[Greece-Hijacking]
[ANCHOR=Kimbelry]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 Mornin']
[ENG#=1]
18- hours after hijacking a bus in Athens, Greece, two gunmen have surrendered to police.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Athens, Greece;]
At least two dozen people were on board originally, but the driver
escaped with the keys -- and the passengers were freed unharmed during a long day of negotiating.
Greek authorities say the hijackers had threatened to blow up the bus,
unless they received a million dollar ransom by dawn this morning.
(------------)
[11Blackwell]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-47 45:06]
[GRAPHIC=Blackwell]
[ENG#=2]
The case of a man who has been missing for more than two months has investigators stumped and relatives worried.
It's a case that extends from his North Carolina home to Pittsylvania County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Jonathan Blackwell was last heard from October 7th after he spoke with his parents.
[SUPER=03-Reidsville, NC]
A week later, the burnt out shell of his car was found in a wooded area in Pittsylvania County.
Now authorities and his family are looking for any clues that may lead them to Blackwell's whereabouts.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@15:09.29]
[IN Q=When he hadn't...]
((MARY BLACKWELL/JONATHAN'S MOTHER: WHEN HE HADN'T CALLED BACK BEFORE HE WENT TO WORK THAT MORNING- I GOT UP AND TOLD MY HUSBAND- SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE CALLED ME.))
(((****BITE****BITE****BITE****)))
[SOT@2:51.06]
((SAM PAGE/ROCKINGHAM CO., NC SHERIFF: RIGHT NOW ONLY INFORMATION WE HAVE IS HE HAD FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES IN DANVILLE AREA. WORKED IN GOODYEAR PLANT IN DANVILLE AND WE THINK INFORMATION WILL COME FROM THE VIRGINIA AREA IN REGARDS TO HIS WHEREABOUTS...))
[SUPER=01-Mary Blackwell/Jonathan's Mother]
[SUPER=01-Sam Page/Rockingham Co., NC Sheriff; :10]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=.. to his whereabouts...]
(+++++++)
[Take Rockingham Co. Crimestoppers FS]
If you know anything about Jonathan Blackwell's disappearance you're asked to call the Rockingham County, North Carolina Crime Stoppers at 336-349-9683 or your local police department.
(------------)
[Iraq]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq]
[ENG#=3]
Campaigning begins for Iraqi elections now just six weeks away, but
insurgent violence still poses a threat to voters and candidates.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Karbala, Iraq;]
In the latest attack, a car bomb targeting a top cleric at Karbala's holy Shiite shrine left seven people dead.
Just hours earlier, Karbala residents had lined up to register to vote for next month's elections.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It is absolutely]
((LT. GEN. LANCE SMITH/U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: IT IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THE INSURGENTS WILL MAKE
EVERY EFFORT TO TRY AND MAKE THESE ELECTIONS AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE . ))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Gen. Lance Smith/U. S. Central Command;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=as possible.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
In all, about 90 parties and political movements met yesterday's deadline to get on the ballot.
U- S officials say most of Iraq is ready for Election Day, but admit fighting the insurgency remains a tough challenge.
(------------)
[Bush-Economy]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Bush]
[ENG#=4]
Looking to build momentum for his second term, President Bush is re- visiting economic issues on the second day of his summit.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
Yesterday, Bush vowed to work with Congress to reduce the country's budget deficit, and said he wanted legislation that would cap lawsuit damage awards.
Vice President Dick Cheney highlighted other items on the administrations agenda-- including making tax cuts permanent and overhauling social security.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=All these policies]
((DICK CHENEY/VICE PRESIDENT: ALL OF THESE POLICIES HAVE GIVEN NEW STRENGTH TO AN ECONOMY THAT NEEDED IT, AND WE HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED ON A PRO-GROWTH, PRO-JOBS AGENDA IN THIS NEW TERM. ))
[SUPER=01-Dick Cheney/Vice President;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=this new term.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
This morning Bush will take part in a panel discussion on financial
challenges for the future.
(------------)
[VOBTech-Inn]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-53 TC 14:34]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]
Virginia Tech is known for its athletics, academics, and coming soon, its accomodations.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]
The university's new conference and hotel center is half way completed.
It's called the Inn at Virginia Tech and it's located across from the duck pond on campus.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:40:57]
[IN Q=The whole structure]
((GARY WALTON/HOTEL GENERAL MANAGER: THE WHOLE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING IS GOING TO BE BRAND NEW OBVIOUSLY AND HAVE ALL THE FEATURES OF A NEW MODERN FACILITY THAT YOU FIND TODAY IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.))
[SUPER=01-Gary Walton/Hotel General Manager]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=hotel industry]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The new complex will have 147 hotel rooms, ten conference rooms, a restaurant, and a large ballroom.
The forty million dollar facility is scheduled to open in July.
(------------)
[Marketwatch]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]
In this morning's Marketwatch, Time Warner is willing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to resolve federal investigations into its America Online unit.
Marcella Palmer has more on that plus details of the Sprint-Nextel merger.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Marcella Palmer/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:24]
[OUT Q=In N.Y. I'm Marcella Palmer.]
((TIME WARNER HAS TO PAY UP FOR ACCOUNTING IRREGULARITIES AT ITS AMERICA ON LINE DIVISION... TIME WARNER HAS AGREED TO SETTLEMENTS TOTALING 510-MILLION DOLLARS, WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, AND SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. BOTH AGENCIES WERE INVESTIGATING ACCOUNTING FRAUD ALLEGATIONS AT AOL.
SPRINT AND NEXTEL PLAN TO MERGE. THE 35-BILLION DOLLAR DEAL, WILL CREATE THE THIRD LARGEST WIRELESS COMPANY IN THE U-S.... THE COMPANY WILL BE CALLED SPRINT-NEXTEL WITH SOME 40-MILLION CUSTOMERS.
U-S STOCKS ENDED HIGHER WEDNESDAY ON THE MERGER NEWS....THE DOW CLOSED THE DAY UP 15. THE NASDAQ CLOSED THE DAY UP 2.
APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE MARKET, RENEWED WEAKNESS IN THE DOLLAR, AND A JUMP IN OIL PRICES. CRUDE OIL CLOSED WEDNESDAY AT $44.19 A BARREL.
YOU COULD BE SURFING THE WEB WHILE TAKING A DOMESTIC FLIGHT COME 2006. THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION HAS APPROVED NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR U-S AIRLINES ALLOWING TRAVELERS ACCESS TO HIGH SPEED WIRELESS INTERNET CONNECTIONS. THE FCC WILL ALSO SOLICIT PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ENDING THE BAN ON IN-FLIGHT USE OF CELL PHONES.
AND DELTA AIRLINES IS WORKING TO WIN BACK CUSTOMERS. THE STRUGGLING COMPANY WILL MAKE A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO ITS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM.... LIKE MAKING IT EASIER TO GET UPGRADES AND SIMPLIFYING FEES.
FOR MORE ON THE MARKETS, LOG ONTO OUR SITE AT CBS DOT MARKETWATCH DOT COM. IN NEW YORK I'M MARCELLA PALMER.))
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS]
[WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC]
[COMM]
[11Danville-Robbery]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Danville police are looking a bank robber.
(+++++++)
[Take FS Bank Pic]
They say the man walked into the Virginia Bank and Trust on Riverside Drive yesterday morning wearing a motorcycle helmut, pointed a gun at the tellers and walked out with the money.
No word on how much was taken.
[Take Danville Crimestoppers FS]
Police say the gunman then drove away on a red and white dirt bike. If you have any information, Danville police ask you to call their Crimestoppers at 4-3-4 7-9-3- -0-0-0-0-.
(------------)
[11Stonewall-Jackson]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=504-07 1:00:40]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG=1]
The board of directors of Lexington's Stonewall Jackson Hospital is in the process of reviewing several proposals for the future of the hospital, in hopes of improving its financial position.
(-------------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington;]
Carilion is providing interim managment to Stonewall Jackson through the end of the year, but hospital officials say the board has received 10 proposals from various for-profit, non-profit, and management organizations.
The hospital's board of directors met yesterday and will meet again today.
But officials say, if a decision is made, it's unlikely the information will be released until sometime next week.
(------------------------)
[11Habitat]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-45 TC 30:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
Of the more than 240 Habitat homes built in Lynchburg, Tom Gerdy has been involved in more than a hundred.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
The one Gerdy helped dedicate yesterday is far and away his favorite.
Gerdy's idea of having mentally and physically-challenged adults volunteer on a Habitat site was a big success.
The crew spent every Wednesday over the past three months building a new home for Serena Jones and her family.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 8:56:26]
[IN Q=It made me]
((JENNIFER WILSON/SPECIAL BUILDER: IT MADE ME FEEL REALLY SPECIAL TO HELP SERENA AND HER FAMILY AND JUST TO BE A PART OF DOING IT BECAUSE I NEVER DID IT BEFORE AND IT FELT GREAT JUST WORKING OUT AND HELPING THE ONES THAT DIDN'T HAVE A HOUSE.))
[SUPER=01-Jennifer Wilson/Special Builder]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=didn't have a house.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Gerdy says the idea is catching on.
Other Habitat chapters around the country have contacted him for details on how to put together a special build of their own.
(------------)
(kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP]
[COMm]
[11Stanley-Scholarship]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=04-49 26:17]
[GRAPHIC=FFE]
[ENG#=2]
In sports, Friday Football Extra's 21st annual awards banquet was held last night.
Mike Stevens introduces us to the four scholarship winners.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Salem/Friday Football Extra Banquet; :00]
[SUPER=@mike2; :07]
[SUPER=01-Shawn Webb/Noel C. Taylor Scholar Athlete; :25]
[SUPER=01-Alyssa Walden/Roy Stanley Journalism Scholar; :50]
[SUPER=01-Xavier Drakeford/Roy Stanley Scholar from Franklin Co.; 1:15]
[SUPER=01-Aaron Crowgey/Roy Stanley Scholar from George Wythe; 1:26]
[RUNS=1:45]
[OUT Q=...NEWS 7 SPORTS."]
(----------)
(( More than 200 folks packed the Salem Civic Center's Community Room to close out the 2004 football season.
They also would see Liberty high school's Shawn Webb pick up the $2000 Noel C. Taylor Scholar Athlete award. He's the co-captian of the football team and senior class president.
((SHAWN WEBB:))
The Roy Stanley scholarship committee was also on hand to pass out three $1000 dollar grants.
The journalism winner is governor's school student at Halifax County and she already knows what she's getting into.
((ALYSSA WALDEN:))
The Commmittee awarded two more 1000 dollar scholarships.
With one going to Franklin County's Xavier Drakeford and Aaron Crowgey (CROW-GEE).
((XAVIER DRAKEFORD:))
((AARON CROWGEY:))
Since Roy's passing the Scholarship committee has raised close to $50 thousand dollars in his honor.
Mike Stevens News 7 sports.))
[Biz-Brief]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
[ENG#=1]
In business news, Sprint and Nextel are merging.
Rachel Lee has more on that plus a look at yesterday's closing numbers in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Rachel Lee/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=I'm Rachel Lee.]
((STOCKS MANAGED SMALL GAINS WEDNESDAY. THE DOW INDUSTRIALS GAINED 15 POINTS. AND THE NASDAQ ADDED TWO. SPRINT AND NEXTEL AGREED TO MERGE IN A DEAL VALUED AT 36-BILLION DOLLARS. THE NEW COMPANY -- FORMED IN WHAT THE COMPANIES CALLED A "MERGER OF EQUALS" -- WILL BE NAMED "SPRINT NEXTEL." TOGETHER, THEY WOULD NARROW THE GAP BETWEEN SPRINT -- CURRENTLY THE NUMBER THREE WIRELESS COMPANY -- AND VERIZON, THE NUMBER TWO COMPANY. THE DEAL STILL REQUIRES REGULATORY APPROVAL. TIME WARNER AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAVE REACHED A SETTLEMENT OVER ALLEGATIONS OF ACCOUNTING FRAUD AT THE COMPANY'S AOL DIVISION. IT REQUIRES TIME WARNER TO PAY 210-MILLION DOLLARS. THE COMPANY ALSO PROPOSED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IN WHICH IT WOULD PAY 300-MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE OTHER ACCOUNTING ISSUES. TIME WARNER IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF CNN, WHICH PREPARES THIS REPORT. CRUDE OIL SOARED TWO DOLLARS, 37 CENTS A BARREL, TO SETTLE AT 44-DOLLARS, 19 CENTS A BARREL. THE PRICE JUMPED AFTER THE GOVERNMENT REPORTED HEATING OIL INVENTORIES FELL MORE THAN EXPECTED LAST WEEK. THE PRICE OF OIL HAS GAINED NEARLY FOUR DOLLARS THIS WEEK. WITH THE BUSINESS BRIEF... I'M RACHEL LEE. ))
[TAPE TOSS TO STOCKS]
[STOCKS]
[WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC]
[TRIGGER]
[11Intelligence]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jwi]
[TAPE#=04-46 43:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]
Consolidating intelligence in Virginia to prevent terrorism.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chesterfield Co.;]
That's the goal behind Governor Mark Warner's proposed Fusion Center.
Housed in State Police headquarters in Richmond, the center would be staffed by State Police and personnel with the Department of Emergency Management.
Information would be collected, analyzed and distributed- allowing officials to identify possible terrorist plots.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 22:51:15]
[IN Q=The key to the Fusion]
((COL. STEVEN FLAHERTY/VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: THE KEY TO THE FUSION CENTER BEING A SUCCESS IS GETTING INFORMATION BACK OUT TO THE PEOPLE ON THE WORKING LEVEL WHO NEED IT TO DO THEIR JOB.))
[SUPER=01-Col. Steven Flaherty/Virginia State Police;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=need it to do their job]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Fusion Center would operate around the clock.
It would also classify the information it sent out- much like the federal government.
Governor Warner wants to spend nearly 800- thousand dollars on the center.
He'll present his plan to the House and Senate money committees tomorrow.
(------------)
[6-Economic-Development]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-39 1:51:07]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]
The Roanoke Valley just got bigger, at least in terms of economic development.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Alleghany County and Covington have joined the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership.
It's designed to attract new business to the area.
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]
Yesterday's announcement, adding Covington and Alleghany County, gives the partnership nine members... most of which are located in the Roanoke Valley itself.
(------------)
[11Forest-Auction]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-44 1:08:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Buy a labyrinth, and you get an acre and half of prime commercial real estate as part of the package.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]
The labyrinth at Blue Ridge Wellness Center has been featured in national magazines.
It is a circular path that leads to one central point, and some people say it can be used for spiritual and physical healing.
But the center is now closed, and the property sold yesterday for 410-thousand dollars.
The new owners plan to relocate their financial services office to the site and have "no" plans to do away with the labyrinth.
(------------)
(kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP]
[COMM] [11War-Worlds]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=04-43 2:00:28]
[GRAPHIC=War of the Worlds]
[ENG#=2]
The battle against the Martians is moving northward through Rockbridge County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rockbridge Co.;]
Filming for Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" shifted production to the far northern stretches of the county yesterday.
It's now taking place on land near that's owned by long-time network weatherman Willard Scott.
His home sits high above the site where crews are filming.
The scene involved hundreds of extras who were bused in.
They'll play survivors of a Martian attack.
The extras began their day at 4:15 yesterday morning, but they did get a break for lunch and were bused back to the set for more filming in the afternoon.
(------------)
[6-Kiwanis-Christmas]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-40 1:40:23]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]
Santa Claus made an early delivery in the Roanoke Valley.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Presents for young people from the West End Center- They joined Santa, and members of the Roanoke Kiwanis Club at the Patrick Henry Hotel.
The club has a continuing relationship with the West End Center, where a number of Kiwanis members volunteer as tutors.
But yesterday, the spotlight was on Santa Claus, and the gifts he distributed to a group of appreciative children.
(------------)
(kim tosses to bump)
[COMm] [BUMP]