WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 05/04/98

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Keith]

Layoffs catch up with the rumors at a manufacturing plant with more than 200 workers.

A LIVE report leads NEWS 7 at SIX tonight.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

And the details of embezzlement at a Smith Mountain Lake subdivision tell us why the roads were never paved- -improvements not made to Lynville on the Lake.
(----------------)
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=Mike]

Tonight in sports, Steve Mason tells us how Tiki and Ronde Barber are getting ready to give back to the youth of the valley.
The NCAA gets hammered in federal court,
(------------)
[vo-nat eng#]

And the Hollins College qestrian team captures a national championship in New York.
They are now back on campus and we'll hear from some of the team members tonight in sports.
(------------------)

[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

Another day, another thunderstorm...producing large hail and gusty winds. More in the forecast tomorrow.[Bassett-Wa

lker]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#98-26 TC 1:04:07]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Workers at a Carroll County knitwear plant are the latest victims of the troubled textile industry.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Teresa/Microwave]

Teresa Hamilton is in our Blacksburg newsroom with details on today's announcement.
[Live=Teresa Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Teresa1;]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]

Keith, after 25 years in Hillsville, Bassett Walker is closing its knitwear plant putting 203- workers of out a job.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's going]
[SUPER=01-Randall Jennings/Employee; :00]
[SUPER=03-Hillsville; :07]
[SUPER=01-Larry South/Hillsville Town Manager; :41]
[SUPER=01-Monique Surratt/Employee; :55]
[RUNS=1:00]
[OUT Q=say goodbye.]
((
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's going]
((RANDALL JENNINGS/EMPLOYEE:IT'S GOING TO BE ROUGH FOR A WHILE, CAUSE MY WIFE WORKS HERE, TOO, SO WE'RE BOTH OUT, NO INSURANCE. ))
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=no insurance.]

But Randall Jennings isn't wasting anytime dwelling on the negative.
He hopes he'll be able to qualify for a federally subsidized program that would allow him to study computer drafting.
(/////SOT/////)
[2:02:24]
[SOT]
[IN Q=You work]
((RANDALL JENNINGS/EMPLOYEE:YOU WORK HERE, LIKE I WORKED HERE, 22-YEARS, AND, JUST KIND OF NOT GOING ANYWHERE, SO, I LOOK AT IT, YOU GOT TO LOOK AT IT POSITIVE , IT'S JUST A SECOND OPPORTUNITY. ))
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=second opportunity.]

For those who're unable to go back to school-- Hillsville town manager, Larry South, is hoping they'll be able to land a job at either Magnolia, Burlington or Cross Creek.
There's also the possibility a business might locate in the old building.
(/////SOT/////)
[3:08:00]
[SOT]
[IN Q=Things ]
((LARRY SOUTH/HILLSVILLE TOWN MGR.: CERTAINLY, THE FACILITY THERE IS A GOOD FACILITY, IT'S HAD A LOT OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES RECENTLY, SO I FEEL LIKE WITH THE COOPERATION OF VF-- WE COULD MARKET THAT FACILITY AND PUT SOMEONE BACK IN THERE. ))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=in there.]
(/////SOT/////)
[3:33:24]
[SOT]
[IN Q=We've all]
((MONIQUE SURRATT/EMPLOYEE:WE'VE ALL BEEN EXPECTING IT, THE SAD DAY, I THINK WILL BE WHEN WE ALL WALK OUT THE DOOR AND SAY GOODBYE. ))
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=say goodbye.]
))
[Live=Teresa Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]

Bassett Walker officials say the company chose to close the Hillsville plant to remain competitive.
They say-- much of their competition relies on cheap overseas labor.
So the company decided to increase its presence in Mexico.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Teresa/Microwave]

(Keith question--When will the plant close for good?)[Lexington-Squad]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=98-31 TC 55:39]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A former Lexington rescue squad member was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File]

Donald Paxton Grant treated the girls, ages 16 and 17, at an accident scene.
They accused him of fondling them.
Grant has appealed the conviction, he says he was only doing his job and did NOT touch the girls inappropriately.
He was suspended from the squad after police began an investigation.

(------------)[VMI]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=98-29 TC 50:46]
[GRAPHIC=VMI]

Six former Virginia Military Institute cadets will get to take their final exams- -despite being "drummed out" over the weekend.
The honor court convictions have not been set aside. The cadets will be allowed to complete their course work- -in case they win on appeal.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-File Tape] Federal Judge James Turk has once again managed to inspire an OUT-of court settlement in the chal
lenge of V-M-I Honor Court proceedings... without having to impose a federal court order.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Two of the six cadets actually attended today's hearing where the judge referred to mid-night interrogations as "gestapo tactics."
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT on wide shot thru the throng]
[IN Q=An agreement]
((THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS MIDNIGHT INVESTIGATION SYSTEM SHOULD COME TO AN END, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULT OF THIS CASE.))

[SUPER=01-Bernie Wruble/Atty for Freshmen Cadets]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=in the interim]
[**KEITH ON ENG**]
[SUPER=03-Lexington;]

The Honor Court convicted three seniors and three freshmen Friday night for lying about physical punishment.
A fire broke out in barracks after the verdicts were read and the six cadets had left Post.
The lawyers reached an agreement that allows the cadets to take their exams without necessarily returning to V-M-I... where emotions remain high.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=THE CADETS, ]
((THE CADETS, IF THEY GO BACK ON POST IT MAY PROVOKE DEMONSTRATIONS IN SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T AGREE WITH THE DECISION.))
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=with the decision.]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=VMI]

V-M-I Superintendent Josiah Bunting reportedly signed off on the agreement. It allows the expelled cadets to take their exams virtually anywhere.
It may take MONTHS to schedule a full-blown hearing in federal court to review what the Honor Court heard last week

.[Wade]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=98-36 TC 20:07]
[GRAPHIC=vmi]

Three other VMI upperclassmen accused of beating a classmate now face criminal charges.
A Rockbridge County Grand Jury issued indictments against Jonathan Eugene Gonzales, Thomas Michael Upshaw, and Charles Travers Clemons.
All are charged with hazing.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington]

The alleged victim, former cadet George Wade Junior testified this afternoon.
He told investigators he was beaten with belts and a coat hanger.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 00:00:20]
[IN Q=I feel I'm]
((GEORGE WADE JR./FORMER CADET; I FEEL I'M DOING THE RIGHT THING AND I WANTED TO CARRY IT AS FAR AS I FELT IT NEEDS TO GO TO MAKE SURE JUSTICE IS DONE AND TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO GO TO VMI NEXT YEAR.))
[SUPER=01-George Wade Jr./Former Cadet;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=VMI next year]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Special prosecutor Michael Irvin decided to take the case to the grand jury, even though school officials ruled the incident was NOT hazing.
Irvin says that decision should be made by the court.
(-------------)

[Banks]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Fire Investigation]

Roanoke police have arrested a teenager and charged him with setting a fire set two months ago.
Eighteen- year old David Lamont Banks allegedly set fire to a house on Rutherford Avenue in northwest Roanoke.
Banks is also charged with burglary and grand larceny.
Police think Banks was not alone. And investigators say more charges are coming.
The Rutherford Avenue fire is one of several suspicious Northwest fires that have occurred over the past few month
s.[Tease#1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]

It was money that was supposed to pay for neighborhood maintenance at Smith Mountain Lake--but homeowners never saw any results. We'll tell you why, coming up on News 7 at Six.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

And in the wake of deadly attacks at several schools around the country, we'll talk with teachers and students about what's happening locally with the issue of school violence.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Robin]
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-27]
[GRAPHIC=Ericsson]

A former Ericsson employee pleaded guilty today to defrauding the company of more than one- point- four million dollars.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Prosecutors say 51- year- old Robert F. Sager (SAY-gerr) used his position at Ericsson to order more than 18- hundred schematic drawings from a company called Lynchburg Drafting Service.
Ericsson paid for but never received the drawings and sixty percent of the money was kicked back to Sager, who spent it on vacations, cars and lottery tickets.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 6:50:57]
[IN Q=Sager's the one]
((THOMAS ECKERT/ASST. U.S. DISTRICT ATTORNEY: SAGER'S THE ONE THAT COLLECTED THE CHECKS, SAGER'S THE ONE THAT GAVE THE CHECKS BACK TO KELLY. KELLY THEN DEPOSITED THEM IN HIS BANK ACCOUNT AND PAID THE KICKBACKS TO SAGER.))
[SUPER=01-Thomas Eckert/Assistant U.S. District Attorney; :00]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=kickbacks to Sager.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Lynchburg Drafting Services owner George C. Kelly pleaded "not" guilty to the charges today.
Sager could face up to fifteen years in prison when he's sentenced in July.
(----------------)

[Fisher]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=98-40 TC 14:23]
[GRAPHIC=Smith Mountain Lake]

A 61-year-old woman has pled guilty to embezzling at least 30-thousand-dollars from a Smith Mountain Lake homeowners association.
Tina Tenret says some residents are questioning why they didn't know about the situation sooner.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Mary Lou Fisher]
[SUPER=04-File Tape; :00]
[SUPER=01-Cliff Hapgood/Commonwealth's Atty; QUICK!! :16]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount; :22]
[SUPER=01-Shirley Trent/Homeowner; :36]
[SUPER=@Tina1; :47]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=Tina Tenret News7]
((
Mary Lou Fisher resigned as treasurer of the Lynville on the Lake Homeowners' Association last June.
Six months later, she was charged with embezzlement.
Fisher stole between 30-thousand-dollars and 60-thousand-dollars in dues, by writing fake checks for five years.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 9:07:09]
[IN Q=Sometimes she would write em]
((SOMETIMES SHE WOULD WRITE EM FOR CASH, THEN OF COURSE SHE WOULD TAKE EM AND ENDORSE EM, CASH EM AND TAKE THE PROCEEDS.)) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=TAKE THE PROCEEDS]

Homeowners were paying between 75 and 125 dollars a year in dues -- supposedly to maintain roads and common areas.
They say these improvements never happened.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 9:01:59]
[IN Q=It was really]
((SHIRLEY TRENT/HOMEOWNER: IT WAS REALLY VERY SAD WHAT MARY LOU DID BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE TRUSTED HER AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD TRUSTED HER AND NOBODY BOTHERED TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON.)) [RUNS13]
[OUT Q=REALLY GOING ON]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:02:12]
[IN Q=Association President]
((TINA TENRET/NEWS7: ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT MARK LAYMAN SAYS HE DISCOVERED THE CRIME WHEN A CHECK FOR ROAD PAVING BOUNCED. THAT WAS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, HE SAYS. BUT RESIDENTS SAY HE NEVER TOLD THEM FISHER HAD BEEN CAUGHT.)) [RUNS10]
[OUT Q=HAD BEEN CAUGHT]

They found out about it when court documents were mailed to them anonymously -- just three weeks ago.
They say they were never allowed to see the books.
In annual financial statements, balances don't match up.
Board meetings became invite-only four years ago.
Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood has this advice for homeowners.
(start pre-pro here)

Conduct surprise inspections of financial records at least once a year -- by someone trained in accounting or book-keeping.
Look for missing checks -- or checks written for cash, instead of to a specific person.
And insist books are balanced every month.
(end pre-pro here)

Fisher will be sentenced on June 26th -- in the meantime her house in the Lynville on the Lake subdivision is up for sale.
Tina Tenret, News7
))

[Hawkins]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-24 TC 57:42]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

The manager of a boxing program for Roanoke teenagers has been indicted for embezzlement.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape;]

The charge against Rick Hawkins was handed up today by the city grand jury.
He's charged with one count of embezzlement, over a six month period beginning late last year.
The amount was under 10-thousand dollars.
The bulk of the case, according to chief assistant prosecutor Betty Jo Anthony, concerns Hawkins failure to spend grant money on rent.
The indictment comes after a city audit of the amateur boxing program at Victory Stadium turned up problems with its finances.

(------------)[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
The blue chips rallied for a third straight session as last week's bout of interest rate jitters continued to fade. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE ]
[RUNS=:25]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-x/45.59/9192.66/x/5.50/1878.94;]

The Dow gained 46 points to close at 91 hundred 93.
NASDAQ was up five and a half points.

[SUPER=431-i@/47e/h1#/62!/h1d/99a/u/32g/u/59b;]
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[SUPER=434-h1c/39e/ib/20/hc/32/ia/86/h$/51!;][1-School-Violence]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=98-35 TC 31:50]
[GRAPHIC=Safe at School?]
[**Note Anchor Tag**]
In recent years school violence has become deadly and the notion that it only happens in large cities has been disproved by killings in rural and suburban schools.
What is the situation like in southwestern Virginia?
[SS=FULLSCREEN "SAFE AT SCHOOL?"]

Kimberly McBroom asked school staff and students that question--here's the first part of her special report "Safe at School?"
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Staff and students]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Adrienne Holland/William Fleming Senior; :11]
[SUPER=01-Susan Wenk/William Fleming Teacher;:22]
[SUPER=03-Jonesboro, AR;]
[SUPER=@Kimberly1;:48]
[SUPER=01-Ann Harmon/Roanoke City Schools; 1:03]
[SUPER=01-Whitney Heptinstall/Northside Senior; 1:38]
[RUNS=1:55]
[OUT Q=McBroom, News 7]
((
Staff and students at William Fleming High School have worked hard over the years to shed what has, at times, been an unflattering image.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT TAPE 6 12:02:43]
((ADRIENNE HOLLAND/WILLIAM FLEMING SENIOR: WHEN I FIRST CAME, THE REPUTATION WAS A LITTLE TERRIBLE. IT WASN'T BAD, BUT WE WERE KNOWN FOR THE FIGHTS AND WE WERE KNOWN FOR THE VIOLENCE. BUT NOW, THE AMDINISTRATORS TALK TO THE STUDENTS MORE FREQUENTLY AND IT'S BETTER NOW.)) [RUNS:11]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT TAPE 6 12:15:51]
((SUSAN WENK/WILLIAM FLEMING TEACHER: AND I THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE A REPUTATION THAT WE FIGHT EVERY DAY IT UNITES US EVEN MORE.)) [RUNS:06]
That unity comes during a time of increased sensitivity to school violence, especially after tragedies like the one in Jonesboro.
Roanoke city schools have a "No tolerance" policy for guns, drugs, and assaults.
Violations mean expulsion.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT **NEED TO SHOOT THIS MONDAY]
KIMBERLY MCBROOM/NEWS 7: SO FAR THIS YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO INCIDENTS OF GUNS BEING BROUGHT TO SCHOOL-- BOTH AT WILLIAM FLEMING.
THEY'VE PROMPTED THE SCHOOL TO REINSTATE WEAPON SEARCHES WITH METAL DETECTORS.
BUT SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ARE ENCOURAGED THAT IT WAS OTHER STUDENTS WHO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT tape 6 12:40:42 ]
((ANN HARMON/ROANOKE CITY SCHOOLS: OUR STUDENTS ARE OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE WITH ANY KIND OF WEAPONS. THEY LET US KNOW BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT AN INCIDENT TO OCCUR ON THEIR CAMPUS.)) [RUNS:09]
Like the city, Roanoke COUNTY schools have zero tolerance policy regarding weapons and violence.
So far this year, NO reports of any dangerous incidents involving students.
At Northside High School, officials say some fights have broken out and a few knives were brought on campus.
But the biggest concern among students seems to be from the OUTSIDE.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT tape 2 10:16:27]
((WHITNEY HEPTINSTALL/NORTHSIDE SOPHOMORE: YEAH, I FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL. THE ONLY THING IS, THEY KEEP ALL THE DOOR UNLOCKED ALL THE TIME-- SO, LIKE ANYBODY COULD WALK IN THAT WAS, LIKE OUR AGE, AND THEY'D NEVER KNOW IT.)) [RUNS:08]
And while students say most of the school confrontations stop short of actual fights, administrators don't want to take any chances.
Kimberly McBroom, News 7.))
(---------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=Safe At School?]

Coming up tomorrow at Six, a closer look at the experiences of elementary and middle- school students, and why some younger students are turning to violence.

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up tonight in sports, Hollins College wins a national championship, the Heels and Pack are bringing their show to the Queen city,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

and Steve Mason tells us how Tiki and Ronde Barber along with a number of other former UVA stars are lending their talents to a football camp next month.

(------------)[S-Horse]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jkr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

The Hollins riding team can call itself a national champion tonight.
The school's equestrian team won the 1998 International Horse Show Association Miller's Cup this past weekend to claim the honor.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The team arrived back home today from New York to show off its hardware after wrapping up the competition yesterday.
The women competed against over 400 riders from across the country and say that this victory was well worth the wait.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="it's been...]
[SUPER=01-Celia Sweeney/Hollins Junior; :00 ]
[SUPER=01-Hillary Schreiber/Hollins Sophomore; :10]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=team behind you]
(------------)
[VO-NAT con't]

Hollins captured this title for the first time in 1993 and tied for third in 1994.
(------------)

[S-Camp]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-13]
[GRAPHIC=all star clinics]

The All-Star Football Clinic of Roanoke kicks off in June at Rivers Edge.
Steve Mason explains why the city, the Barbers and a few cavaliers teamed up for kids.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Friday; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ronde Barber/Tampa Bay Defensive Back; :16]
[SUPER=01-Tiki Barber/New York Giants Running Back; :32]
[SUPER=01-Curtis Hicks/UVa Linebacker 1991-94; :58]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 1:11]
[SUPER=01-Walt Derey/UVa Tight End 1993-96; 1:24]
[SUPER=01-Richard Goodpasture/1991 Salem Graduate; 1:43]
[RUNS=1:54]
[OUT Q=..News 7 sports"]
((:))
(-----------------)

((New York Giant Tiki Barber and his Tampa Bay twin Ronde visited Westside elementary school to promote a camp that will give kids a chance to receive top notch instruction from the valley's top pro and college football products. ((:)) ((:))
The camp; which runs from June 29th through July first, has a nucleus of past and present UVa players and will hopefully have some Virginia Tech standouts coach. Former Northside star and Cavalier Walt Derey joins former Virginia teammate Curtis Hicks; an Alleghany product who was the 1991 Blue Ridge Co-defenisve player of the year. ((:)) ((STEVE MASON:)) ((WALT DEREY:))
The camp is connected to the inner city athletic association and is for kids first through eighth grades. ((RICHARD:))
All-Star football clinic brochures will be primarily distributed in the next few weeks at Kroger stores. Steve Mason news 7 sports"))

(-----------------) [S-UNC]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-8]
[GRAPHIC=PANTHERS]

The Carolina Panthers' home field in Charlotte is about to get some new house guests for next season in the form of the North Carolina and NC State football teams.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/This Afternoon; :00]

This afternoon the two schools announced that they will play their 1998 and 1999 regular season games in Ericsson stadium, giving the teams a chance to play in the state's largest city.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=More...]
(())
[SUPER=01-Mike O'Cain/N.C. State Head Coach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Carl Torbush/UNC Head Coach; :08]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=...atmosphere."]
(--------------)

[S-NBA]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-9]
[GRAPHIC=NBA]

The NBA playoffs resume tonight with the Lakers and Sonics opening up their western conference semi-final.
The Sonics won three of the four meetings between the two teams during the regular season.
[graphic=ncaa]

And finally, earlier today a federal jury ordered the NCAA to pay more than $22 million in damages for limiting the earnings of some assistant, the so-called restricted earnings guys.
The NCAA says it will likely appeal the ruling and the fine which will be tripled to $66 million because this is an anti-trust case. [Wx-Tape]
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