WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 04/23/99

[HEADLINES]

[TALENT=Keith]

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

The charge is RAPE. Former Tech Quarterback Jim Druckenmiller is named in an indictment unsealed in Montgomery County this morning.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]

We've got a live report from Blacksburg coming up... along with the latest discoveries inside Columbine High in Colorado.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=None]

News 7 at noon is next.

[Druckenmiller]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#99-7 1:15:38]
[GRAPHIC=Druckenmiller Indicted]

The official charge against former Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller is RAPE.
The exact nature of the charge came to light this morning when the indictment against Drukenmiller was unsealed in the Montgomery County circuit court clerk's office.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Teresa/Blacksburg Bureau]

Teresa Hamilton has been closely following the case for the past ten days and she's here to explain why the Commonwealth's Attorneys office kept the indictment under wraps.
[Live=Teresa Full/Blacksburg Bureau]
[SUPER=@Teresa1;]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]

Keith, the alleged victim in this case is a Virginia Tech student and prosecutors say their main reason for asking the judge to seal the indictment was to shield her from the media so that her grades would be affected as little as possible.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Exams]
[SUPER=01-Peggy Frank/Assistant Montgomery Co. Prosecutor; :00]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/1997; :15]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg; :26]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :38]
[SUPER=01-Bill Brown/Blacksburg Police Chief; :58]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=weed through.]
(([sot]
[in q= Exams]
((PEGGY FRANK/ASSISTANT MONTGOMERY CO. PROSECUTOR: EXAMS COME UP, COURSE WORK IS DUE THIS TIME OF YEAR AND, OBVIOUSLY, THIS CASE HAS A LOT OF MEDIA ATTENTION OR WE FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF MEDIA ATTENTION AND WE WANTED HER TO HAVE AS MUCH PRIVACY AS SHE COULD HAVE.))
Peggy Frank is the assistant commonwealth's attorney in charge of prosecuting the former Virginia Tech quarterback who now plays for the San Francisco 49-ers.
She says at NO time has the alleged victim wavered in wanting the charge of rape pursued.
In fact, the young woman testified last week before the grand jury that issued the rape indictment.
The incident is alleged to have happened at a house in Blacksburg in the early morning hours of March the fourth.
Frank say police were notified after the young woman went to a local hospital stating that she'd been raped.
Sources tells NEWS 7 there's no question the woman and Druckenmiller had sex---

But that same source says Druckenmiller says it was consensual.
Blacksburg police chief Bill Brown admits rape cases are among the most difficult to investigate.
[in q=]
((BILL BROWN/BLACKSBURG POLICE CHIEF: YOU HAVE HE SAID, SHE SAID AND ALL OF THAT AND WITNESSES AND THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO WEED THROUGH. )) [runs8]
[out q=weed through.]))
[Live=Teresa Full/Blacksburg Bureau]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]

The charge against Druckenmiller is serious. If convicted he faces a minimum of 5- years to life in prison.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Teresa/Blacksburg Bureau]
(Teresa, has Druckenmiller actually been arrested?)

[Littleton]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=School Shooting]

The two teenaged gunman at Columbine High School must have had help in Tuesday's murderous rampage.
That's what Colorado Governor Bill Owens says, after taking a tour of the school.
He says there are ``back-packs with bombs'' everywhere.
There's ``just too much stuff in there'' for the two to have acted alone.
Andrew Colton reports.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Littleton, CO;]
[SUPER=01-Andrew Colton/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=Littleton, CO]

[Druckenmiller]

[Virginia-Western]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=99-9 TC1:14:15]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A bomb threat has disrupted classes at Virginia Western Community College.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

All buildings at the school were evacuated about an hour ago as a precaution.
Traffic is being held up as authorities conduct a search.
So far, nothing has been found.
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=None]

Yesterday, a bomb threat a Parry McCluer high school in Buena Vista forced an early end to classes.
And Buena Vista schools will close early again today.
Students will be sent home at one this afternoon.

[Hunting-Rifles]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Weapons at School]

In light of the Colorado school shootings, Governor Gilmore has changed his mind -- and the law-- on allowing hunting rifles on school property.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]

Any student who brandishes a gun at school will get five years in prison.
Hunters are no longer a special case -- even if their rifles are unloaded and locked in their vehicles.
But local school boards can make their own exceptions.
Republican Senator Bo Trumbo says he doubts those rifles would get in the wrong hands.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Typically you're not]
((TYPICALLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TOUCH MY WEAPON. THAT'S MINE, I KNOW WHAT IT WILL DO. YOU DON'T NEED TO GET TO IT. JUST LEAVE IT ALONE. AND MOST OF THE KIDS I KNOW ARE THAT RESPONSIBLE TO DO IT.))
[SUPER=@Trumbo]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=responsible to do it]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The superintendents we talked to, even in rural areas, stand firmly against any guns on school property.
And they say school boards probably will not make an exception for hunting rifles.
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[tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

An explosion rocks the Serbian television headquarters.
The latest on the war in Yugoslavia is next on News-7 at Noon.
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[VO-NAT ]

And NATO begins celebrating its 50-th anniversary, even while NATO planes are dropping bombs.
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[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease] [Weatherpro] [music up full] [comm1]

[Kosovo]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=12]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Serbia Under Attack]

The latest NATO attack on the headquarters of Serbia's state television claimed the lives of at least 10 people.
Eighteen others were injured- -and another 20 may still be buried beneath the debris.
Cindy Pena has more from Washington
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Washington DC;]
[SUPER=01-Javier Solana/NATO Secreatary General;]
[SUPER=03-Belgrade, Yugoslavia; ]
[SUPER=04-Yesterday;]
[SUPER=01-Ken Bacon/Pentagon Spokesman;]
[SUPER=01-Cindy Pena/Reporting]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=Washington]
(( (locator: WASHINGTON, DC) THE SUMMIT OPENED WITHOUT THE CEREMONIAL POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR THIS 50TH ANNIVERSARYTHE NATO LEADERS STARTED THE SUMMIT WITH TALKS ON KOSOVO Sot: CLINTON Today we send a clear message of unity and determination to sustain our air campaign for as long as it takes to stand firm on our conditions for ending it. Sot: super: SECRETARY GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA "MILOSEVIC MUST KNOW THERE IS NO PLACE FOR HIS POLICIES IN EUROPE ON THE EVE OF TEH 21ST CENTURY."
(locator: BELGRADE)
AS NATO TALKS BEGAN, MORE BOMBING IN YUGOSLAVIA.THIS TIME MISSILES STUCKTHE HEADQUARTERS OF SERBIAN STATE TELEVISION IN BELGRADE, KNOCKING THE STATION OFF THE AIR. TRANSMISSION RESUMED LATER WITH REPORTS THAT NATO BOMBS KILLED ONE PERSON AND INJURED 18 OTHERS.
(SUPER: YESTERDAY)
STILL, TALKS ABOUT A POSSIBLE RESOLUTION CONTINUE. RUSSIAN SPECIAL ENVOY VIKTOR CHERNOMYIRDIN AND YUGOSLAVIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAVE REPORTEDLY AGREED TO ALLOW AN INTERNATIONAL MILITARY PRESENCE INTO KOSOVO. BUT THE PENTAGON SAYS THE PROPOSAL APPEARS TO FALL SHORT OF NATO DEMANDS Sot: SUPER: KEN BACON PENTAGON SPOKESMAN The fact that e is prepared to allow interhatiopnal troops in does not day enough, he has to take his out and stop the killing.
(PENA STANDUP CLOSE, PARAPHRASED, AS THEY BEGIN THEIR 3 DAY SUMMIT HERE
IN WASHIGNTON, LEADERS ARE DIVIDED OVER THE USE OF GROUND FORCES IN KOSOVO TO PUT AN END TO THE CRISIS AND HELP RETURN REFUGEES TO THEIR HOMES.)))

[Lim]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Roanoke man faces counterfeiting charges in West Virginia.
But they don't involve money-- they involve counterfiet clothes.
33-year old Jung (Uhng) Lim is charged with trafficking in counterfeit clothing and goods.
West Virginia State Police confiscated about 25-thousand dollars with of clothing-- everything from Nike to Ralph Lauren.
Lim will be arraigned in federal court today in Bluefield.

[E-Henry-Jobs]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-3 2:00:50]
[GRAPHIC=Henry Co. New Jobs]

After losing hundreds of textile jobs, Henry County is making a comeback, thanks to the expansion of a Fortune 500 company.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Collinsville]

Springs Industries announced yesterday that it would be adding 250 jobs beginning next year.
The company says it will hire employees at all levels to help make pillows and mattress pads.
Springs could have moved its business to neighboring states, but it chose to expand in Henry County because of the location and skilled workforce.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:02:57]
[IN Q=I'm here to stay...]
((MILLER DEATON/VP FABRICATION, SPRINGS INDUSTRIES: I'M HERE TO STAY...I LIKE PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY'RE AT HOME IN VIRGINIA. WELL, WE'RE AT HOME IN VIRGINIA. WE LIKE IT.))
[SUPER=01-Miller Deaton/Springs Industries Vice-President]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=We like it.]
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

Henry County has won more than one-thousand new jobs since January.
And Springs Industries is the third company this week to announce new jobs for the county. [Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

There's a new attraction at the Explore Park-- find out what it is when News-7 at Noon returns.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]

And it looks like the Redskins will definately move out of the hands of the Cooke family.
We'll have more on that later in sports.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[E-Edwards]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=vvo]
[TAPE#=99-6 1:28:40]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 99]

John Edwards wants to remain in the state Senate.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

He made the official announcement yesterday that he will run again.
Edwards met with reporters in the walkway between the Hotel Roanoke and Market Square, placing the future home of the Higher Education Center in the backdrop.
Edwards like to be called the "Father" of the Higher Education Center that will open in Roanoke the Fall of 2000.

The Senator says he's seeking re-election to continue working on his current projects.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT tc 31:02:00]
[IN Q=So that we;]
(SEN. JOHN EDWARDS/D- ROANOKE: SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN PROMOTING CHARACTER EDUCATION, CONTIN
UE THE PROGRAM WITH THE ROANOKE HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER, CONTINUE THE PROGRAM IN CUTTING THE FOOD TAX, ABOLISHING THE FOOD TAX.)
[SUPER=@Edwards]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=the food tax.]
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[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
Senator Edwards is being challenged by Republican William Fralin who announced his candidacy last month.

[Explore-Mill]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=nte]
[TAPE#=99-15 TC10:01]
[GRAPHIC=Explore Park]

There will be a new attraction for tourists to mill around this summer at the Explore Park.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
Construction began this week on the latest edition to the park-- an 18-50's Grist Mill. The mill was originally located on the Pig River in Franklin County, but it was held it in storage for several years, while the pieces were being restored. The park had to bring in a crane yesterday to put in the main gears--which weigh seven-thousand pounds. The rest of the mill will be built around what's now in place. Park officials hope to have the daily grind up and running by the end of the summer.
(------------)

[Stocks]

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

On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN 42 points.
[tease3] [SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Keith]

Still ahead in sports, a Danville legend makes the leap into immortality.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

And the tournament formerly known as the G-G-O is well into its second round of play south of the border. We'll have an update on the leader board, when News 7 at Noon continues.
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[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[Redskins-Cooke]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssa]
[TAPE#=net-]
[GRAPHIC=Redskins]

John Kent Cooke has suddenly withdrawn his offer to buy the Redskins. Cooke said his second bid for his late father's team was much higher
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]

than his initial offer of 680 million dollars, but that he wouldn't be used just to increase other bids.
Reports now say the Redskins trustees are close to making an 800 million dollar deal to sell the team to Maryland executive Daniel Snyder. You may remember, Snyder was a partner with Howard Milstein, who withdrew his bid after it became apparent that N-F-L owners would NOT approve the sale.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[ss=hold]

Meantime, Washington is getting its first look at rookie cornerback Champ Bailey today. The former University of Georgia star is taking part in the season's first mini-camp.

[Golf]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=sp-26 14710tc]
[GRAPHIC=Chip Sullivan]

Roanoker Chip Sullivan is far off the pace and the leaders in the second round of the 2.6 million dollar Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic PGA tournament. Chip fired a 7 over 79 yesterday.
[GRAPHIC=GGO]

Meantime, yesterday's leader-- Jesper Parnivik-- has made his move today, scoring four birdies on the front nine. He now sits at 12 under, followed by Steve Lowery, who's two shots back. Now with a look at how this year's tournament differs from those in years past, here's Mike Stevens.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio]
[SUPER=03-Greensboro, NC; :00]
[SUPER=01-Steve Elkington/1990 Greensboro Classic Champ; :23 ]
[SUPER=01-Trevor Dodds/1998 Greensboro Classic Champ; :38]
[SUPER=01-Fuzzy Zoeller/10 Career PGA Wins; :52]
[SUPER=@mike1; 1:12]
[RUNS=1:19]
[OUT Q=...news 7 sports."]
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[Scott]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-36]
[GRAPHIC=Wendell Scott]

The International Motorsports Hall of Fame held it's annual banquet last night, and Danville'sWendell Scott played a major role in the evening's event.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

But first up was reigning Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon, who received this motorcycle for being named driver of the year.
Then Wendell Scott was inducted. His entire familty was on hand, including his son Frank, who also doubles as the Laurel Park basketball and track coach. Scott's family gave the audience a personal glimpse into his life.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="I had]
[SUPER=01-Ned Jarrett/NASCAR Legend; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mary Scott/Wendell's Wife; :08]
[SUPER=01-Janis Scott/Wendell's Daughter; :14]
[SUPER=01-Frank Scott/Wendell's Son; :28]
[RUNS=:32]
[OUT Q=...thank you very much"]
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[Tennis]

[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-34 (41:55)]
[GRAPHIC=Tennis]

The Atlantic 10 Tennis title is on the line this weekend, and the lady Hokies are banking on some promising new additions to keep the trophy in Blacksburg.
Roy Stanley has more on the Hokies rise to the top.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Since joining...]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Anne Thompson/Virginia Tech Head Coach; :24]
[SUPER=01-Majka Serafini/#1 Singles; :52]
[SUPER=01-Vanessa Pardo/#2 Singles; 1:03]
[SUPER=@Roy1; 1:15]
[RUNS=1:21]
[OUT Q=......news 7 sports."]
(----------------------)
((Since joing the Atlantic 10 three years ago the men's and women's tennis teams at Tech have dominated the conference.

Both teams have won three straight conference title's and they're gunning for a fourth this weekend.
The women are the only ranked team in the conference. Tech has been ranked as high as 27 and currently the Lady Hokies are ranked 44-th. )) ((ANNE THOMPSON/VIRGINIA TECH HEAD COACH:)) ((Experience has been the key for the Lady's this season. Over four years, Five seniors have helped the program compile a 72 and 23 record.
And last years experience in the N-C-A-A tournament has the team geared up for the conference championship.))
((MAJKA SERAFINI/#1 PLAYER:))
((VANESSA PARDO/#2 PLAYER:))
((ROY STANDUP:))
(--------------)