12:00-01
NOON-HEADLINES
TALENT=Melanie
SS=None
House members today send a letter to the President opposing U-S ground troops
in Bosnia.
Michael Jackson's H-B-O concert is cancelled after the pop star collapses in
rehearsal.
And the Commonwealth is socked by snow, we'll have an update on road
conditions and school closings.
(/////////////)
TALENT=Patrick
SS=None
When it snows, it pours, at least that was the case last night as this
quick passing storm gave us more than we bargained for.
Some places recorded up to ten inches of the white stuff.
We'll look at the maps and tell you why.
(//////////)
ANCHOR=Melanie
News 7 at Noon is next.
Roanoke-Snow
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=spr
TAPE# 95-92
GRAPHIC=winter storm
Southwest Virginians are digging out from the first major snowstorm of the
winter season.
As much as ten inches of snow fell on the Roanoke Valley overnight.
It has turned out to be a pretty nice day, but during the early hours it
was anything but pretty.
melanie/scott double box
Scott Prince joins us from Salem. First of all, Scott, how do the roads
look?
LIVE=scott/full
SUPER=@Scott1;
SUPER=05-Salem;
(AD LIB)
(ROLL CUE:... A MESS.)
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Mother nature
SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00
SUPER=01-Steve Thomas/Snowplow Driver; :20
SUPER=01-Mark Berger/Stranded Motorist; :33
SUPER=01-Liz Dudley/Stranded Motorist; :40
RUNS=:58
OUT Q=turned into play time.
SCOTT=LIVE
(AD LIB & INTERVIEW WITH LAURA BULLOCK)
SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson;
(TOSS TO MELANIE)
L'burg-Snow
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#95-106
GRAPHIC=Winter Storm
Across the mountains in central Virginia, a four to six inch snowfall caused
some minor traffic problems this morning.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg;
Police report "no" major traffic accidents, but a number of disabled
vehicles slowed traffic on Route 460 and Route 29.
Traffic was blocked for more than an hour on Wards Ferry Road in Lynchburg
after a city bus slid into a ditch.
No injuries were reported.
By the time the morning rush hour began, most of the main roads had been
cleared.
Authorities caution that secondary roads are still treacherous.
(----------------)
wipe wipe wipe
Monty-Snow
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=bmy
TAPE#95-99
GRAPHIC=wipe/wipe/wipe
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Pulaski Co.
Slick conditions plagued Interstate 81 in Pulaski County early this morning
as snow covered the highway faster than it could be removed.
Many who braved the stormy weather ended up out of control in spinning cars,
eventually landing in the ditch beside the road.
Tow trucks even had trouble getting the cars out.
At times the interstate resembled a parking lot as wrecked vehicles blocked
the highway.
State police say the main roads are now clear and there are no major traffic
jams.
(----------------)
Schoolwatch
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=school information
The snow shut down schools throughout southwestern Virginia, and some still
have announcements to make.
(mel ad lib schoolwatch)
tease#1
HARD MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE
While we were expecting snow, we got a bit more than we bargained for, and
here's Patrick Evans to tell us about that.
wx tease
(live line)
music up full
comm1
Murder
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# edit
GRAPHIC=murder
The murder of a Virginia Tech student has stunned the Blacksburg community.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Montgomery Co./Tuesday Night;
22- year old Alexander DeFilippis was killed during a violent crime spree
Tuesday night in Montgomery and Giles Counties.
It happened on the same day the FBI reported that the university was one of
Virginia's safest campuses.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((LARRY HINCKER/UNIVERSITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR: IT'S A REPREHENSIBLE, FOUL,
HEINOUS CRIME. THIS KIND OF THINK JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN IN BLACKSBURG, AND WHEN
IT DOES IT JUST HURTS ALL THAT MUCH MORE. ))
SUPER=01-Larry Hincker/University Relations Dir.;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=that much more.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
Montgomery County deputies discovered the body of DeFilippis in the
Whitehorn area.
The three suspects, Mark and Ben Lilly and Gary Wayne Barker, allegedly
carjacked and abducted DeFillipis in a convenience store parking lot and then
killed him out of fear he would identify them.
SUPER=03-Giles Co.;
Giles County authorities later arrested the trio and charged them with armed
robbery after they allegedly held up two convenience stores.
All three men have a number of previous convictions.
They face charges of capital murder, abduction, robbery and carjacking.
(----------------)
Bosnia
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=bosnia
Nearly half the members of the House of Representatives have gone on record
against the U-S mission in Bosnia.
They've sent a one-sentence letter to President Clinton that reads, ``We
urge you not to send ground troops to Bosnia.''
But they are still 34 members short of the majority needed to defeat a
resolution backing the troop deployment.
Eventually some 20-thousand U-S troops will be in Bosnia.
And as Allen Pizzey reports they're getting ready to move out from bases all
over Europe and the United States.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Friedberg, German; :00
SUPER=01-Major Mark Needham/U.S. Army; :09
SUPER=01-Sgt. Mark Dixon/Birmingham, AL; :37
SUPER=01-Sgt. Gene Schomolitz/Baltimore,MD; :42
SUPER=01-Allen Pizzey/Reporting;1:05
RUNS=1:18
OUT Q= Allen Pizzey, CBS News Friedberg.
((The tankers known as "the bandits" are on their way to Bosnia. But the
process
of going is a lot more complex than the orders to get the job done.
MAJOR MARK NEEDHAM, US ARMY
JUST THE SHEAR AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE TO MOVE, THE SHEAR VOLUME OF
VEHICLES AND THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLES, IT S A LOT OF EQUIPMENT SO IT DOESN T
MOVE THAT EASY, IT TAKES TIME IT TAKES A LOT OF PREPARATION, PLANNING IN ORDER
TO MOVE A TASK FORCE.
The M1A1 tanks may be the ultimate in letahl ground force, but they still have
to be fine tuned for the enemy they can t chase away, cold weather.
The troops are getting refresher courses too. Tank men have the same problems
as foot soldiers, and then some.
SGT. MARK DIXON/BIRMINGHAM ALABANA
THE WIND CHILL FROM THE TANKS, JUST PLAIN TRAVELING, SOMETIMES THAT AFFECTS
YOU.
SGT. GENE SCHOMOLITZ/BALTIMORE, MARYLAND AT LEAST THE SOLDIER ON THE GROUND HE
CAN MOVE AROUND, CIRCULATE HIS BLOOD AND
EXERCISE TO KEEP WARM.
And the unit Chaplain is preparing: young troops for the horrors they are
supposed to make sure don t happen again.
CHAPLAIN JERRY DEPONIA
WE MIGHT VERY WELL SEE A MASS GRAVE. IT WILLL BE UNPLEASANT.
The bandits believe they can handle whatever Bosnia throws at them.
There s at least another week of work before this unit will be ready to roll
for Bosnia but then they want to go. You can only learn forward in
anticipation so long one officer said and then if you don t move you ll just
fall on your face.
Allen Pizzey, CBS News, Friedberg.))
FRANCE
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=none
It's a make or break day in the two- week old public worker strike in
France.
Tens of thousands are expected to march today in protest of the
government's plan to overhaul the social security system.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Orly, France;
Earlier today demonstrators tried to block the runways at an airport south
of Paris.
Takeoffs and landings were delayed for more than an hour because of the
demonstration and a work slowdown by air traffic controllers.
(----------------)
Inmates
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=none
Another kind of strike may be ending in Halifax County.
Six or seven inmates at the Halifax Correctional Unit went on a hunger
strike Monday after prison officials banned them from gathering after sundown
to eat and pray during Ramadan -- a monthlong religious observance.
But the strike appeared to be ending yesterday, with only one inmate
refusing to eat.
The prison gave the group more time to pray together during the day.
Jackson
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=jackson, michael
The health of pop star Micheal Jackson is the subject of much speculation
today after the singer spent the night in a New York City hospital.
He's suffering from low blood pressure and fatigue.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-New York, NY;
Early this morning Jackson's wife Lisa Marie Presley arrived at the
hospital, Jackson's personal physician is also said to be on his way from
California.
Jackson has been in New York most of the week rehearsing for an H-B-O
special scheduled to air Sunday.
He fainted on stage last night and paramedics who rushed him to the hospital
reported his blood pressure to be an extremely low 70 over 40.
He was also dehydrated and exhausted.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((EMS SPOKESPERSON:HE IS AWAKE AND ALERT AND WE WOULD CHARACTERIZE THIS AS A
SERIOUS CONDITION BASED ON OUR INITIAL FINDING ))
SUPER=07-EMS Spokesperson;
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=initial finding.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
Jackson is in stable condition in the intenseive care unit and will remain
in the hospital for at least another 48 hours.
H-B-O today postponed his concert.
(----------------)
Tease#2
SOFT MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE
Stay with us, when News 7 returns,
Today marks the 54-year anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,
(----------------)
VO-NAT
and it's been a six year mission for the spacecraft "Galileo", but today is the
most important day of all.
(-------------)
music up full
comm2
Pearl-Harbor
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=none
It was 54 years ago today that thousands of U-S servicemen perished at Pearl
Harbor.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Pearl Harbor, HI/Dec. 7, 1941;
On December 7th, 19-41, some 360 Japanese warplanes attacked the home base
of the U-S Pacific Fleet, and the next day Congress declared war against Japan.
Within two hours of the attack, the Japanese planes hit, sunk or severely
damaged eight U-S battleships, including the Arizona and 14 smaller ships,
destroyed 200 aircraft and killed more than 2,000 seamen.
(----------------)
Galileo
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=none
Six years of space travel for the spacecraft Galileo and it all comes down
to today.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
Later this afternoon a 746-pound probe will parachute into the atmosphere of
the planet Jupiter and relay back a wealth of data to Galileo.
If the probe enters at the wrong angle if could ricochet into space or burn
up.
Galileo was launched in 19-89, and has traveled some two-point three
billion miles.
(----------------)
Trigon
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=trigon
Attorney General Jim Gilmore says he supports Trigon Blue Cross Blue
Shield's request to become a for-profit company.
That, after the company agreed to set up a charitable foundation with 159-
million dollars in tax breaks.
The state's largest health insurer says the change is necessary to raise
needed capital.
The request still must be approved by policyholders and by the State
Corporation Commission.
Gilmore investigated Trigon last year for alleged billing and advertising
violations.
Unemployment
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=none
Virginia's unemployment rate has gone even lower.
In October it came in at four-point-four-percent.
That's the lowest October rate in six years.
The Virginia Employment Commission says fall job expansions in education and
trade and the shipment of holiday merchandise helped lower the rate.
Stocks
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE#none
SS=stocks
Well, investors are sitting on the sidelines, waiting for the NATION'S
unemployment figures to come out, and that's driven stocks lower.
On Wall Street at noon the Dow was DOWN 31 points.
tease#3
SPORTS MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
Just ahead,
A Virginia Tech student gets a pat on the helmet,
(----------------)
VO-NAT
and the mane attraction on one Virginia campus was its horses.
(-------------)
MUSIC UP FULL
comm4
Dudley
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#fb95-2
GRAPHIC=dudley award
The Downtown Club in Richmond honored the state's top football player at the
annual Dudley awards ceremonies last night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT eng#
SUPER=03-Richmond/Last Night; :00
Virginia Tech's Cornell Brown walked away with the award.
He beat out an array of college stars from the state, including U-V-a's Tiki
Barber and V-M-I's Thomas Haskins, who finished second and third respectively.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q="This is...
((CORNELL BROWN/1995 DUDLEY AWARD WINNER: THIS IS A GREAT HONOR FOR ME. I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK THE DOWNTOWN CLUB OF RICHMOND, MOSTLY GOD FOR MY ABILITY MY
TEAMMATES AND ALL MY COACHES. IT'S A GREAT MOMENT AND HONOR FOR ME TO RECEIVE
THIS IN MY HOME STATE. I'M THANKFUL FOR IT. I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT
AND FOR VOTING FOR ME.))
SUPER=01-Cornell Brown/1995 Dudley Award Winner; :00
RUNS=:25
OUT Q=...HA HA HA."
(----------------)
VO-NAT con't
Thirteen media members from across the state select this award, which is
named in honor of former U-V-a great Bullet Bill Dudley.
And despite his huge season, Tiki couldn't argue with the selection of Brown.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q="Cornell...
((TIKI BARBER/SECOND IN BALLOTING: CORNELL'S A GREAT PLAYER. I DON'T TAKE
ANYTHING AWAY FROM HIM. HE DESERVES IT JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE OF US. I'M HAPPY
FOR HIM.))
SUPER=01-Tiki Barber/Second In Balloting; :00
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=...HAPPY FOR HIM."
(-------------)
Cornell
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#fb95-3
GRAPHIC=CORNELL BROWN
Brown was informed that he had also been voted a first team All-American by
the Associated Press last night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT eng#
SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :00
Bo Henson's former all-state performer at E-C Glass, has now made four
postseason All-America teams to become the most decorated player at Tech since
Bruce Smith.
The six foot, two inch defensive end had 14 quarterback sacks this season on
his way to being named the Big East conference's defensive player of the year.
(-------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD CORNELL
No junior has ever collected as many postseason honors as Brown.
He still has a shot to make the Kodak All-American squad.
Xmas-Store
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#95-110
GRAPHIC=Christmas
A sweet gesture from a bunch of guys headed for the Sugar Bowl.
Some Hokies took time out to make Christmas brighter for the less
fourtunate.
Kimberly McBroom has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Ooohh! They might like that
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday; :03
SUPER=01-Brandon Semones/VA Tech Linebacker; :22
SUPER=01-Jim Druckenmiller/VA Tech Quarterback; :31
SUPER=01-T.J. Washington/VA Tech Offensive Lineman; :48
SUPER=01-Joyce Hendricks/Montgomery Co. Christmas Store; 1:11
SUPER=@Kimberly1; 1:23
RUNS=1:34
OUT Q=News 7, Christiansburg
((
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 1 4:01:46
((OOHH! THEY MIGHT LIKE THAT RIGHT THERE. ))
RUNS=:02
This isn't your average Christmas shopping excursion--
And these Sugar Bowl- bound Hokies aren't your average salesmen.
About 25 Virginia Tech players took time away from the gridiron-- and used
their brawn to help out at the Montgomery County Christmas Store.
They helped needy families pick out Christmas gifts-- and found themselves
with their own reward.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 2 4:22:43
((BRANDON SEMONES/VA TECH LINEBACKER: IT JUST UPLIFTS OUR HEARTS-- JUST FOR US
TO BE OUT HERE. I'M MUST GLAD WE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. ))
RUNS=:09
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 2 4:36:41
((JIM DRUNKENMILLER/VA TECH QUARTERBACK: THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY
INTERESTED IN TECH FOOTBALL RIGHT NOW, AND I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND
HELP OUT THE PEOPLE. ))
RUNS=:06
Besides handing out gifts and food-- the Hokies also helped babysit in the
store's nursery.
And that proved to be as just as challenging as any tackle on the football
field.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 2 4:28:01
((T.J. WASHINGTON/VA TECH OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: I'D RATHER PLAY A GAME AGAINST
MIAMI OR SYRACUSE BEFORE I GO IN WITH KIDS-- BECAUSE KIDS ARE VERY TIRESOME.
BUT I LOVE THEM TO DEATH. I WOULD NEVER TRADE THAT FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.
))
RUNS=:10
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 1 nat sound 4:16:16
((SINGING: PUT YOUR WHOLE BODY IN. PUT YOUR WHOLE BODY OUT. YOU PUT YOUR
WHOLE BODY IN AND YOU SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT. YOU DO THE HOKIE POKIE AND YOU TURN
YOURSELF AROUND. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT! ))
RUNS=:08
(/////SOT/////)
SOT TAPE 2 4:41:00
((JOYCE HENDRICKS/MONTGOMERY CO. CHRISTMAS STORE: I THINK THE SHOPPERS HAVE
ENJOYED THEIR ENTERTAINMENT, TOO. THEY SANG FOR US AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB. I
THINK IT'S NICE THEY'RE PUTTING SOMETHING BACK IN THE COMMUNITY, TOO. THEY'RE
OFFERING THEIR TIME TO HELP US OUT. ))
RUNS=:11
(/////SOT/////)
SOT STANDUP HERE TAPE 2 4:56:09
((KIMBERLY MCBROOM/NEWS 7: IN ADDITION TO PREPARING FOR THE SUGAR BOWL, THESE
TECH PLAYERS ALSO HAVE EXAMS TO PREPARE FOR. BUT THEY SAY MAKING SOMEONE'S
CHRISTMAS A LITTLE BIT BETTER IS TIME WELL SPENT. KIMBERLY MCBROOM, NEWS 7,
CHRISTIANSBURG. ))
RUNS=:12
))
Costume-Horses
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#edit of 95-96
GRAPHIC=NONE
And while the Hokies don't have a lot of time to horse around, some folks in
Buena Vista do.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Buena Vista/Yesterday;
Students at the Southern Virginia College for Women yesterday held what they
call "Horses' Christmas."
The tradition dates back to the fifties.
The school's riding horses and some miniature horses were dressed in
seasonal costumes.
Instructors say the horses remember the event, since they receive a reward
of carrots and apples when it's over.
(-------------)
wrap
ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=amo
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=NONE
(toss to patrick)
That's it for News 7 at Noon. Have a great day.
(patrick ad lib)