WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 04/21/00

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Jean]

[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=News Heads]
[GRAPHIC=None]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Just ahead on News 7 at 5 ... a car is struck by a train - and it's reportedly NOT an accident. Today - a driver's charged with murder.
(------------)
[anchor=Jean]
[graphic=None]

Plus... local elections are less than 2 weeks away - so why is Roanoke County now telling one Vinton Mayoral candidate he can't run?
We'll have a live report.
[Weather-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

We are starting a two day cool down. Temperatures slip into the 30s and 40s this weekend. The chilly details ahead.

[Medical-Head]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#med heads]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

Today in Health Check - a religious pilgrimage in the Middle East ends with 250 people contracting a rare form of meningitis.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

And a local campus extends the time it's offering meningitis vaccines, after an outbreak.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]

[open]
[SUPER=#4063; Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Jean1;]
[SUPER=@Tonya1;]
[SUPER=@Patrick1;]
[SUPER=@robin1;]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=N7 at 5]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:56:48]
[IN Q=I heard]
((I HEARD THE SCREECHING OF THE TRAIN TRYING TO STOP.. IT HIT... THE CAR WAS TWIRLING AND TWIRLING.))
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=was twirling and twirling.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

All four people inside the car are dead. Now police are charging a man with deliberately ramming the car - forcing it into the train's path.
(------------)

[5-Train-Accident]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

Pennsylvania State Police have arrested a 22-year old man - charging him with four counts of homicide.
Police believe it was a former boyfriend taking his rage to the railroad crossing.
Cathy Moss has details.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Sinking Spring, PA; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Ed Snyder/Pa. State Police; :40]
[SUPER=01-Rachael Kohl/Witness; :50]
[SUPER=01-Cathy Moss/CBS News; ]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
((State Police are calling it a catastrophe -- a catastrophe that cost two young women and their babies - their lives.
It happened here in a small town outside of Philadelphia at these railroad tracks - a horror that police say they can't even understand.
Sot: Lt. Ed Snyder/PA State Police "Why it involves the children is a mystery to me, but this is definitely one of the worst ones that I've ever been involved in"
Police say the two twenty year old women who were friends were in the white car with their children. They were stopped at the railroad tracks because of an oncoming freight train. There had been a previous argument between the ex-boyfriend -22 year old Carlos Angel Diaz Santiago -- and one of the women - 20 year old Candace Wertz. That's when police say Santiago started following them in a high-speed car chase toward the tracks. "She stopped, he hit her in the rear-end - they both stopped momentarily, and then he accelerated and pushed her across the tracks. Rachael Kohl/witness "I heard the screech of the train trying to stop and the car was twirling and twirling" The women's car had been dragged for miles before coming to rest. Her relatives say she had been trying to get away from Santiago - and the five year relationship with him that had been physically and verbally abusive. Now this good Friday - a small town in Pennsylvania is in shock over one man's alleged rage and its results. Cathy Moss for CBS News - New York.))

[5-Nicely]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]

With less than two weeks until the Vinton Mayoral Elections -write-in candidate Andy Nicely is told by Roanoke County election officials he is not a town resident - and therefore cannot run for office.
[Double Boxes=ANCHOR/Microwave]

Joy Sutton is outside Nicely's home with details.
[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Joy1]
[SUPER=05-Vinton]

Roanoke County election officials told Nicely and his wife that their voter registration will be moved to Roanoke City because their home is located entirely in Roanoke.
But Nicely says there's more to the story - and he IS qualified to run.

[super=01-Andy Nicely/Vinton Mayoral Candidate]

[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Vinton]
(ad lib)

[Double Boxes=ANCHOR/Microwave]

[5-Campbell-Threats]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=School Safety]

Two Campbell County teenagers are in hot water for separate threats at two different schools yesterday.
Authorities say a 15-year old boy sent an e-mail to a local television station asking them to announce there would be a shooting at Rustburg Middle and Rustburg High School.
Police were able to trace the e- mail.. the teen's been charged with communicating a plan to damage property or persons.
And charges are pending against a 14-year old boy who allegedly threatened to throw pipe bombs into William Campbell Middle School.

[5-Elian-Gonzalez]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=Net]
[GRAPHIC=Elian Gonzalez]

The Justice Department confirms plans are being made to use force to remove Elian Gonzalez from his Miami home.
But Attorney General
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Miami, FL;]
Janet Reno did not commit to a timetable.
Today on CBS's Early Show a spokeswoman for the father- expressed his frustration.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:46:44]
[IN Q=The amount]
((THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT IS TAKING IS VERY FRUSTRATING BUT HE NEVER LOSES SIGHT OF WHAT HE CAME HERE TO DO,.. HAVE HIS SON IN HIS ARMS TO BE RETURNED.))
[SUPER=02-Joan Brown Campbell/Father's Spokesperson;]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=to be returned.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The crowd continues to hold vigil outside of the Miami home. Men armed with walkie talkies sit at the back of the home- ready to alert the crowd should federal agents appear- even though protesters promise peace.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=14:47:09]
((THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DEMONSTRATION, NOTHING ELSE.))
[RUNS=03]
[OUT Q=nothing else.]
(----------------)
[vo-nat]
Even though a federal appeals court has barred anyone from taking Elian out of the country, there's nothing stopping his father from taking custody of the boy.
(------------)

[5-Graduation-Hotels]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=500-5 42:18]
[GRAPHIC=None]

You would expect a full house would make a lot of hotel managers happy.. but that's not always the case in Lynchburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

There are no vacancies for miles around for the weekend of May 13th.
That's when three of the area's four major colleges will hold graduation.
Some hotel officials wish the schools would spread out their commencement exercises so they wouldn't have to turn business away.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:50:09]
[IN Q=It is really]
((DAVE FRANCES/BEST WESTERN HOTEL: IT IS REALLY A DISSERVICE TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE GRADUATES WHEN THEY TRY TO COME IN TOWN AND ALL THE HOTELS ARE FULL AND THE RESTAURANTS ARE PACKED AND THEY HAVE TO SAY AS FAR AWAY AS ROANOKE, DANVILLE AND CHARLOTTESVILLE AND YOU HATE TO SEE THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Dave Frances/Best Western Hotel; ]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=hate to see that.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Chamber of Commerce officials say they've tried to coordinate graduations in the past, but most schools like to set their academic calendars themselves.
(------------)

[(toss to R)]
(toss to Robin)
[Robin-Tease] [04/21/2000]
[SS=NONE]ROBIN IN WX-CENTER
[WXPRO/FULL] WEATHER MAP TOMORROW FORECAST FIVE DAY FORECAST

[SS=NONE]ROBIN TOSS BACK[tease#1]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#tease1]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Coming up - details on Roanoke's Gun Buyback program are released today.
We'll tell you about it.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

Plus - you may have noticed one local inmate work crew looks different than any other in the state.
We'll tell you why - just ahead.
(----------------)

[Closed captioning]

[Commercial Break #1]

[5-Gun-Buyback]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=00-02 1:55:48]
[GRAPHIC=Gun Buybacks]

The Roanoke City Police Department has answered the whens and wheres concerning its upcoming gun buyback program.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]

"Roanoke Gun Buyback" will be held at four Fire and E-M-S stations located in each corner of the city.
Those locations are Station Seven on Memorial Avenue Southwest on May sixth.
Station Nine on 24th Street Northwest on May 13th.
Station Six on Jamison Avenue, Southeast on May 20th.
And Station Two at Noble Avenue, Northeast on May 27th.
(--------------)
[anchor=Jean]
[graphic=Hold]

Roanoke Police say guns can be traded in on a no-questions-asked basis... Participants can remain anonymous... They'll receive a Tanglewood Mall gift certificate good for 50 dollars in exchange for each gun.

[5-Delightful-Occasions]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=500-8 38:39]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

Roanoke prosecutors say they're going to drop a pandering charge against the owner of a lingerie shop and escort service.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/March 10]

But they've told Marvin Wittington that he has to make sure his employees will keep their activities strictly legal.
Wittington was arrested after an exotic dancer from Delightful Occasions was charged with prostitution.
He waived his preliminary hearing today. The prosecutor then agreed to drop the indictment against him.
(------------)

[5-Female-Prisoners]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=500-1 44:42]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Sheriffs say Roanoke is the only city in Virginia where female prisoners can work in the community.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
((THAT'S OKAY. TAKE IT ALL.))
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
[RUNS=:04]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Deputy Nicole Butterworth came up with the idea: why not put women to work like the men? Right now, they're painting a park pool. They also clean parks and pick up trash -- they made the new Boys and Girls Club spic and span.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:11:14]
[IN Q=I think]
((ERICA TAYLOR/JAIL INMATE: I THINK THE COMMUNITY APPRECIATES THE THINGS WE DO. A LOT OF TIMES YOU GET PEOPLE WHO MIGHT STOP AND STARE BUT LIKE I SAID I DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THINGS LIKE THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Erica Taylor/Jail Inmate;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=like that]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Only non-violent prisoners with less than six months to serve can join this crew. So far, no one's tried to run.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:02:27]
[IN Q=I think]
((I THINK IT HELPS THEM DEALING WITH THEIR PROBLEMS AND GETTING EXPERIENCE THEY WOULDN'T NORMALLY GET JUST SITTING IN A JAIL ENVIRONMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Dep. Nicole Butterworth/Roanoke Sheriff's Dept.;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=jail environment]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Coming up on News7 at Six, find out how this crew plans to expand.
(------------)

[Tease#2]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Still to come on News 7 at 5 - if dating advice from Mom and friends just isn't cutting it anymore... today's web site of the day just might be for you.
(---------------------)
[vo-nat] And from mementos to unusual decorations - Patrick Evans shows us some different Easter Eggs - and he has some decorating tips... just ahead.
Stick around.
(--------------------)

[5-EASTER-EGG]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=Five]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#=500-9 33:31]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Easter Eggs are fun to color, and fun to hunt down in your back yard, and they can also be a tasty treat.
But if you choose to color hard-boiled eggs, there are some important safety considerations you must take into account.
Here's Patrick Evans with more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[SUPER=@Patrick1; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mary Rapoport/Egg Council; :19]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :35]
[RUNS=2:15]
[OUT Q=I'm Patrick Evans, News 7]

[Stats] [04/21/2000] [TWO SHOT TOSS] [WALK INTO CK]
[CK/WXPRO] [CK/VIEWERNET] [COMMERCIAL] [CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS [CK/CHYRON/5 PAGES]REGIONAL FORECASTS [ESS/FULL]EXTENDED FORECAST [ESS/FULL]WX SPONSOR [AUDIO CART] [WALK OVER FOR 3 SHOT] [Forecasts]
[SUPER=#577]
[SUPER=X5000]
[SUPER=330-Mostly Cloudy/And Breezy/44-47/Partly Sunny/Wind NW-20/56-58]
[SUPER=331-Mostly Cloudy/And Cool/43-46/Partly Sunny/And Windy/55-57]
[SUPER=332-Passing Showers/Gusty Winds/38-42/Mostly Cloudy/And Windy/52-54]
[SUPER=333-Passing Showers/And Windy/37-39/Cloudy And/Windy/50-52]
[SUPER=334-Showers Likely/Gusty Winds/37-40/Showers/Possible/48-52]
[SUPER=X5001][tease#3]

[health music under]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#tease 3]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Coming up in Health Check, a religious pilgrimage leaves more than 200 people, including 3 Americans - with a rare strain of meningitis.
We'll have details, plus...
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Do you REALLY know what you want in a date?
One web site claims it does - if you fill out its survey.
We'll show you in today's web site of the day.
(----------------)
[Comm Break#3]

[5-Pilgrimage-Meningitis]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Meningitis]
The World Health Organization says a pilgrimage to Mecca has resulted in 250 rare meningitis cases - 55 of them fatal.

Three people in the U-S have come down with the rare strain of the disease.
Health officials say all three are in New York City - they each had traveled to Saudi Arabia or had been in close contact with someone who made the pilgrimage.
Health officials are urging anyone who went on the Muslim Pilgrimage to go to the hospital if symptoms develop.

[5-Radford-Meningitis]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=00-01 1:55:40]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

Radford University is still dealing with its own meningitis outbreak... by extending the dates on which free vaccines will be offered.
Three students have come down with the bacterial disease in recent weeks.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[from 00-01 1:55:40]
[SUPER=03-Radford/Yesterday]

Students turned out in large numbers this week to get free antibiotics and meningococcal vaccines.
The New River Health District says it will continue offering the free vaccines and antibiotics into next week.
Students can get the free medication on Monday, April 24-th from 9 a-m to noon in Moffett Hall. No appointment is necessary.
(------------)

[S5-Othell]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=NONE]
[GRAPHIC=TICKER]

Welcome everybody to your Friday afternoon. We begin tonight with news concerning former UVa basketball great, Othell Wilson.
[GRAPHIC=OTHELL WILSON]
The Saint Mary's College basketball coach was acquitted today of charges he kidnapped and raped his former girlfriend. Wilson spent almost all of Wednesday and Thursday on the stand at which time he admitted to writing a threatening letter to the 20 year old coed. He denied raping or kidnapping the woman and after deliberating for two and hall hours today the jury agreed with him and found him innocent.

[S5-Arena]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-64 26:49]
[GRAPHIC=Steam]

The Steam has been on the road for the first two games of the season. Roanoke is OH and 2 and looking forward to it's home opener at the Roanoke Civic Center May sixth against Tulsa.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]

The Steam has signed former Dallas Cowboy Derrick McBride. The 28 year old spent part of the 1996 season on the Cowboys practice squad. The six foot three, 225 pound McBride will play receiver and defensive back for the Steam. His name could help the Roanoke Arenafootball2 team put fans in the stands for the Home opener the first week in May.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=:for]
[SUPER=01-Tommy Benizio/Express & Steam General Mgr.; :00]
((TOMMY BENIZIO/EXPRESS & STEAM G.M.))
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=...on track to do so"]
(-----------------)
[ANCHOR=MIke]
[GRAPHIC=hold steam]

Before playing the first home date on May sixth, the Steam goes out on the road once more April 29th at Birmingham where Roanoke will battle the Steeldogs.

[S5-Hensley]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-61 12205tc]
[GRAPHIC=CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES]

If you're a race fan you have no doubt noticed that the purses for Truck series events doesn't quite measure up to the ones afforded the stars in Busch and Winston Cup. The Craftsman truck series drivers work for less, yet travel much more than the other guys.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
So far this season they have been trucking back and forth across the country going from Florida to Phoenix, to California, all the way back to Martinsville and this week all the way back out to Portland, Oregon.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="It kind...]
[SUPER=01-Jimmy Hensley/13th In Points Standings; :00]
[RUNS=:27]
[OUT Q=...COME BACK HOME AGAIN."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT CON'T]
The criss-crossing jet lag inducing travel won't cease anytime soon. After this weekend's trip to Oregon, the month of May takes the truck series from Illinois to Tennessee and then back to Colorado.
(------------)
[talent=mike]
[graphic=ticker]
Coming up on News 7 at six, we'll hear from Geoffrey Bodine and show you what's in store for fans this weekend in Greensboro at the Chrysler. Take care everybody and have a nice weekend. [go to break]

[5-Web-Day]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#WebDay]
[GRAPHIC=Web Site of Day]

If you're not having luck in love - maybe today's Web Site of the Day can help you out...
Andrew Freiden takes a look.
(//////////sot/////////)
[SOT]
[In-Q=The creators]
[BRING IN PINNACLE AT :41]
[Runs=56]
[Out-Q=Andrew Freiden.]
(( The creators of the "Dating Patterns Analyzer" say their survey can tell you the truth about you... by deciphering what you REALLY want out of a date.
You list the names of as many as ten dates you've had - then you rank them on a scale of zero to nine for 21 different characteristics.
You also include age difference, and rank your overall enjoyment of the date.
Click on analyze...
Then the Dating Patterns Analyzer evaluates the numbers to tell you what kind of people you enjoy the most on dates... And the answers may surprise you.
The Analyzer also tells you what characteristics you should avoid in a date.
But creators of the analyzer point out they don't take such destructive behavior as dishonesty and abuse into account.
Still, if you would like to try the Dating Patterns Analyzer, you can check it out by going to our home page at WDBJ-7-dot com. Then click on Web Watch.
That's today's Web Site of the Day. I'm Andrew Freiden.))

[5-Earth-Day]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=500-3 1:00:42]
[GRAPHIC=Earth Day]

A Danville elementary school is celebrating the earth.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]

Nearly 300 students and people around town came to Glenwood Magnet School to participate in the school's second annual Earth Day. Children pounded away making bird houses... and learned how to help save the environment.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:40:53]
[IN Q=The children are]
((JODY KANE/EARTH DAY COORDINATOR: THE CHILDREN ARE LEARNING WITHOUT NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THEY'RE LEARNING. THEY'RE USING THEIR HANDS, MEASURING, USING HAMMERS AND NAILS THEY MIGHT NOT GET TO USE AROUND THE HOUSE.))
[SUPER=01-Jody Kane/Earth Day Coordinator;]
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=around the house.]
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

Tomorrow marks the 30th annual Earth Day celebration nationwide.
(---------------)

[Close-ID] [5pm] SUPER=x4035; fax/copyright [SUPER=x4034;email/copyright]