[7-Brzonkala]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=US Supreme Court]


The U-S Supreme court will hear the case of former Virginia Tech student Christy Brzonkala today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC/Friday;]


Brzonkala wants to sue two former tech athletes who, she says, raped her in a dormitory.
The case could overturn the six-year-old Violence Against Women Act under which Brzonkala's lawsuit was filed.


(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]


A lower court threw out the case, saying the federal act is a ``sweeping intrusion'' into matters which are traditionally handled by states.
And it said violence against women has an only ``indirect'' relationship with interstate commerce and is therefore out of federal jurisdiction.
News-Seven's Ellen Qualls is in Washington and will have much more on this story later today.


[7-Lewis-Gale]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-41]
[GRAPHIC=Lewis Gale Clinic]


Questions remain this morning concerning the resignations of several doctors from Lewis Gale Clinics.
Reportedly, 14 doctors have resigned from the 15 satellite clinic offices.
It's hard to say which of those offices is affected since the doctors have been instructed not to talk to the media, and even their patients.
Kate Weidaw has more.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=In addition]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]
[SUPER=@Kate1; :42]
[RUNS=:53]
[OUT Q=KW, News-7.]

((In addition to the satellite offices, the main clinic in Salem is affected by the resignations as well. We're told a number of specialists and surgeons working here have quit. The resignations are said to be a result of doctors being unhappy with PhyCor -- the Nashville group that operates the Lewis Gale Clinic. In fact PhyCor has been sued several times by doctors who say the company steals their profits. However there are some doctors who have chosen to stay at their jobs. [take pre-pro] Both doctors at Bonsack and Clearbrook family Practice are staying. One doctor at Back Creek is not resigning and both doctors at the Allergy Clinic in Salem will remain on the job. [STANDUP] ((KATE WEIDAW/REPORTING; TODAY A CLINIC SPOKESWOMAN SAYS SHE SHOULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE RESIGNATIONS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHERE PATIENTS MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO SEE THEIR DOCTORS. KATE WEIDAW NEWS 7.))
[RUNS=]))



[7-S-Thomas]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-56 23:34]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Death Penalty]


Another Virginia death row inmate has been executed.
Douglas Christopher Thomas was put to death for killing his girlfriend's parents.
(------------)
[VO-NAT 99-56 23:34]


Thomas was convicted in 1990.
[SUPER=03-Middlesex Co./November 1990]


The U-S Supreme Court denied a request for a stay yesterday, and Governor Gilmore denied a similar request less than an hour before the execution.
Thomas did not have a final statement.
(------------)



[7-Va-Guard]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Governor Gilmore has ordered a comprehensive review of the Virginia Army National Guard's promotion policies.
The move comes in response to a Washington Post article yesterday that reported a low rate of promotion for African Americans.
The report says that minorities make up almost a third of the guard's membership... but only ten percent of Guard officers are minorities.
A black person has NEVER made general at the Virginia National Guard, and 31 of 33 colonels are white.

[7Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Here's a look at your Tuesday forecast.
Mostly sunny today with winds out of the west reaching 20 to 30 miles per hour.
High temperatures in the upper 50s to 60.
Tonight partly cloudy and cooler, with highs in the upper 20s to 30.
The extended forecast...

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds W 20-30/56-60/Partly Cloudy/& Cooler/25-30;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]





[45-Brzonkala]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=US Supreme Court]


A former Virginia Tech student takes her case before the nation's highest court today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC/Friday;]


Christy Brzonkala was a Virginia Tech student in 19-95 when she says two athletes raped her in a dormitory room.
She is asking the Supreme Court to uphold the 1994 Violence Against Women Act.
It is an act that lets rape victims sue their attackers.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]


A lower court declared the provision unconstitutional and threw out her lawsuit against football players Antonio Morrison and James Crawford.
News-Seven's Ellen Qualls is in Washington and will have much more on this story later today.

[45-E-Buried-Barrels]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-52 41:34]
[GRAPHIC=Buried Barrels]


In a plea agreement with federal prosecutors the city of Roanoke will plead guilty to criminal charges and pay 600-thousand dollars for environment violations.
Joe Dashiell has the story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The city's violations came to light]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/April 1998; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bill Hackworth/Roanoke City Attorney; :22 ]
[SUPER=@Joe2; :32]
[SUPER=01-Robert Crouch/U. S. Attorney; :47]
[RUNS=1:11]
[OUT Q=JD News 7 Roanoke]


((The city's violations came to light two years ago, with the discovery of barrels buried at the Public Works Service Center.
Eventually more than a thousand were unearthed. Most were empty but 58 contained hazardous waste, asphalt patch material or oil- based road paint.
Federal investigators say they also found a history of inattention to environmental regulations.
[SOT 15:52:24]
[IN Q=We know we did wrong]

((BILL HACKWORTH/ROANOKE CITY ATTORNEY: WE KNOW WE DID WRONG AND WE WANT TO GET IT BEHIND US AND GET ON WITH THINGS AND PUT A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T EVER HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE CITY.))
[RUNS= :10]
[OUT Q=happen again in the city.]


City council has approved a plea agreement that a federal judge will consider on Wednesday.
No individuals will face criminal charges, but the city will pay a fine of 125- thousand dollars and spend 475- thousand on community service projects with an environmental focus.
[SOT 02:51:42]
[IN Q=The community]

((ROBERT CROUCH/U.S. ATTORNEY: THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS THE VICTIM, SO TO SPEAK, OF A PARTICULAR VIOLATION WILL ALSO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF THE PLEA AGREEMENT AND THE OUTCOME OF THE CASE.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=outcome of the case.]


The city has already spent 900- thousand dollars on the clean-up and related expenses. With the fines and community service, the tab will likely exceed one and a half million dollars.
Joe Dashiell News 7 Roanoke))

[45-S-Microwave-Baby]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-51 35:54]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]


A murder trial is set for April for the 19 year old woman accused of killing her baby by burning him in a microwave oven.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New Kent Co./December 1;]


19 year old Elizabeth Renee Otte was indicted yesterday in New Kent County for first degree murder.
Otte's one month old son was found dead in a microwave oven in September.
Otte reportedly told relatives an epileptic seizure caused her to put the baby in the oven.
A mental evaluation is due back in March.
(------------)



[45Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Taking a break from the news to check weather...
Mostly sunny and windy today with afternoon highs, unseasonably mild, near 60.
Partly cloudy and cooler overnight, with lows in the upper 20s.
The five day forecast stays dry, with highs in the 40s and 50s.

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds W 20-30/56-60/Partly Cloudy/& Cooler/25-30;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]





[8-Danville-Ax]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]


Charges are pending against a tractor trailer driver who ran his rig down an enbankment in Henry County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]


42-year-old Ponciano Mendoza of Virginia Beach was travelling along route 58 in Brosville just after 7 this morning when his truck went off the shoulder, went through a guard rail and down an enbankment.
No one was injured.
Police say slick roads may have caused the accident.
The west bound lane of traffic was blocked, but traffic is now flowing freely through the area.
(------------)



[8-E-Wilder]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-46 1:16:05]
[GRAPHIC=Wilder]


Former Governor Doug Wilder made history by breaking down racial barriers and becoming Virginia's top political official.
Now, he says he learned a great deal from his experience.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]


In fact, ten years after he was sworn in as the nation's only elected black governor, Wilder has few regrets.
And breaking a racial barrier is NOT what he views as his greatest accomplishment.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:07:03 ]
[IN Q=Handing over]

((DOUG WILDER/FORMER GOVERNOR: HANDING OVER TO MY SUCCESSOR A STATE THAT I HAVE NEVER HAD TO BE APOLOGETIC FOR.))
[sot 11:17:12]

((DOUG WILDER/FORMER GOVERNOR: WHY ANY DEMOCRAT... TRUMPET THAT AND RUN ON THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER, EVER UNDERSTAND.))
[sot 20:08]

((I CAN SAY TO YOU TODAY... SON OF VIRGINIA!))
[SUPER=01-Doug Wilder/(D) Former Governor; :00]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=son of Virginia!]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


A ten year anniversary gala this week in Richmond will raise money for a Wilder Scholars program at Virginia Commonwealth University.
(------------)




[8-Address-Promo]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[TAPE=None]
[GRAPHIC=State of the Commonwealth]


Virginia's current governor, Jim Gilmore, delivers his "State of the Commonwealth" address tomorrow evening, and WDBJ-7 will air it live.
(+++++++)


Ellen Qualls will have live reports from the capitol, and political expert Tom Morris will be here to give us some political perspective. Our coverage begins at 7-P-M Wednesday.
(-------------)



[8-E-Rising-Star]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=99-44 1:59:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]


A Roanoke County sports camp that serves hundreds of children may soon lose its license.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
((nat sot kids))
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
[RUNS=:03]
[OUTQ=NAT Kids]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Roanoke County is taking the Rising Star Sports and Adventure Camp to court -- saying it has exploded into a commercial day care center.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:28:37]
[IN Q=These massive]

((THESE MASSIVE LEAGUE OPERATIONS. ... COMMERCIAL OPERATION.))
[SUPER=01-Paul Mahoney/Roanoke Co. Attorney;]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=commercial operation]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


The camp's owner, Chris Pollack, would not talk on camera but says he does NOT hold league tournaments here.
He says the camp is NOT a commercial day care center and that the county has no right to take his state license.
A trial date has not yet been set.
(------------)



[8Weather]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=AM Cutins]
[WRITER=tar]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Let's check out the Tuesday forecast....
Mostly sunny and very windy today, anywhere from 20 to 30 miles an hour.
Afternoon highs around 60.
Turning partly cloudy and cooler tonight, with lows in the upper 20s.
The five day forecast stays dry, with highs in the 40s and 50s.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds W 20-30/56-60/Partly Cloudy/& Cooler/25-30;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]


by SS