[HEADLINES]
[TALENT=Melanie]
(----------------)
[VO-N AT]
Ahead on News 7 at noon, remembering the nation's veterans.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
And a judge has opened a custody hearing in the case of two babies who were switched at birth.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
News 7 at noon is next.
[Veterans-DAY]
[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Veteran's Day]
On this last Veterans day of the 1900's, President Clinton is honoring what he's calling a ``century of sacrifice.''
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Arlington;]
[10;36]
In his Veterans Day address at Arlington National Cemetery, the president remembered those who fought to preserve America's liberties and those of its allies, in the past and as recently as this year's Kosovo conflict.
He'll also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=Nat TAPS]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The President says the best way to honor veterans is for the United States to maintain its world leadership-- and not shrink behind a new isolationism.
(------------)
[Switched-Babies]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#99-43]
[GRAPHIC=Switched Babies]
The saga of two little girls switched at birth is continuing today in A Buena Vista courtroom.
That's where Paula Johnson is trying to gain custody of her biological daughter Rebecca Chittum.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Steve/Starlink]
Steve Smallshaw is in Buena Vista.
Steve what's happened with the case so far?
[Live=Steve Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=@ssm1;]
[SUPER=06-Buena Vista;]
( ad lib)
[***ROLLED FROM STARLINK****]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Buena Vista; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mike Groot/Chittum Family Attorney;]
[SUPER=01-Pete Robey/Rogers Family Attorney;]
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=relevant to the child.]
[Live=Steve Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=06-Buena Vista;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Steve/Starlink]
[Roanoke-Vets]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=99-44 TC49:33]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
People all across the Commonwealth are gathering to remember some of the fallen heroes of the 20th century.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
The Roanoke Valley Veterans Council conducted its Veterans Day ceremonies this morning at Cave Spring High School.
The keynote speaker was the deputy commandant of cadets at Virginia Tech.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=You need to remember]
((COL. ED SCHWABE/U.S. ARMY RETIRED: YOU NEED TO REMEMBER IN ANY ENDEAVOR THE SPAN OF HISTORY. YOU NEED TO APPRECIATE THE ONES WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE BECAUSE THEY LONGER YOU HAVE IN THIS LIFE THE MORE YOU REALIZE THAT YOU GOT WHERE YOUR ARE BY STANDING ON THE ONES WHO WENT BEFORE.))
[SUPER=01-Col. Ed Schwabe/U. S. Army (Retired)]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=went before.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Ceremonies are also taking place in many schools in Virginia.
There's also one this afternoon at the site for the D-Day Memorial in Bedford.
(------------)
[Draft-Fire]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Fire]
A volunteer firefighter has been charged with arson and murder in connection with a fire that killed his one year old son.
Twenty-three year old Michael Ledford was among those who responded to the fire at his Augusta County apartment on October tenth.
Just hours before, his son celebrated his first birthday.
Michael Ledford's wife was severely injured in the fire and is still hospitalized.
Ledford has also been charged with attempted murder.
He's being held without bond.
[nursing-home]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]
Five people are dead and more than 20 injured following an explosion and fire overnight at a nursing home in Flint, Michigan.
Officials say a boiler, described as almost brand new, blew up.
Maureen Maher reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[11:30 UPDATE WINDOW]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Flint, MI;]
[SUPER=01-Chief Jim Harmes/Grand Blanc Fire Dept.;]
[SUPER=01-Lauren Bishop/Reporting;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=]
((IF NOT FOR THE QUICK ACTIONS OF NEIGHBORS AND FIREFIGHTERS THIS TRAGEDY
COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.
WITH THE NURSING HOME ENGULFED IN FLAMES.... DOZENS OF DAZED RESIDENTS
WERE PULLED TO SAFETY.
MOS:
"A LOT OF THEM WERE VERY DISTRESSED SOME OF THEM THAT WERE CARRIED OUT
DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO."
THE EXPLOSION THAT SPARKED THE FIRE WAS FELT MILES AWAY.
SOT:
"MY WHOLE HOUSE JUST SHOOK AND MY SON AND I CAME OUTSIDE, IT WAS JUST
BLACK SMOKE."
NOW THAT THE SMOKE HAS CLEARED... DOGS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN TO SEARCH
FOR POSSIBLE VICTIMS AND HEAVY MACHINERY IS BEING USED TO CLEAR THE DEBRIS. INVESTIGATORS WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE BOILER ROOM EXPLOSION...A BLAST THAT REDUCED ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDING TO RUBBLE.
SOT: CHIEF JIM HARMES/GRAND BLANC FIRE DEPT.
"WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THIS IS ALL WE HAVE AS FAR AS LOSSES GO."
AFTER GETTING EMERGENCY FIRST AID AT THE SCENE.. THE SURVIVORS...MANY OF THEM FRAIL AND ELDERLY HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO AREA NURSING HOMES.
(BISHOP STANDUP)))
[BUILDING-COLLAPSE]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
In southern Italy rescue crews are frantically searching for survivors in the collapse of an apartment building.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Foggia, Italy;]
[3:02;25]
At least eleven people were killed and dozens more are feared trapped in the debris including the man who built the building.
Authorities suspect severe structural damage may have led to the collapse.
So far rescuers have heard just one faint voice under the rubble.
(------------)
[State-Song]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=State Song]
A federal judge will not re-start the state song search.
An Alexandria man who thinks some shady dealings played a role in the Virginia state song contest sued to have the process started over.
The judge threw out the suit, saying the 11th Amendment protects states from lawsuits over specific actions.
Parker was one of 360 who submitted songs to replace ``Carry Me Back to Old Virginia'' as the Virginia's official song.
But he says the song never got a fair hearing because the contest turned into a fundraiser for legislators.
[tease1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Investigators want to get their hands on Egyptair 9-90's cockpit voice recorder worse than ever.
Find out why when News-7 at Noon returns.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And buried waste could bring criminal charges against the city of Roanoke.
First, let's talk to Patrick Evans.
(---------------)
[Talent=Patrick]
[Wx-Tease]
[Weatherpro]
[music up full]
[comm1]
[Egyptair]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Egyptair Crash]
The search for the cockpit voice record from Egyptair Flight 9-90 has been suspended today because of rough seas.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Newport, RI;]
[3:04:18]
Investigators say recovery of that recorder is more important than ever now that the flight DATA recorder has added to the mystery of what caused the plane to crash into the Atlantic.
Preliminary data from the recorder suggests there are no clear cut signs of mechanical failure.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The first event we note is the...]
[SUPER=01-Jim Hall/NTSB Chairman;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=a controlled descent.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[GRAPHIC-3:46:08]
The recorder does not reveal a plane spinning out of control but a jet with its nose down and wings level, traveling at a high speed but not a supersonic dive.
The voice recorder may reveal not only what the pilots were saying to each other -- but also what other noises and alarms could be heard in the cockpit.
(------------)
[Columbine-video]
[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Columbine High School gunman reportedly left behind video tapes for police.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-April 20;]
Police say the haven't previously revealed the existence of the tapes by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold because they believe the boys made them specifically for police in an attempt to become famous.
A partial transcript will be read tomorrow at the sentencing hearing for Mark Manes (MAN'-ihs), who pleaded guilty to selling a gun to the teens.
(------------)
[E-Radford-Officer]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-40 1:22:04]
[GRAPHIC=None]
An investigation has been launched against a Radford police officer following a complaint by a female coworker.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]
At this time, NO charges have been filed against Gaither Blackburn who's been with the Radford police for 12- years and also works with the local drug task force.
Authorities say the female officer went to state police alleging Blackburn took advantage of her sexually at a party in Floyd County.
Floyd County Commonwealth's attorney Gino Williams asked for a special prosecutor because of his ties to the local drug task force.
A judge then appointed Franklin County prosecutor Cliff Hapgood to the case.
(------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[ss=None]
Blackburn would only say he's cooperating with state police.
[5-Beaumont]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=599-14 51:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]
They're NOT closing it down-- but Virginia's Juvenile Justice Board has "de-certified" the state's largest juvenile prison.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Powhatan Co./File Tape]
Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Center currently holds 27 percent more teen inmates than it's designed to handle.
And it's 25 security officers SHORT.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'm at the]
[sot 12:57:15]
((LT. CHIP HARDING/JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD: I'M AT THE POINT WHERE IF MY SON WAS IN TROUBLE, HE WOULDN'T GO TO BEAUMONT. IF I HAD TO FLEE THE COUNTRY WITH MY SON, I WOULD NOT LET JUVENILE JUSTICE PUT HIM AT BEAUMONT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF HE WOULD SURVIVE.))
[sot 11:58:38]
((CONNIE SEAGLE/JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD: I AM SURE THAT GOVERNOR GILMORE WILL MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.))
[sot 13:05:04 ]
((DEL. JAY DEBOER/D-PETERSBURG: I THINK IT SHOWS CONSIDERABLE COURAGE BY A POLITICALLY APPOINTED BOARD TO TAKE AN ACTION SUCH AS THIS THAT OBVIOUSLY MUST BE AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Chip Harding/Juvenile Justice Board; :00]
[SUPER=01-Connie Seagle/Juvenile Justice Board; :12]
[SUPER=01-Del. Jay DeBoer/(D) Petersburg; :18]
[RUNS=:28]
[OUT Q=the administration.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Gilmore administration says conditions and discipline at Beaumont do NOT merit "emergency" attention-- but conditions are slowly being improved.
Beaumont was passed over for state certification ten times before today's board action.
(------------)
[E-Buried-barrels]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-41 37:28]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Seal]
The City of Roanoke could be the next local government facing criminal penalties for burying chemical waste.
The Environmental Protection Agency is pressing for felony charges and criminal sanctions against the city.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/December 1997]
The investigation dates back to the discovery of contaminated waste that was stored in 55-gallon drums, and then buried underground at the service center on Courtland Avenue.
Sources say the city will probably have to answer to criminal charges either by entering a guilty plea or going to trial.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
City officials have begun putting together an environmental awareness program for city workers and local residents- -one which may include municipal employees from around the region.
[Allstate]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-42 54:39]
[GRAPHIC=Allstate Reorganization]
Allstate is slashing four thousand jobs nationwide.
But the company says none will be lost in the Roanoke Valley.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]
The service center in Roanoke County shut down for more than an hour yesterday while employees found out what was going on.
Everyone was listening to a conference call ... and waiting to find out if Allstate's reorganization would cost anyone a job.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 54:05//////53:26]
[IN Q=no one]
((RICK ZAHARIAS/ALLSTATE VICE PRESIDENT: WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME WORK OUT AND BRING NEW WORK IN. SO THE WORK WE LOSE IS GOING TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW WORK. SO WE'RE NOT LOSING PEOPLE.))
[SUPER=01-Rick Zaharias/Allstate Vice President]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=NOT LOSING PEOPLE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
About 85-percent of the people who work at the service center will see the scope of their job change ... but the company insists their jobs will stay here.
The company is changing the way it does business ... selling insurance online and through an 800-number.
(------------)
[Tease2]
[SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
V-Dot is building a bridge to the future out of fiberglass.
That's just one of the stories still ahead on NEws-7 at noon.
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And she inspired Pablo Picasso decades ago.
Last night she brought in millions.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]
[E-Gibson-Girls]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-37 1:40:37]
[GRAPHIC=None]
It was a celebration of two of Danville's best-known movers and shakers.
But some Danville residents marked it by standing still.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
These models posed to re-enact portraits from the Gibson Girl era.
It was a tribute to Irene Langhorne (LANG-ern) Gibson... a Danville native who inspired an entire movement in fashion.
The event also honored her sister, Nancy ... BETTER known as Lady Astor. SHE was the first woman to sit in the British Parliament 80 years ago.
Some say that where the women were from had a lot to do with their success.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:01:37 - :45]
[IN Q=Well, they would]
((PATRICIA BRACHMAN/EVENT ORGANIZER: WELL, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BOTH TELL YOU IT'S GOOD VIRGINIA HERITAGE. THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY PROUD OF BEING VIRGINIANS.))
[SUPER=07-Patricia Brachman;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=proud of being Virginians.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The (Lang-ern) Langhorne Museum in Danville will be conducting tours Thursday and Friday to commemorate the Langhorne women's place in Danville's history.
(------------)
[5-New-Bridge]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=599-16 36:27]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The thought of driving over a PLASTIC bridge might make you a little nervous....
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;]
But this new fiberglass- reinforced bridge is said to be as strong as steel.
V-DOT officials re- opened the northbound ramp leading to the I- 81 scales this morning.
A 20- by 20- foot section of concrete on the ramp was replaced by E-Z span.
It weighs less than concrete, and is said to be less susceptible to deterioration.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:40:34]
[IN Q=If this bridge]
((LAURA BULLOCK/VDOT SPOKESPERSON: IF THIS BRIDGE WORKS OUT, AND WE SURE HOPE IT DOES, IT COULD MEAN LESS INCONVENIENCE TO THE TRAVELING PUBLIC. IT COULD MEAN LESS COST FOR OVERALL MAINTENANCE OF A BRIDGE. WHAT A BETTER PLACE TO TRY IT OUT THAN HERE AT THE 81 SCALES.))
[SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=at the 81 scales]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
A Tennessee trucker was the first to cross over the new fiberglass bridge.
He received a bottle of non- alcoholic sparkling cider in honor of the event.
(------------)
[Picasso]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Picasso's mistress has sold for 45 MILLION dollars.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY;]
[10:24:35]
It happened last night at Christie's auction house in New York.
The portrait depicts the artist's muse and mistress, Marie Therese Walter.
Picasso painted it in 19-32.
It sold to an anonymous buyer, and is the fourth highest price ever paid for a Picasso.
(------------)
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]
On Wall Street at Noon, the Dow was DOWN ten points.
[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Still to come in sports, you'll have to tune in to different networks to see NASCAR races.
Find out which, when we return.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
And the Radford men's hoops team suffers a preseason loss to visiting Court Authority.
Patrick has highlights, next.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]
[S-NASCAR]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=NASCAR]
NASCAR is getting set to take the sport of racing into the new millenium.
Yesterday stock car's governing body is expected to announce a new television deal worth 400-million-dollars.
But starting in 2001, no NASCAR races will be shown on CBS, TNN, or ESPN.
Instead, NASCAR has sold the rights to Fox, FX, NBC, and TBS.
CBS had televised the Daytona 500 since 1979, but in two years it will move over to Fox.
[S-Radford]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-46]
[GRAPHIC=radford]
During the round ball preseason, college squads take on traveling exhibition teams to prepare for the regular season. And usually the squad wins, but Court Authority shocked Radford last night 86 to 80.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford/Court Authority vs. Radford; :00]
The Red Heads came out to the Dedmon Center to cheer on the Highlanders.
Radford got an early lift inside from Ryan Charles, who is back near 100 percent after last year's knee problems. Charles had 22.
But the patented RU defense was nonexistent last night as Phil Stinnie nails the jumper.
The bright spot for Radford was freshman Peanut Arrington, who makes the steal and takes it all the way for the layin. He had 16.
[SUPER=33-Court Authority/86/Radford/80;]
But Radford assured itself a few suicide sprints in practice today. They lose 86 to 80.
(------------)
[S-Oster]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-58]
[GRAPHIC=AVALANCHE]
The Salem Avalanche has called a news conference for this afternoon, and News 7 sports has learned that team general manager Dave Oster's resignation will be announced at that time.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Landover, MD/September 1997; :00]
Oster has been a popular general manager in Salem for the last half of the 90s.
He also has offered his services and expertise to a number of other pro teams including the Redskins when he helped open their stadium in 97.
Oster reportedly is headed to the Lake Elsinore Storm in the California league.
(------------)
[Lakers-Rockets]
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=NBA]
The new look Los Angeles Lakers traveled into the Compaq Center last night to take on Houston.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Houston, TX/FOX;]
Houston led early on, but the Lakers were ahead 30-26 in the second when things got a little ugly.
Shaquille O'Neal fouls Charles Barkley on the shot block attempt, then shoves Sir Charles after the whistle.
Barkley doesn't like it, he throws the ball off Shaq's head and a scuffle breaks out. Both Shaq and Barkley were tossed.
[SUPER=32-L. A. Lakers/89/Houston/88//;]
The teams battled back and forth, without throwing any punches, to the last seconds of the game.
But the Lakers pull out the 89 to 88 win.
(------------)
by SS