WDBJ 7 morning news for 01/20/05

[Inauguration]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Bush Inaugural]

At noon today, President Bush will take his second oath of office.
At last night's festivities, he offered a preview of his inaugural speech, saying he'll focus on America's mission of spreading freedom.
Meanwhile, security will be out in force for today's event.
More than 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are taking part in the security operation.
Susan Roberts is in Washington, D-C this morning and joins us now with an update on inauguration plans.
[LIVE=NEWSPATH/FULL]
[SUPER=01-Susan Roberts/CBS News;]
[SUPER=05-Washington, DC;]

((ROLLCUE:...))
[ENG#=]
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=back to you.]

[LIVE=NEWSPATH/FULL]
[SUPER=05-Washington, DC;]
(( AFTER A GLITTERING INAUGURATION EVE EXTRAVAGANZA PRESIDENT BUSH IS POISED TO TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE FOR A SECOND TERM.

BUSH SOT: 17:59:14 I am eager and ready for the work ahead.

CREWS HAVE WORKED FOR WEEKS TO SET THE STAGE AT THE U-S CAPITOL WHERE 58 YEAR OLD GEORGE WALKER BUSH WILL REPEAT THE OATH HE TOOK FOUR YEARS AGO.

(NAT-Security)
FOR THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION SINCE THE SEPTEMBER 11TH ATTACKS.. THE NATIONS CAPITOL HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A VIRTUAL FORTRESS. SNIPERS ON ROOF TOPS.. CHEMICAL AND BIO-WEAPONS SENSORS.. AND AS MANY AS 10-THOUSAND FORCES ON THE GROUND.
BRIDGE: A half a million people are expected here for todays swearing in ceremony and inaugural parade. One hundred city blocks have been closed to traffic and all those guests must go through security checkpoints.

(NAT-BALL)
AT LAST NIGHTS BLACK TIE AND BOOTS BALL THE PRESIDENT OFFERED FELLOW TEXANS A BRIEF PREVIEW OF HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

BUSH SOT 21:41:00 I know when this world becomes more free the world
will become more peaceful

(GFX)
THE LATEST C-B-S NEWS POLL NEW YORK TIMES POLL SHOWS THE ROAD AHEAD WILL BE CHALLENGING FOR THE PRESIDENT - WHILE THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS (58%) ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS - THEY STILL THINK THE COUNTRY'S ON THE WRONG TRACK (56%).
PRESIDENT BUSH AND HIS SPEECH WRITERS WORKED THROUGH MORE THAN 20 DRAFTS OF TODAYS 17 MINUTE INUAGURAL ADDRESS WHICH THEY DESIGNED TO BE UNIFYING AND INSPIRATIONAL. ))

[Rice]

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

Senate Democrats plan to delay confirmation for Secretary of State Nominee Condoleezza Rice.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]

After two days of hearings, the foreign relations committee recommended Rice's confirmation.
But instead of having the full Senate vote today, Democrats want a delay, so her nomination can be discussed on the floor.
Rice was grilled about problems in Iraq.
One Senator accused her of being unable to admit to mistakes.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Instead of seizing the opportunity]
((SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN/D- DELAWARE: INSTEAD OF SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY, DR. RICE YOU DANCED AROUND IT, PARTY LINE .,.. NEVER MADE ANY MISTAKES, NEVER WRONG. ))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Joseph Biden/(D) Delaware;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=never wrong.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Rice is still expected to win easy confirmation as soon as the vote's taken.
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[VOB-NC-Abduction]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]

An extradition hearing will be held today for those allegedly involved in the adbuction of two children from their foster home in North Carolina.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The search for two year old James Chambers and his 11 month old sister Brianna ended yesterday in Grayson County near White Top. Police believe the pair was kidnapped by their parents at gunpoint from their foster home last weekend.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT TC 56:48]
[IN Q=I couldn't imagine]
[SUPER=01-Mark Shook/Watauga Co., NC Sheriff;]
((MARK SHOOK:WATAUGA CO. NC SHERIFF/I COULDN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE FOSTER PARENTS WENT THROUGH AND WHAT THE CHILDREN WERE PUT THROUGH THE WHOLE WEEK.))
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=the whole week.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Grayson Co.]
28 year old James Canter and 18 year old Alisha Chambers are being held as fugitives of justice. Two others were arrested for allegedly helping the pair. All four are being held at the N-R-V Jail without bond. They each face several felony charges.
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[11Giles-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=04-50]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=3]

Fire tore through a trailer home in Giles County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.]

It happened on State Line Road around 8:30 last night.
The trailer was destroyed.
There's no word on injuries yet, though emergency radio traffic indicated someone may have been trapped in the home.
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[VOBSafety-Corridor]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=04-52 TC 46:17]
[GRAPHIC=Interstate 81 Safety Corridor 4492]
[ENG#=4]

It seems many are not paying close attention when driving a particular section of Interstate 81.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

A year ago this month, the state designated a fifteen mile stretch of I-81 from Salem to Ironto as a highway safety corridor.
Motorists caught speeding in the corridor face heftier fines.
But a recent phone survey reveals only half of the people in western Virginia know about the safety zone.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:35:23]
[IN Q=We did some]
((LAURA BULLOCK/VIRGINIA DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION: WE DID SOME RADIO ADVERTISING, WE ALSO PUT SOME POSTERS ON BUSES IN THE BLACKSBURG AREA AND ALSO IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY AREA AND WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN.))
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/Virginia Department of Transportation; :]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=do that again]
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[VO-NAT]

The survey also reveals one third have improved their driving behavior as a result of the increased fines.
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[Marketwatch]

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

In business news, E-Bay released its earnings report.
Alexis Christoforous has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:29]
[OUT Q=in New York, I'm AC.]
((THE PROFIT PARADE MARCHED ON AFTER THE CLOSING BELL. THE GRAND MARSHALL WAS EBAY. THE ONLINE AUCTION GIANT REPORTED A 44 PERCENT JUMP IN PROFITS...BUT EBAY WARNED THAT PROFIT FOR THIS YEAR MAY BE LESS THAN ANALYSTS EXPECTED... THAT'S BECAUSE EBAY PLANS TO INVEST HEAVILY IN CHINA WHICH WILL TAKE A BITE OUT OF ITS BOTTOMLINE THIS YEAR. EBAY ALSO ANNOUNCED A TWO FOR ONE STOCK SPLIT.
ALSO ON THE STOCKS TO WATCH LIST: Qualcomm - THE COMPANY SAID first-quarter profit rose nearly 50 percent as more wireless phone companies moved to upgrade their networks and contributed to a solid increase in sales.
SHIPMENTS OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS ROSE 11.8 PERCENT WORLDWIDE LAST YEAR.. BOOSTED BY STRONG SALES OF LAPTOP COMPUTERS. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH FIRM GARTNER. DELL COMPUTER HELD ITS POSITION AS GLOBAL MARKET LEADER SHIPPING 31 MILLION PCS IN 2004. HEWLETT PACKARD WAS SECOND FOLLOWED BY IBM.
ON WALL STREET... STOCKS LOST GROUND ON SOME DISAPPOINTING EARNINGS REPORTS.. NOT EVEN POSITIVE ECONOMIC NEWS WAS ENOUGH TO BOOST THE MARKET. THE DOW SANK 88 POINTS THE NASDAQ TUMBLED 32 POINTS
AND MARTHA STEWART'S COMPANY IS THROWING IN THE TOWEL ON ONE OF ITS BUSINESSES. MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA WILL SHUTDOWN ITS MONEY-LOSING ONLINE STORE AND CATALOG IN FEBRUARY.
FIND OUT MORE OR TRACK YOUR STOCKS AT CBS.MW.COM IN NY I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS.))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM]

[Barge-Explosion]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=1]

Authorities will resume their search this morning for a man believed to be missing after a barge exploded, caught fire, then sank in a Chicago canal.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chicago, IL;]

The man is believed to have been working on the vessel when it burst into flames yesterday.
The E-P-A says a boiler apparently exploded and ignited the petroleum byproduct the barge was carrying.
Investigators are trying to determine how much of the substance might have spilled into the canal, which is a link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
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[6-Huff]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Gary Huff]

Blacksburg's town manager is stepping down.
Gary Huff announced his retirement yesterday.
He'll step down on March Sixth. Huff has been town manager since 1998.

[11United-Way]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-46 TC1:25:42]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

They were shooting for close to three and a half million dollars ... but the United Way of Central Virginia fell about 430-thousand dollars short of its goal.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

So the agency is asking for help ... sooner rather than later.
United Way says it's approaching businesses that have never run a fundraising campaign to consider having one now.

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[SOT 11:01:20]
[IN Q=We feel that]
((SHARON WALTERS/CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR: WE FEEL THAT THE MONEY IS OUT THERE, WE JUST NEED TO BRING IT IN NOW. WE JUST NEED THE COMPANIES TO OPEN THEIR DOORS AND LET US COME IN AND HAVE A CAMPAIGN. AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVEN'T GIVEN TO, PLEASE GIVE.))
[SUPER=01-Sharon Walters/Campaign Director]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=please give.]
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[VO-NAT]

Walters says dozens of agencies and programs the United Way helps to fund could suffer if the full amount isn't raised.
Private citizens are also encouraged to send a check if they'd like to help out.
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(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP] [COMM]

[11Dan-River]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Dan River]

In business News, Dan River, Incorporated's plan to reogranize has federal approval.
The company says it will emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early February.
Its been able to reduce its debt from 270 million dollars last March to about 90 million. Now here's a look at your local stocks. [KIM TOSSES TO STOCKS] [STOCKS] [COMM]

[2-Barge-Explosion]

[6-Craig-Bus]

[ANCHOR=Kim]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-44 TC2:01:43]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#2]
Kids overflowing into the aisles on school buses- and now parents say they're not going to take it anymore. Craig County parents say their children are packed too tight on one particular school bus. Susan Bahorich found out something is supposed to be done about it.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Every morning... ]
[SUPER=03-Craig Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Veronica Dixon/Concerned Parent; :09]
[SUPER=@susan2; :22]
[SUPER=01-Chasity Neighbors/Concerned Parent; :30]
[SUPER=01-Tracy Poff/Craig Co. Public Schools; :57]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=SB, News7, Craig County.]
((Every morning Veronica Dixon gathers up her kids to catch the school bus. While that can be hard, it's not the most stressful part of her day.

[SOT@21:22:09.17]
[INQ=My kids come home...]
((VERONICA DIXON, CONCERNED PARENT: MY KIDS COME HOME EVERYDAY AND TELL ME THEY EITHER HAD TO SIT ON PEOPLE'S LAPS OR HAD SOMEONE SIT ON THEIR'S. THEY'VE HAD TO STAND IN THE AISLE, SIT IN THE AISLES...)) [RUNS:10]
[OUTQ=.. in the aisles...]

Dixon and other parents on bus four's route in Craig County are concerned. They say more often than not - the seats on this 64-passenger bus are overflowing with kids.

[SOT@21:20:25.16]
[INQ=What does it take?]
((CHASITY NEIGHBORS, CONCERNED PARENT: WHAT DOES IT TAKE- FOR A KID TO GET HURT? THAT'S JUST SCARY WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO SIT IN KIDS' LAPS AND STANDING IN THE AISLE- THAT'S NOT RIGHT.)) [RUNS:08]
[OUTQ=.. that's not right.]

Parents and students of Bus 4 say it's an ongoing problem, which they have addressed with school officials, but nothing's being done.
[nats]
Tracy Poff, who's principal of operations for Craig County schools, says that's NOT the case. While parents say the school system's been slow to act, Poff says he's doing his homework to make sure any changes would work.

[SOT@21:45:09.00]
[INQ=We're going to make...]
((TRACY POFF, CRAIG CO. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A MOVE ON ONE BUS THAT IS OVERCROWDED AND MOVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF KIDS OFF THAT BUS ON ANOTHER BUS, CHANGE THAT ROUTE A LITTLE BIT TO WHERE KIDS ARE STILL PICKED UP AND DROPPED OFF AT THE SAME TIME...)) [RUNS:12]
[OUTQ=... at the same time.]

Poff says changes start Monday. Meanwhile, Veronica Dixon and the other parents say they'll be watching and waiting at the bus stop. SB, News 7, Craig County. ))

[Habitat-Relief]

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

[++ANCHOR TAG++]
Besides dealing with the loss of lives after the South Asian tsunami-- thousands of survivors are also coping with the loss of their homes.
That's where Habitat for Humanity International comes in.
The organization has launched a major effort to build 25- thousand new homes in the tsunami- stricken areas.
Lowe's sponsored our interview with Habitat spokesman Michael Carscaddon. He explains how the group came up with its ambitious plan.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Habitat has been]
[SUPER=01-Michael Carscaddon/Habitat for Humanity International; :00]
[RUNS=1:47]
[OUT Q=permanent dwelling quest.]
(++++++++++++)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[TAKE FS PHONE NUMBER BOARD] If you'd like to learn more about the Habitat for Humanity International Relief Effort or make a donation...you can call 1-800-422-4828.
(+++++++++++)
[Take FS Web Sites in the News] We also have a link on our website. Click on websites in the news.
(+++++++++++)

(Kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP] [COMM]