WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 03/11/03

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Virginia Tech says race will no longer be a factor in admissions.
But many students say, the elimination makes race that much more important.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
And another local government leader bows out of politics.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Tonight on News 7 Sports - the Express is home tonight and we have another edition of Roundhouse Wrapup, plus an update on Perry Florio - the Alaskan Godfather.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and JMU decides not to fire Bassett native Sherman Dillard - giving him at least one more year to get his Dukes up.
(------------)

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

We can get off the temperature see-saw tomorrow as readings head into the 60s and generally stay there for another week. Details ahead.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 4-Shot]

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

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Changes to Virginia Tech's affirmative action policy draw reaction from students.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Many are now wondering what effects it will have on the school's minority population.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

And I'm Keith Humphry.
[Tech-Board]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=02-53 TC1:33:13]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Treat everyone equally.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
That is the approach Virginia Tech says it will now take during its admission and hiring process.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Myranda/Microwave;]
New River Valley Bureau Chief Myranda Stephens joins us now to explain what the move means and whether it's the end of affirmative action.
[LIVE=Myranda/FULL]
[SUPER=@Myranda1;]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]
Keith and Shannon, that's what it looks like. The university made the decision yesterday to no longer consider race, religion or gender as a factor when considering new students or job applicants.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
[****MYRANDA'S MIC HOT****] Now, the same also goes for awarding scholarships and financial aid. The university's board of visitors voted unanimously on this new policy yesterday, during a closed session. University spokesperson Larry Hincker said it came at the very end of the meeting, and apparently was a surprise to a lot of people. Hincker declined an on-camera interview today discussing the issue, because he says he really doesn't know where things will go from here...or what impact this new policy will have on the school's minority recruitment efforts. But, after talking to some students today, they think they know exactly what will happen.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:47]
[IN Q=WE ALREADY HAVE]
((WE ALREADY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DIVERSITY HERE. WE ALREADY TRY TO HAVE COMMITTEES AND BOARDS ON DIVERSITY. IT'S A TOPIC THAT WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME SO IF YOU TAKE RACE OUT OF IT THEN IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE AND LESS DIVERSE 2:00))

[SUPER=01-Lindsay Miller/Freshman; :00]
[SUPER=01-Bennie King/Sophomore; :14]
[RUNS=25]
[OUT Q=YEARS GO ON]
(------------)
[LIVE=Myranda/FULL]
[SUPER=05-Blacksburg;]

(ad lib...)
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Myranda/Microwave;]

[International]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-01 49:04]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Getting their legal status renewed was on the minds of other Tech students today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]

More than 27-hundred international students withstood long lines today to renew their I-20 forms to comply with new security measures.
Beginning August First, any person in the U.S. on a student visa must now have a variety of information entered into a new computer database including name, date of birth, and address here and abroad.
(------------)

[Burrow]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Richard Burrow]
The government says it has not decided whether to try Richard Burrow again. Just yesterday the government asked the judge to set a date to re-try the former D-Day Memorial President... sometime after May 15th. Prosecutor Pat Hogeboom said today, however, that the U-S Attorney has not said whether he'll pursue the case. He says he expects John Brownley to make an announcement when that decision is made. Burrow's lawyer will be in court Monday, arguing that the case should be dismissed, because too much time has passed since the mistrial.

[Minnix]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=02-51 TC2:02:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Another elected official is calling it quits.
Today, Roanoke County Supervisor Fuzzy Minnix said he won't seek a fourth term on the board. [***MINNIX GRAPHIC***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith & JoeD/Pulpit;]

Joe Dashiell is in the studio tonight with the latest in a long line of announcement that will bring new faces into state and local government.
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Pulpit]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]

First it was the General Assembly seats of Vic Thomas, Chip Woodrum and Bo Trumbo.
Yesterday, Roanoke City Council member Bill Carder said he will step down.
Today, Fuzzy Minnix added his name to the list.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I cannot begin to express]
[SUPER=@Minnix; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :09]
[SUPER=@Church; :47]
[RUNS=1:00]
[OUT Q=cares more than Fuzzy Minnix.]
(([OPENS ON SPEECH 35:55]
[IN Q=I cannot begin to express]
((FUZZY MINNIX: I CANNOT BEGIN TO EXPRESS THE HONOR THAT THE CAVE SPRING VOTERS HAVE PAID ME BY ALLOWING ME TO BE THEIR SUPERVISOR. ))
[RUNS= :08]
[OUT Q=to be their supervisor.]

Fuzzy Minnix has represented the Cave Spring District since 1992, and he's served as Supervisors Chairman three times.
Though he'd love to continue, Minnix says the growing demands of the position, the conflict with his job, and the prospect of a contested nomination and general election campaign, convinced him that the time has come to step aside.
[SOT 41:04]
[IN Q=I think if you'll go back]
((I THINK IF YOU'LL GO BACK AND CHECK THE TWELVE YEARS THAT I HAVE SERVED ON THIS BOARD ALONG WITH MANY OTHER AGGRESSIVE AND GOOD BOARD MEMBERS, WE'VE PROBABLY ACCOMPLISHED MORE FOR ROANOKE COUNTY IN THAT TWELVE YEARS THAN EVERY HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST.)) ((BUTCH CHURCH: HE'S GOT A WORK ETHIC I'VE TRIED TO PATTERN MYSELF AFTER, AND RESPOND TO EVERYBODY, RAIN AND SNOW AND WHATEVER, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANYONE WHO CARES MORE THAN FUZZY MINNIX. ))
[RUNS= :30]
[OUT Q=who cares more than Fuzzy Minnix.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Pulpit]

Minnix plans to complete his term... and that means he'll remain on the board through the end of the year.

[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Pulpit;]

Keith and Shannon, no one has formally announced a campaign to succeed him, , but we're told that three of four people are waiting in the wings ready to compete for the Republican nomination.

[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]

Be seen, but not heard. That's the order for one area city council member.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

More on this temporary fix to a potential conflict of interest when News 7 returns.
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[VO-NAT]

Plus signs of recovery at a Bedford business destroyed by at tornado nearly a year ago.
(----------------)

[Franklin-DMV]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=02-50 TC1:53:11]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

A long-awaited comeback in Rocky Mount was met with little fanfare this morning.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-shot]

After budget cuts closed it last fall, the DMV service center reopened to short lines and big smiles.
[ANCHOR=Keith ]
[SS=DMV Reopening]

Marya Jones says that's exactly how customers and staff wanted it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=NATS: Good morning...]
[SUPER=03-Rocky Mount; :04]
[SUPER=01-Robert Bailey/DMV Branch Manager; :14]
[SUPER=01-Vanessa Wimbush/Customer; :48]
[SUPER=01-Brian Wood/Customer; 1:02]
[SUPER=@Marya2; 1:20]
[RUNS=1:29]
[OUT Q=MJN7, Rocky Mount.]
(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:34]
((NATS ROBERT BAILEY: GOOD MORNING. HOW YOU DOING TODAY?)) [RUNS:02]
For Robert Dailey, it was the happiest morning in at least five months.
The DMV branch manager and his five coworkers eagerly returned to the jobs they lost in October.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:38]
((ROBERT DAILEY: HEARING THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE PETITIONS EVERYONE WROTE IN, IT WAS REALLY NICE TO FEEL THE NEED THAT WE REALLY WERE SOMETHING THIS COMMUNITY APPRECIATED. )) [RUNS:13]
[SOT 21:14]
((BARBARA QUINN: FEELS GOOD. FEELS REALLY GOOD.)) [RUNS:02]
They were met with short lines, plenty of empty seats and lots of customer appreciation.
Vanessa Wimbush from Ferrum got her license renewed in 20 minutes.
She says the wait for the Rocky Mount branch to reopen was well worth it ... much better than braving long lines in Roanoke or Martinsville.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:11]
((VANESSA WIMBUSH/CUSTOMER: I KNEW BETTER THAN TO GO. I WAS WAITING ON ROCKY MOUNT TO OPEN BACK UP. IT'S JUST A BLESSING FROM THE LORD. )) [RUNS:05]
Brian Wood renewed his title in 18 minutes ... a process he says took six hours last time he went to Roanoke.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 27:22]
((BRIAN WOOD/CUSTOMER: I MADE QUITE A FEW PHONE CALLS, WROTE A FEW LETTERS. IT'S PROOF POSITIVE THAT ANY CITIZEN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF EVERYONE GETS ACTIVE ABOUT SOMETHING THEY FEEL IS WRONG, THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. )) [RUNS:12]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:29]
((NATS BARBARA QUINN: HI. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TODAY? )) [RUNS:04]
After a long-awaited comeback, it's back to business as usual.
But after five months without it, business as usual is just what the customer ordered. Marya Jones, News-7, Rocky Mount.))

[L'burg-Council]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-03 TC1:07:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]

She could listen, she just couldn't participate in the discussion.
That's how Lynchburg city council temporarily solved its problem over whether council member Joan Foster can take part in the city's budget process.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Foster works for the Alliance for Families and Children, a non-profit agency that receives some city funding.
Commonwealth's attorney Bill Petty told council today it would be a conflict of interest to let Foster vote on the budget.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:24:57]
[IN Q=Because there's a]
((BILL PETTY/LYNCHBURG COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: BECAUSE THERE'S A SINGLE VOTE ON THE BUDGET THAT TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET WOULD IN EFFECT TO VOTE ON AN APPROPRIATION TO HER EMPLOYER. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT SAYS YOU CANNOT DO.))
[SUPER=01-Bill Petty/Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=says you cannot do.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Foster was allowed to sit in on today's budget work session, but not ask any questions.
Council expects to remove the Alliance money from the budget so that she can participate in the future.
(------------)

[King]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
A former Roanoke County sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to five years in prison. Damany King was ordered to serve a mandatory five- year term for possessing cocaine along with a firearm. He got a suspended sentence on a separate possession charge. King worked for the department less than a week, before he was arrested last July. He was fired after his arrest. King is out on bond, and plans to appeal the conviction.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The stocks market tried but failed to recover some lost ground today. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/44.12/7524.06/y/6.90/1271.47;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW closed 44 points lower.
NASDAQ lost seven.
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[VO]
[SUPER=271-h/0.40/39.70/h/0.05/21.42/i/0.29/58.67/i/1.21/65.63/i/0.57/6.60;]
[SUPER=272- /Unchg/5.99/h/0.02/54.53/i/0.97/38.95/i/0.25/23.35/i/0.07/3.83;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.34/40.25/h/0.53/12.66/i/0.44/17.75/h/0.08/3.33/h/0.55/36.10;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.03/9.15/i/0.45/52.94/i/0.34/32.41/i/0.95/32.72/i/0.33/46.80;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[Kaine]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-02 1:01:31]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Virginia's Lieutenant Governor says the state needs to live up to its financial responsibility for education.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :19]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The democrat today visited William Fleming and Salem High Schools to meet with students and tour the campuses. Kaine is about 49-schools into his pledge to visit one in every district in the Commonwealth to see for himself how budget issues are affecting education. He says he's been impressed by what he's seen.
(///// SOT at :19/////)
[SOT 24:31-24:53]
[IN Q=I see fantastic examples of...]
((LT. GOVERNOR TIM KAINE: I SEE FANTASTIC EXAMPLES OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIVE METHODS TO GET ACROSS THE sol CURRICULUM. TEACHERS AND PARENTS ARE PULLING TOGETHER TO DO HIGH WUALITY WORK BUT THE STATE NEEDS TO BE A REAL PARTNER AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M REALLY PUSHING.))
[SUPER=@Kaine;]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=that's something I'm really pushing.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT :07]
Kaine says the state has acknowledged it's underfunding its share of education by about 600-million dollars a year.
(------------)

[Bedford-Business]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rca]
[TAPE#=02-55 TC1:23:25]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Its been almost a year since a tornado ripped through parts of Bedford County taking down everything in its path.
A number of businesses in the area were severely damaged. Business Reporter Rachel Cannon says signs now point to recovery for at least one of them.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=NATS cutting]
[SUPER=03-Bedford; :00]
[SUPER=01-Vicki Krantz/K & K Signs Owner; :33 QUICK!]
[SUPER=@Rachel1; :42]
[RUNS=1:19]
[OUT Q=RC, NEWS 7, BEDFORD.]
(( ((NATS 19:10:42 CUTTING ))
K & K Signs never stopped filling orders or considered NOT re-building after the tornado hit them without warning.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 18:59:17] (cover with pics)
[IN Q=IT TOOK]
((VICKI KRANTZ/K & K SIGNS OWNER; IT TOOK THE ROOF OFF AND SLAMMED IT BACK INTO THE FIELD IT TOOK PARTS AND STUFF BACK INTO THE FIELD THEN THE WALLS COLLAPSED AND IT TOTALLY DESTROYED EVERYTHING IN THE BUILDING.))
[OUT Q=IN THE BUILDING.]
Vicki Krantz salvaged what little she could, including her computer, and within two weeks pulled in an office trailer.
Along with her son and husband, they've have been making signs, decals and graphics out of the cramped space ever since.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:00:57]
[IN Q=you still ]
((YOU STILL HAVE TO WORK YOU STILL HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS GOING OR YOU'LL LOSE IT.))
[OUT Q=LOSE IT.]
((BUTT/BUTT))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:01:44]
[IN Q=WE'VE BEEN]
((WE'VE BEEN KEEPING UP PRETTY GOOD YEAH IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE BUT WE DID IT.))
[OUT Q=DID IT.]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:25:16]
[IN Q=IN ABOUT]
((RACHEL CANNON/RCANNON@WDBJ7/COM; IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS THEY WILL MOVE INTO THIS THEIR BRAND NEW BUILDING IT HAS TAKEN THE ENTIRE YEAR TO BUILD AND KRANTZ SAYS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY.))
[OUT Q=COMMUNITY.]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:03:09]
[IN Q=sheetrocking]
((SHEET ROCKING, PAINTING AND EVERYBODY HAD THEIR OWN SPECIALTY AND THEY CAME IN AND THEY HELPED THEY PITCHED IN AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. ))
[OUT Q=THAT.]
The folks at K & K consider themselves lucky. No one was hurt in the tornado and they received full coverage from their insurance company for the damages. And while Krantz says she wouldn't want to go through it all again, the new building is about three times the size of their previous one. Rachel Cannon, News 7, Bedford.))

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - JMU's coach avoids a fate similar to Ricky Stokes. The Radford Bobcats are taking no chances in their final four state hoop showdown with George Wythe.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and ever since Perry Florio was shown the door by the Express owners he had not only surfaced but flourished in Alaska - and so has his successor. More on both men in this week's Roundhouse Wrapup.
(------------)

[S-Dillard]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-138 5847tc]
[GRAPHIC=stokes]
Being a well liked, classy guy wasn't enough to save Ricky Stokes job yesterday.
[GRAPHIC=JMU]
And many figured after he was shown the door yesterday that JMU would follow suit today and fire Sherman Dillard.
But his job is being spared.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Harrisonburg; :00]
The James Madison administration has decided to hang on to the Bassett native and former Duke star for at least another year although they are making it clear there is room for improvement. In his six seasons at JMU - Dillard is just one game above 500 at 87 wins and 86 losses with no postseason appearances. In fact - JMU has had just 7 losing seasons in its 34 year history - four of those seven have come under Dillard. JMU would have had to pay Dillard $260 thousand bucks to buy out his contract.
(------------)

[S-VHSL]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-148 13:08]
[GRAPHIC=Group A logo]

George Wythe and Radford meet in the group A boys state basketball semi-finals Thursday at the Vine Center.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :00]
Radford's coaching staff decided to move practice to Radford University's Dedmon Center today in hopes that practicing in a facility similar to Liberty's will better prepare the Bobcats.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Rick Cormany/Radford Head Basketball Coach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Trey Mitchell/Radford Junior Shooting Guard; :16]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=....helps us alot"]
(----------------)

[S-House]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-146 45:27]
[GRAPHIC=express]

The Express is now 35-20 and 5 - just two points behind second place Greensboro.
[graphic=full screen round house wrap up]

Ton MacAulay is 42 days into his new job and Steve Mason updates us on his progress in Round House Wrap up.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=@Steve1; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :20]
[SUPER=01-Jason Jaffray/Express Leading Scorer; :35]
[SUPER=01-Tony MacAulay/8-3 and 2 Record as Head Coach; :53(QUICK!!!)]
[SUPER=01-Rick Kowalsky/Express Right Wing; 1:14]
[SUPER=01-Mike Peron/Express Center; 1:32(QUICK!!!)]
[RUNS=1:52]
[OUT Q=.....round house wrap up"]
(----------------)
((STEVE MASON/SINCE TAKING OVER THE TEAM AS INTERIM HEAD COACH in LATE JANUARY TONY MACUALAY HAS POSTED A RECORD OF 8-3 AND 2, NOT BAD FOR A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL AND CANADIAN JUNIORS COACH RUNNING HIS FIRST ECHL TEAM FROM THE BENCH. HOW IS HE DOING IT? BY SHOWING RESPECT, HE HAS EARNED THE LOYALTY OF HIS PLAYERS.))
((The panic began almost immediately after Perry Florio was fired. The Express was losing one of the top young coaches in the league, not to mention one heck of a recruiter of young talent, for someone with no ECHL head coaching experience. ((JASON JAFFRAY/EXPRESS LEADING SCORER:))
The Express is playing inspired hockey, losing only three times in the teams last 13 games. ((TONY MACAULAY/EXPRESS INTERIM HEAD COACH:))
While MacAulay refuses to take credit for the teams success, the players are linking their solid play to their coach. ((RICK KOWALSKY/EXPRESS RIGHT WING:))
MacAulay's quiet confidence has even the Express veterans believing that, with the continued solid play in goal, this team could erase longtime memories of early post season exits. ((MIKE PERON/SIXTH SEASON WITH EXPRESS:))
the Express begins a four game home stand Tuesday night at the Roanoke Civic Center against Charlotte. Steve Mason Round House Wrap Up.))

[S-Florio]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-139 10038tc]
[GRAPHIC=FLORIO]

Not surprisingly, Perry Florio also is thriving as coach of the Anchorage Aces. Even the owners in Roanoke who fired Florio - know he can coach with the best of them. And in his short time in Alaska - he is proving just that.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Since joining the lowly Anchorage Aces - Florio has literally picked the team up and lifted it out of the cellar in the West Coast Hockey League. Take a look at the before and after numbers and you can see that Florio has been the team's "Ace in the hole" in more ways that one. Attendance is way up, and remember this team had been in last place since October of 2001 before Florio arrived in town.
(-----------)
[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=FLORIO]
The fans in Anchorage have dubbed Florio - "the Godfather" in reference to his raspy voice, and fondness of wearing black suits. By the way, there's been more snow in Roanoke than in Alaska this year.