[1-News-Head]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
As police search for the person behind a Roanoke County pipe bomb, neighbors wonder whether the act was malicious
or meant in jest.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :07]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
And, a jury decides whether a police officer acted reasonably when a would-be traffic stop erupted in gunfire.
(------------)
[Sports-head]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
In sports, Today marked Tech football media day and the Hokies will talk about their 84th meeting with Virginia, The Gator Bowl makes it ACC selection,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and the ACC has selected its' 2002 football coach of the year.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]
Your Thanksgiving holiday forecast is really clear and really cold. As we have some rain to deal with tonight. The western mountains will see snow. Details ahead.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 4-SHot]
News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 17:08]
[IN Q=This was a serious pipe bomb.]
[RUNS=:03]
[OUT Q=A metal pipe bomb.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
A pipe bomb blew up a Roanoke County family's mailbox.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Now investigators are offering a 100-thousand dollar reward.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
And I'm Keith Humphry.
[Pipe-Bomb]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-37 TC1:46:59]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
The explosion was heard all around Nell Drive in Northeast Roanoke County Friday night.
But it wasn't until the next day that a family discovered they'd been the victims of a pipe bomber.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Now, investigators are looking to the public to help catch the person responsible.
[***NEWS 7 @ 6 Graphic***]
[TOSS ACROSS=KEith-Shannon & Marya /pulpit;]
Marya Jones talked to investigators and people in the neighborhood today.
Marya, do they have any idea who's to blame?
Keith and Shannon, at this point, investigators are following leads about some cars seen in the area that night.
[LIVE= Marya /FULL Pulpit]
[SUPER=@Marya1;]
Even though no one was hurt, they take this crime very seriously.
They're offering up to 100-thousand dollars for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Kim Sydnor/Pipe Bomb Victim; :05]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :11]
[SUPER=01-Brett Brumbaugh/Postal Service Inspector; :24 quick!]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Thompson/Neighbor; 1:00 quick!]
[RUNS=1:06]
[OUT Q=SOMETHING LIKE THIS]
(( Kim Sydnor doesn't know why his house was targeted.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:45:08 - :18]
((KIM SYDNOR/PIPE BOMB VICTIM: I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT WOULD DISLIKE OR HATE ME THAT MUCH, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I THINK IT WAS MORE OF A PRANK THAN ANYTHING.))
[RUNS:10]
On Friday night, his mailbox exploded ... scattering debris all over the neighborhood.
Sydnor's fiancee and most of his neighbors heard it ... but it wasn't until the next day that investigators discovered it was a pipe bomb.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:41]
((BRETT BRUMBAUGH/POSTAL SERVICE INSPECTOR: THIS IS THE FIRST PIPE BOMB THAT WE'VE HAD THAT HAS EXPLODED FOR SOME TIME. ))
[RUNS:05]
Postal inspector Brett Brumbaugh is going door to door in the neighborhood, trying to find out what people saw or heard.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:46:37]
((NATS: I'M INSPECTOR BRUMBAUGH. I'M INVESTIGATING THE MAILBOX THAT WAS DESTROYED DOWN HERE THE OTHER DAY.))
[RUNS:07]
Neighbors like Jeff Thompson say the blast capped off a troubling week.
He and several other people along Nell Drive had wallets and other items stolen out of their cars...
Several C-Ds taken from his car turned up in the gutter outside Sydnor's home.
Thompson thinks the crimes could even be related.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:34:51]
((JEFF THOMPSON/NEIGHBOR: IT JUST MADE US VERY ANGRY THAT SOMEBODY WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. ))
[RUNS:06]))
(XXXXXXXX)
[WIPE TO FULL SCREEN BOARD]
If you have any information you can call the U-S Postal Inspection Service at 985 - 8755 OR call Roanoke County Police at 561 - 8063.
(-------------)
[LIVE=Marya/FULL Pulpit]
Investigators believe the pipe bombing is an isolated incident...
[TOSS ACROSS=Keith-SHannon & MArya /Pulpit;]
But to be safe, they're reminding people to report any suspicious items or people around their mailbox.
Keith and Shannon?
[Lewis]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=02-38 TC1:56:44]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
A federal jury has come down on the side of the Roanoke police officer involved in a shooting nearly three years ago.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
There was never any dispute that officer William Boucher (boo-SHAY) shot Wilbert Wesley Lewis during a traffic stop.
What was in contention was whether Lewis was shot in the stomach, or shot in the back.
The jury deliberated just 25 minutes before coming back with a verdict in favor of Officer Boucher.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We placed ourselves]
[SUPER=01-Ted Farmer/Jury Foreman; :00]
[SUPER=01-William Boucher/Roanoke Police Officer; :05]
[SUPER=01-Wilbert Wesley Lewis/Plaintiff; :15]
[RUNS=29]
[OUT Q=say so on Boucher.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Lewis had sought 13 million dollars in his civil suit against the city, the Police chief and the City of Roanoke. The chief and the city were dismissed as defendants early on, leaving Boucher to defend his actions.
Boucher and eye witnesses testified that the officer repeatedly told Lewis to get down on the ground and to show his hands. Lewis said he was putting his hands on top of the car when Boucher shot him.
(------------)
[Moreno]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
An aide at a Roanoke County high school is facing a sex charge.
Police say 23-year-old Anthony Moreno is accused of taking indecent liberties with a juvenile.
The incident took place last week, at Hidden Valley High School.
[Passenger-Vans]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-42 TC1:30:03]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A new report says speed and large groups may be a deadly combination if you're in a 15-passenger van.
The National Transportation Safety Board released its evaluation of rollovers for the vehicles and the results are not good.
One Roanoke family didn't need the report to understand the dangers.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Rachel /NEwsroom Pod;]
Rachel Cannon joins us with more...Rachel?
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;]
Shannon, it's hard to forget the story of Jessika Lewis.
She was on a church trip last July when the van she was riding in overturned.
She died at age of 14. Her family has been fighting to get the vans off the road ever since.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=ITS BEEN]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Joe Erndt/Jessika's Father; :11]
[SUPER=03-Randolph Co., NC/July 2001; :25]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=IN THAT VEHICLE (nodding his head)]
(( Its been almost a year and a half since Joe Erndt lost his little girl.
He says the accident on that highway will be with him for the rest of his life, along with Jessika's memory.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:04:37]
[IN Q=THERE WERE]
((JOE ERNDT/JESSIKA'S FATHER; THERE WERE FOUR KIDS GOT EJECTED IN THAT ACCIDENT FOUR, ALL IN CRITICAL CONDITION, MY DAUGHTER YOU KNOW EVERY BONE IN HER FACE AND SKULL WAS CRUSHED.))
[OUT Q=CRUSHED.]
[TAPE#=from 01-31 TC09:40 ]
In her crash, the van had a defective tire and overturned several times.
It's because of his daughter's death and many others that Erndt is not surprised by the new report.
It finds15-passenger vans have a higher rate of accidents involving rollovers than other passenger vehicles.
The report recommends the vans be further tested and given a rollover rating.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:06:46]
[IN Q=i think they]
((JOE ERNDT/JESSIKA'S FATHER; I THINK THEY SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO CARRY AS MANY PEOPLE OVER 10-CAPACITY THEY GET MUCH MORE DANGEROUS SO LIKE THEN 10, THE MOST YOU KNOW, THEY ARE DANGEROUS ON INTERSTATES AT HIGH SPEEDS.))
[OUT Q=HIGH SPEEDS.]
The NTSB agrees. It's says higher occupancy and speed contribute to the occurrence of rollovers.
The report does NOT call for the end of the vans and says technological advances may even have the potential to make them safer.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:02:02]
[IN Q=the one thing]
((JOE ERNDT/JESSIKA'S FATHER; THE ONE THING I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FORGIVE MYSELF FOR IS IF WE KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND ALLOWED MY DAUGHTER IN THAT VEHICLE (NODDING HEAD).))
[OUT Q=NODDING HEAD].))
(-------------)
[LIVE= Rachel /FULL NEwsroom Pod]
Erndt says they will once again lobby in Richmond for "Jessika's Cause" a measure to ban the vans.
It failed by two votes in the General Assembly's last session.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Rachel & Shannon /Pulpit;]
Shannon, Jessika's family is also still waiting for the official report on her accident.
[Academy-Music]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-40 TC1:29:08]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Renovations of Lynchburg's historic Academy of Music Theater are still about three years and four million dollars away from being completed.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
Academy officials gave Lynchburg city council an update on the renovations and a tour of the property today.
Overhauling the century-old structure will cost more than nine million dollars.. and they still need to raise about half that amount.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:44:19]
[IN Q=We hope]
((TURNER PERROW/ACADEMY OF MUSIC: WE HOPE, PROVIDING FUNDING FALLS INTO PLACE AS WE HAVE IT SCHEDULED, AND WE'D LOVE TO SEE IT COME IN EARLIER, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THIS BUILDING UP AND RUNNING IN 2005. THAT'S A REALISTIC GOAL, THAT WOULD BE THE HUNDRED YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO FINISH THAT FUNDING GAP AS YOU SAW EARLIER TODAY.))
[SUPER=01-Turner Perrow/Academy of Music; ]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=saw earlier today.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Perrow says the Academy's board has decided to finish renovating the original theater first before completing work on a studio theater and lobby.
(------------)
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]
Even more state workers may lose their jobs.
Details on that and the latest push to privatize Virginia's ABC Stores when News 7 returns.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Plus the Star City gets in the holiday spirit.
(----------------)
[Wilder-Commission]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=02-34 TC2:04:59]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
More state workers may lose their jobs...that today from Governor Mark Warner.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
He says the state still has to cut about one billion dollars.
[ANCHOR=Shannon ]
[SS=VA Budget]
Meanwhile, former governor Doug Wilder is moving forward with his ideas as to WHERE the state should cut.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
Wilder chairs a commission on streamlining government.
Today the panel recommended more than a dozen cost-cutting ideas, including privatizing state-run liquor stores.
[SUPER=@file;]
Those A-B-C stores take in 46-million dollars a year for the state.
Some lawmakers are concerned privatization may dry up that revenue stream.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 00:05:40]
[IN Q=IT CAN BE STRUCTURED]
[SUPER=01-Doug Wilder/Commission on Efficiency; :00]
[SUPER=01-Del. Bill Howell/House Speaker-Designate; :10]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=LIQUOR STORE ON EVERY CORNER.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Commission will submit its final report next month.
(------------)
[Monty-Budget]
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-36 TC1:58:42]
[GRAPHIC=Budget Cut]
Montgomery County's government offices won't feel the sting of state budget cuts.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
The Board of Supervisors voted last night to absorb the cuts passed down from the state to four of the county's constitutional offices.
Those being the treasurer, commonwealth's attorney, clerk of the circuit courts and commissioner of revenue.
The cuts would have totaled over 100-thousand dollars for the remainder of the fiscal year...forcing salary reductions and the elimination of at least nine-positions.
But, officials say to allow that would be unfair to residents.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 36:05]
[IN Q=WHAT THIS DOES]
((MARY BIGGS/MONTGOMERY CO. SUPERVISORS CHAIRPERSON:WHAT THIS DOES, IT ENABLES THEM TO CARRY FORTH WITH THEIR BUSINESSES AND SERVICING OUR CITIZENS AND PLAN FOR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR 36:18))
[SUPER=01-Mary Biggs/Montgomery Co. Supervisors Chairperson;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=NEXT FISCAL YEAR]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Biggs says although the county can afford to absorb the cuts now, that doesn't mean it will in the future.
(------------)
[NS-Layoffs]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-43 TC1:25:34]
[GRAPHIC=NS Layoffs]
Norfolk Southern is furloughing workers at its Roanoke locomotive shop.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file;]
Officials say 81-employees will be temporarily out of work starting December first and lasting at least through the end of the year.
The move is blamed on a downturn in business during the holiday season.
Roanoke's East End Shops have been building and rebuilding rail cars and engines for years, but a decline in coal exports has slowed down that work considerably.
Workers at the railroad's Pennsylvania car shop are also facing furloughs.
Officials say they will reevaluate the labor situation in January.
(------------)
[Poison-Pill]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6PM]
[WRITER=tst]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NS Generic]
N-S has also done away with an anti-takeover tactic.
The company's Board of Directors today ended a so-called "shareholders' rights plan."
The plan was adopted back in September of two thousand. At the time, Norfolk Southern's stock was trading at about 14 dollars a share -- low enough to make the company a takeover target.
Shareholders rights plans can flood the market with new shares if somebody the company doesn't like starts buying up its stock.
A Norfolk Southern spokeswoman notes the company's stock price and bottom line have both improved enough that the danger of a takeover is probably past.
[Stocks]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The bears sent stocks into retreat after seven straight weeks of gains.
[TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/172.98/8676.42/y/37.49/1444.41;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
The DOW tumbled 173 points.
NASDAQ fell 37 and a half.
(-------------)
[VO]
[SUPER=271-i/0.58/49.88/i/2.07/28.11/h/1.63/56.60/i/1.64/69.56/i/0.06/12.68;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.05/6.26/i/1.60/50.03/i/0.27/37.00/i/0.45/26.35/i/0.10/7.88;]
[SUPER=273-h/0.27/39.06/h/0.09/15.50/i/0.56/19.13/i/0.03/2.52/i/0.07/37.50;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.17/10.51/i/1.89/57.78/i/1.16/39.84/i/0.86/34.66/i/0.58/53.24;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]
[Trolley-Service]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=02-39 TC1:15:24]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
It's fast, it's convenient and best of all.. it's free.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
But few people know about Lynchburg's downtown trolley service and even fewer have been taking advantage of it.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
To raise public awareness, city leaders officially cut the ribbon for the free shuttle this morning.
Riders can run errands, shop and visit restaurants by picking up the trolley at any of two dozen stops downtown.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:24:51]
[IN Q=We hope this]
((BERT DODSON/LYNCHBURG VICE MAYOR: WE HOPE THIS NEWS CONFERENCE WILL HELP MOTIVATE PEOPLE WHO WORK DOWNTOWN, SHOP DOWNTOWN AND SOME THAT LIVE DOWNTOWN TO USE THE SHUTTLE. IT'S GOT A NICE FREE ADVERTISING.. FREE, IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING. SO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE THIS.))
[SUPER=01-Bert Dodson/Lynchburg Vice Mayor]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=to use this.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
A 60-thousand dollar state grant is subsidizing the free trolley service.
Officials hope it will attract more shoppers to the downtown area this holiday season.
(------------)
[Sports tease]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
The ACC rewards UVa head football coach Al Groh for his teams' outstanding conference season, the Gator Bowl has selected an ACC team, but is it UVa?
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and The Hokies talk about streaks as their 84 meeting with the Cavaliers approaches.
(------------)
[S-AL]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-125 1:41:16]
[GRAPHIC=UVA]
Virginia's Al Groh is the Associated Press ACC coach of the year. Groh was an overwhelming pick , getting 49 of a possible 74 votes by members of the ACC sports media association.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville; :00]
Groh has posted an 8 and 4 record this season. The Wahoos have beaten three top 25 teams including back to back win over N.C. State and defending ACC champ Maryland. UVa was picked second to last in the ACC pre-season poll and they finished second.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Al Groh/AP ACC Coach of the Year; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jerton Evans/UVa Senior Safety; :32]
[RUNS=:41]
[OUT Q=.....getting to the students"]
(---------------)
[S-Bowl]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-126 2:00:02]
[GRAPHIC=UVa]
UVa's bow choices were narrowed down somewhat today when N.C. State accepted a bid to the New Year's Day Gator Bowl.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Raleigh, NC; :00]
State will play a Big East team in the bowl that kicks off in Jacksonville Florida. It marks the third appearance for the Pack in the Gator.
One could understand UVa's frustration in not getting a look by the Gator considering the Cavs finished ahead of N.C. State in the ACC standings and beat them 14-9 this season.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Rich Bedesem/UVa Linebacker; :00]
[SUPER=01-Jerton Evans/UVa Senior Safety; :12]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=........ ridiculous"]
(-------------)
[S-UVa]
[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-134 232TC]
[GRAPHIC=TECH/UVA 6136]
Va. Tech has beaten 10 straight non conference opponents at Lane Stadium.
But Mike Stevens says that isn't the only streak that will be put to the test Saturday when UVa arrives in Blacksburg.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=FIRST AUDIO]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; ]
[SUPER=01-Lamar Cobb/Va. Tech Senior Defensive End; :28]
[SUPER=01-Lee Suggs/1092 Yards & 15 TDs This Year; :40]
[SUPER=@mike1; :46]
[SUPER=01-Jimmy E. Williams/338 Pound Defensive Tackle; 1:08]
[SUPER=01-Tim Sandidge/Gets First Start Against UVa; 1:21]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=....NEWS 7 SPORTS."]
(( The Commonwealth Cup isn't the only thing on the line this Saturday in Blacksburg.
There are bowl implications for both teams, as well as the fact that the Hokies have been ranked in the top 25 for 67 straight weeks - while UVa has yet to crack the polls under Al Groh. A Cavalier win and both streaks will end.
((LAMAR COBB:))
((LEE SUGGS:))
((MIKE STEVENS:))
((JIMMY WILLIAMS:))
((TIM SANDIDGE:))
True freshman Jonathan Lewis will be the veteran of the bunch this week against a UVa running attack that has been depleted in recent weeks due to injuries.
In Blacksburg, Mike Stevens News 7 Sports.))
[S-Hoops]
[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Hoops]
A few basketball notes. The Radford men's basketball team battles Howard tonight at seven at the Demon center. There is a double header at the Vines center. At seven, the Liberty women host the Lady Cavaliers of Virginia and then at nine, the Liberty men take on William and Mary. We will have highlights of the UVa/Liberty women and the Radford/Howard game at 11.
[City-Tree]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=02-41 TC50:18]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Downtown Roanoke is getting spruced up for the holidays.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
A 40 foot tall blue spruce is this year's official holiday tree.
It came from the yard of Dorothy Wade on Spring Lawn Avenue, and was hoisted into place at First Union Plaza today.
Roanoke's urban forester says several people had trees they wanted to donate.
But this one was the tallest and one of the most beautiful the city's ever had.
(------------)
by SS