WDBJ 7 news at 6 for 05/06/04

[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

There are reports of a military plane crash in Southwest Virginia within the last hour..
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[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT :04]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
And, another local rescue squad finds itself in need of saving.
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[Sports-Head]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=2]
Tonight on News 7 sports - Craig County beats the bushes as well as the basepaths this season. The Braves lose again -

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[VO-NAT]
and Roanoke College and the City of Salem are hosting NCAA regional softball actioon starting tomorrow in teh City of Champions.
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[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]

Working the warm weather forecast this time around. Details of that, WeatherSchool and the latest pollen report coming up.
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[ANCHOR=Keith 4-SHot]

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

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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

A military Plane crashes in Franklin County.
[ANCHOR=Ketih 2-Shot]

Dozens saw two crewmen eject... They apparently are safe.
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[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

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

And I'm Shannon Young.

[Plane-Crash]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=]

The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that a military jet went down in western Franklin County in the last hour. Reports indicate the two people on board were able to parachute safely.
(+++++++)
[Take Map] It went down between Calloway and Ferrum, west of Rocky Mount. Numerous witnesses say they saw a burning plane going down prior to the crash.
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[City-Voting]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=03-53 TC1:58:26]
[GRAPHIC=Election 2004]

Roanoke election officials have taken a closer look at a voting machine that apparently malfunctioned.
But their review did not resolve the controversy surrounding Tuesday's vote.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & JoeD /Microwave;]

Joe Dashiell has more on today's developments and the reaction of Alice Hincker's campaign.
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsrtoom]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]

Shannon, Hincker failed to receive any votes in the Grandin Court precinct, while many of her supporters in the mayor's race say they definitely voted for her there.
Election officials reviewed the situation today, but election laws prevented them from getting into the guts of the machine.
[ENG#=3]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=When you've got zeros]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :04]
[SUPER=01-Beryl Brooks/Roanoke City Registrar; :18]
[SUPER=01-Gilbert Butler/Electoral Board Chairman; :34]
[SUPER=01-Brian Gottstein/Hincker Campaign Manager; :45]
[RUNS=1:04]
[OUT Q=to make sure everyone was counted.]
(([SOT TINSLEY 19:46:13]
[IN Q=When you've got zeros]
((WHEN YOU'VE GOT ZEROS WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.))
[RUNS= :03]
[OUT Q=knew something was wrong.]

Electoral Board Secretary Carl Tinsley knew something was wrong, and another look confirmed the numbers, three zeroes beside Alice Hincker's name.
But there was no satisfaction for those who want to know why. Election officials were not allowed to look inside.
[SOT]
[IN Q=You would have]
((YOU WOULD HAVE TEN DAYS TO FILE SOMETHING WITH THE COURT TO ASK TO HAVE THE MACHINE ACTUALLY CHECKED BEYOND WHAT WE JUST DID.))
[RUNS= :08]
[OUT Q=beyond what we just did.]

Election officials say the vote in most precincts was much closer to the number who checked in... so they believe the problem with the Grandin Court machine was an isolated issue.
[SOT]
[IN Q=that's not to say]
((GILBERT BUTLER/ELECTORAL BOARD CHAIRMAN: THAT'S NOT TO SAY MACHINES MIGHT JAM ELSEWHERE AND MALFUNCTION, BUT WE FEEL THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE WHERE THE VOTES SIMPLY WERE NOT PICKED UP , HAS NOT OCCURRED ELSEWHERE. )) ((IT'S NOT ABOUT COMING IN NUMBER TWO OR NUMBER THREE OBVIOUSLY THE ONLY POSITION IN THE MAYOR'S RACE THAT MATTERS IS NUMBER ONE. WE JUST RECEIVED A LOT OF CALLS FROM ANGRY VOTERS WHO ARE JUST MAD THAT THEIR VOTE DIDN'T COUNT. AND I THINK EVERY CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE DOWN HERE NOT JUST OURS CHECKING ON THE MACHINES TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS COUNTED.))
[RUNS= :31]
[OUT Q=make sure everybody was counted.]))
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[LIVE= JOeD /FULL NEwsroom]

Campaign manager Brian Gottstein says at this point Hincker and her advisors are not looking to contest the election, but they still have concerns about possible problems with other machines in other precincts.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & JoeD /Newsroom;]

Shannon, Roanoke's mechanical voting machines have been in use since 1943, and this election should be their last. The new electronic touch screens will be ready for the November election.

[Radford-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-08 TC1:48:40]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]
[ENG#=4]
Authorities are describing Tuesday night's fatal shooting in Radford as a "home invasion robbery."
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Radford/Tuesday Night]
Forrest Hart, the survivor of the incident, told police two men stole marijuana and a cell phone from him. Not much later a Montgomery County deputy reported seeing an '85 Oldsmobile speeding away from Radford toward Roanoke.

[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
Roanoke police found the car on Huntington Boulevard and determined that the owner lived in a duplex across the street - - half a block west of Williamson Road. They obtained a search warrant for the apartment and found some marijuana "consistent with the quantity stolen in Radford" along with a holster and a brown shirt. Hart said one of the suspects who shot him and killed Brian Gray was wearing a brown shirt.
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[H'ville-Rescue]

[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-06 TC1:50:23]
[GRAPHIC=None]
Carroll County has temporarily shut down the Hillsville Volunteer Rescue Squad for what officials are calling "numerous problems and complaints." New River Valley Bureau Chief Rachel DePompa found out what this could mean for residents.
[ENG#=1]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Members of the]
[SUPER=03-Carroll Co.;:00]
[SUPER=01-Regina Hills/Hillsville Vol. Rescue Squad;:09]
[SUPER=@Rachel1;:21]
[SUPER=01-Donald Trotter/Captain, Hillsville Vol. Rescue Squad;:43 ]
[SUPER=01-Ronald Newman/Carroll Co. Administrator;1:18]
[RUNS=1:37]
[OUT Q=news 7 hillsville.]
((Members of the Hillsville Volunteer Rescue Squad are answering a NEW call for help this week... their own. Carroll county has shutdown their operation.

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[SOT: 2:00:51:00 ]
[IN Q=I'm hurt.]
((REGINA HILLS: I'M HURT. I MEAN I WASN'T OUT HERE TO HELP MYSELF. I WAS OUT HERE HELPING PEOPLE TO SAVE LIVES.)) [RUNS:07]
[OUT Q= TO SAVE LIVES]

The county Board of Supervisors unanimously made the decision Wednesday evening and closed the facility immediately.

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[SOT: 2:14:02:00 ]
[IN Q=Members say]
((RACHEL DEPOMPA: SQUAD MEMBERS SAY THEY SHOWED UP HERE FOR THEIR REGULAR MEETING WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO TURN IN THEIR KEYS AND A PADLOCK WAS PLACED ON THE DOOR. )) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=on the door.]

The county also towed away the vehicles. Board members say the decision was based on a history of problems, including numerous citizen complaints, missed calls, and personnel problems. All issues Captain Donald Trotter admits to, but says the 30-member squad was working on.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:1:56:03:00 ]
[IN Q=Last year, ]
((DONALD TROTTER: LAST YEAR, YEAH WE MISSED 40 PERCENT AND I TOLD THE SQUAD WHEN WE FOUND THAT OUT. WE'RE GONNA CUT THAT IN HALF.)) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=CUT THAT IN HALF.]

But the final straw for the county came last week, when at least one emergency call was missed while the captain was using a county owned vehicle to move furniture from Smyth county. Something he admits.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:1:55:10:00]
[IN Q=It came up]
((DONALD TROTTER: IT CAME UP TO AN EMERGENCY CASE. THE STUFF HAD TO GET MOVE AND IT HAD TO GET MOVED THAT THURSDAY. WE MADE A DECISION ON THAT THURSDAY THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO. )) [RUNS:09]
[OUT Q=to do.]

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[SOT:2:01:39:00 ]
[IN Q=Even if its]
((REGINA HILL: EVEN IF IT'S MISUSE OF EQUIPMENT. WE COULD HAVE FIXED THAT PROBLEM. BUT LET US STAY OPEN FOR THE PEOPLE.)) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=for the people.]

For the time being, all Hillsville rescue calls will be handled by Carroll EMS...

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[SOT: 2:07:42:00 ]
[IN Q=We will ]
((RONALD NEWMAN: WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT CALLS ARE PROPERLY COVERED AND CITIZENS SHOULD NOT SEE ANY INTERRUPTION IN SERVICE WHEN THEY CALL 911. THEY ARE GONNA GET SERVED.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=get served.]

The board of supervisors will review the decision before deciding what to do next. Rachel DePompa News 7 Hillsville.))
[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]
[ENG#=V10]

Opponents of a proposed quarry dig in to fight the project.
That story is still ahead on News 7 at Six.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

Plus a new deal from Volvo may drive more jobs to the New River Valley.
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[1st-Wx]
[Quarry]
(MINI OPEN)
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-19 TC11:20]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
Plans for a Botetourt quarry are hitting a rocky road.
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
Timber Ridge Properties wants more than 300-acres rezoned so it can operate a stone quarry and processing plant.
(+++++++)
[TAKE MAP FS] The property lies between Fincastle and Eagle Rock, And as Susan Bahorich tells us, opponents have a quarrel with the quarry.
[ENG#=1]
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[SOT]
[IN Q= (running water) Some Botetourt..]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.; :02]
[SUPER=01-Colby Trammell/North Botetourt Concerned Citizens; :11]
[SUPER=01-Jonnie Speight/Concerned Citizen; :35]
[SUPER=@SUSAN1; 1:09 ]
[SUPER=03-Grayson Co./File Tape; 1:23 (quick!)]
[RUNS=1:43]
[OUT Q=SB, NEWS7, BOTETOURT COUNTY.]
(([NATS@19:22:10:00] ((NATS: RUNNING WATER)) [RUNS:04]
Some Botetourt residents are afraid they're going to "run" into a problem if a proposed quarry is approved.
[SOT@19:07:36:16]
[INQ=This second proposal..]
((COLBY TRAMMELL, NBCC: THIS SECOND PROPOSAL WOULD PLACE TWO {COMPETITING} QUARRIES SIDE BY SIDE, IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA NEXT TO CATAWBA CREEK, WHICH IS A TRIBUTARY NEXT TO THE JAMES RIVER.)) [RUNS:13]
[OUTQ=... the James River.]

Colby Trammell is part of a group called, North Botetourt Concerned Citizens. The group is concerned about the proposal, now before the Planning Commission.
Timber Ridge Properties wants the land just on the other side of this treeline rezoned to support a stone quarry and processing plant.

[SOT@19:27:07:24]
[INQ=There are a number..]
((JONNIE SPEIGHT, CONCERNED CITIZEN: THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SINKHOLES IN THE AREA, THERE ARE ABOUT 19-CAVES. EVEN A MINOR DISTURBANCE IN THE KARST GEOLOGY CAN CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE AND IF YOU GOT TWO QUARRIES OPERATING AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'VE GOT A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR AN EVEN GREATER PROBLEM.)) [RUNS:17]
[OUTQ=... greater problem.]

The site would be adjacent to Boxley's Santana Farm Quarry along U.S. Route 220 -North.
[NATS@19:16:06:23] ((NATS- TRUCKS PASSING)) [RUNS:03]
Residents say 220 is their main artery and by adding more truck traffic you're asking for trouble.. but quarry officials don't see it like that.

[SOT@19:20:50:00]
[INQ=Andy Douthat of...]
((SUSAN BAHORICH, REPORTING: ANDY DOUTHAT OF TIMBER RIDGE PROPERTIES COULD NOT TALK TO NEWS 7 ON CAMERA, BUT SAYS THE QUARRY WOULD BRING JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY, AND ANYTIME AN INDUSTRY CAN ADD TO AN AREA'S TAX BASE, IT'S A POSITIVE THING.)) [RUNS:13]
[OUTQ= .. A POSITIVE THING.]

Douthat says quarries are regulated and watched by a number of federal and state authorities. He believes these agencies will help Timber Ridge Properties be a good neighbor to the environment and residents of Botetourt. The County Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the rezoning request after a public hearing next Monday. SB, News 7, Botetourt County. ))
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[Stocks]

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

Uneasiness about interest rates and the federal budget deficit sent stocks lower. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/69.69/10241.26/y/19.52/1937.74;]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The DOW lost 70 points today.
NASDAQ dropped more than 19.
[SUPER=271-i/1.33/42.55/h/0.10/56.35/i/0.10/30.48/i/0.59/90.22/i/1.47/80.10;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.43/34.67/i/0.65/20.24/i/0.12/6.75/h/0.60/63.92/i/0.02/30.47;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.34/8.62/i/0.12/40.88/i/0.09/17.35/h/0.30/24.26/i/0.40/5.57;]
[SUPER=274-h/0.03/12.32/i/0.54/69.16/i/0.27/37.56/i/0.18/46.27/i/1.28/54.58;]

[SUPER=#555; Reset]

[SPONSOR ANNOUNCE]
[COMMERCIAL]

[Sister-Cities]

[ANCHOR=Keith ]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC2:04:00]
[SS=None]
[ENG#=3]

Their countries might not agree on everything.
But Americans and Europeans are finding some common ground in central Virginia this week.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.]

A delegation from the German town of Glauchau (GLOUGH-how) is in Lynchburg this week to explore a possible Sister City relationship.
The group is visting local schools and industries and spent part of this afternoon at Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest estate in Bedford County.
Organizers say the idea is to promote understanding between different cultures.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:17:00]
[IN Q=It can develop]
((MANFRED MIBUS/SISTER CITIES ORGANIZER: IT CAN DEVELOP INTO A BUSINESS EXCHANGE AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, THEIR CULTURE AND VICE VERSA.))
[SUPER=01-Manfred Mibus/Sister Cities Organizer]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=and vice versa.]
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[VO-NAT]

Lynchburg already has a Sister City in France.
Firefighters from there are visiting the Hill City this week as well.
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[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=V10]
NCAA regional softball opens in Salem tomorrow. We'll check some big league highlights -
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[VO-NAT]
and Travis Wells checks in from New Castle where the Craig County Rockets are raising money and expectations in the community.
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[S-Rockets]

[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=twe]
[TAPE#=SP-174 TC1129]
[GRAPHIC=Craig Co. Baseball]
[ENG#=2]

Folks in Craig County appreciate a good dose of hard work, and that includes the high school baseball team, which has raised over 6 thousand dollars this season--not for some fancy trip, but just to be able to compete. Travis Wells has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Craig Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Brett Stamper/Rockets Catcher; :25]
[SUPER=01-John Boyer/Rockets Second Baseman; :35]
[SUPER=01-Eddie Helems/Rockets Head Coach; 1:11]
[SUPER=@travis1; 1:32]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=News 7 Sports."]
((Coach Eddie Helems estimates that it costs roughly 2 thousand dollars at the very minimum, to run a high school baseball team for a season. The Craig County School System, one of the smallest in the Commonwealth, can afford to pay for the high school team's baseballs and umpires, but not much more than that, leaving the team to raise money for uniforms, equipment, and field maintenance.
Brett: John:
Local merchants have shown their support by purchasing billboard signs that are on display during every home game, and through several generous donations.
Eddie:
Travis: The Rockets got off to the best start in school history this season, winning their first ten games. They are currently 12 and 2 with the Pioneer District Tournament just around the corner. In Craig County, Travis Wells, News 7 Sports.))

[Recap]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=rle]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=]

Recapping the breaking story at this hour, The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that a military jet has gone down in western Franklin County. Reports indicate the two people on board were able to parachute safely.

(+++++++)
[Take Map] It went down between Calloway and Ferrum, west of Rocky Mount. Numerous witnesses say they saw a burning plane prior to the crash, and two people on board parachuting to safety. On the phone now is Delia Heck, who saw the plane go down and has seen the crash site.
(Phoner)
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News 7 has two crews at the site. We will bring you special reports from the scene as soon as possible.