WDBJ 7 morning news for 07/04/02

[11Benzenhafer]

[ANCHOR=Marya]

[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A woman is convicted of second degree murder for selling drugs to a teenager who overdosed and died.
Melanie Benzenhafer (Ben-zen-hay-fer) COULD have faced up to 40 years in prison. But, under a plea agreement, she'll serve two.
Prosecutors say it still sends a message.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Melanie Benzenhafer]
[SUPER=03-Fincastle; :00]
[SUPER=01-Joel Branscom/Commonwealth's Attorney; :11]
[SUPER=01-Brad Braford/Benzenhafer's Attorney; :34]
[SUPER=@Marya1; :58]
[RUNS=1:09]
[OUT Q=MJN7, Fincastle.]
(( Melanie Benzenhafer says she sold a couple of prescription painkillers to her teenage neighbor to help support her young daughter.
Because of it, she's a convicted murderer.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 24:10 - :20]
((JOEL BRANSCOM/COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: WHEN YOU UNDERTAKE TO SELL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, YOU TAKE THE RISK THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO TAKE THEM IN A WAY THAT KILLS THEM AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT DEATH.)) [RUNS:10]
Benzenhafer pleaded guilty to second degree murder.
She admits she sold three to five Lortab pills to 17-year-old Brian Osborne back in January for about 7 dollars apiece.
The next day, Osborne was found dead of an overdose.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 29:01 - :14]
((BRAD BRAFORD/BENZENHAFER'S LAWYER: IT WAS A TERRIBLE DECISION WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. UNFORTUNATELY, MR. OSBORNE DIDN'T SURVIVE THE CONSEQUENCES, BUT SHE WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THEM.)) [RUNS:13]
Second degree murder CAN carry up to 40 years in prison...
But prosecutors say they agreed to let Benzenhafer serve only two because she was NOT a drug dealer and had no criminal record.))
(--------------)

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[SS=hold]

Benzenhafer left court for prison, where she'll serve a year before she's transferred to a boot camp and work release program.
Brian Osborne's mother tells News-7 she's satisfied with the sentence.

[11Kilgore-Scam]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Attorney General Jerry Kilgore is warning consumers of a telephone scam that uses his office's name.
Kilgore says a Christiansburg man got a call from someone who said he was working for the attorney general's office and looking into credit card theft.
The caller told the Christiansburg man that his card had been fraudulently billed 479-dollars and he would have it removed.
First, however, the caller sought the victim's checking account number to help cover the fraud until the office could take care of the fraudulent billing.
The Christiansburg man declined and checked with the attorney general's office.

[China-Flooding]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=mornin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Flooding]

Recent floods have killed more than 600 people in China...
And the Chinese government is warning the worst floods of the year are yet to come.
Kimberly Conley has more from Beijing.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=massive flooding]
[SUPER=03-Longcaoping Village, China; :00]
[SUPER=01-Thorir Gudmunsson/Red Cross; :19]
[SUPER=02-Kimberly Conley/Reporting;1:04]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=CBS News,Beijing.]
((Massive flooding across China has killed more than 600 people. Hundreds of others are missing, and more than a million have lost their homes.
BITE (Reuters, June 28-29 feed: Longcaoping Village, Mrs. Pang in Mandarin): In that village alone, this woman says, six people were washed away.
Weeks of torrential rains tore across the country.
BITE (Reuters, July 2 feed, Thorir Gudmunsson in English): "I think these people are in a real crisis for themselves, which they cannot cope entirely. They can help rebuild their houses and in some cases they can rehabilitate their fields, but some of the fields are gone forever."
PICTURE: Reuters, June 30 feed, Foping County, pix of farmers looking at washed away crops and holes in farmland.
Over 12 million acres of farmland are now under water -- that's an area the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. The entire country is on flood alert, from the northern provinces all the way south to Shanghai, China's financial center, where two rivers have surpassed safety levels.
Villagers don't just blame mother nature -- they believe years of over-logging made the floods worse, by removing trees that kept soil erosion in check.
BITE (Reuters, 30 June feed, Longcaoping Village, Mrs. Pang in Mandarin): The forests used to be full of big trees but now there aren't any left.
PICTURE: Reuters, June 27-28 feed with file pix from 1998 floods. Lishui, Hunan Province. Pix of raging floods, woman clearing out water, people on tyres in floods.
After devastating floods killed thousands of people in 1998, the Chinese government poured billions of dollars into enforcing logging restrictions and flood prevention. But damage this year is already estimated at 3 billion -- and even worse, the peak flood season is still ahead.))

[Boat-Rescue]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

An 11-year-old has girl died in a boating crash in Maine.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Portland, ME;]

Six people fell overboard after two motorboats collided last night in Portland.
Five were rescued from the water, but the young girl's body was found a few hours later.
The cause of the accident is under investigation ... police say criminal charges may be filed.
(------------)

[11Barr-Labs]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-18 TC1:13:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A booming pharmaceutical market is good news for one local company which is celebrating a major expansion effort.

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

Barr Laboratories yesterday dedicated its new 7-million dollar warehouse and quality control lab at its facility in Forest.
The additional 150-thousand square feet will help create up to 75 new jobs.
The Bedford County plant was selected for expansion over other Barr operations in Ohio, New Jersey and New York.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:41:12]
[IN Q=I think our]
((BRUCE DOWNEY/BARR LABS CEO: I THINK OUR BUSINESS HAS DONE VERY WELL, AND CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE WORKFORCE AND THE QUALITY OF THIS FACILITY, WHENEVER WE EVALUATE WHERE TO EXPAND, THE FOREST FACILITY COMES UP VERY HIGH AND SO WE'VE DIRECTED A LOT OF DOLLARS TO THIS FACILITY.))
[SUPER=01-Bruce Downey/Barr Labs CEO]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=to this facility.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Barr Labs produces more than a hundred name-brand and generic medicines.
(------------)

[First-Business]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ckor]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Business News]

In business news this morning, Three major airlines are once again hiking rates... and WorldCom's M-C-I is accused of overbilling...
Here's Barton Eckert with a look at the morning's top business stories..
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Good Morning]
[SUPER=01-Barton Eckert/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:18]
[OUT Q=in Washington.]
(( GOOD MORNING THIS THURSDAY THE 4TH OF JULY.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS MORNING.
--------------------------

THREE MAJOR AIRLINES HAVE REINSTATED A $20 HIKE IN LEISURE FARES.
AMERICAN, UNITED, AND DELTA HAVE INITIATED THE HIKE.
THIS IS THE FOURTH SUCH ATTEMPT SINCE APRIL.
THREE TIMES BEFORE IT HAS FAILED WHEN COMPETITORS, SUCH AS NORTHWEST, HAVE REFUSED TO GO ALONG.
TOM PARSONS OF BESTFARES DOT COM HAS SOME ADVICE. "SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR THE DUST TO SETTLE."
--------------------------

IT'S NOT SUCH A HAPPY 4TH OF JULY FOR WORLDCOM'S "MCI" AS MORE PROBLEMS CAUSE A FEW BANGS.
SOME CUSTOMERS SAY THE LONG-DISTANCE CARRIER HAS BEEN OVERCHARGING THEM.
THE OVERBILLING COULD BE THE NEXT SHOE TO DROP.
ONCE A BILL IS ISSUED, THE COMPANY COUNTS THE MONEY AS REVENUE, AND DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR PAYMENT.
WORLDCOM AGREED LAST YEAR TO PAY UP TO 90 (M) MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE CLAIMS THAT M-C-I OVERBILLED.
--------------------------

ON WALL STREET.. HERE'S HOW WE HEAD INTO THE HOLIDAY PATRIOTIC SONGS AND MOCK FIREWORKS ON THE NEW YORK EXCHANGE..SET THE STAGE FOR NOSTALGIA AND CHEER IN THE MIDST OF LOSSES!
THERE ONCE WAS A TELEVISION SHOW... WE WON'T SAY HOW FAR BACK.. CALLED .. "THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS"
WELL, THIS WAS ONE HECK OF A WEEK FOR THE FINANCIAL MARKETS.. BUT STOCKS FINALLY BROKE THEIR LOSING STREAK.
NO TRADING TODAY BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY. TOMORROW THERE'S A HALF DAY SESSION.
------------------------

AND THAT'S YOUR FIRST BUSINESS CHECK ON THE MORNING'S TOP BUSINESS HAPPENINGS..
I'M BARTON ECKERT IN WASHINGTON.))

(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM]

[11July-Fourth]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=csc]
[TAPE#=02-04 TC1:39:38]
[GRAPHIC=July 4th]

Organizers are putting the finishing touches on this year's Fourth of July celebration in Roanoke..
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The annual fireworks show will follow a day of entertainment, including The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and the Clark Family Experience..
Buses will shuttle people to Victory Stadium, from the parking lots at Virginia Western Community College, and the Williamson Road garage downtown.
Spectators will not be allowed to bring their own fireworks -- this year that means no sparklers..
Tonight's fireworks display is expected to be better than ever..
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=00:51:18]
((LES FAIR/FIREWORKS TECHNICIAN; THEY HAVE A BIGGER VARIETY, LARGER SHELLS IN THE SHOW, A BIGGER PRE SHOW WITH ADDED SET PIECES AND GROUND LEVEL DISPLAYS.))
[SUPER=01-Les Fair/Fireworks Technician]
[RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=ground level displays]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Last year 28-thousand people attended the show -- this year organizers say they're expecting more than 30-thousand.
(------------)

[11Clark-Family]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-14 TC1:59:57]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

Six brothers from Franklin County will be one of the headline acts at tonight's concert... despite the fact that they're trying to declare bankruptcy.
Yesterday, the Clark Family Experience's financial problems brought them to a Roanoke courthouse.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday]

The brothers say they owe more than 700-thousand dollars to their record company, management and other creditors, and they don't have adequate income to pay those debts.
Yesterday, they acknowledged they want out of contracts they signed four years ago.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Sign here]
((AUSTIN CLARK: SIGN HERE, WE'LL PROMISE YOU THIS, WE'LL GET YOU THAT. THE ALBUM HASN'T EVEN COME OUT . HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO MAKE MONEY OR ANYTHING IF THEY WON'T EVEN PUT IT OUT.)) ((LORI THOMPSON/CURB RECORDS' ATTORNEY: I THINK ULTIMATELY IT'S GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR CAREERS AND CERTAINLY WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT THEY HAD APPROACHED CURB CONCERNING THEIR CONCERNS UNDER THE CONTRACT INSTEAD OF TAKING THIS COURSE WHICH THEY DID KIND OF OUT OF THE BLUE.))
[SUPER=01-Austin Clark/Clark Family Experience; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lori Thompson/Curb Records' Attorney; :10]
[RUNS=:23]
[OUT Q=which they did kind of out of the blue.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Two years after going into the studio to record their first major album, the project is still on the shelf. It is now scheduled for release on August 20th.
(------------)

[Balloonist]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=morning]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A Chicago tycoon and his balloon are back on solid ground after a record-breaking trip around the world.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Birdsville, Australia;]

Steve Fossett landed his Spirit of Freedom balloon in the remote Australian Outback this morning -- finally ending his solo trip.
Fossett spent nearly 15 days in the silver, closed-sized capsule.
He finally succeeded on his sixth attempt to circle the globe.
Fossett said he had no more plans for long-distance balloon trips.
Instead, for his next feat, he plans to try to fly a glider near the edge of space.
(------------)

[Roberts-Wedding]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=jen]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Fireworks are definately flying for one hollywood queen...
Julia Roberts married her cameraman boyfriend Daniel Moder early today in a ceremony at her estate outside Taos, New Mexico.
The Fourth-of-July announcement comes from Roberts' publicist Marcy Engelman. For now, she's not divulging details of the ceremony and won't say who was there -- only family and friends.
The Fourth of July ceremony is Roberts' second trip down the aisle. She was married to singer Lyle Lovett for nearly two years.
And she broke off her engagement to Kiefer Sutherland in 1991 on the eve on their wedding.

[5-Language-Class]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=502-11 3:34]
[GRAPHIC=Health Check]

In this morning's health check, we're looking at a program that's helping young children overcome language difficulties. An eight-week clinic at Radford University is using individual and group therapy sessions to develop skills needed for speech and expression.
As News 7's Rachel Cannon explains, the key to this program's approach is a good book...
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nats]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Morgan Allen/Parent; :17]
[SUPER=@Rachel1; :42]
[SUPER=01-Pat Rossi/Clinic Director; :52 QUICK]
[RUNS=1:37]
[OUT Q=RC, News 7, Radford.]
((NATS 1:10:54 Four and a half-year-old Samantha Allen is marching and learning at the same time. She needs help with her vocabulary, which now just consists of two words. Her dad says participating in the Waldron College summer clinic is already helping.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:01:42]
[IN Q=she's not]
((MORGAN ALLEN/PARENT; SHE'S NOT TALKING YET BUT SHE'S VERBALIZING A LOT SINCE SHE'S TAKEN THIS CLASS, SHE'S GOTTEN A LOT LOUDER IN HER SPEAKING ABILITY AND THAT TYPE STUFF AND THE WORDS SHE DOES KNOW SHE SAYS WITH MUCH MORE CONFIDENCE.))

[OUT Q=CONFIDENCE.]
In Samantha's case, problems with vocalizing her thoughts stems from a brain condition. Others in the clinic have childhood language disorders or are hearing impaired.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:14:41]
[IN Q=Books]
((RACHEL CANNON/RCANNON@WDBJ7.COM; BOOKS ARE THE MAIN FOCUS IN THIS PROGRAM IT HELPS THE CHILDREN DEVELOP THEIR LANGUAGE AND SPEECH, AND THEN THEY GET TO TAKE THEM HOME, IT ENABLES THE PARENTS TO HELP THEM CONTINUE THEIR PROGRESS.))
[OUT Q=THEIR PROGRESS.]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 55:23:12]
[IN Q=the ]
((PAT ROSSI/CLINIC DIRECTOR; THE CHILDREN READ THE STORIES AND THEN ALL DAY LONG WE DO ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE STORY.))
[OUT Q=THE STORY.]
A new book is introduced each week and each book provides material for 8-hours of therapy. Sessions are done in groups and on an individual basis.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:03:03]
[IN Q=she gets]
((SHE GETS A LOT OF THERAPY HERE AND A LOT OF THERAPY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND PRIVATE SOME THERAPY AS WELL.))
[OUT Q=AS WELL.]
Going beyond the regular classroom is what Director Pat Rossi says this program is all about. She says the individual attention the children receive makes the biggest impact.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 57:18:28]
[IN Q=we're]
((WE'RE ABLE TO GO BEYOND APPROPRIATE AND ACTUALLY MORE TOWARD IDEAL THERAPY OR WHAT REALLY IS IN A CHILD'S BEST INTEREST.))
[OUT Q=interest.]
An observation room allows parents to watch therapy techniques. Because of that, Allen says both he and Samantha are learning. Rachel Cannon, News 7, Radford.))

[11Cruising]

[ANCHOR=Marya]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin']
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-19 TC50:33]
[GRAPHIC=None]
For many it was a chance to relive high school memories of cruising down one of Roanoke's busiest streets, for others it was a show of classic horsepower, and automotive style. Richard Lesko takes us for a spin with Star City Motor Madness.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=it may be]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday; :00]
[SUPER=01-Tom Cox/Star City Motor Madness; :18]
[SUPER=01-Bob Hudson/Model-T Owner; 1:02]
[SUPER=@Richard2; 1:45]
[RUNS=1:50]
[OUT Q=RL, News 7, Roanoke.]
(( It may be a time honored tradition, but normally cruising on Williamson Road is frowned upon by the Roanoke City Police. On the night before Independance Day, it was accepted, and even encouraged.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:05:25]
[INQ=]
((TOM COX/STAR CITY MOTOR MADNESS; CRUISE WILLIAMSON ROAD, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT THAT YOU DON'T ORDINARILY HAVE, I'M TELLING THAT YOU HAVE TO OBEY ALL THE TRAFFIC LAWS, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. ))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUTQ=they're looking the other way.]
The Star City Motor Madness is a fundraiser for the Virginia Museum of Transportation, which is trying to build a classic automotive gallery. So far a local group has raised about of a third of the 1-point-5 million dollar price tag. Besides the opportunity to show off your wheels on the road, the Star City Motor Madness drew hundreds of display cars, new and old.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:26:48]
[INQ=nat sound.]
((NAT SOUND OF MODEL T STARTING))
[RUNS= 5]
[OUTQ=nat sound.]
This is a 1924 Model T, a purchased in 1951 for all of three dollars.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:24:35]
[INQ=This body style is...]
((BOB HUDSON/ 1924 MODEL T OWNER; THIS BODY STYLE IS THE HUCKSTER WAGON. THIS ONE DELIVERED VEGETABLES IN WINSTON-SALEM FROM 1924 TO 1932. THEN IT SAT IN A SHED UNTIL 1951 UNTIL I BOUGHT IT. AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING IT EVER SINCE.))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUTQ=driving it ever since.]
Car owners say they learn about themselves, and their families when they are trying to get these classic cars out of the garage, and cruising down the open road.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:15:17]
[INQ=We've been doing...]
((WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE ABOUT '74. AT ONE TIME WE HAD THREE '55, '56, '57 CHEVROLETS, WE RAN QUARTER MILER'S WITH ONE OF MY SONS. YOU LEARN ALOT ABOUT YOUR KIDS ACROSS THE HOOD OF A CAR.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUTQ=over the hood of a car.]
And on the eve of Independence Day, these car enthusiasts showed there's nothing more American than cruising in a classic automobile. Richard Lesko, News 7, Roanoke.))