WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 06/21/00

[1-News-Head]

[TALENT=Keith]

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

Restricted access to the D-Day Memorial is contemplated- -even before it's finished. We'll tell you why, on NEWS 7, in just a minute.
(------------)
[TALENT=Keith]

And a former city utilities employee claims he was fired for speaking up about the boss's sexual harassment of fellow employees.

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 sports, the big boys take over the Roanoke Valley Horse Show. The VHSL recognizes a former Terrier.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And one of Friday Football Extra's top coaches, Ed Martin died this morning after suffering a massive heart attack.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

Our first full day of summer is right on the mark with warm temperatures and high humidity. The forecast coming up.

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 17:59:53]
[IN Q=Any national]
((ANY NATIONAL MEMORIAL HAS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT VANDALISM, I GUESS, I JUST DIDN'T EXPECT IT THIS EARLY IN THE PROCESS.))
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=in the process.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Vandals and visitors are creating headaches for the D-Day Memorial in Bedford.. but it's the VETERANS who could end up paying the price.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]

Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.

[D-Day-Memorial]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-11 TC1:40:44]
[GRAPHIC=D-Day Memorial]

It's still a year from being completed, but the National D-Day Memorial may already be a victim of its own success.
Hundreds of people are visiting the monument each day, creating security and safety concerns for the D-Day foundation and its contractors.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Steve/Microwave]

Steve Smallshaw joins us from Bedford.. Steve, what kind of concerns are we talking about?
[Live=Steve Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@ssm1]
[SUPER=05-Bedford]

Keith, it's important to remember that this essentially is still a construction site.. and it's not the safest place for tourists and their children to be wandering around.. especially if they don't follow the rules.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It already has]
[SUPER=03-Bedford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Richard Burrow/D-Day Foundation Director; :26]
[RUNS=1:15]
[OUT Q=the site's security.]
(( It already has the polished look of a finished monument.. the arch, the statues and the views are attracting hundreds of visitors to Bedford's D-Day Memorial..
[natsot 18:04:53]
((IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT, WE'LL BE BACK WHEN IT'S DONE.))
[RUNS= 04]

..but unfortunately, not all of them are willing to keep out of the restricted areas.
Most of those drawn to this hillside obey the signs and fences, but officials say a few have ventured too close to the ongoing construction.
[SOT 18:02:07]
((RICHARD BURROW/D-DAY FOUNDATION DIRECTOR: I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT DEGREE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO PROTECT THE SITE, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE FALL AND GET KILLED OUT THERE IF I CAN PREVENT IT, AND IF I NEED TO SHUT THE SITE DOWN TO THE PUBLIC 'TIL WE'RE FINISHED WITH IT.))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUT Q=finished with it.]

That would be especially bad news for the aging World War Two veterans who acknowledge they may not live long enough to see the official opening next year.
These unofficial sneak previews could be the only glimpse they get of a memorial dedicated to their sacrifice.
[SOT 17:56:42]
((BURROW: I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE SITE AND WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF THOSE VISITS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE VISITED THE SITE WHO DON'T EXPECT TO BE BACK AND I REALLY WANT TO ACCOMODATE THEM.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUT Q=accomodate them.]

Another concern is vandalism.. in the last few weeks, the plaza has been hit with paintballs, and someone spraypainted graffitti on a concrete barrier.
The paint has washed off, but questions linger about the site's security.))
(-------------)
[Live=Steve Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Bedford]

Richard Burrow says he's reluctant to take money away from construction and spend it on security guards, but he may have no other choice.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Steve/Microwave]

They're also looking at closing the site off during the week, and only allowing supervised public access on the weekends. Keith?

[Roanoke-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=500-20 TC06:30]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

A fire in northwest Roanoke this afternoon left eight people homeless.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

It started on the first floor of the house in the 2-thousand block of Moorman Avenue.
Smoke and flames spread to the second floor and attic, and made it hard to get the fire under control.
The owner says he was mowing his yard when he saw smoke coming from an area near a window air conditioner.
No one was hurt.
(------------)

[Utilities-Suit]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-14 TC1:26:23]
[GRAPHIC=Sexual Harrasment]

A former Danville utilities employee is taking his boss and the city to court.
A lawyer for William Kim Hensley says Hensley was fired because he didn't keep quiet about sexual harassment allegations made by female employees.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Surae/Danville Bureau]

Surae Chinn is in our Danville Newsroom with more on the lawsuit.
[Live= Surae Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=@Surae1]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]

Keith, according to his attorney, the former division director refused to participate in a coverup during a sexual harassment investigation of the department.
And now his client is fighting to get his job back.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 54:08]
[IN Q=Mr. Hensley and]
[SUPER=01-Gary Bengston/Hensley's Attorney; :00]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=who didn't want it.]
((((CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO LIE ABOUT IT. AND MR. HENSLEY TOLD THE TRUTH.)) [RUNS:10]
The truth, Gary Bengston says lies in his client's lawsuit. Court documents show that William Kim Hensley witnessed his boss, Fred Horne, sexually harass female employees at Danville's Utility department. And because he didn't keep quiet about it he lost his job.
[SOT 1:02:04]
((GARY BENGSTON/HENSLEY'S ATTORNEY: WHAT DO YOU TELL YOUR KIDS. I WAS FIRED BECAUSE I TOLD THE TRUTH. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?)) [RUNS:08]
Bengston says his client was told not to come to work because he used his postion to buy a radio antenna with his own money for non city purposes. But he maintains that was just an excuse.
City officials and utilities manager Fred Horne declined an on camera interview. But a statement released by the city attorney today states; " the city followed the proper procedures to ensure the protection of its employees while looking out for the best interest of the taxpayers.... and that the investigation did not find any evidence of sexual harassment."
But the lawsuit paints a different picture.
[SOT 55:26]
((GARY BENGSTON/HENSLEY'S LAWYER: IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS CLEAR EVIDENCE FROM MORE THAN ONE WITNESS MR. HORNE DID HAVE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH FEMALE EMPLOYEES WHO DIDN'T' WANT IT.)) [RUNS:09]))
(-------------)
[Live= Surae Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]

Hensley's lawyer says they are waiting for the city to respond. And that a possible trial is still months away.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Surae/Danville Bureau]

[Burket]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=VA Death Penalty]

Russel William Burket is scheduled to die in the electric chair tonight.
(XXXXXXXX)
[TAKE PINNACLE]
Burket was convicted of the 1993 murders in Virginia Beach of a woman and her five year old daughter.
Court records show Burket beat Katherine Tafelski's head in with "a rusted metal pry bar."
Burket then used the same bar to sexually assault Tafelski and beat in her daughter's skull.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=HOLD]

Burket's lawyers say he had ineffective counsel at the time of trial.
The U-S Supreme Court has NOT yet ruled on his final appeal.

[Pearce]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-13 TC1:12:50]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Sheriff's deputies revealed a videotape today showing a Franklin County man kept dogfighting equipment in his backyard.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
Kyle Pearce is charged with training 19 pit bulls to fight. Deputies found a dogfighting pit, treadmills and performance notes on Pearce's property. They took two of the dogs as evidence. For the animals' protection a judge refused to release them today, even though Pearce still has the other dogs. His trial will be set in August.
(------------)

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

Could a shortage of nurses hurt patients here in Southwest Virgnia?
We'll find out later on News 7 at Six.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

And the fruits of Roanoke's gun-buyback program feel the heat.
(----------------)

[Gun-Buyback]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=00-12 TC1:19:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Fire consumed hundreds of handguns, rifles and shotguns in Roanoke today.
But this was no accident-- and no one's complaining.
Teresa Hamilton explains.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nat sound]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-R. L. Arrington/Roanoke Police Dept.; :49]
[SUPER=01-Joe Gaskins/Roanoke Police Chief; 1:08 ]
[SUPER=@Teresa2; 1:17]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=Hamilton, NEWS 7, Roanoke.]
(((////sot////)
[in q=Nat sound]
(( Nat sound of guns being dumped out. )) [RUNS03]
[runs=nat sound.]

The weapons destroyed were collected last month as part of Roanoke's "Gun Buyback Program".... a program that offered 50- dollar gift certificates for unwanted guns.
This morning-- all 561 collected were taken to Roanoke Electric Steel where a magnet lifted them off the ground and into a container to await the next step.
(////sot/////)
[in q= nat sound]
[nat sound of releasing of the magnet.] [runs03]
[out q= nat sound].

Minutes later-- the guns were taken inside where they were subjected to three thousand degree heat in order to turn them into molten steel. [nat sound] [runs05]
Police say the goal was to get as many weapons as possible out of homes where they weren't being used... in hopes of keeping them out of the hands of children.
(////sot//// 01:00:15)
[In q=We had ]
((RICK ARRINGTON: WE HAD ALL AGES OF ADULTS, I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY WERE SENIORS CITIZENS BUT WE DID HAVE A LOT OF MIDDLE AGE AND YOUNGER AS WELL.)) [runs09]
[out q= as well.]

The program was funded by a nearly 25- thousand dollar grant awarded to the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
(////sot//// 00:47:15)
[sot ]
[in q= Anytime we]
((JOE GASKINS/ROANOKE POLICE CHIEF: ANYTIME WE CAN TAKE GUNS OFF THE STREETS THERE'S A CHANCE WE CAN SAVE ONE PERSON FROM INJURY...IT'S AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY.)) [RUNS10]
[OUT Q= outstanding opportunity.]

But critics argue the city needs to do more to get weapons out of the hands of career criminals. Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7.))

[Rail-Investigation]

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

Virginia State Police are investigating possible bid rigging in the state agency that oversees rail transportation.
Police investigators seized files last week at the Department of Rail and Public Transportation's Richmond office-- as well as from the city manager's office in Buena Vista.
Affidavits obtained by a Richmond newspaper before the case was sealed last week indicate state workers may have "criminally conspired" to rig bids on rail construction projects in Buena Vista and eastern Virginia.
The probe alleges NO wrongdoing by Buena Vista officials.

[Allen-Mailer]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=00-16 TC1:12:39]
[GRAPHIC=George Allen]

Democrats are calling it the reinvention of George Allen.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A glossy four page mailer touting Allen's education record as governor.
Nowhere does it mention his two most notable education ideas: months of NOT accepting federal Goals 2000 money on principle, and the Standards of Learning testing program.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:34:14]
[IN Q=They're NOT]
((TODD REID/REPUBLICAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA: THEY'RE NOT MENTIONED BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF OTHER THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT AND I'M SURE WHEN GOVERNOR ALLEN'S OUT ON THE STUMP HE TALKS ABOUT IT A LOT. IT'S ONE OF HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS. IT'S NOTHING WE WANT TO HIDE FROM.))
[SOT 13:30:12]
((ROB JONES/VIRGINIA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DETAILS OF THE TESTING SYSTEM, AND TO THE CREDIT OF THE CURRENT BOARD OF EDUCATION, THEY'RE TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN UP THE MESS THAT WAS LEFT THEM. BUT I WOULD SAY THERE WAS PROBABLY GOOD REASON WHY HE LEFT THAT OUT.))
[SUPER=01-Todd Reid/Republican Party of Virginia; :00]
[SUPER=01-Rob Jones/Virginia Education Association; :12]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=that out.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Republican Party of Virginia paid for the brochures on Allen's behalf.
They claim he made "the largest investment in education in Virginia history."
The teacher's union says, actually, on a per pupil basis, both Chuck Robb and Jerry Baliles invested more.
Republicans point out that the V-E-A's lobbyist worked for Senator Robb for three years.
(------------)

[Stocks]

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

Wall Street got a boost today thanks to a rally in Microsoft shares. [TAKE DOW, NASDAQ & BLOOMBERG PAGE ]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-x/62.58/10497.74/x/50.62/4063.98/y/0.68/109.42;]

The DOW gained 63 points and NASDAQ climbed 51.
The Bloomberg News 7 Index fell about two thirds of a point.
[SUPER=431-i@/33#/h1/35/i1f/47/ic/56&/if/21g;]
[SUPER=432-u/2r/u/44$/ig/28b/i1a/35&/i1%/49$;]
[SUPER=433-ia/29#/ia/19c/h@/15r/if/33/ia/25;]
[SUPER=434-ib/12a/i1a/48@/u/51/i1e/55b/i*/53%;]

[AIDS-Test]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=00-20 TC1:05:37]
[GRAPHIC=AIDS]
Roanoke is the only place in Southwest Virginia where you can get one of the new oral tests for H-I-V.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
And the only way to get the Orasure test is if the AIDS Council's Street Outreach Program visits your neighborhood. You hold a swab between your cheek and gum for two to five minutes, pop it back in the bottle and wait two weeks for the results.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:36:03]
[IN Q=One of the primary]
((ONE OF THE PRIMARY ADVANTAGES OF ORASURE IS THAT IT DOESN'T USE NEEDLES. SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO GET STUCK, AND THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.))
[SUPER=01-Robert Morrow/AIDS Council;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=for a lot of folks]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=Hold]
The oral test becomes available next Tuesday. It's not as accurate as a blood test -- it misses about one positive for every hundred. The test is free but NOT anonymous. Local health departments still offers free AND anonymous blood tests for H-I-V.

[Nurse-Shortage]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=00-15 TC1:02:10]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Roanoke Valley is feeling the affects of a nationwide nurse shortage.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

And that has Carilion Health System concerned about the future of patient care -- since nurses make up nearly a third of hospital staff.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT21:28:39]
[IN Q=If patients didn't]
((PATRICIA CONWAY-MORANA/SENIOR VP NURSING SERVICES: IF PATIENTS DIDN'T NEED NURSING CARE THEY WOULDN'T NEED TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL))
[SUPER=01-Patricia Conway-Morana/Senior VP Nursing Services]
[RUNS=03]
[OUT Q=in the hospital]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Senior Vice President of Nursing Services says the shortage could mean that Carilion would have to limit the number of patients it takes -- and force hospitals to rely on people who are not licensed.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT21:27:28]
[IN Q=We do have some concern]
((PATRICIA CONWAY-MORANA/SENIOR VP NURSING SERVICES: WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE GRADUATES COMING OUT AS FAST AS WE NEED THEM AND THE BABY BOOMERS GENERATION ARE GETTING READY TO RETIRE))
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=to retire]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

At The College of Health Sciences in Roanoke the number of incoming applicants has been dwindling over the last couple of years -- and retention is only between 70 and 80 percent.
(------------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Virginia Partnership for Nursing has already started studying the problem to find out what impact the shortage might have on the area.

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - George Washington high school head football coach Ed Martin is dead at the age of 50. The Virginia High School League once again tabs a local man for its hall of fame.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And we'll head back out to the Roanoke Valley horse show and see what's bee taking place in Salem this afternoon.
(------------)

[S-Martin]

[ANCHOR=MIke]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-73]
[GRAPHIC=ED MARTIN]

Former Friday Football Extra coach of the year Ed Martin, the head football coach at George Washington High School in Danville for the past 14 years, died early this morning after suffering a massive heart attack. Martin, who was just 50 years old, had a history of heart related problems. In 1995, he had open heart surgery at Duke Medical Center, but was able to return to the sidelines by the midway point of the season. Earlier this year in April, Martin checked into the Cornell Medical Center in Ithaca, New York to have his condition evaluated. Despite those problems, his death this morning was a complete shock.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Those of us...]
[SUPER=01-Joel DeBoe/G.W. Danville Principal; :00]
[RUNS=:50]
[OUT Q=...SHOCK TO US."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT CON'T]
DeBoe and the school system will have to begin searching for a replacement, but that in itself will not be an easy job.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=You...]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=...EDDIE MARTIN."]
(-------------)
[talent=mike]
[graphic=martin]
Funeral services for Martin will be held Friday morning at eleven at the George Washington high school auditorium. He will buried at the White United Methodist Church in Rustburg, Friday at 3. Martin is survived by his wife Debbie and sons Sid and Scott.
[graphic=ffe]
One person who has been mentioned as a possible interim coach is former GW quarterback Dan Newell, who is currently an assistant at Pulaski County.

[S-VHSL]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-69]
[GRAPHIC=VHSL]

The Virginia High School League's hall of fame class of 2000 includes former NFL great Ken Willard and former William Byrd principal, Bob Patterson.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/1993; :00]
The leader of the Terriers for 34 years as the school's principal also served as the chairman of the Virginia High School League from 1991-through-1993. He directed or helped host more than 27 state event, and 55 regionals.
(------------)

[S-Raiders]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-65 10937tc]
[GRAPHIC=RAIDERS]
The Oakland Raiders first round draft pick, former Florida State kicker Sebastian Janikowski is once again in trouble with police.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tallahassee, FL; :00]
Janikowski and two other men were arrested outside a Tallahassee nigth spot near the Florida State campus last night.
When police searched him they found in his possession the designer date rape drug GHB. Janikowski was recently acquitted on charges of bribing a police officer.
(------------)

[S-Horse]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-66 46:35]
[GRAPHIC=RVHS]

The Roanoke Valley Horse Show rolled on today at the Salem Civic Center.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]

This afternoon, the show welcomed some pretty big guests. The Southern States Royal Thunder Percheron Team arrived. These draft horses weigh over two thousand pounds. A good size regular horse weighs a thousand pounds.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="they]
[SUPER=01-Bryan Craig/Percheron Trainer; :00]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=....a lot of armor"]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This horse team is currently on a a 14 state tour through the southeast and will travel 110 days of the year visiting 80 to 90 events entertaining fans like the ones at the Roanoke Valley Horse show.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="we'll]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=.....these horses"]
(----------------)

[S-Raptors]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-64 10359TC]
[GRAPHIC=NBA]

The winningest coach in NBA history isn't as old as a dinosaur - but he is now a Raptor.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Toronto, Canada; :00]
62 year old Lenny Wilkins was introduced today as Toronto's new head basketball coach today. He was released by the Hawks earlier this year. (------------) He gets a four year contract worth $20 million.