[1-News-Head]
[TALENT=Keith]
A city police officer admits he's guilty of racketeering.
Fred Pledge's guilty plea is our top story tonight.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Flames claim the physical possessions of a Moneta family... though we'll hear how THEY feel all is NOT lost.
(------------)
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 sports, details of Tiki's new deal, comments from Thomas Jones and Al Groh, and
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[VO-NAT]
news of how Teresa Earnhardt's plea to keep her husband's autopsy photos secret is being felt in Florida.
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[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]
Some areas are getting buried in snow. For most, the cold wind is the weather story. We will put it all together in just a few minutes.
[open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 at Six Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Keith1;]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]
[SUPER=@Robin1;]
[RUNS=:20]
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 21:35]
[IN Q=The heart and soul]
[RUNS=:08 ]
[OUT Q=taking stuff from people.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Roanoke Police Officer Fred Pledge pleads guilty to racketeering.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.
[Pledge]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-55 1:31:04]
[GRAPHIC=Frederick Pledge]
After nine months of negotiating, the feds struck a deal with the city police officer.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
He admits to 23 acts of racketeering and the government will drop the drug trafficking charges.
Pledge hesitated before he said the word: "Guilty."
He told the judge he felt he was guilty more a violating police department policy.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 24:32]
[IN Q=It violated the law]
(())
[SUPER=01-Chris Kowalczuk/Pledge's Attorney]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=those thing he admits ownership of.]
(---------------)
[V/O-NAT SOT]
Pledge took drugs and money- -in some cases, even guns- -from people in exchange for not arresting them .
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:00]
[IN Q=Anytime you extort]
[SUPER=01-Tom Bondurant/Prosecutor]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=extortion or robbery.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Pledge faces up to 20 years in prison. He remains on bond until he's sentenced in June.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A spokeswoman for the city police department says Pledge resigned today, as they were in the process of firing him.
[Moneta-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-05 58:50]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
A Bedford County family is homeless after fire gutted their home near Moneta this afternoon.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Moneta]
More than two dozen firefighters from four area companies responded to the blaze at this home on Route 122.
Smoke and flames were pouring from the windows when they arrived.
The homeowner says he had just arrived at work when he learned his house was on fire.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:20:12]
[IN Q=It's just like]
((TRACEY TUCK/HOMEOWNER: IT'S JUST LIKE A BIG MESS YOU GOTTA CLEAN UP, THAT'S ALL. I'M NOT REALLY THAT UPSET ABOUT IT. GOD IS GOOD, HE GAVE ME THE HOUSE AND HE TOOK IT AWAY.. I'LL BUILD A BETTER ONE, I GOT INSURANCE. I'LL MISS ALL MY STUFF BUT IT'S JUST STUFF. THE KIDS WEREN'T HOME, MY WIFE WASN'T HOME, NOBODY'S HURT.))
[SUPER=01-Tracey Tuck/Homeowner]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=nobody's hurt.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Tuck says it's possible sparks from a woodstove in the rear of the house may be to blame.
Traffic on Route 122 has been slowed while emergency crews battled the fire.
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[Airport-Fire]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-08 18:00]
[GRAPHIC=None]
State Police, meantime, are trying to determine what started a destructive fire at South Boston's airport.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-South Boston]
The fire broke out Monday just before one in the morning.
The fire destroyed a trailer and a brick building that housed the airport offices.
Heat from the fire also destroyed one plane and damaged another.
The airport is open but on a limited basis.
Airport officials hope to have the airport fully operational again by the end of the week.
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[Clifton-Forge]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=01-01 1:29:47]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Clifton Forge has been a city for 95 years. Today residents are deciding whether it will stay that way.
[TAKE FS MAP]
They determine whether Clifton Forge will revert to a town and become part of Alleghany County.
[LIVE=Teresa full/Starlink]
Teresa Hamilton is at one of the city's precincts tonight.
[SUPER=@Teresa1;]
[SUPER=06-Clifton Forge;]
((ROLLCUE: **ROLLED FROM TRUCK**))
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dusty Rhodes/Clifton Forge Mayor; :00]
[SUPER=03-Clifton Forge; :12]
[SUPER=01-Edward Dean/City Status Supporter; :43]
[RUNS=:51]
[OUT Q=as a city.]
[LIVE=Teresa full/Starlink]
[SUPER=06-Clifton Forge;]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & Teresa/Starlink;]
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]
The defense could take over tomorrow. Still ahead, we'll take you to the Jeffrey Thomas murder trial.
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[VO-NAT]
And a school counselor is beaten with a bedpost at this corner. Police say one of his students did the beating.
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[First-Wx]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=NONE]WEATHER CENTER
[SCHOOL TOUCH/FULL]
[WXPRO/FULL]WEATHER MAP
TOMORROW FORECAST
[WEB-ADDRESS]
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[Web Address Announce]
[Pinnacle 4885ess]
[COMMERCIAL][Academy-Beating]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=00-47 2:02:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[**NOTE ANCHOR TAG**]
A counselor at the Arcadia Leadership Academy was seriously injured Monday night, when he was assaulted by residents of the facility for troubled boys.
24-year-old David Allen Hipes of Fincastle was treated for facial fractures, scratches and abrasions.
The four juveniles were apprehended later in Henry County.
Tonight, Joe Dashiell has more on the incident.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The counselor]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Maj. Delbert Dudding/Chief Deputy; :14]
[SUPER=01-Gene Nervo/Academy Director; :35]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=JD News 7]
((The counselor and four students were driving to a fast food restaurant in Buchanan when the attack ocurred.
One of the students got out of the van... When Hipes followed, he was attacked with the metal leg of a bunkbed.
[SOT DUDDING]
[IN Q=they've had a few assaults]
((THEY'VE HAD A FEW ASSAULTS IN THE PAST, WHETHER IT BE ONE OF THE STUDENTS ASSAULTING ONE OF THE COUNSELORS, BUT NOTHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE.))
[RUNS= :11]
[OUT Q=nothing this magnitude.]
The incident comes just days after the Arcadia Leadership Academy won a six month provisional license.
Director Gene Nervo says the incident should not raise new questions about the school's operation.
[SOT]
[IN Q=These kind of things]
((THESE KIND OF THINGS HAPPEN IN A LOT OF FACILITIES. THESE BOYS WERE OUT ON A NORMAL TRIP TO DINNER AND ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS THE AGGRESSOR IN THIS CASE. THE OTHER BOYS WERE MORE IN SHOCK AND UNFORTUNATELY MADE THE MISTAKE OF STAYING WITH HIM. AND IT WAS JUST A VERY UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT THAT DOESN'T REFLECT THE MANAGEMENT OR POLICIES THAT WE HAVE.))
[RUNS= :22]
[OUT Q=policies that we have.]
The incident could still have an impact on the operation of the Academy... The arrest of the four juveniles leaves just two students at the school.
Joe Dashiell News 7))
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=]
Hipes has been released from the University of Virginia Medical Center. The four juveniles are being held in t
he Roanoke Juvenile Detention Center at Coyner Springs.[Lewis]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=00-54 1:29:06]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A Roanoke man shot by city police during a traffic stop now says he was shot in the back.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
The claim came up today for the first time in federal court.
The Emergency Room doctor who operated on Wilbert Wesley Lewis signed an affidavit Friday that appears to conflict with his own notes at the time of the shooting in December, 1999.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Doctor Bruce Lee says it's an "impression" he's held for some time that the bullet entered from the posterior and came out the stomach.
A trial is set for April 3rd, but the judge says he wants to settle this first.
Both Lewis and Officer W-G Boucher had said they were facing each other when the shot was fired.[Thomas]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=01-11 08:38]
[GRAPHIC=Thomas Murder Trial]
D-N-A evidence on Tara Munsey's body and clothes .. implicates Jeffrey Alan Thomas in her murder.
That is what a forensic scientist told a jury today, at Thomas' murder trial.
As Marya Jones reports, the prosecution is close to resting its case.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Patrica Taylor]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski; :00]
[SUPER=01-Ella Buchanan/Munsey's Cousin; 38]
[SUPER=@Marya2; :56]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=Marya Jones, News 7, Pulaski.]
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Tech stocks and blue chips both rose .. for the second day in a row.
[TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-x/28.92/10591.22/x/61.49/2204.41;]
The Dow climbed 29 points. NASDAQ gained more than 61.
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[VO]
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[SUPER=274-i/0.42/65.66/h/0.10/59.35/i/0.01/48.12/i/0.32/63.00/h/1.18/49.55;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Arts-Council]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=01-12 07:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Roanoke area cultural organizations are taking their cue from the state capital when it comes to raising support.
Board members for the Western Virginia Foundation for Arts and Sciences this morning heard reports from the directors of the organizations housed in Center in the Square.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
One of those presentations was offered by Susan Jennings, the executive director for the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge.
Jennings wants to modify to Roanoke a brochure created by museums in Richmond.
The brochure details the connections between the area's cultural organizations.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:51-20:08]
[IN Q=The exciting thing about...]
[SUPER=01-Susan Jennings/Arts Council of the Blue Ridge;]
((SUSAN JENNINGS/EXEC. DIR., ARTS COUNCIL OF THE BLUE RIDGE: THE EXCITING THING ABOUT THE RICHMOND PLAN WAS THAT THEY COULD THEN GET SEVERAL NATIONAL GRANTS TO HELP THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND SOME OF THE JOINT MARKETING AND PROGRAMMING IDEAS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR HERE TO HELP OUR INSTITUTIONS GROW AND THRIVE THROUGH THIS UNCERTAIN TIME.))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=how they're connected together.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The plan already has the support of all the major cultural organizations and community leaders in Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem.
[Sports Tease]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 Sports, details of Tiki's new deal, plus we'll hear from Thomas Jones and have the latest on Earnhardt autopsy photo controversy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And speaking of controversy - Al Groh addresses the unpopular decision of not keeping Danny Wilmer on his staff.
(------------)
[S-Dale]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-84 12924TC]
[GRAPHIC=DALE CRASH INVEST.]
We begin tonight with news concerning the controversy in Florida over the release of Dale Earnhardt's autopsy photos.
The Orlando Sentinel newspaper made a public-records request for the photos the Monday after Earnhardt died last month.
A judge, on behalf of Earnhardt's widow, issued a temporary injunction stopping the photos from being released pending a hearing.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Las Vegas, NV/Sunday; :00]
Sunday, Teresa Earnhardt made a plea to NASCAR fans to help her keep the photos sealed.
Since she spoke in Las Vegas, Florida governor Jeb Bush has received over 12 thousand emails from angry concerned fans.
The paper itself has been bombarded with over 7000 calls and emails.
One person wrote the governor warning that there are more Earnhardt fans in the southeast than there are republicans.
The hearing is set for tomorrow.
(------------)
[S-Tiki]
[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=sp-86 1:05:41]
[GRAPHIC=Giants]
Current New York Giant and former Cave Spring and Virginia running back Tiki Barber has come to terms on a new six year- 24 million dollar contract that includes a seven million dollar signing bonus.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-East Rutherford, NJ; :00]
The new contract was not signed yesterday because Tiki's agent, Ethan Lock, could not fly into New York because of bad weather. According to a source close to Tiki, the contract is just waiting for his signature. Two of the four years on the contract are guaranteed. That means he is promised 15 million. Tiki rushed for a career high one thousand six yards during the Giants Super Bowl run.
[SUPER=03-Landover, MD;]
Ronde Barber is also trying to secure his contract with Tampa Bay. He has postponed his honeymoon for 10 days in order to get the deal done.
(------------)
[S-Jones]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-91 52:17]
[GRAPHIC=Thomas Jones]
Former Powell Valley star and UVa all time leading rusher Thomas Jones is getting ready for his second NFL season.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :00]
Jones attended Virginia's last home basketball game of the season last week against Clemson.
[SUPER=03-Flagstaff, AZ;]
The Arizona Cardinal running back carried the ball 112 times for 373 yards in his rookie season.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="last year]
[SUPER=01-Thomas Jones/Arizona Cardinal Running Back; :00]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=.....and your friends"]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Jones, who signed autographs at halftime of UVa's win over the Tigers, will be keeping a close eye on the April 21st NFL draft. His Cardinals are in need of some offensive lineman, a fact Jones learned this season.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="last year]
(())
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=.....play hard every game"]
(------------)
[S-Groh]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-85 1:20:46]
[GRAPHIC=UVa football]
The Roanoke Valley Sports Club welcomed first year Virginia coach Al Groh to the group's monthly meeting last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/Last Night; :00]
Groh, who now has his staff in place, addressed many topics, including the thought process behind Buena Vista native and 17 year UVa assistant coach Danny Wilmer not being asked back. Wilmer was the Cavaliers best recruiter and was well respected by high school coaches around the state and country .
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="I know]
[SUPER=01-Al Groh/Virginia Football Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=......organization together"]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Groh was also asked if his coaching style is similar to Welsh's. Welsh never got close with the media and prevented cameras at practice. What are Groh's policies as far as media and fan access to his practices and his players?
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="i cannot]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=.....see our team"]
(------------)
[anchor=mike]
[graphic=uva football]
The Cavaliers kickoff the 2001 season August 25th against Wisconsin.
[S-Soccer]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Soccer]
Roanoke's Dean and Barbara Jones are The Chevrolet Soccer Parents of the Year.
It's a national honor given to parents who go the extra mile in supporting the game.
Dean is the president of the Roanoke Star Soccer club. He and his wife will be honored at halftime of the U.S. Men's World Cup qualifying game against Trinidad and Tobago in June.
They will also recieve use of a 2001 Chevy Venture Van for one year.
[S-ACC]
[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=ACC]
The ACC tournament opens Thursday night in Atlanta with the play-in game between Florida State and Clemson.
(-------------)
[PINNACLE 1201]
Then Friday afternoon the quarterfinals open at high noon here on WDBJ-7 with North Carolina getting the Tigers or Seminoles.
Right after that one, Virginia takes on Ga. Tech with the tip-off set for 2:30 at the Georgia Dome.
(--------------)
[PINNACLE 1202]
The night session on Friday night will feature Duke and N.C. State at seven, followed by the Maryland Wake Forest game at 9:30. All of these games are right here on WDBJ-7.
(---------------)
[Athletic-Club]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=01-04 34:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Botetourt County residents now have one more reason to get in shape.
A new health club has moved into the area.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.]
For Rene Cockfield the Botetout Athletic Club means she no longer has to travel to Roanoke just to work out .
She finally has a gym just five minutes from her house.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT13:36:32]
[IN Q=It will increase my time at home]
((RENE COCKFIELD/BAC MEMBER: IT WILL INCREASE MY TIME AT HOME. I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 40 MINUTES AT HOME WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT))
[SUPER=01-Rene Cockfield/BAC Member]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=which i'm very excited about]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The "BAC" has the equipment and classes that most people would expect.
It also has an indoor pool --and will soon have an outdoor pool with a slide that's 20 feet high.
Those who join the BAC can also use their memberships at the Roanoke Athletic Club.
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[03/06/2001]
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(Weekday 6 only)
[SUPER=x4032; e-mail/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS]
SUPER=#4072; Fax/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS
(Weekend 6 only)
SUPER=x4031; Fax/Copyright/WEEKENDS
SUPER=x4030; e-mail/Copyright/WEEKENDS
by SS