WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 11/30/98

[News-Heads]

[TALENT=Jean]

Coming up on News 7, Roanoke County fires the police officer who used pepper spray on a 77 year old woman.
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[VO NAT SOT]

And the Virginia Tech Hokies learn their post season destination. We'll tell you where they're heading in Sports.

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[Wx-Heads]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

A front is due in tomorrow morning but it doesn't promise much in the way of rain. The forecast is just ahead.

[Medical-Head]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#med heads]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Today on health check -- The Silver Spring Equine Rescue gives injured and abused horses a chance to find caring homes.
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[VO-NAT]
The latest rescue is putting the Craig County farm on the front lines of the debate over the hormone drug Premarin.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
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[VO-NAT]

The Roanoke County police officer who sprayed a 77-year old woman with pepper spray is kicked off the force.
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[5-Pepper-Spray;]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#598-34 1:18:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The police department made its announcement this afternoon, after a two-and-a half-week investigation.
[Double Boxes=Jean and Scott/Microwave]

Scott Goldberg is at the county police headquarters with the latest.
[Live=Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Scott1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]

(ad-lib:)
(Rollcue: the department could take.)
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Chief Ray Lavinder/Roanoke County Police;00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./November 12;16]
[RUNS=:44]
[OUT Q=suspended from the police force.]
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[SOT 3 01 53 ub]
[IN Q=it's probably]
((CHIEF LAVINDER: IT'S PROBALBY ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS THINGS WE DO...RELIEVING AN OFFICER...IT'S NOT A GOOD SITUATION FOR ANY OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.))
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=INVOLVED]

Goldie Akers' story made headlines earlier this month, when the 77-year-old grandmother was hit in the face with pepper spray.
Russell Metcalf, an eight-year veteran of the police force sprayed her on a Sunday morning.
Akers was sitting in her car, facing the wrong way on a busy street, checking her mail.
Metcalf approached her on the road, then followed her up her driveway.
When Akers did not answer the officer's questions, Metcalf sprayed Akers in the face and was later suspended from the police force.
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[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]

Metcalf's lawyer said today there is another side to this story...
And that the county acted rashly when, before the investigation, county administrator Elmer Hodge said he couldn't think of any circumstance when it would be appropriate to spray a 77-year-old women.
That, Metcalf's lawyer said, put the police department in a position where it had to let Mecalf go.
Metcalf is appealing his termination, filing a greivance with the police department.
[Double Boxes=Jean and Scott/Microwave]

((Jean: Scott, have we heard from Goldie Akers or her attorney?))[5-Michigan-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
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[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]

Prosecutors are calling it one of the most brutal crime scenes they've ever seen.
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[vo-nat]
[super=03-Dalton Township, MI;]

Now they're trying to figure out what made a young man go on a shooting rampage that left five people dead.
18 year old Seth Privacky is in custody suspected of killing his mother, father, grandfather, brother and his girlfriend.
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[SOT 14:46:28]
[IN Q=]
((TONY TAGUE/MUSKEGON CO. PROSECUTOR: THEY RECEIVED A TIP . WE WENT TO THAT LOCATION. HE WAS FOUND IN A LOCKED POLE BARN AND TOLD THEN TO TURN HIMSELF IN AND HE DID SO.))
[SUPER=01-Tony Tague/Muskegon Co. Prosecutor;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=he did so.]
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[VO-NAT]

Another 18-year old is in custody.
Police found him running out of the woods near the home.

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[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

Trial is beginning for the man accused of injecting his son with HIV tainted blood.
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[VO-NAT]

32-year old Brian Stewart is charged with first degree assault-
Prosecutors claim he stole a syringe with infected blood from the hospital he worked for and injected it into his son- to avoid child support payments.
[Super=04-File Tape;]

The defense says the boy could have acquired the disease elsewhere.
The child has a history of hospitalization and his aunt and her boyfriend are admitted intravenous drug users.
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[TALENT=Jean]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

The youngster is now seven.
He was diagnosed with AIDS in 1996.
The boy is on several medications but is well enough to attend school.
[(toss to R)]
(toss to Robin)
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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The city of Roanoke is considering limiting the number of dogs families can have. We'll have that story next.
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[VO-NAT]

And we'll meet a local man with a big Christmas wish. All he wants is a spot for his video on Country Music television.
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[cc sponsor]
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[5-Dog-Ordinance]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=598-35 1:00:10]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke City Seal]

Roanoke city council may limit how many dogs you can own.
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[NAT SOT]
((nat sot shelter))
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The point is to prevent dogs from ending up at the pound, stray and unwanted.
If the proposed ordinance passes, pet owners could keep four sterilized dogs, but only two unsterilized.
But some say that punishes responsible pet owners too.
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[SOT 12:49:32]
[IN Q=I don't see why]
((NANCY PUFFER/DOG OWNER: I DON'T SEE WHY ... OR THEIR MESSES.))
[SUPER=01-Nancy Puffer/Dog Owner;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=or their messes]
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[VO-NAT]

The law would also require pet owners to keep all dogs on leashes and clean up after them.
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[SOT 14:41:22]
[IN Q=My dog]
((CLARISSA NOLAND/DOG OWNER: MY DOG LIKES TO RUN IN THE PARK AND SHE COMES BACK WHEN I CALL HER SO I WOULD LIKE TO LET HER STILL BE ALLOWED TO RUN IN THE PARK.))
[SUPER=01-Clarissa Noland/Dog Owner;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=run in the park]
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[VO-NAT]

Other dog owners say the leash law is a good idea, especially around children.
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[ANCHOR=JEAN]
[SS=]

There will be a public hearing tonight on the proposed dog law.[5-School-Construction]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#598-39 25:44]
[GRAPHIC=Education]

Two state commissions have been studying school construction needs in Virginia this year.
The General Assembly commission recommended 600- million dollars in state aid for bricks and mortar just a few weeks ago.
That mirrors the Democratic party's campaign promises.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

So it was NO major surprise today that the Governor's commission backed HIS school funding proposal.
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[SOT 14:13:08]
[IN Q=I can tell]
((WILBERT BRYANT/VIRGINIA SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: I CAN TELL YOU, HOWEVER, THAT THE RESULTS BEAR OUT WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR LAST MEETING. THE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISIONS ARE VARIED AND ARE NOT CONCENTRATED AROUND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.))
[SUPER=01-Wilbert Bryant/Virginia Secretary of Education; ]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=school construction.]
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[VO-NAT]

Only nine of Gilmore's 17 commission members were present -- and eight voted to recommend his plan to give lottery profits back to localities to spend how they see fit.
Halifax County's superintendent sat on the commission-- and had mixed feelings about the political overtones of today's vote.
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[SOT 14:53;46]
[IN Q=Oh I think]
((DENNIS WITT/HALIFAX CO. SUPERINTENDENT: OH I THINK IT WAS GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL. AND THE COMMISSION SUPPORTS THAT PROPOSAL AND THAT WILL BE USED AS THE GOVERNOR CARRIES FORWARD HIS PROGRAM FOR THE LOTTERY MONEY.))
[SUPER=01-Dennis Witt/Halifax Co. Superintendent;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=lottery money.]
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[VO-NAT]

How 310-million dollars in annual lottery profits is spent is shaping up as a major legislative debate for January.

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[5-Local Video]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5 PM]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#=598-40 11:59]
[GRAPHIC=]

The road to success in the music industry can be a bumpy one without the backing of a major record label. But one local musician hopes to ride the information super highway to stardom. Steve Pardon explains.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Dean Doyle]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.; :00]
[SUPER=04-"Christmas Without You"; :32]
[SUPER=01-Dean Doyle/Singer-Song Writer; 1:10]
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[OUT Q=News 7]

((Dean Doyle spends a lot of time in front of a computer in Franklin County. Not just running his production company, Gabriel Communications, but because he's a musician. Without a big record deal to sell their CD's many local artists are turning to the world wide web to pedal their tunes. But just BEING on-line isn't enough.
((39:35.03 HAVING A WEB PAGE IS LIKE HAVING A BUSINESS CARD IN A 55 GALLON DRUM FULL OF BUSINESS CARDS...TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE. (39:47.29)(12)))

(5 seconds or so of music from video)

Enter Doyle's latest single "Christmas Without You". The locally produced video is intended to help market the web page. Once all of the camera's were set, it took 6 hours to get the project from Dean's head onto tape. For the shoot, the song had to be sped up 30% and each line repeated twice. During the repeat line the actors had to move in slow motion to allow for the time lapse look that would be created later during 12 hours of intensive computerized editing.
((43:15.19 I WAS GOING HOME AFTER THE VIDEO SHOOT...IT WAS STRANGE. 43:15.13 (7)))
The video is now in local Record Exchange stores and the single has been sent to country music stations in hope of some air play. It's the final step in a process that began when Christmas was the furthest thing from most people's mind.

((41:19.00 ITS KIND OF WEIRD STARTING A CHRISTMAS...ITS REALLY EXCITING 41:32.27 (13)))
The project was completed for under 10 thousand dollars. But even at that relatively inexpensive price a holiday tune has a limited amount of time to make a return on the investment. Which means Doyle's Christmas wish, is that plenty of people point and click.
In Franklin County, Steve Pardon, News 7.))

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[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5p]
[SS=None]

If you're looking for a nice cheap Christmas present, Patrick Evans is the man to see.
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[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
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[ANCHOR=JEAN]
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[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#598-36 56:44]
[GRAPHIC=None]

If you're looking for that perfect present, you only have 25 days left but Patrick Evans has the perfect suggestion.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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Coming up in Sports, the Virginia Tech Hokies are Nashville bound.
[ANCHOR=Tonya]
in tonight's health check report -- The debate over the estrogen replacement drug Premarin is wrangling a Craig County horse lover.
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[VO-NAT]
The medication taken by millions of women is derived from pregnant mares. Critics say it's animal abuse -- ranchers say it's an industry. And the argument isn't going away.
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[SOT ub 11 42 06]
[IN Q=It's one of the ]
((DR. MONA SADEK/OBGYN: IT'S ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS THAT WE GIVE FOR HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THE MOST STUDIED. OVER 50 YEARS OF RESEARCH HAS BEEN ACCUMULATED ABOUT IT.))
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[OUT Q=about it.]
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tfl]
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[GRAPHIC=]

Today on health check we're talking about how the dispute over the popular estrogen replacement drug Premarin is hitting home.

[5-Premarin]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=598-32 1:24:08]
[GRAPHIC=]
Premarin is the world's leading estrogen replacement therapy. More than 9 million women take the medication made from the urine of pregnant mares. The process for the production of Premarin in one of the most complex in the drug industry and some would say one of the cruelest. A horse rescue farm in Craig County is on the leading edge of the controversy.
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[IN Q=Two year]
[SUPER=03-New Castle; :13]
[SUPER=01-Tera Houston/Silver Spring Equine Rescue; :19]
[SUPER=01-Dr.Greg Houtsma/Veterinarian; :45]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Mona Sadek/OBGYN; 2:16]
[RUNS=3:19]
[OUT Q=a performance horse]
(( Two year old Caitlin keeps her mom Tera Houston pretty busy, but Tera has another baby. This seven month old is part Thoroughbred part Percheron. "My Lucky Day" or Lucky for short is Houston's latest save and newest edition her horse rescue farm in New Castle.
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[SOT ub 13 06 44, 2]
[IN Q=The first week]
((TERA HOUSTON/SILVER SPRING EQUINE RESCUE: THE FIRST WEEK THAT I HAD HIM HERE, EVERY TIME I WALKED OUT THERE, HE WOULD BE STRETCHED OUT IN THE STALL AND I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD.)) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=he was dead.]
Lucky is a Premarin foal. [tc 01:20:35 -- foals on farm] He came from a Canadian PMU ranch where his mother is one of the mares used to make the drug Premarin and where Houston says Lucky was just a side effect.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT ub 13 04 57, 2]
[IN Q=Usually what]
((TERA HOUSTON/SILVER SPRING EQUINE RESCUE: USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM IS THEY'RE JUST A BYPRODUCT, SO A LOT OF THEM JUST GET SENT TO SLAUGHTERHOUSES.)) [RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=slaughterhouses.]
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[SOT ub 10 44 11]
[IN Q=The Premarin foals]
((DR.GREG HOUTSMA/VETERINARIAN: THE PREMARIN FOALS IT'S A FAIRLY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AND HE MAY HAVE BEEN WEANED EARLY.)) [RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=weaned early]
[wide shot of Houtsma] Doctor Houtsma is Lucky's vet and a member of the [tc 01:09:53 -- Premarin mares being inspected by vets] American Association of Equine Practitioners who evaluate the farms for the welfare of the animals.
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[cover bite:Tape 2 ub 13 14 08, 13 28 15 -- skin sores] [ub 13 14 26 -- picking up foot]
[SOT ub 13 05 28, 2]
[IN Q=When he first]
((TERA HOUSTON/SILVER SPRING EQUINE RESCUE: WHEN HE FIRST GOT HERE, HE NEVER EVEN HAD A HALTER ON, NEVER HAD HIS FEET PICKED UP, NOTHING AND HE HAS BEEN ACTUALLY THE BEST HORSE I'VE EVER WORKED WITH, WHICH I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BECAUSE I THOUGHT HE'D BE THE WORST BECAUSE OF THE TREATMENT.)) [RUNS:15]
[OUT Q=the treatment]
[urine collection shots] For six months of their pregnancy these mares stand in stalls wearing devices to collect their estrogen rich urine. Wyeth-Ayest Laboratories in Philadelphia makes Premarin. The company sent News 7 a statement saying "Wyeth-Ayerst is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care for the health and welfare of the horses involved in the production of Premarin. The company takes the concerns raised about the care of the horses very seriously and has expended significant effort to investigate the animal activists claims. Many independent organizations such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners have inspected PMU ranches and reported no animal cruelty and inhumane behavior toward the horses." Houston disagrees and says she want these archaic practices to end.
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[SOT tape 1, ub 14 26 26]
[IN Q=Since they have]
((TERA HOUSTON/SILVER SPRING EQUINE RESCUE: SINCE THEY HAVE SO MANY SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT DO THE SAME THING, I THINK IT'S OBSOLETE BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY IS OVER 50 YEARS OLD.)) [RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=years old]
But half a century later, Premarin is still the most prescribed estrogen replacement therapy in the world.
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[SOT ub 11 42 58]
[IN Q=There are several]
((DR. MONA SADEK/OBGYN: THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER, NUMEROUS OTHER MEDICATIONS ON THE MARKET IN THE LAST TWO TO FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE THE ESTROGENS WHICH ARE WHAT COMES OUT OF PLANT PRODUCTS AND SEVERAL OTHER SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS.)) [RUNS:14]
[OUT Q=syntheic products]
[tc 01:11:29 -- horses in stalls] [tc 01:18:11 -- urine collection] but until these new alternatives are proven safe and effective, physicians say Premarin will still be the number one means for hormone replacement therapy to protect against osteoporosis and heart disease.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT ub 11 44 38]
[IN Q=Basically, I'm here]
((DR. MONA SADEK/OBGYN: BASICALLY I'M HERE TO TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS NEEDS AND SINCE THIS IS THE MEDICATION THAT'S BEEN PROVEN TO BE THE BEST, TO ACHIEVE WHAT THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR BONES, THEN WE WILL PRESCRIBE THAT MEDICATION UNLESS THEY COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT IS EQUALLY EFFICACIOUS, I THINK MOST PHYSICIANS WILL BE HAPPY TO SWITCH OVER.)) [RUNS:18]
[OUT Q=switch over]
and while the future of Premarin is unknown, Lucky's at least looks promising.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT ub 10 42 38]
[IN Q=I believe]
((DR.GREG HOUTSMA/VETERINARIAN: I BELIEVE THAT HE WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT GELDING AND I THINK TERA WILL BE ABLE TO DO QUITE A FEW THINGS WITH HIM, HE HAS THE POTENTIAL NOW TO BE A PERFORMANCE HORSE.)) [RUNS:12]
[OUT Q=performance horse.] ))
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[2-Shot-Toss]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5p]
[WRITER=sta]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]

In Sports, the Hokies will sing Auld Land Syne with a twang this year.
[ANCHOR=Tonya]

Here's Mike Stevens to tell us why.[S5-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-18]
[GRAPHIC=TICKER]

Welcome folks to the two minute ticker that is loaded today.
[GRAPHIC=TECH]

We begin with the Virginia Tech Hokies, who this afternoon found out that they are headed to the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee.
The game will be played on December 29th.
Tech isn't sure just who will play at this time, but the news takes away some of the sting from Saturday's setback.

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=bites]
[SUPER=01-Corey Moore/Va. Tech Defensive End; :00]
[SUPER=01-Marcus Gildersleeve/Va. Tech Receiver; :09]
[SUPER=01-Tyron Edmond/Va. Tech Senior; :20]
[RUNS=:28]
[OUT Q=...A VICTORY."]
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[S5-Coach]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-12]
[GRAPHIC=CLEMSON]

Meanwhile, Frank Beamer has reportedly made the rounds at Clemson and is back in Blacksburg involved in meetings.
Tommy Bowden was on the Clemson campus today.
We have a learned that a mandatory team meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at Clemson.
Supposedly to meet the new coach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Durham, NC; :00]

Duke is also looking for a new field general this afternoon.
Fred Goldsmith was fired today with four years remaining on his contract.
In his five seasons at Duke, Goldsmith had just 17 wins and 39 losses.
His best team was the 1994 squad that played in the Hall of Fame Bowl.
Duke was four and 7 this year.
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[S5-Hoops]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-14]
[GRAPHIC=Tech/UVa]

Virginia Tech's womens basketball team can provide some redemption for it's football team tonight. The Lady Hokies play Virginia at the Cassell at 7. Tech is gunning for it's first 5 and OH start ever. A tall, order considering 17th ranked Virginia has some of the nations top players.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="demaya...]
[SUPER=01-Bonnie Henrickson/Va. Tech Women's Head Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=...help us a great deal"]
(---------------)
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[GRAPHIC=ticker]

[5-Monkey]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A celebration in Thailand turned out to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lopburi, Thailand;]

Hundreds of monkeys enjoyed a feast as their reward for bringing good fortune to central Thailand.
Typically the monkeys around the Three Pagoda Compound have to steal their dinner from food venders or passers by.

That wasn't the case yesterday when hundreds of the animals were honored at a banquet.
Residents of the town have regarded the monkeys as good luck for centuries.
The menu included noodles, popcorn, fruit, nuts and soft drinks.
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