[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Melanie]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[7:03:31]
[IN Q=]
(( REP. LINDSEY GRAHAM//R-SC:"BEING EVASIVE - FORGET ABOUT PERJURY." ))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=FORGET ABOUT PERJURY.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
Four articles of impeachment are ready for the House Judiciary Committee to consider.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
And Yasser Arafat says he may not live to see the peace process through.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]
(ad lib)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is next.
[Impeachment]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#None]
[GRAPHIC=Impeachment Inquiry]
House Judiciary Committee Republicans AND Democrats are using never-before-seen videotape of President Clinton today as the centerpiece of their final impeachment arguments.
The tape is of Mr. Clinton's sworn deposition last January in the Paula Jones case, and Republicans say it's a devastating piece of evidence.
If the Committe approves the articles of impeachment the full house will meet for debate one week from today.
Lee Cowan has the latest from Capitol Hill.
[Live=Lee Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/Reporting;]
[SUPER=05-Washington DC;]
( ad lib)
[***ROLLED FROM NEWSPATH***]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-January;]
[SUPER=01-Rep. Henry Hyde/Judiciary Committee Chairman;]
[SUPER=01-Abbe Lowell/Democratic Counsel;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=early as tomorrow.]
[Live=Lee Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=05-Washington DC;]
( ad lib)
((
IT'S ANOTHER DAY FOR WEARY SOLDIERS TO RETURN TO THE VERBAL
BATTLE FIELD.
TODAY, DEMOCRATS WILL FIRE THE FIRST SHOT, BUT IT WAS THE
REPUBLICANS WITH THE IMMEDIATE DILEMA.
(SUPER: JANUARY)
ON THE MENU, THE RELEASE OF THE PRESIDENT'S VIDEO-TAPED
TESTIMONY IN THE PAULA JONES CIVIL CASE - SOMETHING NEVER SEEN BY THE
PUBLIC.
(( NAT ))
IT BROUGHT ABOUT AN UNSCHEDULED VOTE EARLY THIS MORNING,
SENDING THE COMMITTEE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO DEBATE THE VALUE OF
RELEASING EVEN MORE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING MATERIAL FOR THE PRESIDENT.
( HYDE SOT )
"..turn off the lights, pull the plug on cameras_"
THIS MORNING'S MOVE COMES AFTER REPUBLICANS HANDED COMMITTEE
DEMOCRATS A DRAFT OF FOUR ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT LATE LAST NIGHT.
TODAY'S TASK FOR THE DEMOCRATS IS TO TEAR EACH OF THEM APART.
(( SUPER: ABBE LOWELL//DEMOCRATIC COUNSEL )) (( SOT AT ))
"
IT IS NO SMALL FEAT. REPUBLICANS CHARGE IN THE FOUR ARTICLES THAT THE
PRESIDENT COMMITTED PERJURY BEFORE THE STARR GRAND JURY, PERJURY IN THE
PAULA JONES DEPOSITION, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, AND ABUSE OF POWER.
AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE ARTICLES IS EXPECTED TO BE VOTED OUT OF
COMMITTEE BY AS EARLY AS TOMORROW.
(( LEE COWAN ))
"The Committee's actions have brought about criticism from the White
House - that Republicans are being unfair in their inquiry and are
intent only embarrassing the President. Republicans counter they are
only doing their Constitutional duty_and they aren't the ones putting
the President in an embarrassing situation. Lee Cowan, CBS News,
Washington."))
[Boucher]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-64 1:38:18]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD!!!]
Congressman Rick Boucher has made up HIS mind on the impeachment issue.
The Judiciary Committee member says the president's "tawdry behavior" in the Monica Lewinsky affair deserves punishment.
But in an address sent to TV stations in Virginia by satellite, Boucher said impeachment would be inappropriate.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Also weighing]
((REP. RICK BOUCHER: D-NINTH DISTRICT: ALSO WEIGHTING AGAINST THE USE OF THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS IS THE CERTAINTY THAT THE SENATE WOULD NOT CONVICT THE PRESIDENT AND REMOVE HIM FROM OFFICE IF THE HOUSE VOTES ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT.))
[SUPER=@Boucher;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=articles of impeachment.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD!!!]
Boucher helped write the censure resolution that the committee will vote on either tomorrow or Saturday.
[IRAQ]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net]
[GRAPHIC=Iraq Conflict]
Both the U-S and Great Britian are reacting cautiously to Iraq's latest challenge to U-N weapons inspectors.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Baghdad, Iraq;]
[10:09:30]
Yesterday U-N inspectors were blocked from carrying out a surprise visit to the offices of Iraq's ruling party.
And today a party official declared the site off limits.
Britain says Iraq's actions aren't consistent with the promise of full cooperation.
And the U-S says it remains ``poised to act'' if the inspectors arent't allowed to do their job effectively.
(----------------)
[ISRAEL]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A surprising comment today from Yasser Arafat.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Gaza City, Gaza;]
The 68 year old Palestinian leader has told Washington officials that he may only have a year or two to live.
Arafat suffers from uncontrollable trembling of the hands and lower lips, but has denied persistent reports that he has Parkinson disease.
Arafat met with U-S envoy Dennis Ross today ahead of President Clinton's trip to the region this weekend.
Many Palestinians have criticised America as having a pro-Israeli stance.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((DENNIS ROSS: CLEARLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO AVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO PEACE AND WHO ARE AGAINST TERROR AND WHO ARE AGAINST VIOLENCE, FOR THEN THE ISSUE OF THE PRISONERS IS VERY IMRTANT. THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR TO US AND WE UNDERSTAND IT. ))
[SUPER=01-Dennis Ross/U. S. Envoy]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=we understand it. ]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
But the Palestinians are now tackling a key sticking point in their dealings with the Israelis, Keeping a promise to revoke clauses of the P-L-O charter calling for Israel's destruction.
(----------------)
[NOBEL-PEACE]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Meantime, the peace process also appears incomplete in another part of the world.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Oslo, Norway;]
The winners of this year's Nobel Peace prize say true peace in Northern Ireland is close but still elusive.
John Hume and David Trimble accepted their Nobel award today in Norway.
Hume is the leader of the British province's largest Catholic party.
Trimble heads the most powerful Protestant group.
Both were instrumental in forging last spring's historic peace agreement.
(----------------)
[tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
You probably know how hard it is to shop for the person who has everything.
Here's an idea-- a letter from one of Virginia's most famous sons.
More on that in just a minute on News-7 at Noon.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And the international space station is about to have its first house guests.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease]
[Weatherpro]
[music up full]
[comm1]
[Tech-Dancer]
[ANCHOR=Mel]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#98-80 TC50:35]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A preliminary hearing is scheduled later today for the Virginia Tech students facing charges related to a fraternity party that got out of hand.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/October;]
In October, Virginia Tech police charged four members of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity with abduction for allegedly holding an exotic dancer against her will.
19- year old Michelle Russell says the students refused to let her leave their fraternity house unless she did a striptease.
She's also accused a fifth student of exposing himself and trying to remove her lingerie.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]
A judge will decide today whether there's enough evidence to forward the students' cases to a grand jury.
[Rocky-Mount]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Rocky Mount may gain money and land from Franklin County now that a voluntary boundary adjustment's on the table.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]
Franklin County may give the town of Rocky Mount about 70 ACRES on Route 40 East.
That means extra tax money for Rocky Mount.
But at a public hearing last night, some business owners said they would rather stay in Franklin County and not have to pay the town's taxes.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We don't need]
((RONNIE WRAY/ROCKY MOUNT READY MIX: WE DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE TOWN. I HAVE NO ADVANTAGES WHATSOEVER EXCEPT A REDUCTION IN WATER RATES.))
[SUPER=01-Ronnie Wray/Rocky Mount Ready Mix; ]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=in water rates]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Others said the land transfer and Kroger shopping center that would likely come with it are worth the money.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I hate]
((DANNY PERDUE/FRANKLIN MINUTE MARKET: I HATE TO PAY HIGHER TAXES TOO BUT WE NEED THE TOWN TO BE DOWN THERE FOR THE SEWER AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE AREA.))
[SUPER=01-Danny Perdue/Franklin Minute Market; ]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=growth in the area.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Franklin County will hold a public hearing on the issue next week.
(-------------)
[Lee-Letter]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Looking for a unique Christmas gift?
How about a letter from Robert-E-Lee?
A letter written by Lee to Virgina Governer John Letcher goes on the auction block next week at Sotheby's in New York.
Written in 1865 after the surrender at Appomattox, it was found in a bank vault a decade ago.
The letter is being sold on behalf of the estate of the late John Seymour Letcher of Lexington-- Governor Letcher's grandson.
[SPACE-STATION]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
In just a few hours the crew of the shuttle Endeavor will make a historic trip.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Yesterday;]
[4:07:10]
They'll open a series of hatches, then become the first people to enter the new international space station.
Yesterday the astronauts completed anther successful space walk.
They opened a stuck antenna on the Russian- built control module of
the international space station.
Earlier... they attached two antennas to the american-made side of the station.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[4:05:22]
[IN Q=]
((JERRY IT'S LOOKING REALLY NICE, I CAN TELL IT'S NOT AN EASY PIECE TO WORK WITH." ))
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=tough piece of work there.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
Once inside the station today the astronauts will turn on the lights and get things ready for future construction crews.
(----------------)
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
You may know that Virginia's governor's mansion is under going some major renovations.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
But no one is really sure what those renovations have unearthed.
We'll have more on the mystery at the state capitol when News-7 at Noon returns.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[Governors-Mansion]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=98-62 TC1:53:56]
[GRAPHIC=VA State Capitol]
[***ANCHOR TAG***]
Workers have uncovered an historical mystery while working on the governor's mansion in Richmond.
While digging next to the current mansion, they found part of a wall or maybe a foundation.
Acheaologists are now studying the site, trying to find clues in the dirt.
John Hagerty of C-B-S affiliate W-T-V-R in Richmond has more.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 3:20:26 THURSDAY]
[IN Q=Out capitol building]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=07-Roxanne Gilmore; :23]
[SUPER=01-John Hagerty/Reporting; :50]
[RUNS=1:17]
[OUT Q=any easier (chuckles)]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]
That was John Hagerty reporting.
This week's discovery could be the foundation of the ORIGINAL governor's mansion which is known to have been built a few yards south of the current mansion.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]
On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN 117 points.
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Still ahead in sports, Joe Gibbs looks to return to football AND the capitol city.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
And football took center stage locally last night, as the area's top players received their just rewards.
We'll have details coming up, when News 7 at Noon continues.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[Gibbs]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Redskins]
Joe Gibbs wants to return to the Redskins, but this time as an owner.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file;]
Gibbs has joined Phoenix businessman Sam Grossman's bid for the franchise.
He's agreed to take an ownership stake and supervisory position if the two acquire the club.
Grossman, a shopping center developer, reportedly will allow Gibbs to continue operating his racing team.
(------------)
[Allison]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-26]
[GRAPHIC=Bobby Allison]
A return to the track for one of racing's all-time superstars.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :]
Bobby Allison has been out of racing since he shut down his Winston cup team in 19-96.
Allison is coming back with a car on the Busch Grand National division next year.
He will be part owner of the Bobby Allison/ Dave Carroll Motorsports team. They will be based in Denver, North Carolina.
Allison says he'll attend all the practices, qualifying runs and races.
Hueytown driver Jimmy Kitchens will drive for the team.
(------------)
[Avalanche]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Avalanche]
The Salem Avalanche will have a new leader on the diamond this season.
The team will be managed by Ron Gideon, who's spent the past two seasons with the Asheville Tourists.
Gideon is joined by pitching coach Bob McClure and coaches Javier Gonzalez and Stu Cole.
You may remember Cole from the 19-97 Avalanche.
He returns to Salem after a season in Double- A New Haven.
[FFE]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=FFE-18]
[GRAPHIC=FFE LOGO]
Last night, Mike Stevens and the entire WDBJ sports staff celebrated Friday Football Extra's 15th season with a gala banquet in honor of the players and coaches.
Mike Stevens gives a peek inside the Grand Ballroom at the Marriott.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/FFE Awards Banquet; :00]
[SUPER=01-Seneca Sandidge/Lee Cook Lineman of the Year; :37]
[SUPER=01-Sean Talbert/WDBJ Scholar Athlete Recipient; 1:07]
[SUPER=01-Willis White/FFE Coach of the Year; 1:51]
[SUPER=@mike1; 2:04]
[RUNS=2:15]
[OUT Q=...NEWS 7 SPORTS."]
(-------------)
(( It's one of those annual Holiday gatherings that never gets old!
The Friday Football Extra awards banquet welcomed 150 friends along with some pretty good coaches and players to the Marriott to exchange gifts.
The 14 players of the week took home the biggest haul with plaques, hats, jerseys, lanyards and videos filling their stockings.
Amherst's County Seneca Sandidge also did pretty well for himself as he was awarded the Lee Cook Lineman of the year honor. He had 27 quarterback sacks and 40 tackles behins the line of scrimmage this season.
((SENECA SANDIDGE/LEE COOK LINEMAN OF THE YEAR:))
George Washington high school's Sean Talbert was named this year WDBJ scholar athlete of the year. The Eagles defensive captain has a 4 point 25 grade point average and hopes of getting an appointment to the US Naval academy.
((SEAN TALBERT/WDBJ SCHOLAR ATHLETE WINNER:))
The coaches vote amongst themselves each year to determine out other awards. Floyd County's Winfred Beale was named Group A's top coach.
Mike Scharnus of Rustburg edged Willis White and Taylor Edwards for the Double A honor.
And George Miller was named Group Three-A top boss for the second straight season.
Willis White, the leader of the division four state champion Spartans took home two big honors. He was voted Frdiay Football Extra's overall coach of the year, and his Spartans were names team of the year.))
((WILLIS WHITE/FFE COACH OF THE YEAR:))
((MIKE STEVENS:))
[Tickets]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Music City Bowl]
Tickets are all sold out for the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
The Virginia Tech Athletic Department announced yesterday that it has sold all of its 12-thousand allotted tickets for the game.
Both the University of Alabama and the Music City Bowl ticket offices have also sold all of their tickets.
The 8 and 3 Hokies will face Alabama at Vanderbilt Stadium on December 29-th.
[Track]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-19 tc 1:58:01]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke College]
Two Roanoke College runners also received post-season awards yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/September 5;]
Franklin County's David Angell was named the men's most valuable runner.
The senior led the Maroons, winning five cross country races, including the ODAC Championships. Angell helped Roanoke College win its first conference title in eleven years.
Sophomore Casey Smith picked up the women's most valuable runner award.
Smith had four first place finishes, seven top- 10s and earned first team all-ODAC honors.
(------------)
[NTL-TREE]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas Ornaments]
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Nation's capital.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington DC;]
The National Christmas Tree was lighted during star- studded ceremony last night in front of the White house.
The 40 foot blue spruce has stood on the Ellipse between the White House and Washington Monument since 19-78.
Here a few highlights from last night ceremony.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Feliz Navidad...]
((JOSE FELICIANO: FELIZ NAVIDAD.
SOSA:I WANT TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAY GOD BLESS YOU AND THANKS.
NATS:BENNETT:SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN. ))
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=santa claus is coming to town.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
(----------------)
The annual lighting ceremony dates back to Christmas Eve 19-13, and the administration of Woodrow Wilson.
by SS