12:00-01

noon-headlines

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Ahead on News 7 at Noon, a fire in Lynchburg claims two lives.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie


And the anxiety may be easing a bit today on Wall Street.
ANCHOR=Patrick
SUPER=NONE


Record cold continues as we reach new lows for the third day in a row. Looks like things are moderating a bit, so stay tuned for the complete forecast from the News 7 Weather Center.
(////////)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Don't go away, the news is next.

L'burg-Fire


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-5
GRAPHIC=fatal fire


Two people are dead after a fire in a Lynchburg residence this morning.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg


Fire crews were called to the 200 block of "F" Street just before nine.
Flames had already consumed the front of the two- story building, making it difficult for crews to attack the fire from inside.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 1:45:55
IN Q=It had a

((CMDR. ED JONES/LYNCHBURG FIRE DEPT.: IT HAD A LARGE HEADWAY WHEN WE GOT HERE. THE LOWER LEVEL WAS PRETTY MUCH FULLY INVOLVED AND IT HAD ALREADY EXTENDED TO THE SECOND FLOOR. WE DID HAVE TWO VICTIMS..THE FIRE'S STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND WE'RE JUST DOING SOME MOP-UP WORK NOW.))
SUPER=01-Cmdr. Ed Jones/Lynchburg Fire Dept.; :00
RUNS=:19
OUT Q=mop-up work now.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Police have not released the identities of the two victims, both elderly men.
Authorities say the fire appeared to have started in a first- floor bedroom, but the cause has not been determined.
(----------------)



Arson


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Mornin'
WRITER=ssm
TAPEedit of #96-3
GRAPHIC=arson


And a string of suspicious fires in Bedford County has authorities looking for suspects.
Beginning early yesterday, five separate fires were deliberately set in the Boonsboro- Big Island area of the county.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Bedford Co./Last Night


The latest destroyed a hay barn off Route 5-0-1 last night.
Authorities say they do believe all five fires are related, and their investigation is making some progress.
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Last Night;


Also last night, someone may have set fire to several storage areas at the Ramada Inn in Lynchburg.
Authorities say a security guard ran a vagrant off the property just before midnight.
When he returned, two of the storage bays were on fire.
The blaze had spread to four other storage areas by the time firefighters arrived.
The fire destroyed several mattresses-- and smoke, damaged a number of rooms at the motel.
The investigation continues.
(----------------)



Stock-Market


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# 96-6
GRAPHIC=stock market


All eyes are on Wall Street today following Friday's roller-coaster ride.
The Dow Jones industrials plunged 171 points to close out last week.
doublebox=mel/len/microwave


Len Besthoff has been visiting some of the local brokerage houses as they gauge today's activity.
So Len, how's it going so far?
(///////////////)
LIVE=len/full
SUPER=@Len1;
SUPER=05-Roanoke;
(len ad lib)
(*******rollcue: to Friday's selloff********)
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=yeah this morning
SUPER=01-Tom Dunkenberger/Wheat First Butcher Singer; :00 (Quick!)
SUPER=03-Roanoke; :10 (Quick!)
RUNS=:35
OUT Q=in 1987
LIVE=len/full
SUPER=05-Roanoke;
(len ad lib)
SUPER=01-George Brammer/A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.;
(len toss to mel)




China-dispute


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


China has issued a strongly-worded warning to the United States: stay out of the Taiwan dispute.
That may be too late, the U-S is already making a show of military force in the region.
Two U-S carriers, the Independence and the Nimitz are headed to the waters off Taiwan.
Barry Petersen reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Off Kuwait; :00
SUPER=03-Beijing, China; :12
SUPER=01-Michael Swaine/Rand Corporation; :44
SUPER=03-Taipei, Taiwan; 1:00
SUPER=01-Barry Petersen/Reporting; 1:12
RUNS=1:24
OUT Q=CBS News, Tawian.

(( The two American aircraft carriers are sailing into increasingly troubled waters...their presence hailed today by the Taiwanese as a stabilizing effect...and quickly condemned by communist china.
China's foreign minister in Beijing minced no words...warning that American involvement in the Taiwan situation would be..his words..reckless and erroneous.
He called suggestions that America intervene preposterous - and warned that it would create what he called a chaotic situation.
The war of words comes a day before the Chinese military starts practicing for real war...another round of military exercises ominously close to Taiwan.
The Chinese consider Taiwan a renagade province and ARE vowING to take it back. MICHAEL SWAINE/RAND CORPORATION) I THINK THEIR STRATEGY IS TO USE THE MILITARY TOOL AS PART OF A COMBINATION OF DIPLOMATIC AND MILITARY PRESSURE AGAINST THE TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT TO GET THEM TO MODERATE WHAT THE CHINESE BELIEVE IS THE TAIWAN POLICY OF LOOKING FOR INDEPENDENCE.
In Taiwan, there were more calls for independence during a presidential election rally here yesterday...the sort of thing likely to anger the Chinese even more. The taiwanese don't really think a war is imminent, but there is a real sense that each day seems to bring another escalati0n in this crisis...and each escalation brings the unthinkable that much closer. bp, cbs NEws, Taiwan.))

tease#1

HARD MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Still to come --
The General Assembly agrees on a budget,
(--------------)
VO-NAT

and in Nevada, we'll show you how a motorcycle stunt went terribly wrong.
(---------------)

wx-tease music up full
comm1

Forbes


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=forbes


On the Eve of super Tuesday a shakeup in the Forbes Camp.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Plant City, FL/Yesterday;


Steve Forbes is reportedly on the outs with Jack Kemp, the man who last week endorsed his Republican presidential bid.
The rift is apparently over an offer by Kemp to mend fences between Forbes and front runner Bob Dole.
Kemp had been expected to campaign with Forbes in Florida today.
Instead, he's returning to Washington.
(----------------)



Mark-Warner


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# 96-8
GRAPHIC=campaign 96


Multi- millionaire businessman Mark Warner this morning formally entered the race for the U-S Senate seat held by John Warner.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond;


Mark Warner is running against former Congresswoman Leslie Byrne for the Democratic nomination.
Warner says he'll limit himself to two terms if elected and NOT accept any special interest campaign money.
That's made possible by his own personal wealth of over 100- million dollars.
(----0---------)


XGR


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=equ
TAPE# 96-15
GRAPHIC=Session '96


General Assembly budget negotiators overnight agreed to a compromise 35- billion dollar spending plan, but not fast enough to avoid sending the 19-96 session into a second day of overtime.
And not without a good, old-fashioned political fight.
Ellen Qualls has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Let us be
SUPER=01-Rev. George Williams/Deputy House Clerk; :03
SUPER=03-Richmond/Yesterday; :10
SUPER=@Allen; :17
SUPER=@Ellen2; :32
SUPER=@Cranwell; :41
SUPER=01-Sen. Stanley Walker/(D) Norfolk; 1:22
SUPER=01-Del. Earl Dickenson/(D) Louisa; 1:34 QUICK!
RUNS=1:44
OUT Q=Qualls, News 7, Richmond.



((sot 18:00:27

((REV. GEORGE WILLIAMS/DEPUTY HOUSE CLERK: LET US BE IN PRAYER. MY LORD WHAT A WEEKEND. THE SESSION. THE END OF THE SESSION IS ALMOST IN SIGHT.))
runs=:08


The handful of lawmakers assigned to iron out the last details of a massive overhaul to the juvenile court system are the final holdouts.
sot 04:21:00

((GOV. GEORGE ALLEN: THERE ARE MACHINATIONS. THERE'S HOSTAGE TAKING THAT OCCURS IN THESE SESSIONS AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PRISONERS THAT WILL PROBABLY GET RELEASED AT THE LAST SECOND. YOU MIGHT RECALL LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T GET WELFARE REFORM RELEASED UNTIL THE VERY LAST MINUTE.))
runs=:14


Like welfare reform, Democrats are trying to claim some of the bragging rights from Allen on juvenile justice reform.
But they react angrily to the suggestion they're trying to torpedo the bill.
SOT 04:05:35

((DEL. DICK CRANWELL/D-VINTON: come here a minute. LET ME TELL YOU THAT THAT IS THE FURTHEREST THING FROM THE TRUTH. WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE TAKE THIS -- WHAT I THINK IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT STEP -- ON JUVENILE JUSTICE, THAT WE ALSO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND THAT WE FUND THE PROGRAM ADEQUATELY SO THAT WE NOT ONLY PUNISH BUT THAT WE ALSO MAKE AN HONEST TO GOD ATTEMPT TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE.))
runs=:25


Norfolk Democrat Jerrauld Jones was the Democrats' point man on the reform effort -- and his side wants more rehabilitation, treatment, and prevention money than Allen's staff wants.
But the nine powerful politicians who've tailored the Governor's original budget over the last few days say they're proud of the end product.
sot 04:12:30

((SEN. STANLEY WALKER/D-NORFOLK: WE AGREED WITH THE HOUSE ON THE TEACHER SALARIES. ... HIGHER EDUCATION.))
runs=:12



sot 04:08:09

((DEL. EARL DICKENSON/D-LOUISA: AT THE END WE'RE ALL HAPPY.))
runs=:02


On at least one issue,
nat sot cranwell
runs=:02

that remains to be seen.
Ellen Qualls, News 7, Richmond.))
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=hold


The budget plan includes small pay raises for teachers, larger ones for other state workers, a two year tuition freeze at colleges, and 163- million dollars for college building projects.
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on it later today.
Tease#2

SOFT MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Stay with us - when we come back we'll have the cold details of this weekend's record breaking temperatures,
(----------------)
VO-NAT

and we'll show you how a little boy survived them with the help of two furry friends.
(-------------)

music up full comm2

Stunt-Rider


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none


A veteran motorcycle stunt rider was killed yesterday in Nevada when he missed a landing ramp after jumping over a pedestrian bridge.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Mesquite, NV/Yesterday;


Thirty-seven year old Butch Laswell crashed to the ground in front of thousands of stunned spectators.
He was pronounced dead at a Las Vegas hospital about an hour after the jump.
Police say the wind may have been a factor in his fatal crash.
(----------------)



Missing-Boy


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


They're searching today in Southwest Missouri for a stray dog credited with saving the life of a ten-year old boy.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Josh Carlisle, who has down syndrome, wandered away from home last Wednesday.
SUPER=03-Cassvile, MO;


For days, volunteers scoured the woods for Josh and on Saturday a rescuer finally spotted him in a creek bed.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I got down there

((OSCAR NELL/VOLUNTEER: I GOT DOWN THERE AND SAID JOSH, HE RAISED HIS HEAD, YEAH, I SAID YOU WANT TO GO HOME, YEAH.))
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=to go home, yeah.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS==NONE


The boy survived three nights in record cold, apparently by curling up with two stray dogs.
One dog has already been found and the family plans to keep him.

Gas-Prices


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=none


It's costing a little more to "fillerup" these days.
An industry analyst says gasoline prices rose an average of two cents a gallon in the past two weeks, continuing a trend started in November. The average gallon of gas now costs a bit more than a-dollar-21.

Feedback-3/10


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=JMC
TAPE# Feed#3
GRAPHIC=Feedback


Turning now to our viewer mail --
A murder suspect's arrest, and women's basketball are the topics this week.
Here's assignment editor Joe McKean, with News-7's Feedback.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
SUPER=03-Henry Co./February 22; :00
SUPER=@File;:43
RUNS=1:40
OUT Q=McKean, News-7.

(( The day that Mark Anthony Carter was arrested on charges of killing two people in Pittsylvania County, our photographer caught him making an obscene gesture as he was driven off to jail.
A Roanoke viewer objected to that image.
"As I feel that your station is a socially-responsible news organization, I am amazed that you allowed that to be shown as early as six p.m. I cannot imagine what positive value this brought to the newscast, but can think of plenty of negatives. With so many coalitions and groups lobbying for removal of such acts from the television screen, these acts are not good for the valley, the children watching the news and definitely not for your marketing strategy...I trust that in the future you will more carefully decide the value of the film you place on your news programs." NAT SOUND
A viewer from Hollins called a foul on our coverage of women's basketball.
"I would be interested to know why men's basketball is referred to...as basketball but basketball played by women is called girls basketball or more recently "ladies hoops?" Similar sexist language is used in reference to every other sport. If they need to, let them refer to basketball teams made up of men as "men's basketball" and women's basketball as "women's basketball", but if you show footage these terms are usually not necessary as most viewers can differentiate between the genders."
If you have some thoughts about our news coverage or issues in the news, send them along to News-7 Feedback, P.O. Box 7, Roanoke, 24022-0007.
We accept faxes as well, as 540-343-7269.
And for E-mail, the address is wdbj7@telecom.web.
Joe McKean, News-7.))

tease#3

SPORTS MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


When we come back, the final A-P college basketball poll is out...Patrick will tell us who's number one,
(----------------)
VO-NAT

and he'll have highlights of this weekend's Purolator 500.
Stick around for sports on News 7 at Noon.
(---------------)

MUSIC UP FULL comm4

AP-Poll


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=college hoops


Massachusetts, which held the number one ranking longer than any other team this season, recaptured the top spot today in the final A-P college basketball poll.
The Minutemen easily moved back on top again, switching places with Kentucky.
They were followed by Connecticut and three teams tied for fourth -- Georgetown, Kansas and Purdue.
Virginia Tech ranked 22nd.

Tech


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Roy
TAPE#TB96-1
GRAPHIC=Tech Logo


Speaking of Tech, the N-C-Double-A pairings are out and the Hokies have a date in Dallas.
(----------------)
VO-NAT ENG#


Tech is the ninth seed in the Midwest and the Hokies have a Thursday night matchup against Wisconsin-Green Bay.
SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :


The 22- and- 5 Hokies are making their first tournament trip since 1986 and they look at the N-C-Double-A tournament as a chance for redemption.
(-------------)
ANCHOR=patrick
SS=College Hoops


V-C-U is the 12-th seed in the Southeast region.
The Rams will play Mississippi State, which beat top ranked Kentucky in the S-E-C tournament championship.
V-C-U goes to the show for the first time in 10 years.

Women


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Roy
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=Big South


Three teams will represent the state in the Women's N-C-Double-A tournament.
The Highlanders of Radford are the 16-th seed in the East.
That means the Big South champion will play top seeded Tennessee in the first round.
SS=College Hoops


Old Dominion is the number two seed in the east and the Cavaliers of Virginia are the number three seed.
Virginia will play Manhattan Friday Night at home.

Race


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Roy
TAPE#R-31
GRAPHIC=Atlanta Speedway


Dale Earnhardt takes the checkered flag winning the Purolator 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
(----------------)
VO-NAT ENG#
SUPER=03-Hampton, GA/ABC SPORTS; :


In the beginning, Rusty Wallace passes Earnhardt and moves his car to the front.
But the strongest car on the track appears to be that of Terry Labonte.
He is the leader after 105 laps of the race.
Earnhardt comes back and takes the lead in his Chevrolet with 197 laps left.
But the move of the day belongs to defending points champ Jeff Gordon.
Earnhardt taps Dick Trickle and gets loose.
Gordon makes his move and goes to the front with 187 laps left.
The second caution of the day comes when Hut Stricklin loses parts of his spoiler for the second time on lap 237.
Earnhardt is the first to pit in the closing stages of the race and his crew gets him out quickly.
Earnhardt holds off a charge by Terry Labonte winning the Purolator 500, his second win of the season.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q="That last stop

((DALE EARNHARDT/PUROLATOR 500 WINNER: THAT LAST STOP WAS A GREAT STOP. THE PIT CREW DID A GREAT JOB. I GOTTA HAND IT TO THEM. THEY JUST KEEP GETTING ON TOP OF IT. WELL, IT'S THE NUMBER ONE PIT POSITION. WE WERE IN PIT 13 TODAY. WE STOMPED THEM - WE GOT THEM HARD IN THE PIT.))
SUPER=01-Dale Earnhardt/Purolator 500 Winner; :
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=.....Hard in the pits."
(-------------)
ANCHOR=patrick
SS=Hold Logo


Labonte is second, Gordon third, Ernie Irvan fourth and Jeremy Mayfield driving for Cale Yarborough is fifth.

WRAP


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=AMO
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=NONE
(****toss to mel****)
(mel and patrick ad lib)


Coming up today on Health Check-- a report on the sleep habits of teenagers.
New research finds they have different sleep cycles-- which is why they're sleepy in the morning, and alert at night.
We'll tell you about the push to change school hours, later on News 7 at FIVE.
And that's it for News 7 at Noon. Thanks for joining us.
by SS