08:25-01

7Roanoke-Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-18
GRAPHIC=Fire


Roanoke firefighters spent the early morning hours battling two fires.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


The first broke out shortly after four o'clock on Rorer Avenue on the city's Southwest side.
Shooting flames could be seen several blocks away.
There were no injuries but the home sustained heavy damage.
Meanwhile a second fire at an apartment building in the 23-hundred block of Memorial Avenue was reported just after five a-m.
This one was brought under control quickly and appeared to involve only one apartment--again no injuries.
(-------------)


7Shooting


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPEedit of c'burg-fire #96-11
GRAPHIC=Knowles


A fund has been established at First National Bank of Christiansburg for four children whose mother was fatally shot yesterday.
The suspect is the children's father.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday; :00


Early yesterday morning, police say William Michael Knowles broke in through the back door at 109 Evans Street, where his estranged wife Angie and their children had moved about a month before.
During a struggle over his shotgun, he allegedly shot his wife in the stomach, and his 18 year- old daughter in the finger.
Police say when they arrived, he turned his gun on them, and officers returned fire.
No one was injured in the exchange and Knowles was taken into custody.
Angie Knowles died in surgery.
(-------------)


7Kitts-React


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-13
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


A Roanoke teenager begins serving time today as a Juvenile offender for a drunking driving accident last year that killed a Roanoke school teacher.
Bonnie Kitts died
(----------------)
VO-NAT

when the young man who lived in the same neighborhood struck her with his car while she was out for a walk with her husband.
Gary Kitts refused to fill out the court's "Victim Impact" form, because he was offended by questions that call for a statement on economic loss and the extent of property damage.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT16:30:35
IN Q=Tha majority

((GARY KITTS/VICTIM'S HUSBAND: THE MAJORITY OF THAT DIDN'T APPLY TO THIS CASE. IT'S A GENERIC FORM I ASSUME THAT'S NOT TAILORED TO THE CASE THAT WE'RE IN. I TOOK IT AS BEING IMPERSONAL AND NOT RESPECTFUL OF MY FAMILY AND SURELY NOT RESPECTFUL OF BONNIE.))
SUPER=01-Gary Kitts/Victim's Husband
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=of Bonnie.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Salem/File Tape;


The boy is serving an undetermined amount of time.
Youth corrections could keep him until he's 21, but the prosecutor said it will likely be closer to FOUR MONTHS.
(-------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=hold


The boy loses his drivers license for five years, and once he's released, he'll have to perform 100 hours of community service.

7Drug-Bust


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=drug bust/cocaine


An undercover drug buy puts two Roanoke brothers behind bars.
Federal agents had been investigating Ronald Jones and Jackie Mc-George for two years.
Officials say the brothers had 37-thousand-dollars to purchase drugs when they were arrested last week outside a Quantico restaurant.
A raid last year at a Roanoke car wash owned by the brothers turned up no drugs.
After the raid, they closed the car wash and moved away.


7SchoolWatch


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=School Information


It's the first full day of spring, but the winter weather hasn't left us just yet.
We have several school announcements to make this morning. take boards
(mel reads boards)


7Weather


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


Taking a look now at the forecast - Today is going to be mostly cloudy with highs around 40.
For tonight, expect cloudy conditions with lows in the upper 20s.
The start of your weekend is going to be nice with partly sunny skies.
Highs will be in the low 40s.

55M'ville-Hospital


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-20
GRAPHIC=NONE


A mock security drill was a little too realistic for some nurses at Memorial Hospital in Martinsville.
They have now taken legal action for the incident which they say has left them traumatized.
Kimberly McBroom has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=About four A-M
SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00
SUPER=01-Jim Shortt/Nurses' Attorney; :27
SUPER=01-Randy Smith/Martinsville Commonwealth's Atty; :58
SUPER=@Kimberly1; 1:08
RUNS=1:19
OUT Q=News 7, Martinsville


(( About four A-M on January 25th, the E-R at Memorial Hospital was invaded by five masked gunmen-- who took several nurses and other employees hostage.
Turns out, it wasn't a life- threatening situation in the E-R, but a War of the Worlds- type drama.
Now, four nurses who were on duty have sworn criminal warrants against the phony gunmen for brandishing firearms.
They say the make- believe drill caused them emotional trauma.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT shortt tape 16:24:42

((JIM SHORTT/NURSES' ATTORNEY: CERTAIN EMERGENCY ROOM BUZZERS HAVE GONE OFF OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SIX WEEKS-- THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACT TO THEM WHEN THE BUZZERS GO OFF-- THEY START TO PANIC. ))
RUNS=:11

pre- pro here please
Meanwhile, the hospital had no comment-- and maintains that in order to make it realistic, some employees were not informed about the drill. end pre- pro
Meanwhile, the Martinsville Police Department has been asked to conduct an investigation.
But the Commonwealth's Attorney says if the drill involved actors performing a script-- it'll be hard to prove wrongdoing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:14:28

((RANDY SMITH/MARTINSVILLE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: OBVIOUSLY, IF THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY WAS DOING AND THAT'S WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO AND NOBODY DEVIATED FROM THAT, THEN I THINK YOU'D FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE ANY CRIMINAL INTENT. ))
RUNS=:09

STAND UP HERE, SECOND ONE PLEASE
The nurses are receiving psychiatric counseling.
Their attorneys say the'll likely seek punitive damages in a civil suit if the hospital doesn't settle with them first.
Kimberly McBroom, News 7, Martinsville.))

55Pet-Pals


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cst
TAPE# 96-15
GRAPHIC=none


Some special new workers at Community hospital are helping to brighten the spirits of some young patients.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday; :


It's a new team of pet therapy dogs.
They started work yesterday-- meeting and greeting the patients in Pediatrics.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 10:41:01
IN Q=The testing

((JOAN ALLAN/C.H.R.V. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST: THE TESTING THAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE, AS FAR AS TESTING THEIR TEMPERAMENT TO TOLERATE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING NOISE, PAIN STARTLING ASPECTS, GROOMING BY OTHER PEOPLE, PULLING ON THEIR HAIR, A WHOLE SLEW OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY ALL CAME THROUGH IT WONDERFULLY )) ((JANICE WILMER/THERAPY DOG TRAINER: THEY HAVE TO BE FAIRLY GOOD TEMPERAMENT AND FAIRLY WELL TRAINED OF COURSE I'M NOT ALWAYS SURE ABOUT THESE GUYS-- AND THEY HAVE TO KNOW THEIR BASIC OBEDIENCE COMMANDS. AND GENERALLY THEY JUST NEED TO BE FAIRLY CALM. IF THEY'RE TOO EXCITABLE THEN IT GETS THE CHILDREN OR THE ELDERLY PERSON OR WHOEVER THEY'RE VISITING UPSET.))
SUPER=01-Joan Allan/CHRV Occupational Therapist; :03
SUPER=01-Janice Wilmer/Therapy Dog Trainer; :32
RUNS=:45
OUT Q=visiting upset.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Pet therapy is one of the psycho-social components of patient care-- it will now be offered weekly at Community Hospital.
(------------------)


55SchoolWatch


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


It's the first full day of spring, but the winter weather hasn't left us just yet.
We have several school announcements to make this morning. take boards
(mel reads boards)


55Weather


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


Taking a look now at the forecast -
Today is going to be mostly cloudy with highs around 40.
For tonight, expect cloudy conditions with lows in the upper 20s.
The start of your weekend is going to be nice with partly sunny skies.
Highs will be in the low 40s.

8Blaze


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-18
GRAPHIC=Fire


Firefighers had to battle two fires this morning.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


One home on Rorer Avenue in Southwest Roanoke suffered a lot of damage from heavy flames. That happened about four o'clock.
Then, another fire was reported in an apartment building in the 23 hundred block of Memorial Avenue.
No injuries are reported in either fire.
(-------------)


8C'burg-Shooting


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-11
GRAPHIC=Knowles


A 47 year old Christiansburg man is accused of shooting his wife to death.
William Michael Knowles allegedly shot 43 year- old Angie Knowles and their teenage daughter yesterday.
Tracy Altizer has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=As police escorted him
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday; :00
SUPER=01-Sgt. Hank Epperly/Christiansburg Police; :31
SUPER=01-Peggy Ridgeway/Neighbor; :51
SUPER=@Tracy2; 1:05
RUNS=1:18
OUT Q=Altizer, News 7.

(( As police led him in handcuffs to the Montgomery County magistrate's office, Michael Knowles expressed regret.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:39:56

((IT WAS A BIG, BIG, BIG MISTAKE. ))
RUNS=:04


Around 6:30 a-m, police say Knowles broke in through the back door at 109 Evans Street, where his estranged wife Angie and their children had moved about a month before.
During a struggle over his shotgun, he allegedly shot his wife in the abdomen, and his 18 year- old daughter in the finger.
Police say when they arrived, he turned his gun on them.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 8:00:53

((SGT. HANK EPPERLY/CHRISTIANSBURG POLICE: HE EXITED THE REAR DOOR AND FIRED TWICE AT OUR OFFICERS WITH A SHOTGUN. THE OFFICERS RETURNED FIRE. HE WENT BACK INTO THE HOUSE FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AND THEN CAME BACK OUT AGAIN UNARMED. ))
RUNS=:16


Police say that's when the teenager threw her father's gun out the front door, and they arrested him.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 7:18:30

((PEGGY RIDGEWAY/NEIGHBOR: WELL I WAS AWAKENED BY A GUNSHOT AND THEN I CAME TO MY FRONT WINDOWS AND POLICE WERE RUNNING AROUND EVERYWHERE AND THEY HAD GUNS. AND THEN A LADY CAME OUT AND DROPPED HER GUN AND I THINK THAT MUST'VE BEEN THE END OF IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED BRINGING PEOPLE OUT. ))
RUNS=:14


The two younger children in the house at the time were not hurt.
Angie Knowles died during surgery at Montgomery Regional Hospital.
A fund has been set up for all four of her children at First National Bank of Christiansburg.
Tracy Altizer, News 7.))

8Hospital


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=sly
TAPE#edit of 96-20
GRAPHIC=NONE


Four nurses at Memorial Hospital in Martinsville describe a mock hostage situation at the hospital in January as too realistic.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Martinsville;


The drill, complete with masked gunmen, was designed to test the ability of hospital employees to handle such emergencies.
Now, four nurses who were on duty have sworn criminal warrants against the phony gunmen for brandishing firearms.
The Martinsville Commonwealth's Attorney thinks it will be tough to prove wrongdoing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:14:07 SMITH TAPE
IN Q=I could not

((RANDY SMITH/MARTINSVILLE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: I COULD NOT SEE HOW YOU CAN PROVE CRIMINAL INTENT IF THE ONLY THING THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE THING DID WAS SIMPLY ACT AS ACTORS IN A SCRIPTED- TYPE SITUATION. ))
SUPER=01-Randy Smith/Martinsville Commonwealth's Atty;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=scripted type situation
(----------------)
VO-NAT


But the nurses' attorney insists the make- believe drill caused his clients emotional trauma.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT shortt tape 16:26:02
IN Q=The U.s. Army

((JIM SHORTT/NURSES' ATTORNEY: THE U.S. ARMY, WHEN IT CONDUCTS A DRILL, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S A DRILL. YOU DON'T USE REAL BULLETS. YOU DON'T TELL HALF THE SOLDIERS THAT IT'S A DRILL AND FAIL TO TELL THE OTHER HALF. IT'S A CRAZY, CRAZY IDEA. ))
SUPER=01-Jim Shortt/Nurses' Attorney;
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=crazy, crazy idea
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None


The hospital had no comment on the nurses' action, but maintains in order to make it realistic, some employees were not informed about the drill.

8SchoolWatch


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


Well it's the first full day of spring, but some winter weather in the area is still causing some school delays and closings this morning. take boards
(mel reads boards)


8Weather


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


Taking a look now at the forecast -
Mostly cloudy and windy today with highs around 40. Expect warmer temperatures and sunshine for the weekend. Tonight, cloudy with lows in the 20s.
by SS