[News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Jean]

[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=TFL]
[TAPE#Headlines]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Coming up on News 7-
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[super=03-Pacific Ocean]

Their balloon may be down on the ground, but their hopes are high as three adventurers vow to make another attempt to circle the globe.
[super=03-Roanoke]

Plus one Roanoke family is celebrating Christmas with four times the fun.
[super=03-Danville]

And A New Year's Eve party in Southside Virginia is ringing in 1999 on a chartiable note.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Tonya]

News 7 is next.
[Open]
[SUPER=#4064; News 7 at Eleven Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Tonya1;]
[SUPER=@Andrew1;]
[SUPER=@Roy1;]



[Video-Open]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=N7 at 11]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


An 18-month old Roanoke heart transplant patient may have gone home from the hospital too soon after her operation.


(------------)


[Kayla-Griffin]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=98-68 1:39:05]
[GRAPHIC=Kayla Griffin]

Good Evening...I'm TF....
Kayla Griffin is in good condition tonight at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/Wednesday; ]

Griffin was released from the hospital Wednesday, but an infection put her back yesterday afternoon. Griffin had a heart transplant on December 13th. Her doctors said she was making amazing progress and let her leave the hospital to spend the holidays at home with her family.
(------------)


[Balloon-Down]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=net-]
[GRAPHIC=None]


American Balloonist Steve Fossett and his crewmates are spending Christmas Day in Honolulu. The trip around the world was cut short due to uncooperative winds over the Pacific Ocean. Paul James has more.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Off Honolulu; :00]
[SUPER=01-Richard Branson/Balloonist; :15]
[SUPER=01-Steve Fossett/Balloonist; :23]
[SUPER=01-Per Lindstrand/Balloonist; :45]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]

(( (NAT) IT LOOKED PROMISING FOR SO LONG... ...ANOTHER AROUND-THE-WORLD BALLOON TRIP... THIS TIME FOR THREE EXPERIENCED BALLOONISTS... STEVE FOSSETT, RICHARD BRANSON AND PER LINDSTRAND. ....A PROMISING TRIP THAT ENDED GENTLY IN THE COLD WATERS OFF HONOLULU
(NAT)

11:00:03 WE DECIDED THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO MAKE IT... TIME WAS NOT ON THE TRIO'S SIDE ...THEY SAY THEY MISSED THE CORRECT WEATHER PATTERN BY ABOUT AN HOUR.... GETTING STUCK IN A LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT SLOWED THEM DOWN.
SOT:

16:22:21 WE WEREN'T MOVING... WHEN THEY LEFT MOROCCO-- FOSSETT, BRANSON AND LINDSTRAND HAD HOPED THEY WOULD BE FLOATING OVER THE U-S MAINLAND BY CHRISTMAS DAY... HAD HOPED TO BREAK FOSSETT'S OWN BALLOON-DISTANCE RECORD WHICH ALSO ENDED IN THE PACIFIC. 16:11:58ISH WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? ALL THREE APPEAR TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION... A LITTLE TIRED AND PERHAPS AS THEIR FLIGHT DIRECTOR SAID A BIT "DEFLATED" LIKE THEIR BALLOON. PAUL JAMES, CBS NEWS, NEW YORK )) [Fatal-Fire]
[anchor=Tonya]
[Newscast=11]
[writer=chr]
[tape=98-]
[graphic=Fatal Fire]


One Virginia family is devastated --
(--------)

[vo-nat]
[super=04-Home Video/Jeff Fender]

after losing 6 members when a blaze ripped through their townhouse this morning.
[super=03-Dale City]


3 of the victims were children -- one was a teenager.
Firefighters in Dale City say this fire hit close to home.
(/////SOT//////)
[SOT]

[3:34:19]
[IN-Q=Some of the firefighters]
[Out-Q=for these folks.]
[Runs=:16]
[super=01-Chief Bob Hedge/Dale City Fire Dept.]
(------------)

[vo-nat]
Officials believe the fire broke out around 6-30 a-m...
3 people escaped the burning house.

(------------)[Bus-Wreck]



[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=net-A]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Wreck]


Weather conditions may to blame for a deadly accident yesterday in New Jersey.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Sayreville, NJ; ]

The driver of the bus on the Garden State Parkway says problems began when he saw an icy patch ahead. The bus skidded across two lanes, crashing through a guardrail and down an embankment. Eight people were killed -- 15 were injured.
(------------)

[wipe wipe wipe]


[Winter-WX]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Williamsburg/Yesterday]

[5-Winter-WX story, 12/24/98]
This week's ice storm forced over 230-thousand Virginians to spend Christmas the old-fashioned way... without electricity.
Almost every home in the Williamsburg and Gloucester areas are still without power tonight.
[super=03-Charlotte, NC]

[16:16:02]
Nearly 61-thousand residents of North Carolina are without power because of Old Man Winter...
Fender benders were plentiful across the state and authorities warned that the slick conditions could get even worse as temperatures plummet.
(------------)

[Toss-2-Robin] Tonya tosses to Andrew the Chromakey

[Twins]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-72 1:59:39]
[GRAPHIC=None]


There's nothing like spending the holidays with family.
But what if your family got a lot bigger than you expected...a lot sooner than you expected?
Scott Goldberg caught up with one family that has that problem...
And they consider it a blessing.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=For Lindsey]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;01]
[SUPER=07-Larry Trotter;16]
[SUPER=07-Kathy Trotter;36]
[SUPER=@Scott1;42]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=news-7]

((For Lindsey and Lauren Trotter, it's their very first Christmas.
It's the second for Kaitlyn and Kimberly, but they were just two months old last year.
For mom and dad, who had both sets of twins 10 months apart, it's a Christmas like they never imagined.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:03:15]
[IN Q=i planned]

((I PLANNED TO HAVE ONE KID. LIKE I SAY FOUR KIDS IS A REAL BLESSING AND WE'RE REALLY LUCKY.)) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=really lucky]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:58:00]
[IN Q=NATSOUND]

((NATSOUND: larry rips open present)) [RUNS01]
[OUT Q=SG, N7]


Dad says just having kids makes the holidays more special.
Mom agrees...but says she couldn't go shopping for presents without getting stopped by a lot of people looking at her two sets of twins.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:05:46]
[IN Q=are they]

((KATHY: ARE THEY ALL YOURS? THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION (LARRY:) AND THE SECOND IS ARE THEY TWINS.)) [RUNS05]
[OUT Q=ARE THEY TWINS]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:15:56]
[IN Q=IN THE]

((SCOTT GOLDBERG: IN THE LAST YEAR, MOTHERS IN IOWA AND TEXAS HAVE MADE HEADLINES FOR HAVING MULTIPLE BIRTHS AFTER TAKING FERTILITY DRUGS. BUT THE TROTTERS DIDN'T NEED ANY HELP FROM MODERN MEDICINE. THEY JUST GOT LUCKY.)) [RUNS12]
[OUT Q=GOT LUCKY]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=natsound]

((ANY QUICK NATSOUND OF KIDS??)) [RUNS01]
[OUT Q=]


But the Trotters' four blessings have kept mom plenty busy. [from 5-97-50]
Kathy has a lot of sympathy for mothers like Bobbie McCaughey, [baby shots from 5-97-51] who last year gave birth to septulets.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:06:55]
[IN Q=i could not]

((KATHY: I COULD NOT IMAGINE.. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT WITHOUT LOTS AND LOTS OF HELP.)) [RUNS10]
[OUT Q=OF HELP]


Two babies last year ...
Four this year.
Next Christmas, will there be six Trotter twins?
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:07:56]
[IN Q=no]

((NO. WE ARE DONE. WE ARE FINISHED.)) [RUNS04]
[OUT Q=ARE FINISHED]


On this Christmas day, both sets of twins behaved like little angels.
Mom and Dad can only hope that Christmases future will be as peaceful.
Because one day these four bundles of joy will be teen-agers.
Scott Goldberg, News-7.
(--------------)))


[Tease1]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11p]
[SS=None]

No peace in Kosovo where war tanks roamed today --
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

and the universal message of Christmas is celebrated in Roanoke -- in many different languages..
These stories still ahead on News 7.
(-------------)


[Sports-Preview]


[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=Sports-Preview]
[GRAPHIC=None]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Merry christmas...]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=...sports tonight."]

((Merry Christmas everybody good news for Hokie fans from Nashville. Al Clark will start the Music City Bowl against Alabama. He took all the snaps for the teams first practice.
The Gray comes from behind to beat the Blue in the Blue Gray Classic. Minnesota quarterback Randall Cuningham gets

a contract extension with the Vikings. And the Roanoke Express is losing Duane Harmer to the American Hockey League.
All that and more on News 7 sports tonight.))
(------------)






[Mass]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-75 1:43:01]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas]


This morning in Vatican City, Pope John Paul gave holiday greetings in 58 different languages.
This afternoon in Roanoke, one congregation celebrated mass in Vietnamese.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:19:57]
[IN Q=music]

((NATSOUND: HYMN))
[RUNS=05]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]


It's a tradition for the Valley's Vietnamese Catholic community.
That's about 50-families.
The service is just like any other mass celebrated in Western cultures...except for the language.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:31:20]
[IN Q=we don't]

((MARY LINDSEY: WE DON'T HAVE ANY DIFFERENCE. WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS. JUST TRADITIONAL, AS THE WESTERN.))
[SUPER=01-Mary Lindsey/Paritioner;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=THE WESTERN]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

[2:24:33]
The priests wore silk robes that were made in Vietnam.
The embroidering honors martyrs who fought to bring Christianity to that country.
(------------)

[Iraq]
[anchor=Tonya]
[newscast=11pm]
[writer=chr]
[tape=net-]
[graphic=none]


Christians in Iraq spent Christmas day praying for peace.
(----------)

[vo-nat]
[super=03-Baghdad, Iraq]


They canceled holiday celebrations in protest as threats loomed of more American air strikes.
Two air raid sirens went off in the early Christmas morning hours... sending several to seek shelter.
Terrorist suspect (Oh-somma Binn Lah-din) Osama Bin Laden wrote to an Arabic newspaper -- and called on Muslims to attack Americans and Britons as revenge for recent missile attacks.
(-------------)

[wipe wipe wipe] [Kosovo]
[anchor=Tonya]
[newscast=11]
[writer=chr]
[tape=none]
[graphic=wipe wipe wipe]



(----------)

[vo-nat]
[SUPER=03-Near Podujevo, Kosovo]


U-S efforts to bring peace to Kosovo (KOH-sah-VO) took another blow today. A U-S diplomat spent his Christmas in the middle of the fighting. William Walker says he is trying to prevent the latest violence from turing into a full scale war.
Today marks the second day in the latest round of fighting in the Northern region.
(----------)



[Tease2]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11p]
[SS=None]

Coming up... are you in the process of making New Year's plans?
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]


If you would like a great dinner with lots of fun -- for a good cause -- we may have just the thing to help you ring in 1999.
The story when we return.
(----------------)



[Charity-Party]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=chu]
[TAPE# 98-81 08:46]
[GRAPHIC=New Years]


A radio station in Danville has found a way to ring in the New Year and help some local charities at the same time.


Christy Hubley tells us about PIXX (say "pix") 106-point-7 F-M's big bash.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The empty Community Market]
[SUPER=03-Danville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Laura Hill/PIXX 106.7 FM; :12]
[SUPER=01-Libby Ferrell/Contact Crisis Line; :28]
[SUPER=01-Robert Talbott/Life Saving Crew; :43]
[SUPER=@Christy2;]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=News 7, Danville.]

(( The empty Community Market building in Danville is being transformed for a New Year's Eve celebration.
There will be colorful decorations, hats and party favors for the big bash, sponsored by PIXX radio station.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:45:05-:12]
[IN Q=Let's ring in the]

((LAURA HILL/PIXX RADIO: LET'S RING IN THE NEW YEAR A SAFE WAY, A FUN WAY, A FESTIVE WAY, AND WHAT A BETTER WAY THAT A FUNDRAISER DINNER-DANCE.))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=fundraiser dinner-dance.]


The proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit three charities: the Danville Life Saving Crew, the Christians United Homeless Shelter, and the Contact Crisis Line.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:53:47-:54]
[IN Q=It is a help line]

((LILLY FERRELL/CONTACT CRISIS LINE: IT IS A HELP LINE, A LISTENING LINE, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL WHICH IS FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=and suicide prevention.]


Organizations like these rely heavily on community donations and wouldn't be able to provide the services they do without local support.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:50:37-:43]
[IN Q=We do get some]

((ROBERT TALBOTT/LIFE SAVING CREW: WE DO GET SOME STATE FUNDING BUT VERY LITTLE COMPARED TO WHAT IT TAKES TO COST TO RUN THE ORGANIZATION.))
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=run the organization.]


PIXX radio say it wants to raise 15-thousand dollars to distribute among the charities.
The three organizations say they're grateful for the generous donations.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 2:54:51-:55]
[IN Q=It's just like a gift]

((LILLY FERRELL/CONTACT CRISIS LINE: IT'S JUST LIKE A GIFT, A REAL GOOD CHRISTMAS PRESENT, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.))
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=really appreciate it.]


Christy Hubley, News 7, Danville.))
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[SS=Hold]


You can get tickets for the dinner and dance by contacting PIXX radio station in Danville.
And you get tickets for the dance only at the door.



[Forecasts]
[SUPER=#577; generic]
[SUPER=X5000;]
[SUPER=330-Partly/Cloudy/20-25/Turning Mostly/Sunny/36-40;]
[SUPER=331-Partly Cloudy/Light Winds/20-25/Decreasing/Clouds/36-40;]
[SUPER=332-Increasing/Clouds/15-20/Morning Clouds/Afternoon Sun/35-39;]
[SUPER=333-Increasing/Clouds/15-20/Turning/Mostly Sunny/35-38;]
[SUPER=334-Partly/Cloudy/13-19/Morning Clouds/Afternoon Sun/34-38;]


[SUPER=X5001;][S-Extra]



[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=Extra]
[GRAPHIC=Sports logo]


Al Clark will start the Music City Bowl game against Alabama Randall Cunningham gets a contract extension in Minnesota Duane Harmer of the Roanoke Express is called up and Steve Mason checks in with a report on U-V-A running back Thomas Jones.
But first our Extra Point.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL; :]


Lawrence Taylor, One of the best defensive players in N-F-L history gets his first shot at election to the Pro Football Hall of fame.
L-T was a major factor when the Giants won two super bowls in the 1980's but his problems with drugs could cost him votes among the 36 Hall of Fame Electors.
The voting is January 30-th one week before Taylor's 40-th birthday.
Taylor retired in 19993 after 13 years in the N-F-L with the Giants.
Now, here's tonights numbers.
(------------)

[WIPE TO MOTION]
[SUPER=#556]
[SUPER=X5020;]
[SUPER=0101-/Blue/24/j/Gray/31//Blue Gray Classic//Oregon#21///Colorado///Aloha Bowl/;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0101-/Air Force#16/32//Washington/13/4/Oahu Classic/;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=...LAST SCORE."]
(--------------)




[S-Clark]


[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-30]
[GRAPHIC=Music City Bowl]


Virginia Tech is in Nashville preparing for the inaugural Music City Bowl on December 29-th and Al Clark will start at Quarterback against Alabama.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nashville, TN; :]


Clark was questionable because of a painful rib injury but he took all the practice snaps in Tech's second workout in Nashville yesterday.
Clark injured the ribs against Virginia on November 28-th and he did not work out in the Hokies final two practices in Blacksburg.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Right now...]
[SUPER=01-Al Clark/Virginia Tech Quarterback; :]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=.....good game."]
(----------------)





[S-Tailback]


[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-28 49:11]
[GRAPHIC=Peach Bowl]


Virginia's fourth Peach Bowl appearance holds special meaning for UVa running back Thomas Jones and his family. Steve Mason has more on the ACC leading tailback whose talented blood lines could run through ACC and SEC country.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio]
[SUPER=03-Big Stone Gap/Div. 2 State Championship; :07]
[SUPER=01-Thomas Jones/Lead ACC with 11 Rushing TD's; :27]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :50]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/November 28th; 1:22]
[SUPER=01-George Welsh/ACC's Winningest Coach; 1:36]
[RUNS=1:55]
[OUT Q=...News 7 sports"]
(-------------)


((Thomas Jones has a great deal in common with his brother Julius. The younger Jones is continuing the high profile recruiting trend, accepting visits from Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer and Michigan's top man Loyd Carr in the last several weeks. While Julius has already committed to UVa, he has yet to make a final decision. ((THOMAS JONES:)) ((STEVE MASON:)) ((THOMAS JONES:))
Virginia's air attack is always an option. Five Cavalier recievers hauled in 19 receptions against Tech, whose secondary is second in the nation with 23 interceptions. Terrence Wilkens has emerged as the go to guy. ((GEORGE WELSH:)) Momentum in UVa' passing attack from the Tech game to the post season looks peachy for the Caavliers. Aaron brooks passed for a season high 345 yards against the country's seventh rakned defense. Steve Mason, News 7 sports.))
(--------------)



(That's it for sports. Have a great day everybody.)[S-Gray]



[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-25]
[GRAPHIC=College Football]


Wake Forest quarterback Brian Kuklick threw a 65 yard touchdown pass to Auburn's Karsten Bailey to led the Gray over the Blue in College Football's annual Blue Gray Classic.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery, AL/ABC SPORTS; :]


Lets go to Montgomery, Alabama for the Highlights.
Stacy Mack led the Blue attack. He scored twice in the second quarter then he gets the ball on this fake end around turns it up field and scores on the 20 yard touchdown run and the Blue led 24 to 10.
But the Gray scored twice in the fourth quarter. On this play Joe Wesley makes the interception goes down the sideline for an 82 yard touchdown run and the game was tied at 24 to 24 halfway through the quarter.
Then with five minutes left in the game Kucklick hits Karsten at mid field he takes off like a bullet
[SUPER=36-Gray/31/Blue/24/;]

out running the gray defense for the 65 yard touchdown pass play and the Gray wins it 31 to 24.
(------------)







[S-Aloha]


[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-15]
[GRAPHIC=None]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Honolulu, HI/ABC SPORTS; :]


In Honolulu, Colorado and Oregon rumbled in the Aloha Bowl game.
Colorado jumped out to the lead on the opening Kickoff. Ben Kelly gets some nice blocks and he races down the sideline on his way to a 93 yard touchdown run and the Buffaloes took the quick 7 to nothing lead in the first quarter.
Then later in the quarter Mike Moschetti puts it into the air hitting Javon Green on the 5 yard touchdown pass play and Colorado led 17 to nothing at the end of the first quarter.
Oregon got its first points in the second quarter
[SUPER=36-Colorado/51/Oregon/43/;]

Derien Latimer scores on the 6 yard touchdown run but Colorado gets the 51 to 43 win.
(------------)



(Steve Mason talks to UVA tailback Thomas Jones as the Cavaliers prepare for the Peach Bowl. More when we return.)








[Sports Tease]


[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=Sports Tease]
[GRAPHIC=None]


And coming up, Duane Harmer of the Roanoke Express moves up to the American Hockey League a big weekend of N-F-L football right here on Your Hometown Station.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Randall Cunningham gets a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings.
(------------)



[lotto]
[SUPER=136-6 9 9/9 7 0 6/1 7 19 29 31/6 8 17 21 31/10]






[S-Express]


[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-24]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Express]


When the Roanoke Express takes the ice tomorrow night one of its top players will not be in the lineup.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :]


Duane Harmer, who also serves as the team's assistant coach, has been called up by the Lowell Lock Monsters.
Harmer has four goals and 11 assists this season and he was voted to the East Coast Hockey league Northern Conference all star team.
Harmer has played his entire pro career in Roanoke and he's 10-th on the Teams career points list with 115.
(------------)
[TALENT=Roy]
[GRAPHIC=hOLD LOGO]


The Express returns to the Roundhouse tomorrow night with a game against Chesapeake. Face off is 7-thirty.




[S-NFL]


[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-22]
[GRAPHIC=NFL Logo]
The Minnesota Vikings can now concentrate on their final regular season game against Tennessee and the N-F-L playoffs

now that quarterback Randall Cunningham will wear a Viking uniform next season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL; :]


Cunningham, The leading M-V-P candidate, has signed a five year extension with the Vikings. Terms of the deal were unavailable although it will pay him as a starter after a season in which he leads the N-F-L in quarterback Rating and has thrown a career best 32 touchdown passes.
Cunningham became a starter when Brad Johnson went down with an injury.
The agreement was reached a day before tomorrow's game against Tennessee.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="We go...]
[SUPER=01-Randall Cunningham/Signs New Contract; :]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=....a football game.]
[ANCHOR=Roy]
[GRAPHIC=Hold Logo]


The Vikings also signed Tackle Corey Stringer to a five year 18 million extension with a 4-million signing bonus, three million of which was deferred until next year.

[Christmas-Card]


[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=98-65; 1:37:14]
[GRAPHIC=Christmas]


We leave you with best wishes from all of the folks who make WDBJ your hometown station--both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Photographer Dennis Brown brings you this holiday greeting.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=nat sound]
[RUNS=3:01]
[OUT Q=at WDBJ-7.]


[Close-ID]


[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=11p]
[WRITER=]
(Weekday 6 only)
SUPER=x4032; e-mail/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS
SUPER=x4033; Fax/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS
(Weekend 6 only)

SUPER=x4031; Fax/Copyright/WEEKENDS [SUPER=x4030; e-mail/Copyright/WEEKENDS]
by SS