12:00-01

NOON-HEADLINES

TALENT=Melanie
SS=None
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VO-NAT


A Roanoke fiber optics company gets ready to announce a number of layoffs,
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ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot

and in Washington, twenty-three Whitewater grand jurors hear testimony today from the First Lady.
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TALENT=Patrick;
SS=None


Rain is on the way, with flood watches up for far Southwest Virginia. We'll take a look at all the latest, including the Doppler radar imagery, stay tuned.
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ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None


Don't go away the news is next.

Fibercom


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-1
GRAPHIC=Layoffs


The largest homegrown, high-tech firm in the Roanoke Valley is about to announce a significant layoff.
For the past decade Litton-Fibercom's business has gone in one direction only: UP.
This marks at least an interruption of that trend.
Doublebox=mel/Len


Len Besthoff says Litton-Fibercom is actually one of a number of area companies that have scaled back their operations lately.
Len is evidence of an economic slowdown in our area?
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LIVE=Len/Microwave
SUPER=@Len1;
SUPER=05-Roanoke;
(len ad lib)


Melanie, for the past few months many members of the business community have said that at least the INITIAL signs of a slowdown are here...and the news from Litton-Fibercom today reinforces that opinion.
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SOT
IN Q=News-7 has
SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape;
RUNS=:22
OUT Q=company's hand.

(( News-7 has confirmed that Litton-Fibercom plans to lay off a significant number of manufacturing employees that make the company's computer networking systems.
The president of the company says it has been holding off from doing this.
But the recent loss of work due to the federal government shutdown, coupled with the slow development of Litton-Fibercom's commercial products, forced the company's hand.))
LIVE=len/full
ANCHOR=Len


Just in the past few months Melanie we've heard about other cutbacks at Babcock and Wilcox in Campbell County, Sara Lee in Salem, and Volvo-GM in Dublin.
(QUESTION: LEN HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK AT FIBERCOM?)


Ross


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=KHu
TAPE#95-115
GRAPHIC=ross, bryant


When police first questioned Bryant Ross as a suspect in the murder of his wife New Year's weekend, he denied everything.
Then he said: "you're going to frame me anyhow, I might as well take the blame for it."
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


In the end Ross gave detective Neil Tolrud (tall-rude) a full account of how it happened.
Ross said he and his estranged wife were arguing, and she wanted him to get out of the house.
He said Vickie grabbed a doll and threw it at him.
Ross allegedly told the detective that he pulled a gun out of his pocket and shot her in the neck.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=What happened after

((NEIL TOLRUD: WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOU SHOT HER? I JUST ASKED MYSELF, I SAID: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" YOU KNOW, I DONE IT. AND I WALKED OUT THE ROOM INTO THE ROOM IN THE BACK, AND I WAS SHAKING MY HEAD. AND SHE CAME OUT. SHE STARTED WALKING DOWN THE STEPS. AND I SHOT HER AGAIN. I KNEW WHAT I HAD DONE WAS WRONG AND WENT TO TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL. I KNEW SHE WAS ALREADY DEAD.))
SUPER=10-Neil Tolrud/Roanoke Police Detective/Reading Ross's Statement;
RUNS=:23
OUT Q=already dead.
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VO-NAT


Murder charges against Ross were forwarded to the next grand jury.
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Bolling


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=smy
TAPE# edit of 96-6
GRAPHIC=bolling


Testimony continues today in the trial of a Bedford County man accused of murdering his live-in girlfriend.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Bedford/Yesterday;


Joe Gardner Bolling is charged in the shooting death of Torina Lynn Wright at their Timber Ridge home last June.
Bolling claims the shooting was an accident, that his .44 Magnum went off by mistake while the two were arguing.
Rescue personell testified this morning that both Bolling and Wright told them the shooting was an accident.
Prosecutor Randy Krantz is still presenting evidence. The case may stretch into Monday.
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City-Fires


ANCHOR=Mel
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=Dal
TAPE#95-112
GRAPHIC=orren, phillip


A Roanoke man faces arson charges for allegedly setting a Patterson Avenue house on fire earlier this week.
And the Commonwealth's attorney says more charges are likely.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


20-year-old Phillip Vincent Orren, was arraigned this morning.
Investigators believe Orren is responsible for setting the fire at 8-13 Patterson Avenue.
He is charged with arson of an occupied dwelling.
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ANCHOR=Mel
SS=fire investigation


Police are also investigating a rash of fires in the southwest part of Roanoke.
Eight empty buildings have burned in recent days.
Orren has not been charged in any of those fires.
But the Commonwealth's Attorney says he will likely present more charges when the grand jury convenes in February.

Fatal-Fire


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=JoeD
TAPE#95-106
GRAPHIC=NONE


Victims of Saturday's fatal fire in Roanoke were laid to rest yesterday.
Joe Dashiell attended the funeral for Christine Duncan and her grandchildren, one of whom would have turned seven years old today.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Mourners filed past five
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday; :00
SUPER=02-Rev. Wayne Harrison/Belmont Baptist Church; :08
SUPER=@Joe2; :26
RUNS=1:13
OUT Q=JD News 7 Roanoke


((Mourners filed past five empty hearses as they filled the sanctuary at Belmont Baptist Church.
SOT 02:25:49
IN Q=For Christine

((REV. WAYNE HARRISON/BELMONT BAPTIST CHURCH: FOR CHRISTINE, 46 YEARS WAS A BRIEF LIFE, BUT FOR MARK WHO TOMORROW WOULD BE SEVEN, AND FOR HIS YOUNGER BROTHERS CLYDE AND PATRICK AND FOR HIS SISTER NANCY LIFE HAD HARDLY BEGUN.))
RUNS=:18
OUT Q=life had hardly begun.


Fire ended their lives on Saturday night, when intense flames spread from an extension cord downstairs to the second floor apartment where the family lived.
But for relatives and friends, cousins and classmates, there are other enduring memories...
SOT
IN Q=My constant memory

((MY CONSTANT MEMORY OF CHRISTMAS WAS THAT OF PUSHING A BABY CARRIAGE WITH NANCY IN IT)) ((...WITH PATRICK DRAPED AROUND HER SHOULDERS AND CLYDE AND MARK HOLDING ONTO HER COATTAILS AND OFF THEY WENT.))
RUNS=:23
OUT Q=and off they went.


Roanoke firefighters lead the way as the funeral procession moved to Evergreen Burial Park.
And there in donated spaces, the children were buried together... their grandmother nearby.
Joe Dashiell News 7 Roanoke))

tease#1

HARD MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Still to come on News 7,
The First Lady prepares to face a federal grand jury,
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VO-NAT

and even though the waters in Hot Springs have receeded, the damage estimates continue to rise.
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wx-head music up full
comm1


HILLARY


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=hillary clinton


The first lady is just a couple of hours away from an unprecedented appearance before a federal grand jury.
The focus will be on Whitewater related documents that were missing, and then mysteriously turned up at the White House.
Regina Blakely has more.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Capitol Hill/Last Week;
SUPER=03-New Hampshire/Yesterday;
SUPER=01-Doris Kearnes Goodwin/Presidential Historian:
SUPER=01-Regina Blakley/Reporting;
RUNS=1:30
OUT Q=federal district court in Washington.

(( It what is an unprecendented appearance... first lady hillary rodham clinton has been brought under supeona before (super:artist: don juhlin) the grand jury to answer questions concerning legal billing records which outline the extent of her work as an attorney for madison guaranty.. the arkansas savings and loan at the center of the Whitewater controversy.
The supeona was based on the recent discovery of the records by a white house aide. that aide.. carolyn huber.. has testified she found the documents.. which investigators have long requested.. on a table in a private room on the third floor of the white house.. a room the aide describes as reserved for the first family, their guests and some staff members.
Mrs. clinton is not a target of the investigation... but special prosecutor kenneth starr is looking into possible obstruction of justice charges based upon whether these documents were intentionally withheld..and if so, by whom.
In Newhampshireshire yesterday campaigning for her husband.. the first lady shook off questions..
HILLARY CLINTON:ARE YOU NERVOUS ABOUT THE GRAND JURY APPEARANCE? NO."
But her appearance here finds her playing many different and conflicting roles. DORIS KEARNES GOODWIN/PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN:SHE HAS TO BE A LAWYER UP THERE, SHE HAS TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL BUT SHE'S ALSO DEFENDING FIRST LADIES AND THE DIGNITY OF THE OFFICE AND HOW SHE MANUEVERS THOSE THREE ROLLS IS A THINK GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT THING FOR HER.
Mrs. Clinton has testified under oath before.. but in those instances she was at the white house.. this time she is on the prosecutor's turf.. more to come.... Regina Blackley CBS News, at the Federal District Court in Washington."))

BUDGET


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=Washington, D.C.


In other news from Washington, it appears a third government shutdown will be avoided.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Capitol Hill;


Today the Senate is expected to approve legislation that would keep the U-S government open through March 15th.
House Republicans easily approved the stop-gap measure yesterday.
President Clinton has indicated he will sign it.
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FIRING-SQUAD


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#=net
GRAPHIC=NONE


In Utah this morning, a firing squad executed a child killer.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=@file;


Thirty- six- year old John Taylor was convicted in 19-89 of raping and strangling an 11- year- old girl.
He insisted he was innocent.
Given a choice between death by firing squad or lethal injection, Taylor choose the firing squad, saying it would be costly and embarrassing to the state.
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SOT
IN Q=This was very

((JACK FORD/UTAH DEPT. OF CORRECITIONS: IT WAS "CLEAN QUICK AND PROFESSIONAL." HE THINKS A BILL WILL BE PASSED THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE INMATE FROM BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE THE FORM OF EXECUTION. ))
SUPER=01-Jack Ford/Utah Dept. of Corrections;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=form of exectuion
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VO-NAT


It was the nation's first firing squad execution in 19 years.
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Bath-Flooding


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=jmo
TAPE#96-114
GRAPHIC=Flood Aftermath


In Hot Springs, the raging flood waters that swept through town have receeded, but there was much damage left in their wake.
Jay Moore takes a look in this report.
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SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Hot Springs; :00
SUPER=01-Claire Collins/Bath Co. Administrator; :22
SUPER=01-Mary Sanders/Homestead Resort; :57
SUPER=@Jay1; 1:07
RUNS=1:18
OUT Q=Moore, News-7.

(( What a difference a week makes.
Just last week a boat would have been a more appropriate means of transportation down main street in Hot Springs.
Now the water is gone but not before leaving six million dollars in damages.
County officials are still evaluating what kind of assistance is out there.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 5:28:45
IN Q=Trying to secure

((CLAIRE COLLINS/BATH CO. ADMINISTRATOR: TRYING TO SECURE SOME ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, NOT ONLY FOR THE RESIDENTIAL HOME OWNER BUT ALSO FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY. ))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=and industry.


Several inches of rain combined with leftover snow made the flooding as bad as a decade ago.
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SOT 5:23:56
IN Q=It is a

((COLLINS: IT IS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN COMPARISON. PART OF THE COUNTY GOT HIT HARDER THAN THEY DID IN 1985 AND SOME DIDN'T GET HIT AS HARD. ))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=as hard.


The major attraction in Hot Springs was hit hard.
The Homestead reports about two and a half million dollars in damages.
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SOT 6:01:05
IN Q=Fortunately not much

((MARY SANDERS/HOMESTEAD RESORT: FORTUNATELY NOT MUCH OF IT GOT IN OR AROUND THE MAIN BUILDING OF THE HOTEL. WE PRIMARILY HAD DAMAGE ON THE THE OUTLYING AREAS WHERE WE HAVE CREEKS OR CULVERTS. ))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=creeks and culverts.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 6:55:38
IN Q=The three

((JAY MOORE/REPORTING: THE THREE GOLF COURSES HERE AT THE HOMESTEAD DID SUFFER SOME EROSION DAMAGE BUT MANAGEMENT SAYS WHEN GOLFERS TEE OFF WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS EVERYTHING SHOULD BE UP TO PAR. IN HOT SPRINGS, JAY MOORE, NEWS 7.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=Moore, News 7.

))
Tease#2

SOFT MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Stay tuned.
When News 7 returns,
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VO-NAT

these stars on ice will take a few minutes out of their practice schedule to chat with us.
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music up full comm2
Stars-On-Ice
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# 95-108
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=some of the top
SUPER=00-Scott Hamilton; :32
SUPER=03-Denver, CO; :38
SUPER=07-Kristi Yamaguchi; 1:37
RUNS=3:13
OUT Q= right patrick?




Valley-View


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#95-105
GRAPHIC=Business News


The grand opening of a WalMart SuperCenter is just the beginning of the changes taking place on the Roanoke retail scene.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


During the next 18 months close to a quarter of the storefronts at the Valley View Mall will have new tenants.
Mall management says this is happening for three reasons.
A number of leases have expired, tenants are relocating or expanding in the mall, and poor holiday sales hurt a number of stores.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT TAPE ONE 02:39:44
IN Q=There's a

((SCOTT ASHCRAFT/VALLEY VIEW MALL MARKETING: THERE'S A LOT OF VOLATILITY IN RETAIL. AGAIN, THE CONSUMER IS GONNA WIN IN THESE CHANGES, THESE NATIONAL CHANGES, BUT THE STRONGER TENANT WILL SURVIVE.))
SUPER=01-Scott Ashcraft/Valley View Mall Marketing;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=will survive.
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VO-NAT


Among the stores that have left; Lazarus, Morrison's Cafeteria, Treasures, B-Dalton Booksellers, and the Earring Tree.
And Webster's is having its closeout sale.
Here's the good news.
The mall has a number of tenants lined up for the vacant storefronts, many of them are described as upscale, national chains.
No names can be given out yet though, because negotiations are still pending.
The mall WILL say that the Express store will be expanding in April.
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Stocks


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE#none
SS=Stocks


Stocks are narrowly mixed during a quiet session today.
On Wall Street at noon the Dow was UP almost eighteen-and-a-half points.
tease#3

SPORTS MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


Just ahead,
Virginia Tech suffers it's first loss in nine games,
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VO-NAT

and the Express takes on an exciting schedule this weekend at the Roundhouse.
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MUSIC UP FULL comm4

GW


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#=net
GRAPHIC=TECH HOOPS


The Virginia Tech Hokies ended a nine game winning streak last night with a loss to George Washington.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Washington DC/Last Night;


The loss is Tech's first in the Atlantic 10.
Kwame (KWA-me) Evans led the way for G-W, with shots like this jumper from the corner.
The Hokies struggled all night long, thanks to plays like this turnover under their own basket.
Shawn Smith led Tech with 15, while Ace Custis had 10 and Shawn Good 9.
(----------------)



Express


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=sma
TAPE#=ICE-95
GRAPHIC=Express logo


The Roanoke Express hopes to better their winning record in the next two days.
They've had the entire week to prepare for this
SS=Express/Richmond

weekend's battle with East Division leading Richmond tonight
SS=Express/Hampton

then, Saturday, the team turns around and plays Hampton Roads.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00


This season, the Express is 2 and 4 against the Renegades and 4 and 2 versus the Admirals.
But the key stat right now is that Roanoke has won only 6 of it's last 19 games.
Thursday morning, much of the team's practice centered around conditioning of the body and the mind.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q="Our work

((FRANK ANZALONE/EXPRESS HEAD COACH:))
SUPER=01-Frank Anzalone/Express Head Coach; :00
RUNS=:21
OUT Q=...not to late
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ANCHOR=Patrick
SS=HOLD


Again, you can catch the Express in action tonight at the Roundhouse, as they face off against Richmond at 7:30.

by SS