WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 01/26/04

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

With school closures right and left, many counties are looking at the fickle forecast and trying to pick a direct
ion.
(------------)
[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
While Roanoke city schools produce new figures on school discipline, crime and violence.
(------------)

[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=2]
Tonight on News 7 sports - we'll hear from the Express and see how Joe Gibbs has finalized his coaching staff.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Plus, former Redskins head coach Norv Turner takes over the Oakland Raiders.
(------------)

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

More winter weather choices include a little freezing drizzle tonight, snow showers Tuesday afernoon and gusty winds late tomorrow night. January roars. Details ahead.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

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

[ENG#=3]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Southwest and Central Virginia dig out from several inches of snow and sleet.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The worst may not be over, though if the freezing rain comes at us tonight and tomorrow.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

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

And I'm Keith Humphry.
[Winter-Storm]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=03-45 TC2:03:56]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

Freezing Rain would be a worst-case scenario for many of us, especially V-Dot workers who are still trying to clear Sunday's snow.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The cold temperatures and ice have caused a lot of trouble for clean-up crews trying to clear-out the roads.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Myranda /Porch Cam;]
Myranda Stephens is in Roanoke with an update. V-Dot officials say most of the major roads in our area have been cleared, but are still wet.
[LIVE= Myranda /FULL Porch Cam]
[SUPER=@Myranda1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
But that wasn't the case earlier today at least in Franklin County, and that's still not the case for a lot of the secondary roads now.
[ENG#=4]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]
[SUPER=01-Jimmy Holley/Franklin Co. Resident;]
[SUPER=01-Mike Montgomery/Newspaper Carrier;]
[SUPER=01-Robert Betterton/VDOT;]
[RUNS=1:21]
[OUT Q=STAYIN' IN... LAUGHS... ]
(([SOT 1538]
[RUNS02] ((I'M RETIRED, I DON'T REALLY NEED TO GO ANYWHERE 40)) [NATS OF JIMMY PLOWING @ 1948!!!] [RUNS03] This is about all the driving Jimmy Holley did today.
[SOT 1635]
[RUNS=07]
((JIMMY HOLLEY/FRANKLIN CO. RESIDENT: THE STREET HADN'T BEEN CLEARED THERE HADN'T BEEN ANYTHING DONE TO THE ROADS FAR AS V-DOT'S CONCERNED, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL MOVIN' ALONG 42)) [NATS OF DELIVERY GUY @ 1918!!!!] [RUNS02] People like Mike Montgomery who delivers newspapers for the Roanoke Times.
[SOT 1806][COVER PART OF BITE WITH ROAD VIDEO @ 2026]
[RUNS13] ((MIKE MONTGOMERY/NEWSPAPER CARRIER: WE'VE BEEN OUT SINCE ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, THEN WE WENT BACK OUT ABOUT FIVE, AND COME BACK OUT. TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN, IT'S JUST ON THESE SIDE ROADS YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE NO TIME, CAUSE THEY AIN'T GOT IT SCRAPED AND ALL, BUT I'M SURE THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN DO 19)) [NATS OF V-DOT TRUCKS @ 3111!!!] The best V-Dot could do didn't really turn out to much for the early part of the day. A lot of major roads, like 220 looked more like a backroad compared to what it is normally. But, it's wasn't because V-Dot crews weren't working, it was just too cold.
[SOT 2301]
[RUNS08] ((ROBERT BETTERTON/V-DOT: AS COLD AS THE TEMPERATURES IS, THE SALT IT'S TAKING IT AWHILE TO WORK. 2304 AND AS THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP TODAY WE HOPE TO GET THE PRIMARIES REAL CLEAN 09)) As for the secondaries,
[SOT 2335]
[RUNS08] ((WE'RE JUST PUSHING THE SNOW OFF, APPLYING NUMBER EIGHT STONE FOR ABRASIONS, TO GIVE TRACTION,AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE CAN DO WITH THE TEMPERATURES AS COLD AS IT IS 43)) And with the potential of more freezing rain Tuesday, it may be a while before people like Jimmy Holley will want to leave their driveways. Although Jimmy doesn't seem to mind.
[SOT 1622]
[RUNS03] ((WELL THAT'LL PROBABLY BE ANOTHER DAY OF STAYIN' IN (LAUGHS) 25))))
(-------------)
[LIVE= Myranda /FULL Porch Cam]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
For anyone who plans to do any traveling in the air, the Roanoke Airport says the weather is causing several flight delays and cancellations
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & Myranda /Porch Cam;]
at other airports. So they advise passengers to contact the airline or check their website, www.roanokeairport.com, for the latest arrivals and departures.

[Roanoke-Snow]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=03-53 TC50:21]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]
[ENG#=1]
The first winter storm of 2004 caused a number of accidents, but few major problems in the Roanoke Valley.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
V-DOT crews were kept busy working on Interstates 81 and 5-81. The snow and ice caused a number of accidents, keeping police busy, as well. From the start of the storm yesterday morning to early this morning, Virginia State Police responded to more than 260-weather related wrecks.
(------------)

[Central-Storm]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=03-47 TC1:48:42]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]
[ENG#=2]

Even as they worked to dig out from yesterday's storm, Southside residents are now bracing for this next round of freezing rain.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville]

Most of Danville's primary roads today had at least one lane clear of snow and slush.
That was thanks to round-the-clock work from the city's public works crews who spent the past 36 hours sanding, salting and plowing city streets.
A G-P-S system helps the department keep track of its employees and the roads they've covered.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13:46:50]
[IN Q=They've had a]
((RICHARD DRAZENOVICH/DANVILLE PUBLIC WORKS: THEY'VE HAD A COUPLE OF LONG SHIFTS ALREADY WITH THIS SNOWSTORM, IF MORE COMES THEY'RE GOING TO BE WEARING OUT I THINK. What do you do to combat that then? WELL, WE BREAK THEM UP INTO TWO TWELVE HOUR SHIFTS, AND EACH SHIFT HAS 21 TRUCKS AND IT'S BROKE UP INTO FIVE ZONES. AND AS SOON AS A SNOWSTORM COMES WE BREAK THEM UP AND THEN THEY DO GET SOME REST IN THE OFF HOURS.))
[SUPER=01-Richard Drazenovich/Danville Public Works]
[RUNS=22]
[OUT Q=in the off hours.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Drahzenovich (drah-ZEN-oh-vitch) says the city is expecting freezing rain tonight.. and that many roads now clear of snow could be covered in ice tomorrow.
(XXXXXXXX)
[TAKE WDBJ WEBPAGE FS]
As you've seen at the top of your screen, many schools have cancelled classes for tomorrow.
We'll bring you updates throughout the evening... and you can always find an up to the minute list on our website at WDBJ7-dot-com.
(-------------)

[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]
[ENG#=V10]

Administrators say a new report on violence shows Roanoke schools are safe.
But still ahead on News 7, some parents say the school system is trying to hide the truth.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Plus Hollins students remember president Nora Kizer Bell.
(----------------)
[1st-Wx]
[School-Violence]
(MINI OPEN)
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-49 TC1:21:43]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Roanoke City Schools have released a new discipline report, and superintendent Wayne Harris says the numbers support his belief that schools are safe.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

But critics of the administration are questioning whether some incidents in the report were classified properly.

[***SCHOOL VIOLENCE IN MONITOR***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & joeD /NEwsroom;]

Joe Dashiell is in the newsroom tonight with the latest numbers...
Keith and Shannon, this is the second nine-week report...
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
and it outlines 931 disciplinary incidents between the end of October and the middle of January.
Superintendent Wayne Harris says the vast majority did not involve any physical contact between students.
[ENG#=1]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I can tell you]
[SUPER=01-Wayne Harris/Roanoke School Superintendent; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :09]
[SUPER=01-Alice Hincker/RSVP Coalition; :44]
[RUNS=1:07]
[OUT Q=continued to do the right thing]
(( [SOT 09:33:55]
[IN Q=I can tell you the data]
((I CAN TELL YOU THE DATA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MY CONTENTION THAT SCHOOLS ARE SAFE AND THEY'RE ORDERLY.))
[RUNS= :08]
[OUT Q=schools are safe and orderly.]

With the second nine week report now in hand, Wayne Harris says it's still too early to draw conclusions.
But the latest numbers appear to be consistent with the earlier report, in fact a bit lower, and Harris says he believes they reflect a safe school environment.
But parent Alice Hincker, a critic of the administration and co-founder of a school safety coalition says she's not sure she can trust the numbers.
She cites an incident at Patrick Henry High School which resulted in a robbery charge, but was classified as extortion, a less serious offense that doesn't figure into the federal designation of persistently dangerous schools.
[SOT]
[IN Q=I don't think]
((ALICE HINCKER: I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD MOVE FOR A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT'S TRYING TO REBUILD THE PUBLIC'S CONFIDENCE TO HAVE INFORMATION RECORDED AND REPORTED IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REPRESENT WHAT TOOK PLACE.)) ((WAYNE HARRIS: WE WOULD BE LESS THAN SMART IF, IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, WE WERE TO DO ANYTHING BUT THE RIGHT THING AND I CONTEND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.))
[RUNS= :25]
[OUT Q=I contend we have continued to do the right thing.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]

School officials are acknowledging a problem with the development of school safety audits and crisis plans...
Though all city schools conducted the audits and prepared the plans, some did not follow all of the state guidelines.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Newsroom;]

So keith and shannon, wayne harris says the school system is taking steps to make sure there is full compliance in the future.

[Hollins-President]

[ANCHOR=Shan]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=03-48 TC1:32:25]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

Hollins University is trying to warm itself after losing the spark of its president. Nora Kizer Bell died Saturday of complications from bacterial pneumonia.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=College students with crayons...]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; 00]
[SUPER=@File; :07]
[SUPER=01-Wayne Markert/Hollins University Acting President; :13]
[SUPER=01-Beth Burgin/Hollins Student Govt. Association President; :21]
[RUNS=1:26]
[OUT Q=left behind from fading.]
((College students with crayons attempt to express the color Nora Kizer Bell brought to their lives. The 62 year old died unexpectedly this weekend leaving memories of a woman stunning in so many way.
[SOT 6:27 - 6:35]
[IN Q=She was a wonderful person...]
((WAYNE MARKERT/ACTING PRESIDENT, HOLLINS UNVIERSITY: SHE WAS A WONDERFUL PERSON, FRIENDLY, FUNNY, VERY UNSASSUMING.))
[RUNS:08]
[OUT Q=very unassuming.]
[BUTT BUTT BUTT]
[SOT 1:07 - 1:16]
[IN Q=She was just educated about everything...]
((BETH BURGIN/PRES., HOLLINS STUDENT GOVT. ASSOCIATION: SHE WAS JUST EDUCATED ABOUT EVERYTHING. AND SHE HAD A FABULOUS SENSE OF STYLE. ANY STUDENT'LL TELL YOU SHE COULD WALK IN A ROOM AND SHE WOULD JUST BE GLAMOROUS.)) [RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=and she would just be glamorous.]
Bell landed at Hollins less than 2-years ago with more 20-years of university experience under her well-turned belt. She cut her presidential teeth at Wesleyan College in Macon Georgia as it's first female leader. [TAPE 02-50 TC 1:31:20] By the time Hollins nabbed her Bell already had a plan to push the Roanoke County university into the national spotlight. But her health slowed her down. A rare form of bone cancer was said to be in remission. [TAPE 03-50 TC 51:42] But after repeated trips to the Mayo clinic, and visible weight loss, the spiritually vibrant Bell couldn't fight bacterial pnuemonia. Her death marks the first time a Hollins president has died in office.
[SOT 2:21 - 2:32]
[IN Q=The mood's unsettled.]
((WAYNE MARKERT/ACTING PRESIDENT, HOLLINS UNIVERSITY: THE MOOD'S UNSETTLED. PEOPLE ARE SADDENED AND WORRIED FOR THE BELL FAMILY AND ALSO FOR THE HOLLINS FAMILY.)) [RUNS:11]
[OUT Q=for the Hollins family.]
And trying to figure out how to keep the color Nora Kizer Bell left behind from fading.))
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Shan]
[GRAPHIC=None]
The Bell family is planning a funeral service to be held later this week, most likely in South Carolina. Hollins is also planning a memorial to be held on the school's Founder's Day, the 19th of next month.

[Fire-Roanoke]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=03-45 TC2:03:56]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]
[ENG#=3]

Investigators say smoking caused a fire on Hershberger Road this afternoon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The five people inside the house got out safely when the blaze broke out before one-thirty.
The fire was contained to an upstairs bedroom but other parts of the house were damaged by water and smoke.
Damage is estimated at about ten-thousand dollars.
Hershberger Road was blocked for a time while crews extinguished the flames.
(------------)

[Stocks]

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

Stocks closed solidly higher on Wall Street [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-x/134.22/10702.51/x/29.96/2153.83;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW climbed 134 points for its highest close since June 2001.
NASDAQ gained 30.
[SUPER=271- /Unchg/41.62/h/0.33/54.81//Unchg/31.88/h/0.48/79.95/h/0.97/82.24;]
[SUPER=272-h/1.11/37.29/h/0.39/22.95/h/0.09/7.02/h/0.43/62.83/h/0.93/34.14;]
[SUPER=273-h/0.13/10.39/i/0.23/45.51/h/0.08/18.73/h/0.21/23.34/i/0.18/8.21;]
[SUPER=274-i/0.06/12.29/h/3.33/76.41/h/0.17/37.77/h/0.80/47.05/h/0.40/54.61;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[SPONSOR ANNOUNCE]
[COMMERCIAL]

[Augusta-Dam]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=03-52 TC10:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]

The state believes there is imminent danger but the owner of an Augusta County dam says there's nothing wrong.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Augusta Co./Friday]

The Department of Conservation and Recreation has ordered that the pond behind this old mining dam near Steeles Tavern be drained immediately.
The 50 year old dam is eroded at the embankment and if it fails it could flood several homes down below.
But the landowner says state officials are over-reacting.
The state does have the authority to have the dam drained at the owner's expense.
(------------)

[Power-plant]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=03-42 TC1:41:07]
[GRAPHIC=none]
[ENG#=2]
A lawmaker from Bristol is proposing a power plant that would burn only coal mined in Virginia and produce electricity for use exclusively by Virginians.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]
Senator William Wampler gathered a delegation of legislators from the far corner of the Commonwealth to unveil his plan for the one- billion dollar project. The plant would burn as much as two million tons of Virginia coal a year.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT @1:20]
[IN Q=But this is good]
((SEN. WILLIAM WAMPLER/(R) BRISTOL; BUT THIS IS GOOD SOLID SAFE-LOAD CAPACITY, FIRED BY SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COAL THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THE FOLKS BACK HOME.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. William Wampler/(R) Bristol]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=folks back home.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The plant itself would employ 85 full-time workers. Wampler says an increased demand for local coal would also create another 260- - or so- -related jobs.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=none]
There are two possible sites in Lee County where the plant might be built as well as ones in Wise, Dickenson and Tazewell counties.

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=V10]
Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - we'll hear from Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme. Steve Mason checks in with the Express,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
and Joe Gibbs has assembled his coaching staff. 15 members making many millions. Details in a moment.
(------------)

[S-Gibbs]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-163 5537tc]
[GRAPHIC=JOE GIBBS]
[ENG#=1]

Joe Gibbs has finally finished his assistant coaching search. Today Gibbs wrapped up what will be a 15 man staff with the hiring of LSU wide receivers' coach Stan Hixon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/2002; :00]
Hixon was part of Nick Saban's original staff at LSU in 2000, before that he coached receivers at Ga. Tech from 1995-99 and among his other stops was a short stint at Richmond in 1980.
[SUPER=03-Ashburn;]
This means that Gibbs will now have the highest paid staff in NFL history, with his assistants making a combined $4 million bucks.
[SUPER=03-Concord, NC;]
His oldest son J.D. says his dad has surrounded himself with former colleagues and acquaintances for what he hopes will be a successful five year run.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=BITE]
[SUPER=01-J. D. Gibbs/Joe Gibbs' Oldest Son; :00]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=...for the Redskins' fans."]
(------------)
[VO-NAT con't]
With his dad now back in football - J.D. will handle the day-to-day operations for the family's race teams.
(------------)

[S-Norv]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-162 5820tc]
[GRAPHIC=NFL]
[ENG#=2]

One of the men who unsuccessfully tried to replace Gibbs is back in the head coaching fraternity.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ashburn/2000; :00]
The Raiders named Norv Turner the team's 14th head coach today, Turner had spent the past two season as the offensive coordinator of the Dolphins in Miami.
(------------)

[S-Super]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-158 20036tc]
[GRAPHIC=super bowl 38]
[ENG#=3]

The Panthers and Patriots are considered to be defensive football teams who score just enough to win. But their quarterbacks are also similar. Like Tom Brady two years ago - Jake Delhomme has come out of nowhere.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=BITE]
[SUPER=01-Jake Delhomme/Panthers Quarterback; :]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=...to help your team win."]
(--------------)

[S-Express]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP_169 1:31]
[GRAPHIC=express]
[ENG#=]

The Express is 3-7 and 1 in January and in danger of its first losing month of the season. Steve Mason has more on that and more from the ECHL commissioner in Round House Wrap Up.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Tony MacAulay/Express Head Coach; :17]
[SUPER=01-Bryan McKenna/ECHL Commissioner; :41]
[SUPER=@Steve1; 1:29]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=....steve mason round house wrap up"]
(----------------)
((In October and November, Roanoke was 6 and 4 and 6 and 4. 5-3 and 2 in December. The Express has played short handed without Dan Carlson, Shawn Limpright and Now Joe Dusbabek for parts of the last 14 games that has resulted in a tough new years start.
((:))
While the Express attendance is up by 224 fans, the average is a few thousand less than it was when the team started in the Star City, but this is not an uncommon ECHL problem. ((:))
A hard working Express front office and a new ECHL vision for rivalries will hopefully bring back any fans used to watching the Richmond Renegades now of the United Hockey League and Hampton Roads, which left for the AHL.)) ((:)) ((STEVE MASON:THE EXPRESS BATTLES THE GREENVILLE GRROWL TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE ROANOKE CIVIC CENTER AND THEN THE TEAM IS ON THE ROAD FOR 10 STRAIGHT. STEVE MASON ROUND HOUSE WRAP UP.))