WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 09/17/98

[1-News-Head]

[TALENT=Keith]

On NEWS 7 at SIX tonight:

Danville firefighters get a break- -a paid lunch break. We'll have the verdict.
(------------)
[V/O-NAT SOT]

And we'll assess the impact of several hundred Carilion workers- -suddenly thrust into the heart of the city... one problem: the temptation of a three-hour lunch.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

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

Tonight in sports, Ferrum readies itself for a big homesomcing weekend, Jeff Hostetler comes home, Sosa gets back in the swing of things,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

and more than 100 Late Model Stock cars returned to Martinsville today to start warming up for Sunday's Taco Bell 300.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

Some nice rain for Pulaksi and Wythe and isolated showers will continue through tomorrow. Details straight ahead.

[Danville-Firefighters]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=chu]
[TAPE#=98-67; 03:46]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Firefighters in Danville say justice has been served.
Today they won their federal lawsuit against the city over unpaid meal breaks.
The verdict could put a hurting on Danville's finances.
[Double Boxes=Keith/Christy Danville Bureau]

Christy Hubley joins us live from our Danville newsroom with reaction from both sides.
[Live=Christy Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=@Christy1;]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]

A hurting indeed, Keith.
If it's not successfully appealed, this verdict means the city will owe the firefighters for three years of unpaid meal breaks.
The exact amount of the damages still has to be decided in court.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=When the civil trial]
[SUPER=03-Danville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Molly Elkin/Plaintiff's Attorney; :08]
[SUPER=01-Ray Earp/Firefighter; :21]
[SUPER=01-Timothy Spencer/City Attorney; :36]
[SUPER=01-Steve Finkner/Firefighter; :56]
[RUNS=1:12]
[OUT Q=and they're compassionate.]
(( When the civil trial was over, firefighters were satisfied.
The jury agreed that a firefighter's job does not stop for dinner.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:48:04-:16]
[IN Q=This case was about]
((MOLLY ELKIN/PLAINTIFFS' ATTORNEY: THIS CASE WAS ABOUT FAIR LABOR STANDARDS AND THE MOST BASIC FAIR LABOR IS THAT WHEN WE WORK WE GET PAID AND THEY FOUND THAT THESE FIREFIGHTERS WORK 24 HOURS A SAY INCLUDING DURING THEIR MEAL BREAKS.)) [RUNS:12]
[OUT Q=during their meal breaks.]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:57:04-:15]
[IN Q=It's worked out well for ]
((RAY EARP/FIREFIGHTER: IT'S WORKED OUT WELL FOR US IT'S THE RESULTS WE HOPED FOR BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE WERE THERE YESTERDAY WE'RE THERE TODAY AND WE'LL BE THERE TOMORROW. WE'RE A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE THERE FOR THE PEOPLE.)) [RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=there for the people.]

The city's attorney believes Danville broke no labor laws on purpose.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:40:49-59]
[IN Q=We do not believe]
((TIMOTHY SPENCER/CITY ATTORNEY: WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT, DESPITE TODAY'S VERDICT, THAT THE CITY ACTED WILLFULLY. ALL EVIDENCE SPEAKS OTHERWISE.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=evidence speaks otherwise.]

The fire chief-- who assisted in the city's defense-- briefly remarked that the fire department will continue to operate in a professional manner.
The firefighters concur.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:50:27-:43]
[IN Q=The city of Danville]
((STEVE FINKNER/FIREFIGHTER: THE CITY OF DANVILLE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT THEY EMPLOY PEOPLE THAT ARE DEDICATED THEY'RE DILIGENT IN THEIR JOBS THEY'RE SKILLED THEY'RE CARING AND THEY'RE COMPASSIONATE.))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=and they're compassionate.]))
(------------)
[Live=Christy Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]

In a statement we received by fax just in the last hour, the city's attorney says Danville "will take immediate steps to correct the apparent deficiencies and will undertake a thorough review of our firefighter policies to assure unquestioned compliance with the wage and hour law."
[Double Boxes=Keith/Danville Bureau]

[Bird-ruling]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=98-57; 58:01]
[GRAPHIC=Tom Bird]

When math teacher Tom Bird got fired for getting into a fist fight with a student at Bland County High School, he sued the school board and won a 77-thousand dollar judgment from a federal jury.
The judge overturned that decision this week.
(---------------)
[V/O-NAT SOT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/August 18]

"There's no question Bird exercised bad judgment," Judge Sam Wilson said from the bench last month.
In an opinion filed yesterday, Wilson cites Bird's own testimony about hitting Sammy Blankenship on the chin.
The school board "SHOULD have terminated him" for that, said the judge. The question was: was that the REASON Bird was fired or was the fight a pretext for getting rid of him?
(-----------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=hold Bird]

Though the jury decided school board members had already made up their minds before the vote, Judge Wilson says BIRD tried to influence them before the hearing and didn't think they were biased ...until they fired him.

[Hospital-Fall]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-60; 45:24]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Roanoke police have determined that the death of a man at a hospital parking garage was an accident.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Saturday;]

They first thought 47-year-old Freddy Elroy Smith might have jumped from the top of the Carilion-Roanoke Community Hospital parking tower.
But a witness says Smith was hanging on a ledge and trying to pull himself up before he fell.
So, police are convinced that his death was not foul play or suicide.
(------------)

[Wandering-Kids]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-56; 44:15]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A child wandered away from a Roanoke school earlier this week.
He was found, safe and sound. But officials vow that this won't happen again.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The first-grader goes to Forest Park Elementary.
On Tuesday, his mother found him about a mile from the school, trying to walk home.
The boy apparently thought his teacher wanted to keep him after class, and he didn't want to stay. So, he left.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=none]

Last week, a student at W.E. Cundiff School in Roanoke County wandered away for a few minutes, before she was found by a mail carrier.
Both school systems are reviewing their security procedures.

[Covington-Player]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=98-51; 1:49:25]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Lawyers and school officials were talking today in an effort to resolve a Covington controversy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Covington/Yesterday;]

They were discussing the status of Antonio Hill, the student who was kicked off the Covington High School football team after Friday's game.
The controversy brought a crowd of Hill's supporters to yesterday's school board meeting, and today representatives of both sides tried to find some common ground.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT UB 12:16:49]
[IN Q=There's no hidden agendas here.]
((SEAN WORKOWSKI/HILL'S ATTORNEY: THERE'S NO HIDDEN AGENDAS HERE. WE JUST ARE REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN SIT AROUND THE PROVERBIAL BARGAINING TABLE AND GET THIS THING HAMMERED OUT REAL QUICK.))
[SUPER=01-Sean Workowski/Hill's Attorney;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=hammered out real quick.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

There's no word on the result of today's discussions, but an announcement is expected this evening.
(------------)
[Tease#1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]

Still to come- -we've learned a former Radford University president has died- -leaving a controversial legacy.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

And, hundreds of Carilion workers are moving into their new offices in downtown Roanoke.
We'll find out if the move is benefiting local businesses.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[wx ad lib] [Roll] [Lake Level] [MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM#1]
[Roll]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=NONE]
[SUPER=80-89/66/0.00''/89/63/0.00''/87/60/0.00''/86/61/0.00'';]
[SUPER=81-90/67/0.00''/90/63/0.00''/82/57/0.00'';]
[SUPER=82-0.42''/minus 1.46''/39.70''/plus 10.20'';]

[SUPER=83-Down 2.59 feet/Down 0.23 foot;Lake levels][Dedmon]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#=98-70; 8:08]
[GRAPHIC=Radford University]

Donald Dedmon was a central figure at Radford University for 22- years.
Yet, it took SEVEN months for word of the former president's death to reach the New River Valley.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford/File Tape;]

Dedmon's wife says her husband died of a heart attack in Florida, back in February.
He left the university in June of '94 amid allegations that he had mismanaged funds.
For that reason, Board of Visitors member Greg Goad says he's not surprised Dedmon's family did NOT contact the school....
Or that no one from the university appeared to have stayed in touch with the former president.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=He had]
((GREG GOAD/RADFORD UNIVERSITY BD. OF VISITORS:HE HAD, YOU KNOW, UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN HE LEFT RADFORD UNIVERSITY AND THE SCHOOL RESPECTED HIS WISHES AND YOU KNOW IT IS UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES BUT UNDERSTANDABLE, TOO. ))
[SUPER=01-Greg Goad/Board of Visitors; :00]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=understandable, too.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Goad was saddened to learn of Dedmon's death at the age of 66.
He remembers writing to Dedmon as a young teenager asking for information about Radford.
He says Dedmon wrote back and that he showed Dedmon the letter years later when he enrolled at the university.
(----------------)

[Judiciary-Vote]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-68; 2:56]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Three Virginia congressmen will help determine whether you get to see the videotape of President Clinton's grand jury testimony.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC]

The House Judiciary Committee has been debating the issue all day. The vote may not come until tomorrow, according to some sources.
Committee members include Republican Bob Goodlatte and Democrat Rick Boucher from Southwest Virginia, and Democrat Bobby Scott from Tidewater.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=none]

One member of the Virginia delegation is calling on the president to consider resigning.
Democrat Jim Moran of Alexandria says that might be the best way out for Mr. Clinton.

[Gilmore]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=98-69; 2:13]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Gilmore]

It's NOT a distinction that instills pride in the heart of Jim Gilmore.
Virginia is already the number two importer of trash in the nation.
A new contract is about to increase the amount of imported trash by another 30 percent.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:13:33]
[IN Q=I don't]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: I DON'T WANT VIRGINIA TO BECOME THE REPOSITORY OF THE NATION'S GARBAGE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE IMAGE WE WANT TO PRESENT AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE POLICY WE WANT TO FOLLOW. NOW TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN REGULATE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE CLAUSE, I THINK WE SHOULD.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=we should]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-King and Queen Co./File Tape;]

The so-called "megafills" that take in trash from places like New York are in the eastern half of the state.
They are big revenue sources for some less affluent counties.
(-------0---------)

[Carilion]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-55; 1:02:46]
[GRAPHIC=Carilion]

It was hailed as the move that would pump life -- and dollars -- into downtown Roanoke.
Last month Carilion announced it was transferring 440-people from offices in south Roanoke to offices in the heart of the city.
They're already starting to move in.
And today Scott Goldberg went downtown to see if the big move means big bucks for business.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's been a tough]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Erin Dooley/Carilion Secretary; :12]
[SUPER=01-Vicki Harwell/Blue Ribbon Boutique; :33]
[SUPER=@Scott1; :40]
[SUPER=01-Gayle Williams/Downtown Roanoke, Inc.; 1:01]
[RUNS=1:35]
[OUT Q=SGO, News 7.]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11 55 42]
[IN Q=HMMMMMM]
((NATSOUND: HMMMM. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?)) [RUNS02]
[OUT Q=TO GO]

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Kay Huffman and Erin Dooley. [coming through front doors at 12 08 24]
Ever since they started working downtown, lunchtime has turned into one of the more stressful times of the day.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12 57 47]
[IN Q=it's going]
((ERIN DOOLEY/CARILION WORKER: IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO GET USED TO WHERE EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH DOWNTOWN ROANOKE AT ALL.)) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=AT ALL]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12 11 53]
[IN Q=NATSOUND]
((NATSOUND: DO YOU HAVE ANY SQUASH AROUND HERE?)) [RUNS02]
[OUT Q=AROUND HERE]

Too many distractions for people used to working on the other side of town.
Those veggies at the market. [backtime to NAT SOUND]
That jug in the boutique across the street.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12 15 23]
[IN Q=it's 34 dollars]
((NATSOUND: IT'S 34-DOLLARS.)) [RUNS02]
[OUT Q=DOLLARS]

They keep finding places to spend money.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12 21 03]
[IN Q=the more]
((VICKI HARWELL/BLUE RIBBON BOUTIQUE: THE MORE PEOPLE WORKING DOWNTOWN, I'M BOUND TO HAVE MORE TRAFFIC. BUT I'M EAGER TO HAVE THEM.)) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=HAVE THEM]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13 25 27]
[standup]
[IN Q=this is why]
((SCOTT GOLDBERG/REPORTING:THIS IS WHY THE CITY WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A FEW PEOPLE MOVING THEIR OFFICES ACROSS TOWN. WHEN PEOPLE WORK DOWN HERE, EVERY DAY WHEN PEOPLE STEP OUT OF THEIR BUILDING, THEY STEP INTO A BUSINESS DISTRICT THAT'S JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO SPEND THEIR MONEY. )) [RUNS13]
[OUT Q=THEIR MONEY]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11 18 46]
[IN Q=JUST LOOKING]
((GAYLE WILLIAMS/DOWNTOWN ROANOKE INC: JUST LOOKING AT IT IN A VERY CONSERVATIVE AMOUNT...))
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=AMOUNT]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12 26 26]
[IN Q=AND I ]
((natsound: AND I WANT THE BUFFALO BURGER!))
[RUNS=02]
[OUT Q=BUFFALO BURGER]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11 18 50?]
[IN Q=440 PEOPLE]
((...440 PEOPLE ARE EASILY GOING TO BRING IN 550,000 DOLLARS A YEAR IN JUST DIRECT SPENDING.))
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=DIRECT SPENDING]

THAT might be a drastic underestimate...
judging by the way these two kids spent an hour in their new downtown candy store.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13 03 57]
[IN Q=there are so many ]
((THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES WE STILL HAVEN'T SEEN... YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE TO WATCH YOUR WATCH TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN TWO OR THREE HOURS FOR LUNCH.))
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=FOR LUNCH]

Downtown Roanoke is getting 440 more jobs.
Downtown merchants are getting 440 new best friends.
Scott Goldberg, News-7, downtown Roanoke.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=sta]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

Many stocks took a tumble on Wall Street today.. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE ]
[RUNS=:25]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-y/216.01/7873.77/y/43.67/1646.24;]

The Dow was down about 216 points--closing around 78-hundred 74.
The NASDAQ dropped about 44 points.
[SUPER=431-i%/46a/i1/57#/i1b/43/ig/22!/i1*/55r;]
[ AE /ATT /Bell/Columbia/Crestar;]
[SUPER=432-i1f/39c/ie/10c/ib/42c/i2/53/i1#/47#;]

[Dana/Dimon/Dominion Resources/First Union/First VA]
[SUPER=433-i1&/78!/i%/47e/i2#/56r/i%/30$/h!/7r;]

[General Electric/Kroger/Nationsbank/Norfolk Southern/Optical Cable]
[SUPER=434-i1/44c/u/14/h$/27$/hb/87b/i2!/60d;]

[Ragweed]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=98-63; 32:58]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The recent dry spell is making allergy sufferers miserable. September is the peak of autumn ragweed season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
And with no rain in sight, allergists say there's no relief in sight for people who're allergic to ragweed and grass.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13 20 42]
[IN Q=Couple things]
((DR. THOMAS FAME/ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY: COUPLE THINGS FROM THE RAIN, ONE, IT WILL TEMPORARILY WASH THE POLLEN OUT OF THE AIR, WASH THE POLLEN OUT OF THE PLANTS AND SOAK THE POLLEN INTO THE GROUND, BUT ALSO YOU'LL START GETTING GRASSES GROWING AND THEY'LL START REGENERATING AND YOU'LL GET ANOTHER SURGE OF POLLEN.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Thomas Fame/Allergy & Immunology; ]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=surge of pollen.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Allergists say many times allergies are confused for a common cold, and if left untreated, they can lead to sinus and ear infections or worse, asthma.
(------------)

[Capitol-Birds]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=98-58; 40:23]
[GRAPHIC=none]

They're flocking to Virginia's historic State Capitol.
But they're NOT welcome.
Ellen Qualls reports on the battle with the birds.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=nat sound boom]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Last Night; :00]
[SUPER=01-Tony Griffin/Capitol Grounds Supervisor; :22]
[SUPER=@Ellen1; :29]
[SUPER=01-Ronnie Andrews/Richmond Resident; :49]
[SUPER=01-Noel Constable/British Tourist; 1:20]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=Qualls, News 7, Richmond.]

(([nat sound boom]
[runs=:03]

Gunfire in Richmond is nothing new. [nat sound pop]
[runs=:01]

Fireworks at the State Capitol happen every legislative session.
But when nature invades our civilized spaces-- Alfred Hitchcock warned us-- the state fights back.
[SOT 15:10:39]
((TONY GRIFFIN/CAPITOL GROUNDS SUPERVISOR: IT'S HARD TO SAY MILLIONS OF BIRDS...IT'S A MESS.))
[RUNS=:10]

[SOT standup ]
((WILDLIFE IS GENERALLY WELCOME IN CAPITOL SQUARE. THEY FOUGHT TO SAVE THE SQUIRRELS, THE PIGEONS ARE NO PROBLEM. BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A DOWNSIDE TO FLOCKING BIRDS.))
[RUNS=:11]

Three nights of gunfire may have done the trick.
[SOT 15:11:02]
((TONY GRIFFIN: I THINK THE BIRDS HAVE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE...AT LEAST THEY'RE NOT IN OURS.))
[RUNS=:08]

[sot 15:52:03]
((RONNIE ANDREWS: WELL IF THEY RUN THESE BIRDS OUT, I'M PRETTY SURE I'LL END UP SEEING SOMEWHERE NEAR MY HEAD. BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BOTHER ME. I MEAN IT'S NATURE. THESE ARE BIRDS. THEY GOT TO LET IT GO SOMEWHERE. I MEAN THEY'RE NOT HUMAN BEINGS. THEY DON'T GO TO BATHROOMS IN PLACES. SO THEY'RE JUST DOING WHAT NATURALLY GOD CREATED THEM TO DO.))
[runs=:21]

They've had the impertinence to sit on George Washington's head.
And leave a calling card on his jacket.
The calling cards are everywhere.
[sot 15:48:36]
((NOEL CONSTABLE/BRITISH TOURIST: AT NIGHT THEY ALL COME BACK FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE TO REST IN TREES. SO THE ANSWER IS CHOP YOUR TREES DOWN. laughs))
[runs=:06]

That's NOT what happened here... but it is one less bird outhouse.
Ellen Qualls, News 7, Richmond. ))

[S-Hoss]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-18]
[graphic=redskins]

Redskins quarterback Jeff Hostetler ended his bizarre one day walkout and returned to the team today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Frostburg, MD; :00]

Yesterday after meeting with head coach Norv Turner he cleaned out his locker and headed home to Morgantown, West Virginia.
Many thought he had quit, but Hostetler says he thought he had been given his release as requested.
But as of now he is still a Redskin, although he remains upset over his position as third string quarterback behins Trent Green and Gus Frerotte.
(------------)

[S-Ferrum]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-25]
[GRAPHIC=Ferrum]

It's homecoming for the Ferrum Panthers this Saturday. The 1 and OH Cats host Greensboro in a 1:30 kickoff at Adams Field.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ferrum; :00]

Ferrum is coming off an open date after a win over Newport News Apprentice. Offensively, the Panthers are winning with quickness rather than size.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="we're]
[SUPER=01-Matt Hull/Ferrum Tight End; :00]
[SUPER=01-Dave Davis/Ferrum Head Coach; :21]
[RUNS=:30]
[OUT Q=...little more productive"]
(-------------)
[vo-nat]
Defensively, The panthers have a great deal of experience with six seniors and three juniors. Former Graham star J.C. Harmon is a pre season all American selection at linebacker. He leads a unit that is facing some challenges head on.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=""it was ]
(())
[SUPER=01-J.C. Harmon/107 Tackles Last Season; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=...win football games"]
(---------------)

[S-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-23 tc 47:49]
[GRAPHIC=Big East]

Virginia Tech heads into the Orange Bowl Saturday to face an offense that knows how to rack up some yardage.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/November 1997;]

The Miami tailbacks are averaging 265 yards a game on the ground this season.
The Hokies beat the Canes 27-to-25 last year. But they nearly found out that speed kills.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=your positioning]
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Va Tech Head Coach; :06]
[SUPER=01-Ike Charlton/Tech Cornerback; :13]
[RUNS=30]
[OUT Q=from the big plays]
(--------------)
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[GRAPHIC=hold]

Kick off is set for eight Saturday in Miami.

[S-Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-21]
[GRAPHIC=Martinsville Logo]

The Late Model stock cars are in Martinsville this weekend for the Taco Bell 300.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :]

109 cars were at the track for a full day of practice this morning.
Qualifying begins Saturday afternoon at two with the fastest 20 cars earning spots in the race.
The rest of the field will be determinedin heat races on Sunday before the main event.
The Taco Bell 300 pays $25 thousand to win.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-David Blakenship/Tom's Mini Mart Pontiac; :00]
[SUPER=01-Philip Morris/Burger King Pontiac; :17]
[SUPER=01-Tony McGuire/Former Winner at Martinsville; :29]
[RUNS=:43]
[OUT Q=...the trip."]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[GRAPHIC=Hold Martinsville]

All tickets are general admission. They are $15 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6-to-12. The green flag drops Sunday at 12:30.

[S-Sosa]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-13]
[GRAPHIC=GRIFFEY or MLB]

The homerun party is continuing today as Ken Griffey continued his pursuit of Roger Maris's old homer mark.
Junior hit his 53rd today as the Mariners beat the A's.
[GRAPHIC=SOSA]

Early this morning around 1:15am Sammy Sosa pulled even with Mark McGwire as he hit his 63rd
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Diego, CA/MLB; :00]

homerun of the season against the Padres.
And he did it in Grand style with a Grand Slam in the 8th inning to give the Cubs a 6-to-3 win.
The smash kept the Cubs in front of the Mets in the wildcard chase and put him on top of majors rbi list with 154.
(------------)
[talent=mike]
[graphic=McGwire]

Mark McGwire and the Cardinals are off tonight.[Wx-Tape]
[SUPER=305-89/66/95/1991/43/1966;]
[SUPER=306-85/66/53/S-7mph/29.97s/7:04am/7:23pm;]

[Forecasts]
[SUPER=X5000;]
[SUPER=330-Isolated Shower/Possible/64-68/Cloudy With/Showers Possible/82-84;]
[SUPER=331-Cloudy With/Passing Showers/64-68/Mostly/Cloudy/82-84;]
[SUPER=332-Cloudy/Isolated Shower/60-62/Chance of/Showers/80-82;]
[SUPER=333-Cloudy With/Passing Showers/63-66/Mostly/Cloudy/78-80;]
[SUPER=X5001;][SUPER=334-Isolated Showers/Possible/60-64/Mostly Cloudy/Light Winds/78-80;]