WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 02/12/96

08:25-01

7Fire-Roanoke

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=jmo
TAPE# 96-6
GRAPHIC=Fire

Fire investigators say a blaze in Roanoke last night was sparked by a ten-year old girl playing with a lighter.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;

It happened on Bluestone Avenue at about 9 o'clock.
Officials say working smoke alarms allowed the occupants to escape without injury.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The occupants
((GARRY BASHAM/DISTRICT FIRE CHIEF:THE OCCUPANTS DID GET OUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SMOKE ALARMS WERE WORKING. WHICH MEANS THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU DO HAVE SMOKE DETECTORS AND THAT THEY DO WORK. ))
SUPER=01-Garry Basham/District Fire Chief;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=DO WORK.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Officials say the fire caused five-thousand dollars in damages.
(----------------)

7Roanoke-Police

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=rjo
TAPE# 96-2
GRAPHIC=None

A family claims police brutality following the hospitalization and arrest of a man over the weekend in Roanoke.
Ron Jones has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=30-year-old Steven
SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00
SUPER=08-Marva Davis/Family Member; :25
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./1990; :44 (quick!!!)
SUPER=01-William Haden/Driver; :53
SUPER=@Ron2; 1:03 (quick!)
RUNS=1:05
OUT Q=was not harmed.
(( 30-year-old Steven Leftwich says some officers beat and choked him for no reason.
The incident happened on Campbell Avenue around 3:30.
The driver 25-year-old William Haden says the police pulled him over for a broken tail light.
Police say Leftwich resisted arrest and fought with the officers and bit one of them as they attempted to take him into custody.
A family member says Leftwich only fought back to survive.
SOT 07:54:58
((MARVA ADAMS/FAMILY MEMBER: WHILE HE WAS DOWN ON GROUND ONE OF THE OFFICERS WAS CHOKING HIM AND HE SAID HE COULD NOT BREATHE SO HE BIT A FINGER SO THEY COULD RELEASE THE PRESSURE OFF HIS NECK. SO HE WAS STRUGGLING TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM HIM. AND HE SAID IT WAS LIKE A BUNCH OF THEM.))
RUNS=:18
shot of trooper off file tape;
Haden says Trooper R-J Carpentieri was trying to mace Leftwich as they struggled with him.
Haden says numerous officers arrived to assist.
SOT 07:58:30
((WILLIAM HADEN/DRIVER: ALL I COULD SEE.... WHERE I COULDN'T MOVE.))
RUNS=:09

However, Haden was not arrested or harmed.))
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None

Fourteen hours after the incident, Leftwich was arrested as he was being released from the hospital.
He's charged with resisting arrest AND assault and battery on Roanoke city officers D-C Dean and E-T Wilson.
He's also charged with maliciously wounding the State trooper.

7schoolwatch

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=mel
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=School Info

More winter weather has hit the region.
Overnight snow has forced a number of school's to alter their schedules this morning. Take Boards
(mel reads schoolwatch)
RUNS=:45

7Weather

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

Turning now to the forecast - today is going to be cloudy and very windy - with scattered snow showers.
Temperatures will be in the mid 30s.
The clouds, along with the cold temperatures, will remain tonight.
Expect lows to be in the mid teens.
Looking ahead, tomorrow will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid 30s.
And look for the chance of rain or snow by the end of the week.

55Blaze

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=jmo
TAPE#edit of 96-6
GRAPHIC=Fire

A child playing with a lighter triggered a house fire last night in Roanoke.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;

It happened on Bluestone Avenue at about nine o'clock.
Roanoke fire ivestigators say smoke alarms allowed the residents to escape without injury.
The fire caused about five-thousand dollars in damage.
(----------------)

55Family-Benefit

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=Dal
TAPE# edit of benefit 95-111
GRAPHIC=NONE

Folks from across the state gathered in Roanoke last night to help raise money for the survivors of a devastating house fire.
Four children and their grandmother died last month when a blaze gutted their Stewart Avenue home.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;

Bands from as far away as Virginia Beach donated their talent to raise money for Patricia and Mark Leftwich.
Even though part of the funds for the funeral service were donated, the Leftwiches still have nearly 17-thousand dollars to cover.
The children's father, Mark Leftwich, says it took a tragedy to draw attention to the problems in many rental properties.
He says he hopes everyone will put smoke detectors in their homes.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 6:54:21
IN Q=I JUST WANT
((MARK LEFTWICH/FATHER: I JUST WANT EVERYBODY'S HOME TO BE SAFE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH. CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SEE ANYBODY SUFFER THE WAY I SUFFERED.))
SUPER=01-Mark Leftwich/Father;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=way i suffered..(sobbing)
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=04-January 20;

The proceeds of the benefit go to the Leftwich Memorial Fund.
Other donations can be made to Belmont Baptist Church.
(-------------)

55Conductor

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=CUTIN
WRITER=bmy
TAPE# 96-7
GRAPHIC=Hsin

The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra is gearing up for tonight's concert.
It will be led by Ming-Feng Hsin (shin), who is a finalist for the vacant conductor position.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Hsin (shin) says his goals in Roanoke would be to raise the community's pride in its orchestra and bring the music to the children of the Valley through educational programs.
Hsin will be conducting the Monday Night Classics concert at the Roanoke Civic Center.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=It's going to be a very
((MING-FENG HSIN/CONDUCTOR CANDIDATE: IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM AND WE ARE STARTING WITH ROMEO AND JULIET. I WILL BE THE SOLOIST FOR THE BEETHOVEN ROMANCE AND I THINK IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO CONDUCT FROM THE VIOLIN AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE. ))
SUPER=01-Ming-Feng Hsin/Conductor Candidate;
RUNS=:23
OUT Q=a beautiful piece.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=Roanoke Symphony

Tonight's concert starts at eight.
The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra will announce it's new music director in April.

55schoolwatch

55Weather

8Blaze

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=CUTIN
WRITER=jmo
TAPE#edit of 96-6
GRAPHIC=Fire

Roanoke fire officials credit working smoke alarms for saving people from a house fire last night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;

It happened on Bluestone Avenue about 9pm.
Officials say a 10- year old girl playing with a cigarette lighter sparked the blaze.
The fire caused about five-thousand dollars in damage.
(----------------)

8Landrith

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=bmy
TAPE# edit of 94-91 and 94-110
GRAPHIC=Landrith, George

George Landrith has won a victory in his fight for the Fifth District Republican congressional nomination.
Party leaders yesterday voted to hold a convention instead of a June primary.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@file;

That's good news for Landrith who's major opponent for the G-O-P nomination preferred the primary.
The district committee voted 17-13 to set a May 18th convention at Jefferson Forest High School in Forest.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=campaign 96

Landrith's major opponent for the G-O-P nomination, Delegate Frank Ruff of Clarksville, pushed for a June primary to be held on the SAME day as the U-S Senate nomination primary.

8Strip-Club

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=jmo
TAPE# 95-110
GRAPHIC=None

The past month has seen two exotic clubs open within 10 miles of each other.
Bumpers Cafe opened Friday in Radford.
Several weeks ago, a strip club re-opened in the Plum Creek community of Montgomery County.
Radford officials will discuss the city ordinance at their normal meeting while the county is holding a public hearing tonight.
Jay Moore reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Juice's re-opened
SUPER=03-Montgomery Co./January 26; :00
SUPER=01-Roy Thorpe/Montgomery Co. Attorney; :13
SUPER=@Jay2; :25
RUNS=:54
OUT Q=Moore, News7.
((Juice's re-opened after being closed for alleged obscene performances.
Charges were dropped against three dancers at the request of the commonwealth's attorney who says the state law was too vague.
Now the county is presenting a new local ordinance at the hearing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 7:23:51
IN Q=It'll be presented
((ROY THORPE/MONTGOMERY CO. ATTORNEY: IT'LL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION. NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE YET. BUT BEFORE THEY DECIDE THEY'LL GET TO HEAR WHAT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PEOPLE REALLY WANT.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=really want.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The county is following the language of a Virginia Beach ordinance.
When that ordinance was passed, some restaurants and clubs filed suit ... saying it was an infringement of their freedom of speech.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 7:23:22
IN Q=That went up
((THORPE: THAT WENT UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OF VIRGINIA AND THE COURT FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT AN INTRUSION AND BASICALLY THE IDEA THAT THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT CERTAIN COMMUNITY STANDARDS BE UPHELD AND PUBLIC DECENCIES TO BE PROTECTED.))
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=to be protected.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The public hearing will be held at seven o'clock in the Montgomery County Courthouse.
Jay Moore, News 7, Montgomery County. ))

8Schoolwatch

8Weather

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

Turning now to the forecast - today is going to be cloudy and very windy - with scattered snow showers.
Temperatures will be in the mid 30s.
The clouds, along with the cold temperatures, will remain tonight.
Expect lows to be in the mid teens.
Looking ahead, tomorrow will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid And look for the chance of rain or snow by the end of the week. 30s.