WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 02/23/00

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Today on News 7 at 5, a child is brutally murdered in an attempted carjacking. We'll have the details,
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[VO-NAT]

and former President George Bush comes to Salem seeking votes for his son's run for the White House.
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Clouds and a few showers showers on the way. Details ahead.

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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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In Sports, Steve Mason has big news for local high school basketball.
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[VO-NAT]
Plus on Health Check, local underprivileged children could lose their dental care.
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Drivers watch in horror as a car jacker drags a child to his death-
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[SOT 14:38:03]
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((THERE WERE HORNS HONKING AND THE LADY SCREAMING THEY'RE DRAGGING A CHILD. THEY'RE DRAGGING A CHILD. YOU COULDN'T BELIEVE YOUR EARS.))
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[OUT Q=BELIEVE YOUR EARS.]

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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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It happened in Independence, Missouri-
A thief stole a Chevy Blazer with a child inside- But, somehow the boy ended up outside- dragged several miles to his death.
As Betsey Webster reports, drivers on the highway tried to help- but it was too late.
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[SUPER=02-Eldon Painter/Witness;]
[SUPER=01-Brian Zevecke/Tow Truck Driver;]
[SUPER=01-Betsy Webster/CBS News;]
[Super=01-Sgt. Gregg Wilkenson/Independence Police Dept.;]
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(( A terrifying scene along the interstate in Missouri yesterday.....A six year old boy was dragged to his death for five or six miles while motorists watched in horror. The boy was in the car when it was
stolen---the carjacker reportedly tried to push the boy out of the car, but the he was tangled in a seatbelt. The boy w
as dragged at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.
A suspect is in custody in Indepnedence, Missouri.))

[5-Missing-Girl]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
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Nelson County residents are mourning the death of a girl who was missing for three days-
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8-year old Jackie Holden was found dead last night in a patch of woods about four miles from her home in Ship-man.

It's been a tough week for faculty and students at Jackie's school- Rockfish River Elementary.
Counselors had already been helping students cope with the death of an assistant principal who was killed in a car crash over the weekend.
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((NINA GARRETT/ROCKFISH RIVER E.S. PRINCIPAL: UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE HAD TO CALL THEM BACK IN TODAY TO WORK WITH THE SAME SITUATION, PRIMARILY TO WORK WITH THE SMALLER CHILDREN, BECAUSE SHE WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE.)) ((EMMA VAUGHAN/SCHOOL COUNSELOR: THE OLDER KIDS, I THINK, WERE OKAY, BUT THE SMALLER KIDS ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT, JACKIE'S CLASSROOM. AND LIKE I SAY, I'M NOT REALLY SURE NOW THAT IT HAS SUNK IN.))
[SUPER=01-Nina Garrett/Rockfish River ES Principal; :00]
[SUPER=01-Emma Vaughan/School Counselor; ]
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[OUT Q=it has sunk in.]
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The school plans to honor both Jackie and Donald Farmer with a memorial garden- later this spring.
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[5-Bush]
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On the heels of a disappointing performance in Michigan and Arizona, George W. Bush hopes to boost his presidential prospects with a win in Virginia's Republican primary on Tuesday.
Today, his father brought the campaign to an enthusiastic audience in Salem.
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Local supporters were hoping for a packed house and a strong show of support, and Roanoke Valley Republicans delivered both as the former President arrived at the Salem Civic Center before noon.
Flanked by a dozen veterans and Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode, Bush discounted the role that Democrats and independents could play in the state's open primary.
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((IT'S A FUNCTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO PICK THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE AND I THINK IF WE GET SOME REPUBLICANS TO GO IN AND VOTE IN VIRGINIA, I BELIEVE GEORGE WILL WIN HERE JUST AS HE DID IN SOUTH CAROLINA, JUST AS HE DID IN IOWA.))
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[OUT Q=just as he did in Iowa.]
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The Republican campaigns are now focuing most of their attention on the March 7th primaries including California and New York... But Bush said Virginia could be an important stepping stone toward Super Tuesday, helping to shape the direction that other states will follow.
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Meanwhile Republican John McCain was basking in his victories- at a rally in Washington State-
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((THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.. JOHN MCCAIN! MUSIC.))
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McCain spoke at Gonzaga University and compared his wins to Gonzag'as basketball team.
The team made it all the way to the final Eight teams in the N-C-A-A tournament last year, when no one even expected the team to be invited to the tournament.
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[SOT 14:51:49]
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((SEN. JOHN MCCAIN/R- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: 28 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO VOTED VOTED FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY'RE ARE YOUNG. THIS IS WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT. APPLAUSE.))
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[OUT Q=is about. applause.]
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McCain won all 30 delegates in Arizona plus 52 more in Michigan. That gives him 90 delegates while Bush has 67.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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Still to come on the newscast, a lawsuit before the Supreme Court could change the way H-M-O's provide health care,

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and figure skater Tonya Harding is arrested again. We'll tell you what's behind her latest legal problems after this break.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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There are now allegations the Danville Police Chief, his family and his department are involved with an alleged pyramid scheme.
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Police Chief Neal Morris says he's not involved in the gifting program. But he won't comment about the rest of his department or his family. But sources tell News 7, family members of the chief and some police officers are participating.
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((I THINK THE COMPLAINTS ARE COMING PRIMARILY PEOPLE INVOLVED WHO ARE TRYING TO DISCREDIT THE INVESTIGATION ...NOT AFFECTED BY THIS.))
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[OUT Q=not affected by this.]
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The alleged pyramid scheme asks people to contribute two-thousand dollars and recruit others in hopes of getting 16-thousand dollars in the end.
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[5-HMO]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
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The U-S Supreme Court today heard a case that for the first time could allow patients to sue their Health Maintenance Organizations for denying care.
Lee Cowan has the story.
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[SUPER=01-Cindy Hendrick/Patient;]
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[OUT Q=at the Supreme Court.]
(( The mistake that nearly cost this womans life could change the way managed care is handled for good.

Cindy Herdrick was misdiagnosed TWICE for a burst appendix.

She already won a $35-thousand dollar medical malpractice case against her primary physician, but now shes going after her HMO too blaming it for forcing her doctors hand.

SOT/ JIM GINTZKEY/HERDRICKS ATTORNEY 11:41:21
If we dont prevail here, I think that the HMOs will get a lot more aggressive.
NARR:
Like thousands of HMOs around the country, Cindy found her doctor was being offered an annual incentive to keep costs low. Less treatment, bigger bonuses.

Her argument: had her doctor been concerned more about care, and less about profit, the mistake might have been caught sooner.

SOT/CINDY HERDRICK, PATIENT 13:54:45
Its not fair that they have the ability to compromise your health care, to jeopardize your life.
NARR:
Nationwide, as many as 60 percent of HMO doctors are offered some kind of incentive to cut cost. A federal appeals court ruled THAT was a conflict of interest and smacked of medical kickbacks.

SOT /NO SUPER HERE 11:47:17
All of us are influenced by money.
NARR:
But the industry argues thats simply not true. Although the bonuses can be as high as $50-thousand dollars a year, attorneys say even that is not worth risking a doctors reputation.

SOT/CARTER PHILLIPS, HMO ATTORNEY 11:56:33
50-thousand dollars is chump change compared to being sued for malpractice, the cost of that, the potential liability that stems from that. I guarantee no rational actor would decide on that basis.
COWAN ON CAM:
The health care industry argues the alternative is a sharp rise in health care costs for everyone. A point even some of the Justices seemed to buy. In the end, malpractice lawsuits could be incentive enough to offset the incentive of money. Lee Cowan, CBS News, at the Supreme Court.))

[5-Harding]

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Figure skater Tonya Harding is in trouble with the law again.
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She was arrested on charges of she assaulted the man she lives with.
Police say two people witnessed the incident last night in southwestern Washington, but they didn't release further details.
Harding was released on her own recognizance. She's due in court tomorrow on a charge of fourth-degree domestic violence assault.
Officers say consumption of alcohol was a factor in the incident.
Harding was ordered not to have any further contact with the man.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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Coming up next on the newscast, Patrick Evans will join us with news of different kind of play being produced at Roanoke College.
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Roanoke College has a free ticket to a special production that opens this evening, but be warned: the play isn't for everyone.
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As Patrick Evans explains, "How I Learned to Drive" is a drama that incorporates adult themes into a poignant tale of growing up.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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Today in Sports, Steve Mason will have some big news in local high school basketball. But first, on Health check, a critical health care source is gone in the Valley.
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Now Roanoke City Council is working to save it.
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[SOT 15:12:50]
[IN Q=Lack of the dental]
((NELSON HARRIS/VICE-MAYOR: LACK OF THIS DENTAL PROGRAM IS THE NUMBER ONE PEDIATRIC PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN IN THIS CITY.))
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[OUT Q=in this city.]
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[5-Dental-Program]

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Low-income children throughout Southwest Virginia are in jeopardy of losing their dental care. The city of Roanoke is the latest locality to lose funding for a pediatric dental program.
Now over seven thousand children who live at or below poverty in Roanoke are on the verge of having no place to go. Tonya Flory has more.
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[SUPER=01-Nelson Harris/Vice-Mayor; ]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday; ]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg/March 1998; ]
[SUPER=01-Robin Haldiman/CHIP Exec. Director; ]
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[OUT Q=Tonya Flory News 7]
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[IN Q=Really and ]
((NELSON HARRIS/VICE-MAYOR: REALLY AND UNFORTUNATELY THE ONLY ACCESS THAT THEY HAVE TO BASIC PREVENTATIVE AND RESTORATIVE DENTAL CARE IS THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DENTAL PROGRAM.))
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[OUT Q=dental program.]
At a Roanoke city council meeting, Vice-Mayor Nelson Harris raised the issue he calls a major public health problem. Because even with no public health dentists, private sector dentists are not willing to bear the burden.
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((ROBIN HALDIMAN/CHIP EXEC. DIRECTOR: THERE ARE NO DENTISTS WILLING TO TAKE MEDICAID PATIENTS WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET MANY OF OUR CHILDREN HOOKED UP WITH DENTAL PROVIDER PRIOR TO HAVING THIS DENTAL CRISIS, BUT FOR NEW CHILDREN WHO ARE ENROLLED INTO THE PROGRAM THERE IS JUST VERY LIMITED ACCESS.))
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[OUT Q=very limited access.]
Child Health Investment Project, or CHIP, executive director Robin Haldiman is working to get help from the city.
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[IN Q=I think]
((NELSON HARRIS/VICE-MAYOR: I THINK THE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO COME FORWARD WITH A REQUEST OF ABOUT 60 OR 70-THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO BRING ON, RETAIN A FULL TIME PUBLIC HEALTH DENTIST AND AT LEAST BEGIN TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF SERVICE.))
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[OUT Q=standard of service.]
The Dental program in New River Health District closed several months ago. Now with Roanoke's department at risk, Haldiman says it could lead to much greater problems.
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[IN Q=The lack]
((ROBIN HALDIMAN/CHIP EXEC. DIRECTOR: THE LACK OF A DENTAL PROVIDER AND THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE CREATED FROM TOOTH ACHES ARE THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF SCHOOL ABSENTEEISM.))
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[OUT Q=school absentism]

[S5-Hoops]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
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It's time for our two minute ticker. Wednesday always means basketball.
[GRAPHIC=hometown hoops weekly]
Here's Steve Mason with a closer look at Cave Spring boy's hoops team and J.J. Redick, the Knights superstar.
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[SUPER=01-Tyler Lumsden/Cave Spring Three Guard; 1:40]
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[OUT Q=...Homestown Hoops Weekly"]
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((STEVE MASON:J.J. REDICK HAS ACCEPTED AN INVITATION TO THE USA BASKETBALL OLYMPIC YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FESTIVAL I N COLORADO SPRINGS COLORADO. ONE OF MANY PRESSURES AND HONORS THE SUPER SOPH IS HANDLING QUITE WELL. J.J. REDICK/RVD LEADING SCORER: IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I AM VERY BLESSED BY THE TALENT I'VE BEEN GIVEN. I THANK THE LORD EVERYDAY FOR IT. I THANK COACH HICKS AND MY FAMILY FOR SUPPORTING ME IN WHATEVER I'VE DONE.)) ((At age 15, J.J. is has played in front of sell outs, UVa's Pete Gillen and Wake Forest coaches. He is averaging 23.5 points a game, grown an inch this season to six-four and a half in shoes and has fine tuned his overall game. ((BILLY HICKS:CAVE SPRING HEAD COACH:HE LEADS THE TEAM IN ASSISTS, HE'S OUR SECOND OR THIRD LEADING REBOUNDER. HE'S A GREAT LEADER EVEN THOUGH HE'S ONLY 15 YEARS OLD AND ONLY A SOPHOMORE.)) He is the focus of opposing teams scouting reports and everyone's desire to prove they can ground the rising star. ((EVERYWHERE I PLAY, THE PLAYERS THAT GO AGAINST ME LIKE TO TALK TO ME, RUN THEIR MOUTHS, I JUST LET MY PLAYING DO THE TALKING. OUR TEAM HAS STEPPED UP.:))
The Knights completed the schools first ever boys eight and OH district regular season. According to Hicks, having the state's best six-one center in Michael Hamlar and Ron Micken's unselfish move to point have made a huge impact. ((RON MICKENS/CAVE SPRING POINT GUARD:GIVING UP POINTS IS OK WITH ME, I DON'T MIND AS LONG AS WE ARE WINNING, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.)) Tyler Lumsden's 12 points a game has also taken some pressure off Redick and helped the Knight to a 17 and 8 record and a 10th place ranking in the state.)) ((TYLER LUMSDEN/CAVE SPRING THREE GUARD:J.J.'S A GREAT PLAYER, HE'S GONNA GET HIS POINTS. HE'S GONNA GET MOST OF THE ATTENTION AND TEAMS ARE FOCUSSED ON HIM, WE JUST HAVE TO STEP UP AND WE ARE MAKING SHOTS.)) ((ONE OTHER NOTE ABOUT REDICK. ROANOKE COLLEGE HEAD COACH PAGE MOIR VISITED KENTUCKY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON AND MET WITH TUBBY SMITH. COACH SMITH'S FIRST QUESTION TO MOIR...HOW'S THAT REDICK KID. STEVE MASON HOMETOWN HOOPS WEEKLY.))

[5-Web-Day]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
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The woman who married a total stranger on national television wants an annulment.
Darva Conger says she wasn't thinking clearly when she wed Rick Rockwell on the program, "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire."
She says she's a Christian and since the service wasn't in a church, she's not married in her heart.
Despite reports the groom beat up a former girlfriend, Conger would not say anything bad about Rockwell. She just believes she made an error in judgement.
[GRAPHIC=Website of the Day]

The controversy has not stopped another celebrity from making an unusual appeal for a wife. As Patrick Evans tells us, this one is doing it over the internet.
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((So are you tired of looking for love in all the wrong places? Couldn't get on "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire? Well don't give up hope. A Hollywood actor is looking for a bride online...He's asking "Who wants to marry Tom Arnold?"

Roseanne's ex husband wants to find the woman of his dreams on the internet.
He says he's not kidding. He wants prospective brides to fill out a form on the website.
He has requirements for his future wife: First and probably foremost...she has to like him. She has to be an adult single woman of child bearing age, good with children, have some goal in life and self confident enough to wear a bathing suit.
If successful, it would be Arnold's third marriage.
If you're feeling brave or hopefully just curious...you can check out Tom Arnold's website through a link at our webs

ite at WDBJ7-dot-com. I'm Patrick Evans.))[5-Sardines]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
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A group of Good Samaritans tried something fishy today to raise money for charity.
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[SUPER=03-Danville; :00]
Volunteers in Danville stuffed themselves with sardines to benefit tornado victims in Camilla Georgia. Contestants had to eat as many sardines as the could in one minute. The volunteer group "God's Pit Crew" collected donations and disaster relief items at the event. The group will head to Georgia Friday.
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