WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 04/20/04

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The General Assembly's losing steam.
Why hopes for a budget deal are evaporating.
(------------)
[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
And a new sewer system is no longer just a pipe dream in Pulaski County.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=2]
Tonight on News 7 sports Steve Mason has the story of how Elliott Sadler is helped a cuase that's close to home. Plus, new coaches, new schools, new awards
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and the UVa men's basketball team loses one of its starters. Derrick Byars has to leave the team so he can transfer elsewhere.
(------------)

[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Scattered thunderstorms light up the sky this afternoon. How quickly will they move through? Forecast details ahead.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 4-Shot]

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

[ENG#=3]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14:54:47]
[IN Q=NOW THE BALL'S IN THE]
((DEL. MORGAN GRIFFITH: NOW THE BALL'S IN THE SENATE'S COURT AND THEY NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND REALIZE WE NEED TO TAKE WHAT WE CAN DO THIS YEAR AND NOT HOLD OUT FOR PIPE DREAMS.))
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=NOT HOLD FOR PIPE DREAMS.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Lawmakers balk on the state budget again.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The Senate wants to delay the game.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

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

And I'm Keith Humphry.

[XGR-budget]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=04-01 TC2:01:45]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Another week to ten days... that's how long legislators say they need to finish work on a budget agreement.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The Senate has had a week to come up with a counter-proposal but so far, it has come up empty-handed.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Meghan /State Microwave;]
For more on the budget battle, we join Meghan Muldoon at the State CapitolKeith and Shannon, Today was supposed to be the day that the Senate voted
[LIVE=Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=@Meghan1]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]
on a counter-proposal to the House's 691 million dollar revenue bill
But the Senate says it still needs more time.
[ENG#=4]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I UNDERSTOOD THEY WERE GOING TO MEET]
[SUPER=01-Del. Vince Callahan/(R) Mclean; :]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Watkins/(R) Midlothian; :]
[SUPER=@MarkWarner; :]
[SUPER=@Griffith; :]
[RUNS=1:09]
[OUT Q=HOW LONG WE'LL BE DOWN HERE.]
((
[SOT 11:31:40]
((HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRMAN VINCE CALLAHAN/R-MCLEAN: I UNDERSTOOD THEY WERE GOING TO MEET YESTERDAY OR LAST FRIDAY AND NOTHING'S HAPPENED.)) [RUNS:06]
Hopes for a major breakthrough on the state budget impasse are fading.
[SOT 14:50:18]
((SENATOR JOHN WATKINS/R-MIDLOTHIAN: THERE WAS NOT UNANIMITY WITH REGARD TO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE OR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AS TO WHAT THE SENATE WAS PREPARED TO SEND BACK THERE. SO BEST TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME LOOK AT IT A LITTLE LONGER AND SEE IF WE CAN'T WORK THE DETAILS OUTS.)) [RUNS:16]
Lamwkers say they can't point to one particular issue that is stalling work on the Senate's counter-proposal although many Northern Virginia legislators say they can't support a freeze of the car tax relief.
What is certain is that the 2004 session, already 38 days into overtime, still has a ways to go.
[SOT ::]
((15:54:56 IF IT TAKES A FEW MORE DAYS TO GET IT RIGHT, SO BE IT :01 BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO CONTINUE TO DRAG ON FOR WEEKS. :05)) [RUNS:09]

[SOT 14:55:26]
((DELEGATE MORGAN GRIFFITH/R-SALEM: I THINK WE CAN BE OUT OF HERE IN A WEEK TO TEN DAYS ASSUMING THAT THEY COME BACK IN THE BILLION DOLLAR AREA BUT IF THEY COME ONE-POINT-THREE, ONE-OINT-FOUR BILLION, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG WE'LL BE DOWN HERE.)) [RUNS:12]))
(------------)
[LIVE=Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]
No formal meetings, lots of conversations taking place.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Meghan/Microwave;]
More discussions will be done tomorrow when both houses will be back in Richmond for the reconvened session.

[Franklin-Budget]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-06 TC1:37:49]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

Budget issues are among the concerns for some residents in Franklin County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
Dozens of residents are expected to attend a public hearing tonight over the county's 118-million dollar proposed budget, which includes a 30-percent increase on its real estate tax. Officials say the county's overall assessment value nearly doubled over the past four years, and as a result, drove the tax rate up as well.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3201]
[IN Q=certainly the huge]
((VINCENT COPENHAVER/FRANKLCERTAINLY THE HUGE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED DOWN AT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE THAT HAS REALLY IMPACTED OUR COUNTY, THE GROWTH DOWN IN THE LAKE AREA, OF COURSE AS YOU KNOW WE SEE SIGNS OF DEVELOPMENT EVERYDAY IN THAT AREA.))
[SUPER=01-Vincent Copenhaver/Franklin Co. Director of Finance;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=in that area]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The board will vote on the proposed budget next week.
(------------)

[81-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=81-Accident]
[ENG#=None]

State police report an accident involving at least three trucks is blocking southbound I-81 between Dixie Caverns and Christiansburg. Police are rerouting traffic onto 460 and up Christiansburg Mountain. The accident occurred at the Roanoke-Montgomery County line. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

[Jeffries]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-10 TC42:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Roanoke Police had no idea who killed a 23-year old Honduran immigrant last Fall.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Not until Kelly Jeffries came forward, naming three people who'd been involved in the shooting. One of the names she provided was Mark Clay Jeffries, Junior, her own husband.
[SUPER=04-November 22, 2003]
He's now on trial for abducting the other two people Kelly Jeffries identified and for the murder of William Fernando Rodriguez.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:31:05]
[IN Q=Relative to the]
((DONALD CALDWELL/COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY; RELATIVE TO THE HOMICIDE AT 1629 PATTERSON AVENUE AND ANY EVENTS SURROUNDING THAT, DO YOU INTEND TO INVOKE THE MARITAL PRIVILEGE? KELLY JEFFRIES/DEFENDANT'S WIFE; YES.))
[SUPER=02-Donald Caldwell/Commonwealth's Attorney; :00]
[SUPER=01-Kelly Jeffries/Defendant's Wife; :10]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=marital priviledge? Yes.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
She declined to answer ANY questions- -even to confirm that she made a statement to police seven hours after the shooting. So the jury will not hear from her. And yet the prosecutor told the jury in his opening statement that Kelly Jeffries was the one who named three possible suspects, including her husband, Mark.
(------------)

[Sewer-Grant]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-08 TC1:30:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Pulaski County is celebrating Earth Day with a new Sewer system. As new River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa found out, the new system is a way to put a plug in pollution.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's not a pipe]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ranny Akers/Pulaski Co. Supervisor; :09]
[SUPER=01-Nancy Voroyka/Pulaski Co. Resident; :34]
[SUPER=@Rachel1; :41]
[SUPER=01-Joseph Newbill/USDA State Director; :51]
[RUNS=1:12]
[OUT Q=News 7, Pulaski County.]
((It's not a pipe dream anymore... folks in the Rolling Hills, Vista and Orchard Hills subdivisions in Pulaski county are finally getting sewer service.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:10:55:00]
[IN Q=I think]
((RANNY AKERS: I THINK ITS A LONG TIME IN COMING. I REALLY DO. I THINK THESE SUBDIVISIONS HAVE BEEN IN OUR COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME. PROBABLY 20 YEARS AGO THEY COULD HAVE USED T HIS SERVICE BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT THEN, BUT TODAY WE DO.))

[RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=but today we do.]

They can build the sewer line thanks to 1.8 million dollars in loans and grants from the U-S department of Agriculture.
In 2-years, 240-households will have a line running through their backyards.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:9:51:00 ]
[IN Q=It would]
((NANCY VOROYKA: IT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE I'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY SEPTIC TANK. I'VE EVEN HAD TO JERK MY RUG UP OUT OF BATHROOM BECAUSE IT WAS RUINED.)) [RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=it was ruined.]

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:1:10:47:00]
[IN Q=Most of these homes]
((RACHEL DEPOMPA: MOST OF THESE HOMES HAVE SEPTIC SYSTEMS IN THEIR BACK YARDS AND MANY OF THOSE SYSTEMS HAVE FAILED MORE THAN ONCE. SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN A HAZARD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=neighborhood.]

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:12:48:00]
[IN Q=Since there]
((JOSEPH NEWBILL: SINCE THEIR WERE FAILING SEPTIC SYSTEM IN THESE THREE SUBDIVISIONS HERE. THE SEWAGE WAS GETTING INTO THE GROUND WATER AND SOME OF THE SURFACE STREAMS.)) [RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=surface streams.]

But not for much longer. By August 2005, these picturesque neighborhoods will be getting even nicer and property values are even expected to soar. Rachel DePompa, News 7, Pulaski County.))

[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]
[ENG#=V10]

Roanoke's City Council candidates face off over economics and Victory Stadium.
We'll hear from them next on News 7 @ 6.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

And Smith Mountain Lake lands a big one... as one of the nation's premiere bass tournaments decides to test the waters.
(----------------)
[1st-Wx]
[City-Council]
(MINI OPEN)
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-04 TC1:49:43]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Candidates in the Roanoke City Council race are now hitting the home stretch.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Three council seats are up for grabs in the election that's now just two weeks away.
Today, the candidates met with members of the Williamson Road Area Business Association [***NEWS 7 @ 6 IN MONITOR***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JOeD /Newsroom;]
and Joe Dashiell joined them for the latest exchange.
Keith and Shannon, the candidates have met with neighborhood groups, pta members...
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL NEwsroom]
[SUPER=@joe1;]
and today representatives of the small businesses that line Williamson Road.
[ENG#=1]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=If Williamson Road]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sherman Lea/(D) Roanoke City Council Candidate; :12]
[SUPER=01-Brian Wishneff/(D) Roanoke City Council Candidate; :21]
[SUPER=01-Bev Fitzpatrick/(D) Roanoke City Council Candidate; :39]
[SUPER=01-Angela Norman/(I) Roanoke City Council Candidate; :49]
[SUPER=01-Wendy Jones/(R) Roanoke City Council Candidate; 1:05]
[SUPER=01-Bill Carder/(I) Roanoke City Council Candidate; 1:14]
[RUNS=1:25]
[OUT Q=be successful as a region.]

((If Williamson Road is the Roanoke Valley's Main Street, the area has a major stake in the issues of the council campaign... starting with the new stadium and recent spending priorities. [SHERMAN LEA 02:09:03]
[IN Q=We stand for the renovation]
((SHERMAN LEA: WE STAND FOR THE RENOVATION OF VICTORY STADIUM. WE THINK THAT IDEA TO PUT A NEW STADIUM ON WILLIAMSON ROAD AND THE ORANGE AVENUE AREA WAS A BAD IDEA.)) ((BRIAN WISHNEFF: I UNDERSTAND THAT ROANOKE IS NOT A FINANCIALLY RICH COMMUNITY SO WHEN WE MAKE POOR SPENDING DECISIONS IT HURTS EVEN MORE.))
[RUNS= :19]
[OUT Q=was a bad idea.]

As six of the seven council candidates joined the Williamson Road Area Business Association for lunch, the conversation also turned to economic issues.
[SOT]
[IN Q=If you haven't been hurt by it]
((BEV FITZPATRICK: IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HURT BY IT YOU DON'T FEEL IT, BUT IF YOU'VE LOST TWO JOBS LIKE I HAVE, OR LIKE MANY OF YOU HAVE, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS ARE NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS WE WANT THEM TO BE.)) ((ROANOKE HAS BEEN REVOLVING TOO LONG IN SOME AREAS AND NEEDS TO EVOLVE FOLLOWING THE 2001 - 2020 CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.))
[RUNS= :20]
[OUT Q=as we want them to be.]

And calls for creative solutions to bring in new businesses and nurture existing ones.
[SOT]
[IN Q=It is true]
((IT IS TRUE THAT WE ARE LANDLOCKED, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO GET BUSINESSES HERE. WE HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE OPEN AND AVAILABLE AND WE HAVE BUILDINGS THAT CAN BE REFURBISHED.)) ((BUT I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE NEED TO DO. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IS TAKE CARE OF OUR PRESENT BUSINESS BASE. IF WE CAN'T DO THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A CITY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A REGION.))

[RUNS= :20]
[OUT Q=be successful as a region.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]

Council Candidate Duane Howard was unable to attend today's forum.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JOeD /Newsroom;]

Keith and Shannon, we'll catch up with the candidates for mayor tomorrow.

[Riverlawn-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-12 TC35:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Two people were injured today in falls at New River Valley construction sites.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.;]
The first happened in Pulaski around two o'clock near Riverlawn Elementary School. Police say a man fell 25 feet onto concrete. He was flown to Roanoke Memorial Hospital with multiple injuries.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=None]
The second fall was around 3:30 at Virginia Tech. 33 year old Faustino Lopez, from North Carolina fell 12 feet at the new School of Agriculture building. He was taken to Montgomery Regional Hospital with cuts to the head.

[Stocks]

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

Fears of higher interest rates drove stocks lower today. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/123.35/10314.50/y/41.80/1978.63;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW fell 123 points.
NASDAQ lost 42.
[SUPER=271-h/1.11/42.22/i/0.12/56.33/i/0.22/30.43/i/0.95/87.44/i/1.08/80.08;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.43/33.33/i/0.50/20.25/i/0.11/7.32/i/0.51/63.19/i/0.63/30.47;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.09/8.94/h/0.05/38.76/i/0.01/16.96/i/0.35/21.54/h/0.01/6.09;]
[SUPER=274-h/0.12/12.60/i/0.56/68.06/h/0.10/37.26/i/0.27/44.38/i/0.27/58.10;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[SPONSOR ANNOUNCE]
[COMMERCIAL]

[Medicare]

[ANCHOR=SHannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=04-07 TC1:13:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

Seniors will soon be able to get some help paying for their medications.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Starting in May, seniors like Audrey Wheaton can sign up for Medicare's drug discount card program.
They will able to choose from about 20 cards that could save them between 10 and 25 percent on prescriptions.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT15:44]
[IN Q=That's some help of course]
((AUDREY WHEATON/MEDICARE RECIPIENT; THAT'S SOME HELP OF COURSE THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. THE DRUG COMPANIES ARE STILL INCREASING THE PRICES ON THE DRUGS EVERY YEAR AND SOMETIMES EVERY MONTH ))
[SUPER=01-Audrey Wheaton/Medicare Recipient]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=sometimes every month]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Monique Scott with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was in Roanoke today training local agencies on the program.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT4:02]
[IN Q=It's a temporary measure while we work to enact]
((MONIQUE SCOTT/CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES; IT'S A TEMPORARY MEASURE WHILE WORK TO ENACT AND GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT THAT'S GOING BEGIN IN 2006 ))
[SUPER=01-Monique Scott/Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=begin in 2006]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

Seniors can only enroll in one card program at a time. The yearly enrollment fee will not exceed 30-dollars. And there is a 6-hundred dollar yearly credit for low-income seniors.
Scott says seniors should shop around because the actual discount amount will differ from company to company.
(+++++++++++++)
[WIPE TO FULL SCREEN]
For more information you can find a link to the Medicare web site on our homepage or call 1-800 Medicare.
You can sign up for the cards beginning in May but they won't take effect until June First.
(-----------)

[Bass-Tournament]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC1:42:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

The folks at Smith Mountain Lake are reeling over their latest catch.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
Officials announced today the Lake will be the site of this year's Citgo-Bassmaster Open Tournament.
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]
The tournament is one of the largest fishing events in the country, with about 350-anglers, both amateur and professional.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4447 ]
[IN Q=this is the Nascar]
((VICKI GARDNER/SML CHAMBER OF COMMERCE/PARTNERSHIP: THIS IS THE NASCAR OF ALL BASS TOURNAMENTS. THE FISHERMEN AND THESE PEOPLE OF PROFESSIONALS THIS IS WHAT THEY WORK FOR IN THEIR CAREER ALL YEAR ROUND TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND IN THIS TOURNAMENT 01))
[SUPER=01-Vicki Gardner/SML Chamber of Commerce/Partnership;]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=in this tournament]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The tournament runs October Eleventh through the 14th. Officials say the event will generate an estimated one-point-eight million dollars for the area, and possibly lead to even more events like it in the future.
(------------)

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=V10]
Coming up tonight on New s7 sports - UVa loses a basketball player to transfer. Georgetown hires a familiar name from the past to coach its' hoop team,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and it's been a big year for Elliott Sadler on the track - but maybe an even bigger one off - as Steve Mason will explain when we return.
(------------)

[S-UVA]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-162 20215TC]
[GRAPHIC=UVA]
[ENG#=]

We begin tonight at UVa where one of Pete Gillen's starters has decided to transfer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Last Season; :00]
Derrick Byars, who started 18 games and played in all 31 this past season has asked for and received his immediate release from the team. The six-seven Byars averaged eight points a game and hit 40 percent of his three pointers. Byars is a rising junior from Memphis. He plans to stay in school and finish out this semester. At this time it's unclear where he's headed.
(------------)

[S-John]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-170 4320TC]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[wipe to eng#!!!!!]
[ENG#=2]

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NCAA; :00]
Georgetown hired John Thompson the third as its new men's head basketball coach today. He is the son of "the" John Thompson - the only coach to lead the Hoyas to a national title. They are the sixth father-son combo to coach at the same school. The most famous being Ray and Joey Meyer at DePaul.

The younger Thompson, who is 38, had been the head coach at Princeton since 2000.
(------------)

[S-NBA]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-169 10232tc]
[GRAPHIC=NBA]
[ENG#=3]

The NBA decided not to get "melo" in its rookie of the year choice.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NBA; :00]
Lebron James beat out Carmelo Anthony for the award today. In the battle of 19 year olds - James got 78 first place votes while Anthony picked up the other 40. James joins Jordan and the Big O - as being the only players to average more than 20 points, five rebounds and five assists as a rookie.
(------------)

[S-Graham]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-164 2:02:09]
[GRAPHIC=NEWS 7 SPORTS]
[ENG#=4]

Lord Botetourt senior Kristin Graham made her commitment to Campbell University official today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Daleville; :00]
With her parents, coach and principal by her side, the point guard, who averaged 8.4 points and 4 asissts per game this past season, signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Campbell next season. She joins her older sister Amber who is a starter at Campbell.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=BITES]
[SUPER=01-Kristin Graham/Signs with Campbell University; :00]
[SUPER=01-Chuck Pound/Lord Botetourt Head Basketball Coach; :07]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=......that she could do that""]
(----------------)

[S-Sadler]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-167 1:03:18]
[GRAPHIC=Sadler]
[ENG#=2]

Elliott Sadler is fifth in Nextel points and an early season contender for the points championship. But the Robert Yates Ford driver is driven to help his niece, his brother Hermie's daughter, who is autistic. Steve Mason says this national affliction is hitting home.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]
[SUPER=01-Elliott Sadler/1 Win, 4 Top 10 Finishes This Season; :]
[SUPER=01-Chad Durham/Durham Imaging & Design; :]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :]
[RUNS=2:02]
[OUT Q=...News 7 sports"]
(-------------------)

((At the recent Salem Civic center Kyle Petty victory junction gang fund raiser Sadler met Roanoke based graphics arts designer Chad Durham and his autistic son Jackson. Durham learned quickly about Sadlers personal passion to fight autism. ((:)) Sadler autographed Durham's autism designed poster, which will be on display at Lynn Adam's Radford University Center for Autism. Chad, with support form stars like Sadler, hopes to raise some of the 60 thousand dollars needed to keep the Radford autism program alive. ((:)) Through Adams diagnosis, Durham and his wife Aileen discovered Jackson's regressive type autism when he was 2 and a half. Cases like Jackson's are on the rise in Virginia, making Sadler's involvement even more important.)) ((:)) ((:)) ((:)) ((STEVE MASON:MAY 25TH SADLER JOINS UP WITH DALE JARRETT, KYLE PETTY, JIMMIE JOHNSON, TONY STEWART MICHAEL AND DARRELL WALTRIP AN OTHER NASCAR STARS AT THE NASCAR SPEED PARK IN CONCORD NORTH CAROLINA FOR ELLIOTT'S RACE FOR HOPE. FOR 15 TO 70 DOLLARS FANS CAN GET AUTOGRAPHS AND EVEN HAVE DINNER WITH THE DRIVERS. ALL OF THE PROCEEDS GO TO HELP AUTISTIC KIDS LIKE JACKSON DURHAM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. STEVE MASON NEWS 7 SPORTS. ))