[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Melanie]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
An autopsy is sheduled after the wife of a well known Hollywood actor is found dead in a swimming pool.
So far police do not suspect foul play.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
And the latest on the forest fire that's been threatening homes and traffic in Botetourt County.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is next.
[Shatner]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#None]
[GRAPHIC=News-7 at Noon]
An autopsy is being performed today on the wife of Star Trek actor William Shatner.
Her body was found late last night in the bottom of the couple's swimming pool.
Shatner made an emotional statement to reporters this morning, saying his wife meant everything to him.
He also confirmed finding his wife's body.
For now police are calling the death an accident.
Bobbi Harley reports from outside Shatner's home in Studio City, California.
[Live=Harley Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=01-Bobby Harley/Reporting;]
[SUPER=05-Studio City, CA;]
( ad lib)
[***ROLLED FROM NEWSPATH***]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Studio City, CA; :00]
[SUPER=01-William Shatner/Actor;]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Adam Bercovici/Los Angeles Police Dept.;]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=]
(((LOCATOR: STUDIO CITY, CA)
The man known to two generations of Star Trek fans as Captain Kirk was a distraught husband this morning as he gave a statement to reporters.
(Sot, )
An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death, but so far police have no reason to believe that foul play was involved.
sot: Lt. Adam Bercovici/LAPD
"The investigation reveals that Mrs. Shatner was home alone for a short period of time and accidentally drown while swimming in the pool."
Police say Shatner found his wife face down in their pool.
sot: Bercovici
"Mr. Shatner dove into the pool and dragged his wife out of the pool and called 9-11 and was advised by paramedics to perform cpr."
Shatner's attempt and those by paramedics to revive her failed. 40 year old Nerine Shatner was pronounced dead at the scene.
The couple was married in 19-97, the third marriage for William Shatner.
Nerine Shatner once worked as a model.
(sot, Shatner again, she meant the world to me)))
[Live=Harley Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=05-Studio City, CA;]
( ad lib)
[Downtown-Blacksburg]
[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-22 TC1:59:49]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Some dramatic changes may be in store for downtown Blacksburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
The town and H-C-M-F real estate are considering building a 300- space parking garage.
The structure would most likely be three stories high and contain space on the bottom floor for several retail stores.
John Kline, who owns a photography store in downtown Blacksburg, supports the project.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=i have]
[SUPER=01-John Kline/Downtown Business Owner;]
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=really help, really help. ]
(------------)
[anchor=mel]
[ss=None]
Town officials are optimistic but say the project is still in the negotiation stage.
[Partial-Birth]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Abortion]
The state Attorney General's Office will try to have a ban on partial birth abortions reinstated this afternoon.
Last month a federal judge ruled the ban was unconstitutional.
This afternoon, attorneys for the state will ask the judge to let the state enforce the law while the case is pending in the Fourth U-S Circuit Court of Appeals.
[Forest-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=jbi]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Forest Fire]
The Purgatory Mountain fire may be contained, but firefighters say it is still NOT under control.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]
Last night a 30-acre fire broke over the fire lines, but it was contained by firefighters.
This brings the total up to 12-hundred-85 acres burned.
Firefighters are working around the clock patrolling the lines and mopping up.
But if all goes well today, some firefighters may be released tomorrow morning.
The fire is next to Interstate 81 and smoke continues to blow across the road and cause visibility problems at times.
(------------)
[GUN-FREE]
[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
Testimony is underway in a Georgia courtroom to determine if 15 year old T-J Solomon should be tried as an adult for wounding six classmates in a shooting spree at his school outside Atlanta.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
Despite recent well publicized school shootings like the ones in Georgia and Colorado,
the number of students expelled for bringing guns to school has dropped dramatically.
A report released by the Education department shows just over 39-hundred students were expelled from public schools in the U-S during the 1997-98 school year for bringing weapons to school.
(--------------)
[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[SS=None]
That's a 31 percent drop from the number expulsions reported during the previous school year.
[tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Lynchburg schools need more than a hundred million dollars in improvements, but what projects come first and who will pay for them?
That's the next story on News-7 at Noon.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And tensions are on the rise in Israel after yet another attempted terrorist suicide attack.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease]
[Weatherpro]
[music up full]
[comm1]
[Car-attack]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A car attack near Jerusalem today... is adding to tensions and flare-ups... that are threatening to derail the Middle East peace process... and stirring worries in the region.
Bruce Dunning reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[10:05:28]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Nachshon Junction, Israel; :00]
[SUPER=01-Shlomo Ben-Ami/Israeli Minister of Internal Secur.; :36]
[SUPER=01-Bruce Dunning/Reporting; 1:06]
[RUNS=1:22]
[OUT Q=cbs news Tel Aviv.]
[E-Blasting-Ax]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=99-26 1:03:11]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Roanoke sewer project is on hold for now -- after an explosion sent rocks flying onto the highway above.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
Gene West was driving his new truck along the Roy Webber Expressway Friday night.
Suddenly a flying rock punctured a hole in his hood and shattered his windshield.
Glass scraped his eye.
Engineers say they were blasting rock out of the Roanoke River near Wiley Drive -- right underneath the highway.
They say they don't know what went wrong in the explosion but they've stopped work until they can figure it out.
(------------)
[Bedford-Arrest]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Bedford County authorities say they've foiled a drug ring that would have shipped as many as a hundred kilos of cocaine a month into the county.
The arrest of a Florida teenager on murder- for- hire charges broke the case.
19- year- old Paul Douglas Pearce was arrested yesterday after trying to hire an undercover deputy to murder a witness who was going to testify against him.
Police say the arrest stems from an undercover investigation that involved cocaine traffickers who had targeted Bedford County as a main distribution point.
Pearce is being held without bond.
[Alleghany-Economy]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#99-31 TC24:39]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The smiles of ecomonic prosperity have dissolved into frowns of despair for the Alleghany Highlands.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Alleghany Co.]
Residents are hoping to find a solution for an area that is seeing more layoffs than new jobs.
Some residents blame what they describe as an uncooperative government.
But government officials place the blame on residents.
Either way one thing is for sure...
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:53:23]
[IN Q=IT'S BASICALLY]
((GLYNN LOOPE: IT'S BASICALLY TIME FOR THE ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE VISION OF WHAT IT WANTS TO BE WHEN IT GROWS UP.))
[SUPER=01-Glynn Loope/Economic Development Authority]
[RUNS= 07]
[OUT Q=GROWS UP]
A vision that according to the director of the region's economic development authority could include an abandoned locomotive repair shop in Clifton Forge.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 21:49:35]
[IN Q=when you walk]
((GLYNN LOOPE: WHEN YOU WALK AROUND A FACILITY THAT ONCE EMPLOYED 2700 PEOPLE AND WAS ONCE THE HEARTBEAT OF CLIFTON FORGE, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT THINK, HOW COULD IT BE THAT AGAIN?))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=BE THAT AGAIN]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
Renovating that shop would be just a small part of a big economic development puzzle ... putting all of the pieces together will be the hard part.
(-------------)
[L'burg-Schools]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-28 38:24]
[GRAPHIC=Lynchburg]
With the new school year about to begin, Lynchburg officials already have homework.
The task is to find out how to improve and revamp overcrowded and older school facilities.
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg;]
The average school building is 33 years old.
Plus there is an ongoing list of needed repairs and renovations.
Officials are now trying to figure what comes first and how to pay for the estimated 100 million dollar bill.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Try to be]
[SOT 11:21:29]
((JIM WHITAKER/LYNCHBURG COUNCIL MEMBER: TRY TO BE INNOVATIVE IN HOW WE FIND THE FUNDING, WHETHER IT BE BORROW MORE MONEY, WHETHER WE GO TO THE STATE AND REQUEST MORE MONEY, WHETHER WE FIND GRANT MONEYS OR WHAT'S OUT THERE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THERE ARE SOME WAYS TO COME UP WITH THE NECESSARY FUNDING.))
[SUPER=01-Jim Whitaker/Lynchburg Council Member; ]
[RUNS= 15]
[OUT Q=the necessary funding.]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
The necessary funding that will also go toward demands for special education and technology classrooms will come at a cost of 10 million dollars a year.
But, Whitaker says, for him, raising taxes is "not" an option.
(-------------)
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Still ahead on News-7 at Noon-- Mid-Atlantic governors band together as the drought worsens.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And across the Atlantic folks prepare for the last solar eclipse of the century.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[E-Gilmore-Drought]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-20 1:33:04]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Gilmore]
Governor Gilmore met with several Governors--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
in an effort to help farmers survive the drought with their farms intact.
The Governors are working together to come up with a new plan to help - they say federal assistance that's currently available is inadequate, because it would just send farmers into more debt.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[18:35:10-18:35:29]
[IN Q=What's been]
[SUPER=@Gilmore]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=grant program.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Gilmore met with the Governors of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
(------------)
[eclipse]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
You'll have to cross the globe to catch the last total Solar Eclipse of the millennium.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Cornwall, UK;]
Tomorrow it will be visible across Europe, the Middle East and Southern Asia.
But on the southwestern tip of England -- where the solar eclipse will first make landfall -- the event so far looks to be a flop, at least for the tourist industry.
Hundreds of thousands of tourist have failed to show up because of predictions of cloudy weather, fears of overcrowding, and sky-high hotel prices.
Still some have traveled from the U-S to catch this celestial event, including a North Carolina boy who was partially blinded after looking at a previous eclipse.
(//////SOT/////)
[IN=]
(( DAVID BERGER-JONES, PARTIALLY BLIND DUE TO ECLIPSE: "WELL, IF I CLOSE MY RIGHT EYE, I JUST SEE A BLACK SPOT WITH BLUR AROUND IT. SO IF I LOOK AT YOUR FACE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR NOSE AND THE REST OF YOUR FACE WOULD BE BLURRY."
))
[SUPER=01-David Berger-Jones/Partially Blinded by Eclipse;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT=WOULD BE BLURRY]
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Perthes, France;]
[10:13:20]
Meantime, northern France is one of the prime spots for viewing the eclipse, and the region is preparing to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors.
(------------)
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]
On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN 94 points.
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Still ahead in sports-- it's been another record setting season in major league baseball-- and the latest involves Grand Slams.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And the Cleveland Browns make a victorious return to the N-F-L.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[Grand-Slams]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]
It hadn't happened in baseball's 129-year history.
But yesterday five grand slams were hit in one day.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 4:14:39]
[SUPER=03-Philadelphia, PA/Cardinals-Fox Sports]
Earlier this season, Saint Louis' Fernando (tah-TEES) Tatis hit two grand slams in one inning.
He added another last night in Philadelphia.
[SUPER=03-Montreal, Canada/Expos-RDS;]
The National League had three of the blasts.
Expo Jose Vidro got his first career grand slam to help beat the Padres.
[SUPER=03-Miami, FL/Marlins-Sports Channel;]
And in Miami, Mike Lowell knocked his first career slam to aid in the Marlins come from behind win over the Giants.
[SUPER=03-Oakland, CA/Yankees-WNYW;]
In the American League, New York's Bernie Williams hit a grand slam for his 19-th home run on the season.
[SUPER=03-Seattle, WA/White Sox-Fox Sports;]
And finally in Seattle, Jay Buehner's slam helped lift the Mariners over the Chicago White Sox.
(------------)
[S-NFL]
[ANCHOR=Patrick ]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-41]
[GRAPHIC=BROWNS/COWBOYS]
It took a little longer than usual, but the Cleveland Browns made a victorious return to the N-F-L last night.
They took on the Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Canton, OH/ABC; :00]
But it was an old friend getting the party started for Cleveland, as Terry Kirby dives over the top, breaks the plane and makes it 7-to-nothing.
Tim Couch was extremely impressive in his debut completing 7 of his first 8 passes including this TD toss to fellow rookie Kevin Johnson, the speedster from Syracuse.
[SUPER=30-Cleveland/20/Dallas/17 ;]
And the Browns win in it 20 to 17 thanks to an overtime field goal.
(------------)
[S-Druck]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-37]
[GRAPHIC=49ers]
As an expansion team, the Browns raided the San Francisco Forty-Niners' roster and front office.
However, one player the Browns didn't take was Jim Druckenmiller.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/1997; :00]
Druck is entering his third year in the league and he is buried deeper than ever on the 49ers depth chart.
The Bay Area papers have gone as far as to call him the worst player in the 49ers history.
[SUPER=03-Frostburg, MD;]
But new Redskins director of player personnel Vinny Cerrato knows better. He was responsible for scouting and signing Druck when he was with the Niners and he thinks he'll one day star in this league.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="You know...]
[SUPER=01-Vinny Cerrato/Redskins Personnel Director;:00]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=...GOOD GUY."]
(-----------------)
[S-River]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-40 tc 1:57:56]
[GRAPHIC=FFE]
The blaze on Purgatory Mountain is proving to be a menace to the James River football team.
One coach has lost a well in the blaze and
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
the fire line is just a quarter of a mile from one player's home.
Needless to say the blaze has been a distraction what with helicopters taking off from the near by softball field, not to mention the smoke pouring from the mountain.
But Coach Ross says this hasn't been the worst distraction.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=a few]
[SUPER=01-Doug Ross/James River Head Coach;]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=smoke on a mountain]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Distractions aside, Ross and his staff are hopeful the Knights will bounce back from last season's two and eight record.
10 seniors return and Ross says these are the type of players who can turn it around.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=we're going]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=won't have a weakness]
(------------)
[WIPE WIPE WIPE]
[S-Botetourt]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-39 TC 1:48:34]
[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Daleville;]
On the other end of the county at Lord Botetourt the Cavaliers play their first game on September third.
So practice opened with 60 players today including 17 seniors.
A new signal caller will be behind the line because of the graduation of former player of the week Josh Aliveto.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=anthony ford]
[SUPER=01-Tony Hart/Lord Botetourt Head Coach;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=throws well though]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Only seven starters return. Three of those are on defense, but Coach Hart says there's evidence he and his staff are building a successful program.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=we/re got]
[RUNS=13]
[OUT Q=one double a football]
(------------)
by SS