WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 05/11/02

[Video-Open]

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[VO-NAT]
A man is dead after crashing his car during a police pursuit.
(------------)
Good evening, I'm Teresa Hamilton.

[Rke-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jen]
[TAPE#=02-07 1;48:37]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]
Authorities say the crash happened after the man fled a sobriety checkpoint on the Roanoke/ Botetourt County line.
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[VO-NAT :31+]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/This Morning]
Officials say when the suspect was asked to pull over, he sped off, leading deputies to follow. Police say the chase reached speeds up to 74 miles-an-hour and and lasted for several miles. During the pursuit, authorities say the driver swerved in the path of a deputy's car, in an apparent attempt to cause the deputy to wreck. The chase ended when the man crashed into another car and a steel signpost near the intersection of Orange Avenue and Williamson Road in Roanoke. The suspect was killed instantly. His name has not yet been released.
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[B'burg-Chase]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=kgu]
[TAPE#=None]
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Another police pursuit today- this one in the New River Valley. Blacksburg Police were called to the home of 31-year-old James David Newell in Blackburg for a suicide threat. Police say Newell then fled and a pursuit ensued. After evading a rolling road block- Newell then struck a State Police cruiser. Trooper A.C. Thompson was taken to Giles Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. Newell was eventually caught after he wrecked while allegedly trying to run over another officer. He was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for minor injuries. Charges are pending as the investigation continues.

[Advance-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-06 1:53:19]
[GRAPHIC=Hold Shooting]

Police hope to soon release the names of the two people involved in yesterday's shooting at the administrative offices of Advance Auto.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Authorities say a former employee shot and seriously wounded another employee outside the company's Roanoke County offices and then committed suicide.
Sources tell News 7 the shooter was a woman, the victim a male.
He is reportedly still in serious condition at a local hospital.
Police say it has been difficult notifying next of kin because some family members live in different time zones.
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[D-Day]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-14 1;02:15]
[GRAPHIC=None]

More controversy for the D-Day Memorial in Bedford.
The latest involves a copyright deal the D-Day Foundation made with the architect of the memorial.
Today, the people who made that deal held a press conference to set the record straight.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Teresa/Justin BAM;]

Justin McLeod is here now with more. Justin?
Teresa, the contract was signed several years ago but only now is it raising eye brows.
[LIVE=Justin/FULL]
[SUPER=@justin1]

It allows the firm that designed the memorial to also own several copyright images of the memorial.
Therefore, if a vendor wants to sell D-Day souvenirs using that copyright material, he or she must first pay a licensing fee.
And for some, that's a hard sell.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Bedford/Last June; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bob Slaughter/Former D-Day Foundation Chairman; :15]
[SUPER=01-Byron Dickson/D-Day Memorial Architect; :35]
[RUNS=1:50]
[OUT Q=THAT WE HAVE NOW]
((((NAT SOUND OF THE D-DAY DEDICATION CEREMONY))
It was a day of celebration.
Last June, thousands came out for the dedication of the D-Day Memorial.
One year later, the party is definitely over.
[SOT 1:03:16]
[IN Q=Things are not]
((BOB SLAUGHTER/FORMER D-DAY FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN: THINGS ARE NOT TURNING OUT AS WE HOPED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.))
[Runs=07]
[OUT Q=several years ago]

Several years and millions of dollars later, the D-Day Memorial is more than five million dollars in debt.
It's prompted resignations and even a federal investigation.
Now, another controversy.
This over memorial souvenirs.
[SOT 54:23]
[IN Q=Not one dime has been]
((BYRON DICKSON/D-DAY MEMORIAL ARCHITECT: NOT ONE DIME HAS BEEN COLLECTED FROM ANY LOCAL MERCHANT. NO LEGAL ACTION HAS BEEN EMPLOYED, THREATENED, OR EVEN SUGGESTED.))
[Runs=06]
[OUT Q=or even suggested]

But there has been a lot of criticism.
Byron Dickson is the architect of the memorial.
He also owns 20 copyright images of the memorial including the D-Day Overlord Arch.
If a vendor including the memorial itself wants to sell D-day items, they must first pay a licensing fee.
Dickson says the D-Day foundation wanted it that way.
[SOT 52:01]
[IN Q=Fundamental to the letter]
((BYRON DICKSON: FUNDAMENTAL TO THE LETTER OF PROMULGATION WAS A NEED TO PROTECT THE MEMORIAL FROM INDISCRIMINATE FRIVOLOUS AND INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE IMAGES THAT REPRESENT A VERY SERIOUS ARCHITECTURAL WORK.))
[Runs=13]
[OUT Q=serious architectural work]

But that agreement has caused a lot of controversy.
A recent editorial in the Lynchburg News & Advance argues the copyright images of the memorial should belong to the memorial, not the architect.
Former chairman of the D-Day Foundation Bob Slaughter says the board did nothing wrong.
[SOT 1:07:42]
[IN Q=We did the best]
((BOB SLAUGHTER: WE DID THE BEST WE COULD AND I'M NOT ASHAMED OF ANYTHING WE DID.))
[Runs=:04]
[OUT Q=anything we did]

Slaughter believes the D-Day Memorial will bounce back and solve its money troubles.
But it is work at least for now he won't be part of. [1:11:18]
[IN Q=I wish I was back]
((BOB SLAUGHTER: I WISH I WAS BACK ON IT SURE AND I'D LIKE TO BE BACK ON THE BOARD BUT IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AS LONG AS WE GOT THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE HAVE NOW.))
[Runs=08]
[OUT Q=that we have now]
[LIVE=Justin /FULL]))

As for that administration, Byron Dicksons says he is willing to give the copyright rights back to the D-Day Foundation.
[DOUBLE BOXES= /Microwave;]

But Teresa, according to Dickson, the Foundation has given no indication that it wants it back.

[D'ville-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=six]
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A man is dead following an apparent hostage situation in Danville this morning.
67 year old Rennie Hunt was shot and killed in an altercation with police.
Authorities are releasing few details about the incident--
They would only say Hunt was holding his girlfriend hostage at his residence on Main Street.
State police are handling the investigation.

[SCLC]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-15 1:34:33]
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Virginia's Southern Christian Leadership Conference has a new president.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/Thursday]

Today, members elected Danville's William Avon Keen, pictured here on the right, to a four year term.
But a Bedford man says he's the rightful president of the traditionally black-led organization.
Jack Mills was nominated as president-elect of the S-C-L-C in January but the board later dropped their support of him.
Mills says he's the victim of racism and he's filed an injunction to prevent Keen from becoming president.
He hopes to get a court ruling sometime next week.
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[Gardner]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=tbr]
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[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A jury in Washington County has recommended a 500 year prison sentence for a man convicted of sexually abusing a child.
24 year old Jeffrey Jason Gardner of Glade Spring was found guilty of ten felony counts of sexually abusing a child under the age of 13.
The jury recommended the maximum penalty of 50 years for each count.

[Food-Drive]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-11 1:15:04]
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The U.S. Postal Service is working to stamp out hunger.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

The National Association of Letter Carriers' held its annual food drive today.
Area residents contributed by leaving canned and other non-perishable goods at their mailboxes.
Letter carriers picked up the items and delivered them to various drop off locations across the region.
They'll now be donated to area food banks.
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[SOT 15:12:10]
[IN Q=The community this is there]
((DORA CAMPBELL/SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK: THE COMMUNITY THIS IS THERE TIME OF YEAR TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE REAL SUPPORT. I MEAN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED OF FOOD. WE'VE GOT FLOODING, WE'VE GOT HURRICANES, WE'VE GOT ALL TYPES OF THINGS HAPPENING ALL YEAR LONG SO AT TIMES LIKE THIS A LITTLE CAN, A LITTLE BAG OF FOOD SHOWS THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AND THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND GET INVOLVED IN IT.))
[SUPER=01-Dora Campbell/Second Harvest Food Bank]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=involved in it]
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[VO-NAT]

In the Roanoke Valley, letter carriers collected more than fifty thousand pounds of food today.
Nationwide last year, they took in more than 70 million pounds.
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[Tech-Graduation]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
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[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-19 15:49]
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The state's largest university held commencement exercises today.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg]

Virginia Tech handed out more than five thousand degrees this morning.
The university held one large ceremony and then 35 separate services for individual colleges and departments.
For the first time in twenty years, Tech awarded an honorary doctorate degree to former University Board Director and Exxon Executive Cliff Garvin.
More than twenty five thousand people attended graduation ceremonies today.
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[anchor=Teresa]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

Governor Mark Warner was this year's featured speaker.
He told the graduates their education will help them find work in an internet economy.

[Frontier-Museum]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=Weekend 6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=Time Off #4 ]
[GRAPHIC=]

Virginia is loaded with historical sites and interpreters who'll show you what life was like in early America. But only one attraction includes the *European* perspective. In this week's Time Off Shannon Young takes us to the Frontier Culture Museum for a trip spanning two continents and three centuries.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=All that's missing is the Big Pond.]
[SUPER=03-Staunton;]
[SUPER=01-Rhonda Howdyshell/Frontier Culture Museum;]
[SUPER=01-Gerry/Interpreter;]
[SUPER=01-Aimee/Interpreter;]
[SUPER=@Shannon2;]
[RUNS=1:47]
[OUT Q=STD]

((All that's missing is the Big Pond. On 220 acres in Staunton you can walk between four farms representing four countries, four cultures, four periods in time.
[SOT 52:28-52:40]
[IN Q=One of them's from German...]
((RHONDA HOWDYSHELL/FRONTIER CULTURE MUSEUM: ONE OF THEM'S FROM GERMANY AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S THE EARLY 1700'S. ONE'S FROM NORTHERN IRELAND AND THAT'S THE 1730'S. WE HAVE ONE FROM ENGLAND AND THAT'S OUR OLDST FARM. THAT'S FROM THE 1690'S. AND OUR AMERICAN FARM TIES IT ALL TOGETHER.))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=American farm ties it all together.]
The latter was moved from a farm in Botetourt County and dates back to the 1850's. Not only are the buildings authentic, but costumed interpreters go about the daily business of maintaining their farms.
[SOT 36:44-37:04]
[IN Q=The biggest problem we have...]
((GERRY/INTERPRETER: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IN 1730 IS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY THE RENT TWICE A YEAR SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A LOT OF MONEY LEFT OVER FOR FOOD. SO, YOU'RE GONNA RAISE EVERYTHING YOU CAN. GOOD SIZED VEGETABLE GARDEN BEHIND ME, A LOT OF GRAINS, A FEW LIVESTOCK ANIMALS TO EAT AND PRETTY MUCH TRY TO BE AS SELF SUFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.))
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=as self-sufficient as possible]
The farms take turns preparing a mid-day meal. You won't be allowed to sample the food, but the aroma is sure to make you wish otherwise... just as the work-load will spark appreciation of modern conveniences.
[SOT 28:00-28:06]
[IN Q=It was alot of hard work...]
((AIMEE/INTERPRETER: IT WAS ALOT OF HARD WORK. JUST FARMING, THE FARMING TECHNOLOGY THEY HAD IN 1710 WAS MOSTLY EVERYTHING BY HAND, OF COURSE.))
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=EVERYTHING BY HAND, OF COURSE.]
[BUTT BUTT BUTT]
[SOT 28:46-28:53]
[IN Q=It's good for kids to see the water...]
((AIMEE/INTERPRETER: IT'S GOOD FOR KIDS TO SEE THE WATER COMING UP OUT OF THE WELL RATHER THAN OUT OF THE SINK. IT DRIVES IT HOME.))
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=It drives it home.]
As does the blacksmith's forge where you'll witness the struggle to hold onto a sense of humor while hammering out a living.
[SOT 41:38-41:41]
[IN Q=I have no idea why...]
((I have no idea why they call it a fizz trough...))
[RUNS=:03]
[OUT Q=they call it a fizz trough.]
They may not have been the same nationality, but the people portrayed here shared a common language of determination.

In the future, the museum plans to enlarge its small world to include Native Americans, West Africans and a 19th century village. Shannon Young, News 7, Staunton.))

[Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-21 10:23]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]
Nearly a thousand people in West Virginia are still without clean drinking water.
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[VO-NAT 02-07 tc 1:32:48]
[SUPER=03-McDowell Co., WV/May 3; ]
According to the state Office of Emergency Services, 933 customers are still without water to drink or to clean the mud from their homes. More than five thousand homes are still under a boil water advisory-- which is actually an improvement. Immediately after the May second flood hit, 74- hundred customers were without water and 16- thousand were under the boil water advisory.
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[Fire-Open-House]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
Roanoke County is opening its door to the public. Next weekend, the county will host an open house at many of its fire and rescue stations. Tours will be available at all of the county's rescue facilities except Bent Mountain and Clearbrook.
(XXXXX)
[TAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT FS] Tours are scheduled for Saturday, May 18th from eleven A-M to three P-M. There will be free blood pressure checks for adults, and a chance for kids see the fire trucks and ambulances. Plus, folks will be on hand for those who want to learn more about becoming a volunteer.
(XXXXX)

[S-SOFTBALL]

[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[NEWSCAST=6PM]
[WRITER=mbr]
[TAPE#=SP-113]
[GRAPHIC=News-7 Sports]
The Big East Conference Softball Tournament wrapped up this afternoon at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem. The Virginia Tech Lady Hokies trying to finish off their run through the Big East against Notre Dame in the Championship Round. The Hokies needed just a single win to claim the title. The Fighting Irish would have to beat the Tech twice to take the title.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/Va. Tech vs. Notre Dame; :00]
The Lady Hokies sent ace pitcher Ashley Dobbe to the mound trying to win the first game and end the tournament. Dobbe gave up just 2 hits and 1 run through four innings as Notre Dame held a one-to-nothing lead going to the fifth inning. That's when Tech tied the score. Yesterday's hero, Megan Evans rocks a solo home run to center field, suddenly the game is tied at one and the Hokies have a chance.
[SUPER=34-Notre Dame/2/Va. Tech/1; :]
But, Notre Dame pulled ahead in the bottom of the 5th inning Jenny Kriech slaps a base hit into right-center field. Alexis Madrid scores and Notre Dame forces a deciding game with a two-to-one win.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="When you take a beating...]
[SUPER=01-Deanna Gumpf/Notre Dame Head Coach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Scot Thomas/Va. Tech Head Coach; :11]
[RUNS=:34]
[OUT Q=...Ashley pitching."]
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[WIPE TO NEXT VO]

[S-TECH]

[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[NEWSCAST=6PM]
[WRITER=mbr]
[TAPE#=SP-116]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[WIPE TO ENG!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Game Two; :00]
Dobbe did in fact take the mound for the second game, but worked herself into a jam loading the bases in the first inning. Notre Dame's Liz Hartmann hits one down to shortstop. The Hokies can't record the out scoring Megan Ciolli.
[SUPER=34-Notre Dame/3/Va. Tech/1; :]

The Irish win game two and the Big East Championship beating the Hokies 3-to-1.
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[S-NCAA]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=news 7 sports]

At the South Atlantic regional NCAA softball tournament in Atlanta, Roanoke College beat top seeded Emory 2-to-1 this morning. Ferrum also won today - eliminating Maryville 2-to-nothing. If the Panthers beat Emory tonight - Roanoke and Ferrum will square off tomorrow morning at 10.

[S-UVa]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-117 13736TC]
[GRAPHIC=VIRGINIA]

The Virginia softball team is still alive at the ACC championship. Earlier today the cavs knocked Maryland out of the tournament in the loser's bracket. The UVA baseball team was home this afternoon - but not nearly as lucky.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/Tigers vs. Cavaliers; :00]
The Cavaliers hosted the number one ranked Clemson Tigers today at Davenport Field. Virginia's Robert Word made his mark by blasting a solo homer to deep left center field in the 6th inning as Virginia cut the Tigers lead to just one run at 5-to-4. But UVa head coach Dennis Womack would then watch his team give up 10 unanswered runs in the
[super=34-Clemson/15/Virginia/4;]
final three innings as Clemson knocks off UVa 15-to-4. The Cavs are now one game under 500 on the season.
(------------)

[S-Busch]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-112 15303TC]
[GRAPHIC=NASCAR]

The Winston Cup drivers are off this weekend for their traditional Mother's Day break, but the Busch Grand National drivers were hard at work today in Loudon, New Hampshire.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Loudon, NH/FX; :00]
Bobby Hamilton Jr. completed a tremendous comeback as he posted his first career Busch Series victory.
Hamilton Jr. came from outside the top 15 with less than 70 laps to go to get his first win in his 96th career start.
But it wasn't easy. Shane Hmiel, another of the young lions, led the way with just 13 laps to go. But Hamilton, in the US Mariners sponsored Chevy would win the event by more than two seconds over Todd Bodine. Jack Sprague finished third, Hniel fourth and Mike McLaughlin fifth. It was a terrible day for the local drivers, Jeff Burton was dead last completing just 5 laps due to ignition problems. And Stacy Compton finished seven laps down in 27th. He was an innocent victim of this restart mishap early in the race when the whole front end of his car was smashed.
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[S-STEAM]

[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[NEWSCAST=6PM]
[WRITER=mbr]
[TAPE#=SP-111]
[GRAPHIC=News-7 Sports]
The Roanoke Steam are back at the Civic Center tonight. The Steam carry a three-game winning streak into tonight's match-up with the Norfolk Nighthawks. Steam coach Steve Jerry is very familar with the Nighthawks after coaching on the Norfolk staff three seasons ago.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="Pretty much the same...]
[SUPER=01-Steve Jerry/Steam Head Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=he looks for."]
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[S-Tennis]

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

The Virginia Tech tennis team has advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. This morning the Hokies upset 23rd ranked North Carolina 4-to-2. All six of the singles' matches went to a third set in what was an extremely tight match. Tech now plays the winner of the Tennessee-Wake Forest match tomorrow at one at the UT varsity tennis center in Knoxville.