WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 07/14/00

[1-News-Head]

[TALENT=Keith]

A Florida jury orders tobacco companies to pay 145-Billion dollars in damages, the largest civil damage award EV
ER. A LIVE report from Richmond coming up.
(------------)
[V/O-NAT SOT]

A 10-hour stand-off ends with Melvin Adkins' surrender. Danville police say he shot a newspaper carrier.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on the Big 7, we'll meet a 17 year old Friday Football Extra star who hopes race on TV tomorrow night. The Jan Tana classic and Commonwealth Games pick up steam.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Notre Dame names Mike Brey its new head basketball coach.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]

Perhaps a wet start to the weekend but not a total wash out. We'll explain in weather in just a moment.

[Video-Open]

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

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:06:40]
[IN Q=Philip Morris Inc.]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=Million dollars.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A landmark settlement-- one that could destroy the nation's tobacco companies.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.

[Tobacco-Verdict]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#00-16 TC 1:39:20]
[GRAPHIC=Tobacco Under Fire]

It is by the far the biggest punitive damages award in American history.
If the verdict holds, the tobacco companies call it a death warrant for the industry.
That industry supports thousands of Virginians.
[Double Boxes=Keith & Ellen/Microwave]

Ellen Qualls in our Richmond newsroom.
[Live= Ellen Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Ellen1;]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

Keith, health advocates the tobacco industry's marketing and deceptions have been a death warrant for millions of Americans.
But for the other side of the coin, the livelihood of the industry in Virginia, consider this: Philip Morris U.S.A. alone contributes approximately $1.2 billion annually to the Virginia economy through payroll, benefits, value of locally purchased products, real estate taxes and other business costs.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The Florida jury]
[SUPER=03-Miami, FL; :00]
[SUPER=01-Stanley Rosenblatt/Smokers' Attorney; :]
[SUPER=01-Dan Webb/Philip Morris Attorney; :]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; : ]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=media today.]

(( The Florida jury had a range of 118 BILLION to 196 BILLION dollars.
[sot 15:33:58]
((STANLEY ROSENBLATT/PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: IT WAS A DAY OF RECKONING. SIX THOUGHTFUL, COURAGEOUS LISTENED QUIETLY AND CAREFULLY TO TESTIMONY FOR TWO YEARS. AND DAMMIT THEY DID THE RIGHT THING.)) [runs:18]
The jurors hit at 145 BILLION-- almost 74 of which Philip Morris alone pays.
[SOT 15:28:07]
((DAN WEBB/PHILIP MORRIS: THE ERRORS COMMITTED BY THE COURT WERE EXTRAORDINARY. THE FACT THAT THE JUDGE ALLOWED THE JURY TO AWARD SUCH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PUNITIVE DAMAGES TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNIDENTIFIED SMOKERS WITHOUT HEARING ANY EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF THE CLAIMS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND UNDOUBTEDLY WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.)) [RUNS:30]
Philip Morris contends the class action group of as many as 700,000 Florida smokers would have to be tried one at a time.
The company employs 69-hundred in the Richmond area.
It instructed them to NOT speak with the media today.))
[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

"This case is far from over and you can bet the tobacco companies will appeal," said David Botkins, spokesman for Attorney General Mark Earley. "But, obviously when a judgement of this size is rendered against a party, it has to be disappointing."
"As far as Virginia is concerned, tobacco industry employees and growers shouldn't panic."

[Double Boxes=Keith & Ellen /Microwave]

[Roanoke-Police]

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

The D-E-A's investigation of Roanoke Police officers may be drawing to a close.
An internal probe began more than a year ago, focusing on drug-related problems within the ranks.
The D-E-A took over the investigation in February at the request of city police.
Federal authorities now say they expect their work to be wrapped up "soon."
The regular monthly Grand Jury meets next week, with returns scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. While there are those who say they expect indictments out of this term, there's no telling whether the JULY Grand Jury will return indictments stemming from the investigation of city police.

[Lewis]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-18; TC 1:24:43]
[GRAPHIC=Lawsuit]

Roanoke, it's Police Chief and Officer William Boucher have been slapped with a 13-million dollar federal lawsuit.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/December 31]

It goes back to the shooting on Patton Avenue late last year.
Officer Boucher shot Wilbert Wesley Lewis in the stomach, because he thought Lewis was holding a gun behind his back. But Lewis was UN-armed.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

In the complaint filed in court today, Lewis claims the city "ratified a pattern of unjustified, unreasonable and illegal shootings."

[Danville-Standoff]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sch]
[TAPE#=00-21; TC 1:13:50]
[GRAPHIC=Standoff]

He was just trying to help a friend deliver papers and ended up being shot twice.
Police say 33 Year Old Melvin Atkins fire the shots that began a nine hour standoff with police.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Surae/Danville Bureau]

Surae Chinn is in our Danville Newsroom.
[Live=Suare Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=@Surae1;]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]

Keith, Family members say Melvin Adkins is a troubled person who has been in and out of the hospital for his mental illness.
Adkins had stopped taking his medication and violence was the apparent result.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It started around]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
[SUPER=01-Samantha Jones/Suspect's Neighbor; :11]
[SUPER=01-Neal Morris/Danville Police Chief; :38]
[SUPER=01-Gayle Adkins/Suspect's Sister-in Law; :48]
[RUNS=1:17]
[OUT Q=in front of him.]
(( It started around 4:30 this morning when shots rang out. Two bullets hit a paper carrier while in a vehicle on Arnett Boulevard.
Residents were evacuated.

[SOT 46:11]
((SAMANTHA JONES/NEIGHBOR: I KNOW NO BULLET HAS A NAME. DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD COME THROUGH THE WINDOW. SCARED TO STAY UPRIGHT.)) [RUNS:07]
The suspects family had no fear. Melvin Adkins' brother Paul went inside the home to convince him to come out.
10 hours later Adkins did what he was told. He came out without his high powered rifle, with his hands in the air.

[SOT 54:17]
((NEAL MORRIS/DANVILLE POLICE CHIEF: WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO HIM ALL DAY TO TALK HIM OUT. HE AGREED IF HE TALKED TO HIS MOTHER AND IF SHE WAS OKAY HE WOULD COME OUT.)) [RUNS:10]
[SOT 1:06:46]
((GAYLE ADKINS/SUSPECT'S SISTER IN LAW: I BROKE DOWN IN TEARS CAUSE I WAS GLAD IT WAS ALL OVER. NO ONE ELSE WAS HURT.))

Gayle Adkins says his brother in law didn't' mean to hurt anyone. He is a man who is mentally ill and just stopped taking his medication.
[SOT 1:03:12]
((GAYLE ADKINS/SUSPECT'S SISTER IN LAW: WHEN HE STOPS TAKING THE MEDICINE HE HEARS VOICES.)) [RUNS:04] Gayle says he's been traumatized ever since he witnessed a family member kill another about 10 years ago.
[SOT1:06:23]
((GAYLE ADKINS/ :AND HE TALKED ABOUT IT TODAY, AND I THINK HE WAS REMEMBERING THAT HIS BROTHER SHOT HIS OTHER BROTHER INFRONT OF HIM.)) [RUNS:10]))
(-------------)
[Live=Surae Full/Danville Bureau]
[SUPER=05-Danville;]

His family hopes he will get help.
Melvin Adkins faces a malicious wounding charge. He will be taken to Central State Hospital in Petersburg tonight.
[Double Boxes=KEith and Surae/Danville Bureau]

The victim-- 30 year old Jeffrey Womack is in stable condition tonight.

[White]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mce]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
A 23-year-old man found guilty of first degree murder earlier this week has been found dead. Lynchburg police say Norman Douglas White apparently hanged himself in his cell at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail yesterday evening. He was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Results of an autopsy have not been released. Wednesday, a jury found White guilty of shooting Morris Anthony last July in a drug-related murder.

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

A local store not only offers discounts -- the real bargain is that its profits benefit some schools.
That's still ahead on News 7.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
and the owner of Cory Everson's fitness center is sweating tonight.
We'll tell you why some members may never see their money.
(----------------)

[Cory-Everson]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#00-23; TC 00:39:34]
[GRAPHIC=None]
State investigators say the owner of Cory Everson's Women's Gym in Roanoke County has been breaking the law for years -- but apparently, the courts never cracked down on him. They say they always thought he would fix the problems voluntarily.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Tina/Microwave]
Tina Tenret has the latest from Cory Everson's Gym.
[Live= Tina Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Tina1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
Keith, this is the second week Cory Everson's has been closed. State investigators say if the place never re-opens, they cannot give members their money back. See, the law forces gym owners to post bonds for their membership contracts -- so if something goes wrong, the state can reimburse members. But in this case, the assistant commonwealth's attorney says the owner has not posted bond for the last two and a half years, so this gym has been selling memberships illegally.
(Rollcue:selling memberships illegally)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Meet William Bailey]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[RUNS=:39]
[OUT Q=new building]
( Meet William Bailey -- the gym's chief financial officer and the owner's son.
He says his accountant posted bond with the state almost a month ago. Bailey refuses to talk on camera -- but says the gym is over a hundred degrees with a broken air conditioner. When we visited, he was inside with the fan off. But he says new air conditioning units have arrived in town, and once an out-of-state contractor installs them, he will re-open Cory Everson's. He says he DISCUSSED selling his thousand memberships to New Fitness, a competing gym, but no contract's in place. And by the time his lease runs out this September, he plans either to sell his memberships or move Cory Everson's to a new building.)
[Live= Tina Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke Co.;]
William Bailey's father, who owns this gym, has racked up almost five thousand dollars in fines for not posting bond and for registering the gym late, according to the assistant commonwealth's attorney.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Tina/Microwave]
But Bailey insists that even if this gym does not re-open he will refund members' money.

[Contractors]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=00-25; TC 00:30:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Big business gave little business a helping hand at the General Contractor's Summit today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The summit provided information and networking opportunities for companies owned by minorities and women... those just getting off the ground.
More than 60 new businesses were represented.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[TC:00:31:50]
[IN Q=Today I'm here]
((TODAY I'M HERE TO BASICALLY LET THE LARGER GUYS KNOW THAT OUR BUSINESS DOES EXIST, WE ARE INTERESTED IN DOING WORK WITH THEM, AND TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN GET IN AND BID ON THESE JOBS AND WORK WITH THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Analisa Waggie/Sweeny and Associates]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=work with them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Large contractors with projects underway say they are constantly looking for minorities and women to do business with. They also offered some advice.
(------------)
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[TC:00:34:27]
[IN Q=There are a lot]
((THERE ARE A LOT OF PITFALLS AND POTHOLES AND SPECIFICATIONS THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF IN CONTRACTING THAT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE OF BEFORE THEY GET INTO A PROJECT.))
[SUPER=01-Larry Degen/Degen Architects]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=into a project.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This first annual summit was sponsored by the Roanoke Chamber of Commerce.
(-------------)

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Stocks gained ground today thanks to good news about inflation. [TAKE DOW, NASDAQ & BLOOMBERG PAGE ]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-x/23.34/10812.05/x/70.86/4245.72/x/0.89/113.13;]

The Dow climbed 23 points .. NASDAQ gained 70.
The Bloomberg News 7 Index rose about a point.
(-------------)
[VO]
[SUPER=431-ic/32#/i@/33f/h1#/47f/he/22*/ia/2c;]
[SUPER=432-h#/47!/h@/26$/h&/38$/i#/52@/ig/29*;]
[SUPER=433-h!/21c/h@/16f/h!/29f/ia/24g/hb/12f;]
[SUPER=434-h@/47&/i$/53g/i2/49f/h1/57/h1c/60g;]

[Thrift-Store]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=00-17; TC 1:25:14]
[GRAPHIC=None]

There's a store in Lynchburg that carries everything from clothes to candles.. books to bikes.
And what's more, shopping there helps send more money to your local schools.
Steve Smallshaw explains.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This is not]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Becky Porter/Thrift Store Organizer; :16]
[SUPER=@ssm1; :49]
[SUPER=01-Dolores Davis/Thrift Store Volunteer; 1:31]
[RUNS=1:43]
[OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.]
((
This is not your ordinary thrift store.
Sure, most of the items are secondhand and priced well below their original value.
But shopping at Lynchburg's PTA- PTO Thrift Shop can be a unique experience.
[SOT 2:15:09]
((BECKY PORTER: WE MAKE IT JUST LIKE A SHOP RATHER THAN A THRIFT STORE, WHERE EVERYTHING'S IN A ROW. OUR PRICES ARE NOT STANDARDIZED, WE HAVE VERY NICE THINGS, QUALITY MERCHANDISE AND THEN THINGS THAT ARE JUST AVERAGE SO WE PRICE THEM ACCORDINGLY.)) [RUNS16]
[OUT Q=price them accordingly.]
[natsot pricing gun 2:29:02]
[RUNS01]
The pricing takes place in the back room where two of the store's four paid employees sort through the bags and bags of donations that roll in every week.
They evaluate each item, price it and send it to the front, hoping it will catch the eye of a discriminating shopper. [Standup ] ((Forty percent of the store's profits are divided equally among the city's eighteen public schools. The rest is divvied up according to how many volunteer hours a school puts in.. the more time a parent or teacher spends here, the more money their school will get. Makes sense, but at first, that was a hard sell for moms who already lead busy lives.)) [RUNS18]
[OUT Q=lead busy lives.]
[SOT 2:19:39]
((BECKY PORTER: BUT I THINK WHEN THEY REALIZED IT'S SO MUCH BETTER THAN SELLING CHOCOLATE CANDY FROM DOOR TO DOOR AND SENDING THE CHILDREN OUT TO SELL WRAPPING PAPER, THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO DO THAT.)) [RUNS09]
[OUT Q=to do that.]

And it's working like a charm.
Business has risen steadily since the store opened last fall.. all these nickel and dime items now add up to more than 500 dollars a day in sales.
[SOT 2:26:26]
((DOLORES DAVIS/THRIFT STORE VOLUNTEER: WE'RE HAPPY WITH OUR SALES AND JUST TO SEE THE CHECKBOOK BUILD UP AND KNOW THAT ALL THE PROFITS ARE GOING BACK TO THE CITY SCHOOLS.)) [RUNS09]
[OUT Q=the city schools.]

The first checks will be handed out next month.. just in time for the new school year.

Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - we'll check in at the Commonwealth Games and the Jan Tana classic. Plus, Notre Dame has a new head coach.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And we'll meet one of the young lions looking to make a name for himself at the New River Valley Speedway.
(------------)

[S-Race]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-75 1927 tc]
[GRAPHIC=NEW RIVER VALLEY]
Late Model stock car racing returns to your Hometown Station tomorrow night, as WDBJ-7 presents live flag to flag coverage of the Kroger-Pepsi 200 from the New River Valley Speedway. This will be the station's first broadcast from the track since 1996.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford/June 30; :00]
And while many of the same local late model legends are still making their way around the track and into each other on occasion - there is definitely a youth movement taking place. Two weeks ago, 18 year old Jon Wood came home first in one of that night's Late Model features. And now another kid is trying to make a name for himself at the track. Blacksburg's Jason Mitcham, a 17 year old, won last week's Limited Sportsman event and he hopes to make the field for the TV race tomorrow night
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'VE BEEN...]
[SUPER=01-Jason Mitcham/Late Model Rookie Driver; :00]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=....OF FUN."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT con't]
[SUPER=04-Friday Football Extra;]
Mitcham is a rising senior at Blacksburg high school and a member of the Indians' football team, he says racing with the old guys is as exhilarating as crossing the goal line.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="I've been...]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=....right at him."]
(----------------)
[vo nat con't] Jason and his dad recently purchased all of Ronnie Thomas's cars, engines and equipment to make a run in the late model ranks.
(---------------)
[wipe to pinnacle 1025] And again you can catch all the action tomorrow night at 7, LIVE here on Your Hometown Racing Station.
(---------------)

[S-Common]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-77 24:32]
[graphic=commonwealth games]

The Roanoke Valley will be busy this weekend with the Commonwealth Games. The opening ceremonies begin tonight at eight at the Roanoke Civic Center. Competition began this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]

Archery took center stage at Green Hill Park. 34 athletes are competing for medals over the next two days. C.D. Miller is a nine time Commonwealth Games gold medalist.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="a]
[SUPER=01-C.D. Miller/Archery Free Style Division ; :00]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q="to shoot it"]
(-------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Tennis also hit the courts for the first day of action in the games. Over 200 entries will compete at Rivers Edge over a three day period. Today's competition involved the junior players. The Games have added an adult division ages 60 and up.

(--------------)[S-Jan]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-72 53:00]
[GRAPHIC=Jan Tana Classic]

The Jan Tana Classic welcomed the professional bodybuilding and fitness athletes to Roanoke today. Steve Mason weighs the competition...literally.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lena Johannesen/Pro Fitness Competitor; :09]
[SUPER=01-Denise Gerard/Pro Woman Bodybuilder; :40(QUICK!!!)]
[SUPER=01-Rich Gaspari/Bodybuilding Judge; :44]
[SUPER=01-Jan Tana/Bodybuilding Promoter; :54]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 1:03]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=...news 7 sports"]
(------------)

[S-Irish]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-74 1506tc]
[GRAPHIC=NOTRE DAME]

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame picked a Blue Hen and former Blue Devil as their new basketball coach today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NCAA; :00]
Delaware's Mike Brey takes over for Matt Doherty who bolted to North Carolina. Brey has spent the past five seasons coaching the Blue Hens. (------------) Notre Dame gave him a 7 year deal.