WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 03/11/04

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Lawmakers are figuring they session may go into overtime.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
We'll tell you how far apart the two Houses are as the session's supposed to be wrapping up.

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=2]
Tonight on News 7 sports - highlights from the Radford girls final four win in Richmond. A pre-game report from the ACC tournament -
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[VO-NAT]
And the Hokies earn respect, but not a win as they lose to Pittsburgh in the Big East quarterfinals this afternoon.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

A quick chill down tomorrow but the weekend looks sunny and warmer. Details coming up.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 4-SHot]

News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]

[ENG#=3]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
(( 01:15:08 WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THEIR BUDGET ANY MORE THAN THEY ARE GOING TO ACCEPT OURS. :11))
[RUNS=:03]
[OUT Q=]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Time is running out for budget negotiators.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

And there's still no agreement in sight.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

And I'm Shannon Young.

[XGR-Budget]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=03-54 TC1:40:57]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Only two days from their deadline, budget conferees are doing more finger pointing than hand shaking.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The House and Senate have made little progress on the budget and now there's talk of a special session.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Meghan /State Microwave;]

Meghan Muldoon joins us from the State Capitol with more.
The sticking point between the two bodies remains the increase in the state sales and income taxes
[LIVE=Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=@Meghan1]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]

The Senate says the state needs the extra money,
The House says the taxpayers should keep it.
[ENG#=4]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=THEY JUST WANT US TO MAKE]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :]
[SUPER=@MarkWarner; :]
[SUPER=@Griffith; :]
[SUPER=01-Del. Kirk Cox/(R) House Budget Conferee; :]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Chichester/(R) Senate Budget Conferee; :]
[RUNS=1:24]
[OUT Q=UNTIL WE COMPLETE OUR WORK.]
(([SOT :37:30]
((DELEGATE KIRK COX/R-COLONIAL HEIGHTS: THEY JUST WANT US TO MAKE ALL THE MOVEMENT AND THEYRE NOT MAKING ANY MOVEMENT AT ALL.)) [RUNS:03]
House and Senate budget conferees are LESS than two days away from their deadline but they remain MORE than three billion dollars apart.
[SOT 03:28:43]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES IF THE LEGISLATORS GET IN THEIR CARS ON SATURDAY AND DRIVE AWAY.)) [RUNS:05]
What's at stake is Virginia's triple A bond rating.
It is already on shaky ground and many believe that adjourning without a budget will send the wrong message to Moody's.
The Republican leadership is also on the line.
If the GOP fails for the second time in three years to agree on a budget, Democrats can claim that the majority party just can't get the job done...something Republicans deny.
[SOT 23:26:18]
((HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER MORGAN GRIFFITH: WE ARE DOING OUR JOB. OUR JOB IS TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS AND TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF VA FROM HAVING THEIR POCKETS RAIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT.)) [RUNS:10]
Negotiators have been busy exchanging letters and jabs.
The Senate says the House budget isn't balanced.
House conferees say even meeting in the middle is out of the question.
[SOT :38:25]
((DELEGATE KIRK COX: THEY'RE AT FOUR BILLION AND WE'RE AT 525 MILLION. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MEET THEM HALF WAY THAT'S JUST SILLY.)) [RUNS:08]
With little hope of finishing on time, legislators are exploring their exit strategies.
They have the option of extending the session or returning for a special session.
[SOT 01:13:47]
((SENATOR JOHN CHICHESTER/SENATE BUDGET CONFEREE: I THINK WE NEED TO STAY HERE UNTIL WE COMPLETE OUR WORK.)) [RUNS:02]))
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[LIVE=Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

Negotiators met this afternoon. They broke up just a few minutes ago for dinner.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Meghan/State Microwave;]

They all say they want to have an agreement by Saturday.

[Boty-Deputies]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-07 TC32:57]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
While the state budget is still up in the air, some Botetourt County Deputies can count on a raise this year.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./Last Week]
Officers usually start out with the department making about 24-thousand dollars. County administrator Jerry Burgess says deputies in Botetourt will see a two-and-a quarter percent raise, regardless of what happens with the state budget.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT@9:13:07]
[IN Q=The county's...]
((SHERIFF RONNIE SPRINKLE, BOTETOURT CO.: THE COUNTY'S BEEN VERY GOOD TO US PICKING UP A LOT OF THE CUTS THE STATE HAS GIVEN AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE COUNTY AND THE BOARD WORKING ON THAT WITH US, WE'D CERTAINLY BE HURTING.))
[SUPER=01-Ronnie Sprinkle/Botetourt Co. Sheriff]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=... certainly be hurting.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Currently there are 89-employees at the Sheriff's office, 69 of them are sworn officers.
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[Wood]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sra]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A nursing assistant at Carriage Hill Retirement Center in Bedford is charged with assaulting a 91-year-old female resident.
31-year-old Cristy L. Wood was taken into custody yesterday and charged with hitting the woman on the back with a cane.
Police say the cane left a 14 inch long mark on the the resident's back. She also suffered a bruised ear.
Wood is currently being held at Bedford Adult Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

[Bedford-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

A 17- year- old was thrown from a car and two children injured during a single vehicle accident in Bedford County.
(XXXXXXX)
[TAKE MAP FULL] It happened around 1:30 on Route 24, half a mile from Joppa Mill Road. Police say a 17- year- old ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected and then hit an embankment. A 4-year old and 18- month- old were also injured in the crash. All three were taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial and are expected to recover.
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[WIPE WIPE WIPE ]

[460-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-03 TC41:24]

[ENG#=2]
[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]

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[VO-NAT :29 +]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;]
Traffic was delayed in New London this morning when a tractor- trailer hauling garbage caught fire. It happened just before six. The rig was headed east on Route 460 when someone flagged down the driver and said sparks were flying from his truck.
He stopped near the Campbell County line and discovered his load was on fire. East and west- bound lanes were closed for about 45 minutes while firefighters extinguished the flames.
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[Tech-Fall]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=504-03 TC08:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]

A construction worker is in critical condition tonight after falling down an elevator shaft.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :25 +]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
It happened around noon at the new Career Services building on the Virginia Tech campus. Tech officials say the man was working on installing the building's elevator system when he fell about 15 or 20 feet down the shaft. The man has not been named but is an employee of Thyssen-Krupp Elevator Company, which is investigating the incident.

He was taken to Montgomery Regional Hospital and later transported to R- M- H where he remains in critical condition.

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

[MLK-Bridge]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-01 TC1:03:35]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]

The First Street Bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic for more than three years, and members of a committee helping to craft a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King hope it will stay that way.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

City Council voted to rebuild the bridge as a memorial to the civil rights leader.
Current plans call for one- way traffic, but now a citizens committee is recommending the bridge be restricted to pedestrians.
Members say safety is their primary concern.
A public meeting is scheduled on April 6th at the Dumas Center, and committee members will take the request to city council after that.
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[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]
[ENG#=V10]

A new daycare center could make life a little easier for working parents... and make their kids a little healthier in the process.
Find out how when News 7 returns.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Plus why the state's keeping a close on a New River Valley dam.
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[1st-Wx]

[Pulaski-Dam]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-51 TC1:38:36]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

State officials are keeping a close eye on a Pulaski County Dam.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski;]

Hogan dam is one of 30 dams on a state watch list.
The nearly 90 year old dam is about 60 feet high and made of concrete.
Officials say there is no immediate threat, but computer models show that 30 inches of rain in less than 24-hours could force the dam to break.
The state is now asking Pulaski to began looking for money to fix the spillway.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 33:23:00 ]
[IN Q=Everyone realizes]
((JOHN HAWLEY: EVERYONE REALIZES THE ODDS OF THIS HAPPENING ARE MINIMAL BUT AGAIN THE MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS AND COMPUTER MODELING SHOW THAT IT COULD HAPPEN, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE ANTICIPATE HAPPENING EVEN DURING A HEAVY RAIN.))
[SUPER=01-John Hawley/Pulaski Town Manager;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=a heavy rain.]
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[VO-NAT]

The town is asking Senator George Allen and Congressman Rick Boucher to apply for federal funding.
Fixing the spillway could cost 500-thousand dollars.
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[B'Burg-Candidates]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-08 TC41:22]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]
[ENG#=2]

Blacksburg is moving forward with a controversial plan to build a new sewer system. It's become an issue in the May election.
New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa takes a look at the candidates.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=At least ]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ron Rordam/Blacksburg Council Candidate; :24]
[SUPER=01-J. B. Jones/Blacksburg Council Candidate; :49]
[SUPER=01-Paul Lancaster/Blacksburg Council Candidate; 1:16]
[SUPER=01-Paul Langrehr/Blacksburg Council Candidate; 1:37]
[SUPER=@Rachel2; 1:26]
[RUNS=1:52]
[OUT Q=news 7, Blacksburg.]
((At least one newcomer will join the Blacksburg town council. Three seats are up for grabs with only 2-incumbents running. And extending sewer service to Tom's Creek appears to be the most decisive issue.
Rordam is one of the 3 council members to vote against the project. He's been on the board for 8 years and lived in Blacksburg for 27. The sewer project's not the only issue, he's worried about growth.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:31:58:00 ]
[IN Q=We have a]
((RON RORDAM:WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE NEED TO STICK TOO, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SPENT THEIR TIME GIVING THEIR COMMENTS AND TRYING TO DEVELOP IT. SO I THINK WHERE WE GROW AND HOW WE GROW IS VERY IMPORTANT )) [RUNS:14]
[OUT Q=is very important.]

J.B. Jones voted for the sewer project. He was appointed to council last August to fill a vacant spot and has served on the planning commission for 6 years.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:10:57:00 ]
[IN Q=I feel like]
((JB JONES: I FEEL LIKE I KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE TOWN. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE TOWN AND I GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE ON COUNCIL DON'T LISTEN, BUT I DO LISTEN. I DO A LOT OF LISTENING . :08)) [RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=a lot of listening.]

As a life long resident he's most concerned about controlling growth and affordable housing. An issue VA Tech broadcast specialist Paul Lancaster is also concerned about. Lancaster's, who's against the sewer project, has lived in the area for 20 years and serves on the planning commission.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:6:14:00]
[IN Q=I know the]
((PAUL LANCASTER: I KNOW THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. I HELPED TO WRITE IT. I HELPED TO TAKE THE COMMENTS OF THE 2-THOUSAND CITIZENS WHO PARTICIPATED AND MOLD THEM INTO A LONG RANGE OUTLOOK OF WHAT THIS TOWN SHOULD BE LIKE.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=should be like.]

Radford Professor Paul Langrehr is also very against the sewer project. He's lived in Blacksburg for the last 4-years and says he can bring a new perspective to council.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:2:45:44:00]
[IN Q=I've been very]
((PAUL LANGREHR: I'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THIS TOWN. I BECOME VERY CLOSE TO MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND I THINK WHAT I'LL DO OFFER THEIR VOICE ON THAT TOWN COUNCIL.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=that town council.]

The election is May 4th. Rachel DePompa, News 7, Blacksburg.))

[Honts]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=03-53 TC1:32:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
A local circuit court judge is going back to the hospital.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File]
Judge George Honts spent several weeks in January at U-V-a Medical Center after doctors thought he had suffered a brain aneurysm. While at the hospital doctors discovered he had a blocked artery. Next Wednesday, Honts will go back to U-V-a to have surgery. He says he expects to be back to work on May first. Judge Honts will retire in July after 21-years on the bench.
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[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Today's terrorist attack in Spain overshadowed mostly good economic news. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/168.51/10128.38/y/20.26/1943.89;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW tumbled more than 168 points today.
NASDAQ fell 20.
[SUPER=271-i/0.61/40.11/i/1.44/56.32/i/0.38/33.52/i/1.37/86.73/i/0.44/79.55;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.49/36.36/h/0.17/20.05//Unchg/7.10/i/1.04/63.57/i/0.68/30.42;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.13/7.68/i/0.19/40.94/i/0.57/16.75/i/0.18/20.96/i/0.20/5.71;]
[SUPER=274- /Unchg/14.18/i/1.14/69.26/i/0.69/37.58/i/0.81/47.75/i/0.86/57.90;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[SPONSOR ANNOUNCE]
[COMMERCIAL]
[WL-Center]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-52 TC2:02:58]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Another major construction project at Washington and Lee is about to get off the ground.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Construction will begin in June on a 60-thousand square foot arts and music building,
[ENG#=1]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington;]
but first they need to make room. The school is moving an old train station that was built in 1883 to a site across the street.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT - 14:18:36]
[IN Q=What we have to do...]
((TOM CONTOS/WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY ARCHITECT; WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS SLICE THE BUILDING ABOUT ONE BRICK ABOVE THE GROUND, WE WILL THEN INSERT STEEL BEAMS TO FORM A GRID THROUGH THE BUILDING, WRAP AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE BRICKS, JACK IT UP 6 FEET IN THE AIR, AND WE WILL WINCH IT WITH A CABLE, AND DRAG IT ACROSS THE STREET.))
[SUPER=01-Tom Contos/Washington and Lee University Architect]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=drag it across the street.]
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[VO-NAT]
The building was last used as a train station until the 19-60's. The new arts and music building is expected to cost up to 24 million dollars and the final design still must be approved by the city.
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[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[ENG#=V10]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - the Hokies play well but bow out of the Big East tournament. The Radford girls advance to the Group A state title game.
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[VO-NAT]
And Steve Mason and Travis Wells will check in from the Greensboro Coliseum with a preview of tonight's UVA-Clemson matchup in the ACC play-in game.
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[S-VHSL]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-165 12038TC]
[GRAPHIC=VHSL GROUP A]
[ENG#=1]

Day two of the Virginia High School league state basketball tournament and today the Group A schools are in the spotlight at the VCU Seigel Center in Richmond.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/James Monroe vs. Radford; :00]
This afternoon - the Radford Bobcats took on Fredericksburg's James Monroe in the Group A semi-finals. And the Cats were on their game today. Off the inbounds pass, Radford's Jill Weston will make the catch and knock down the three pointer from the left wing. Then watch the passing. Meg Khandan-Barani (CAN-DUH-BUH-RONNIE) makes James Monroe pay as she gets one of her tournament record tying 10 assists with the pass to Alyssa Parris for the score. The Yellow Jackets would be content to play zone, and Radford
[super=33-Radford/66/James Monroe/49/Group A Semi-Finals;]
would blow it up. Whitney King hits this three and Radford advance to Saturday Morning's title game with the 66-to-49 win.
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[ANCHOR=mike]
[graphic=hold group a]
The Glenvar girls meet Altavista tonight at 7, and the Radford boys play Altavista this evening at 8:45.

[S-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-164 13324tc]
[GRAPHIC=BIG EAST]
[ENG#=2]

The Hokies run in the Big East tournament ended this afternoon at the hands of 6th ranked Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY/espn2; :00]
The Hokies were hoping to extend their stay in the Big Apple another night, and while Bryant Matthews turned a couple of steals into big baskets - he was in foul trouble most of the game. Pitt had a double digit lead in the second half thanks in part to Jaron Brown - who led a balanced Pitt attack with 20 points. But with Matthews on the bench the young Hokies battled back and got within 6 points in the closing minutes.
[super=33-Pittsburgh/74/Virginia Tech/61;]
But Pitt pulls away to beat the Hokies 74-to-61. Tech is 15 and 14 on the season.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=TECH]
The Hokies think they deserve an NIT bid for finishing a game over 500. They might get one. The NIT is about making money and who has the gold and politics the hardest usually makes it in.

[S-ACC]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-168]
[GRAPHIC=ACC MEN'S TOURNEY]
[ENG#=3]
The ACC tournament opens tonight at the top of the hour as Clemson meets UVa. Steve Mason and Travis Wells have the latest on tonight's play-in game from the Greensboro Coliseum.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=@steve1; :00]
[SUPER=01-Elton Brown/All ACC Honorable Mention; :33]
[SUPER=01-Devin Smith/All ACC Honorable Mention; :43]
[SUPER=01-J. R. Reynolds/ACC All-Freshman Team Selection; :50]
[SUPER=01-Pete Gillen/102 Wins at Virginia; 1:00]
[SUPER=03-Greensboro, NC; 1:12]
[SUPER=01-Todd Billet/UVa Senior Captain; 1:20]
[SUPER=@travis1; 1:31]
[SUPER=01-Oliver Purnell/Clemson Head Coach; 1:42]
[RUNS=2:03]
[OUT Q=...NEWS 7 SPORTS."]
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[S-South]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Liberty vs. Radford]
The Big South women's tournament resumes to tonight with the semi-finals as Liberty plays host to Radford in a seven pm tip-off at the Vines Center. LU beat RU both times they played in the regular season by an average of 19 points a contest.

[Sick-Room]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=cja]
[TAPE#=03-55 TC1:31:12]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
New childcare available to Carilion employees may help parents avoid missing work.
[ENG#=1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
The HoneyTree Early Learning Center will open its new daycare facility near downtown Roanoke Monday. The facility will include a section for children who are mildly ill.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 06:25:00]
[IN Q=No place]
((NANCY AGEE/CARILION C.O.O.: NO PLACE IN TOWN WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE SICK CARE FOR CHILDREN. SO I THINK THIS WILL BE A HUGE SOLUTION FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE JUST A LITTLE ILL BUT YOU WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO BE OUT WITH THE REST OF THE CHILDREN.))
[SUPER=01-Nancy Agee/Carilion COO]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=of the children]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The "Chicken Soup Coop" as it's called can accommodate eight children daily, and will be staffed with an L.P.N. It will care for children ages six weeks to twelve years old, who have minor illnesses like a cold or the stomach flu.
The center may open to the public after its first evaluation in July. (------------)