[Election-Day]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Election 2004]
Today towns and cities throughout the Commonwealth will come to cast their vote.
Polls open this morning at six o'clock and will stay open until seven o'clock tonight.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kim/Steve Microwave;]
Steve Pardon is at William Ruffner Middle School in Roanoke.
Steve, there's still a half-hour before polls open, what going on now?
[LIVE=Steve/FULL]
[SUPER=@spa1]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]
(Steve ad-lib)
[DOUBLE BOXES=Kim/Steve Microwave;]
[11Voting]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=03-53 TC1:53:56]
[GRAPHIC=Election 2004]
[ENG#=1]
Montgomery County election officials say they may not be able to name the winners of the Blacksburg race until later this week.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
The Toms creek sewer issue is the staple of the election. Three candidates are "for" the current plan to extend a sewer line to Toms Creek, while three candidates favor a different type of sewer system.
Two of those candidates are not on the ballot and have to be written in.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 49:29:00 ]
[IN Q=It's a pretty]
((RANDALL WERTZ: ITS A PRETTY SIMPLY PROCESS IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE IT COULD BE DAUNTING. AND SO FORTH FOR THE VOTERS. SO IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HAVE THEM GET IN TOUCH WITH THE ELECTION OFFICIALS.))
[SUPER=01-Randall Wertz/Montgomery Co. Registrar;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=the election officials.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
On election night, officials say they will only have vote TOTALS for the "write-ins."
Those votes have to be individually certified on Wednesday by the electoral board.
(------------)
[11Election-Promo]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Election 2004]
News 7 will bring you election news and returns from key races throughout the region this evening.
(+++++++)
[Take Election Web FS]
And you can find continuously-updated results for all contested races at wdbj7-dot-com.
(------------)
[State-Budget]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=VA Budget]
[ENG#=none]
Budget talks broke off early this morning between House and Senate negotiators just as a new two-year budget
deal appeared to be within their grasp.
The House and Senate teams shuttled written proposals back and forth, but negotiations hit a snag shortly after midnight and both sides gave up around 1 a-m.
Negotiators say many major points have been resolved and only details are remaining.
The two sides are likely to resume talks on Thursday. [VOM'ville-Murder]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-15 TC 34:00]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]
[ENG#=2]
Martinsville Police believe they have solved a nearly five year old murder case.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
19 year old Dion Hairston was gunned down August 23rd, 1999 in front of Albert Harris School in Martinsville.
[SUPER=03-Martinsville]
Police had several suspects but never had enough evidence to make an arrest.
That changed when investigators re-opened the case four months ago.
It has led to charges against 27 year old Steven Turner and 24 year old Marquise Grant.
Both are serving time in prison on unrelated charges.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]
Police won't reveal a motive and say more arrests are expected.[Iraq]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]
[ENG#=3]
Four U-S soldiers have been killed in a crash near Baghdad.
The military says the soldiers from the First Infantry Division
were on patrol last night, when their Humvee rolled over.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Najaf, Iraq;]
Meanwhile, in the southern city of Najaf, U-S forces face intense fighting.
As many as 20 Iraqi insurgents were killed.
In Fallujah, a new Iraqi security brigade has taken over Marine positions in the southern part of the city.
President Bush pledged support for Iraqi efforts, but said the coalition stands ready to step in.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We are fully]
((WE ARE FULLY PREPARED TO BRING SECURITY AND ORDER IN FALLUJAH AND NAJAF AND AROUND THE COUNTRY OF IRAQ.))
[RUNS=:08] (estimated bite runs time)
[OUT Q=country of Iraq.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Meanwhile, former American hostage Thomas Hamill will be reunited with his wife today at a military hospital in Germany.
He escaped from his captors on Sunday and could return to
the U- S by the end of the week.
(------------)
[Bush-Kerry]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]
[ENG#=4]
President Bush heads to Ohio later today for another leg of his midwestern bus tour.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Kalamazoo, MI;]
On the campaign trail in Michigan yesterday, the President delivered a message of economic recovery.
He also took a swipe at his democratic challenger over an S-U-V in the Kerry family.
Meanwhile, John Kerry campaigns out west today and plans to talk about strengthening America's schools in New Mexico.
The Massachusetts Senator has also launched a 25- million- dollar T-V ad campaign to tell voters in battleground states more about himself and his platform.
(------------)
[Marketwatch]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]
In business news, the Fed will discuss interest rates today.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:44]
[OUT Q=in New York, I'm AC.]
((> THE FEDERAL RESERVE WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE ON WALL STREET TODAY..
>
> Economists say they would be shocked if the Fed were to hike interest
> rates today but most are convinced the central bank's policy makers
will
> do so soon possibly by the end of summer.
> Today's meeting is the first since recent economic reports showed the
> highest jobs expansion and inflationary pressure in several years. The
> last time the Fed raised rates was May 2000.
>
> On Wall Street, stocks rallied ahead of the much anticipated Fed
> meeting.
>
> The Dow climbed 88 points
>
> The Nasdaq moved up 18
>
> Frank Quattrone, the former investment banker who helped take some of
the
> hottest names of the tech boom public, was found guilty yesterday in
his
> retrial on charges of obstructing justice and witnessing tampering.
> The jurors found that Quattrone tried to block investigations by
> regulators and a grand jury when he forwarded an e-mail in late 2000
> urging colleagues to "clean-up" their files.
> The decision came after Quattrone's first trial ended in a hung jury in
> October.
>
> It may just be pocket change for the richest man in the world, but
> Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has been fined $800,000 by the federal
> government for violating an antitrust rule. Gates is guilty of not
> disclosing a stake he had in the pharmaceutical company that he also
sat
> on the board of.
>
> and April was a mixed month for the nation's automakers. Ford reports
a 4
> percent slid in sales. Chrysler saw sales rise 1 percent, Toyota
posted a
> 10 percent jump. A computer failure forced General Motors to delay its
> report until today.
>
> FIND OUT MORE AT CBS.MW.COM IN NY I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS.))>
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS]
[WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC]
[COMM]
[11Salem-Robbery]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-12 TC43:23]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
Salem Police are investigating a bank robbery.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem;]
The hold up occurred after one o'clock yesterday afternoon at the Lakeside Branch of B-B-and-T.
Investigators say a man told one of the tellers he had a gun and demanded money.
The suspect was described as a five foot nine, heavy set white man in his mid to late 40s.
Police say he was wearing a black suit with a cream-colored fedora- style hat.
He was last seen on foot headed toward East Main street and Electric Road.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Salem Police Department.
(------------)
[Middle-East]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]
Israeli forces have pulled back from a Gaza refugee camp where witnesses say a missile strike has killed two people and wounded more than 20.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Khan Younis, Gaza;]
The attack came hours after Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon said he'd come up with an alternative plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.
Sponsors of the Mideast road map will meet at the United Nations today to try to get the peace process going again.
Meanwhile, the White House has reaffirmed its support for Sharon's proposal and said it would discuss options with the Israeli leader.
(------------)
[CA-Wildfires]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=3]
The official start to California's wildfire season is keeping thousands of firefighters busy this week.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Corona, CA;]
They're battling five fires covering more than 55- hundred acres.
The latest blaze is burning near Corona, California-- about 60-miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Record- breaking temperatures are not helping firefighting efforts.
Yesterday, California wildfire officials declared an early start to the wildfire season.
That declaration allows counties and the state to devote
more resources and money to firefighting services.
(------------)
[11Rke-Council]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-06 TC 1:46:19]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]
Roanoke City Council has agreed to pay the state three thousand dollars to settle the most recent allegations involving buried waste on city property.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Several drums and small pails were unearthed last year, after crews began preparing the site for the proposed stadium and amphitheater.
Council members say they now believe the property near the public works service center is clean.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The city of Roanoke]
((RUPERT CUTLER/ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL; THE CITY OF ROANOKE HAS PLEDGED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND TO ITSELF, THAT IT WILL BE A MODEL OF COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN THE FUTURE, AND AGAIN TO REPEAT WHAT MR. BESTPITCH SAID SO ACCURATELY, THAT SITE AT ORANGE AND WILLIAMSON FOR THE PROPOSED STADIUM AND AMPHITHEATER IS NOW CLEAN AS A WHISTLE.))
[SUPER=@Cutler;]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=now clean as a whistle.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The city did not admit any wrongdoing, but appoved the consent order to settle the alleged violations.
(------------)
[AMCenter-Fundraising]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]
Center in the Square is repackaging its donation requests.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :18]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday;]
Employees of the Roanoke non-profit are stuffing what look like mini-pizza boxes with carpet samples and information.
The kit is part of the non-profit organization's attempt to grab the public's attention and raise some money.
Over the next two months Center needs to bring in 240-thousand dollars.
(///// SOT at :18 /////)
[SOT 16:42 - 16:55]
[IN Q=We, in the future, will send...]
[SUPER=01-Jim Sears/Center in the Square President;]
((JIM SEARS/PRESIDENT, CENTER IN THE SQUARE: WE, IN THE FUTURE, WILL SEND A LITTLE CAN THAT WILL BE A PAINT CAN SO PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND PART OF WHAT WE DI IS PAINT THE WALLS. IT TAKES 2-POINT-ONE MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR JUST TO KEEP THE FACILITY RUNNING.))
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=keep the facility running.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT :13]
Center bought the boxes and paid for the printing but everything else was donated.
President Jim Sears says future mailers may include small gifts, like candy or cookies.
The boxes will be mailed by Friday.
(------------)
(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP]
[COMM] [Biz-Brief]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=2]
In business news, The Federal Reserve's policy making committee meets today to discuss monetary policy.
That includes the future of interest rates. Most analysts don't expect the group to raise the key federal funds rates now, but say a rate is almost certain in the months ahead.
In other news, stocks closed higher yesterday.
Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((U.S. STOCK MARKETS RALLIED MONDAY, BOUNCING AFTER LAST WEEK'S DECLINE.
THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIALS CLOSED UP 88-POINTS.
WHILE THE NASDAQ COMPOSITE GAINED 18.
A JURY IN NEW YORK HAS FOUND FORMER STAR INVESTMENT BANKER FRANK QUATTRONE GUILTY ON ALL THREE COUNTS IN HIS OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND WITNESS TAMPERING RETRIAL.
QUATTRONE HELPED TAKE PUBLIC SOME OF THE HOTTEST NAMES OF THE TECH BOOM, INCLUDING NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS AND AMAZON-DOT-COM.
THE JURORS FOUND THAT QUATTRONE TRIED TO BLOCK INVESTIGATIONS BY REGULATORS AND A GRAND JURY WHEN HE FORWARDED AN E-MAIL IN LATE 2000 URGING COWORKERS AT CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON TO "CLEAN-UP" THEIR FILES.
HIS FIRST TRIAL ENDED IN A HUNG JURY IN OCTOBER.
QUATTRONE NOW FACES UP TO 25-YEARS IN PRISON.
GLOBAL SALES OF CHIPS RISE IN MARCH.
THE EUROPEAN SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION SAYS CHIP SALES ROSE FOUR-POINT-FOUR PERCENT FROM FEBRUARY.
AND THEY'VE SOARED BY NEARLY ONE-THIRD FROM A YEAR EARLIER AS PRODUCERS OF COMMUNICATION DEVICES AND COMPUTERS FUELED DEMAND FOR SEMICONDUCTORS.
FORD SAYS ITS U-S SALES DROPPED FOUR-POINT-ONE PERCENT IN APRIL WITH WEAK PASSENGER CAR SALES OFFSETTING ROBUST LIGHT TRUCK SALES.
CHRYSLER SALES EDGED UP BY ONE PERCENT... WHILE GENERAL MOTORS DELAYED THE RELEASE OF ITS NUMBERS.
WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF, I'M STAN CASE.))
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS]
[STOCKS]
[WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC]
[COMM]
by SS