WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 04/26/00

[1-News-Head]

[TALENT=Keith]

The N-double-A-C-P may call for a tourism boycott of Virginia. The reasoning behind it tops NEWS 7 at SIX.
(------------)
[V/O-NAT]
And we'll look back over the 30-year political career of Jim Trout... after the Roanoke City Councilman died last night.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Tonight on News 7 sports, Roanoke's ice hockey coaches and owners express themselves about the future. The future is now for former Tech kicker Shayne Graham and the NFL.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Shane Beamer is now a coach at Tech - the one in Atlanta not Blacksburg.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Patrick]
[SS=None]

Frost warnings are posted tonight, as lows will fall well into the thirties, even twenties will appear on the morning map. A warming trend is in the near future, though, stay tuned.

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=]

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:59:16]
[IN Q=We just]
((KING SALIM KHALFANI/VIRGINIA NAACP: WE JUST FEEL THAT OUR SENSITIVITY ON THE ISSUE HAS FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.))
[SUPER=01-King Salim Khalfani/Virginia NAACP;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=deaf ears.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The N-double-A-C-P considers boycotting Virginia's 11-point-7 BILLION dollar tourism industry.
(------------)
[TALENT=KEITH]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at Six]

Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.

[NAACP-Boycott]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#00-10 TC35:10]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has boycotted South Carolina for four months over the Confederate flag.
Virginia's chapter wants Governor Jim Gilmore to rescind his proclamation of Confederate History Month... and promise there won't be another next April.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Ellen/State Microwave]

Ellen Qualls is in our Richmond newsroom.
Has the Governor met with the civil rights group over this?
[Live=Ellen Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Ellen1;]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

Well, Keith, that's part of the problem.
We don't know if he'll budge on the issue.
After all, the Governor went to great pains to word the proclamation in a way he thought would mollify both sides.

But one big initial problem is NO meeting... which may all be the result of a mis-routed letter.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Virginia has become]
[SUPER=01-King Salim Khalfani/Virginia NAACP; :00]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :26]
[SUPER=@Gilmore; :32]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=and contempt.]
(([SOT 11:57:50]
((KING SALIM KHALFANI/VIRGINIA NAACP: VIRGINIA HAS BECOME THE BUTT OF JOKES...WONDER WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE MOONSHINE DOWN THERE IN VIRGINIA TO MAKE THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA CELEBRATE CONFEDERATE HISTORY?)) [RUNS:20]
NAACP President Khalfani wrote a letter to Gilmore two weeks ago asking for a meeting on Confederate History Month alone.
Gilmore didn't see it.
[SOT 11:52:20]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: I THINK THE BEST THING FOR ME TO DO IS JUST TO ALERT YOU ALL THAT THE REPORTS YOU'VE GOTTEN ARE NOT ACCURATE. AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.)) [RUNS:10]
The Governor's spokesman said late this afternoon Khalfani's letter was received in another office and just not yet routed to the Capitol.
In lieu of that meeting, we asked the Governor if he would even consider withdrawing his Confederate proclamation-- and got this response:
[SOT 11:55:10]
((THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SEE YOU LATER.))
[RUNS=: ]
[sot 11:57:24]
((KING SALIM KHALFANI/VIRGINIA NAACP: I THINK IT'S WORTH SITTING DOWN AND MEETING ON. AND TO JUST GET NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER BORDERS ON DISRESPECT AND CONTEMPT.)) [RUNS:11 ]))
(-------------)
[Live=Ellen Full/State Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

In a letter released after we were able to speak with the Governor, he says a boycott would hurt all Virginians.
After all, he says, he's budgeted money to for a slave museum and an African-American heritage trail that he hopes will make Virginia a leading tourist destination for black Americans.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Ellen/State Microwave]
(QUESTION: So what's next for the N-double-A-C-P?)

The Governor's office now says it will schedule a meeting tomorrow.
The N-double-A-C-P says it would need national office approval to announce a boycott if the Governor doesn't reconsider.

[Trout]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-17 TC02:47]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Trout]
[***ANCHOR TAG***]
Councilman Jim Trout died last night.
His death came one week before the municipal election and barely a week after he collapsed in the middle of a council meeting.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Trout had served]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/1968]
[SUPER=10-Jim Trout/City Council Candidate/1982; ]
[SUPER=04-April 17]
[SUPER=04-March 6]
[RUNS=1:42]
[OUT Q=the heavy rollers.]
(( Trout had served more than 30 years on Roanoke City Council. His political career spanned five decades.
His life's work was economic development. He helped collect pieces for the Transportation Museum, including rail cars and a Jupiter Rocket. He championed the addition of an elephant to Mill Mountain Zoo, pressing for answers when Frump Frump died not long after arriving in Roanoke.
After three unsuccessful election bids in the late 70's, he was chiding council for failing to improve the airport.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT C6-10 @ 42:50]
[IN Q=Your airport ]
((YOUR AIRPORT IS THE LAST THING AN INDUSTRIAL PROSPECT SEES WHEN LEAVING, THE FIRST WHEN HE ARRIVES.)) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=when he arrives]

He WON that race.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT S56-59 @ 1:49:10]
[IN Q=I had a lot]
((I HAD A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER IN OVER-COMING A LOSER IMAGE. )) [RUNS04]
[OUT Q=loser image.]

Waiting out the returns on election night, Trout was more often disappointed.
[NAT SOT: On Channel 7]

But he remained the eternal optimist. After losing three consecutive elections in the early '90's, the former Golden Gloves boxer regained a seat on council as a Democrat in 1996.
He failed to win the party nomination this year. He ran anyway... as an independent. He left the council chamber last week and collapsed in a back hallway... only to emerge with his positive attitude still intact.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:31]
[IN Q=Got a little]
((GOT A LITTLE INDIGESTION. ATE TOO FAST. I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY.)) [RUNS04]
[OUT Q=be back shortly]

But doctors were not able to repair his heart.
Just last month- -in declaring his candidacy as an independent- -Trout found himself musing how his life might have been different if he HADN'T run for office 14 times.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:07:05 ]
[IN Q=Sometimes I think]
((SOMETIMES I THINK IF I'D PUT THE MONEY FROM FROM ALL THE CAMPAIGNS INTO HIGH TECH, I'D BE OUT THERE WITH THE HEAVY ROLLERS.)) [RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=heavy rollers.]))
(----------------)
[V/O-NAT ]
Jim Trout died last night at the age of 70.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=HOLD]

The funeral will be at 11 o'clock Saturday at First Baptist Church.

[Chapman]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=00-09 TC1:41:46]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

At this hour, a Radford jury is deliberating the fate of a man charged with plotting to kill three people -- one of them a judge.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford;]

Prosecutors say Derrick Chapman was hired in September by his friend Christopher DeMoranville to perform the hits.

They say Chapman was contracted to kill Montgomery County Circuit Judge Ray Grubbs and DeMoranville's parents for two million dollars.
But, in jail on another alleged offense, DeMoranville told police of their plans.
Chapman's attorneys say he never intended to carry out the hits ... only to take his friend's money.
(------------)

[M'ville-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=99-59 TC1:47:35]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]

Sunday night's fatal shooting in Martinsville may have been a domestic incident.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/Sunday]

Today police released the name of the second victim.
She is the daughter of the suspect they're looking for.
18 year old Stacey Evon Rendon-Valdovinos is recovering at Wake Forest University Medical Center. The family has requested no information be released about her condition.
28 year old Jose Francisco Jimenez of Axton died in the shooting.
Officers found his body in a restaraunt parking lot.
Authorities are looking for 38 year old Jose Luis Rendon whom they suspect is the trigger man.
(------------)

[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]

Still ahead on News 7 at Six, we'll profile Roanoke mayoral candidate Duane Howard.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

And later, find out where business lunches and culture go hand in hand-- right in downtown Roanoke.
(----------------)

[Roanoke-Mayor]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-16 TC12:09]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2000]

Duane Howard started the campaign as a long shot. An Independent Candidate for Mayor in the city of Roanoke, he has trailed his opponents in fundraising.
But as the election approaches, Howard says he has found encouragement on the campaign trail, and confidence he can win the race.
Joe Dashiell has his story.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A look at his license plate]
[SUPER=203-Roanoke; :11]
[SUPER=201-Duane Howard/(I) Candidate for Mayor; :19]
[SUPER=220-Joe/Dashiell; :35 quick]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=JD News 7 Roanoke]

((A look at his license plate reveals Duane Howard's optimism about the May 2nd election.
He doesn't have the resources of his opponents. Campaign Headquarters is a corner booth at a downtown restaurant.

But what he does have is time... and a pledge to serve as Roanoke's full-time mayor.
[SOT]
[IN Q=Crime and drugs]
((CRIME AND DRUGS AND SAFETY, POTHOLES, ALL OF THOSE PROBLEMS EMPLOYMENT THE ECONOMY, THEY AREN'T PART TIME ISSUES. THEY'RE FULL-TIME ISSUES AND THE PEOPLE ARE VERY RECEPTIVE AND VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A FULL-TIME MAYOR. ))
[RUNS= :17]
[OUT Q=having a full-time mayor.]

A native of Roanoke, who returned to the area four years ago, Howard is a neighborhood activist and a frequent critic of city hall. [NAT SOUND WITH VOTERS]
He says questions about council pay raises, the water crisis, and selection of the new city manager show the need for new faces on council.
[SOT 02:04:29]
[IN Q=If as a full time mayor]
((IF AS A FULLTIME MAYOR DURING THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, AND DID NOTHING MORE THAN WHAT I'M DOING NOW BY BEING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND REACHING PEOPLE AND BRINGING PEOPLE IN TOUCH WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT AND LETTING THEM KNOW THEY HAVE A FRIEND AT CITY HALL, THEN IT WILL BE GREAT FOUR YEARS.))
[RUNS= :20]
[OUT Q=great four years.]

Fighting rumors that he plans to drop out before election day, Howard says he's in the race til the end.
With each voter he meets, more confident that his message is hitting the mark.
Joe Dashiell News 7 Roanoke))

[Missing-man-update]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Pittsylvania County authorities found the elderly Danville man they were looking for.
65 year old Joseph Custer is in good condition.
Authorities found him at an old farm house in the county.
He had been missing for 10 days.

[NS-Earnings]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Norfolk Southern]

More bad news for norfolk-Southern.
First quarter earnings fell 88-percent-- from 112 million dollars a year ago to just 14 million this year.
The company blames higher fuel prices, wage increases and integration costs from the Conrail break-up.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

General Electric shareholders today rejected a proposal to change the company's retirement benefits.
The union proposal would have required shareholder approval of top executives' retirement benefits. [TAKE DOW, NASDAQ & BLOOMBERG PAGE ]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-y/179.32/10945.50/y/81.14/3630.09/y/1.18/10.86;]

On Wall Street, the DOW lost 179 points while NASDAQ fell 81.
The Bloomberg News 7 Index lost just over a point.
[SUPER=431-h1c/37g/i1a/50g/i1r/51g/i1$/61f/h#/28%;]
[SUPER=432-h$/30$/u/2/hr/46f/if/34$/i1!/38!;]
[SUPER=433-i2g/163e/ie/19@/i#/18a/i1/24f/h#/22#;]
[SUPER=434-i#/16*/i2#/54*/hc/38c/i3a/66e/i*/58g;]

[Centerpieces]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Tina]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-02 TC1:59:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Tired of the same old grub when the noon hour rolls around? Mill Mountain Theater is serving up a different kind of lunchtime fare -- and it's free. Tina Tenret gives us a taste of this special feature.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Slaw dog]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Linda Rae Johnson/Richmond Writer; :14]
[SUPER=07-Henry Ayars; :29]
[SUPER=07-Beth Rossi; :37]
[SUPER=07-Ryan Waldron; :57 QUICK]
[SUPER=01-Hayden Hollingsworth/Roanoke Writer; 1:08]
[SUPER=@Tina2; 1:14]
[RUNS=1:22]
[OUT Q=Tina Tenret News7 Roanoke]
(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:45:25]
[IN Q=]
((NAT SOT: SLAW DOG, NO ONION. CHEESEBURGER ALL HTE WAY. FRY FOR HERE.))
[RUNS:06] Lunchtime in Roanoke's city market: Some chow down on a burger. Others grab a slice of culture.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:41:25]
[IN Q=It was embarassing]
((LINDA RAE JOHNSON/RICHMOND WRITER: IT WAS EMBARASSING HAVING MOMMA BORROW THINGS FROM PEOPLE AROUND US WHEN YOU KNOW THEY'RE ALWAYS JUST WISHING WE WOULD JUST MOVE.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=JUST MOVE]
Mill Mountain Theater offers free performances once every month, packed into a lunch break.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:02:30]
[SOT 11:58:30]
[IN Q=I came originally]
((HENRY AYARS: I CAME ORIGINALLY 20 YEARS AGO WHEN IT FIRST OPENED. I'VE BEEN COMING TWO YEARS STEADY AND I ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT. BUTT BUTT BUTT BETH ROSSI: IT'S LIKE A POTLUCK DINNER. YOU CAN GO SOMETIMES AND HAVE A FABULOUS DINNER AND OTHER TIMES IT'S KINDA SLIM. BUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD VARIETY.)) [RUNS:14]
[OUT Q=GOOD VARIETY]
This time, three Virginia writers spin their yarns.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:00:08]
[IN Q=I think]
((RYAN WALDRON: I THINK IT WAS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND THEIR CHILDHOOD AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.)) [RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=brothers and sisters]
But it's the audience who serves up dessert, reviewing and questioning performers after every show.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:09:29]
[IN Q=It's an]
((HAYDEN HOLLINGSWORTH/ROANOKE WRITER: IT'S AN AUDIENCE THAT'S VOCAL AND WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY LIKE BY THE WAY THEY RESPOND THEY WILL TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE.)) [RUNS:05]
[OUT Q=WHERE THEY ARE]
Next month -- a play called Shostakovich -- May 10th -- lunchtime. Tina Tenret News7 Roanoke ))

[Danville-Braves]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-03 TC1:58:23]
[GRAPHIC=None]

There will be a Braves team in Danville this season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

The City and the Atlanta Braves reached an agreement today and signed off on a contract guaranteeing an Appalachian league team for three years.
The deal was made directly with the Atlanta management and includes raising rent fees for the stadium to just over 60-thousand dollars. That's about 20 thousand dollars more than in past years.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((BRUCE BALDWIN/RICHMOND BRAVES GENERAL MANAGER: WE FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PICK UP THE PIECES AND SHOW OUR LOYALLY TO DANVILLE AND ASSUME THE OBLIGATIONS. YEAH IT'S HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.))
[SUPER=01-Bruce Baldwin/Richmond Braves General Mgr.]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=cost of doing business]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Danville Braves have been in turmoil since the city sued the team for not paying last year's rent.
The ball team is currently without a general manager. The former G-M has been relieved of his duties.
(----------------)

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports, an update on the state of the Express. And the tale of two Shanes from Tech as one gets job as coach
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and the other grows from his high school height to earn a shot at kicking in the NFL with the Browns.
(------------)

[S-Kicker]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-66 1027tc]
[GRAPHIC=CLEVELAND BROWNS]

The Va. Tech Hokies will have 13 players in NFL mini-camps this weekend - including a former Friday Football Extra player of the week, who will be getting his kicks with the Browns.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Morgantown, WV/Last Season; :00]
Shayne Graham, the Big East's all-time leading scorer has signed a free agent contract with the Browns, and will leave for mini-camp tomorrow. He will kick againsT another rookie from Penn State for the right to make it back to training camp.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'm confident...]
[SUPER=01-Shayne Graham/Cleveland Browns Free Agent; :00]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=...or not."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT CON'T]
[SUPER=04-Friday Football Extra; ]
Graham has always had faith in his skills, even when he was a little freshman at Pulaski and not even able to see over his lineman.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=If I don't...]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=...TO OVERCOME."]
(----------------)

[S-Beamer]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-62 3533TC]
[GRAPHIC=GA. TECH 6491]

The Ga. Tech Yellow Jackets, Virginia Tech's opponent in its season opener this coming fall, have hired Shane Beamer as a graduate assistant coach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-1999 Season; :00]
It's kind of like getting one of the enemy's top men, but it remains to be seen how many secrets they'll be able to squeeze out of Shane before the two teams hook up in August. One thing is certain, like any parent - Frank Beamer is glad to see his child end up in a good job, working for good people.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="THE KEY THING...]
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Va. Tech Head Coach; :09]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=...WANTS TO LEARN."]
(------------)

[S-Express]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-72 2:04]
[GRAPHIC=Express]

The Express traded two big name players yesterday. Three owners met with head coach Scott Gordon yesterday. Steve Mason has more on his status, the team's budget and why a few fan favoirtes have left.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Scott Gordon/Express Head Coach; :25]
[SUPER=02-Dick Yancey/Express Owner; :58]
[SUPER=01-Perry Florio/Express Assistant Coach; 1:20]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 1:46]
[RUNS=2:03]
[OUT Q=...news 7 sports"]
(--------------)
((Tim Christian, Express all time leading scorer, four and a half seasons. Duane Harmer, two time ECHL all star and captain. 5 seasons. Kris Cantu, ECHL all star with a franchise record 20 game winners. Three seasons. J.F. Tremblay, protector. Three and a half seasons.
J.F., Harmer and Christian were arguably the three most popular players on the team this past season. ((SCOTT GORDON:))
Gordon and assistant coach Perry Florio must win with less in a league that is costing more. For instance, an Express three day road trip to Florida cost roughly 12 thousand dollars. ((DICK YANCY:))
Express ownership has will also raise ticket prices next season. ((:)) Florio wants to be a head coach and is talking with other ECHL teams. If nothing comes up, returning to Roanoke would be fine, even with increased responsiblilty. ((PERRY FLORIO:))
A shrinking Express budget means Gordon is forced to be the bad guy and might have to release other fan favorites to meet budget for next season.)) ((:))