Morning news AM cutins on WDBJ 7 01/09/96

08:25-01

7Night-Snow

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#95-103
GRAPHIC=Snowbound

Southwest and Central Virginia continues to dig out from the big snow of '96.
Roanoke expects to have all of its sidestreets cleared by Thursday.
Lynchburg says it should have residential roads pushed by tomorrow afternoon.
The state says its primary roads are all cleared, but some have a thin layer of packed snow on some of them.
Snowplow crews expect to get to all the secondary roads by late this week.
Still, crews know they won't be able to please everyone.
Len Besthoff has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Soon as you
SUPER=01-Randy Bohon/Motorist; :00
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Yesterday; :10 (QUICK!)
SUPER=03-Danville/Yesterday; :15
SUPER=01-Gary Bowman/Roanoke Snowplow Operator; :29
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday; :35
SUPER=@Len2; :40 (Quick)
RUNS=:55
OUT Q=len besthoff, news 7.
((
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:32:21
IN Q=Soon as you
((RANDY BOHON/MOTORIST: SOON AS YOU HIT THE ROANOKE CITY LINE, ROADS ARE JUST LIKE THIS ARE HORRIBLE SHAPE, YOU KNOW AS MUCH PROPERTY TAX AS WE PAY HERE, THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS, THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR IT AT ALL.))
SUPER=01-Randy Bohon/Motorist;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=for it at all.

Public works crews all across our region, from greater Lynchburg to Southside, snowplows are working around the clock to clear the roads.
But it's not so simple dealing with a record snowfall, as we found out while driving with Gary Bowman from Roanoke's snowplow crew.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:59:28
IN Q=It's not
((GARY BOWMAN/ROANOKE SNOWPLOW OPERATOR: IT'S NOT A HEAVY SNOW, IT PUSHES FAIRLY WELL, BUT AS FAR AS THE PAST 15 YEARS IT'S THE MOST THAT I'VE SEEN. I'VE BEEN OUT PUSHING FOR AROUND 15 YEARS PLUS.))
SUPER=01-Gary Bowman/Roanoke Snowplow Operator;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=fifteen years plus.

Bowman says it's unfair to compare the condition of the city roads to the state roads, because municipal snowplow drivers have to deal with cars parked along the streets, and state crews don't.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:57:52
IN Q=And if we're widening a
((GARY BOWMAN/ROANOKE SNOWPLOW OPERATOR: AND IF WE'RE WIDENING A ROAD OUT OR MAKING OUR FIRST PASS, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE STUCK WITH ONE PASS, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE SECOND PASS BECAUSE THERE'S A VEHICLE IN THE WAY.))
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=vehicle in the way.))

Len Besthoff, News 7.))
ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot
SS=2 shot

And here's some good news -- the airports in Lynchburg and Roanoke will be open today, although the Roanoke Regional Airport will not open until ten am.
The airports advise passengers to call the airlines before trying to catch a flight.

7NRV-SNOW

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#edit from 95-107
GRAPHIC=

In the New River Valley digging out has been especially tough because of strong winds.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday;

It seemed as fast as you cleared a path, the wind blew the snow right back on the roads.
V-Dot crews found themselves having to double back on some main roads.
That means it will take even longer to reach secondaries, which are piling up with drifts.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((JOHN THOMPSON/VDOT ASST. RESIDENT ENGINEER: WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE PERCENTAGE OF OUR SECONDARY SYSTEM IS BLOCKED RIGHT NOW DUE TO DRIFTING CONDITIONS. ))
SUPER=01-John Thompson/VDOT Asst. Resident Engineer;
RUNS=:08
OUT Q=drifting conditions.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

But interstate 81 and many primary roads are improving in the New River Valley, and handful of businesses even managed to open yesterday.
(----------------)

7Snow-Babies

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-1
GRAPHIC=snowbound 96

Well here's double trouble in the snow.
A woman from Botetourt County went into labor with twins in the middle of the big snowstorm.
It happened to
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday;

Ivey Lupacchino (loo-pah-CHEE-no) and her husband Rickmanaged to get to Community Hospital with more than EIGHT inches of snow already on the ground Saturday night, but NOT without a few scary moments.
To top it all off the twins enter the world a month early.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:58:19
IN Q=And we had
((IVEY LUPACCHINO/MOTHER OF TWINS: AND WE HAD TO CALL THE AMBULANCE TO COME GET US ABOUT 11 O'CLOCK WE CALLED. AND IT TOOK THEM AN HOUR TO GET THERE AND AN HOUR TO GET US HERE. SO BY THE TIME WE GOT HERE CONTRACTIONS WERE FOUR MINUTES APART.))
SUPER=01-Ivey Lupacchino/Mother of Twins;
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=four minutes apart(laughs).
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 05:03:07
IN Q=Well the ride
((RICK LUPACCHINO/FATHER OF TWINS: WELL THE RIDE WAS PRETTY SCARY WE HAD AN ELDERLY WOMAN WHO WAS THE AMBULANCE DRIVER, AND I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED AT FIRST, BUT APPEARANCES ARE DECEIVING AND SHE WAS TREMENDOUS.))
SUPER=01-Rick Lupacchino/Father of Twins;
RUNS=:12
OUT Q=she was tremendous.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Eli weighed in at six-pounds, one ounce.
His sister Elena is five and a half pounds.
The family believes that Community Hospital will let them stay until they can make it back home.
(----------------)

7WEATHER

ANCHOR=
NEWSCAST=
WRITER=
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Today will be partly cloudy with a 30 percemt chance of light snow.
Highs will be in the upper 30's.
Tonight will be another cold one with temperatures in the low 20's.
Looking ahead.
Tomorrow will be breezy and cold with highs in the 30's.

55Storm

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=bmy
TAPE# edit
GRAPHIC=snowbound

While the East Coast Snow storm of '96 slinks out to sea, its snowbound victims are still digging out.
While many schools in the region remain closed the Roanoke and Lynchburg airports will be back in business today.
But Airport officials say call ahead before leaving home.
Meantime, 38-hundred snow plows across the state are working around the clock to clear the roads of the record snowfall.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke; (quick!)

Still, it's not fast enough for many residents.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:32:21
IN Q=Soon as you
((RANDY BOHON/MOTORIST: SOON AS YOU HIT THE ROANOKE CITY LINE, ROADS ARE JUST LIKE THIS ARE HORRIBLE SHAPE, YOU KNOW AS MUCH PROPERTY TAX AS WE PAY HERE, THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS, THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR IT AT ALL.))
SUPER=01-Randy Bohon/Motorist;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=for it at all.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Officials say city areas have a tougher time because cars are parked along the streets.
Roanoke expects to have all of its side streets cleared by Thursday.
Lynchburg says residential roads should be plowed by Wednesday afternoon.
Some more rural areas of Halifax and Charlotte counties expect local roads should be passable.
The state says primary roads are all cleared, but some have a thin layer of packed snow on some of them.
(----------------)

55New-River-Snow

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=tal
TAPE#95-107
GRAPHIC=

Over in the New River Valley, digging out from all of this white stuff is no easy task thanks to strong winds.
Tracy Altizer has that story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I guess sooner
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday; :03
SUPER=01-Steven Moore/Christiansburg Resident; :08
SUPER=03-Montgomery Co./Yesterday; :18
SUPER=01-John Thompson/Asst. VDOT Resident Engineer; :31
SUPER=01-Josh Barnett/Sledder;
:50 QUICK!!!
SUPER=@Tracy2; :54
RUNS=1:08
OUT Q=Altizer, News 7.
((
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 11:02:37
((I GUESS SOONER OR LATER WE'LL DIG OUT OF HERE. ))
RUNS=:02

It may be later for a lot of folks if this wind keeps up, making shoveling a frustrating task.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 11:06:23
((STEVEN MOORE/CHRISTIANSBURG RESIDENT: YOU'LL THROW IT RIGHT BACK UP BEHIND YOU AND IT'LL BLOW RIGHT BACK UP AGAINST YOU. IT'S WONDERFUL, JUST WONDERFUL. ))
RUNS=:06

Certainly wonderful if the wind would blow the snow off our roads and cars, as it has this hillside.
But it's done much more harm than good, especially for road crews who are finding themselves having to double back on some of the main roads.
That means it will take longer to get to the secondaries, which are piling up with drifts.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:22:42
((JOHN THOMPSON/VDOT ASST. RESIDENT ENGINEER: WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE PERCENTAGE OF OUR SECONDARY SYSTEM IS BLOCKED RIGHT NOW DUE TO DRIFTING CONDITIONS. ))
RUNS=:07
(/////SOT/////)

Patience may be the name of the game, as it may take a couple of days to see major improvement.
SOT nat of sledding
RUNS=:03

But with this deep snow, that's just fine for sledders.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:35:58
((JOSH BARNETT/SLEDDER: WE HAVEN'T BEEN GOING IN THE DEEP SNOW BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO HARD TO GET AROUND MOSTLY. ))
RUNS=:04

Despite the problems, people are slowly tunneling out.
As interstate 81 clears and primary roads improve, signs of life are emerging again, evidenced by the handful of businesses which managed to open to a few customers by late afternoon. Tracy Altizer, News 7.))

55Power

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=bmy
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Crews for Virginia Power and American Electric Power have restored electricity to most of the homes across Virginia that lost power during the storm. At one point, 20-thousand homes were without electricity.
A-E-P reports about 44-hundred people were still without electricity in parts of far southwest corner of Virginia late last night.
Virginia Powers estimates about 52-hundred customers are still without power on the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

55Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#95-115
GRAPHIC=Fire

Staying warm in all this cold has cost a family its home.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Yesterday

Fire investigators believe a faulty wood stove sparked a fire at this home yesterday on Memorial Avenue.
Snow around the house and on the roof made it difficult for crews to get to the fire.
The fire gutted the second story.
A family of ten escaped without harm, but is reportedly staying at the Salvation Army while they seek more permanent shelter.
(----------------)

55WEATHER

8Storm

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=bmy
TAPE# edit
GRAPHIC=snowbound

The Big Winter storm of '96 is proving to be a real killer.
Throughout the state the storm is blamed for at least seven deaths.
Meantime, Many folks are still trying to dig out of record snowfall.
And some 38-hundred snow plows across the state are working around the clock to clear the roads.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke; (quick!)

Still, it's not fast enough for many residents.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:32:21
IN Q=Soon as you
((RANDY BOHON/MOTORIST: SOON AS YOU HIT THE ROANOKE CITY LINE, ROADS ARE JUST LIKE THIS ARE HORRIBLE SHAPE, YOU KNOW AS MUCH PROPERTY TAX AS WE PAY HERE, THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS, THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR IT AT ALL.))
SUPER=01-Randy Bohon/Motorist;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=for it at all.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Officials say city areas have a tougher time because cars are parked along the streets.
Roanoke expects to have all of its side streets cleared by Thursday.
Lynchburg says residential roads should be plowed by Wednesday afternoon.
Some more rural areas of Halifax and Charlotte counties expect local roads should be passable.
The state says primary roads are all cleared, but some have a thin layer of packed snow on some of them.
The airports in Lynchburg and Roanoke are expected to reopen today, but passengers should call the airlines before leaving home.
SUPER=03-New York, NY;

And here's one health note when you are about to warm your car.
Clear the tail pipe if it is stuck in the snow.
Several people in New York have been injured by carbon monoxide poisoning while sitting in running cars with the tail pipes blocked.
(----------------)

8NRV-SNOW

8HEALTH

ANCHOR=
NEWSCAST=
WRITER=
TAPE#edit from 95-113
GRAPHIC=

And as folks conintue to crawls out from under the piles of snow, emergency rooms are bracing for a busy spell.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

There are plenty of ways to hurt yourself while trying to shovel your way out.
Beside aching backs and sore muscles, E-R personnel expect some cardiac cases.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT THAT ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE HEART DISEASE OR MAY BE OLDER BE CAREFUL WHEN THEY SHOVEL SNOW. IT'S A LOT OF WORK SHOVELING SNOW. IT'S A LOT OF WORK JUST WALKING AROUND IN SNOW. YOU NEED TO TAKE IT EASIER AND JUST DO THINGS MORE SLOWLY. ))
SUPER=07-Dr. Evelyn Manetta;
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=more slowly.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The experts say if while shoveling you start having chest pains, and feel nauseated, dizzy, or light-headed-- STOP.
If the symptoms persist, contact your doctor.
ANCHOR=Melanie

A few other health notes-- elective surgeries at many hospitals have been postponed-- so contact your hospital.
Also, check on the elderly, or those with known medical conditions.

8Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#95-115
GRAPHIC=Fire

A Lynchburg family is out in the cold after fire heavily damaged their home on Memorial Avenue.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Yesterday

Heavy smoke was pouring from the building when firefighters first arrived yesterday afternoon.
Snow around the house and on the roof made it difficult for crews to get to the fire.
Authorities say a faulty wood stove apparently sparked the blaze which gutted the home's second story.
A family of ten escaped without harm, but is reportedly staying at the Salvation Army while they seek more permanent shelter.
(----------------)

8Goode

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=goode

Conservative Democratic state Senator Virgil Goode is vowing to defy party leaders tomorrow and vote to share power with Republicans in the evenly divided Senate.
Each party holds 20 seats in the chamber.
Lawmakers will organize Senate committees tomorrow, the first day of a 60-day legislative session.

8WEATHER

ANCHOR=
NEWSCAST=
WRITER=
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Today will be partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of light snow.
Highs will be in the upper 30's.
Tonight will be another cold one with temperatures in the low 20's. Tomorrow will be breezy and cold with highs in the 30's. Looking ahead.