[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Melanie]
(//////SOT/////)
[8;01:40]
[IN=Records are fine...]
(( DIMAGGIO: RECORDS ARE FINE, AND I'M PROUD OF MINE, BUT THE POINT IS I'D LOOK AT IT AS A PERSONAL BONUS. ))
[RUNS=:09]
[OUTQ=Personal Bonus]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Yankee Clipper dies in Florida after a long battle with lung cancer.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
And Monica Lewinsky is overwhelmed by the crush of reporters and photographers on the first day of her European book signing tour.
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]
(ad lib)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is next.
[DiMaggio]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#none]
[GRAPHIC=Joe Diaggio]
Baseball is mourning the loss of a legend.
Hall of famer Joe DiMaggio died early this morning after a long battle with lung cancer.
He was 84.
DiMaggio played 13 seasons for the New York Yankees and his 56 game hitting streak in 19-41 turned him into a national hero.
Bobbi Harley reports from Yankee Staduim.
[Live=Bobbi Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=01-Bobbi Harley/Reporting;]
[SUPER=05-New York, NY;]
( ad lib)
[****ROLLED FROM NEWSPATH****]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY/September 1998;]
[SUPER=01-Yogi Berra/Former Yankees Manager;]
[SUPER=01-Alan Ashebarb/Dimaggio Fan;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=]
[Live=Bobbi Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=05-New York, NY;]
( ad lib)
((BABE RUTH MAY HAVE BUILT THE HOUSE.. BUT NO ONE CAPTIVATED FANS AT
YANKEE STADIUM LIKE JOE DIMAGGIO.
HIS STATISTICS WHILE GOOD ENOUGH TO LAND HIM IN THE HALL OF FAME.. WERE OVERSHADOWED BY THE STYLE AND GRACE HE BROUGHT TO GAME.
AS THE CENTERPIECE OF ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFULL TEAMS TO PLAY ANY
SPORT.. AT ANY TIME...DIMAGGIO WAS ELEVATED TO THE STATUS OF AMERICAN
ICON.
SOT: YOGI BERRA, FORMER YANKEES MANAGER "I NEVER SAY HIM DO ANYTHING WRONG, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, I PLAYED WITH HIM FOR F
IVE YEARS AND NEVER SAW HIM DO ANYTHING WRONG. :08
THOUGH HE TRIED TO SHY AWAY FROM PUBLICITY.. HIS POPULARITY DID NOT WAVER AFTER HIS RETIREMENT.
HIS CELEBRITY MARRIAGE AND SUBSEQUENT DIVROCE TO MARILYN MONROE KEPT
HIM UNDER THE GLARE OF THE MEDIA AND HIS MILLIONS OF FANS DECADES AFTER
HIS LAST GAME.
WHILE MANY OF BASEBALL'S SO-CALLED UNBEATABLE RECORDS HAVE FALLEN...
DIMAGGIO'S REMARKABLE FEAT OF HITTING IN 56 CONSECUTIVE GAMES STILL STANDS AS A LIVING MEMORIAL TO AN AMERICAN LEGEND.
SOT: ALAN ASHENFARB, DIMAGGIO FAN))
[McVeigh]
[ANCHOR=MElanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Tim McVeigh]
Timothy McVeigh will face the death penalty.
The U-S Supreme Court today let his death sentence stand.
Without comment, the justices rejected an appeal in which McVeigh claimed his trial was tainted.
He was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy and weapons charges in the 1995 bombing that killed 168 and i
njured hundreds.[Sullivan]
[ANCHOR=Mel]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=98-78 TC1:32:30]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A Pulaski County judge this morning certified the case against Peggy Jo Sullivan to a grand jury.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski/File Tape;]
Sullivan was arrested in the parking lot of a Dublin fast food restaurant in January after she allegedly tried to hire an undercover police officer to kill her former boyfriend.
After taking Sullivan into custody, investigators discovered two homemade pipe bombs inside her pickup truck.
Last month, a Pulaski County grand jury indicted Sullivan on two other felony charges.
She's now accused of manufacturing the bombs and also of transporting them in her truck.
(------------)
[S-Danville-Murder]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=99-8; 37:29]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]
An autopsy will be performed sometime today on the body of a Danville woman found murdered.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
Danville police say 35-year old Tammy Marie Blair died from a puncture wound to her side.
It happened at about 1:30 yesterday morning at her home on Milton Avenue.
Blair was taken to the Danville Regional Medical Center where she died a short time later.
(--------------)
[McDougal]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A key figure in the Whitewater affair is on trial today in Arkansas.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
[7:15:04]
Susan McDougal faces charges of criminal contempt and obstruction of justice for refusing to answer questions about the Clinton's business dealings in their home state.
McDougal has already served 18 months for civil contempt and she has said she'll go back to prison rather than talk to independent counsel Kenneth Starr.
(------------)
[Clinton]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Bill Clinton]
Meanwhile, President Clinton is in Central America this afternoon to view first- hand the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch .
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington DC;]
He left Washington this morning.
The President will visit Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
Last year's storm killed at least 9-thousand and left millions homeless.
(------------)
[Lewinsky]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Monica Lewinsky]
Monica Lewinsky is also out of the country today.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-London;]
She's in Europe on a two week tour to promote "Monica's Story."
But at a book signing this morning at the famed Harrods Department store, the crush of the media appeared too much for the former White House intern.
Lewinsky managed to sign only a few books before fleeing the event.
She resumed after the media were herded out of the room.
British bookstores so far have only reported only moderate sales of her book.
(-------------)
[tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
A computer giant has settled with the Justice Department over an anti-trust lawsuit.
The details are next on News-7 at Noon.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And it's official.
George W. Bush has begun planning his run for the White House.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease]
[Weatherpro]
[music up full]
[comm1]
[INTEL]
[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]
A proposed settlement has been reached with semiconductor industry leader Intel over antitrust charges.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
[10:02:02]
The government had accused Intel of illegally using its position to withold key technical information about future microchips, to smother competition.
The government's trial was set to begin tomorrow.
(-------------)[Bush]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
He's already the frontrunner in the race for the Republican presidential nomination and now he's a step closer to the starting line.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Austin, TX;]
Yesterday Texas Governor George W. Bush unveiled his presidential exploratory committee in Austin, surrounding himself with a diverse group of high profile Republicans, including former Secretary of State George Shultz.
He'll file papers today making it official.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[4:17:51]
[IN Q=I have proven...]
[SUPER=01-Gov. George W. Bush/(R) Texas;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=not a divider.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Bush's ten member exploratory committee also includes former G-0-P Chairman Haley Barbour.
(------------)
[AG-Office]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Mark Earley]
Attorney General Mark Earley will open a regional office in Roanoke this afternoon.
The office will have an assistant attorney general who will work full-time on local cases and a community outreach coordinator to handle questions from the public.
There are already regional offices in northernVirginia and Hampton Roads.
The state attorney general's office is based in Richmond.
[WebWatch]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=WebWatch]
[GRAPHIC=Web Watch]
The Y-2K bug won't ground planes according to a government agency.
And, a new dance is making waves on line.
Here's Eric Earnhart with Web Watch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The FAA]
[RUNS=1:22]
[OUT Q=EE, News-7]
(([intro]
[RUNS05]
The F-A-A says the bug will NOT affect domestic air travel itself, based on tests of air traffic control systems... but while you may be safe your luggage is another story. The FAA isn't sure how baggage handling and overseas systems will be affected.
Could YOU write a sitcom? There's one way to find out... At Script-O-Rama-dot-com there are hundreds of television and movie scripts...from Aliens to the Seinfeld Parking Garage episode.
Read for fun, or learn the format and write them yourself.
Here's an update on your hometown station website... WDBJ7-dot-com has a new look and some new features, including "the store" A virtual shopping center where you can buy virtually anything... We also have the latest up-to-the minute mortgage quotes.
Finally tonight... a mystery site... we don't really know what it is... we don't really know "why" it is... but people just love "HamsterDance"
[natsot]
If you want to dance along, the links are on the webwatch page... click on webwatch, at WDBJ7-dot-com.))
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Just over a little over a thousand miles to go.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
The Iditarod is underway.
We'll take you to Alaska when News-7 at Noon returns.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[Country-Museum]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
It's already been designated the "Birthplace of Country Music" by Congress, now Bristol is getting a new musuem .
The Birthplace of Country Music museum is located on the Tennessee border, where organizers believe country music got it's start.
The Carter family, Jimmy Rodgers and others made recordings there in 19-27-- in a local hat factory.
It's also the birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Tomorrow's museum opening will feature Grand Ole Opry bluegrass stars Jim and Jesse McReynolds.
Items owned by Ford and the Carters will also be on display.
[Iditarod]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The great race is underway in Alaska with the official start of the 27th Iditarod.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=GO!]
[SUPER=03-Wasilla, AK;]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=This Morning]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[4:29:47]
Fifty six mushers will be racing 11-hundred miles.
The first to cross the finish line takes home 54-thousand dollars.
The 19-99 field includes defending champ Jeff King who has won the race three times.
The Iditarod commemorates a dog-sled relay of diphtheria serume to Nome during a 19-25 epidemic.
(------------)
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]
On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN 32
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Still ahead in sports, the dance cards are full, as March Madness slides into full gear.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Plus, the Burton boys hit the jackpot in Vegas.
We'll have the results from what turned into a brotherly brawl, when News 7 at Noon continues.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[Women]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-42 tc 16:11]
[GRAPHIC=VT hoops]
The dance cards are set.
The men's and women's brackets for the N-C-double-A tournament were announced by the selection committee yesterday.
But the Lady Hokies aren't packing their bags just yet.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=nat sound]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=cheering]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
It's no surprise that the 26 and 2 Hokies are playing host in the East Region.
Tech is seeded fourth, and is scheduled to play 25 and 5 St. Peters'.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 08:04:15]
[IN Q=we kind of]
[SUPER=01-Bonnie Henrickson/Virginia Tech Head Coach;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=conference tournament championships.]
(--------------)
[vo-nat]
Tech starts preparing for St Peters today.
The only common opponent the Hokies have with the Metro Atlantic conference team is Fordham.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 08:08:58]
[IN Q=you always]
[SUPER=01-Michelle Houseright/Virginia Tech Senior;]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=in the team]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Hokies take the court Saturday night at 6-30.
The action continues in the Cassell when Auburn and Texas square off at nine.
(------------)
[NCAA]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=ACC logo]
The women's tournament is packed with teams from the A-C-C.
The Lady Cavaliers join Duke, Clemson, North Carolina and N. C. State in the women's field.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[PINNACLE BOARD]
Virginia will play in the West Region. The Cavaliers' first round game is against Penn State in Ruston, Louisiana on Friday.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[PINNACLE BOARD]
Liberty University will play in the Mideast region at Athens, Georgia. The Lady Flames take on the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday.
(XXXXXXXXX)
[PINNACLE BOARD]
And Old Dominion will host a first round game in the East, taking on Tennessee Tech at the O-D-U Fieldhouse on Friday.
(-------------)
[Men]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NCAA LOGO]
On the men's side, the committee's choices for the top seeds weren't surprising.
In the midst of a twenty-seven game winning streak, Duke is the number one seed in the East. Big East semifinalist Miami is the second seed, followed by Cincinnati.
Maryland's a number two seed in the South which also includes Big South Champion Winthrop, the 16th seed. Auburn is the top seed in the south region.
Connecticut is the number one seed out west, followed by Stanford. North Carolina is the third seed.
Michigan State and Utah are one-two in the Midwest, followed by Kentucky.
[ACC]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-26 (1:29:37)]
[GRAPHIC=ACC LOGO]
The selections were announced shortly after the A-C-C, S-E-C, Big Ten and Big 12 conferences wrapped up their tournaments.
The Duke Blue Devils completed a perfect year in the A-C-C beating North Carolina 96 to 73 in the tournament championship game.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/RAYCOM; :]
The top-ranked Blue Devils didn't disappoint the crowd early. Big man Elton Brand scores this jumper in the game's opening minutes.
But Carolina had an answer. Ed Cota steps up and hits this three pointer to cut the lead to five.
A William Avery three-pointer capped off a 9 to 2 Blue Devil run. Duke was up 49- 35 at the half.
Carolina would rally and cut the lead to single digits late in the second half. Here, Cota knocks down the three pointer.
[SUPER=33-Duke/96/North Carolina/73/;]
But the Blue Devils go to Avery, who hits the trey. Duke wins the A-C-C Championship by a score of 96 to 73.
(------------)
[College]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-28 (1:39:25)]
[GRAPHIC=College Hoops]
In the S-E-C, Kentucky took home the title with a 76 to 63 win over Arkansas.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA/CBS Sports;]
The Wildcat's Scott Padgett gets this alley oop slam and two of his game high 20 points to tie it up early.
But Arkansas would control the first half. Kareem Reid drives the baseline for the tough shot inside. The Razorbacks led by 5 at the break.
[SUPER=33-Kentucky/76/Arkansas/63/;]
Kentucky picked it up in the second half. Wayne Turner drives for the running jumper. The Wildcats win the Southeastern Conference title by a score of 76 to 63.
(------------)
[Cowens]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-41 (17:20)]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Charlotte Hornets head coach Dave (Cow-ens) Cowens has resigned.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NBA; :]
The Hornets are off to a four and eleven start, the second worst in the Eastern Conference.
Cowens resigned suddenly yesterday due to his status as the lowest-paid head coach in the N-B-A.
Charlotte's general manager said Cowens resigned because of irreconcilable differences.
Cowens was the only coach to lead the Hornets to consecutive 50- win seasons.
He will be replaced by former N-B-A all star Paul Silas, a teammate of Cowens in Boston.
(------------)
[Race]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-37 (18:30)]
[GRAPHIC=Las Vegas logo]
Betting on South Boston would have made for a good payday in Las Vegas.
Not one, but TWO Burtons led the pack to the checkered flag at yesterday's Las Vegas 400.
Ward and Jeff battled over the final ten laps, before Jeff pulled away for the win and the three-hundred-thousand-dollar purse.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Las Vegas, NV/ABC Sports;]
Ward was in the lead when he overshot pit road and slid through the grass.
Several cars, including Jeff Gordon, would make the routine pit stop, and Ward managed to get back out on the track and recapture the lead. Jeremy Mayfield was running in second after 77 laps.
But Jeff Burton would take the lead with just over 180 laps left.
Then the caution flag comes out. Michael Waltrip gets loose and slides across the back stretch on lap 118.
Mark Martin, who took the Busch race on Saturday, finally made his way to the front. He was in the lead with 74 laps to go.
Jeff Burton took the lead on lap 258 wth 10 laps remaining, and he would hold off his brother Ward to win the Las Vegas 400.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Well, I knew...]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Burton/Las Vegas 400 Winner; :]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=....it just stuck."]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[GRAPHIC=Hold!!!]
Rick Mast finished 19-th.
Ward Burton finished second, Jeff Gordon came in third, Mike Skinner was fourth and Bobby Labonte fifth.
by SS