WDBJ 7 morning news for 05/15/04

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[ANCHOR=Joy]

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[WRITER=jen]
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[ENG#1]
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[VO-NAT]
Coming up on News 7 Saturday Morning....... Three Virginia Tech football players face time in jail instead of on the playing field.
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[VO-NAT]
The sale of the Martinsville speedway has fans questioning the track's future with Nextel. We will have more on those stories in just a few minutes.
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[2-shot toss to Hello]

[11Vick-Case]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
[NEWSCAST=Sat AM]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-03 TC1:58:48]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
[ENG#=3]
Virginia Tech Quarterback Marcus Vick and two of his teammates have been found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of minors. The convictions are misdemeanors, but all three football players are facing jail time, fines and an uncertain future with the Hokies.
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[TAKE VICK GRAPHIC] 20 year old Quarterback Marcus Vick was found guilty on three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was found NOT guilty on one charge of having sex with a 15 year old girl. He will serve 30 days in jail and pay more than 2-thousand dollars in fines. [TAKE HILL GRAPHIC] Wide Receiver Brenden Hill was also convicted on three counts. He's been sentenced to 20 days in jail and a 15-hundred dollar fine. [TAKE IMOH GRAPHIC] Tailback Mike Imoh was convicted on the same three counts. He's been order to serve 10 days in jail and pay 750 dollars.
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[anchor=Joy]
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But as New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa tells us, all three attorneys say they will begin filing appeals Monday.

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[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;:00]
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[SUPER=01-Marcus Long/Vick's Attorney;:58]
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[OUT Q=RD, News 7 Blacksburg]((
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((MARCUS VICK: I APPRECIATE... TALK TO YOU LATER)) [RUNS:04]
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That's Hokie Quarterback Marcus Vick thanking his attorney, but getting ready for round two.
Vick, Tailback Mike Imoh and Wide Reciever Brenden Hill are all promising to try to overturn their convictions. The three were found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of minors because of a late night party back in January at their apartment with 14 and 15 year old girls. The judge found there was enough evidence to prove the three encouraged the girls to drink and strip.
Hill's attorney says this case is far from over.

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[IN Q=We felt.]
((DENNIS NAGEL: I THINK HE'S DIAPPOINTED. WE FELT LIKE THERE WAS ENOUGH THERE SO THAT THE JUDGE WOULD SEE LEGALLY AND FACTUALLY THAT HE SHOULD CERTAINLY BE EMBARRASED FOR WHAT WENT ON, BUT NOT BE FOUND CRIMNALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE ACTIONS OF THE JUVENILES THAT NIGHT. :08)) [RUNS:15]
[OUT Q=that night.]

All three lawyers said all along their clients were told the girls were Freshman at Radford University.

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[SOT:9:18:08:00 ]
[IN Q=They thought]
((MARCUS LONG: THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE WITH GIRLS WHO WERE OVER 18 OR 18 OR OVER, BECAUSE THATS WHAT THEY WERE TOLD. WHEN YOU GO ON A DATE YOU DON'T CHECK YOU DON'T CHECK ID'S . DO YOU?)) [RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=do you?]
Rachel DePompa, News 7, Christiansburg.))
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[Tech-Reac]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
[NEWSCAST=Sat AM]
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[GRAPHIC=VIrginia Tech]
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The question now: what is Marcus Vick's future as a Virginia Tech football player.
The university stresses the players' fate will be decided by athletic director Jim Weaver.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :]

Tech officials heard about the convictions during graduation ceremonies which were held last night at Lane Stadium.

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((LARRY HINCKER/VIRIGNIA TECH SPOKESPERSON: OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE EVENTS AND THE ALLEGATIONS AND NOW THE FINDINGS OF THE ACTIONS OF THE STUDENT ATHLETES.))
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[VO-NAT]

What will happen to those athletes will be determined by the university's comprehensive action plan.
It is the job of athletic director Jim Weaver to look at the severity and the nature of the crime and then come up with an appropriate sanction.
University officials stress, Coach Beamer will have NO say in the final decision.
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((LARRY HINCKER/VIRGINIA TECH SPOKESPERSON: THE COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN IS WRITTEN TO TAKE STUDENT DISCIPLINE OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE COACHES AND PUT INTO AN OBJECTIVE THIRD PARTY IN THIS CASE THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.))
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[VO-NAT]

University president Charles Steger also has no say.
That's because the students can appeal the athletic director's decision and the person who will hear that appeal, and then decide is Charles Steger.
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Some of the possible sanctions laid out in the university's comprehensive action plan include a warning, a suspension, or termination from the team.
When asked when Weaver will make a decision, the university would only say, it would be very soon.

[11Tech-Graduation]

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Commencement ceremonies got underway for Virginia Tech graduates last night.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]

More than five thousand graduates took part in the university's 132nd commencement at Lane Stadium.
The keynote speaker this year was Virginia Tech alumnus Pierre Thomas, who is a network news correspondent.
A crowd of more than twenty thousand people was on hand for the graduation.
This is the second year Tech has held commencement on a Friday night.
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Graduates will actually get their diplomas later this morning at individual college ceremonies.[11Speedway]

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[GRAPHIC=MArtinsville Speedway]
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Ownership of the Martinsville Speedway has shifted gears.
But the sale of the track hasn't slowed speculation of the tracks future.
As Joe Dashiell reports, local leaders are also greeting the news with guarded optimism.
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[SUPER=03-Henry Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Clay Campbell/Martinsville Speedway; :12]
[SUPER=01-Kim Adkins/Martinsville Henry Co. Chamber of Comm.; :38]
[SUPER=01-Joe Cobbe/Martinsville City Council; :54]
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((In a deal that was first discussed in March, and hammered out in the last week, Clay Campbell says it was apparent the speedway would benefit from being part of a larger racing organization.
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((CLAY CAMPBELL/MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY: MY GRANDFATHER OPENED MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY IN 1947 WITH THE IDEA OF MAKING IT THE VERY BEST RACETRACK POSSIBLE. AND I THINK BY JOINING ISC, THAT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BECOME A REALITY.))
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[OUT Q=become a reality.]

While the announcement ends months of rumors about a possible change of ownership, it won't end speculation about the track's future with NASCAR's Nextel Cup.
Local officials and business leaders say they're comfortable with ISC, and remain optimistic that the track will keep both of its races.
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[IN Q=NASCAR is so competitive]
((KIM ADKINS/MARTINSVILLE/HENRY CO. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: NASCAR IS SO COMPETITIVE THESE DAYS, BUT MARTINSVILLE IS UNIQUE. IT'S THE BIRTHPLACE OF NASCAR. IT'S VERY POPULAR WITH THE RACE FANS. THE MANAGEMENT HERE, THE OWNERS HERE, HAVE INVESTED YEAR AFTER YEAR IN GROWING THE STANDS. THEY PACK IT OUT EVERY YEAR.)) ((JOE COBBE/MARTINSVILLE CITY COUNCIL: THEY'RE GOOD COMMUNITY CITIZENS AND CLAY AND HIS FAMILY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HUGE SUPPORTERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND I THINK WHATEVER THEY DO, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.))
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[OUT Q=good for everybody.]

If the future remains uncertain, next year is not. The tentative schedule for the 2005 Nextel Cup Series includes two races in Martinsville, on April 10th and October 23rd.
Joe Dashiell News 7 Martinsville))

[11Warner-Speedway]

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Governor Warner also says he is "concerned" about the sale of the Martinsville Speedway but remains optimistic about its future.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/File Tape]

Warner says he believes NASCAR is committed to keeping Nextel Cup races in Martinsville.
He says stock car racing began in rural communities like Martinsville and that NASCAR should not forget its roots.
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((GOV. MARK WARNER: IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT FOR NOT ONLY THE IMMEDIATE MARTINSVILLE COMMUNITY BUT FOR ALL OF SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING ALL WE CAN FROM THE STATE'S STANDPOINT TO BOTH LOBBY NASCAR AND NEXTEL THE BIG SPONSOR THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RACE THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF NASCAR'S FUTURE FOREVER.))
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[OUT Q=TO BE PART OF NASCAR'S FUTURE FOREVER.]
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[VO-NAT]

Warner says keeping the Nextel Cup series in Martinsville is also a win for racing fans.
He says the Speedway's short track course is the best in the circuit.
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[Decor-More]
[MINI-OPEN] ((MINI-OPEN))

[ANCHOR=Brent]
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We're adding a little spice to old outdoor furniture
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[TAKE Decor FS]
in today's Decor and More.
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[tape tosses to bump] [Know-Bump]
[Take full screen bump] [Chyron 7155] Did You Know?

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[2Open-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
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[WRITER=jen]
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[VO-NAT]
[ENG#1]
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Coming up on News 7 Saturday Morning....... Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick faces an uncertain future on the field and jail time..
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[VO-NAT]
[ENG#2]
And the Governor of Massachusetts makes the guest list at the first legal weddings of gay couples. We will have more on those stories in just a few minutes.
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[2-shot toss to Hello]

[Student-Death]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
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[WRITER=jen]
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A William Byrd Middle School student is dead after collapsing during a physical education class yesterday.
The eighth grader apparently collapsed while running on the school's track. The assistant principal and another person administered CPR until rescue crews arrived and the boy was taken to Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital where he died.
School officials are not releasing the boys name.
Officials also say the boy suffered from a medical condition, but declined to elaborate except to say that the condition did NOT keep him from participating in athletics.

[Gay-Marriage]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
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[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=net]
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Massachusetts will soon become the first state to allow same-sex marriages.
The U-S Supreme Court decided yesterday not to block a ruling by a Massachusetts court that said the state's constitution allows for gay couples to wed.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Boston, MA]

Already a coalition of state lawmakers and conservative activists are a rallying against the decision. The case will go before a federal appeals court in June.
Officials in Massachusetts will begin issuing the marriage licenses on Monday to same-sex couples in the state. And they're also expected to issue them to non-Massachussetts couples without incident..
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[11Bondcote]

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[NEWSCAST=Sat AM]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-10 TC1:13:52]
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A Pulaski company allegedly provided toxic tents and tarps to the military.
Now it faces a fine of up to 400-thousand dollars.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski/May 8, 2003]
Federal agents seized tarps and production logs from BondCote a year ago. The government filed charges against the company this week, accusing BondCote of making false certifications to the Defense Department about the toxicity of the fabric. The Technical Manager of the company is set to enter a guilty plea Monday.
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[ANCHOR=Joy]
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The tents are treated with a chemical commonly called "chrome yellow." It's supposed to prevent desert tan and olive green colors from fading. The government says chrome yellow can cause cancer.

[11Coaster-Contest]

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[TAPE#=04-07 TC1:59:25]
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A roller coaster is taking four local students places they'd never thought they'd go.
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[VO-NAT :33]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The fifth graders at Lincoln Terrace Elementary School recently won first place in their division in a roller coaster designing contest sponsored by Carowinds amusement park in North Carolina. A mechanical engineering instructor from Virginia Tech helped the girls learn about materials and technique. Andrea Bryant, Datrea (DAY-tree-ah) Muse, Kimberly Thomas and Jasmine Welch each received two free tickets to the Carowinds park and will share a plaque to be displayed at the school. They say the process was complicated but they want to build more structures in the future.
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[toss to weather]

[Tease#2]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
[NEWSCAST=Sat Am]
[WRITER=jen]
[SS=None]
[BOTH MICS HOT]
[ENG#=V10]
Coming up, we'll take a look back on the humble history of the Martinsville Speedway.
[ANCHOR=Brent]
and
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The great Trojan War epic starring Brad Pitt battles for the top spot in theaters this weekend - See if it's worth it's weight or just Hollywood hype in today's Movie Review.
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[LOTTO] [Break]

[11Track-History]

[ANCHOR=Joy]
[NEWSCAST=Sat AM]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-168 10017TC]
[GRAPHIC=Martinsville Speedway]
[ENG#=1]

Before yesterday's sale, the Martinsville Speedway was one of the last family owned tracks in NASCAR.
The track's humble start began with a humble family - and the landscape changed quite a bit over the years.
Mike Stevens takes a look at the track's storied history.
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[SUPER=03-Martinsville/September 7, 1947; :00]
[SUPER=10-Clay Earles/Martinsville Speedway Founder/1997; :25]
[SUPER=10-Lewis Compton/Former Speedway Announcer/1995; :41]
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[OUT Q=...Mike Stevens, N7 Sports]
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(( When the late Clay Earles bought a 30 acre corn field and turned into this dirt track - he was as always ahead of his time. September 7, 1947 - Martinsville opened for business with little fanfare - and enough dust and dirt to drive even a hard core fan away. ((LOUIS COMPTON/SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCER:)) ((CLAY EARLES:))
Earles lost some fans, but he didn't lose all of them and at a time when not a single race track in America was paved - he was bold enough to throw asphalt down on his half mile bull ring. ((CLAY EARLES:)) He looked like a genius. In 1955 - 12 thousand fans showed up for the first race on pavement. And as they say the rest is history. The track is 12 years old than Daytona and its NASCAR roots now run so deep into the Henry County's Red clay - that it will be tough to shake this place off the circuit. It's hosted the sports' royalty and been a part of its history from the start - changing families may change it's future - buy it can't touch the past.))
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