WDBJ 7 morning news for 08/23/99

[Hurricane-Bret]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Bret]

Good Morning, I'm Melanie Moon.
Hurricane Bret is losing strength as it moves across southern Texas.
At last report, the storm's maximum sustained winds had dropped from 125 to 85 miles-per-hour.
Bret came ashore last night in a sparsely populated area.
Teresa Estacio is in Corpus Christi with the latest.
[Live=Estacio Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=01-Terisa Estacio/Reporting;]
[SUPER=05-Corpus Christi, TX;]
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[SUPER=03-Corpus Christi, TX;]
[SUPER=01-James Lee Witt/FEMA]
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[OUT Q=back to you]

((Information: Locator: Corpus Christi Bret promised a knock-out punch... but fell kind of short delivering a bruising blow to the Gulf coast region.

MOS SOT: "Where this one went through, it was about the least damage
that could be done because if it had been a little bit north, its heavily populated if it had been a little more south it's heavily populated."
At the height of the storm winds reached 125 miles per hour. Throughout the region, businesses put out the closed signs while residents hit the highway a few decided to ride the storm out.

MOS SOT: "That's about all you do, is batten down the hatches and just
take care of the loose stuff in the yard."
And while the worst may be over, officials warn the state could still be in for some more nasty weather.

SOT: James Lee Witt/FEMA
"Until Tuesday morning, the people of Texas are going to be putting up with an awful lot of rainfall and potential flooding."))

[Live=Esatcio Full/Newspath]
[SUPER=05-Corpus Christi, TX;]
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[Turkey]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=earthquake]

A tiny miracle this morning in earthquake ravaged Turkey.
Rescuers today pulled a four-year-old boy from the rubble.
He's reported to be in good condition after being trapped for a week.
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[VO-NAT]
[super=03-Cinarcik, Turkey;]
[4:11:30]
Last night a 52 year old woman was pulled out of debris where she spend 137 hours.
Heavy rain has fallen today which complicates the effort to clear debris and raises health concerns.
The death toll now stands at more than 12-thousand, and officials fear it could climb as high as 40-thousand.
[SUPER=03-Off Turkish Coast;]
[4:10:21] Two U-S warships are now positioned off the coast of Turkey.
On board are operating rooms and a medical staff and officials say they will start treating the injured later today.

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[Colombia]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The U-S is reportedly ready to send more financial and military support to Colombia to combat Marxist guerrillas who are challenging anti drug efforts there.

We want to warn you this next video is rather graphic.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bogota, Colombia;]
[4:06:17]
In the last 48 hours the guerillas have killed some 50 civilians.
Since May a total of 152 have died in the region.
The Washington Post reports U-S officials have told Colombia's president that U-S aid will be increased if he comes up with a plan that would strengthen both his military and the economy, and put a stop to drug trafficking.
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[11Teen-Killed]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=99-37 25:49]
[GRAPHIC=]

The investigation into the shooting death of Roanoke teen continues today.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

It happened around two o'clock Saturday morning inside of Easley's Restaurant, located on the 36-hundred block of Shenandoah Avenue. Authorities say what started out as a fight between two groups of young men from different Northwest Roanoke neighborhoods turned deadly for 19 year old Prentice Roshaud Jordan of Roanoke when guns came into the dispute. Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Jordan's family and witnesses have identified two gunmen.
Police are investigating their claim, but are unable to confirm the suspects identities.
(------------)

[Gilmore]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Gilmore]

Governor Gilmore is scheduled to appear today before the money committees of the Senate and House of Delegates.
He's expected to announce that the state ended the last fiscal year with a 200-million dollar surplus.

Democrats have been pressing Gilmore to turn over a big part of the money to roads. [Baby-Panda]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Watchful eyes are on a giant panda and her cub.... "Bai-Yun," one of two giant pandas at the San Diego zoo, gave birth Saturday.
The cub is the first baby panda born in the Western hemisphere since 1990. The panda success story is capturing hearts around the world.
As Aimee Nuzzo reports, everthing is going extremely well.

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[SUPER=03-San Diego, CA; :00]
[SUPER=03-San Diego Zoo; :07]
[SUPER=01-Don Lindberg/Panda Team Leader; :35]
[SUPER=01-Lois Gish/Zoo Visitor; 1:17]
[Super=01-Aimee Nuzzo/Reporting; 1:24]
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[Health-Check]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin Health Check]

In medical news, Vitamin C is back in the spotlight. Researchers say it may help prevent many illnesses.

Dave Browde has that story and more in this morning's Health check.
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[SUPER=01-Dave Browde/Reporting; :00 ]
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[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]

((Information: ONCAM-DAVE
For years your parents told you to take your vitamins...now researchers say - mom and dad were right: they say VITAMIN C in particular MAY PREVENT MANY ILLNESSES..RANGING FROM COLDS TO CANCER.
VT-VO
THE STUDY OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SAYS THE VITAMIN WORKS BY REDUCING THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE BODY.
RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT THE BLOOD OF RATS GIVEN MEGA-DOSES OF VITAMIN C HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER LEVELS OF STRESS HORMONES.
PAST STUDIES AIMED AT SHOWING WHETHER VITAMIN C SUPPLEMENTS CAN PREVENT COLDS OR SHORTEN THEIR DURATION HAVE BEEN MIXED.
VT-VO
IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOURSELF ON A COLD SNOWY DAY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
A NEW STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS SAYS THAT EVEN NORMAL PEOPLE GET THE WINTER BLUES.
THE SURVEY OF SIX HUNDRED..NON CLINICALLY DEPRESSED PEOPLE.... FOUND THAT MORE THAN HALF THEM SHOWED A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN SEASON AND MOOD.
RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT LIGHT..OR THE LACK OF IT..MAY PLAY A FACTOR IN WHY PEOPLE GET DEPRESSED DURING THE WINTER.
VT-VO
AND A NEW STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA HAS MANY PARENTS AND TEACHERS WORRIED.
IT FOUND THAT FOUR OUT OF EVERY FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ADMITS TO ACTING LIKE A BULLY AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.
THIS NEW SURVEY SUGGEST THAT BULLYING IS MUCH MORE PREVALENT THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. EARLIER RESEARCH SUGGESTED THAT BULLIES ONLY REPRESENTED ABOUT FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE STUDENT POPULATION.
ONCAM-DAVE
AND THAT'S A LOOK AT TODAY'S MEDICAL NEWS. I'M DAVE BROWDE. CBS NEWS, NEW YORK.))

(ad lib to weather)
[2-HEADLINES]
[2-shot=Mel/Kmc]
[SUPER=#4049; Morning Headlines]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Here's a look at today's top stories.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Corpus Christi, Texas dodges a bullet. Bret missed the city and slammed into a rural area 70 miles to the south.
Bret is weakening as it moves further inland.
Forecasters say flooding is now the storm's major threat .
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kim]
More glimmers of hope amid the earthquake ruins in Turkey.
One day after a 52 year old woman was pulled from the rubble a four year old boy has been found alive.
Rescuers say the boy is in great health after being trapped for 171 hours.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Two people were killed and more than 200 injured in a fiery crash in Hong Kong.
315 were on board when the plane crash landed during a tropical storm.
Investigators suspect wind shear.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And that's what's making news on this August 23-rd .
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

News 7 Mornin' will be right back.

[2-hurricane]

[ANCHOR=mel]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane]

Hurricane Bret is losing strength as it moves across southern Texas.
The storm's maximum sustained winds had dropped from 125 to 85 miles-per-hour.
Forecasters say although Bret has weakened, it's still a flooding threat.
Teresa Estacio has an update.
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[SUPER=03-Corpus Christi, TX;]
[SUPER=01-James Lee Witt/FEMA]
[SUPER=01-Teresa Estacio/Reporting;]
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[OUT Q= Corpus Christi TX]
((Locator: Corpus Christi Bret promised a knock-out punch... but fell kind of short delivering a bruising blow to the Gulf coast region.

MOS SOT: "Where this one went through, it was about the least damage
that could be done because if it had been a little bit north, its heavily populated if it had been a little more south it's heavily populated."
At the height of the storm winds reached 125 miles per hour. Throughout the region, businesses put out the closed signs while residents hit the highway a few decided to ride the storm out.

MOS SOT: "That's about all you do, is batten down the hatches and just
take care of the loose stuff in the yard."
And while the worst may be over, officials warn the state could still be in for some more nasty weather.

SOT: James Lee Witt/FEMA
"Until Tuesday morning, the people of Texas are going to be putting up with an awful of rainfall and potential flooding."
Stand-up Later today, Texas Governor George W. Bush said he would sign disaster proclamations for seven counties. Meanwhile many Texans are breathing a sigh of relief..knowing it could have been a lot worse. Teresa Estacio, CBS News, Corpus Christi, Texas.))

[plane-crash]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=plane crash]

Two people are dead and six more in a critical condition in Hong Kong following the worst air incident in the territory's history.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Hong Kong, China;]
[4:23:00]
The China Airlines jet had originated in Bangkok and was trying to land during a tropical storm.
Authorities say the jet burst into flames, flipped upside down and slid down the runway.
Of the 315 passengers aboard more than 200 were injured.
Investigators suspect wind shear caused the crash.
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[11-81-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=99-23 1:58:16]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

Traffic stopped on Interstate 81 for about 45 minutes after a car wreck.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ironto]

It happened around 4 yesterday afternoon near the Ironto exit. Apparently a woman was swerving to miss part of a tire that was lying on the highway when she over steered and hit the guard rail, where she was ejected from her vehicle. Her car then continued forward and hit the guard rail again, where it came to a stop.
The woman was airlifted by Lifeguard to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, the extent of her condition has not yet been released.
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[11Sagan]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

It seems famed astronomer Carl Sagan's inspiration came from something other than the stars.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file]

Sagan, whose written works include "Cosmos" and "Contact" was apparently a secret and frequent marijuana smoker.
His biographer says Sagan wrote about his habit in an essay published under the name "Mr. X".
Sagan wrote that being stoned got his creative juices flowing.
He died in 1996 at the age of 62
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[11Home-Sales]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=99-20 1:48:50]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Some Realtors say the rising interests rates are affecting some first time home buyers and causing a decrease in home sales in the Roanoke area.
Joy Sutton talked with a couple local Real Estate agents who say if this continues sales could go down drastically.

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[IN Q=Let me get]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;00]
[SUPER=01-Pete Kelly/Real Estate Agent;23]
[SUPER=01-Lorna Hall/Real Estate Agent;49]
[SUPER=@Joy2;1:02]
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[OUT Q=N7 Roanoke]

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((NAT SOUND: LET ME GET YOU TO SIGN IN AND GET YOU A FACT SHEET))
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[OUT Q=fact sheet]

For those looking to buy a new home -- locking-in on a low interest -- can mean much lower monthly house payments.

Already this year interest rates have gone from around 6 and half percent to about 8 percent depending on how much money you put down.
Some Realtors say this has caused some people not to buy and others to buy more quickly.
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[SOT 09:14:37]
[IN Q=The house I sold]
((PETE KELLY/REAL ESTATE AGENT: THE HOUSE I SOLD YESTERDAY WAS PART OF THAT. THEY WAS RUSHING TO GET THE LOAN AP. AND LOCK-IN THE INTEREST RATE BEFORE IT DOES GO UP))
[RUNS= 8]
[OUT Q=does go up]

And Realtors say if interest rates rise above 10 percent that's when home sales will really drop off dramatically.
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[SOT 09:19:14]
[IN Q=If it goes too high]
((PETE KELLY/REAL ESTATE AGENT: IF IT GOES TOO HIGH WE'RE LOOKING AT A STALE MARKET. IT'S GOING TO BE OWNER FINANCE ONLY))
[RUNS= 8]
[OUT Q=finance only]
Realtors say first time home buyers seem to be the people most concerned.
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[SOT 09:35:46]
[IN Q=I've seen them]
((LORNA HALL/REAL ESTATE AGENT:I'VE SEEN THEM EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT IT. I'VE SEEN MORE OF THEM TALKING TO LOAN OFFICERS MAYBE DOING A VARIABLE RATE, AN ADJUSTABLE RATE LOAN INSTEAD OF THE FIXED RATE THAT WE'RE OFFERING NOW))
[RUNS= 14]
[OUT Q=offering now]

But Realtors agree even with the increase in rates buying a home is still a good investment.
Joy Sutton, News 7, Roanoke.))

[Market-Watch]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Interest rates may go up this week and gas prices continue their upward trend. Betsy Karetnick has those stories and more in this morning's Market Watch.
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[IN Q=Good Morning]
[SUPER=01-Betsy Karetnick/Reporting]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=I'm BK in New York]

[11WebWatch]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=webwatch]
[GRAPHIC=webwatch]

The college student's dream come true is here.
Inexpensive college books and totally free stuff.
Eric Earnhart has more in this weeks webwatch.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=If you use]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=Eric Earnhart, News 7 ]
(( [intro]
[RUNS= :05]

If you use Microsoft's MSN Messenger instant chat software be careful. A glitch could allow others using the computer to see your password and access your e-mail account. Microsoft says it's latest version of Messenger fixes the problem, the free download is available on the MSN website.

Heading back to college and looking for books? Varsitybooks-dot-com has course book lists for 300 major Colleges and Universities, including Virginia Tech and UVA, Radford and Virginia Western. Or you can find your books with their search engine. Shipping only takes one to three days.

If you have baby, or one on the way, you need this bag... baby-bag-dot-com features a list of all the latest recalls of unsafe baby products. There are also advice columns, recipes, and stories from the story guy.

Finally, Totally-free-stuff-dot-com is a self-explanatory site... a catalogue of web sites offering free stuff... everything from free ink-jet cartridges to dog treats.
Of course nothing is ever really free... in this case most of the sites want information, about you or your friends, so be prepared to give up a little privacy if you want the freebies.

For links to these sites, click on WebWatch, on the WDBJ website, at WDBJ 7-dot-com.))

[11Blue-Grass]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=99-21 1:48:54]
[GRAPHIC=none]

It's entertainment for the whole family -- the Vinton Old Time Blue Grass Festival and Competition.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Vinton]
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[SOT]
[IN Q=NAT SOUND]
((NAT SOUND:BAND PLAYING))
[RUNS=5]
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The four day festival wrapped up yesterday with several bands playing that good Ole blue grass music.
It's a family event that has been going on for the past 11 years. And it's always free to the public.
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[Local-Recap]
[SUPER=#4059;Local Recap]
[2-Shot=Mel/Kmc]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Now here's another look at today's top local stories:
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

The investigation for suspects in Saturday's shooting at a Roanoke night club continues today. Authorities say what started out as a fight between two groups of young men from different Northwest Roanoke neighborhoods turned deadly for 19 year old Prentice Roshaud Jordan of Roanoke when guns came into the dispute. Jordan's family and witnesses have identified two gunmen.
Police are investigating their claim, but are unable to confirm the suspects identities.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

An accident on Interstate 81 yesterday afternoon sent one woman to the hospital. It happened around 4 near the Ironto exit. Apparently a woman was swerving to miss part of a tire that was lying on the highway when she over steered , hit the guard rail, and was ejected from her vehicle.
The woman was airlifted by Lifeguard to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The extent of her condition has not yet been released.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
(Kimberly mic hot)
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[2 shot=Mel/Kmc]
(Kimberly ad lib weather)
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[Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Steve]
(toss)
[ANCHOR=Steve]
(live ad lib, tease tomorrow)
(ad lib bye) [Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Steve]