WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 08/11/02

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]

Ahead on NEWS 7 at six...
Find out what changes are just around the bend for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Plus, meet a group of women who prove you're never too old to cruise.
(------------)

[Sports-head]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Tonight on News 7 Sports, we'll hit the links at the Buick Open, plus meet a former big leaguer who now makes a living in the Appalachian League.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Plus, Tony the Tiger earned his stripes today at Watkins Glen.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Brent]
[SS=None]

Hazy sunshine and hot temperatures were the focus of our Sunday. Showers were certainly few and far between though. I'll let you know what the evening holds plus your workweek forecast coming up. [Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:31:32]
[IN Q=While last year]
((ED CLARK/PARK RANGER: WHILE LAST YEAR WE HAD SIX FATALITIES ON THE PARKWAY THIS YEAR WE'VE ALREADY HAD FIVE.))
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=already had five]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

A high number of accidents on the Blue Ridge Parkway forces the the National Park Service to take action.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at 6]

Good evening, I'm Teresa Hamilton.

[Parkway-Patrol]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-27 TC-40:50]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 at 6]
It's the prettiest time of the year but also the most dangerous. The number of accidents on the Blue Ridge Parkway nearly triple from now until October. As Justin McLeod discovered-- rangers have a new plan to hopefully drive the problem away.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Steve Buxton/Park Ranger; :25]
[SUPER=@justin1; :49]
[SUPER=01-Ed Clark/Park Ranger; 1:10]
[RUNS=1:41]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7, Roanoke Co.]
((((NAT SOUND OF CAR DRIVING BY AT 15:45:57))
It is a place that attracts people locally and from around the country (QUICK NAT SOUND OF MOTORCYCLES AT 15:48:48)...all 469-miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
[SOT 58:44; 58:24; TAPE 2]
[IN Q=I just love it]
((BRENDA BURKES: I JUST LOVE IT. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.)) ((OWEN BURKERS: OH YES, PRETTY SCENERY.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=pretty scenery]

Pretty scenery but also the scene of many accidents.
The number of crashes on the parkway is up 43-percent from five years ago.
[SOT 15:52:03 TAPE 1]
[IN Q=When people are distracted]
((STEVE BUXTON/PARK RANGER: WHEN PEOPLE ARE DISTRACTED FROM OBJECTS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT TENDS TO INCREASE ACCIDENTS.))
[Runs= 09]
[OUT Q=increase accidents]

It is an increase that rises significantly from now until late fall.
Last year, the Parkway recorded 130 accidents during the months of August, September, and October.
[SOT 56:26; TAPE 2]
[IN Q=A lot of those accidents]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: A LOT OF THOSE ACCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING IN CURVES. PARK RANGERS SAY THEY SOMETIMES CLOCK DRIVERS GOING 70 TO 80 MILES PER HOUR IN A CURVE. THAT'S WHY THEY PLAN TO PUT UP MORE WARNING SIGNS IN THE COMING MONTHS TELLING YOU TO SLOW DOWN.))
[Runs= 12]
[OUT Q=to slow down]
((NAT SOUND OF CLOSING DOOR 15:49:47)) ((NAT SOUND OF TURNING ON CAR 15:49:55))
The Park Service is also launching operation 11 to 7.
All available rangers will now patrol the parkway on Saturday and Sunday when many of the accidents seem to happen.
[SOT 15:33:21; TAPE 2]
[IN Q=We would ask folks]
((ED CLARK/PARK RANGER: WE WOULD ASK FOLKS TO STOP, SLOW DOWN, TO TAKE IN THE SIGHTS BUT TO TRAVEL SAFELY AND REALLY OBSERVE THAT 45 MILE A HOUR SPEED LIMIT SIGN.))
[Runs= 09]
[OUT Q=speed limit sign]
((NAT SOUND OF MOTORCYCLES DRIVING BY))
The Park Service has found motorcycles are involved in a high number of accidents. ((NAT SOUND OF RANGER ON RADIO SAYING "I CAN'T MAKE THE MODEL OF THE VEHICLE" AT 15:57:48 TAPE 1))
Rangers don't know why but plan to study ways to reduce that number.
It is all in an effort to make your ride on the park enjoyable without taking a turn for the worse. (SHOT AT 59:28, TAPE 2)
Justin McLeod, News 7, Roanoke County.))

[Burrow]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-22 TC-2:01:40]
[GRAPHIC=Richard Burrow]
The former head of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation is finding some financial help as his September third fraud trial approaches.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :25+]
[SUPER=@file]
Richard Burrow's supporters have raised nearly 100-thousand dollars to help pay for his defense. The 55-year-old Roanoke man was indicted in June on federal charges of bank, wire, mail and loan-application fraud. He has pleaded innocent.
Burrow's backers say he needs financial help because the government prosecutors he's up against have unlimited resources. They also say they believe Burrow did nothing illegal in raising money for the D-Day Memorial in Bedford.
(------------)

[Band-Camp]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-36 TC-6:18]
[GRAPHIC=none]

They're also drumming up support of a different kind in Franklin County.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:02:16]
[IN Q=NAT SOUND OF DRUMS PLAYING]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=NAT SOUND OF DRUMS PLAYING]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.]

The annual Mid Atlantic Band Camp is taking place at Ferrum College.
Marching bands from Christiansburg, Radford, Staunton River, Cave Spring, and Hidden Valley High School are taking part in the five day event.
Practice lasts nearly ten hours and usually goes well into the night.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 4:58:19; 5:10:17]
[IN Q=It is really a great]
((SARAH McGOWAN/CHRISTIANSBURG HIGH SCHOOL: IT IS REALLY A GOOD EXPERIENCE. WE LEARN A LOT OF DISCIPLINE AND HOW TO DO THINGS. IT BUILDS SELF ESTEEM AND IT MAKES YOU FEEL GREAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A LOT OF HARD WORK AND YOU SWEAT A LOT.)) ((LAUREN EUBANK/CAVE SPRING HIGH SCHOOL: A LOT OF STUFF WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS A TEAM AND DANCING IN THE AFTERNOONS AND IT'S A REALLY BIG BONDING EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD ON OUR SHOWS SO IT'S GOOD FOR THE FOOTBALL GAMES.))

[SUPER=01-Sarah McGowan/Christiansburg High School; :00]
[SUPER=01-Lauren Eubank/Cave Spring High School; :11]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=for the football games]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The camp wraps up Tuesday morning with a grand finale performance by all the bands.
(------------)
[wipe/wipe/wipe]

[Galax-Fiddlers]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=02-33 TC-12:07]
[GRAPHIC=WIPE WIPE]
[WIPE WIPE WIPE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Galax]
Musicians are just wrapping up in Galax. Last night-- the 67th annual Old Time Fiddlers Convention came to a close at Felts Park. This morning-- crews with the Carroll County Search and Rescue began the hard work of cleaning up.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:12:09]
[IN Q=WE HAVE TO ]
[SUPER=01-Peanut Turman/Carroll Co. Search & Rescue; ]
((WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE GROUNDS ARE GOOD AND CLEAN AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE PARK SERVICE HERE AND THE MOOSE THEY TAKE CARE OF US WITH A DONATION TO TAKE CARE OF THIS AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR FUNDRAISERS ONE OF OUR TWO FUNDRAISERS THAT WE USE TO SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZATION.))
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=SUPPORT OUR ORGANIZATION.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

This year's fiddler's convention attracted more than sixty thousand people. It took another 25- people to help with the cleanup which lasted the entire day.
(------------)

[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[SS=NONE]
Still to come on News 7 at 6, our viewers speak out about a cigarette tax and a political activist...
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
and in a visit with some local senior, Miss Virginia says she's ready for Atlantic City... More on that in just a little bit, but first let's check in with Brent.
(----------------)

[Feedback]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=FdBack TC-47:30]
[GRAPHIC=none]

It's time to check our viewer mail.
Here's assignment editor Joe McKean, with News-7's Feedback.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Animation Open]
[RUNS=2:08]
[OUT Q=Animation Close]
((The city of Salem's plan for a 15 cent per pack tax on cigarettes left a couple of viewers fuming about fairness.
(Barry Thompson/Salem) "I think this is definite discrimination against smokers. Why should we be the only ones paying
for a school when a lot of us do not even have children going to school anymore? I feel if money is needed for a school it should be everybody's responsibility, not just one group of people."
A non-smoker wrote: (John E. Rowan, Jr./Roanoke) "I disagree with the raising of the cigarette tax anywhere: city, county, state or even throughout the US. I disagree not because I'm a smoker but every time a budget revenue or money for any cause needs to be raised or increased the tax on cigarettes or other tobacco products are mentioned or increased....I believe if the tax on alcoholic beverages was increased it would bring in more revenue than an increase in the cigarette tax."
Our extended interview last weekend with activist Nathan Musselman about the conflicts in the Middle East brought some critical comments.
From Woolwine: (John and Leah Matthews) "With our country at war against terrorism, we were disappointed with the notoriety you are giving this young man. Why can't you be interviewing those who are fighting for and giving their time for us here at home? It seems that would serve our community a lot better than talking to someone who is trying to cause dissension."
And from Floyd County: (Yvonne Shelor/Check): "The media drives me nuts when they echo the lies of the Palestinians. You need to learn the facts and report them. There has never been a Palestinian state and until the 1970's "Palestinian" referred to "Jews". Arafat is not only trying to wipe the Jews from the face of the earth as Hitler did, he also repeats lies as Hitler did because ignorant people will believe a lie if it is repeated often enough. When Americans spread the propaganda of the Arabs they are being just what the Arabs say about us, that we are ignorant about the rest of the world."
We appreciate any comments on our news coverage or issues in the news. Send them to us by mail...fax...or email.
Joe McKean, News-7.))

[Miss-Virginia]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=02-25 TC-1:18:06]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Some area senior citizens got a special visit from a statewide celebrity with a sweet tooth.
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :15]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
Miss Virginia, Jennifer Pitts attended an ice cream social with residents at "The Park Oak Grove Retirement Community". Pitts signed autographs and performed a tap dance routine. She says that serving as Miss Virginia has been a rewarding experience.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT - 1:10:58]
[IN Q=I tell everybody that being...]
((JENNIFER PITTS/MISS VIRGINIA; I TELL EVERYBODY THAT BEING MISS VIRGINIA IS THE BEST JOB IN THE COMMONWEALTH, BECAUSE I GET TO MEET SO MANY PEOPLE, I GET TO TRAVEL THE STATE, AND GO TO ALL KINDS OF FUN APPEARANCES. THEY HAVE ME HERE AT THE ICE CREAM SOCIAL TODAY, AND I LOVE ICE CREAM, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ICE CREAM, THAT'S MY FAVORITE THING TO EAT.))
[SUPER=01-Jennifer Pitts/Miss Virginia;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=my favorite thing to eat.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT :11+]
Pitts leaves for Atlantic City in about three weeks to compete in the Miss America pageant. She'll be there for about three weeks to prepare for the pageant which wraps up on September 21st.
(------------)

[Tease#2]
[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[SS=NONE]
Still to come on News 7 at 6, it's been an emotional week for Tony Stewart, but he takes the checkered flag at Watkins Glen... We'll have highlights in sports...
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
and these women don't look like your ordinary jet-skiers, but they are taking to the waves in an unusual group. More on that in just a minute.
(----------------)

[She-Doos]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=VA Profiles #5 TC-2:02:30]
[GRAPHIC=VA Profile]
They are a different sort of gang cruising on Smith Mountain Lake. It's a group of women cruising on water craft that's normally reserved for a younger crowd. Richard Lesko has more in this week's Virginia Profile.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=They're ]
[SUPER=03-Smith Mountain Lake; :00]
[SUPER=01-Carolyn Trogdon/She-Doos; :12]
[SUPER=01-Ann Shelton/She-Doos; :22]
[SUPER=@Richard2; 1:04]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=Richard Lesko, News 7.]
(( They're all over 50 years old, most of them are grandmothers, and they're going wild on the water on jet skis. Meet the She-Doos.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:15:37]
[INQ=I have two children]
((CAROLYN TRODGON/SHE-DOOS; I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN. REPORTER: AND WHAT DO THEY THINK OF THIS? CAROLYN TROGDON: THEY THINK IT'S REALLY NEAT. THEY'RE GLAD I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUTQ=having a good time.]
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:13:51]
[INQ=He doesn't like them...]
((ANN SHELTON/SHE-DOOS; MY HUSBAND THINKS THEY'RE DANGEROUS, HE DOESN'T LIKE THEM. IT'S TAKEN ME THREE YEARS TO GET THIS ONE.))
[RUNS= 6]
[OUTQ=to get this one.]
20 or so women meet once a week to share stories, cruise the waters, and just to talk. It's the newest, and most unique social club around Smith Mountain Lake.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT -- 15:12:37]
[INQ=We go to breakfast...]
((ANN SHELTON/SHE-DOOS; WE GO TO BREAKFAST, AND THIS WEEK WE TOOK OUR LUNCH TO THE SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE STATE PARK, AND WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF DESTINATIONS ON THE LAKE THAT WE PLAN TO GO TO.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUTQ=plan to go to.]
They do have a couple of rules that must be followed for each meeting, all in the name of boating safety.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:13:14]
[INQ=First rule is...]
((ANN SHELTON/SHE-DOOS; FIRST RULE IS EVERYBODY HAS TO SHOW UP WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN ROPE, AND SOMEBODY HAS TO HAVE A CELL PHONE. ))
[RUNS= 9]
[OUTQ=has to have a cell phone.]
They've been riding the waves since the beginning of the summer, and they say only the cold weather will make them stop.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:12:52]
[INQ=We figure...]
((ANN SHELTON/SHE-DOOS; WE FIGURE WE CAN RIDE ALL THE WAY UP TO NOVEMBER.))
[RUNS= 3]
[OUTQ=to November.]
And while they may get a few strange looks from other boaters, they don't seem mind.
(//////SOT/////)
[SOT - 15:14:44]
[INQ=We had y]
((CAROLYN TROGDON/SHE-DOOS; WE HAD ONE YOUNG MAN TO ASK US WHETHER WE WERE LIKE THE HELLS ANGELS, I SAID WE'RE JUST A MILDER VERSION.))
[RUNS= 10]
[OUTQ=just a milder version.]
And now these women are showing even past fifty, you can still make waves. Richard Lesko, News 7.))

[Sports tease]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up in sports, Tony Stewart makes news for a different reason today at Watkins Glen, Tiger preps for the PGA Championship and
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
we'll explain why this former big league pitcher is now throwing in the Appalachian League.
(------------)

[S-Nascar]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-131 TC1657]
[GRAPHIC=Nascar]

It's been a trying week for Tony Stewart. After punching a photographer last week at Indy, Stewart was fined 10 thousand dollars by Nascar and another 50 grand by his sponsor Home Depot. But today, Stewart tried to funnel all the adversity into a win at Watkins Glen.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Watkins Glen, NY/NBC Sports; :00]

It was a tough day for points leader Sterling Marlin who suffered a mechanical failure and finished 30th.
Kurt Busch didn't fare much better. Busch blew an engine and went up in smoke.
The caution flag waved seven times on the afternoon. Dale Earnhardt, Junior brought out the yellow when he locked up the brakes and skidded through the kitty litter.
Then with 5 laps to go, Kenny Wallace broke a brake rotor and that left him in the foam barrier with lots of twisted sheet metal.
So in the true spirit of Nascar, the race was red flagged for 12 minutes to clean up the mess.
On the restart , Tony Stewart appeared to jump early, but Nascar didn't see it that way and Stewart held off Ryan Newman for his first victory on the road course at Watkins Glen.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Tony Stewart/First Watkins Glen Victory; :05]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=give up on them."]
(------------------)

[S-Billingham]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-121 TC4959]
[GRAPHIC=Baseball]

The Martinsville Astros are in the thick of the Appalachian League pennant race. A big reason for the Stros success has been some solid work from a young pitching staff under the direction of former big leaguer Jack Billingham. Billingham has been a valuable resource for the Martinsville hurlers.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=first audio..]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville; :08]
[SUPER=01-Jack Billingham/M-Astros Pitching Coach; :15]
[SUPER=01-Chance Douglass/M-Astros Pitcher; 1:11]
[RUNS=1:52]
[OUT Q=in the Appalachian League."]
(----------------------)

[S-MLB]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-133 TC2200]
[GRAPHIC=Baseball]

In the big leagues today, the A's tried to stay in the wild card hunt with a sweep of the Yanks.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY/YES; :00]

Jason Giambi drove in four runs today for the Bronx bombers against his old team. His two run single in the firs
t gave the Yankees a 3-nothing lead. Shane Spencer and Alphonso Soriano went yard for New York. [SUPER=35-Oakland//Ne
w York//;] The Yankees handle Oakland 8 to 5.
(------------)

[S-Buick]

[ANCHOR=travis]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-122 TC5643]
[GRAPHIC=Golf]

We finish up on the links where the season's fourth and final major is still a week away, but the PGA Championship would have to wait because Tiger Woods had some unfinished business at the Buick Open.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Grand Blanc, MI; :00]

Esteban Toledo started the day trailing Tiger by one, but it all came unraveled at the 13th hole. Toledo puts his chip in the water. He had to take a drop and made bogey.
Tiger, meanwhile dropped in his birdie effort for a three shot lead and never looked back. Tiger Woods wins the B(------------) uick Open for his 33rd professional victory.