[News-Heads]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
Up next on News 7--
The latest on the investigation into the suicide of a Roanoke city school teacher.
An accident in Bedford County leaves three teenagers dead.
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[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]
And, five people are under arrest after a series of deadly bombings in Iraq.
Officials put the death toll at over 140.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]
A few showers are rolling through the region right now what will the rest of the week bring. I'll let you know in your forecast.
[ANCHOR=KIM 2-Shot]
Stay with us News 7 at noon, starts right now.
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
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[VO-NAT]
An attorney hired by the family of Ron Mayfield has concluded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
(------------)
[Mayfield]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at Noon]
[ENG=3]
A Roanoke City School teacher, Mayfield committed suicide while on suspension, and his death has raised questions about the way his case was handled.
Today attorney Frank Rogers urged school board members and officials to take a hard loook at the their policies and procedures.
[ROANOKE DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Joe Microwave;]
Joe Dashiell is at the Roanoke Higher Education Center where Rogers released his findings just in the last hour.
[LIVE=Joe/FULL]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]
((ROLLCUE:..to learn a lesson from this tragedy.))
[ENG#=3]
(///// SOT /////)
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Frank Rogers/Mayfield Family Attorney;]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=that occurred in this case.]
(-------------------)
[VO]
Joe adlibs over :15 of vo.
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[LIVE=Joe /FULL]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
Joe adlibs.
[DOUBLE BOXES= Kimberly/Joe Microwave;]
[Bedford-Fatal]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-04 TC 16:47]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]
[ENG#=4]
Three teenagers are dead, and three others seriously hurt after a head-on crash in Bedford County.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE MAP FULL]
It happened on Route 619 shortly before eight last night.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]
State police say the driver of a car ran off the road, overcorrected and hit a jeep Cherokee head-on.
The driver of the car, 17-year old Virginia Dawn Creasy of Goodview, died at the scene.
Two other passengers in her car, 16 year old Barbara Janae Mills of Goodview and and 16 year old Michael A. Williams of Roanoke... also died.
Two other passengers were seriously hurt-- 21 year old Timothy Wayne Benge of Goodview and 15 year old Falon L. Worley of Moneta.
The driver of the Jeep, 21 year old Virginia L. Hoover of Goodview was also injured.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=Hold]
Several of the teenagers were students at students at Staunton River High School.
State troopers say the school is planning to have counselors available today.
[Giles-Fatal]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tco]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]
[ENG#=none]
Another deadly accident yesterday, this one in Giles County.
It happened just after 6 p-m near the West Virginia line.
54 year old Kelly Lee Martin of Christiansburg and two other victims were traveling in a motorhome on Route 219 when it crossed the double line and struck a Nissan Maxima head on.
The driver of the car, 26 year old Melissa Raye Mann and 6 year old Lexi Thompson Mann of Peterstown, West Virginia, both died at the scene.
Martin and two other victims were transported to the hospital were Martin later died.
There is no word on the other two victims.
Police are not sure at this time who was driving the motorhome.
[Iraq]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]
[ENG#=1]
On what's supposed to be a Holy Day in the Middle East has been one of violence.
More than 40 Shiite Muslims have been killed in a bombing and shooting attack in Pakistan.
And in Iraq, at least 140 people have died in a series of explosions.
Charlie D'Agata has more from Baghdad.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Baghdad, Iraq;]
[SUPER=01-Charlie D'Agata/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=D'Agata, CBS News, Iraq;]
((
Like clockwork, simultaneous explosions ripped through the heart of the
Shia community...first at the holiest shrine in Baghdad...minutes later,
the holy city of Karbala, about 50 miles south.
Scenes of carnage, on the holiest day of the Shia calendar.
Amid the chaos, and the fury of the crowd, it was impossible to evacuate
the wounded
Some Iraqi police simply fled...others tried to help, but found
ambulance drivers unwilling to stop, despite the heavy persuation of the
Iraqi police.
At least 140 people were killed, making it the bloodiest day for Iraqis
since the end of major combat.
Charlie D'Agata reporting/on camera.
WHO DID IT IS HARDER TO ANSWER THAN WHY.
ATTACKING SHIA MUSLIMS ON A HOLY DAY IS AN ATTEMPT TO INFLAME THE SHIA
COMMUNITY AND IGNITE A CIVIL WAR -- AND IT COMES A WEEK AFTER A SUPPOSED
INTERCEPTED LETTER FROM AN AL-KIDA TERRORIST CALLING FOR THE TARGETTING
OF SHIA SHRINES.
US officials said the blasts were the work of suicide bombers -- three
in Baghdad, one in Kerbala, which was thought to be followed by mortar
rounds.
They also say they captured one would-be suicide bomber in Baghdad who's
explosive vest failed to detonate.
Soldiers were essentially on lock-down. Impossible to police such huge
gatherings, the soldiers in the street only make themselves vulnerable
-- as witnessed moments after the explosions when crowds began attacking
US troops.
The US military was worried about today, when millions of Shia pilgrims
from Iraq and neighboring Iran gathered to mark the festival of Ashura'a.
It was banned Saddam's Sunni government -- for fear such numbers would
be a show of Shia power.
That show of power, now feared again.
Charlie D'Agata...CBS news Iraq.
))
[Haiti]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide still claims that the U-S forced him out of his country and into exile in the Central African Republic.
That, as the leader of rebel forces in Haiti says he's the country's new military chief.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Port-au-Prince, Haiti;]
Haitian residents are apparently glad Aristide's gone.
They're celebrating in the streets of Port-au-Prince.
The former leader claims he didn't resign.
He says Washington ordered him at gunpoint onto a plane and into exile.
Secretary of State Colin Powell calls the allegation "absurd."
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=He was not]
((COLIN POWELL/SECRETARY OF STATE:HE WAS NOT KIDNAPPED. WE DID NOT FORCE HIM ONTO THE AIRPLANE. HE WENT ONTO THE AIRPLANE WILLINGLY. AND THAT'S THE TRUTH. ))
[SUPER=01-Colin Powell/Secretary of State;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=that's the truth.]
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[VO-NAT]
Meanwhile, U-S Marines have landed on the Caribbean island, as the first wave of a United Nations- approved peacekeeping force.
(------------)
[Tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]
Today would have been the 100th birthday of one of the world's best loved children's authors.
After the break, we'll speak with someone who knows a lot about Dr. Seuss.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
But first, today could be the pivotal day for the men seeking the democratic presidential nomination.
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #1]
[Super-Tuesday]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign]
[MINIOPEN]
[ENG#=1]
This is Super Tuesday, and 10 states are up for grabs in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.
It's a day that could be decisive for both John Edwards and John Kerry.
Drew Levinson has an update.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA;]
[SUPER=01-Drew Levinson/CBS News;]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Kerry/(D) Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Levinson, CBS News, New York.]
((
John Edwards won't say it--but if he pulls an "oh-fer"---- that's O for
10 in today's Super Tuesday primaries his campaign will be on life
support, and many democratic experts say someone will be forced to pull
the plug.
(NATSOUND)
The North Carolina Senator spent the morning in Georgia--a state
critical to keeping his hopes alive. He needs to beat frontrunner John
Kerry in the Peach state and most likely a couple more to remain a
viable candidate.
(STANDUP: DREW LEVINSON)
"A FEW WINS TODAY AND EDWARDS IS IN THE THICK OF IT AGAIN....THAT'S
BECAUSE NEXT WEEK VOTERS IN FOUR SOUTHERN STATES GO THE POLLS. THAT
INCLUDES DELEGATE RICH FLORIDA AND TEXAS. EDWARDS THINKS HE CAN WIN
THERE.
For his part, Kerry hopes it won't get to that. Though he won't predict
a victory he believes he can run the table today--gaining most of the
more than 1150 delegates. That would all but clinch the Nomination.
As for reports that he and Edwards are not friendly, Kerry said, not
true.
When told of a CBS News poll showing a Kerry/Edwards ticket defeating a
Bush/Cheney team by eight points, Kerry responded....
(SOT JOHN KERRY/CANDIDATE FOR DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION)
"THAT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD TO ME."
But Kerry refused to say if he'd consider Edwards for the number two
spot.
(SOT: JOHN KERRY/(D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE)
"THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ME, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR JOHN
EDWARDS."
The two presidential candidates are suspend their campaigning for a
while today to participate in their fulltime paying job--being a
Senator in Washington.They''re taking part in a vote on gun legislation.
Then tonight it's party time and by the end either John Kerry will be
celebrating all but winning the democratic nomination or John Edwards
will be celebrating keeping his hopes alive for another week.
Drew Levinson, CBS News, New York.
))
[Doctor-Seuss]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=None]
Childhood wouldn't have been the same without stories like "The Cat in the Hat" or "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
The creator of those stories and so many others, Theodore Geisel, or Doctor Seuss, would have turned 100 years old today.
[TAKE BOOK PINNACLE FULL]
To mark the occasion, there's a new Doctor Seuss biography out titled, "The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing But the Seuss."
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Charles Double Boxes;]
Here today to talk about it is author Charles Cohen.
Good Afternoon to you.
(You're considered to be a leading expert on Doctor Seuss...did your interest in him start as a child, as it did for mo
st of us?)
[SUPER=01-Charles Cohen/Dr. Seuss Biographer;]
(Tell us a little bit about the book-- Are there any little known facts in there about Doctor Seuss that you uncovered?
)
(The book also contains some never-before-published material from Doctor Seuss..how did you obtain that for the book?)
(What is your favorite Doctor Seuss story?)
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Charles Double Boxes;]
Thanks so much for talking with us.
Good luck with the book.
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]
Coming up next on the newscast, some cable customers will see higher rates soon.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Also some people are afraid a proposed Roanoke County development will make an already busy intersection even busier.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[Microfrads]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
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[ENG#=None]
A company based in Mexico has bought a factory in Hillsville, but the owner promises to keep the jobs here.
New Generation Manufacturing of Mexico City purchased the Barker Microfrads plant last week.
The president of New Generation says he has no plans to close the plant, which employs 110 people.
Enrique Sanchez says only minor changes are expected, and most of the workers will keep their jobs.
[AM-Tanglewood-Development]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-10 TC 7:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
One of the busiest intersections in Roanoke County could be getting busier if a hillside project gets the green light.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
It is called the Slate Hill Project and clearing work is already underway.
Developer James Smith wants to build a 35 acre retail and office park on this hillside near the intersection of Routes 419 and 220.
The project was supposed to go to the Planning and Zoning Commission today, but concerns from county leaders will most likely delay a decision.
Traffic in the area is the main concern.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:14:53]
[IN Q=Route 419 and Route 220 South]
((JANET SCHEID/CHIEF PLANNER FOR ROANOKE COUNTY: ROUTE 419 AND 220 SOUTH ARE PROBABLY THE TWO MOST PROBLEMATIC ROADS IN ROANOKE COUNTY IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC FLOW, AND ACCIDENT RATES AND SO THE DEVELOPER IS UNDERGOING A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY RIGHT NOW. IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO AND BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY WE WILL HAVE A BIT MORE INFORMATION.))
[SUPER=01-Janet Scheid/Chief Planner for Roanoke Co.; :]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=BIT MORE INFORMATION]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
County leaders also say it is unusual for work to begin on a project before it receives the required rezoning.
The developer admits it is a risk but believes it is necessary to make the property marketable since there is already interest from retailers.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[none]
There are currently no tenants for the project, but developers say they're hoping to create a boutique-like retail village with coffee shops and an organic grocery store.
[Stadium-Project]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-07 TC23:38]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]
Even though Roanoke city council put a new stadium-amphitheater on hold, work will continue on the site for the next few weeks.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape]
Yesterday, council approved continued excavation, grading and erosion control at the location off Orange Avenue.
City officials say that work is about 98-percent complete and that state law requires the site to be stabilized to handle runoff and prevent erosion.
The work should be finished in about two weeks.
Because of the property's uncertain future, fences and some security lighting will be put up and grass seed planted over the next few months.
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[Cox-Cable]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Cox Cable customers will have to pay a more for their television service.
Beginning April 1st, limited basic cable is going up 46-cents... basic and standard service is increasing two-dollars and 16-cents.
Cox says digital cable will remain the same, but those customers with premium services will see an increase of more than five percent.
The company says the increases will help maintain the quality of programming and customer service.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=None]
On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was DOWN 62 points. The NASDAQ has dropped six.
[super=460-y/62/y/6;]
[Tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]
Coming up next in the newscast, several Roanoke city leaders and the Roanoke Express talk about the team's future at the Civic Center.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And NASA scientists say they have made an exciting discovery on the planet Mars.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[Steroids]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
Published reports claim some of baseball's best athletes received steroids from a lab implicated in an illegal distribution ring.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and Gary Sheffield all received steroids and human growth hormones from the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.
Bond's personal trainer, Greg Anderson, has been charged with participating in a ring that
provided performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes.
(--------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The players continue denying they ever used steroids.
They all testified last fall before the grand jury that indicted four men in the alleged steroid- distribution ring.
[S-East]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-170 1053]
[GRAPHIC=Express]
[ENG#=2]
The Roanoke Express is continuing to work on a way to keep hockey alive at the Roanoke Civic Center, and last night the fans got several new ears to chew on.
The team's booster club meeting was attended by city manager Darlene Burcham, Civic Center director Mina Boyd, City Councilwoman Linda Wyatt and Civic Center commission member Tom Powers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/This Season; :00]
All are working toward a new lease agreement, but nothing has been finalized at this point, according to team general manager Chris Pollack.
He says the Civic Center has made the Express a long- term lease offer that he calls "generous," but still not exactly what the team needs.
Pollack says he and Boyd will meet later this week to continue working on what both sides feel is fair compensation.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=EXPRESS]
Pollack says he did meet yesterday's deadline from the ECHL of submitting options for next year.
Pollack says he faxed the league his correspondence and now has until April first to whittle his 5 options down to one.
[Mars-Rover]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]
NASA is promising some "exciting" news today from the Red Planet.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NASA;]
NASA plans to announce ``significant findings'' involving
the six- wheeled rover, Opportunity.
It's been on Martian soil since January, searching for any signs that the planet once had water, and possibly, even life.
Meanwhile, the other Martian rover, Spirit, has been studying rocks and soil on the other side of the planet.
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[Quickcast]
[WXPRO/FULL]
Quickcast
[REPRS@CL]
SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends
[SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]
by SS