Early A.M. News Script

Fri 02-JAN-2009 Early A.M. News Script

-------- The 8:25 News Scripts Follow ------------

1} SANDERS_VO

Good Morning - I'm Marselis Parsons. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is receiving some national recognition to start the New Year. "The Nation" magazine - which describes itself as "the flagship of the left" - has labeled the Independent the most vital voice on progressive issues in the U.S. Senate. The magazine cited Sanders for recognizing that the economy was heading for a major crisis before many of his colleagues in Washington did. Sanders says he saw the warning signs because he kept in close contact with his constituents.

2} HOMICIDE_MAP

Months after she died - the death of a New Hampshire woman has been ruled a homicide. 61-year-old Bernardine Hart of Woodstock NH died in September after spending several weeks in the hospital for what police say was a traumatic injury. The medical examiner recently ruled she died from multiple rib fractures. Police are not releasing any other details about the case, but they have said there is no threat to the general public. No arrests have been made.

3} BANKRUPTCY_FONT

The number of Vermonters filing for bankruptcy last year soared 43 percent - according to the U.S. Bankruptcy court in Rutland. There were 1,256 bankruptcies filed in the state in 2008 compared to 876 the year before. Chapter 7 cases led the way .. and those are voluntary bankruptcies .. people choosing to reorganize their finances. Last year saw the largest number of bankruptcies in the state since the record year of 2005 just before a tough new national bankruptcy law took effect.

4} CHARITIES_WHITE

The latest report on charitable giving in New York finds that charities on average get just 39 cents of every dollar donated to them through telemarketers. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says telemarketers raised nearly 179 million dollars on behalkf of 440 different charities. But, Of that, telemarketers and professional fundraisers kept 108 million, with less than 40 percent going to the charities.

5} FITNESS2_VO

Its a fitness challenge pitting state against state. Governor Jim Douglas and his cabinet are trying to walk more steps in 2-weeks -- than the governors and cabinets of 19 other states. The idea is to start the New Year -- by promoting good health. Participants will used pedometers to track their steps. The amounts are uploaded onto a website -- so all the teams can see how the competition is doing.

6} STEPS_SOTVO

(4:59-5:06 heidi tringe)((if texas starts getting ahead of us, we can get our folks out at night, in the morning, taking the stairs every day.)) Its not just bragging rights on the line -- Vermont hopes to win 50-thousand dollars for its childhood obesity program.

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