WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 02/16/96

08:25-01

7White-Stuff

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=bmy
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=winter storm

Snow is falling once again in many parts of the state.
Winter storm warnings and snow advisories are posted for much of Southwestern Virginia and southeastern West Virginia.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

This time the snow is expected to end by this afternoon with accumulations between three and six inches.
State police are reporting one to three inches already on the ground.
They say slick roads have caused some minor accidents.
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wipe wipe wipe

7V-Dot

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE#edit of 96-4 & 96-10
GRAPHIC=Wipe/wipe/wipe
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

The Virginia Department of Transportation is racking up quite a bill for snow removal.
The department has so far spent 60- million dollars clearing roads after this winter's two major snowstorms.
That's 16-and-a-half million dollars more than the department budgeted for snow removal for the entire year.
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7Craig-School

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=jmo
TAPE#96-11
GRAPHIC=NONE

In other news --
Residents in Craig County are standing behind their school superintendent.
Their support has helped change the minds of school board members who last weeek asked for his resignation.
Jay Moore has more.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q= nat sound clapping
SUPER=03-Craig Co./Last Night; :00
SUPER=01-Bonnie Hutchinson/School Board Member; :12
SUPER=01-Jim Cady/School Board Chairman; :26
SUPER=01-Dallas Helems/School Superintendent; :46
SUPER=@Jay1; :57
RUNS=1:08
OUT Q=News 7
((
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 19:44:47
IN Q=Nat sound
((CLAPPING... ))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=Nat sound

This sums up how a majority of the residents felt following a motion to rescind last week's motion asking for Superintendent Dallas Helems' (HELL-ums) resignation.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 19:43:19
IN Q=I at this time
((BONNIE HUTCHINSON: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: I AT THIS TIME WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS ACTION TAKEN ON FEBRUARY 6 AND ASKING FOR HIS RESIGNATION. ))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=the resignation.

Hutchinson says she felt the board acted too fast in asking for the resignation.
SOT 19:50:31
IN Q=I think her
((JIM CADY/SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN: I THINK HER DECISION IS VERY FAIR. I THINK WE SHOULD A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION PRIOR TO TAKEN THE ACTION.))
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=taken the action.

Board Member Hettie (Het-tee) Farley had questioned Helems (HELL-um) leadership ability.. in particular.. a recent fuel leak at the county high school.
She also questioned whether the vote was legal... but that didn't stop the board from approving it 3 to 2.
Helem (HELL-um) says hopefully the controversy will also pass.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I've gotten a lot
((DALLAS HELEMS/SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS. THIS OUTPOURING TONIGHT INDICATED THEIR SUPPORT FOR ME AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. ))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=school system.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:05:12
IN Q=
((JAY MOORE/REPORTING: THE CONTROVERSY IS OVER FOR NOW AND THE NEXT STEP WILL BE FOR THE BOARD TO INVESTIGATE THE CHRONOLOGICAL SERIES OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FUEL LEAK. THAT'LL BE MADE PUBLIC AT A LATER MEETING. IN CRAIG COUNTY, JAY MOORE NEWS 7.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=Moore, News-7.
))

7Drunk-Driver

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=KHu
TAPEedit of dui-fatal #96-3
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales
A 16-year old boy charged in a fatal D-U-I accident will not be tried as an adult.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./December 14, 1995; :07

On December 14th, this 16-year-old struck and killed Bonnie Kitts on her nightly walk with her husband.
The teenager had a blood alcohol content of point-2-1.
SUPER=03-Salem/Yesterday; :00

He could have gone to prison for 20 years, if he'd been tried as an adult. But he has a spotless record.
The judge will make the final decision on punishment next month.
Meanwhile the store where the teenage driver says he bought beer that night is under investigation and one of the clerks has been charged with selling alcohol to minors.
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7Weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=winter storm

Beth Meyer is outside the WDBJ studio with a weather update.
double box=mel/beth

Beth, what can we expect for the rest of today?
LIVE=Beth/full
(beth ad lib)
(beth toss back to mel)

55Weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=winter storm

Another winter storm is hitting our part of the state.
Winter storm warnings and snow advisories are posted for much of Southwestern Virginia and southeastern West Virginia.
Beth Meyer is outside in the stuff.
double box=mel/beth

Beth, how much more of the snow can we expect?
LIVE=Beth/full
(beth ad lib)
(beth toss back to mel)
doublebox=Melanie/beth
ANCHOR=Melanie

And stay tuned to CBS This Morning.
We have all the latest school information for you.

55Morrison

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-5
GRAPHIC=Morrison

In other news this morning -
A Virginia Tech football is cleared of criminal charges was cleared of criminal charges connected to a December incident at a Blacksburg night club.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Blacksburg/Yesterday;

Tony Morrison was accused of damaging a door and stealing tip money from the bar.
He paid the damages, so Judge Thomas Frith dismissed those, as well as a public drunkenness charge.
He did find the 19 year- old guilty of possessing his older brother's driver's license.
In an UNRELATED case, Morrison is named in a federal lawsuit filed by Christy (bron-KA-la) Brzonkala, a former student who claims Morrison and another football player raped her.
His lawyer says yesterday's ruling will NOT impact that case.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 22:36:16
IN Q=
((JOE PAINTER/MORRISON'S LAWYER: THIS ONE CONVICTION UNDER THE TRAFFIC CODE? NO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE, IT DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP AS A CRIMINAL CHARGE. ))
SUPER=01-Joe Painter/Morrison's Lawyer;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=a criminal charge.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

After the bar incident in December, Morrison was suspended from the football team and not allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl.
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55Brzonkala

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=equ
TAPE#96-10
GRAPHIC=Christy Brzonkala

Meanwhile Morrison's attorney is questioning Brzonkala's credibility.
Yesterday, the negative media counter- attack included the revelation that Brzonkala herself has a criminal record.
Ellen Qualls has that story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Christy Brzonkala
SUPER=03-Fairfax/Wednesday; :00
SUPER=07-Christy Brzonkala; :14
SUPER=01-Eileen Wagner/Brzonkala's Attorney; :24
SUPER=@Ellen2; 1:10
RUNS=1:23
OUT Q=Qualls, News 7.

(( Christy Brzonkala took 42- dollars in merchandise from the Christiansburg Wal- Mart in the weeks after her alleged rapes.
Her legal opponents want you to know that.
She performed 50 hours community service for the crime. ((CHRISTY BRZONKALA: I USED TO SAY I WISH I COULD GO BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL. JUST EVEN SENIOR YEAR. AND JUST CHANGE SO MANY THINGS AND JUST BE SO MUCH MORE CAREFUL.)) ((EILEEN WAGNER/BRZONKALA'S ATTORNEY: HER SHOPLIFTING INCIDENT FITS THE PROFILE OF SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE DEEP THROES OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. ))
Both Tony Morrison and Virginia Tech filed legal papers this week to have Brzonkala's civil suits dismissed.
Her attorney admits she's considered dropping one part herself -- and pushing for criminal charges. ((EILEEN WAGNER: BUT SINCE WE HAVE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST NATIONWIDE IN SUPPORTING HER CLAIM ON THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN STATUTE, WE'RE REASSESSING THAT NOW AND CONSIDERING GOING FORWARD WITH THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PORTION. )) ((CHRISTY BRZONKALA: I FEEL LIKE IT WASN'T JUST THOSE TWO GUYS THAT RAPED ME. IT WAS THE SCHOOL. THEY DID IT ALL OVER AGAIN. AND THEY DRAGGED IT OUT.))
Virginia Tech writes in its legal filing that it has, in its words, great compassion for Brzonkala for what she has endured.
But the University says, that's NO reason for a federal lawsuit against the school.
Ellen Qualls, News 7.))

55CLOSE

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=NONE

That's it for news and weather.
And again, we'll have a complete list of school closings and delays is coming up.

8Weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=winter storm

A winter storm hit the region overnight, dumping up to eight inches in some places.
Beth Myer is outside our Roanoke Studio, with the latest.
double box=mel/beth

Beth, what kind of snowfall totals are we looking at today?
LIVE=Beth/full
(beth ad lib)
(beth toss back to mel)

8Investigation

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=JoeD
TAPEedit of leftwich #96-6
GRAPHIC=Roanoke City Seal

In other news this morning -
Roanoke City police have been cleared of allegations of police bruatality following an internal investigation.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday;

Referring to a diagram of downtown Roanoke, Roanoke Police Chief M. David Hooper outlined the sequence of events on Sunday morning, when a routine traffic stop turned ugly.
SUPER=04-Monday;

Steven Leftwich says the beating he received left him bloodied and bruised, but Chief Hooper says the officers were also injured in a violent struggle that Leftwich initiated.
Hooper said he believes the officers used reasonable force to subdue Leftwich and take him into custody.
SOT
IN Q=He was hit and he was kicked
((M. DAVID HOOPER: HE WAS HIT AND HE WAS KICKED, BUT AT NOT TIME WAS HE HIT OR KICKED THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEONE'S HAND IN HIS MOUTH AND THEY WERE TRYING TO BREAK THE BITE LOOSE OR HAVE HIS HAND ON A WEAPON TRYING TO TAKE IT.))
SUPER=@Hooper;:00
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=trying to take it.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Leftwich was not available for comment following Hooper's news conference.
But members of his family were planning to meet with an attorney and prepare their response.
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8Drunk-Driver

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=KHu
TAPEedit of dui-fatal #96-3
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales

A teen driver involved in a fatal drunk driving accident will not stand trial as an adult.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./December 14, 1995;

On December 14th, this 16-year-old struck and killed Bonnie Kitts on her nightly walk with her husband.
The teenager had a blood alcohol content of point-2-1.
SUPER=03-Salem/Yesterday;

He could have gone to the penitentiary for 20 years, if he'd been tried as an adult. But he has a spotless record.
The judge will make the final decision on punishment next month.
Meanwhile the store where the teen driver says he bought beer that night is under investigation and one of the clerks has been charged with selling alcohol to minors.
(-------------)

8Meeting

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#EDIT FROM 96-11
GRAPHIC=none

Craig County's school superintendent Dallas Helems may be lacking the support of the school board, but he certainly has county residents behind him.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Craig Co./Last Night;

And that public support appears to have been enough to change the minds of board members.
More than a week after asking for Helems' resignation the board last night rescinded that motion.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((BONNIE HUTCHINSON: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: I AT THIS TIME WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS ACTION TAKEN ON FEBRUARY 6 AND ASKING FOR HIS RESIGNATION. ))
SUPER=01-Bonnie Hutchinson/School Board Member;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=for his resignation.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Hutchinson says she felt the board acted too fast in asking for Helems' resignation following a fuel leak at the county high school.
Helems, meantime, says he hopes the controversy is now over.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((DALLAS HELEMS/SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS. THIS OUTPOURING TONIGHT INDICATED THEIR SUPPORT FOR ME AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. ))
SUPER=01-Dallas Helems/School Superintendent;
RUNS=:08
OUT Q=and the school system.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The next job for the school board is to investigate the series of events leading up to the fuel leak.
That will be made public at a later meeting.
(----------------)

8close

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutim
WRITER=
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=
That't it for news and weather - please join me again for News 7 at Noon.