WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 09/17/03

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR= 2-Shot]

Emergency crews are on standby, waiting for Isabel to give Virginia her best shot.
[ANCHOR= 2-Shot]
We'll have two live reports.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :05]
And hear from one resident who's been told to evacuate or face the storm alone.
(------------)

[Sports-head]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
In sports, the City of Salem explores putting 750 thousand dollars of artifical grass in its stadium, The Aggies talk about stopping Tech
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and the latest on the health of the Redksins Patrick Ramsely and Lavernius Coles.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

With the forecast storm track now a little to the west, Isabel will bring very strong wind and possibly flooding rain to central Virginia late Thursday night. [Open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 at Six Headline Banner]
[SUPER=#303;]
[SUPER=@Keith1;]
[SUPER=@Shannon1;]
[SUPER=@Steve1;]
[SUPER=@Robin1;]
[RUNS=:20]

[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Winds are picking up, and Virginians and visitors alike are packing up.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
The Commonwealth gets ready for Hurricane Isabel.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

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

And I'm Shannon Young. [Hurricane-Preps]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE=03-28 1:43:42]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
The heart of Isabel is still a long way from land.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
But the hurricane is already making its presence known.
[VA BEACH DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Meghan/Starlink;]
Meghan Muldoon is in Virginia Beach with the latest.
[LIVE=Meghan Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=@Meghan1;]
[SUPER=05-Virginia Beach;]

((ROLLCUE:...ROLLED FROM TRUCK.))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Virginia Beach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Karen Burger/Beach Resident; :16 ]
[SUPER=01-Cary Shreve/Beach Resident; :45]
[SUPER=01-Meyera Oberndorf/Virginia Beach Mayor; 1:15]
[RUNS=1:36]
[OUT Q=]

[LIVE=Meghan Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=05-Virginia Beach;]

[DOUBLE BOXES=*Meghan/Starlink & Justin/Microwave*;]

[State-Preps]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-34 1:05:30]
[GRAPHIC=None]

[DOUBLE BOXES=*Meghan/Starlink & Justin/Microwave*;]

Meghan, it too has been a day of preparation here in the Richmond area.
[LIVE=Justin Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Justin1]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]

Residents have been told to expect damaging winds and five to ten inches of rain.
This is also the place where the state's emergency response team will be based.
Today, Governor Warner said this storm is the real deal and warned Virginians to expect anything. ((ROLLCUE:...))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=01-Janet Clement/Virginia Dept. of Emergency Management; :11 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=@markwarner; :31]
[SUPER=01-David Fukutomi/Federal Emergency Management Agency; :51]
[SUPER=01-Phillip Shucet/Transportation Commissioner; 1:30]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=TO HELP ADDRESS EMERGENCY SITUATIONS]
((NAT SOUND IN THE OPEARTIONS CENTER AT 10:30:38))
What you see here could be best described as Virgina's nerve center for Hurricane Isabel.
All the major decisions will be made in this room.
[SOT 10:24:48]
[IN Q=It will be busy]
((JANET CLEMENT/VIRGINIA DEPT. OF EMERGENCY MGT: IT WILL BE BUSY. IT'S BUSY RIGHT NOW AND IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST DAY OR SO.))
[Runs=04]
[OUT Q=last day or so]

A busy time now that the state's operation center is opened 24 hours a day.
More than a hundred people made up of 15 state agencies will be working here side by side during the storm.
Their main goal? Track the hurricane and mobilize help when needed.
[SOT 10:47:33]
[IN Q=Virginians should expect]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: VIRGINIANS SHOULD EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE POWER OUTTAGES, THERE WILL BE WIND DAMAGE. THE POWER OUTTAGES COULD BE FOR MULTIPLE DAYS.))
[Runs=08]
[OUT Q=multiple days]
((NAT SOUND OF FEMA WORKERS UNLOADING))
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also here in Richmond.
More than 50 workers arrived today to unload the necessary equipement to help Virginians weather the storm.
[SOT 11:08:10]
[IN Q=We've also mobilized]
((DAVID FUKUTOMI/FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: WE'VE ALSO MOBILIZED AND PRESTAGED STRATEGICALLY OTHER COMMODITIES LIKE WATER, BLANKET, COTS, ICE, AND GENERATORS SO THAT WE CAN RAPIDLY RESPOND AS MICHAEL AND THE GOVERNOR TO ANY NEEDS THAT THE STATE AND THE LOCALS AND IN THIS CASE THE COMMONWEALTH MIGHT HAVE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS STORM.))
[Runs=14]
[OUT Q=following this storm]

The state is also ready to deploy 500 National Guard Troops and just as many state troopers.
The State Police will work to keep the roads moving especially Interstate 64 which saw plenty of motorists today leaving the coastline.
Transportation officials stand by the decision not to reverse traffic on the eastbound side 64 for westbound evacuation traffic.
[SOT 10:55:04]
[IN Q=those resources could]
((PHILLIP SHUCET/TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER: THOSE RESOURCES COULD BE BETTER DEPLOYED GIVING THE CURRENT PREDICTIONS IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCES TO HELP TRAFFIC MOVING AND TO HELP ADDRESS EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.))
[Runs=09]
[OUT Q=emergency situations]
(+++++++)
[TALENT=Justin]
[Take VA Emergency Info FS]
The state has set up a hotline to provide Virginians with useful information about the hurricane.
You can call 1-866-880-4280 from eight in the morning until six at night. There is also a website with similar information and that address is vaemergency dot com.
(------------)
[LIVE=Justin Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

Meantime here in Richmond today we saw a beautiful day but the wind started picking up this afternoon.
[DOUBLE BOXES=*Justin/Microwave & Robin/Wx Center*;]
So where is this storm heading and what can expect we want to head over to Robin Reed in the weather center. Robin?

[First-Wx]

[ANCHOR=Robin]
[NEWSCAST=6]

[DOUBLE BOXES=*Justin/Microwave & Robin/Wx Center*]

[SS=NONE]WEATHER CENTER Position #1

[WXPRO/FULL]TROPICAL UPDATE FLOOD WATCH
[SCHOOLTOUCH/FULL]SCHOOL DELAYS
[Robin tosses to Shannon]

[Southside-Preps]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-33 54:03]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]

Southside is prepared for flooding but only minor damage is anticipated.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :25]
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
The Director of Emergency Services says he expects Isabel to drop about three inches of rain between 6 and 9 tomorrow evening. Doug Young says, if there's any *river* flooding it probably won't happen until Friday or Saturday. *Flash* flooding is his main concern. The last hurricane to cause serious damage in Danville hit in September 1996. Young says Isabel shouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as that storm.
(///// SOT at :25 /////)
[SOT 3:43-3:54]
[IN Q=That was Hurricane Fran...]
[SUPER=03-Danville/September 1996;:00]
[SUPER=01-Doug Young/Dir., Danville Emergency Services;]
((DOUG YOUNG/DIR., DANVILLE EMERGENCY SERVICES: THAT WAS HURRICANE FRAN. THAT'S WHERE WE HAD ALOT OF FLOODING, LONG-TERM FLOODING, AND A LOT OF WIND DAMAGE AND LONG-TERM POWER OUTAGES. NOW, COMPARE THAT TO WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING HERE, THERE'S NO COMPARISON.))
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=there's no comparison.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]
Young says, should Southside escape with minimal damage, emergency crews will be prepared to help hurricane victims in other parts of the state.

[L'burg-Preps]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-30 2:05:05]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]

To the north in Lynchburg, city leaders say they're ready for whatever Isabel throws at them over the next few days.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Emergency officials have been studying the storm's track and say it appears that Lynchburg and central Virginia can expect gale-force winds and heavy rains starting tomorrow.
All essential city workers have been preparing for the storm and are standing by ready to respond.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:04:03]
[IN Q=We do want]
((KIMBALL PAYNE/LYNCHBURG CITY MANAGER: WE DO WANT TO ASSURE THE CITIZENS THAT WE ARE TAKING THIS STORM SERIOUSLY, TO ASSURE THEM THAT THE CITY EMPLOYEES FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT WILL BE PREPARED TO RESPOND IN A WAY THAT WILL ASSIST THE CITIZENS IN DEALING WITH WHATEVER IMPACT WE HAVE FROM THE STORM.))
[SUPER=01-Kimball Payne/Lynchburg City Manager;]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=from the storm.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Officials urge residents to call the city information line.. 8-5-6-C-I-T-Y to report non-emergencies over the next few days.
(------------)

[Power-Crews]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=03-27 1:58:51]
[GRAPHIC=Hurricane Isabel]

When Isabel's winds start swirling here in Virginia, power companies will be working overtime to maintain service.
A-E-P and Dominion will have line crews on standby,
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :13]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;]
and they'll be getting some help. Hundreds of line crews from the across the nation are arriving to spots in Isabel's sights today. This group is from Entergy in Mississippi and travels to natural disasters frequently.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT - 5:00:01]
[IN Q=It's a great experience...]
((GENE WOOLSEY/ENTERGY LINEMAN 1ST CLASS; IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO COME UP HERE AND HELP PEOPLE OUT THAT ARE REALLY N
EED IT. WE'LL END UP WORKING SOME LONG HOURS, LATE HOURS OUR MAIN CONCERN IS GETTING THE LIGHTS ON, BUT THE #1 CONCERN
IS TO WORK SAFE SO WE CAN GET HOME TO OUR FAMILIES.))
[SUPER=01-Gene Woolsey/Entergy Lineman 1st Class; ]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=to our families.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT - :06+]
This group will head to Winchester tomorrow and then Baltimore, unless it is needed elsewhere.
(------------)

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

An investigation into the Radford police department. The details are still ahead.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

And we'll take you inside Doctor Cecil Knox's office, the way it looked four years ago.
(----------------)

[Knox]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=03-31 1:37:12]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Tracy Akers was a quadriplegic. He'd been to every doctor he could find.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
But none of them could relieve his pain... until he found Cecil Knox.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Tracy's sister, Tammy, testified AGAINST Doctor Knox today... even though she once entrusted her OWN life to him.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:50:35]
[IN Q=He promised my]
((AND HE PROMISED MY BROTHER A LIFE OUT OF THAT ROOM. HE THOUGHT DR. KNOX WAS WONDERFUL, DIED HATING ME BUT DIED LOVING HIM.))
[SUPER=01-Tammy Akers/Former Knox Patient's Sister]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=loving him.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Her brother overdosed on OxyContin four times, she says... until he finally died in February of last year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:49:01]
[IN Q=What I'm really concerned]
((WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS ABOUT THE DRUG ACTIVITY THAT MY FAMILY, THAT DR. KNOX ENABLED THEM TO DO, SELLING THE DRUGS, OVERDOSING ON MY BROTHER. I DIDN'T GET TO TELL THE JURY.))
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=tell the jury.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Photo by: Donna Stone/Former Knox Employee]
A woman who worked for Knox briefly in 1999 took pictures inside the office. The doctor's chair is on concrete blocks. The room is decorated with flags and an Aboriginal musical instrument. Donna Stone says Knox smoked marijuana in the office.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=None]
She says she saw drug paraphenalia, but it's not visible in the pictures.

[11Hannity-Newman]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-32 1:05:17]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 2003]

Radio and cable TV talk show host Sean Hannity dropped into central Virginia today to help raise money for state senator Steve Newman's re-election campaign.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Hannity and Attorney General Jerry Kilgore spoke to a breakfast crowd of about 300 Newman supporters in Lynchburg.

The event helped raise thousands of dollars for Newman's campaign.. a race the two-term incumbent is not taking for granted.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:04:10]
[IN Q=We've looked at]
((SEN. STEVE NEWMAN/R-LYNCHBURG: WE'VE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS AND WE'VE LOOKED AT THE DISTRICT, AND WE'RE VERY, VERY PLEASED AND WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO WELL, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GET COMPLACENT. WE WAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE EVENTS LIKE THIS WITH SEAN HANNITY AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHERS TO TELL PEOPLE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY GO VOTE FOR OUR SHARE OF CONSERVATIVE BELIEFS AND SO IF THEY VOTE, WE'LL BE IN GOOD SHAPE.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Steve Newman/(R) Lynchburg]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=be in good shape.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Democratic challenger Bob Clarke says while Newman was focusing on right wing social issues, Clarke was working to bring new jobs to the region.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHIC=None]
We'll hear from Clark, and from Sean Hannity on News 7 at 11.

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Stocks drifted lower today in a session that saw little movement. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/21.69/9545.65/y/4.15/1883.10;]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The Dow dropped 22 points. Nasdaq fell four.
(-------------)
[VO]
[SUPER=271- /Unchg/70.88/h/4.24/44.70/i/0.37/29.09/i/0.11/73.91/h/0.33/77.97;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.07/36.93/h/0.02/15.61/i/0.01/7.14/i/0.11/60.95/i/0.23/31.70;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.07/8.03/i/0.16/35.74/h/0.17/17.97/i/0.33/19.30/h/0.21/7.90;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.02/9.91/i/0.01/61.60/h/0.04/35.55/i/0.14/41.46/i/0.67/57.75;]

[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[Radford-Police]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Radford city police department is now itself under investigation. Salem Commonwealth's attorney, Fred King, was appointed special prosecutor to "oversee matters involving personnel" in the department. King says the probe follows a complaint filed late last month, be he would not comment on the nature of that complaint.
Today, city council members met for a closed meeting to discuss legal and personnel matters. Officials would not comment as to whether the meeting was related to the investigation.

[Tech-Hilton]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-36 27:34]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Virginia Tech has signed a major deal with one of the country's largest hotel chains.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
The Hilton Hotels Corporation has agreed to manage the university's new Alumni and Conference Center. The company operates more than two-thousand hotels and resorts across the country, including the Virginia Tech Foundation's Hotel Roanoke. The Alumni and Conference Center will feature about 150 rooms, and a ballroom that can seat 800-people. The 46-million dollar facility is scheduled to open in May of 2005.
(------------)

[Sports-tease]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Salem is looking into artifical turf for its football stadium, Isabel affects VMI football, more from the Aggies

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and words from former ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly on the ongoing strike
(------------)

[S-Turf]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-159 43:39]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 sports]

an artifical surface at Salem Stadium. It could happen as the city of Salem looks into an investment that could mean a lot og green stuff in the bank and on the field.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]
[SUPER=01-Forest Jones/Salem City Manager; :]
[SUPER=04-Stagg Bowl; :]
[RUNS=1:17]
[OUT Q=...]
(---------------)
((Its' a done deal, Salem is gonna do it. All of these rumors are out there that the City of Salem will tear up the natural grass and put an artificial surface down. Salem City manager Forrest JOnes sets the record straight. ((FORREST JONES/SALEM CITY MANAGER:))
Jones and hs reasearch staff that includes Salem Civic Center director Carey Harveycutter, traveled to OHio in August to look at the Astro Play at, among others, Mount Union, regular at the Stagg Bowl. New York Giant running back Tiki Barber practices on a similar surface and the Georgia Dome, where Vick was injured, might receive a visit from the Salem research team to see their surface. Buying either astro play or field turf will cost approxamaetly 750 thosuand bucks. ((:))
But the artifical surfaces JOnes has seen are only two to three years old and wear and tear is a huge part of the research process.)) ((:))
(-------------------)
[anchor-steve]
[graphic=news 7 sports]

Jones and his team travel to new Jersey and New York next week to look at a few surcfaces with Field turf, the other surface Salem is looking at. Also, Raonoke City has also been to one artifical surface site in West Virginia and is considering the turf for the combination stadium/amphitheatre.

[S-Texas]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-160 TC3919]
[GRAPHIC=Tech/A&M]

Tomorrow night's contest between Tech and Texas A&M is on for 7-30 at Lane Stadium. The Aggies arrived safely in town today and are primed for the national TV showdown.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-College Station, TX; :00]

The 2 and oh Aggies blew a 21 point lead against Utah in their last outing, and now must overcome the loss of linebacker Jared Morris for the season with a torn knee ligament. Former walk-on Scott Stickane will get the start on Thursday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Scott Stickane/Texas A&M Linebacker; :00]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=week of practice, more intense."]
(------------)

[S-VMI]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=copy]
[GRAPHIC=BAM]

Hurricane Isabel has already had an indirect effect on the VMI-Norfolk State game scheduled for Lexington on Saturday. The Spartans left Norfolk this afternoon to get out of the storm's path. The team planned to workout in Greensboro today and tomorrow before heading to Lexington on Friday.

[S-Strike]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-155 36:41]
[GRAPHIC=ECHL strike]
Although the ECHL board of governors worked out the Kelly Cup playoff format this week, the owners and players are still on strike, a sad state of affairs for people like former leagie commisioner Pat Kelly who helped build the league.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Pat Kelly/ECHL Commissioner for 8 Seasons; :00]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=.....not just hockey players lose"]
(-----------)

[WEATHER] [6PM WEATHER] [09/17/2003] [SS NONE]
[WXPRO/FULL]CLIMATE STATS
[MUSIC UNDER] [COMMERCIAL]
[CK/CHYRON/VIEWERNET] BEACH LOCATION WITH HIGH WIND
[CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS FORECASTS EXTENDED FORECAST

[Close]

[ANCHOR=]
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(Weekday 6 only)
[SUPER=x4032; e-mail/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS]
SUPER=x4033; Fax/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS
(Weekend 6 only)
SUPER=x4031; Fax/Copyright/WEEKENDS SUPER=x4030; e-mail/Copyright/WEEKENDS