WDBJ 7 morning news for 04/19/04

[AM-Cheney]

[ANCHOR=Susan]

[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]
[ENG#=1]
Vice-President Dick Cheney is scheduled to visit Roanoke later today.
He'll speak at a fund-raising luncheon for Kevin Triplett, the Republican challenger to 9th District Congressman Rick Boucher. Cheney's appearance is not open to the public, but media coverage is permitted this time.
(------------)
[VO-NAT from 03-38 TC05:07]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/September 2003;]
That's a change from the vice-president's last fund-raising visit to Roanoke in September,
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./September 2003;]
when he addressed a fund-raiser for the Bush-Cheney campaign. He made no public appearance, and media coverage then was not permitted.
(------------)

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]
[ENG#=2]
Another deadly weekend for U-S troops in Iraq.. adding to the deadliest month for soldiers in the country since the start of the war. U-S officials announced Iraqis won't be able to handle security by the scheduled handover and one coalition partner has made clear its plans to get out of the country. Aleen Sirgany reports.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q= Fighting like...]
[SUPER=03-Fallujah; :00]
[SUPER=01-Condoleezza Rice/National Security Adviser; :42]
[SUPER=01-Aleen Sirgany/Reporting; 1:34]
[RUNS=1:48]
[OUT Q=CBS News Washington]
((NAT-Fallujah fighting FIGHTING LIKE THIS.. HAS PROMPTED THE TOP U-S ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ TO ANNOUNCE THE COUNTRYS SECURITY FORCES WONT BE READY FOR THE JUNE 30th HANDOVER. PAUL BREMER SAID THE OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE THIS MONTH EXPOSED THE DEPTH OF PROBLEMS INSIDE THE NEW ARMY AND POLICE FORCE. WHILE THE U-S MILITARY HAD ALWAYS PLANNED TO STAY IN IRAQ PAST POLITICAL TRANSITION.. BREMER HAS NOW ACKNOWLEDGED IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN EXPECTED TO PREPARE IRAQI TROOPS.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER CONDOLEEZZA RICE SAID EVEN MORE VIOLENCE CAN BE EXPECTED AS THAT HANDOVER DATE APPROACHES.. BUT THE U-S WONT ABANDON THE IRAQI PEOPLE

[sot]
[inq=the security]
(( CONDOLEEZZA RICE/NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER RICE: The security presence will remain. We will continue to work with Iraqis and the coalition partners to make the place secure.))
[outq= place secure]

FRESH VIOLENCE THIS WEEKEND LEFT AT LEAST 10 U-S TROOPS DEAD. IN FALLUJAH MARINES FACED A FIERCE FIREFIGHT WITH GUNMEN NEAR A MOSQUE. TALKS ARE SET TO RESUME THERE TODAY BETWEEN U-S OFFICIALS AND LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES. TALKS ARE ALSO UNDERWAY IN NAJAF TO END THE STANDOFF WITH ANTI AMERICAN SHIITE CLERIC MUQTADA AL SADR. SOME REPORTS TODAY INDICATE THE U-S WILL REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE FORCE CAMPED OUTSIDE CITY.
NEAR THE SOUTHERN CITY OF DIWANIYAH THREE SOLDIERS DIED IN A WEEKEND AMBUSH. SPANISH TROOPS HAVE BEEN HELPING FIGHT INSURGENTS THERE- THEYRE EXPECTED TO LEAVE IRAQ ANYTIME.

(SOUND UP SPANISH PM)

SPAINS NEW PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED HE WILL PULLOUT HIS 13-HUNDRED TROOPS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
STAND-UP CLOSE: THE SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER IS DUE HERE IN WASHINGTON ON TUESDAY TO DISCUSS THE WITHDRAW PLAN. THE WHITE HOUSE SAID IT EXPECTS SPANISH TROOPS TO LEAVE IRAQ IN A COORDINATED AND ORDERLY WAY. ALEEN SIRGANY, CBS NEWS, WASHINGTON.))

[Bombing-Anniversary]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=3]
The state murder trial of Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols resumes this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]
Today marks nine years since the blast destroyed the Murrah Federal Building and killed 168 people. Memorial services are planned in both Oklahoma City and McAlester, where the Nichols trial is being held. Testimony is beginning its fifth week. Nichols is currently serving a life sentence on federal charges for his role in the bombing.
(------------)

[PKG-Race-Economy]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-01 TC-1:57:14]
[GRAPHIC=Adv. Auto 500]
[ENG#=4]

Thousands of people watched Rusty Wallace win the Advance Auto Parts 500 in Martinsville yesterday.
But as Jennifer Wishon reports, it's Southside businesses who are taking home the checkered flag.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nat sound of race]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ken Clark/Race Fan; :27 ]
[SUPER=01-J.C. Matthews/Race Fan; :43]
[SUPER=01-Anne Atkins/Red Birch Country Market Manager; 1:12]
[SUPER=@Jennifer1; 1:39]
[RUNS=1:47]
[OUT Q=JW, News 7, Martinsville]

(([SOT]
((NATS OF RACE.))
[RUNS= 03]
Nearly 90- thousand people packed into the Martinsville Speedway Sunday to watch Nascar's A-list drivers run.
[SOT 15:18]
((THANK YOU SIR AND YOU ENJOY THE DAY.))
[RUNS= 03]
Fans traveled from across the country and even around the world - some arrived more than a week early to camp out. Ken Clark and his friends heard the short track at Martinsville was a choice destination and drove this bus all the way from northern Michigan.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 32:16]
[IN Q=I don't know. We'll probably have]
((KEN CLARK/RACE FAN))
[RUNS= 06]
[OUT Q=and stuff you know]
But fans say the recent spike in gas prices isn't enough to keep them from supporting their drivers.
[SOT]
((QUICK NAT SOUND POP OF RACE [HOLD VIDEO OF FANS IN THE STANDS OVER FIRST PART OF BITE.]))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 35:41]
[IN Q=You look around you wouldn't think]
((J. C. MATTHEWS))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUT Q=race fans anyway]
[SOT]
((NATS OF RACE WITH SHOT OF GREEN FLAG.))
[RUNS= 02]
Sunday the population of Martinsville multiplied about six times over and every thing fans bought helped a struggling local economy get back in the black.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 42:09]
((CASH REGISTER NATS))
[RUNS= 03]
Business is booming at the Red Birch Country Market were shelves are well stocked and employees prepared.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 40:54]
[IN Q=It started getting]
((ANNE ATKINS/RED BIRCH COUNTRY MARKET: IT STARTED GETTING BUSY ON TUESDAY. EACH DAY JUST KEEPS INCLINING MORE AND THE BIGGEST DAY IS OF COURSE RACE DAY. LAUGHTER.))
[RUNS= 08]
[OUT Q=race day. Laughter]
Outside parking slots are sold for 20- dollars a pop - including spaces in front of gas pumps. Across the street campers rent spaces in front of a grocery store.
[SOT]
((QUICK NATS OF RACE.))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 39:02]
[IN Q=And the speedway will]
((JENNIFER WISHON/JWISHON@WDBJ7.COM: AND THE SPEEDWAY WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO GROW. STARTING MONDAY SPEEDWAY OFFICIALS PLAN TO COME IN AND MOVE PART OF THESE RAILROAD TRACKS TO MAKE ROOM FOR MORE SEATING IN THE FUTURE. JW, NEWS 7, MARTINSVILLE.))
[RUNS= 14]
[OUT Q=JW, News 7, Martinsville]))

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SS=HOLD]
As we mentioned, Rusty Wallace won the race. Bobby Labonte finished in second place. Dale Earnhardt, Junior was third. Jimmie Johnson was fourth and Ryan Newman finished in fifth place.

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, More earnings reports are due out this week.
Jean Lee has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Jean Lee/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=CBS MW..]
((Investors will continue to focus on earnings, as heavy hitters including GM and Sprint reveal their numbers.
On Friday, the Dow finished near its highs of the session, though stocks got held back, as investors worked through mixed reports on the economy.
The industrials climbed 54 points. While the nasdaq fizzled, closing down 6.
Auto sales picked up a bit last month, and Ford and General Motors could REALLY rev up Wall Street's engines, when they report their first quarter results next week.
A cold winter and economic uncertainty contributed to slow sales at the start of 2004. But the year should get better, as both companies roll out new models and increase production of some of their most popular vehicles, like the Ford F-150.
And telecom companies will roll out THEIR first-quarter results.
Analysts are looking for strong reports from most of the wireless carriers, while traditional phone companies could see mixed results.
Sprint and Lucent Technologies, which makes telecom systems and software telecom, will be among the first to report. Both will talk about their numbers on Tuesday.
(FON) (PCS) (LU)

On Wednesday, SBC Communications (SBC:) and Qualcomm (QCOM) lead the way. And Thursday we'll hear from AT&T (T), BellSouth (BLS) and Nextel (NXTL)
IBM weighed down tech stocks. The computer hardware giant came in with earnings that MET Wall Street's forecasts. But brokerages had mixed reactions, with UBS CUTTING its price target on Big Blue, saying that some of IBM's margins MISSED its expectations.
And Nokia announced that profit margins will suffer in the near-term, as competitors take market share. Customers in Europe are turning to rival phones after Nokia mis-targeted consumer trends.
Find the latest on earnings news at our website, it's cbs.mw.com IN NY, I'm JL, CBS MW.))
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[L'burg-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=none]

Lynchburg Police are investigating a robbery. They say two men robbed the Domino's Pizza on Fort Avenue around 11:20 last night. Employees say the men came inside the store, one brandished a gun, and the other demanded money from the register. No one was injured, and police ask anyone with information to call the Lynchburg police department.

[Middle-East]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have flooded the streets to protest and mourn the assassination of a hamas leader in the Gaza Strip.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gaza/Jerusalem]
This weekend an israeli airstrike killed Abdel Aziz Rantisi. The militant group has threatened new attacks against Israel, but Mideast experts are now questioning whether Israel's campaign against Hamas has hurt the group's ability to follow through with those threats. Hamas has chosen a new leader, but has not disclosed his name.
(------------)

[Space-Station]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]
A joint US-Russian mission to the International Space Station blasted off from a Russian cosmo-drome this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Baikonur, Kazakhstan]
The men will relieve the current crew after six-month in orbit.
Lift-off for the craft was picture perfect. It is expected to dock Wednesday at the orbiting space station.
Russian commander Gennady (Gnetti) Pa-dal-ka and his American flight engineer Michael Fincke (Fink) will spend the next six months in space.
A Dutch astronaut was on the flight as well. He will return to earth with the former crew after conducting 11-days of experiments.
(------------)

[11Boat-Pumps]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC-1:40:54]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
[ENG#=3]

At least three boats sunk in Smith Mountain Lake this weekend, but fire officials say that's not unusual.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Smith Moutain Lake/Saturday;]
Yesterday, fire officials were called to Lake Haven Marina where this boat was at the bottom of the lake. A crane was attached to the boat and divers were called in to help pump the water. Officials are called to about 20 of these cases each year. They say boat owners can avoid the situation by servicing their bilge pumps.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:32:15]
[IN Q=When you have a heavy rain]
[SUPER=01-Jack Gautier/Smith Moutain Lake Fire Chief;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=from going down]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Gautier (goh-TEER) says it took about an hour- and- a- half to get the boat afloat. No one was in the boat when it sank.
(------------)

[Box-Office]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=4]
``Kill Bill -- Volume Two'' killed the competition at the box office.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Miramax;]
The Quentin Tarantino tale of revenge made its debut at number one, taking in 25-point-six million dollars. Part One also hit number one when it was released, but made only 22-point-one million.
(+++++++)
[TAKE FS CHYRON]
[SUPER=77-''Kill Bill_Vol. 2''/25.6/''The Punisher''/14/''Johnson Family Vacation''/6.4/''Hellboy''/5.7/''Home on the R
ange''/5.4;] `The Punisher,'' opened in second place. ``Johnson Family Vacation'' was third. ``Hellboy' finished fourth and ``Home on the Range'' was fifth.

[Super=#555;reset]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Susan]
[SS=none]
News 7 Mornin' will be right back.
[BUMP]

[COMM][11Church-Race]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-04 TC-18:40]
[GRAPHIC=Adv. Auto]
[ENG#=2]

Those who wanted to beat traffic and arrive at the race early didn't have to miss church.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:28]
[IN Q=I saw the soldiers]
((I SAW THE SOLDIERS AS THEY CAME TO ARREST HIM.))
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=to arrest him]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville;]
Raceway Ministries is an organization made up of Southern Baptist churches in Martinsville and Henry County. The group has been ministering at the Martinsville Speedway for 13 years. Founder John Fox moved to the area about 14- years ago. He says he got the idea after getting stuck in race- traffic one April Sunday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:10]
[IN Q=That afternoon as I was]
[SUPER=01-John Fox/Raceway Ministries Founder;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=make some inquiries]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Martinsville Speedway owner Clay Campbell was receptive to the idea and the ministry has grown every year since. Now people call from around the world before attending a race to find out what time services will be held.
More than 200 people attended two services yesterday.
(------------)

[Biz-Brief]

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

In business news, New home construction was up in March. Stan Case has more on that plus a look at Friday's closing numbers in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=:45]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((STOCKS CLOSED MIXED ON FRIDAY AND FOR THE WEEK.

THE DOW WAS UP 54-POINTS...
AND THE NASDAQ LOST SIX.

MORE NEW HOMES ARE BEING BUILT.
NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION IN MARCH WAS UP SIX-POINT FOUR-PERCENT OVER FEBRUARY.
BUILDING PERMITS WERE ALSO UP IN MARCH.
BOTH CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITS BEAT WALL STREET EXPECTATIONS FOR THE MONTH.

SUN MICROSYSTEMS REPORTS A NET LOSS OF 23-CENTS PER SHARE FOR ITS THIRD QUARTER.
THE LOSS WAS REPORTED LATE THURSDAY..AND WAS TRIGGERED BY A HEFTY RESTRUCTURING CHARGE.

I-B-M STOCKS REMAINED NEARLY UNCHANGED A DAY AFTER THE COMPANY REPORTED ITS FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS OF 93-CENTS PER SHARE- THAT'S A 16-PERCENT INCREASE OVER A YEAR AGO.

WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF... I'M STAN CASE.))

[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [WINNER ANNOUNCE]

[2-Middle-East]

[ANCHOR=Susan]
[NEWSCAST=mornin']
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]
Israel beefed up security and tightened its grip on checkpoints as Palestinian mourners continued to visit on the second day of mourning for a Hamas leader.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gaza/Jerusalem]
This weekend an Israeli airstrike killed Abdel Aziz Rantisi. The militant group has threatened new attacks against Israel, but Mideast experts are now questioning whether Israel's campaign against Hamas has hurt the group's ability to follow through with those threats. (------------) Hamas has chosen a new leader, but has not disclosed his name.