11:59-01

NOON-HEADLINES

TALENT=Melanie
SS=None


OJ Simpson waits for the verdict.
Roanoke police investigate a fatal shooting.
And a hearing on the fate of a serial killer's brain.
(/////////////)
TALENT=Patrick
SS=None


Opal continues to cause consternation in the Gulf, and our forecast clouds up.
Rain is soon on the way, I'll tell you all about it.
(/////////////)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Stay with us.
The News is next. Open
SUPER=@Melanie1;
SUPER=@Patrick1;



SIMPSON


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#ROLLED FROM NEWSPATH
GRAPHIC=SIMPSON


The double-murder trial that has captivated the nation comes to a close today and only the 12 O-J Simpson jurors know how it will end.
They reached a verdict yesterday less than four hours after they began deliberations and just after re-hearing testimony from limo driver Allan Park.
Park testified that no one at the Simpson estate answered his buzzer when he arrived at 10-22 on the night of the murders.
The verdict is due to be unsealed in less than an hour.
Judge Lance Ito put off the verdict announcement to allow the lawyers and families to get to court.
Manuel Gallegus has more from Los Angeles.
LIVE=Manuel/full
SUPER=01-Manuel Gallegus/Reporting;
SUPER=05-Los Angeles;
(MANUEL ad lib)
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN=the crowds
SUPER=03-Los Angeles;
SUPER=07-Judge Lance Ito;
SUPER=01-Johnnie Cochran/Defense Attorney;
SUPER=01-John Mack/National Urban League;
RUNS=:00
out=

(( The crowds began gathering early this morning outside the L.A. Criminal Courts Building where the most sensational trial of modern times is about to end.
The police are closing the streets, as people wander by to be a part of history.
When the daily lottery was held to give away the 7 seats reserved for the public, it was a free-for-all.
JUDGE ITO/I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE REACHED A VERDICT
Judge Ito put a final, suspenseful twist to the end of the story, making everyone wait until today to hear the verdict.
O.J. Simpson's lead lawyer played down speculation that the quick verdict means his client has been convicted.
JOHNNIE COCHRAN/DEFENSE ATTORNEY: THE SUNDAY PAPERS ALSO SAID THE JURY WOULD BE OUT FOR WEEKS WITH THIS CASE, SO WE'LL SEE.
Los Angeles police are ready for anything, but the prevailing mood is not one of tension.
JOHN MACK/NATIONAL URBAN: DON'T EXPECT A REPEAT OF 1992.))
LIVE=Manuel/full
SUPER=05-Los Angeles;


All that remains is the final word from the only people whose opinions matter now... the jury.

Roanoke-Murder


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=jmo
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=Murder


Police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred in Roanoke earlier today.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


Officers found 21-year-old Eric Jones at a home on Signal Hill Avenue shortly before one a-m with a gunshot wound to the chest.
He was pronounced dead at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Witnesses told police that Jones had been sitting on a living room couch when a man in a hooded sweatshirt came to the front door.
Jones yelled at the man and started to get up when he was shot.
The gunman then fled on foot.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None


Earlier this year Jones was arrested for possession of crack cocaine and marijuana but the charges were dropped.

OPAL


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=Hurricane Opal


Hurricane Opal has left at least seven dead in its wake and is slowly moving toward the United States.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


The storm is now centered less than about 500 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River.
A hurricane watch has been issued for the Gulf Coast from south-central Louisiana to just west of Pensacola, Florida.
In southeastern Mexico, the storm has already dumped heavy rain which has caused extensive flooding and forced thousands from their homes.
(----------------)



MIDEAST


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=None


Israelis are being warned about possible suicide attacks by Muslim militants.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Jerusalem;


Officials say they have information that opponents of the Israel- P-L-O autonomy deal are planning attacks during the Yom Kippur (Kipp-pour) holiday, which begins at sundown today.
The warning comes less than a week after the latest agreement on self-rule in the West Bank was signed in Washington.
(----------------)



Mellette


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of 95-70 mellette
GRAPHIC=Citadel


The battle over female cadets at the Citadel continues, this time with Nancy
(Muh-LETTE') Mellette.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Oak Ridge, NC/September 5;


(Muh-LETTE') Mellette is expected to appear in court today in her bid to join a lawsuit against the South Carolina military college.
Attorneys for The Citadel say it's too late to add her to Shannon Faulkner's suit.
(-------------)
tease#1

HARD MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Still to come,
Why Jeffrey Dahmer's parents are heading to court,
(----------------)
VO-NAT

and two major airlines consider buying U-S Air.
We'll tell how that may affect ticket prices.
(----------------)

wx ad lib
music up full

comm1

Totten


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=tha
TAPE#95-70
GRAPHIC=NONE


South Boston police are investigating a junior high school guidance counselor accused of writing a check for several hundred dollars using another man's account.
At first police said 38- year old James Arthur Totten, Junior of North Carolina wrote the check using a dead man's check book.
But police now say the owner of the account was murdered AFTER the check was written.
Teresa Hamilton has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Police say
SUPER=03-South Boston; :00
SUPER=01-Jim Hall/South Boston Police Chief; :17
SUPER=@Teresa1; :46
RUNS=1:08
OUT Q=Hamilton, News 7.


((Police say the check was written for more than 320- dollars to Leggett in South Boston.
Shortly afterward, authorities say Totten returned the merchandise to a Leggett in Danville and kept the cash.
Authorities say pictures taken by a store surveillance camera are their strongest piece of evidence.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=

((JIM HALL/SOUTH BOSTON POLICE CHIEF: A LOT OF THINGS DO NOT SURPRISE ME IN MY YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS SOMEWHAT OF AN UNUSUAL CRIME, YES. ))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=CRIME, YES.


What police say makes this case even more unusual is that the man who actually owned the account was murdered about three months later.
Police do NOT know the connection the 38- year- old Totten has to Kevin Slade.
But authorities say he is NOT a suspect in Slade's murder.
Another man has been convicted of the crime. take su
Authorities say school officials are aware of the allegations. During the course of their investigation South Boston police came to Yanceyville and questioned Totten on school property. end su
Totten works as a guidance counselor at Dillard junior high.
The Superintendent of schools there did not return our calls-- nor did Totten's attorney. Teresa Hamilton, News 7.))

Dahmer


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=None


The question of what to do with Jeffrey Dahmer's brain goes before a Wisconsin court today.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;


The serial killer's parents are arguing over whether the brain should be given to scientists for research.
Dahmer's father is against the idea.
But his mother wants the brain examined to find out if biological factors contributed to her son's behavior.
The brain was preserved after Dahmer was killed by another inmate last November.
Dahmer admitted to killing 17 young men and boys, mutilating and sometimes cannibalizing his victims.
(----------------)




Scotus


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=jmo
TAPE# edit of 93-9 (Weeks) & 91-87 (Strickler)
GRAPHIC=US Supreme Court


The U-S Supreme Court has rejected the appeals of two Virginia death-row inmates.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Prince William Co./File Tape; (QUICK!!!!)


The court rejected the appeal for Lonnie Weeks -- who killed trooper Jose Cavazos along I-95 in 19-93.
SUPER=03-Staunton/June 21, 1990;


The court also denied the appeal for Tommy David Strickler -- who was convicted of murdering a James Madison University student in 19-90.
(----------------)



Welfare-Reform


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#95-71
GRAPHIC=VIRGINIA WELFARE


Governor Allen has officially kicked off welfare reform in Lynchburg.
Yesterday, Central Virginia became the second region in the state to implement the reform.
Steve Smallshaw has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The jobs are
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Yesterday; :00
SUPER=01-Kay Coles James/Health and Human Resources Sec'y; :12
SUPER=@Allen; :42
SUPER=@ssm1; :55
RUNS=1:13
OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.


(( The jobs are out there for those who are being told to get off welfare and find work.
But business leaders say many of the applicants they've seen are under- skilled and poorly educated.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:02:27 (#2)
IN Q=It seems to

((KAY COLES JAMES/HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES SECRETARY: IT SEEMS TO ME THAT HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND EDUCATION REFORM IS ESSENTIAL IN ORDER TO BRING OUT REAL AND LASTING CHANGE.))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=lasting change.


It may not have been the message Governor George Allen wanted to hear, but this forum of social workers and business leaders was designed to help work out the kinks of welfare reform.
The Lynchburg area is the second in Virginia to phase in the new changes that limit benefits and require some recipients to find jobs.
Allen says success will mean a change in attitude.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:48:34 (#2)
IN Q=So the work

((GOV. GEORGE ALLEN: SO THE WORK ETHIC IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF THIS EFFORT NOW, AND IF THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET WELFARE BENEFITS. NOW THAT CERTAINLY MAY BE A DRASTIC CHANGE, BUT IT'S THE CHANGE THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA ELECTED ME TO MAKE.))
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=me to make.
(/////SOT/////)

SU
IN Q=Allen and his

((Allen and his staff readily admit that changing the mindset of many welfare recipients is a monumental task. But they're confident that change will come once word gets out the someone has been penalized for not looking for work or refusing to accept a perfectly good job. Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.))



tease#2

SOFT MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


There's more to come,
A Roanoke woman falls victim to a scam,
(----------------)
VO-NAT


And Your Hometown Station remembers a MORNIN' legend.
W-D-B-J looks back at the life of Irv Sharp.
We'll have that PLUS we'll tell you what's in store for our 40th anniversary.
(-------------)

music up full comm2

Cow-Shooting


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=spr
TAPE#95-77
GRAPHIC=NONE


There were some scary moments in Botetourt County yesterday,
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./Yesterday;

as a cow ran wild through the Waterfall Lake area.
Residents were told to stay inside their houses because the heifer looked like it was going to charge.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:42:08
IN Q=I looked up

((SHERYL HARDER/RESIDENT: I LOOKED UP HERE AND I COULD SEE HIM BY THIS HOUSE STARING DOWN THE POLICEMAN AND THEY WERE SAYING HE WAS MAD SO I GOT THE KIDS AND GOT BACK IN THE HOUSE, SO IT WAS SCARY. ))
SUPER=01-Sheryl Harder/Resident;
RUNS=:12
OUT Q=it was scary
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Officials say the cow jumped a fence at the Roanoke-Hollins Stockyard and headed south down Route 11.
The owner of the stockyard gave police permission to shoot the animal, and once authorities had it cornered-- away from people's homes-- they were able to kill it.
(----------------)




Scam


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=JoeD
TAPE#95-69
GRAPHIC=NONE


As the holidays approach, police are warning people to watch out for con artists.
A Roanoke woman lost several hundred dollars to a scam last week.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


Peggy Stem was shopping in a Roanoke office supply store on Friday, when two women told her they had found an envelope full of money near her car.
They offered to divide the windfall three ways if she would provide enough money to even out the shares.
Ultimately, she lost the money she withdrew from her bank account and a cellular phone that was taken from her car.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=If you think that somebody's going

((PEGGY STEM: IF YOU THINK THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING, AND DO THIS, DON'T TAKE IT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO INVEST YOUR MONEY, INVEST IT WITH REPUTABLE PEOPLE, DON'T DO WHAT I DID.))
SUPER=07-Peggy Stem;
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=do what I did.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Roanoke police say senior citizens are a favorite target. WEATHER
SUPER=300-73/68/S 7mph/29.98/R/88/1986/29/1974;
SUPER=301-75/69/SE 5mph/29.98/F/94/1919/31/1974;


Airline


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=bmy
TAPE#95-78
GRAPHIC=us air


A major merger could be in the making for two major airlines.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


United Airlines is looking into acquiring U-S Air-- but has NOT made any definite proposals.
American Airlines is also reportedly interested in the airline.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I think that

((MARK COURTNEY/AIRPORT SPOKESMAN: I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY, A UNITED OR AMERICAN AIRLINE PURCHASING AN AIRLINE LIKE U-S AIR WOULD BE DOING SO IN ORDER TO GIVE THEMSELVES A COMPETITIVE AND STRATEGIC EDGE ON THE EAST COAST. ))
SUPER=01-Mark Courtney/Airport Spokesman;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=east coast
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


Courtney says he doesn't think passengers would notice many differences in service or ticket prices.
But travel industry officials predict a buy-out would have a noticeably positive effect.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT

((MEL LUDOVICI/MARTIN TRAVEL: IF IT TAKES PLACE, AND IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER IT WILL-- IF IT TAKES PLACE, ROANOKE TRAVELERS WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER, NOT THE WORST. ))
SUPER=01-Mel Ludovici/Martin Travel;
RUNS=:08
OUT=not the worst.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Meanwhile, local U-S Air officials would not comment-- saying that the proposed deal is still in the negotiating stage.
(----------------)



Stocks


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=cro
TAPE#none
SS=stocks


On Wall Street at noon, the Dow was DOWN 18 points.
tease#3

SPORTS MUSIC UNDER
ANCHOR=Melanie


Coming up in sports,
Who clinched the American League West Title,
(----------------)
VO-NAT

and the Bills have a three and one record after a last second field goal against the Browns.
All that when News 7 continues.
(-------------)

MUSIC UP FULL comm4

Football


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=jmo
TAPE#net 4na
GRAPHIC=NFL


In Monday Night Football,
A field goal in the final seconds of the game lifted the Buffalo Bills over the Cleveland Browns.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Cleveland, OH/ABC SPORTS;


The Bills trailed 16-to-13 in the fourth quarter before Jim Kelly heaved a 42-yard touchdown pass to Andre Reed.
Steve Christie missed the extra point, allowing the Browns to knot the score on Matt Stover's 38-yard kick with three-49 remaining.
SUPER=30-Buffalo/22/Cleveland/19;


But, with five seconds left in the game Christie redeems himself with this 33 yard field goal.
The Bills beat the Browns 22 to 19.
(----------------)

Wipe/Wipe/Wipe

MLB


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=jmo
TAPE# net 4:39:07
GRAPHIC=Wipe/Wipe/Wipe
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Seattle, WA;


In baseball action, the Seattle Mariner fans are in seventh heaven.
They lit cigars and clogged the streets near the Kingdome yesterday after the Mariners beat the California Angels nine-to- one, clinching the American League West title.
(----------------)




Irv-Life


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=ldo
TAPE#M95-7 Irv/Eric
GRAPHIC=anniversary graphic


From the early days of radio to the birth of WDBJ television forty years ago,
SS=Irv Sharp

Irv Sharp was a true broadcast legend.
Today on News 7 at 5 you can watch the unveiling of a portrait honoring Irv...a tribute that was NOT a difficult task for one local artist.
Larry Dowdy reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=It wasn't difficult...
SUPER=13-Eric Fitzpatrick/Artist; :00
SUPER=20-Larry Dowdy; 2:08
RUNS=2:32
OUT Q=Larry Dowdy, News 7

(( ((ERIC FITZPATRICK/ARTIST: IT WASN'T DIFFICULT AT ALL BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH IRV LIKE SO MANY OF THE VIEWERS. I THOUGHT IT WAS SORT OF NATURAL TO DO SOMEBODY THAT I HAD KNOWN THROUGH T.V. FOR SO MANY YEARS. I HAD FEELINGS FOR HIM ALREADY AND WAS GLAD TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT.))
Irv Sharp started most days for early risers across central & southwestern Virginia from the Top O' The Morning. ((HE REALLY DID SEE IT START OUT AND BROUGHT IT FROM ITS INFANTCY TO TODAY. SOMEONE WHO SAW AND PLAYED SUCH A HUGE PART IN ALL OF THAT PROGRESSION IS A RARITY.))
Looking at the Irv year's on tape had its advantages for Fitzpatrick. ((I COULD SEE HIM OVER THE YEARS, FROM THE VERY EARLY PARTS OF HIS CAREER--WHICH I FOUND FASCINATING. SOME OF THAT OLD BLUEGRASS AND VAUDEVILLE TOUCH AND ALL, THAT ARE INCREDIBLE.))
From snapshots to hours and hours of video, there were Irv classics too. ((I FOUND IT INCREDIBLE TO WATCH THAT OLD FOOTAGE ESPECIALLY SOME CLASSIC THINGS OF HIM PLAYING PIANO OR ORGAN...BACK TO BACK WHERE HE WAS ECPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING FOOTAGE.))
Though you couldn't find an easier subject, there were a few faces of Irv Sharp that turned this into a challenging project. ((THE HARDEST ONE WAS IRV AT THE ORGAN. IT WAS HARD TO GET AN ANGLE BECAUSE HE WAS A LIVELY PERFORMER. HE KEPT MOVING, WHICH IS QUITE NATURAL WHEN YOU'RE ON CAMERA, BUT IT MADE IT HARD TO CAPTURE HIME BECAUSE HE WOULD SHIFT HIS HEAD A LOT.))
For thirty-eight years, Irv's hometown personality was WDBJ-7. ((I THINK I CAUGHT IN THE MAIN IMAGE OF IRV, THE WAY WE ALL REMEMBER IRV AND I KNEW I WANTED THAT TO BE THE CENTERPIECE OF IT ALL. WITH THAT GREAT MUSTACHE AND THAT LITTLE HINT OF A SMILE AND GLEAM IN HIS EYE...I THOUGHT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. THAT WAS IRV TO ME I GUESS.
Larry Dowdy, News 7.)) )) Dissolve to 2-shot

wrap


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=amo
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=none
(**toss to patrick**)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


We now join C-B-S News for the O-J Simpson verdict.
The verdict is scheduled to be unsealed thirty minutes from now.
Thanks for watching and have a great day. REPRS&CL
SUPER=#D-68
(/////////)

((Closed captioning is brought to you by Carilion Health System and WDBJ-7.))
by SS