WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 04/13/04

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

A company from the Lone Star State announces it's bringing hundreds of new jobs to Danville....
A Virginia Tech football player is facing felony charges.
(---------------)
[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]

And, the F-B-I is taking plenty of heat today from the 9-11 commission, as it defends its response to the growing terrorist threat.
(------------)

[Danville-Jobs]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=27:30 on 504-00]
[GRAPHIC=News 7]

Hundreds of new jobs are heading to Danville in what the city is calling its biggest job creation announcement in decades.
Texas based Telvista Incorporated announced this morning it is building a custormer service call center in Danville's Airside Industrial Center.
[DANVILLE DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Smallshaw STARLINK;]

The good news came at a press conference in the Tobacco warehouse district downtown. Steve Smallshaw is there and joins us with more.
[LIVE=Steve/FULL]
[SUPER=@SSM1;]
[SUPER=05-Danville]
Steve adlibs
[ENG#=Rolled from the truck]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=@Goode; :00]
[SUPER=03-Danville;:10]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Gwaltney/Danville City Manager; :30]
[SUPER=01-David Allen/Telvista CFO; :56]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=make us successful]

[LIVE=Smallshaw/FULL]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]
Steve adlibs
[DANVILLE DOUBLE BOXES=Kimberly/Smallshaw STARLINK;]

[Hinton]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=None]
A Virginia Tech football player is facing felony charges.
(------------)
[TAKE Pinnacle FULL] Redshirt Freshman Michael Hinton was arrested Monday and charged with malicious wounding and destruction of property for an incident that happened early Sunday morning at the Blacksburg McDonalds.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC-None] The 20 year old Burlington North Carolina native was jailed and later released. Hinton's been suspended from the team until his case is decided in court.

[Ronile]

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

[ENG#=2]

A Rocky Mount company has settled a lawsuit over the death of a contractor.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount/July 2002;]

John Gregory died from injuries he suffered in the 2002 explosion of a boiler at the Ronile plant.
Court documents reveal Ronile and co-defendent Thermal Fluid Systems of Georgia agreed to pay 900 thousand dollars to Gregory's widow.
Jennifer Gregory filed suit, accusing the companies of negligence and fraud.
She was seeking five MILLION dollars.
Neither side would comment, citing a confidentiality agreement.
(------------)

[911-Hearing]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=911]

[ENG#=3]

The panel investigating September 11th is criticizing both the F-B-I and the Justice Department's handling of the terror threat.
Today officials-- both past and present-- testified about what they knew before 9-11.
Teri Okita has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
[SUPER=01-Louis Freeh/Former F. B. I. Director;]
[SUPER=01-Janet Reno/Former Attorney General;]
[SUPER=01-Teri Okita/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Okita, CBS News, Washington.]
(( PKG.

(LOCATOR: Washington, D.C.)

TRACK: THE 9-11 COMMISSION ISN'T PULLING ANY PUNCHES BEFORE IT'S HEARING ARE EVEN OVER... THEY SAY THE F-B-I FAILED MISERABLY IN COLLECTING, ANALYZING, AND SHARING TERRORIST INFORMATION WITHIN THE BUREAU AND WITH OTHER AGENCIES. AND IT SAYS, FOR YEARS, THE BUREAU NEITHER UNDERSTOOD NOR REACTED TO THE THREAT. TODAY, FORMER F-B-I DIRECTOR, LOUIS FREEH, DEFENDED HIS DEPARTMENT.

SOT:(Super: Louis Freeh/Former FBI Director)
The resource issue and authority issue limited what we could do before 9-11.
TRACK: EVEN WITH BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, FREEH SAYS, DURING HIS TENURE, THE FBI MORE THAN DOUBLED ITS OVERSEAS LEGAL ATTACHE OFFICES. BUT SOME COMMISSIONERS FIND FAULT WITH HIS ARGUMENT, SAYING CONGRESS ALMOST ALWAYS MET OR EXCEEDED COUNTER-TERRORISM BUDGET REQUESTS.
TRACK: FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL, JANET RENO TOLD THE COMMISSION THAT, WHILE THE FBI NEVER SEEMED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES, FREEH SEEMED UNWILLING TO SHIFT WHAT HE DI HAVE TOWARDS COMBATING TERRORISM.
COMMISSIONERS GRILLED RENO EVEN FURTHER ABOUT WHAT SHE KNEW IN THE YEARS BEFORE THE ATTACKS.

(Super: Janet Reno/Former Attorney General)
SOT:

(Super: Teri Okita/Reporting)
STANDUP: On September 10th, 2001, the report says Attorney General John Ashcroft rejected an FBI appeal for more counter-terrorism money. Ashcroft has come under fire for not making it a priority. Its something hell most certainly address when he testifies later today. Teri Okita, CBS News, Washington.))

[Iraq]

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

[ENG#=4]

The situation in Iraq remains volatile with a shaky cease- fire in effect for Fallujah.
Meanwhile, the kidnapping of foreigners is becoming part of the daily danger.
Lisa Barron reports from Baghdad.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Fallujah, Iraq;]
[SUPER=03-Najaf, Iraq;]
[SUPER=01-Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt/U. S. Coalition Spokesperson;]
[SUPER=01-Lisa Barron/CBS News;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=Barron, CBS News, Baghdad.]

((PKGE: THE CEASEFIRE IN FALLUJAH IS HOLDING FOR NOW, BUT JUST 12 MILES OUT OF TOWN, A US MILITARY HELICOPTER MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER BEING SHOT AT BY INSURGENTS.
THREE CREW MEMBERS WERE WOUNDED BUT GOT TO SAFETY BEFORE TROOPS EXPLODED THE WRECKAGE TO PREVENT LOOTING. THEY CAME UNDER FIRE DOING SO.

NAT SOT.
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE SOUTHERN HOLY CITY OF NAJAF, SOME 2,5OO US TROOPS HAVE GATHERED FOR A SHOWDOWN WITH RADICAL SHIITE CLERI MOQTADA AL SADR, THE MAN BEHIND LAST WEEK'S BLOODYCLASHES IN THE SOUTH.

SOT; BRIG. GENERAL MARK KIMMIT
...we all recognise...
THE FIERY CLERIC SAID HE IS PREPARED TO DIE FOR HIS CAMPAIGN TO END THE OCCUPATION OF US FORCES..BUT HE LEFT THE DOOR OPEN FOR NEGOTIATIONS , DEMANDING ONLY THAT FOREIGN TROOPS STAY OUT OF NAJAF....

(ON CAMERA)
ITS NOT CLEAR IF SAD'RS FOLLOWERS ARE BEHIND ANY OF THE RECENT ABDUCTIONS OF FOREIGN CIVLIIAINS, ONE OF THE LATEST AND MOST TERRIFYING TACTICS BEING USED BY THE INSURGENTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR POLITICAL AIMS.
ANOTHER FOUR WERE SEIZED TODAY-- THIS TIME ITALIAN SECURITY GUARDS WORKING FOR AN AMERICAN COMPANY -- SEEN IN THIS VIDEO BROADCAST ON ARAB SATELLITE STATION AL JAZEERA. THE KIDNAPPERS ARE DEMANDING ITALY WITHDRAW ITS 3,000 TROOPS.
SEVEN EMPLOYEES OF A US CONTRACTOR, INCLUDING 43 YEAR OLD TRUCK DRIVER THOMAS HAMILL , AND TWO US SERVICEMEN ARE STILL MISSING.
SO ARE THREE JAPANESE NATIONALS WHO WERE AMONG THE FIRST TO BE CAPTURED.
A GROUP OF EIGHT WORKERS AT A RUSSIAN FIRM WERE FREED TODAY BECAUSE THEIR CAPTORS LEARNED SOME OF THEM WERE RUSSIAN NATIONALS--MOSCOW REFUSED TO SEND TROOPS HERE.
THE LATEST SECURITY REPORTS WARN JOURNALISTS ARE NEXT. LISA BARRON, CBS NEWS, BAGHDAD.
))
[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]
The attempted robbery of a video store turns into a hostage situation. We'll have the details after the break.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Also we'll see how a judge from our region is trying to make a return trip to the national best sellers list.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #1]

[House-Explosion]

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

[MINI-Open]

[ENG#=1]

Authorities are looking into the cause of a deadly house explosion in Wisconsin this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Madison, WI;]

The blast killed one person, and left the home a pile of rubble.
Debris from the explosion was scattered around the neighborhood.
Some of the adjoining houses suffered structural damage as well from the blast.
About 25 homes in the area were evacuated.
Neighbors say they smelled the odor of natural gas after the house blew up.
(------------)

[Blockbuster-Robbery]

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

[ENG#=2]

It was a real- life drama that played out early this morning at a Blockbuster video store in California.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pasadena, CA;]

A robbery attempt at a Blockbuster near Pasadena ended with the capture of three suspects, and the release of ten hostages.
Authorities say the suspects herded two employees and eight customers into an office after the store's alarm was triggered last night.
A SWAT team ended the standoff this morning, with no shots fired and no reports of any injuries.
(------------)

[Toms-Creek]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-16 TC02:30]
[GRAPHIC=none]

[ENG#=3]

Opponents of a new sewer line in Blacksburg won't need an injunction to slow down the project... the town's backing off until next month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/File Tape]

Two Blacksburg residents are suing the town over the "12 mile long" sewer line that would run along Toms Creek.

They asked a judge to prevent town council from awarding contracts until a May 13th court hearing on the validity of the bond issue that would pay for it.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]

Council planned to award those contracts Tuesday night, but the town manager now says they won't be awarded until after the hearing.
Gary Huff says town council could still move forward with the project afterward because the bids are good for 60 days.
Opponents hope the makeup of town council will change after the May elections and the new council will reverse course on the project.

[Judge-Book]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC 1:29:32]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=4]

A new book about to hit bookstores across the country will have some familar locations for residents of southwest Virginia.
As Justin McLeod tells us, it was written by a local judge who enjoys picking up a pen as well as a gavel.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Stuart; :00]
[SUPER=01-Judge Martin Clark/Author; :11]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:19]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
((((NAT SOUND OF TYPING BUT COVER WITH SHOT OF OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE))
When Judge Martin Clark is away from the courthouse, he's often in front of the computer writing his latest novel.
[SOT 22:12]
[IN Q=Some people like]
((JUDGE MARTIN CLARK/AUTHOR: SOME PEOPLE LIKE GOLF, SOME LIKE VARIOUS THINGS, I ENJOY WRITING.)) [Run05]
[OUT Q=enjoy writing]

A joy that produced "The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living."
It's a book that took Clark twenty years to write and dozens of rejection letters before the book actually got published.
In 1999, a publisher finally showed interest and Clark quickly made a pact with God, let the book happen and he'll donate the proceeds to his church.
[SOT 24:52]
[IN Q=That's not a deal]
((JUDGE MARTIN CLARK/AUTHOR: THAT'S NOT A DEAL YOU CUT THE MARGINS ON. I DON'T WANT LOCUSTS, BOILS, AND PUSTULES SO I HELD UP MY END OF THE BARGAIN, AND THE LORD HELD UP HIS.)) [Runs08]
[OUT Q=held up his]

He did so in a big way.
The book ended up on several bestseller lists and The New York Times recently called it the funniest legal thriller ever written.
Now, three years later he's back with Plain Heathen Mischief. It's a story that begins in Roanoke and involves among other things a jewel heist and an insurance scam.
[SOT 25:25]
[IN Q=It has a minister]
((JUDGE MARTIN CLARK/AUTHOR: IT HAS A MINISTER WHO'S ACCUSED WITH HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH A YOUNG GIRL IN HIS CONGREGATION AND IT TRAVELS FROM ROANOKE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO LAS VEGAS, MISSOULA MONTANA, ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF A BIG DOSE OF REDEMPTION, I LIKE HAPPY ENDINGS.)) [Runs16]
[OUT Q=I LIKE HAPPY ENDINGS]
[SOT ]
[IN Q=Some of things]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: SOME OF THE THINGS MENTIONED IN THE BOOK ABOUT ROANOKE INCLUDE THE STAR, THE WEINER STAND, AND A CAMEO BY A LOCAL JUDGE. THE BOOK WILL BE RELEASED APRIL 27TH AND CLARK WILL THEN GO ON A NATIONAL BOOK TOUR WITH AT LEAST ONE STOP IN ROANOKE. JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))))
[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Coming up after the break, Steve Pardon will let us know when we will see the sun again.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Plus we'll have a clip as two of the best paid people in the entertainment share their thoughts on late night television.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[A-Rod]

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

[ENG#=1]

Baseball season is in full swing, and one of its most talked- about players slid in for a visit with David Letterman.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Worldwide Pants, Inc.;]

New York Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez appeared on the Letterman show last night.
A- Rod talked to Dave about how close he came to playing for the Boston Red Sox.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We were pretty close...]
[SUPER=01-Alex Rodriguez/New York Yankees;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=be a Yankee.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

And after some prodding from Letterman, A-Rod also spoke about his boss, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner-- with whom he says he has a good relationship-- at least so far.
(------------)

[Stocks]

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

On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was DOWN 44 points. The NASDAQ has lost 14.

[super=460-y/44/y/14;]

[Tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[ENG#=V10]

Coming up in sports, Bobby Bonds joins an elite list with his Godfather.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]

And the Roanoke Express tries to keep its season alive in Florida.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[S-Express]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-161 1:49:39]
[GRAPHIC=echl playoffs]

[ENG#=1]

The Roanoke Express and Florida Everblades left everything out on the ice last night in game four of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Fort Meyers, FL/Express vs. Everblades; :00]

The Express was facing elimination and would have to win two straight at Teco (Tea- co) Arena.
The Everblades open the scoring in the first period, when Matt Pagnudi shoots and John McNabb tips it in for the score.
The Express' Jason Wolfe faced 22 shots in the first period, and turned everyone of them away.
In the second, Kevin Bergin would score.
That tied the game at 1-1.
[SUPER=34-Roanoke/2/Florida/3;]

But the Everblades get Roanoke's Wolfe out of position, and Tom Buckley gets the shot in, making the score 2-1.
With four seconds left in the second, Roanoke's Bryan Perez would shoot the tying score.
The game would go into two overtimes.
But in the second OT, the Everblades score and win 3-2-- ending Roanoke's season .
(------------)

[Bonds]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=exra]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]

[ENG#=2]

Barry Bonds has tied his Godfather, Willie Mays, in career homers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Francisco, CA/Brewers vs. Giants; :00]
He did it when he belted home run number 660, as San Francisco beat Milwaukee 7-to-5 in the Giants' home opener. The blast ties Bonds with Mays for third place on baseball's career home run list. Bonds had been trying to equal the mark for the last five games on the road. The homerun came in the fifth inning off Matt Kinney, and splashed into McCovey Cove. Bonds was greeted at home base by several teammates, and Mays-- who gave Bonds a torch decorated with 25 tiny diamonds.
(------------)

[S-Reynolds]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-168 38:50]
[GRAPHIC=UVa]

[ENG#=3]

With his job secure, UVa men's basketball coach Pete Gillen can focus on next season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]

Part of his plan has to include sophomore guard J.R. Reynolds, who attended the Dazzle game over the Easter weekend.

Reynolds averaged 15 points over his final four games, and is relieved coach Gillen will return next season.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-J. R. Reynolds/UVa Sophomore Guard; :00]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=...a coach i'm real comfortable with"]
(---------------)

[S-Race]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-162 1:56:50]
[GRAPHIC=advance autoparts 500]

[ENG#=1]

The Advance Auto parts 500 at the Martinsville Speedway is this Sunday's stop on the Nextel Cup tour.
The new tire has been a hot topic among the drivers who have tested at the half mile track.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dale Jarrett/20th in Nextel Points; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jamie McMurray/13th in Nextel Points; :26]
[SUPER=01-Ricky Craven/32nd in Nextel Points; :48]
[SUPER=01-Scott Wimmer/21st in Nextel Points; 1:16]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=.....great job of getting the track clean"]
(-------------------)

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

By the way, Sunday's race is a sell out.

[6NASCAR-Ballet]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=04-13 TC18:26]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[ENG#=2]

Meanwhile, tickets for the NASCAR Ballet are a little easier to come by. Roanoke Ballet Theatre is condensing three performances of an innovative production into two.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :28]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Week;]
Tickets sales for NASCAR Ballet have been slow to pick up speed. The Jefferson Center says it's sold just 185 of the more than 27-hundred seats available. The production is set to debut this Thursday. Two performances had been scheduled for Saturday but the matinee has now been cancelled. Dancers will simulate a stock-car race with each performance ending with a different "winner." The creation was born of the ballet company's desire to attract a new audience through popular culture.
(------------)

[Quickcast]
[WXPRO/FULL] Quickcast
[REPRS@CL] SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends [SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]