12:00-01

NOON-HEADLINES

TALENT=Melanie
SS=None
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VO-NAT


Straight ahead on News 7,
The midwest is struggling through yet another rash of violent storms,
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ANCHOR=Melanie

and Roanoke Republican Jeff Artis quits the party.
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TALENT=Patrick
SS=None
(patrick ad lib)
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ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Don't go away, the news is next.

Artis


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of
GRAPHIC=artis


Roanoke republican Jeff Artis is leaving the party, and he says bigotry is to blame.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;


Artis tells News 7 -- quote -- "I can no longer support a political party whose most powerful faction does not support me as a candidate or respect me as a black man."
He also called Ralph Smith-- the city's party chairman --homophobic and racist.
Smith says Artis is entitled to his opinion, but that he does not understand why he is being called a bigot.
Artis was recently defeated in Roanoke's city council elections.
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Child-Porn


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=none


The Postal Service says it has shut down the largest commercial distributor of child pornography in U-S history.
Officials announced today that an undercover sting operation has reeled in 45 people, with more arrests possible.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Washington DC;


Chief Postal Inspector Ken Hunter, says it all started with a California company.
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SOT
IN Q=the San Diego Company...
SUPER=01-Ken Hunter/Chief Postal Inspector;
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=children and adults.
ANCHOR=Melanie


The arrests followed raids by state and federal agents at 130 sites in 36 states.

BAD-WX


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


The midwest has suffered another round of violent storms including tornadoes and flood-producing rains.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Villa Grove, IL;


The system dumped up to eight inches of rain in Illinois and Indiana, and more rain is expected to fall today.
SUPER=03-Near Beatrice, NE;


Meantime, several twisters hit southeast Nebraska last night causing extensive damage and knocking out power.
Now is the peak of tornado season, and the people who track and study the storms are hard at work, hoping to increase the the lead time in predicting when a killer storm touches down.
Dave Fehling follows some tornado chasers.
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WIPE/WIPE/WIPE

storm-chaser


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=NAT SOUND
SUPER=03-Texas Panhandle; :00
SUPER=01-Warren Faidley/Photographer; :30
SUPER=04-"Twister" - Warner Bros.; :36
SUPER=01-Dave Fehling/Reporting; :51
SUPER=03-Edmond, OK; :56 **VERY QUICK***
SUPER=01-Josh Wurman/Univ. of Oklahoma; 1:34
RUNS=1:56
OUT Q=Dave Fehling CBS NEWS Amarillo Texas.

(( The month of may means the most tornadoes... ...LETS GET CLOSE TO IT, GET SOME GOOD SHOTS.
And for storm chasers like warren faidely....
It means packing up.. zeroing in...and heading out in search of the next big twister.
"MULTIPLE TORNADOS ON THE GROUND..."
Last year in texas, he found not one but three at a time.
He has chased fat ones, And thin ones.
And ones that look like they'd take you all the way to oz and back.
WARREN FAIDLEY, PHOTOGRAPHER:"WHEN YOU'RE THAT CLOSE TO A TORNADO, THERE'S SOMETHING PRIMEVAL ABOUT IT. THERE'S SOMETHING INSIDE OF YOU, ITS MESMERIZING."
They've mesmerized hollywood as well.
"TWISTER" is being released this week.
But what you're looking at now is not a special effect, its Edmond Oklahoma, may 8th, 1986.
"a twister to these people isnt some hollywood movie. its a nightmare come to real life, a day ten years ago this week when their neighborhood was ripped apart."
"THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR LIVES."
That's virginia andersen the day after the tornado destoryed their home and 49 others. but no one got killed...the andersens say its because of the warnings on t-v.
HE SAID HEAD FOR COVER, HE SAID HEAD FOR COVER."
But current technology can give people only about a 20 minute warning at best that a major tornado is forming
THese storm scientists---who just last month chased this tornado through
illinois---are using new computer programs and doplar radar data to try to

improve that lead time to over two hours. JOSH WURMAN, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA) "THEY'RE VERY VIOLENT SO THERE'S ALSO A HUMAN NEED TO STUDY AND RESEARCH THEM AND BE ABLE TO PREDICT THEM BETTER."
"THATS WHERE I'M GOING TO BE SKADDLING."
And for the storm chasers, better predictions could lead to more spectacular video of springtime's most terrifying but most fascinating of storms.
Dave Fehling CBS NEWS Amarillo Texas.))

FIRES


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=brush fire


It could take up to a week for firefighters to fully contain the massive wildfire in northern New Mexico.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Near Taos, NM


But fire officials say the good news is the blaze is now 30 percent contained.
The fire has already taken a heavy toll in property --incinerating 32 buildings in the hamlet of La Lama.
Eighteen of the destroyed buildings were homes.
The state's governor is taking measures to insure there won't be anymore fire tragedies.
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SOT
IN Q=

((GARY JOHNSON/GOV. OF NEW MEXICO:RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING INTO A BAN ON FIREWORKS...WE CANNOT AFFORD ANY MORE OF THESE FIRES. ))
SUPER=01-Gary Johnson/Governor of New Mexico;
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=THESE FIRES.
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VO-NAT


Firefighters are using helicopters to reach the blaze in New Mexico's rugged terrain.
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ship-fire


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=nooni
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=fire


A cruise to the Bahamas has turned out to be anything but relaxing for hundreds of passengers.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Near Freeport;


A fire broke out this morning on a Discovery Cruise ship, forcing some 800 passengers to evacuate.
Some of them stayed in the Bahamas, others left on other cruise ships or were flown home.
The fire was in the engine room and investigators think a detached fuel line started it.
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tease#1

HARD MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Still to come --
In the New River Valley, a Virginia Tech student is charged with pointing a gun at police officers, while another officer is cleared of wrongdoing after shooting a woman,
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VO-NAT

and after being involved in a deadly shootout six months ago, a Henrico County policeman is advising fellow officers to take their training seriously.
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WX ad lib viewernet music up full comm1

Culpeper-Body


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=tbr
TAPE#edit of 96-39
GRAPHIC=NONE


The body found this week near Culpeper has been identified as that of Alicia Reynolds.
Now begins the search for her killer.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lignum;


The 25-year old Baltimore woman disappeared two months ago when she was traveling on U-S 29.
Witnesses told police they saw her talking with a man who appeared to be helping her look under the hood of her car.
After Reynolds disappeared, police got numerous reports of women being approached by a man while driving on U-S 29.
The description given by the women matches the man last seen with Reynolds.
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B'burg-Arrest


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=tal
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=none


Blacksburg police arrested a Virginia Tech student early this morning after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at them.
Police officers responding to call of fireworks going off instead heard what they believed to be two shotgun blasts on a walking trail between Janie Lane and University Village Trailer Park.
The officers say when they encountered a man outside a home on Janie Lane, he pointed the weapon at them, then ran inside when they told him to drop the gun.
No shots were exchanged, and police later arrested Jon Christopher Overton and charged him with brandishing and discharging a firearm.

C'Burg-Shooting


ANCHOR=mel
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=lba
TAPE#None
GRAPHIC=none


And a Christiansburg police officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing after shooting a woman in the leg, but the woman is now facing charges.
The Commonwealth's Attorney yesterday supported Officer A. H. Smith's use of force and charged Stella Arcaro with reckless handling of a firearm.
The incident happened last month when Smith responded to a suicide call at Old Farm Village apartments, and heard a shot coming from an apartment.
Police say Arcaro came out of the apartment pointing a rifle at Smith and he shot her in the leg.

Margiotta


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-26
GRAPHIC=None


A Henrico County police officer who survived a gun battle several months ago is helping others learn from his experience.
Steve Smallshaw has more from a police survival training seminar in Appomattox County.
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SOT
IN Q=Andy Margiotta
SUPER=03-Appomattox Co.; :00
SUPER=03-Campbell Co./November; :07
SUPER=01-Andy Margiotta/Henrico Co. Police; :23
SUPER=@ssm1; :40
SUPER=01-Troy Nicks/Training Academy Instructor; 1:02
RUNS=1:18
OUT Q=News7, Appomattox County.



(( Andy Margiotta still bears the scars of his encounter with Brad McCombie last November.
The two met at the end of McCombie's 18- hour crime spree that started Halloween night in Campbell County and ended on a Henrico County highway.
McCombie shot Margiotta twice before the officer was able to return fire.
McCombie died at the scene.. Margiotta lived to retell the incident.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:52:55
IN Q=At the time

((OFFICER ANDY MARGIOTTA/HENRICO CO. POLICE: AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS VERY SHY, I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT IT. I JUST WANTED TO GET BACK TO WORK AND HAVE THE WHOLE THING FORGOTTEN ABOUT.))
RUNS=:08
OUT Q=forgotten about.


But Margiotta realizes he can help his fellow officers by reviewing the incident.
That's what brought him to this police survival training seminar in Appomattox County.
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SU
IN Q=Police officers

((Police officers say in a situation like the shootout Officer Margiotta had with McCombie, their very survival depends on their instincts and their training. Margiotta says he hopes his presence here will remind officer to take their training seriously.))
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=their training seriously.
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SOT 13:24:03
IN Q=I made some

((MARGIOTTA: I MADE SOME MISTAKES, I DID SOME THINGS RIGHT, I DID SOME THINGS WRONG AND I WANT YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM IT AS I HAVE LEARNED FROM IT.))
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=learned from it.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:47:26
IN Q=Every police

((TROY NICKS/TRAINING ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR: EVERY POLICE OFFICER HOPES THAT HE'LL NEVER HAVE TO DRAW HIS WEAPON IN THE LINE OF DUTY, AND MOST DON'T, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR SO THAT WE CAN DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IF THE NEED DOES ARRIVE.))
RUNS=:12
OUT Q=need does arrive.


Thanks to Margiotta, that point is being driven home.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Appomattox County.))

Tease#2

SOFT MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


When News 7 returns,
Is Richard Byrd a hero? Some say no,
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VO-NAT

and a W-D-B-J legend is remembered at Roanoke's annual humanitarian awards dinner.
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Byrd


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


Seventy years ago Virginia native Richard Byrd was hailed as a national hero as the first person to fly over the North pole.
But researchers now say his recently discovered flight diary shows he actually flew short of his goal and knew it.
The diary was found in January among papers at Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center.
It indicates Byrd and his pilot were concerned about an engine leak so they turned around about 150 miles shy of the North Pole.
The university is officially releasing its findings today to coincide with the flight's 70th anniversary.


National-Conference


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-42
GRAPHIC=NONE


What do a rabbi, an artist, a fitness guru and a couple of philanthropists have in common?
They were all honored at the 31st annual humanitarian awards dinner in Roanoke last night.
The event is hosted by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;


Those receiving honors were Rabbi Jerome Fox of Beth Israel Synagogue, arts and culture advocate Pearl Fu (FOO), and philanthropists Sydney and Rosalie Shaftman.
National Conference president Sanford Cloud addressed the audience at the Hotel Roanoke.
Cloud criticized Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schot-- who recently said Adolph Hitler was "good at the beginning" but then "went too far."
Cloud says public figures should be more careful of their words.
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SOT 21:44:25
IN Q=Their comments

((SANFORD CLOUD/NATIONAL CONFERENCE PRESIDENT: THEIR COMMENTS CAN BE SO VERY HURTFUL-- NOT ONLY TO A PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BUT TO ALL AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND I REALLY THINK THAT AN APOLOGY IS IN ORDER. ))
SUPER=01-Sanford Cloud/National Conference President;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=apology is in order
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VO-NAT


Cloud, along with other participants of the conference paid tribute to the late T-V personality and fitness expert Artie Levin-- who passed away last week.
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SOT 21:46:09
IN Q=he was a giant

((HE WAS A GIANT OF A MAN, AS HE RELATES TO TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS RACIAL, ETHIC, AND CULTURAL LINES. ))
RUNS=:08
OUT Q=CULTURAL LINES
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TALENT=Melanie
SS=none


Just a decade ago, Levin received the humanitarian award.

York


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=rjo
TAPE#96-35
GRAPHIC=Business News


160 new jobs are coming to Botetourt County, thanks to a Fortune 500 company.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;


York International says it bought a shell building in Fincastle, for more than one million dollars.
York is known worldwide for making air conditioning and refrigeration machinery.
State and local officials welcomed the technology giant and believe York's decision to move here might attract other businesses.
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SOT 10:41:06
IN Q=When companies as large

((GAYLE MORGAN/STATE REP. OF COMMERCE AND TRADE: WHEN COMPANIES AS LARGE AND AS EXCELLENT AS YORK INTERNATIONAL LOCATE IN AN AREA IT MAKES OTHER SIMILAR SITUATED COMPANIES IN AN AREA SAY, HUMPH... I WONDER WHAT THEY KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW, WE BETTER GO AND LOOK IN THAT AREA AND SEE IF MAYBE WE WANT TO LOCATE THERE TOO.))
SUPER=01-Gayle Morgan/State Rep. of Commerce and Trade;
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=to locate there too.
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VO-NAT


The Botetourt site beat out 22 other communities in four states.
York officials plan to move into the building in August.
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Harris-Teeter


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-43
GRAPHIC=NONE


Six Harris Teeter supermarkets in the area are changing hands.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Salem;


The North Carolina chain will sell the stores to Harden Foods- a new company that'll be based in Altavista.
The stores being sold are in Reidsville, North Carolina, Altavista, Amherst, Salem, South Boston and South Hill.
They will be renamed "Fresh and Friendly" stores, emphasizing fresh perishable products and customer service.
Harris Teeter says it's selling the stores because they don't fit in with the company's long term goals.
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Stocks


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=stocks


Stocks have added to yesterday's gains even though interest rates have edged higher.
On Wall Street at noon the Dow was UP 11 points.
tease#3

SPORTS MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


Stick around,
Area colleges are wrapping up exams, but for the Hokie baseball team, the test is just beginning,
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VO-NAT

and Lance Armstrong lost the battle up Beech Mountain yesterday, but he still holds the yellow jersey.
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MUSIC UP FULL comm4

Avalanche


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=sma
TAPE#=CL-96
GRAPHIC=Avalanche


Last night spelled double trouble for the Avalanche as Salem dropped a doubleheader to Prince William.
The Cannons won the opener five-to-one.
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VO-NAT #eng
SUPER=03-Salem/Cannons vs. Avalanche; :00


In the second game -- Salem Pitcher Doug Million hardly plays like a million.
In the top of the third, Prince William's Dan Kopriva smacks this Million pitch off the left field wall and plates Ben Boulware.
It's one-zip Cannons.
Nilson Robledo then finds the wall, but this time he sends the rock to
right SUPER=34-Prince William/==4/Salem/==1;

field.
Jason Evans and Kopriva march home to make the count 3-nothing and the Cannons top Salem four-to-one, thus handing the Avalanche its third straight loss.
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ANCHOR=patrick
SS=hillcats


Also last night, Kinston slipped past Lynchburg eight- to- seven.

Dupont


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#s6-9
GRAPHIC=dupont


Lance Armstrong maintains his overall lead in the Tour Dupont, but failed to win his fifth stage from Bristol to Beech Mountain, North Carolina.
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VO-NAT ENG#
SUPER=03-Bristol/Yesterday; :00


Armstrong spent some of his pre-race time mugging for pictures with fans of all sizes.
Again the riders had to deal with rain as they began yesterday at 11.
But by the time they rolled into the Carolina mountains the skies and the pavement had dried somewhat.
That set the stage for an uphill sprint to the top of Beech Mountain.
Armstrong would give it his best but he finished second less than minute behind team Festina rider Pascal Herve.
The fun continues today with stage nine taking the cyclists 105 miles from Blowing Rock, to downtown Charlotte.
The stage wraps up at two.
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Tech


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Roy
TAPE#S6-6
GRAPHIC=Tech Logo


The Virginia Tech Hokies are finishing up exams and getting ready for their First Atlantic 10 baseball tournament.
And Roy Stanley says they need to win it all to make it into the N-C-A-A tournament.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00
SUPER=01-Josh Herman/Virginia Tech Catcher; :20
SUPER=01-Chuck Hartman/Virginia Tech Head Coach; :51
SUPER=@Roy1; 1:08
RUNS=1:29
OUT Q=..........news 7 sports."
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((In their first season in the Atlantic 10 the Hokies won the West Division. Tech is 33 and 22 overall but 16 and four against the competition in their division.
Tech's main focus is to win the conference tournament but the veterans are out to set a standard for future players.)) ((JOSH HERMAN/TECH CATCHER: )) ((The Hokies have already proven that they are a team to contend with in the A-10.
The conference may not be the strongest but Tech is ready to take the next step and that could come this week when the Hokies open against Temple, which has the best left handed pitcher in the league.)) ((CHUCK HARTMAN/TECH HEAD COACH: )) ((ROY STANDUP: )) ((HARTMAN: )) ((The Hokies play Temple Friday night at 7:30.))
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wrap


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=sch
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=
(*****patrick ad lib******)
(******patrick toss to mel******)


Also coming up tonight on NEWS-7 at FIVE--
Every ten minutes 60 children are abused--and 60 children drop out of school.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


Now children across the nation will have their chance to speak up and speak out in the nation's capital.
Stand for Children Day is being held June First at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.
Organizers hope it will reaffirm the responsibility for healthy, moral and educated children.
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SOT
IN Q=it's very important

((LATONIA WHORLEY/PARENT: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND A LOT OF THE CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING HEARD AND WE NEED TO HEAR FROM OUR CHILDREN OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.))
SUPER=01-Latonia Whorley/Parent
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=are our future.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


More on the Stand for Children and other news of the day tonight on NEWS-7 at FIVE, then stick around for NEWS-7 at SIX. Buh-bye.
by SS