WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 03/05/02

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Keith]

He's out of jail, but not home free. An 82-year old homicide suspect is a most unusual case.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And they're raising the roof at Lexington Presbyterian- -through the roof- -pointing to heavens.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 sports, the Dazzle is home tonight. Virginia International raceway is again expanding.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And Liberty University fires head basketball coach Mel Hankinson.
(------------)

[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

March came in like a lion and lamb, separated by only 24 hours. An almost beach-like forecast ahead. Stay tuned.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 3-Shot]

News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]

(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We need to take]
((WE NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO MAKE SURE THIS CASE IS HANDLED CORRECTLY. THE GRAND JURY HAS GIVEN US SOME GUIDANCE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE TOTALITY OF THE STORY.))
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=totality of the story.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The rest of the charges against an 82-year old shooting suspect are dropped, and he is released from jail. However, Hollis Jamison could be indicted for murder or manslaughter next month.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]

Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry. Shannon is off tonight.

[Jamison]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-01 TC1:13:58]
[GRAPHIC=Hallis Jamison]
The prosecutor is leaving his options open. But, for now, the Hanover Avenue resident is a free man.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Donald Caldwell/Commonwealth's Attorney; :38]
[SUPER=04-February 26]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q="God takes care of all things," she said.]
(( It was already an unusual case: an 82-year homicide suspect, convicted of murder FIFTY years ago. And now the Grand Jury refuses to indict. Adding to all this, city police detectives delivered Hallis Jamison to his lawyer's office on Kirk Avenue, rather than just open the front door of the jail. Jamison's brother-in-law said the police had expressed concern about possible reprisals. In the week Jamison has been in jail, someone threw a brick through his front window. So he did not go home. He may yet have more to worry about, with the prosecutor considering the unusual step of summoning lay witnesses to appear before the next Grand Jury.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:10:27]
[IN Q=The thing that]
((THE THING THAT WE WE WILL OD IS FIRST REVIEW THE EVIDENCE ONCE AGAIN, AND TRY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS GRAND JURY GOT EVERYTHING WE HAVE. I WANT TO BE DOUBLE SURE OF THAT. THEN IF THERE ANY QUESTION, WE CAN GO BACK TO ANOTHER GRAND JURY....)) [RUNS20]
[OUT Q=to another Grand Jury.]
...to seek a murder charge or manslaughter. He could also do nothing, leaving the matter open to civil remedies. There are several complex issues: protection of person and property, firing blindly through a door at an unknown target. At the funeral for 15-year old Charlotte Brown, friends of the family expressed a broad range of emotions, some tearfully decrying Jamison's release as "unfair." One man said, "considering his age," perhaps it was best. "Put it in the hands of the Lord," said one woman. "God takes care of all things."))

[Church-Steeple]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#2:30:42 on 01-59]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A piece of Lexington history is back in place tonight .. and it's hard to miss.
After a year and a half of planning and construction, the Lexington Presbyterian Church has a brand new steeple.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Richard/Starlink]

Richard Lesko is in Lexington tonight with more.
[Live=Richard Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=@Richard1;]
[SUPER=05-Lexington;]
( ad lib)
[***ROLLED FROM STARLINK***]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This sight was welcomed]
[SUPER=03-Lexington; :00]
[SUPER=04-July 18, 2000; :21]
[SUPER=01-Al Anderson/Blue Ridge Timberwrights; :36]
[SUPER=01-Frank Parsons/Church Reconstruction Manager; :55]
[RUNS=1:05]
[OUT Q=a day of celebration]
(-------------)
[Live=Richard Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=05-Lexington;]
( ad lib)
[Double Boxes=Keith and Richard/Starlink]

[City-Council]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=01-57 TC1:47:36]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2002]

Today's the day Roanoke voters pick the top three Democrats to run in the May City Council election.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The Democratic Primary is open to all registered voters .... polls are open until 7.
As of three this afternoon, turnout was about 4 percent.
Five candidates and incumbent Nelson Harris are vying for three open seats.
For the first time in a municipal election, FOUR of the FIVE new candidates are African-American, including Planning Commission member Alfred Dowe.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=It's refreshing]
[SOT 7:59 - 8:10]
((ALFRED DOWE/ROANOKE COUNCIL CANDIDATE: IT'S REFRESHING. WE'VE BEEN KNOWN AS A CITY THAT'S BEEN APATHETIC AT TIMES. BUT THIS RACE HAS SHOWN THAT THERE'S STILL SOME INTEREST. ))
[SOT 11:10 - :14]
((PAULINE RAMSEY/VOTER: I THINK MY VOTE COUNTS AND IF I DON'T VOTE, I CAN'T COMPLAIN. ))
[SUPER=01-Alfred Dowe/Roanoke Council Candidate; :00]
[SUPER=01-Pauline Ramsey/Voter; :12 QUICK!]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=I can't complain.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Angela Norman is making her second run for Council.
Newcomers include James Beatty, a minister and retired city employee...
Xavier Fox, an employee of the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority....
And Rupert Cutler, a preservationist and Kiwanis Club president.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

Turnout was 10 percent at the last Democratic Primary for City Council in 19-94.
We'll have today's primary results on News-7 at 11.

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

Is another budget stalemate in the cards?
A live report from Richmond is still ahead on News 7 at Six.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]

And next, we'll see how a new and improved DARE program is already being used in one local school.
(----------------)

[DARE2]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-12 TC15:40]
[GRAPHIC=Truth or Dare]
[****ANCHOR TAG****]
It's been more than a year since "DARE" checked itself into rehab.
After years of research and criticism, the popular drug prevention program for children admits it is not effective .. and it has agreed to revamp its anti-drug program.
But another program may serve as a model. Justin McLeod says it's already being taught in this area.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nat sound of kids doing exerscises]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Laura Osborne/Prevention Specialist; :19]
[SUPER=01-Ellen Denny/Guidance Counselor; :45]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:19]
[SUPER=01-Tod Burke/Radford University Professor; 1:52]
[RUNS=2:13]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7, Radford]
((((NAT SOUND OF KIDS DOING EXERCISES))
Here at McHarg Elementary school in Radford, you won't hear that "Just Say No" message.
Instead, kids are learning about drugs through a program called Life Skills Training.
[SOT 12:04:25; TAPE 3]
[IN Q=Years and years]
((LAURA OSBORNE/PREVENTION SPECIALIST: FOR ONE THING ITS MORE FUN. ANOTHER REASON IS THAT THERE'S ALSO RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THE MORE YOU INTERACT WITH THE MATERIAL, THE MORE IT STAYS WITH YOU.))
[Runs= 09]
[OUT Q=it stays with you]

Life Skills Training was developed nearly twenty years ago by a Cornell University professor.
Here, teachers, not police officers, are the messengers.
And unlike D.A.R.E. which usually targets fifth graders, life skills is taught as early as third grade and reinforced every year until eighth grade.
[SOT 12:12:42; TAPE 3]
[IN Q=It just gives them]
((ELLEN DENNY/GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: IT JUST GIVES THEM THOSE FUNDAMENTALS THEY NEED IN ORDER TO STEP UP AMONGST THEIR PEERS AND SAY "I DON'T THINK SO."))
[Runs= 08]
[OUT Q=I don't think so]

Here's how it works.
Life Skills Training is a series of role playing and problem-solving exercises. ((NAT SOUND TALKING ABOUT STRESS; 12:32:06))
It is during these sessions that kids learn about self esteem and stress.
The goal is to empower these kids to feel good about themselves so they can then make the right decisions later in life.
[SOT 3:27:56; TAPE 5]
[IN Q=Life skills training]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: LIFE SKILL TRAINING IS ALREADY SEEING SOME POSITIVE RESULTS. ONE RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS THIS PROGRAM CAN HELP REDUCE DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AMONG TEENS BY AS MUCH AS 75 PERCENT. THAT STUDY WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.))
[Runs= 16]
[OUT Q=American Medical Assocation]
((NAT SOUND OF CLASS))
Unlike DARE, Life Skills Training does not hold widespread recognition or use in the nation's public schools .. but a lot of what you see here will become a major part of the NEW D.A.R.E. program.
It is being tested right now, and D.A.R.E. plans to unveil it nationwide within five years.
A Radford University criminology professor says school systems must decide on their own whether to keep D.A.R.E. or find other alternatives.
[SOT 13:19:01; TAPE 4]
[IN Q=What works, stick with it]
((DR. TOD BURKE/RADFORD UNIVERSITY CRIMINOLOGY PROFESSOR: WHAT WORKS, STICK WITH IT. WHAT DOESN'T WORK FIND OUT WHY IT DOESN'T WORK AND THEN REVAMP IT.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=then revamp it]

But measuring the success of revamping DARE won't be known for years. In the meantime, unless many school districts change their minds, a program that's already a more successful model will remain available, but not as used.
Justin McLeod, News 7, Radford.))
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=HOLD]

The New River Valley Community Services sponsors the program in Radford.
They along with school officials plan to test the students at the end of the year to make sure they've retained the information.

[Sterling]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=jmi]
[TAPE#=01-56 TC06:41]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Henry County's high priced economic development director has just returned from a business trip to Silicon Valley.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.]

Wayne Sterling says he's pleased with the business contacts he made in San Jose and is hopeful some of them will relocate to Southside.
His plan is to add electronics companies to the county's Technology campus which will be located at the old DuPont facility.
Cerxon technologies is already there, and the site will be ready for other companies by December.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=You just have to]
((WAYNE STERLING/HENRY COUNTY ECON DEV DIR: YOU JUST HAVE TO WORK AND FOLLOW UP AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH COMP ANISE UNTIL THEY DO COME AND VISIT AND THEN YOU CAN NEGOTIATE A PROJECT. BUT I AM NOT DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM THE TRIP. SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC.))
[SUPER=01-Wayne Sterling/Henry Co. Econ. Dev. Dir.]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=very optomistic.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=None]

Sterling has contributed to four major economic development announcements in his four months on the job.

[Stocks]

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

Profit taking put blue chips in retreat following Wall Street's two-session rally. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/153.41/10433.41/x/6.98/1866.30;]

The DOW dropped 153 points.
NASDAQ gained seven.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-i/0.20/43.70/h/0.48/44.75/i/1.35/65.05/i/0.33/19.85/i/0.10/7.75;]
[SUPER=272-h/0.17/60.21/i/0.20/53.90/h/0.30/40.50/i/0.77/27.12/h/0.60/40.15;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.17/22.61/i/0.34/26.01/h/0.09/0.90/i/0.12/53.00/h/0.26/12.26;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.70/64.72/i/0.13/68.81/i/0.53/47.40/i/0.34/34.25/i/2.22/60.76;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[XGR-Budget]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=01-58 TC1:42:37]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Budget negotiators in Richmond are expected to reach a compromise later tonight. But the stand-off over a statewide sales tax referendum continues in the General Assembly.
[DOUBLE BOXES=JoeD & Keith / State Microwave;]

Joe Dashiell is at the capitol tonight with more on the areas of agreement and continuing debate.
[LIVE=JoeD /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=@joe1;]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]

Keith, six conferees have been working to resolve significant differences between the House and Senate budget bills. That work continues at this hour... but they insist another budget stalemate is not in the cards.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Obviously when we are facing]
[SUPER=@markwarner; :00]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :18]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Ken Stolle/(R) Virginia Beach; :48]
[RUNS=1:09]
[OUT Q=there's still a lot of dialogue.]
(([SOT 12:58:33]
[IN Q=Obviously when we are facing an 3.8 billion dollar shortfall]
((OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE ARE FACING AN 3.8 BILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL, THAT'S A MONSTER OF A SHORTFALL. IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE AND HAS REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF COOPERATIVE EFFORT ON BOTH SIDES.))
[RUNS= :16]
[OUT Q=cooperative effort.]

Confident that a budget deal is in the works, Governor Warner says he has plenty of coffee and donuts on hand to help House and Senate negotiators meet their midnight deadline.
The details of their discussions haven't been revealed, but Warner says he pleased the General Assembly will avoid the budget deadlock that gripped the legislature last year.
Agreement may be harder to come by as lawmakers decide the fate of a statewide sales tax referendum for schools.

The House remains opposed... and the Senate has refused to seperate the statewide education vote from a northern Virginia transportation referendum.
[SOT 13:41:48]
[IN Q=This still has a lot of chapters]
13:35:59 ((THE VOTE WAS 27 TO 12 I BELIEVE NOT TO ACCEPT THE COMNFERENCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT WHICH PRETTY MUCH INDICATES A STRONG WILL IN THE SENATE TO INCLUDE EDUCATION WITH ANY TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUMS THAT COME OUT. NOW WE'RE A LONG WAY FROM THE END OF THE SESSION. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF DIALOGUE.))
[RUNS= :21]
[OUT Q=still a lot of dialogue.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE=JoeD /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

A lot of dialogue left on many issues.
Other bills moving forward today included legislation allowing tolls to pay for new truck lanes on Interstate 81... and a measure extending an increase in unemployment benefits.
[DOUBLE BOXES=JoeD & Keith /Microwave;]

So keith, lawmakers have plenty of unfinished business for the final days of this session.

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on the Big 7 , March is maddening for than one reason as several in state coaches step down or get fired. Racing news concerning VIR and Ricky Hendrick is on the way.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Plus, the Dazzle is home again tonight battling the talented Lowgators for the second straight day.
(------------)

[S-LU]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-119 2344tc ]
[GRAPHIC=LIBERTY]
The Liberty University men's basketball program is in search of a new head coach. This afternoon the team's coach since 1998, Mel Hankinson, was fired.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Thursday; :00]
Hankinson coached his final game for the Flames last Thursday in the opening round of the Big South tournament. The Flames finished this year a disappointing 5 and 25. Despite appearing to have better than average talent most years, Hanikinson's teams were able to win just 36 games while losing 77 since he took over Randy Dunton in 1998.
(------------)

[S-NCAA]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-118 2923TC]
[GRAPHIC=NCAA HOOPS]

Hankinson wasn't the only coach to lose his program today. DePaul's Pat Kennedy resigned after five years with the Blue Demons.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-1998 Season; :00]
And back in the Commonwealth, Mac McCarthy has quit after four years at the helm of VCU. He steps down a day after the Rams lost their CAA championship game to UNC Wilmington.
[SUPER=04-1995;]
He is replaced by former Duke guard Jeff Capel Junior, who is best known for this buzzer beater against UNC in 1995. He is now the youngest division one head coach at the ripe old age of 27.
(------------)

[S-ACC]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=ACC]
If you're already starting to make your plans for Friday's big day in the ACC remember that the men's quarterfinals are right here on Your Hometown Station.
(XXXXXXX)
[GO TO PINNACLE] Friday afternoon will have regular season champ Maryland taking on the winner's of Thursday night's Florida State-Clemson game at Noon. Right after that - what could be the best game of the tournament's first round. UVa taking on NC State at 2:30.
(XXXXXX)
[GO TO PINNACLE] The night session has Duke and Carolina at 7 followed by Wake Forest and Georgia Tech at 9:30. The semi-finals are Saturday - the title game is Sunday.
(----------------)

[S-Hoops]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-116 1:01:14]
[GRAPHIC=Dazzle]

The Dazzle is comes into tonight's seven o'clock tip off against Charleston Southern at the Roanoke Civic Center with an 18 and 28 record.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]

One bright spot for the Dazzle has been Johnny Taylor, who made his first start for Roanoke March second. The six foot 9, 220 pound forward scored 33 points in his first two Dazzle games and dropped 30 on North Charleston March fourth. Taylor is working hard to adjust to coach Kent Davison's system.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="]
[SUPER=01-Johnny Taylor/Dazzle Forward; :00]
[SUPER=01-Kent Davison/Dazzle Head Coach; :16]
[RUNS=:38]
[OUT Q=...you've got to ride it"]
(-------------)

[S-VIR]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-111 10237tc]
[GRAPHIC=VIR]

Virginia International Raceway, arguably the best kept secret in motorsports in the south, is about to get a whole lot bigger.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Alton/Last Year; :00]
The Halifax County Board of Supervisors has approved expansion plans for the track to create an entire off-road driving facility that will make it the only operation in the country. Among other things, VIR will begin constructing a two mile dirt motocross track, a one mile dirt SUV elevation course and a paved 3000 foot long karting track. The VIR season opens on April 26th with the Ferrari Challenge.
(------------)

[S-Hendrick]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-113 10125tc]
[GRAPHIC=BUSCH]

The NASCAR Busch series is not even a month old, but already one of the series drawing cards is on the shelf with an injury.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Last Season; :00]
Hendrick Motorsports driver Ricky Hendrick, who dislocated his right shoulder in Saturday's NASCAR Busch race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will have arthroscopic surgery tomorrow to repair ligament damage in his shoulder. The driver of the GMAC Chevrolet is expected to make a full recovery, but will be out approximately six weeks. Taking his place is two-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday. (------------) He could be back in time for the April 20 event at Talladega Superspeedway.