WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 03/17/99

[HEADLINES]

[TALENT=Melanie]

(////////SOT//////)
[IN=]
[8:35:51] ((ROBERT LAUB/NTSB:THIS MAY BE THIS IS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR BOTH THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY AND THE HIGHWAY INDUSTRY THAT RAILROAD CROSSINGS ARE A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND NEED TO BE HANDLED."))
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT=NEED TO BE HANDLED NOW]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
Looking for clues in yesterday's deadly train accident near Chicago.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
And two Tech biology students stage a protest over animal dissection.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]
(ad lib)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

News 7 at noon is next.

[Train-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#None]
[GRAPHIC=Amtrak Cras]

Federal investigators today plan to re-enact the deadly Amtrak crash in Illinois.
Attention continues to be focused on the truck driver who claims he didn't know the train was coming.
Investigators will drive a similar semi onto the tracks to see how far up the driver could see and whether he tried to go around the crossing gate.
Meantime the search for victims continues.
Thirteen are confirmed dead but three are still missing.
Maureen Maher joins us with an update.
[Live=Maureen Full/Newspath]
[11;30-UPDATE]
[SUPER=01-Maureen Maher/Reporting;]
[SUPER=05-Bourbonnais, IL;]
( ad lib)
[****ROLLED FROM NEWSPATH****]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Robert Lauby/NTSB;]
[SUPER=01-John Goglia/NTSB;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=]

[Live=Maureen/Newspath]
[SUPER=05-Bourbonnais, IL;]
( ad lib)
(( THE TRACKS HAVE BEEN CLEARED AND THE SEARCH FOR VICTIMS HAS ENDED. OFFICIALS HAVE NOW TURNED THEIR FULL ATTENTION TO THE INVESTIGATION.
THE TRUCK DRIVER INSISTS THE GATES DID NOT COME DOWN UNTIL AFTER HE WAS ALREADY IN THE CROSSING.
BUT SO FAR INVESTIGATORS HAVE NOT FOUND ANY PROOF TO BACK THAT CLAIM.
SOT: ROBERT LAUBY/NTSB
"WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT INDICATED, OTHER THAN THE TRUCK DRIVER'S STATEMENT, THAT THEY WEREN'T OPERATING PROPERLY. :06 TO HELP ANSWER SOME OF THEIR MANY QUESTIONS..INVESTIGATORS ARE PLANNING A RE-ENACTMENT..POSSIBLY THIS EVENING. THEY PLAN TO USE A LOCOMOTIVE AND TRUCK OF SIMILIAR CONSTRUCTION.
SOT: LAUBY AGAIN
"PUT THEM IN PLACE AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE ACCIDENT AND HAVE INVESTIGATIONORS IN THOSE VEHICLES TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WOULD SEE THAT NIGHT." :12

INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT TIRE TRACKS LEFT IN THE MUD NEAR THE CROSSING. IF THEY MATCH THE TRUCK'S, IT COULD PROVE THE DRIVER TRIED STEERING AROUND THE CLOSED GATES IN AN EFFORT TO BEAT THE ONCOMING TRAIN.
A N-T-S-B OFFICIAL SAYS INFORMATION FROM THE BLACK BOX RECORDER INDICATES THE TRAIN WAS TRAVELING AT 79 MILES PER HOUR, BUT THAT ENGINEER TRIED TO STOP PRIOR TO THE COLLISION.
SOT: JOHN GOGLIA/NTSB
"WE KNOW HE WAS BLOWING THE WHISTLE, ALSO FROM THE RECORDER." :04
(MAHER STANDUP CLOSE).))

[Rail-Safety]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Rail Safety]

The crash will focus more attention on rail safety, something Norfolk Southern has been concentrating on for years, with significant success.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Any place a road intersects a railroad track is a point of danger...
That's why safety managers have to continually ride the rails and check the crossings.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=we also look]
(( DANNY GILBERT/GRADE CROSSING SAFETY MANAGER; WE ALSO LOOK AT SITE DISTANCE OBSTRUCTION, WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE SIGHT DISTANCE OF THE MOTORIST, WE ALSO LOOK AT EDUCATION, WHAT WE NEED TO DO, HOW WE NEED TO GET OUT AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC MORE. ))
[SUPER=01-Danny Gilbert/Crossing Safety Manager;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=the public more]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

An example... after the Conrail merger, safety managers realized the combined company will route more traffic through Roanoke County.
New signs now warn that quiet crossings will be busier.
Since 1993 Norfolk Southern crossing collisions are down 40 percent.
Collision fatalities are down 57 percent.
(------------)

[Dissection-Pig]

[ANCHOR=Mel]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#=99-1 TC1:07:46]
[GRAPHIC=Virginia Tech]

Two students at Virginia Tech are on a hunger strike.
They're opposed to a biology course they say requires students to dissect an animal.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]

Pierre (gr-uh-bow-ski) Grzybowski and Dylan Eastman are strict vegetarians.
And while they're NOT biology majors their majors require them to take a biology lab that includes dissecting a fetal pig.
Eastman says he was able to opt out of the dissection after voicing his objections.
But the pair say others may not realize they too can opt out because they say the course syllabus states dissection is mandatory.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT (9:50:18)]
[IN Q=This is really]
((DYLAN EASTMAN/OPPOSES ANIMAL DISSECTION: THIS IS REALLY AN ETHICAL OBJECTION THAT COMES FROM THE HEART, IT'S NOT SOMETHING LIKE WE WANT TO GET OUT OF DISSECTION TO AVOID CLASS WORK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THIS IS SOMETHING WE REALLY BELIEVE IN.))
[SUPER=01-Dylan Eastman/Opposes Animal Dissection; :00]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=believe in.]
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[SS=None]

The two say they'll continue their hunger strike until the biology department agrees to indicate on the course syllabus for future students that they can opt out for valid reasons.
NEWS 7 was unable to reach the department head for comment.
[tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

The International Olympic Committee takes drastic action against six members accused of taking bribes.
That story is next on News-7 at Noon.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]

And money problems and construction delays puch back the timetable on the National D-Day Memorial.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease] [Weatherpro] [music up full] [comm1]

[Greenfield]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#99-83 TC1:22:58]
[GRAPHIC=New Jobs]

The first company in Botetourt's Greenfield Business Park will invest 37 million dollars in the facility and expects to hire 200 people.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Tina/Newsroom]

Tina Tenret has more.
Melanie, Koyo Steering Systems of USA is building its
[Live=Tina Full/Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Tina1;]

U-S headquarters here in Botetourt County.
That's where the company will make its first electric power steering systems.
(Rollcue:electric power steering systems)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The state secretary]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
[SUPER=01-Akihisa Muyama/Koyo Steering Systems of USA;]
[SUPER=01-Jerry Burgess/Botetourt Co. Administrator;]
[RUNS=:48]
[OUT Q=behind their classmates]
(( The state secretary of commerce and trade welcomed Koyo to the area with a Virginia flag.
Koyo has seized an 81-acre site in the Greenfield Business Park and expects to be making steering systems there within two years.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:50:13]
[IN Q=The central location]
((THE CENTRAL LOCATION ... VERY MUCH EXPECTABLE)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=EXPECTABLE]

Koyo is the second Japanese automotive company to choose Botetourt in four years.
Along with a corporate training school -- the county is also building a Japanese Saturday School at Greenfield.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:04:44]
[IN Q=IT'S A PLACE]
((IT'S A PLACE ... BEHIND THEIR CLASSMATES.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=CLASSMATES]))
[Live=Tina Full/Newsroom]

County officials say they do plan to recruit more transportation and automotive companies.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Tina/Newsroom]

Economic development groups say even though few people are UNEMPLOYED, there are many who are UNDEREMPLOYED and that's where highly skilled companies like Koyo will feed a need.

[Olympics]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Olympic rings]

Six members of the International Olympic Committe have been kicked out for taking bribes.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lausanne, Switzerland;]

The committee voted on each expulsion by secret ballot during a meeting this morning in Switzerland.
[SUPER=03-Salt Lake City, UT/File Tape]

The six were accused of taking bribes during Salt Lake City's winning bid for the 2002 winter games.
They are believed to be the first expulsions in the panel's 105 years.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[7:14:26]
[IN Q=]
((DURING THESE LAST WEEKS WE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD AT FINDING WAYS THAT THIS SITUATION, I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT, NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. ))
[SUPER=01-Juan Antonio Samaranch/IOC President;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=never happens again.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The expulsions followed an overwhelming vote of confidence for the I-O-C president.
(------------)

[Reno]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=JANET RENO]

The woman who has appointed seven independent counsels during her six year tenure, doesn't want to do it anymore.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington DC;]

In Senate testimiony today Attorney General Janet Reno oppesed extending the law governing independent counsels.
(/////SOT////)
[11:05:34]
[in=In my view...]
[SUPER=01-Janet Reno/Attorney General;]
[runs=:08]
[out=of the criminal law]
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[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[SS=RENO]

The independent counsel law is set to expire at the end of June.

[Clinton-shamrocks]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Clinton]

President Clinton will mark St. Patrick's Day with ceremony as well as diplomacy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington DC;]
[4:07:13]
Later this after noon he'll receive the traditional bowl of shamrocks from the Irish prime minister.
He will also meet with top leaders of Northern Ireland to try to break their deadlock over the peace accords.
(------------)

[D-Day-Memorial]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=D-Day Memorial]

The national D-Day Memorial won't open on the invasion's 55-th anniversary.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/November]

Construction of the Bedford memorial has fallen behind schedule due to a lack of cash.
Plans to dedicate the monument this June 6th, the 55th anniversary of D-Day, have been scrapped.
Instead, the dedication may take place later in the year.
(-------------)
[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Next time you play monopoly, you can choose a new token.
Find out what it is next on News-7 at Noon.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]

Your mom always said it was the most important meal of the day.
And some Roanoke D-J's plunged right into it.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[Monopoly-Token]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

For the first time in forty years there's a new game piece on the Monopoly board.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
[7:27:12]
Starting with games being shipped this month, a money bag joins the other tokens, which include a race car, shoe, thimble and top hat.
The new piece beat out two other candidates -- a piggybank and a biplane.
Hasbro says nearly one and a-half million votes were cast through the Monopoly Web site, a toll-free hotline and at toy stores over a three-month period.
(------------)

[Cereal-Bowl]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#=99-2 TC54:49]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Here's an unusual answer to the question Got Milk?
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Roanoke radio station Z 101 point 5 had 250 gallons of it this morning.
They also had more than 26 pounds of Lucky Charms on hand for an attempt to make the world's largest bowl of cereal.
Once the tub was filled D.J. Don Walker took a chilly dip into the most important meal of the day.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Oh my God...this]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=I can't breath, I can't breath!]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Roanoke resident Jerry Vannes (van-ES) was the first spectator to join him for breakfast and received a 101 dollar Kroger gift certificate for his efforts.
A local septic tank company was on hand to do the dishes.
(------------)

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]

On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN 54 points.
[tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Still ahead in sports, the Blue Jays hope a new manager can fly away with a championship.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Plus, one of sports' biggest endurance tests is over.
Find out how the dogs and their drivers fared in Alaska, when News 7 at Noon continues.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[Iditarod]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=News-7 Sports]

A Montana musher wins his second Iditarod dog race.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nome, AK;]

Doug Swingley crossed the finish line first this morning, with a time of nine days, 14 hours and 31 minutes.
He was seven hours ahead of the second place finisher, Martin Buser (BOO'-zur), who was the runner-up when Swingley won his first Iditarod in 19-95.
Swingley can put aside his sled for awhile -- the win earns him a new pick-up, plus more than 60-thousand dollars.
(------------)

[NFL]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=NFL]

The NFL is a trading hotbed these days, as football's annual meeting continues.
Yesterday, the Lions traded Scott Mitchell to the Ravens for two future draft picks. Baltimore quarterback Jim Harbaugh is now expected to sign with San Diego.
And, the owners announced that Los Angeles will get the new expansion team instead of Houston. Both cities had been vying to have the 32nd team in the league.

[Express]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-38]
[GRAPHIC=EXPRESS/RICHMOND]

The luck of the Irish was with the Roanoke Express, as the team snapped a five game winless streak by beating Richmond 4-to-1.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Richmond vs. Roanoke; :00]

The team wore special green jerseys for the game. They will auctionoed off Friday night to benefit the local Muscular Dystrophy Association.
In the first period, Mark Codotte's shot finds the net. One-nothing Express.
Richmond would tie it up, but Roanoke forged ahead again. Kris Cantu sneaks one into the net on the wraparound. The Express was up 2-to-1.
Roanoke pushed the lead to 3-to-1 with some great puck work.
[SUPER=38-Richmond/1/Roanoke/4;]
Calvin Elfring gets the shot to go. And Roanoke comes away with the 4-to-1 win.
(------------)

[Tech]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-40 tc 24:19]
[GRAPHIC=Women's Final four]

The lady Hokies face an uphill climb this weekend. After beating Auburn 76-to-61 Monday night, Virginia Tech is headed for a meeting with Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]

Monday marked Tech's first victory over an S-E-C team in the N-C-Double-A Tournament.
The Lady Hokies now face the pride of the Southeastern Conference.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=it's a step]
[SUPER=01-Bonnie Henrickson/Virginia Tech Head Coach;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=about continuing]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The next step in the chase for a national championship is in Greensboro.
The team didn't practice yesterday, but coaches started preparing for the lady Volunteers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Obviously]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=On saturday]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Knoxville, TN/NCAA Productions;]

Pat Summitt's Volunteers reached the East regionals by beating Boston College Monday night 89-to-62.
Tip off for Saturday's game is two o'clock in Greensboro.
(--------------)

[Jerel]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-35 (31:09)]
[GRAPHIC=Jerel Graphic]

What's it like to prepare for a future on the P-G-A tour?
Martinsville's ten- year old Jerel Whiting can tell you.
Roy Stanley has his story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jerel Whiting/Junior Golfer; :22]
[SUPER=01-Brad Whiting/Jerel's Father; :44]
[SUPER=@Roy1; 1:43]
[RUNS=1:51]
[OUT Q=......NEWS 7 SPORTS."]
((At age 10, Whiting is already making waves on the junior golf tour. He was recently featured in National Geographic World after being named the player of the year in his second year competiting on the Plantations Junior Tour.
And then there's the comparison with his idol Tiger Woods. And Jerel hears that everywhere he plays.)) ((JEREL WHITING/JUNIOR GOLFER:)) ((The shy 10 year old hopes to pattern his game after Woods but it's his father Brad that got him started playing golf at the age of 4.
Those afternoon trips to the Linwood country Club were to improve Brads game but before he knew it, Jerel was putting up numbers better than dad.)) ((BRAD WHITING/JEREL'S FATHER:)) ((Jerel competed in the Junior World Cup golf tournament and finished 21-st out of 98 golfers.
And during a trip to Maryland, He shot a 90 from the white tees on the long Congressional Golf Course.)) ((JEREL:)) ((BRAD:)) ((ROY STANDUP:))
(-------------)

[Blue-Jays]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]

Blue Jays' manager Tim Johnson is the latest coach to get the axe.
Johnson ran into trouble last year, and had to issue an apology for lying about his military service during the Vietnam War. He was about to start his second year with the Blue Jays. Former Phillies manager Jim Fregosi will take over in Toronto. Fregosi's experience also includes coaching stints with the Angels and the White Sox. His Phillies lost a matchup with his new team in the 19-93 World Series.

[Baseball]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=Extra]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]

Opening day is just a few weeks away, and in
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Kissimmee, FL; :00]
Disney World yesterday, the Braves' Ryan Klesko went two for four and drove in three runs against the Indians.
But Tom Glavine got rocked for five runs in just 3 and two thirds innnigs as the Indians beat the Braves in the home that Mickey built 12-to-10. (------------)