[AM-EPA-Investigation]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Morning]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 Mornin']
[ENG#=1]
A Roanoke business is now the focus of an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency.

(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Advanced Metal Finishing became the subject of an agency- inquiry several months ago. Yesterday special agents searched the company's business offices on Norfolk Avenue, but aren't saying what led to the investigation or what they found, if anything. Special Agent Susan Helbert says there are a number of circumstances that can lead to an investigation.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:24:59]
[IN Q=We conduct investigations]
((SUSAN HELBERT/EPA SPECIAL AGENT: WE CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS WHEN THERE HAS BEEN A COMPLAINT OR A TIP FROM VARIOUS SOURCES SUCH AS LOCAL REGULATORY AGENCIES, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS OR CONCERNED CITIZENS.))
[SUPER=01-Susan Helbert/EPA Special Agent;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=or concerned citizens]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Criminal Investigation Division is responsible for investigating everything from violations of the Clean Air Act to conspiracy and mail fraud. Special Agent Helbert says there's no reason for the public to be alarmed. She says that whatever it is they're investigating does NOT pose a threat to the safety or health of nearby residents.

(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=none]
A News 7 reporter spoke briefly with someone from Advanced Metal Finishing by phone, but as soon as the reporter identified herself the person hung up.

---

[Baltimore-Murders]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]
[ENG#=2]

Police in Baltimore are investigating the murders of three children found decapitated inside an apartment.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Baltimore, MD;]

Officers say their mother discovered the bodies of the two nine-year-old girls and ten-year-old boy, then went to a neighbor for help.
A police spokesperson says a weapon was found inside the apartment and detectives are questioning a quote- "person of interest."
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We do understand...person of interest]
[SUPER=01-Kenneth Blackwell/Baltimore, MD Deputy Police Commissioner;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=disagreement was.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Blackwell describes the crime scene as heart breaking, and the worst he's seen in 35 years.
Authorities add that they believe the murders were an isolated incident.
(------------)

---

[Jackson]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Jackson]
[ENG#=3]

Today attorneys for the King of Pop will ask a California judge to lower his bail.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

A grand jury indicted Jackson on charge of child molestation and conspiracy, he had pleaded innocnet.
Attorneys have filed a motion to have Jackson's three million dollar bail reduced, but the prosecution strongly objects saying Jackson could flee the country.
The judge will also examine the media's requset to unseal the entire grand jury indictment.
(------------)

---

[11Schermerhorn]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ecu]
[TAPE#=04-15 TC1:21:43]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
[ENG#=4]
The trial of Dennis Schermerhorn continues today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file]
Schermerhorn is charged with the murder of 5-year-old Logan Bowman. Logan's mother, Cynthia Davis testified that Schermerhorn, her boyfriend at the time, refused to allow her to take Logan to the hospital one night after he had burned himself. The next morning Logan was gone. Though he has never been found, he is presumed dead. Defense attorneys attacked Davis' story and pointed out inconsistencies.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]

In April, Davis entered a guilty plea to felony murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

---

[11DUI-laws]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=04-19 TC34:43]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
Drunk drivers in Virginia who repeat the offense will soon face tougher punishments, including time behind bars.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Governor Warner signed more than two dozen drunk driving bills into law yesterday.
Most crack down on repeat offenders by requiring them to serve mandatory jail time and forfeit their vehicles.
For awhile drunk driving accidents were down in the state, but they're back on the rise.
The 25 new measures make Virginia's drunk-driving penalties among the stiffest in the nation.
Kaye Walsh who lost her only child, Robin, to a drunk driver seven years ago says the new laws should get people's attention.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1::29]
[IN Q=THIS THRILLS ME, THESE NEW LAWS]
((KAYE WALSH: THIS THRILLS ME, THESE NEW LAWS THRILL ME. NOW I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE.))
[SUPER=07-Kaye Walsh]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=DOESN'T HAPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Most of the new laws will go into effect July first.
(------------)

---

[WW2-Memorial]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=WW2 Memorial]
[ENG#=2]

Memorial Day weekend will be especially memorable for the more than 100- thousand people are expected to attend tomorrow's dedication of the World War Two Memorial in Washington.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]

About 117-thousand people have reserved tickets to the event, and official are expecting about 50-thousand others to watch on screens set up on other portions of the National Mall.
Former G-I's and aging sailors will be among those attending the ceremonies.
The average surviving serviceman from the World War Two era is now 79 years old.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]

---

Watch for LIVE reports from Washington today and tomorrow on News 7.[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, Oil prices fell yesterday. And more Americans took a chance in the gambling industry last year.
Alexis Christoforous has those stories and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:42]
[OUT Q=in New York, I'm AC.]
((TRADING IS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT ON WALL STREET TODAY AHEAD OF THE LONG MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.. INVESTORS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY ON THE SIDELINES, NOT WANTING TO BE LEFT HOLDING ANY BIG POSITIONS OVER THE WEEKEND... IN THE PREVIOUS SESSION...FALLING OIL PRICES PUMPED UP STOCKS.
CRUDE OIL FELL BELOW 40 DOLLARS A BARREl... AND THERE IS A SMIDGEON OF RELIEF AT THE GAS PUMP AS WE HEAD INTO THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND... GAS PRICES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST LEVEL IN A WEEK.
THE DOW RALLIED 95 POINTS... THE NASDAQ TACKED ON A MORE MODEST 8.
CITIGROUP WILL PAY A 70 MILLION DOLLAR FINE AFTER THE FEDERAL RESERVE FOUND THAT THE BANKING GIANT ILLEGALLY REQUIRED SOME BORROWERS TO HAVE A CO-SIGNOR FOR LOANS EVEN IF THE ORIGINAL BORROWER INDEPENDENTLY QUALIFIED FOR THE LOAN.
MORTGAGE RATES INCHED HIGHER THIS WEEK... ACCORDING TO FREDDIE MAC, THE AVERAGE RATE ON A 30 YEAR LOAN IS 6.32 PERCENT UP FRACTIONALLY FROM LAST WEEK. LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, RATES AVERAGED 5.31 PERCENT.
THE FORMER CEO OF RITE AID HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON FOR HIS ROLE IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST FRAUD CASES IN CORORATE AMERICA. 50 YEAR OLD MARTIN GRASS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF INFLATING PROFITS AT RITE AID AND REAPING RICH REWARDS.. ALL THE WHILE LEAVING THE COMPANY SADDLED WITH DEBT.
AMERICANS' APPETITE FOR GAMBLING GREW LAST YEAR. THE American Gaming Association found that 53 million people visited U.S. gambling halls last year.. a jump of about 2 million from the year before. Bettors generated about $27 billion worth of gross gambling revenue.
FIND OUT MORE AT CBS.MW.COM. IN NY I'M AC.))





(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

---

[Iraq]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]
[ENG#=1]

Shots were fired today as buses of newly released inmates left Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, delaying the convoy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Baghdad, Iraq;]

The shooting forced U- S military escorts to hunker down, and the buses -- more than 13 of them -- stopped in their tracks.
Hundreds of relatives who had been following the convoy also stopped, but once the shooting ended they swarmed around the vehicles.
Prisoners then got off the buses and went home with their families.
The release is the third from the prison since the abuse scandal broke last month.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=KIMBERLY]
[SS=HOLD]

Meanwhile, the scandal may include from troops from other countries.
Some detainees claim Polish forces abused them and other coalition forces beat them before they were turned voer to t

---

he Americans.[11LU-Athlete]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-14 TC1:21:50]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=3]

A Liberty University football player who has been a coma since last month is now back in his native state of California.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/April 22]

22-year-old Marlon Roman fell off a railroad trestle near Lynchburg's Blackwater Creek walking trail on April 22nd.
He's been unresponsive ever since.
Donors in Lynchburg and Los Angeles helped raise enough money to lease a specially-equipped jet for Roman to fly home yesterday morning.
The family's insurance would not cover his medical bills unless he was physically in California.
(------------)

---

[6-West-Nile]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=04-16 TC55:15]
[GRAPHIC=West Nile Virus]
[ENG#=4]

Health officials say the sporadic rain and hot weather we've had recently are ideal for mosquitos.
That's a concern because of the West Nile Virus.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape]

Mosquitos transfer the virus to humans. And health officials say West Nile is expected to be widespread in the state this year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT1:58:37]
[IN Q=A very small percentage of the mosquitos]
((DICK TABB/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MANAGER; A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE MOSQUITOS ARE ACTUALLY INFECTED WITH THE WEST NILE VIRUS. JUST BEING BITTEN BY ONE MOSQUITO THAT HAPPENS TO HAVE WEST NILE VIRUS DOESN'T MEAN YOU'LL WILL ACTUALLY CONTRACT THE DISEASE ACTUALLY THOSE CHANCES ARE FAIRLY SMALL ))
[SUPER=01-Dick Tabb/Environmental Health Manager]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=chances are fairly small]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

To protect yourself: wear long, loose, light colored clothing, use insect repellent and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds around your house.
(-----------------)
(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP] [COMM]

---

[County-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]
[ENG#=]

One man is dead following a single vehicle accident in Roanoke County. It happened around 11:30 last night on Woodhaven Road near Sequoia Drive. Authorities say the driver, 49 year old Michael B. Slaughter, ran off the right side of the road. The vehicle traveled approximately 200 feet through a wooded area, struck several trees and came to rest on its roof.

Slaughter was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say it does not appear that he was wearing a seat belt.

---

[Biz-Brief]

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

In business news, Stocks closed higher yesterday. Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:08]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]
((
A SHARP DROP IN OIL PRICES HELP DRIVE STOCK PRICES HIGHER.


THE DOW INDUSTRIALS GAINED 95-POINTS....
WHILE THE NASDAQ ADDED EIGHT.


THE U-S ECONOMY EXPANDED MORE QUICKLY IN THE FIRST QUARTER THAN FIRST ESTIMATED.
THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REPORTS THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT ROSE AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF FOUR-POINT-FOUR PERCENT, UP FROM A PRELIMINARY READING OF FOUR-POINT-TWO PERCENT.


CITIGROUP HAS AGREED TO PAY UP TO 70-MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE ALLEGATIONS THAT IT VIOLATED FEDERAL FAIR-LENDING LAWS AND ATTEMPTED TO MISLEAD BANK EXAMINERS.
CITIGROUP DID NOT ADMIT OR DENY THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE SETTLEMENT.
A FEDERAL RESERVE SPOKESMAN SAID THE FINE WAS THE HIGHEST EVER IMPOSED BY THE CENTRAL BANK IN A CONSUMER LAW COMPLIANCE CASE.
THE FINE, HOWEVER, MAY BE REDUCED BY UP TO 20-MILLION DOLLARS IF CITIGROUP MAKES RESTITUTION.


COSTCO REPORTS PROFITS JUMPED 29-PERCENT TO 198-POINT-SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS IN ITS FISCAL THIRD QUARTER.
THE LARGEST U-S WAREHOUSE CLUB OPERATOR SAID THE GAIN COMES ON STRONG SPRING SALES OF ITEMS SUCH AS LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT AND FOOD.


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


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

---

[6-City-Schools]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-21 TC12:49]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Roanoke School officials say they're serious about implementing the recommendations of a school safety task force, but one school board member questioned whether they've earmarked enough money.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The school board approved a revised budget that added 200- thousand dollars for school safety initiatives.
That's in addition to 300- thousand dollars already allocated for other discipline programs.
Board member Kathy Stockburger fears that won't be enough.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'm not saying]
((KATHY STOCKBURGER: I'M NOT SAYING POSITIVE OUTCOMES ARE DETERMINED SOLELY BY HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPEND, THAT'S NOT IT AT ALL, BUT WE DO NEED TO SPEND A SIGNIFICANT FOUNDATIONAL AMOUNT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.))
[SUPER=01-Kathy Stockburger/Roanoke City School Board]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=in order to make this happen.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Stockburger withheld her vote.
Superintendent Wayne Harris said he believes funding approved yesterday is "a great beginning." (Kim toss to Steve for weekend preview) (------------)