12:00-01

NOON-HEADLINES

TALENT=Melanie
SS=None
(----------------)
VO-NAT


A grieving Bill Cosby gives his first interview since the murder of his son.
(----------------)
Talent=Melanie


And Campbell County authorities have a suspect involved in an early morning shooting.
(/////////////)
TALENT=Patrick
SS=None
(Patrick ad libs weather headline)
(//////////////)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Don't go away, News 7 at Noon is next.

Cosby


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=None


Bill Cosby is back on the set of his television show, less than two weeks after the murder of his only son, Ennis.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-New York, NY;


Cosby talked about his need to get back to a normal life in an interview yesterday with Dan Rather.
He also gave a very personal account of the day they buried Ennis on the family's estate in Massachusetts.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT

8:09:21
IN Q=

((I SET THE COFFIN DOWN OVER THE HOLE AND I SAID WE NOW ANT TO GIVE PRAISE TO GOD FOR ALLOWING US TO KNOW, NOT FOR GIVING HIM TO US BUT JUST LETTING US KNOW HIM. ))
RUNS=:30
OUT Q=US KNOW HIM.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Los Angeles/January 16;


Ennis Cosby was gunned down January 16th as he changed a tire along a California freeway.
Cosby said he is confident the Los Angeles Police Department is doing everything it can to find the killer.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
ss=None


You can hear more of Dan Rather's interview with Cosby tonight on the "CBS Evening News".

Campbell-Shooting


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-99
GRAPHIC=Shooting


An Amherst County man is hospitalized and a suspect in custody following a shooting near Evington this morning.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Campbell Co.


State and county police were called to this trailer on Route 6-73 at about 7:15.
38- year- old Edward Miller of Madison Heights reportedly was shot in the chest and arm.
Rescue crews transported him to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he's listed in serious condition.
Police arrested a suspect on the scene, and were still questioning him this morning.
The suspect's name and other details have not been released.
Authorities say the shooting apparently stemmed from a domestic dispute between the two men.
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Leftwich


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


Steven Leftwich was in court this morning in Roanoke, appealing his case of alleged police brutality.
A jury was chosen-- including seven members and one alternate.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/February 12;


The 30- year- old Roanoke man accused police last year of using excessive force during his arrest.
Leftwich said officers choked and beat him during a routine traffic stop.
But the officers say Leftwich was high and drunk at the time-- and that HE was the one who started the disturbance.
Leftwich was convicted on four counts of assault.
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Simpson


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=OJ Simpson


The defense wraps up its closing argument today at the O-J Simpson civil trial.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Santa Monica, CA/Last Thursday;


Then a plaintiff's lawyer will get the last word with a rebuttal argument.
The case is expected to go to the jury this afternoon.
Because this is a civil case, a unanimous decision is not required.
All it takes for a verdict is a nine-to-three vote.
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WIPE/WIPE/WIPE

DUPONT


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=Mel
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=Wipe wipe wipe
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

7:02;52
Meantime, opening statements have just started in another high profile trial.
But the jury in the John du Pont trial will have a different decision to make.
It's not whether the millionaire killed wrestler David Shultz last year, but whether he was insane when he did it.
His attorneys will try to convince jurors that du Pont suffers from schizophrenia.
(----------------)



Oksana


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


Olympic skater Oksana Baiul was in court this morning in Connecticut to face drunken driving charges.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;


The 19- year- old was arrested January 14th after crashing her Mercedes at nearly 100 miles per-hour.
She suffered a concussion.
Another skater riding in the car was also injured.
Extra deputies are at the courthouse to help control the media crowd.
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NEW-ORLEANS


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=Super Bowl


They're still celebrating in Green Bay, Wisconsin after their Packers triumphed in Super Bowl 31 last night.
Bob McNamara has highlights from New Orleans.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-New Orleans; :00
SUPER=01-Bob McNamara/CBS News; 1:13
RUNS=1:42
OUT Q=CBS News, New Orleans.

(( Somewhere down there... Somewhere in the spectacle... Wedged between the cheesy.. The first-run commercials...
NATSOT ".."P-E-P-S-I.."


And good old Bob Dole...
DOLE: "I JUST CAN'T WIN.."
The Green Bay Packers... And New England Patriots... did something few other teams do in the Super Bowl...
They made a game of it... Green Bay would score.. early and often... And so would New England...
Two young quarterbacks.. in a first half duel. Brett Favre to Antonio Freeman... was the longest touchdown pass play in Super Bowl history.
In the middle of it all...the half-time show... went as scheduled..but without a bungee-jumping finale..
Last week one of the jumpers was killed after a fall during rehearsals...
And as NFL officials promised.. the show was dedicated to the memory of the woman who died..
Any hopes New England had of winning.. were eventually dashed...By Howard Desmond His record 99-yard-kickoff return...
Ignited victory celebrations on nearby Bourbon Street...
And a thousand miles north.. in Green Bay....
For Packer coach Mike Holmgren it was the night of his life..
And title town.. finally.. had a title again...
Bob McNamara CBS News.. New Orleans.))

Schools


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=sly
TAPE#None
GRAPHIC=School Information


We have some early school closing annoucements to pass on to you. Take Schoolwatch Boards Full
(Melanie reads boards)
tease#1

HARD MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


Still to come on News 7 at Noon,
Homeless shelters around Virginia say they are feeling the sting of budget cutbacks.
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VO-NAT


And,
Some say it's symbol of racism, others maintain it represents Southern pride and history--the Confederate flag is at the center of debate in Danville.
But before the break, let's check in with Patrick.
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Talent=Patrick

Wx-Tease music up full comm1

Southern-Heritage


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=Dal
TAPE# 97-1
GRAPHIC=None


It's a piece of history, but what is its role today?
The subject of the confederate flag stirs strong emotions in many people, and that was the case yesterday at the Fourth Annual Lee-Jackson Southern Heritage Parade in Danville.
Denise Allen reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=What this flag
SUPER=03-Danville; :00
SUPER=01-Wayne Byrd/Heritage Preservation Association; :14
SUPER=01-Rev. William Avon Keen/Danville SCLC; :25
SUPER=@Denise2; 1:20
RUNS=1:28
OUT Q=7 Danville

(( What this flag symbolizes is still up for debate.
To some it represents racism.
To members of the Heritage Preservation Association it's the symbol of the Civil War.
A war they say that was not about slavery. ((WAYNE BYRD/HERITAGE PRESERVATION ASSN: THAT WAS THE ISSUE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BEING SERVANTS OF THE STATES, NOT BEING A MANDATING, DICTATING, CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT.)) ((REV. WILLIAM AVON KEEN/DANVILLE S.C.L.C.: IT CAN BE USED AS A TOOL TO EDUCATE ABOUT WHAT DIVISION CAN CAUSE. IT CAUSED BROTHER TO FIGHT BROTHER, COUSIN TO FIGHT COUSIN AND IT DIVIDED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.))
Should the Confederate Flag fly over state buildings?
In South Carolina, voters will decide.
But Rev. Keen says that issue was decided with bloodshed and political action in the 18-hundreds. ((KEEN: THIS IS A CLEAR PICTURE TO US THERE ARE POCKETS OF CONFEDERATE SYMPATHIZERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD THAT STILL DON'T BELIEVE THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.)) ((BYRD: THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. WE'RE RECLAIMING OUR HERITAGE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THE HATE GROUPS SUBVERT THE REAL MEANING OF OUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHICH IS THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA. THIS FLAG WASN'T GIVEN UP WILLINGLY. IT WAS TAKEN FROM US BY ARMED INVASION.))
Both Rev. Keen and Wayne Byrd say if everyone was educated on what the war was REALLY about, the debate would be over.
Denise Allen News 7 Danville.))

Shelters


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=JoeD
TAPE# 97-3
GRAPHIC=Session 97


Many of the state's homeless shelters are hoping the General Assembly can help ease the budget cutbacks they are facing.
SS=Thomas, Vic


Roanoke Delegate Vic Thomas has introduced a three and a half million dollar budget amendment that would double available funding for such programs.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


In Roanoke, the Transitional Living Center is wrestling with a 60- thousand dollar deficit.
The shortfall has already caused one lay- off and may force the facility to accept fewer residents.
State money accounts for just three percent of the program's budget, but TAP officials are hopeful an increase from the General Assembly will help them deal with cuts in other funding.
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SOT
IN Q=It has not increased

((ELLEN BROWN/TOTAL ACTION AGAINST POVERTY: IT HAS NOT INCREASED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS ALTHOUGH THE NEED IS MUCH GREATER. WE HAVE 12 FAMILIES ON OUR WAITING LIST AT ANY TIME WAITING TO COME FROM EMERGENCY SHELTER TO HERE AND A LOT OF PROGRAMS LIKE OURS ARE SUFFERING NOW FROM FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS. FEDERAL FUNDS FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS HAVE DECREASED 28 PERCENT DUE TO CONGRESSIONAL CUTS.))
SUPER=01-Ellen Brown/Total Action Against Poverty;
RUNS=:23
OUT Q=due to congressional cuts.
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VO-NAT


The Transitional Living Center has a capacity of 65 residents.
Most are families, and one- third of the center's residents are children.
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Roanoke-Fire


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-105
GRAPHIC=Fire


A vacant home on Roanoke's northwest side is becoming all too familiar to city firefighters.
(---------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke


Fire broke out at the home in the 22-hundred block of Hanover Avenue shortly after two a-m.
The home was unoccupied and is in the process of being remodeled.
It's the second fire at the house in recent months.
Firefighters say the upper portion of the two story home sustained several thousand dollars worth of damage.
No word on what caused the blaze.
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Coal-Spill


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=tst
TAPE#Edit (from 96-84)
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


A judge says he wants some answers about a coal slurry spill that killed thousands of fish in state waters from Buchanan County to the Kentucky border.
Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Persin says he's continuing a hearing on the spill until March.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Buchanan Co./November 26, 1996;


The mine waste escaped in November, when a blowout occurred in a storage pond at the Buchanan Number One mine near Oakwood.
From there, the slurry flowed into Garden Creek.
The judge has asked the Consolidation Coal Company and prosecutors to document how the spill happened.
The Buchanan County Commonwealth's attorney wants an injunction against Consolidation Coal in connection with the blowout.
The prosecutor wants to halt the company's handling of coal slurry.
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Tease#2

SOFT MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


Still to come,
Ontario rescue workers faced a new challenge when those stranded, did NOT want to be saved.
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VO-NAT


And,
Road conditions were a global problem this morning as many suffered injuries on an Italian highway.
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PILEUP


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=Accident


Heavy fog contributed to a 70 car pileup this morning on a highway near Milan, Italy.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Milan, Italy;


At least two people were killed and another 15 injured.
The highway was closed for more than five hours.
There were accidents on both sides of the road that happened almost at the same time.
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WIPE/WIPE/WIPE

stranded


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#Net
GRAPHIC=Wipe/wipe/wipe
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Jackson Pt., Ontario;


The ice may be breaking, but some Canadian fisherman refuse to pull in their lines.
They are refusing to be rescued from ice that has become unstable and dangerous.
Several hundred fisherman were rescued by helicopter over the weekend, but dozens more reamin.
They are participating in an ice-fishing contest.
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WEATHER
SUPER=300-37/48/SE 9mph/30.46f/71/1944/2/1987;
SUPER=301-38/57/Var-3mph/30.39f/74/1944/3/1982;

Forecasts
SUPER=X5000;
SUPER=330-Freezing Rain/& Rain/28-32/Partial Clearing/& Warmer/44-48;
SUPER=331-Rain, Sleet/& Freezing Rain/30-34/Rain Early/Partial Clearing/44-48;
SUPER=332-Freezing Rain/& Sleet/28-32/Showers Early/Partial Clearing/28-32;
SUPER=333-Freezing Rain/Likely/24-28/Partial/Clearing/40-44;
SUPER=334-Rain/Likely/34-38/Rain &/Snow Showers/26-30;
SUPER=X5001;



Gas-Meeting


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-101
GRAPHIC=Roanoke Gas


There's some good news for the 46- thousand Roanoke Gas customers in our area.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


Rates are coming down approximately six- percent in February.
The company made the announcement at its annual shareholders' meeting this morning.
This comes after rates went UP close to 16- percent this fall, when colder- than- normal temperatures inflated natural gas prices.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 10:13:27
IN Q=Natural gas

((JOHN WILLIAMSON/ROANOKE GAS VICE PRESIDENT: NATURAL GAS PRICES, PROPANE PRICES, FUEL OIL PRICES, ALMOST ALL THE ENERGY COMMODITIES JUMPED SUBSTANTIALLY BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLD IN NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER WAS ACTUALLY, IT WAS THE COLDEST MONTH OF NOVEMBER IN OUR RECORDS, AND WE'VE BEEN KEEPING RECORDS FOR 68 YEARS. ))
SUPER=01-John Williamson/Roanoke Gas Vice President;
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=68 years.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=Roanoke Gas


Roanoke Gas says it had a record 1996 in terms of earnings.
But its most recent quarter saw earnings go down a little compared to the same period a year ago, due to a recent wave of warm winter weather.

Common-Sense


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#Common Sense
GRAPHIC=Common Sense


It's a hard habit to break; filing your income taxes right before the deadline.
But odds are, if you really want to, you can.
Len Besthoff has more in this week's edition of Common Sense.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Most of
SUPER=@Len1; :00
SUPER=01-Bill Williams/H&R Block; :16
RUNS=:45
OUT Q=the newsdesk.

((
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape two 06:29:51
IN Q=Most of

((Most of the forms that you need to file your taxes are sent to you in the mail sometimes as early as late January, but does that mean you should go to a tax preparer this early? Bill Williams with H&R Block says it depends on the person.))
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=the person.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT TAPE ONE 06:07:49
IN Q=You really

((BILL WILLIAMS/H&R BLOCK: YOU REALLY SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT FILING YOUR RETURN AS SOON AS YOU GET YOUR FORM W-2'S, FORM 1099'S, AND THE INFORMATION REPORTS AND SO FORTH FROM ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYERS, BANKS, AND SO FORTH. EARLY FEBRUARY IS NOT TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT FILING YOUR RETURN. BECAUSE AS YOU GO ALONG TOWARDS APRIL 15TH, IF YOU DECIDE TO USE A PROFESSIONAL PREPARER THEY BECOME VERY BUSY, AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND IT'S VERY INCONVENIENT. ))
RUNS=:25
OUT Q=very inconvenient.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT TAPE TWO 06:30:21
IN Q=I'm Len Besthoff

((I'm Len Besthoff with this week's edition of Common Sense, let's send it back to the newsdesk.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=newsdesk.))



tease#3

SPORTS MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


Straight ahead in sports,
After winning the first two Super Bowls ever played, the Packers' big game victories came to a halt.
Until last night, that is.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


We have all the highlights from the match-up between Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe.
Stick around News 7 Sports is next.
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MUSIC UP FULL comm4

Super


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=sma
TAPE#=FB96-4
GRAPHIC=Super Bowl


It's been a long time in between Super Bowl wins for the Green Bay Packers, and they made up for lost time yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT #eng
SUPER=03-New Orleans, LA/FOX; :00


The battle bewteen Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe did turn out to be a good one, but a former Redskin would have an big impact as well. More on that in a minute.
The Pack's Andre Rison opened the game up. Brett Favre finds the "Bad Moon Rison" on a 54 yard touchdown completion in the first quarter and Green Bay led 7-nothing.
The Patriots got within three on a goal line touchdown connection to Keith Byars. 10 to 7 Packs.
New England went up 14-10, but that would not last. Favre finds former Virginia Tech star Antonio Freeman on an 81 yard TD toss. Freeman finds a little daylight and is gone. 17-14 Packs.
Favre can also do it on the ground. Here, he gets the ball over the goal line in the third quarter.
But the play that broke the game wide open came on the legs of Desmond
SUPER=30-Green Bay/35/New England/21;

Howard. The former Redskin returned this kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and the Pack would never look back. Howard received the super Bowl MVP award, the first special teamer to do that. He had 244 total return yards!
Reggie White recorded three sacks in his first-ever Super Bowl win as Green Bay downs New England 35-21 in Super Bowl 31.
(-------------)




UNC


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=sma
TAPE#=BB97-1
GRAPHIC=ACC


In college hoops, 19th ranked North Carolina partially redeemed its' worst-ever A-C-C start by beating Clemson 61-48.
(----------------)
VO-NAT #eng
SUPER=03-Chapel Hill, NC/ABC; :00


Rick Barnes would suffer the same fate as the last 42 Clemson teams that have come to Chapel Hill; a loss.
Shammond Williams was tough from behind the arc. His trey here gave the Tarheels a 5 point lead in the first half.
But Antwan Jamison was the leader, scoring a game high 22 points. UNC shot 63 percent from the field in the second half while the Tigers were a dismal 3 for 24 from three point land for the game. UNC wins 61-48.
(-------------)



Duke


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=sma
TAPE#=BB97-4
GRAPHIC=ACC


Elsewhere 10th ranked Duke fell to 7th ranked Maryland at Cole Field House.
(----------------)
VO-NAT #eng
SUPER=03-College Park, MD/Blue Devils vs. Terrapins; :00


The Terps had a Profit on their side and that would be the difference. Laron Profit slammed home two consecutive ally oops in the closing minutes to propel Maryland over Duke. Profit finished with 16 points.
Duke's Jeff Capel nailed this three pointer to pull Duke to within 1, but Steve Wojoiechowski was called for an offensive foul and the Terps snap Duke's 4 game winning streak with a 74-70 win.
SUPER=03-Fayetteville, AR/Wildcats vs. Razorbacks; :00


In other action, Nolan Richardson's style was not enough to tackle Kentucky as the Wildcats beat the Razorbacks. Anthony Epps snaps the nylon on the three (-------------) pointer, Cats win by 10, 83-73.
by SS