical education this school will provide.
(+++++++++)
[Performance Set]
Here today to tell us more about it is Diane Kelly, who's with Faith Christian School.
Good Morning, Diane.

(How does this school differ from other schools?)

[SUPER=01-Diane Kelly/Faith Christian School;]

(What is classical education?)

(At what age can parents register their children?)

(What is the deadline to register for fall?)

[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY]
[SS=none]

Stay tuned. News 7 Mornin will be right back. [COMM] (Kim tosses to break)