WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 03/10/04

[News-Heads]

(---------------)

[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]

It comes as no surprise, but it's now official--
Convicted sniper Lee Malvo is sentenced to life in prison.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]

And, three more U-S soldiers are injured in Iraq on the same day two American civilians are killed.
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Leo]
[SS=None]

The snow showers that moved through the region this morning have pretty much come to an end now we can look forward to some warmer weather. I'll have all your details.
[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]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
One day after Washington- area sniper mastermind John Muhammad was sentenced to death, his accomplice learns HIS fate from a judge in Chesapeake.
(------------)

[Malvo]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Malvo]

[ENG#=3]

Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
Lee Malvo will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
But unlike John Muhammad, Malvo had nothing to say in his own defense.
Stacy Case has more from Chesapeake.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Chesapeake;]
[SUPER=01-Paul Ebert/Commonwealth of Virginia Prosecutor;]
[SUPER=01-Craig Cooley/Malvo's Defense Attorney;]
[SUPER=01-Kwang Szuszka/Victim's Relative;]
[SUPER=01-Sonia Wills/Victim's Relative;]
[SUPER=01-Stacy Case/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Case, CBS News, Chesapeake]
((
TRACK: HE'S STILL A TEENAGER--- AND LEE BOYD MALVO WILL NEVER KNOW
FREEDOM AGAIN.

THE JUDGE SENTENCED HIM TO LIFE IN PRISON------ PUNISHMENT FOR HIS ROLE
IN THE OCTOBER 2002 SNIPER SHOOTINGS THAT TERRORIZED THE D-C AREA.
A JURY CONVICTED MALVO LATE LAST YEAR OF CAPITAL MURDER, BUT CHOSE NOT TO IMPOSE THE DEATH PENALTY. THE MINIMUM SENTENCE IS LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE WHICH THE JUDGE ENDORSED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES WEDNESDAY MORNING..
SUPER: PAUL EBERT/COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR
(only 17 years of age but did it with free will )

SUPER: CRAIG COOLEY /MALVO'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY
(It's been sad from begining to end...defended him as best we could)

NAT: sniper scene THE ONLY QUESTION BEFORE SENTENCING? WOULD THE YOUNGER SNIPER ADDRESS
THE COURT--- SOMETHING HE DIDN'T DO AT TRIAL. MALVO OPTED NOT TO SAY
ANYTHING TO THE JUDGE OR VICTIMS' FAMILIES.
SUPER: Kwang Szuszka/VICTIM'S FAMILY MEMBER
TRACK: THE ELDER SNIPER...AND MASTERMIND JOHN ALLEN MUHAMMAD DID ADDRESS THE COURT AT HIS SENTENCING YESTERDAY, AND SHOWED NO REMORSE.
HIS DEATH SENTENCE WAS WELCOMED BY VICTIMS' FAMILIES--- 50 OF WHOM
CROWDED THE COURTROOM.

SOT: SONIA WILLS/VICTIM'S FAMILY MEMBER
Justice was served.

TRACK: MUHAMMAD AND MALVO KILLED 10 PEOPLE--- SHOOTING THEM RANDOMLY AT
BUS STOPS, GAS STATIONS AND RESTAURANTS. THEY DEMANDED MILLIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO STOP THE SNIPINGS.
STAND UP: STACY CASE/REPORTING MALVO LIKELY HASN'T SEEN HIS LAST DAY IN COURT. OTHER STATES MAY EXTRADITE HIM TO FACE POSSIBLE DEATH PENALTY CHARGES FOR CROSS COUNTRY KILLINGS LEADING UP TO THE DC SNIPER SPREE. AND MUHAMMAD'S OCTOBER EXECUTION DATE COULD BE DELAYED FOR YEARS BY APPEALS. STACY CASE CBS NEWS CHESAPEAKE, VA ))

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]

[ENG#=None]

More attacks on U-S soldiers in Iraq--
The military says gunmen injured three soldiers near a stadium in the northern town of Kirkuk.
They say the gunmen were able to escape.
Also today-- gunmen disguised as Iraqi police officers shot and killed two American civilians and their Iraqi translater at a makeshift checkpoint south of Baghdad.
The victims were all employees of the U-S- led coalition.
Polish troops later arrested five Iraqis.

[Achille-Lauro]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=4]

The Palestinian mastermind behind the 19-85 hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship has died of natural causes.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

Officials confirm that Abul Abbas died Monday in Baghdad while in U-S custody.
A coalition statement says attempts to revive the 56- year- old Abbas failed.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon says an autopsy will be done.
A spokesman isn't saying whether Abbas was being questioned in the period before his death.
He was captured in Iraq last April.
(------------)

[VOB-Toms-Creek]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-09 TC22:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=1]

The town of Blacksburg is moving forward with a controversial plan to build a new sewer system.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]

In a standing room only crowd last night, more than fifty people showed up to speak for and against the project.
The town wants to extend sewer service to the Tom Creek Basin.
Town council decided to approve a bond issue to pay for an estimated a 11-million dollar conventional, gravity fed sewer.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:52:18 TAPE 2]
[IN Q=tHIS SEWER SYSTEM]
((BILL McDONALD/SUPPORTS SEWER SYSTEM: THIS SEWER SYSTEM.....OUR QUALITY.)) ((LUCY GOLDBERG/OPPOSES SEWER PROJECT: CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT, ......INCREASE EROSION AND FLOODING.))
[SUPER=01-Bill McDonald/Supports Sewer System; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lucy Goldberg/Opposes Sewer Project; :12]
[Runs=24]
[OUT Q=INCREASE EROSION AND FLOODING]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

After nearly three hours of debate, the town council voted as expected, 4 to 3 to approve the bond.
Opponents say they'll now take their fight to the ballot box.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=none]

Three council members are up for re-election in May, and several candidates plan to make the sewer project a central issue.
Work on the new sewer system is expected to begin this spring.
[WX-Tease] ((KIM TOSS TO LEO)) [3/10/2004]
[SS=NONE]

LEO in WX-CENTER

[WXPRO/FULL] RADAR SATELLITE STORY

[SS=NONE]

(LEO TOSS to KIM)

[11L'burg-Council]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

Lynchburg city council got its first look at the 2005 budget last night. With a 17-million dollar deficit,council can either raise taxes or cut services...or possibly do both. Steve Smallshaw reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=If Lynchburg is]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Kimball Payne/Lynchburg City Manager; :19]
[SUPER=@ssm2; :35]
[RUNS=:57]
[OUT Q=Steve Smallshaw, News 7, Lynchburg]

[11Foster]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-54 TC1:38:08]
[GRAPHIC=none]

[ENG#=3]

One Lynchburg group decided to take itself out of the running for city money last night.
It was an effort to temporarily solve a conflict of interest problem for one council member.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Joan Foster learned last week that federal guidelines would not allow her to serve on council and stay in her job at the non-profit Alliance for Families and Children.
Last night, the Alliance withdrew its request for 18-thousand-500 dollars in block grant money.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:31:22]
[IN Q=The Alliance has]
((TOM PREST/ALLIANCE FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: THE ALLIANCE HAS DETERMINED THAT MRS. FOSTER'S IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN THE LYNCHBURG COMMUNITY IN HER ROLE AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CURRENTLY OUTWEIGH ANY POTENTIALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT.))
[SUPER=01-Tom Prest/Alliance for Families and Children]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=negative impact.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

City council voted to ask HUD for an exception to its ruling.
(------------)

[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Coming up next on the newscast, authorities in the New River Valley want residents to watch out for the signs of illegal methamphetamine labs.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]

And the White House now says President Bush will answer all the questions asked by the commission studying the 9-11 attacks.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #1]

[11Meth-Labs]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-52 TC1:59:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[MINI-OPEN]

[ENG#=1]

Methamphetamine is quickly becoming the New River Valley's biggest drug problem.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co./August;]

Labs for making the highly addictive drug are popping up across the region.
Last year state police busted 34 labs in southwest Virginia and have already found 10 this year.
Not only are the chemical's used to make meth dangerous, they are highly explosive.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:13:50:00 ]
[IN Q=If you think]
((SGT. MICHAEL CONROY/VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: IF YOU THINK SOMETHING IS SUSPICIOUS REPORT IT. JUST LIKE WITH ANY TYPE OF DRUG USE. AND NO ONE CAN ESCAPE THE DANGER IF A METH LAB WAS TO BLOW UP, ESPECIALLY IF ITS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO YOU. ))

[SUPER=01-Sgt. Michael Conroy/Virginia State Police;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=door to you.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

State Police are also asking area merchants to keep an eye out for people buying large quantities of Iodine, cold medicine or matches.
They say if you notice this behavior, report it... you could be saving lives.
(------------)

[Bush-911]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Bush]

[ENG#=2]

Facing accusations of stonewalling from some of the 9-11 victims' families and from John Kerry, the White House now says that President Bush will answer all questions the 9-11 comission wants to ask-- with NO time limit.
Bill Plante has more from Washington.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Scott McClellan/White House Press Secretary; :00 QUICK]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Kerry/(D) Presidential Candidate; :36]
[SUPER=03-Dallas, TX/Yesterday; :53 QUICK]
[SUPER=01-Dan Benjamin/Former Clinton National Security Council; :58]
[SUPER=01-Bill Plante/CBS News; 1:11]
[RUNS=1:35]
[OUT Q=Plante, CBS News, the White House.]
(( SCRIPT

(SOT: SCOTT McCLELLAN / WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY)
We believe we've set aside a reasonable period of time. But the President intends to answer all their questions. // Nobody -- Nobody's watching a clock.

(NATSOT)
applause

(VO)
THE SHIFT IN POSITION SEEMS DESIGNED TO ANSWER CRITICISM THAT THE PRESIDENT IS NOT BEING FULLY COOPERATIVE WITH THE COMMISSION -- AND IT COMES AT A TIME WHEN MR. BUSH IS STEPPING UP HIS ATTACKS ON SENATOR KERRY, ACCUSING HIM OF TRYING TO CUT INTELLIGENCE FUNDING IN THE PAST. AND THE VICE PRESIDENT, ACCUSING KERRY OF SHIFTING HIS POSITION FREQUENTLY, INVOKED THE WORDS OF A U.S. SOLDIER IN IRAQ.

(SOT: CHENEY)
Indecision kills, sir, this young soldier said to me, indecision kills.

(SOT: SEN. JOHN KERRY / DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE)
Well, let me tell you something Mr. Cheney, let me tell you something Mr. President... bad rushed decisions kill too!

(NATSOT)
applause

(VO)
BUT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO BEEN CRITICIZED FOR PAYING TOO LITTLE ATTENTION TO INTELLIGENCE BEFORE 9-11. DEMOCRATS SAY THAT MAKES THIS ARGUMENT A TWO-WAY STREET FOR THE PRESIDENT.

(SOT: DAN BENJAMIN / FMR. CLINTON NATL. SEC. COUNCIL OFFICIAL)
He has made the war on terror a centerpiece of his record... so i think that that is going to be the platform from which he attacks his opponent and it's also going to open him up to a good deal of scrunity too.
ON CAM CLOSE THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN'T REALLY MIND AN ARGUMENT OVER THE WAR - IT'S THE PRESIDENT'S STRONGEST POINT IN THE POLLS....BUT TODAY THE ISSUE WILL BE JOBS. MR. BUSH IS IN OHIO FOR THE FIFTEENTH TIME....OHIO, WHERE 200-THOUSAND JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST IN THE RECESSION. THE PRESIDENT WILL TRY TO PROJECT A POSITIVE ECONOMIC MESSAGE IN CONTRAST TO WHAT HE WILL CALL JOHN KERRY'S ECONOMIC ISOLATIONISM. BILL PLANTE, CBS NEWS, THE WHITE HOUSE. ))

[Gall-Bladder]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Medical news]

[ENG#=3]

Surgeons successfully removed the gallbladder of Attorney General John Ashcroft on Tuesday to prevent a recurrence of the gallstone pancreatitis that landed the Cabinet officer in a hospital intensive care unit. Dr. Sean Kenniff reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Bruce Abell/Surgeon; :05]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Sean Kenniff/CBS News; :31]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS]
((NOW OUT OF SURGERY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS RECOVERING AFTER HAVING HIS GALLBLADDER REMOVED.

(SOT- Dr. Bruce Abell/Surgeon)"everything went as planned, went well,
guarded condition he is in icu recovering "

(File)
JOHN ASHCROFT SUFFERS FROM SOMETHING CALLED PANCREATITIS.... AN INFECTION OF THE PANCREAS THAT AFFLICTS ABOUT 80-THOUSAND AMERICANS EVERY YEAR.
(gfx)
THE PANCREAS IS A LARGE GLAND THAT SITS BEHIND THE STOMACH AND IS INVOLVED IN DIGESTION. IF GALLSTONES BLOCK THE PANCREAS FROM WORKING... THE RESULT CAN BE PAINFUL SWELLING AND INFECTION.
STANDUP: Dr. Sean Kenniff/CBS NEWS/Miami, FL) BUT MANY TIMES TREATING THE GALLSTONES ISN'T ENOUGH AND THE GALLBLADDER HAS TO BE TAKEN OUT. NOT DOING SO MEANS A 50 PERCENT CHANCE THAT THE PANCREATITIS COULD COME BACK.

(SOT-Dr. Abell again)
"his case was pretty severe, had to wait until pancreas settled down before we went ahead and operated on him."

(File)
ASHCROFT UNDERWENT THE MOST COMMON PROCEDURE: LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY. DOCTORS FIRST MAKE FOUR SMALL INCISIONS IN THE ABDOMAN. A TINY VIDEO CAMERA IS THEN INSERTED NEAR THE NAVAL. WATCHING A VIDEO SCREEN SURGEONS WORK INSIDE THE OTHER INCISIONS TO TAKE OUT THE GALLBLADDER.

(SOT-Doctor Abell again )
"it's going to be four or five days before he can leave the hospital."
DURING RECOVERY ASHCROFT CAN EXPECT TO FEEL INITIAL PAIN IN HIS SHOULDER AND ABDOMEN... WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME JUST SORENESS. MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE PROCEDURE RETURN TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES RATHER QUICKLY. SO IT'S POSSIBLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COULD BE BACK AT WORK IN TWO WEEKS. DOCTOR SEAN KENNIFF, CBS NEWS.)
[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Up next on the newscast,
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
we'll tell you why some workers were busy chasing a paper mache Rhino around the Tokyo zoo.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[11Dish-TV]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-54 TC1:38:08]
[GRAPHIC=Satellite TV]

[ENG#=1]

The owner of satellite T-V provider DISH Network says it will do ``whatever it takes'' to resolve a fee dispute with Viacom.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Yesterday, Dish Network pulled the plug on more than a dozen Viacom channels including MTV, VH-1, B-E-T and Nickelodeon.
The networks were replaced with a message, criticizing what Dish Network describes as Viacom's "unreasonable demands."
Local service providers hope the dispute is resolved quickly.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=As we go forth]
((AS WE GO FORTH AND TRY TO COMPETE WITH CABLE, NATURALLY THIS IS NOT A POSITIVE THING FOR US, BUT IT WILL WORK OUT. AND IF IT SAVES THE CUSTOMERS A COUPLE OF BUCKS ON THEIR MONTHLY BILL, THEN MAYBE IT WILL BE WORTHWHILE.))
[SUPER=01-Matt Whitcomb/ACS Home Entertainment Gallery;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=maybe it will be worthwhile.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

CBS- owned stations in 16 major cities were also dropped from the Dish Network line-up yesterday, but the dispute should not affect the availability of WDBJ-7 on the satellite service.
(------------)

[Crazy-Rhino]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

Some zookeepers in Japan are proving they want to be ready for most ANYTHING--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tokyo, Japan;]

A rhinoceros was on the rampage at a Tokyo zoo yesterday, leaving behind injured staff and a team of people waving stun guns.
But the horned beast on the loose was nothing more threatening than two staff members wearing a paper mache costume.
What confused visitors were witnessing was the zoo's annual DRILL to train staff in the art of capturing escaped animals.
Over the past several years, staff have been seen trying to catch and subdue colleagues dressed as leopards, and even polar bears.
Eventually the animal gets shot with a fake stun gun and the show is over.
(------------)

[Weather] [NOON WEATHER] [3/10/04] [TWO SHOT]

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

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

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was DOWN 18 points. The NASDAQ has GAINED one.
[super=460-y/18/x/1;]
[Tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Coming up in sports, Wake Forest gives Charlene Curtis her walking papers..
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]

And one N-H-L player is suspended and could land in jail for sucker punching an opponent on the ice.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[Steroids-Athletes]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=1]

As players get bigger and stronger, the credibility of Major League baseball and other sports is getting weaker.

That's according to Senator John McCain.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

He's the head of a Senate panel hearing from baseball executives today in Washington about steroid use by players.

The hearing is focusing on drug testing policies for professional and amateur sports.
Among the witnesses are Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and N-F-L Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
(------------)

[NHL]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

All-Star hockey player Todd Bertuzzi faces the possibility of criminal prosecution and a lengthy suspension by the N-H-L for attacking another player.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vancouver, British Columbia/Monday;]

The N-H-L will hold a hearing today to decide Bertuzzi's future.
He punched Colorado's Steve Moore during Monday's game.
The Vancouver forward punched and slammed Moore to the ice during the Avs' 9-to-2 win.
Moore is hospitalized with a broken neck and a concussion.
Bertuzzi is suspended indefinitely and could face criminal charges.
(------------)

[S-Liberty]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-169 2616TC]
[GRAPHIC=LIBERTY]

The opening round of the women's Big South tournament in Lynchburg was held last night. The top seeded Liberty Flames advance to the semi-finals with an 81-to-47 win over Winthrop.
[GRAPHIC=RADFORD]
Liberty will host Radford University on Thursday. The Highlanders upset Charleston Southern 58-to-57 last night in South Carolina. Kylie Williamson and Amanda Neby led the Lady Highlanders with 15 and 12 points. Radford is now 14 and 13 on the season.

[S-Wake]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-171 1242TC]
[GRAPHIC=ACC WOMEN'S TOURNEY]

[ENG#=4]

The ACC women's tournament wrapped up Monday night in the Triad - last night the career of Wake Forest head coach Charlene Curtis did the same.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-ACC;]
Yesterday afternoon Wake Forest announced that it would not renew her contract - in effect firing the Roanoke native.

The Demon Deacons went 12 and 17 this past season, and since her arrival at Wake in 1997 - her teams have won just 67 games and lost 129. They also have won just 18 percent of their games in the ACC. Curtis is a Radford University graduate and a member of the school's hall of fame.
(------------)

[S-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-163 12803tc]
[GRAPHIC=BIG EAST]

[ENG#=1]

Virginia Tech is taking part in its first-ever "Garden Party" as a member of the Big East. The game started just after Noon, and nearing the midway point of the first half, the Hokies were leading Rutgers 15-14. A lot has been made of Tech finally making it into the event, but the fact is - just making the tournament really isn't that big of a deal.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=THE BIG EAST...]
[SUPER=01-Coleman Collins/Virginia Tech Freshman Forward; :00]
[SUPER=01-Seth Greenberg/First Year Virginia Tech Head Coach; :31]
[RUNS=:43]
[OUT Q=...CONTINUE TO RECRUIT."]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[GRAPHIC=Big East]
As for playing Rutgers just a week after beating the Scarlet Knights in Blacksburg - Greenberg says that might be an advantage for his team. If the Hokies win, they will face top seeded Pittsburgh in the second round.
[Quickcast]
[WXPRO/FULL] Quickcast
[REPRS@CL] SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends [SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]