WDBJ 7 morning news for 08/06/04

[Terrorism]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 Mornin']
[ENG#=1]

Saudi security forces say they've arrested one of their most most wanted terrorists.
They say he was number 12 on the nation's list.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Meanwhile, major terrorists sweeps in London and Pakistan this week appear to be unraveling at least a part of Osama bin Laden's network.
[SUPER=03-Albany, NY;]

In Albany, New York authorities say members of this storefront mosque were ready to bankroll a terrorist plot.
The mosque's spiritual leader and founder are accused of helping an undercover F-B-I informant, posing as a terrorist, shopping for shoulder- fired missiles.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We are working]
((JAMES COMEY/DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: WE ARE WORKING VERY VERY HARD TO INFILTRATE THE ENEMY OUR AGENTS AND OUR INFORMANTS ARE PUTTING A FULL COURT PRESS ON IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. ))
[SUPER=01-James Comey/Deputy Attorney General;]
[RUNS=:08] (estimated bite runs time)
[OUT Q=around the world.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-London, England;]

In Britain, police nabbed the alleged key al-Qaida operative who wrote surveillance that led to the latest terror threat.
And officials there also say Babar Ahmad was arrested for allegedly financing terrorist activity.
(------------)

[Anthrax]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]

The investigation into the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks have led federal officials to two homes in upstate New York and one on the New Jersey shore.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Dover Township, NJ;]

Two of the homes are linked to Kenneth Berry, the founder of an organization that trains medical professionals to respond to chemical and biological atacks.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We're just assuring]
((MIKE MASTRONARDY/DOVER, NJ POLICE DEPARTMENT: WE'RE JUST ASSURING THE NEIGHBORS THAT EVERYTHING'S UNDER CONTROL. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY CONTINUES TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION AND THE ROLE OF THE DOVER TOWNSHIP POLICE IS SIMPLY TO MAKE SURE OF CROWD CONTROL AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING HERE AND ASSURING THE RESIDENCE THAT EVERYTHING IS SAFE AND SECURE.))
[SUPER=01-Mike Mastronardy/Dover, NJ Police Department;]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=everything is safe and secure.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Authorities aren't providing many details about the investigtion-- only sahing that F-B-I and the U-S Postal Inspection Service agents were searching the locations.
(------------)

[11Giles-Assault]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-23 58:18]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Three adults are behind bars and awaiting a hearing after police say they sexually assaulted two 14-year-old girls.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Police say 24-year-old Melissa Lynn Blankenship -who was a family friend- picked up the girls to go four-wheeling in the mountains.
[SUPER=03-Pearisburg]
Instead, they wound up at Blankenship's apartment in the 14-hundred block of Wenonah Avenue in Pearisburg. According to the police, that's where Blankenship's boyfriend, 20-year-old Ryan Jackson Craft and 22-year-old Ryan Clay Gilmer were waiting.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@6:28:33.00]
[IN Q=A family member...]
((RICHARD GAUTIER/PEARISBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT: A FAMILY MEMBER CAME LOOKING FOR THE GIRLS WHEN THEY DIDN'T ARRIVE HOME IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF AUGUST 1ST. SHE WENT TO THE APARTMENT WHERE SHE KNEW THE BLANKENSHIP LADY LIVED AND IN FACT, THEY WERE THERE. SHE INTERRUPTED THE EVENTS THAT WERE TAKING PLACE AND TOOK THE GIRLS TO THE HOSPITAL.))
[SUPER=01-Richard Gautier/Pearisburg Police Department]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The three face numerous charges including carnal knowledge of a juvenile and abduction. They're being held in the New River Valley Jail without bond.
(------------)

[11White/Hardwick-Hoesch]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-17 1:42:18]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
[ENG#=4]
A Roanoke landlord accused of racism tried and failed to convince a local judge to issue an injunction against one of his accusers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Bill White said the woman has been harassing him, trespassing and vandalizing his property and leaving threatening telephone and e-mail messages. Erica Hardwick-Hoesch flatly denies making any threats. Though White says she just can't accept the end of their relationship, SHE denies there ever was one.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:55:20]
[IN Q=Bill White, for once]
((BILL WHITE, FOR ONCE IN HIS LIFE, IS SCARED. HE CAN'T HIDE BEHIND HIS MONEY AND USE HIS MONEY TO IMPOSE RACISM AND HIS RACIST WAYS ON PEOPLE WHEREVER HE PLEASES NOW. HE'S ACTUALLY BEING PUT IN THE LIGHT FOR DOING SO. AND I THINK HE'S FRIGHTENED.))
[SUPER=07-Erica Hardwick-Hoesch]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=think he's frightened.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Though the judge declined to issue an injunction, he did advise Hardwick-Hoesch to stay off White's property. The two are due in court Monday on cross criminal warrants.
(------------)

[PKGHomecoming]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=04-26 1:05:32]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq Homecoming]
[ENG#=1]

A special homecoming in Roanoke. A soldier who has been in Iraq since October returned home last night. Not only was he reunited with family and friends, but he got to hold his 6 month old son for the first time.
Justin McLeod has the story.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jason Spradlin/Soldier; :07]
[SUPER=01-Arbutus Spradlin/Jason's Grandmother; :22 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=01-Shanna Douglas/Jason's Sister; :34]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:27]
[RUNS=1:38]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
(( ((NAT SOUND OF CLAPPING))
It's a welcome home 24 year old Jason Spradlin will probably never forget.
[SOT 9:00:15]
[IN Q=Words can't express]
((JASON SPRADLIN: WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS IT. I AM JUST SO HAPPY TO BE HOME WITH MY BABIES.))
[Runs= 05]
[OUT Q=WITH MY BABIES]

Getting home wasn't easy.
Jason has been in Iraq since October and was supposed to be home in May.
But his stay was extended leaving his family disappointed.
[SOT 8:58:16]
[IN Q=It's been terrible]
((ARBUTUS SPRADLIN/JASON'S GRANDMOTHER: IT'S BEEN TERRIBLE. IT'S BEEN TERRIBLE, NOT A FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=NIGHT'S SLEEP]

Also losing a lot of sleep was Jason's wife Haley.
She was raising their 3 1/2 year old son while pregnant with their second child.
[SOT 8:47:32]
[IN Q=He loves kids]
((SHANNA DOUGLAS/JASON'S SISTER: HE LOVES KIDS. HE LOVES HIS OLDER SON AND I KNOW HE MISSED NOT BEING HERE FOR THE LABOR AND DELIVERY FOR HIS SECOND SON.))
[Runs= 07]
[OUT Q=FOR HIS SECOND SON]

Blake was born in January and as you might imagine Jason was anxious to see his son for the first time but he would have to wait longer than expected.
Weather problems delayed his flight into Roanoke.
[SOT 8:44:39]
[IN Q=Oh it was very upsetting]
((HALEY SPRADLIN/JASON'S WIFE: OH IT WAS VERY UPSETTING.))
[Runs= 02]
[OUT Q=VERY UPSETTING]

But that wouldn't last long.
Jason was able to catch another flight into Roanoke and around nine o'clock he literally ran off the plane and seconds later was in the arm's of his family. ((NAT SOUND OF THE HOMECOMING))
After a lot of hugs and kisses, Jason reluctantly agreed to do an interview with us and of course we had to ask what he thought about his new son.
[SOT 9:00:49]
[IN Q=He looks like his]
((JASON SPRADLIN: HE LOOKS LIKE HIS MOTHER. HE'S GOT SOMETHING GOOD GOING FROM HIM HUH [LAUGHS AND KISSES]))
[Runs= 06]
[OUT Q=LAUGHS AND THEN KISSES HIS SON]
[SOT ]
[IN Q=The homecoming]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: THE HOMECOMING WILL BE SHORT LIVED. JASON IS ONLY GOING TO BE HOME FOR LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS BEFORE RETURNING TO ACTIVE DUTY IN GERMANY. BUT THIS TIME HE'LL BE BRINING THE ENTIRE FAMILY WITH HIM. JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))))

[Stinky-Flower]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]

If you haven't had a chance to visit Virginia Tech's smelly exhibit-- you can check out another one farther north.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Madison, WI;]

The corpse flower is also blooming at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Like the one in Blacksburg, this flower is said to smell like dead fish.
It can weigh up to 170 pounds, but doesn't last very long.
This is the third corpse flower to have bloomed at the school.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, The Dow fell below the 10-thousand mark yesterday.
Jean Lee has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Jean Lee/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:31]
[OUT Q=in New York, I'm JL.]

((The market could recoup some of Thursday's losses, if a report on the nation's payrolls pleases Wall Street.

On Thursday The Dow suffered its worst one-day decline since March of this year, as a surge in oil prices sent stocks tumbling.

The Industrials closed at their worst levels of the day, finishing BELOW 10-thousand, off 163 points, to 99-63.

The hi-tech Nasdaq also suffered, losing 33 points.

Oil closed at an all time high of 44-41 a barrel. A new threat to 20-percent Russia's total oil production, helped to drive prices higher. Russian oil giant Yukos, has been struggling to finance its operations, and analysts say if the government denies Yukos additional funds, it would pose a threat to the country's oil production.

On Friday the Labor Department issues its employment report for July, and Wall Street will be watching closely. Economists polled by CBS MarketWatch are looking for non-farm payrolls to rise by about 235-thousand. Back in June, 112-thousand new jobs were created.

One company in the business of brokering jobs, Monster Worldwide, said overall demand for workers and job recruitment fell slightly in July. The company's monthly index fell to 134 in July, compared to 136 in June.

Get up to date on all the latest market-moving news, at cbs.mw.com
In ny I'm jl.))

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

[Campaign-2004]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2004]
[ENG#=1]

Today President Bush will speak to minority journalists before heading up to New Hampshire to campaign.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Saginaw, MI;]

At a rally last night in Saginaw, Michigan the President accused his opponent of taking both sides on every issue-- including Big Ten Football.
John Kerry addressed the journalists conference yesterday morning.
He's campaigning by train today in Missouri.
Today he's set to unveil an energy plan to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil.
(------------)

[11School-Resource]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-25 1:01:42]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

The former supervisor of Roanoke's School Resource Officers has filed suit against the city for what he calls a biased performance evaluation. Sergeant Manuel Bocanegra was reassigned to a patrol unit last week.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Monday;]
As part of the city's new geographic policing initiative, School Resource Officers will now report to the lieutenant in charge of their geographic zone. That has parents like Alice Hincker upset. She says school resource officers should be designated as a special unit and fears the program will suffer under the new policing system.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:16:49]
[IN Q=My concern is that]
((ALICE HINCKER: MY CONCERN IS THAT THE PLAN IS TO PUT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM UNDER THAT SYSTEM AND IN DOING THAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO BREAK UP THE PROGRAM BASICALLY. IT WILL BE DIVIDED AND THE SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL GO TO WHOEVER IS SUPERVISING THAT ZONE ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY.))
[SUPER=01-Alice Hincker/Concerned Parent;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=that particular day]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Hincker says she plans to ask City Council to step in and prevent the S-R-O program from being placed under the new geographic system.
(------------)

[11Fire-Training]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-22 1:28:25]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]

In a few months, it will be a pile of bricks.
But first, Lynchburg's old Human Services building will serve as the city's biggest fire training facility.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

The Lynchburg Fire Department and Centra Health announced yesterday a deal that will allow firefighters to spend six days training inside the 300-thousand square foot structure.
Fire officials say it's a great opportunity for them to practice rescue and fire suppression techniques without worrying about damaging a building.
The building is being torn down this fall to make way for Centra Health's new cancer treatment center.
(------------)
(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP]

[COMM][Biz-Brief]

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

In business news, Stocks tumbled yesterday. Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]

((U.S. STOCK MARKETS REELED THURSDAY.

THE DOW INDUSTRIALS TUMBLED 163-POINTS... ENDING WELL BELOW THE CLOSELY-WATCHED 10-THOUSAND LEVEL.
AND THE NASDAQ DROPPED 33.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS 336-THOUSAND PEOPLE MADE INITIAL CLAIMS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS LAST WEEK.
THAT'S LESS THAN EXPECTED, AND DOWN 11-THOUSAND FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
THE REPORT COMES A DAY BEFORE THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED JULY EMPLOYMENT REPORT.
DUE BEFORE THE OPEN, EMPLOYERS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE ADDED ABOUT 230-THOUSAND JOBS TO THEIR PAYROLLS IN JULY.

BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING FAILED TO FUEL BIG RESULTS FOR RETAILERS IN JULY.
WAL-MART, THE WORLD'S LARGEST RETAILER, REPORTS SAME-STORE SALES FOR THE MONTH ROSE THREE-POINT-TWO PERCENT, WHILE ITS MAIN RIVAL, TARGET, POSTED A RISE OF THREE-POINT-EIGHT PERCENT.
SOME GENERAL MERCHANDISE AND APPAREL CHAINS REPORTED WEAK SALES... INCLUDING SEARS, WHICH HAD A TWO-POINT-SIX-PERCENT DROP IN SAME-STORE SALES LAST MONTH.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN SAID IT HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THE PREFERRED BIDDER ON A ONE-POINT-TWO BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT FOR MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT FOR A BRITISH AIRCRAFT FLEET.
THE THIRD LARGEST U-S DEFENSE CONTRACTOR SAID THE PACT IS EXPECTED TO LAST 21 YEARS.

WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF... I'M STAN CASE.))
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC] [COMM]

[11VA-Farmland]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=04-21 1:06:49]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Farming has long been a way of life in Virginia...
But state officials say the growing loss of farmland is threatening the 39 billion dollar industry.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Virginia has lost nearly 45-thousand acres of farm and forest land every year since 1997.
Many of those acres have been paved over to make way for shopping malls, subdivisions or gas stations.
State officials say that in addition to the aesthetic and environmental benefits farmland provides, there is also a cost savings.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:02:58]
[IN Q=WHEN YOU PUT IN HOUSES AND YOU]
((CARLTON COURTER/VA AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER: WHEN YOU PUT IN HOUSES AND YOU HAVE SCHOOLS, AND YOU HAVE SEWER AND INFRASTRUCTURE, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ENDS UP COSTING A LOCALITY, CITY OR STATE, MORE THAN IT BRINGS BACK IN TAX RECEIPTS.))
[SUPER=01-Carlton Courter/Virginia Agriculture Commissioner]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=IT BRINGS BACK IN TAX RECEIPTS.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Homebuilders and developers blame the loss of farmland on the state's rising population. (------------) And they point out that modern techniques now allow farmers to grow more on less land.