[Kosovo]
[ANCHOR=MEL]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Serbia Under Attack]
The U-S is ready to call up thousands of reservists to support new air power over Yugoslavia.
An official Pentagon request for 33-thousand reservists is expected to reach President Clinton next week.
This after another night of heavy bombing.
But the refugee crisis appears to be worsening, with the U-N estimating 100-thousand ethnic Albanians en route
to Macedonia.
Lee Cowan joins us live from Washington with the latest.
[Live=Cowan Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/Reporting;]
[SUPER=05-Washington DC;]
( ad lib)
(Rollcue: )
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Macedonia;]
[SUPER=01-Jamie Shea/NATO Spokesman;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=]
[Live=Cowan Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=05-Washington DC;]
( ad lib)
((
DESPITE ONE OF THE BEST NIGHTS SO FAR FOR THE AIR CAMPAIGN OVER
YUGOSLAVIA, THE PENTAGON IS ABOUT TO SQUEEZE THE U-S FOR EVEN MORE.
AS MANY AS 30-THOUSAND RESERVISTS MAY BE CALLED INTO DUTY TO HELP
BOLSTER A FORCE OF SOME 300 PLANES NATO REQUESTED LATE LAST WEEK.
IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST DEPLOYMENT SINCE THE GULF WAR - AND THE
PENTAGON HAS NO IDEA HOW LONG IT WOULD LAST.
(LOCATOR: MACEDONIA)
(( NAT REFUGEES ))
IT COMES AS RELIEF WORKERS IN NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA ARE SEEING
ANOTHER HUGE PUSH BY SERB FORCES TO EMPTY WHOLE COMMUNITIES OF ETHNIC
ALBANIANS.
THE FLOOD HAD TURNED INTO A TRICKLE UNTIL LAST NIGHT, WHEN SOME
5-THOUSAND POURED ACROSS THE BORDER - AND MANY FEAR THERE ARE AT LEAST
ANOTHER 500-THOUSAND HEADED THIS WAY.
NATO SAYS SERBS ARE USING THE EXODUS AS A PROPAGANDA TOOL --
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED A DAY OF MOURNING FOR THE REFUGEES NATO
ADMITS TO KILLING ALONG THIS ROAD TWO DAYS AGO - BUT INSISTS THAT WAS
ONLY ONE ATTACK.
YUGOSLAVIA NOW CLAIMS SOME 20 MORE CIVILIANS WERE KILLED LAST
NIGHT.
NATO DISPUTES IT - SAYING IT ADMITTED TO ONE MISTAKE, AND ONE
MISTAKE ONLY, AND KNOWS OF NO OTHER CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
(( SUPER: JAMIE SHEA//NATO SPOKESMAN )) (( SOT AT 09:09:47 ))
"NATO puts it's setbacks behind it, and this is what we have done, and
are going to continue to do. We are not going to be blown off course."))[E-Va-Reservists]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-3 1:51:47]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Pentagon sources say most of the reservists will come from the Air National Guard.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henrico Co.; ]
Even before today's announcement National guard pilots have been participating in practice bombing runs and dog fights off the North Carolina coast.
Virginia's Air National Guard is headquartered in Richmond.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:58:36 ]
[IN Q=Uh, I don't]
((COL. BOB SEIFERT/VIRGINIA AIR NAT. GUARD: UH, I DON'T KNOW. I HEAR THE THINGS YOU HEAR, AND WE ARE READY. AND CERTAINLY, IF WE'RE CALLED UPON, WE'RE READY TO GO, AND I THINK WE COULD BE A BIG HELP.))
[SUPER=01-Col. Bob Seifert/Virginia Air Nat. Guard]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=a big help.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The 192nd Fighter Wing has, after all, flown reconnaisance missions over Bosnia, and patrolled Iraq's "no fly zone."
Its F-16 pilots are well aware of the headlines about Kosovo.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:01:15 ]
[IN Q=You try]
((CAPT. SCOTT CROXTON/VIRGINIA AIR NAT. GUARD: YOU TRY TO LEAVE YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS ASIDE. YOU LOOK AT THE GREATER PICTURE, THE GREATER MISSION, AND IF WE CAN HELP ACCOMPLISH THAT, WE'RE CERTAINLY PREPARED TO DO THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Capt. Scott Croxton/Virginia Air Nat. Guard]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=do that.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Pilots have been taking to the air twice a week.
(------------)
[World-help]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
In an effort to assist Kosovo refugees, a Lynchburg-based charity has set up donation locations throughout the area ... where you can donate new clothing, blankets and food to those in need.
(------------)
[Take Pinnacle Page]
"World-Help" has two locations in Roanoke....Fishers of Men Christian Book Store on 45-10 Brambleton Ave and the Baptist Book Store at 14-01 Town Square Blvd.
[Next Page]
World Help's main headquarters is at route 221 at route 609 in Forest, near Lynchburg..and donations are also accepted at this location.
[Next page]
There are several other drop-off locations in Lynchburg and Danville.
For more information call the World Help office at 1-800-541-6691.
(------------)
[Robb-Kosovo]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Robb]
Senator Chuck Robb will be part of the congressional delegation heading to the Balkans this weekend.
The bi-partisan group of senators and representatives will visit the NATO air base at Aviano, Italy.
Then, they'll split up, and tour either Albania or Macedonia.
[Danville-Officer]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Net F]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Danville police officer who resigned last month will stand trial in May on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The incident in question happened last December, but police are not saying anything more about it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Dewey Hancock is the same officer who came under investigation after shooting a shoplifting
suspect to death.
[SUPER=03-Danville/1997]
The suspect had escaped police custody before Hancock chased him down.
The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing in that incident.
(------------)
[Chase-Suicide]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A fugitive who recently had been living in Roanoke is dead, following 23-mile police chase in Wyoming.
Police say it started when Christopher Robert Dart failed to pay for gas.
After troopers caught up with Dart he pulled out a handgun and fatally shot himself.
Dart was a suspect in the murder of his father in Hardy County, West Virginia.
And wanted in Salem for holding a man at gunpoint inside his home last summer...and stealing the man's pick-up.
[Gilmore-Bush]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-5 1:10:57]
[GRAPHIC=Gilmore]
It's a natural fit for Virginia's governor, and a colleague running for the White House.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
Governor Jim Gilmore today endorsed Texas Governor George W. Bush for the Republican presidential nomination.
Gilmore compared himself to Bush, as a southern governor cutting taxes, setting academic standards, abolishing parole, cutting welfare rolls -- and most visibly at today's press conference, reaching out to ethnic minorities.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 10:20:59]
[IN Q=Well that's]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: WELL THAT'S WHAT GOVERNOR BUSH HAS DONE. AND BELIEVE ME, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, IN TERMS OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS I'VE GONE THROUGH. HE HAS NOT JUST SPOKEN OUT FOR INCLUSION. HE HAS DONE IT. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M VERY PROUD OF. I THINK THAT HE DEMONSTRATES A CAPACITY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN THIS COUNTRY.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=this country.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Lieutenant Governor John Hager endorsed Bush today also.
(------------)
[TALENT=Melanie]
[SS=]
Notably absent was Republican Attorney General Mark Earley.
His spokesman says it's too early to endorse.
[Parking-Meter]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#99-6 1:18:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]
And then there were none.
The last parking meter was lifted out of downtown Roanoke today.
This marks the end of a five-month campaign to rid the city's streets of paid parking:
A good idea, city officials said, whose time had passed.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Scott/Microwave]
Scott Goldberg is downtown this afternoon, with more on the day's ceremonies.
[Live= Scott Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Scott1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)
(Rollcue: will be forgotten )
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Alvin Hudson/City Councilman;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=time for them to go (Hudson Bite)]
[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=ANCHOR/Microwave][Hospital-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A small fire overnight caused some patients at Allegheny Regional Hospital to be relocated.
A hospital administrator says the blaze broke out at about 12-30 this morning in the medical surgical unit. No one had to be evacuated, although a few patients had to be transferred to a different unit.
The cause of the fire is not yet determined.
[VMI]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=Net O]
[GRAPHIC=VMI]
The Virginia Military Institute says its efforts to assimilate women into the cadet corps have been a success, but the government wants more proof.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/August 1997]
In January, a federal judge dismissed a sexual discrimination lawsuit against V-M-I, saying the school had remedied the problem and no longer needed any federal oversight.
But the Justice Department is objecting, saying it's too early to tell whether V-M-I's programs are working.
Both sides are scheduled to appear in federal court in Danville this afternoon to argue the issue.
(------------)
[fl-fires]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net-C]
[GRAPHIC=Wild Fire]
Firefighters appear to have the upper hand on a wildfire that has damaged 60 homes in southeast Florida.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 20:10:10]
[SUPER=03-Port St. Lucie, FL]
Before the blaze was contained, officials say it charred some 24 hundred acres along the Atlantic coast.
Wildfires continue to burn in Osceola and Polk counties in central Florida and Collier County in the southwest, and state officials have asked the federal government for assistance.
(--------------)
[GA-Tornadoes]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Tornado (4396)]
Imagine a gust of wind strong enough to knock a freight train off its tracks.
That's what happened in North Carolina last night, when a 165 miles an hour gust blew through a mobile home park killing a man.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vienna, GA]
Georgia also took a pounding from the weather.
Two counties were hit hard by tornadoes.
At least 70 homes were damaged or destroyed.
But no one was killed and most injuries were minor.
(--------------)[Gretzky]
[ANCHOR=Mealnie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Gretzky]
Published reports confirm that Wayne Gretzky will tell the world this afternoon that Sunday will mark the last day of his storied career.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ontario, Canada;]
Last night, fans in his native Canada gave him a standing ovation during what was most likely his last game in front of the home crowd-- a two-two tie with Ottawa.
The Great One says it would take "a miracle" for him to return for a 21st season.
Gretzky is the all- time N-H-L points leader-- just one of his more than sixty career records.
He's expected to announce his retirement at a Rangers' press conference this afternoon.
(------------)
[Express]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-43 (34:24)]
[GRAPHIC=Express/Chesapeake]
The second round of the E-C-H-L playoffs opens up tonight, as the Express faces off against the Chesapeake Icebreakers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :]
The Express dominated its opening-round series with Dayton-- beating the Bombers in four games.
Roanoke won its regular season series with the Icebreakers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="It's a...]
[SUPER=01-Scott Gordon/Express Head Coach; :]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=....same thing."]
[TAKE FULL SCREEN BOARD]
Games 1 and 2 are scheduled for the Roundhouse beginning tonight. The series then moves to Chesapeake for two games. If necessary, game 5 will be played in Roanoke.
(----------)[Rodman]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=net-]
[GRAPHIC=Rodman]
Dennis Rodman's controversial stay in Los Angeles is over.
(----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
The forward was waived by the Lakers yesterday, after only seven weeks with the team.
This comes after Rodman missed yet another practice, this time because he reportedly couldn't find his socks and shoes.
Lakers' management says it was time to stop giving Rodman special treatment.
Analysts say it's not likely "the Worm" will be picked up by any other team this season.
(------------)[Straw]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-38 (35:18)]
[GRAPHIC=Yankees Logo]
Yankees outfielder Darrell Strawberry says it was all just a big mistake.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tampa, FL/WSPA; :]
Strawberry was arrersted in Tampa Wednesday night and charged with possession of cocaine and soliciting a prositute.
The eight-time all-star says the small amount of cocaine police discovered inside a 20 dollar bill in his wallet, may have belonged to his wife's uncle, who drove the car the previous night.
He also said he was just joking with an undercover officer about sex.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="I stand...]
[SUPER=01-David Cone/Yankee Pitcher; :]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=...family and friends."]
(------------)
[Hamilton]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-35 (40:49)]
[GRAPHIC=Goody's Pain 500]
Defending Goody's 500 champion Bobby Hamilton takes his message to Martinsville High School.
Mike Stevens has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="First audio]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/Last April; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bobby Hamilton/Defending Goody's 500 Champion; :20]
[SUPER=@Mike1; :30]
[SUPER=01-Sarah Gravely/Martinsville Junior; :51]
[SUPER=01-Britney Barrow/Martinsville Junior; 1:22]
[RUNS=1:43]
[OUT Q=...news 7 sports."]
(------------)
[TAKE FULL SCREEN PINNACLE]
And Mike Stevens will preview the Goody's Body Pain 500 Saturday night at 7 in another NASCAR 99 half hour special.
by SS