WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 05/01/96

08:25-01

729-Wreck

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-26
GRAPHIC=none

Traffic is moving at a snails pace this morning in the southbound lanes of Route 29 near Candler's Mountain Road in Lynchburg.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg;

One lane of traffic is now open after a tractor trailer loaded with wood chips crashed a few hours ago.
Police say the driver of the trailer was exiting on to Route 29 but was traveling too fast and tipped over.
The truck driver was not injured in the crash, but will likely face reckless driving charges.
(----------------)

7Serial-Killer

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=mel
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=NONE

The Richmond Times Dispatch reports this morning that at least six white women slain in Richmond and Henrico County since August 19-94 were strangled -- and at least six black women killed between 1990 and 1993 were stabbed.
Since 19-90, the newspaper has been probing the deaths of 19 women age 55 and up.
The paper also reports that Richmond Police Chief Jerry Oliver says it is unlikely that one killer is responsible for all the slayings.
Oliver also confirmed that some victims were sexually molested.

7Roanoke-Mayor

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-33
GRAPHIC=Campaign 96

The Candidates for Roanoke mayor took on the issues last night in debate.
As Kimberely McBroom reports the debate focused mainly on voters' wallets, and their homes.
Kimberly McBroom reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Just a handful
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./Last Night; :00
SUPER=@Bowers; :20
SUPER=01-Pat Green/(R) Roanoke Mayoral Candidate; :37
SUPER=@Kimberly1; 1:21
RUNS=1:35
OUT Q=News 7, Roanoke

(( Just a handful of citizens, along with a couple of city council candidates made up the studio audience for the Mayoral debate.
But questions for the candidates came from the moderator-- and especially, the phone lines.
One question was regarding the real estate tax rate-- which the Democratic incumbent says he wants to see lowered.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 1 7:59:48
((DAVID BOWERS/D- ROANOKE MAYOR: LET ME SAY THAT IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE SERVED AS MAYOR, WE'VE CONTINUED TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. THIS YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER DID NOT PROPOSE A TAX REDUCTION-- BUT I'M STILL LOOKING AT IT-- I'M STILL LOOKING FOR IT. ))
RUNS=:10

Meanwhile, his Republican challenger, Pat Green says adjustments need to be made in the current rate.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 1 8:01:01
((PAT GREEN/R- CANDIDATE FOR ROANOKE MAYOR: WHAT HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE IS THAT THE CITY OF ROANOKE AND THE APPRAISAL DEPARTMENT WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CANNOT CONTINUE TO RAISE THE RATE OF TAXES-- THE RATE OF THE PROPERTY VALUE-- AS THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST. ))
RUNS=:12

About the only verbal sparring during the debate was over the city's rental inspection program-- which Green says was timed for political gain.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT tape 1 7:41:57
((GREEN: WHY DID THEY WAIT SO LONG TO DO IT? BOWERS: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? MODERATOR: LET HIM FINISH. GO AHEAD. GREEN: WHY DIDN'T WE HAVE IT YEARS AGO? WHY IS IT NOW, RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION, ALL OF A SUDDEN COMING UP? ))
RUNS=:10

But Bowers says the plan had long been in the works-
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 7:42:38
((BOWERS: ON THE DOCKET, ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL, JUST ABOUT A YEAR AGO, IT WAS IN THE SUMMERTIME AND RIGHT AWAY, ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT PROGRAM. ))
RUNS=:08
(/////SOT/////)
SOT standup tape 2 8:25:15

(( AT ONE POINT, THE DEBATE ALSO TURNED TO THE TOPIC OF POLITICS ITSELF-- WHEN BOTH CANDIDATES AGREED ON THE NEED FOR POSITIVE CAMPAIGNING.
WE'LL SEE IF THEY MAINTAIN THAT BELIEF WHEN ELECTION DAY ROLLS AROUND NEXT TUESDAY.
KIMBERLY MCBROOM, NEWS 7, ROANOKE. ))
RUNS=:15
))

7Tax-Deadline

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of state-taxes 595-05
GRAPHIC=virginia state seal

Today is the first day of May and that means its time to file your state income tax forms.
(--------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond/May 1, 1995;

The deadline is midnight.
The state Department of Taxation says it has received one-point-five million tax returns so far.
Officials expected a half- million returns to come in between now and midnight -- and another half- million after that.
(-------------)

7Weather

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

Turning now to the forecast -
It's going to be a cold start to the day, but temperatures will warm up.
Expect partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 60s.
Variable cloudiness tonight - temperatures will dip down into the upper 40s.
Looking ahead, partly sunny skies tomorrow, with a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Highs will be in the lower 70s.

55Gas-Prices

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-27
GRAPHIC=Gas Prices

The Justice Department wants to know what's caused gasoline prices to soar sky high.
So it's launched a probe to investigate the matter.
Meantime, the higher prices will hit you in the wallet in more ways than one.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

It won't just cost you more to drive your car, but the price of all kinds of delivered goods may go up.
SUPER=03-Troutville;

That's because the price diesel is also up.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 22:19:49
IN Q=Diesel prices
((STEVE FALK/TRUCK DRIVER: DIESEL PRICES UP NORTH ARE A DOLLAR FIFTY A GALLON. DOWN HERE THEY'RE REAL HIGH, STARTING TO GET HIGH, GONNA COST EVERYBODY MONEY.))
SUPER=01-Steve Falk/Truck Driver;
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=everybody money.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Washington, DC; (QUICK)

Meanwhile in Washington, a trade association representing U-S oil companies, defended the recent fuel hikes, and welcomed any federal probe into alleged price gouging.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 1pm tape 14:09:00
IN Q=None of
((EDWARD MURPHY/AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE: NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER CONCLUDED THAT THE GASOLINE PRICE CHANGES OR THE CRUDE OIL CHANGES ARE ANY OTHER THAN NORMAL MARKET REACTION TO NORMAL FORCES. I'M FULLY CONFIDENT THAT ANY INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO SHOW THE SAME THING.))
SUPER=01-Edward Murphy/American Petroleum Institute;
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=same thing.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Gasoline prices are at their highest since the Persian Gulf War.
They've jumped five cents in the past two weeks and 14 cents in the past year.
The average price nationwide was a dollar, thirty six cents a gallon as of Friday.
(-------------)

55Vivian-Thomas

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-29
GRAPHIC=NONE

A Hearing yesterday in Henry County revealed a disturbing pattern in the life of a woman accused of neglect in the death of her baby.
The Henry County Department of Social Services was already familiar with Vivian Thomas when her infant died earlier this year in a house fire.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co./February 28;

Prosecutors say Thomas had left her children alone at least 30- minutes before her house caught fire in February.
The blaze killed her six-month old daughter and seriously injured her two other young children.
A state police agent testified yesterday the oven had been left on 500- degrees and caught the wall on fire.
Witnesses indicated this wasn't the first time Thomas had left her young children alone.
Thomas' brother testified his 31- year old sister has given birth to eleven children.
He says seven of her children had already been taken away by social workers before the fatal fire.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Most of
((ROBERT BUSHNELL/HENRY CO. COMMONWEALTH'S ATTY.:MOST OF THE TIME SITUATIONS OF CHILD NEGLECT ARE RESOLVED CIVILLY OR THEY NEVER COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE AUTHORITIES BUT A SITUATION LIKE THIS IS TRAGIC AND UNUSUAL. ))
SUPER=01-Robert Bushnell/Henry Co. Commonwealth's Atty.; :00
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=and unusual.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Thomas is charged with a class four felony.
If convicted she could spend 10- years in prison.
(----------------)

55Savino

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of Savino 89-36
GRAPHIC=legal scales

A federal appeals court has rejected Joseph Savino's appeal that he was on cocaine when he killed his lover and poorly advised by his lawyers.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Bedford Co./File Tape;

Savino was sentenced to death after pleading guilty to the 19-88 murder of Thomas McWaters.
He argued that his lawyers should have advised him to try an "intoxication defense."
A three-judge panel did not buy that argument.
It said Savino's attorneys correctly determined that such a defense would fail.
(----------------)

55Tax-Deadline

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of state-taxes 595-05
GRAPHIC=virginia state seal

Midnight tonight is the deadline to file your state income tax forms.
(--------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond/May 1, 1995;

The state Department of Taxation says it has received one-point-five million tax returns so far.
Officials expected a half- million returns to come in between now and midnight -- and another half- million after that.
(-------------)

55Weather

829Wreck

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-26
GRAPHIC=none

Traffic is congested in the southbound lanes of Route 29 near Candler's Mountain Road in Lynchburg.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg;

Only one lane of traffic is open after a tractor trailer loaded with wood chips crashed at about four o'clock this morning.
Police say the driver of the trailer was exiting on to Route 29 but was traveling too fast and tipped over.
The truck driver was not injured in the crash, but will likely face reckless driving charges.
(----------------)

8Halifax-Drugs

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=jmc
TAPE#None
GRAPHIC=Drug Bust Cocaine

A Halifax County elementary teacher and a school janitor face drug charges.
The teacher, 37-year old Dorothy Ferrell was arrested Monday night at a county park, along with the janitor, 40-year old Jerry Rags-dale for possession of cocaine.
Deputies answering a disturbance call say they spotted Ferrell, Ragsdale and a third person in a car, along with some crack and pipes used to smoke it.
No word on how much cocaine the deputies found.
School superintendent Kenneth Walker was unavailable for comment.

8Lukens-Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-31
GRAPHIC=Fire Aftermath

Local authorities want federal help investigating a Christmas Day fire that destroyed the historic Lukens building in Lynchburg.
Investigators say this fire burned more quickly and hotter than anything they've ever seen.
Steve Smallshaw reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Lynchburg fire
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/December 25; :00
SUPER=01-John Jennings/Lynchburg Fire Marshal; :19
SUPER=@ssm1; :27
RUNS=1:15
OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.

(( Lynchburg fire authorities say whoever set fire to the Lukens building on Christmas Day knew exactly what they were doing.
The blaze that gutted the century- old landmark started on the third floor where a chemical accelerant ignited a fire that reached more than 2400 degrees, hot enough to melt bricks.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:33:09
IN Q=I believe
((JOHN JENNINGS/LYNCHBURG FIRE MARSHAL: I BELIEVE YOU COULD BACK A TANKER TRUCK ... NOT HAVE DONE THIS.))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=have done this.
(/////SOT/////)
SU 20:51:36
IN Q=Jennings says
((Jennings says the Lukens fire resembles what's known as a high temperature accelerant fire, of which only five or six have been seen in the entire United States. For that reason, he's asking agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms to assist in the investigation.))
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=the investigation.

Jennings says the A-T-F is highly trained in fire and explosion investigations.
Even with a hundred combined years of experience working here on the local level, investigators knew this one was out of their league.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:30:03
IN Q=In my 20 years
((JENNINGS: IN MY TWENTY YEARS OF INVESTIGATING FIRES, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS,... LIKE THIS.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=like this.

The investigation continues.
Jennings would not comment on possible suspects, and whether that list includes the building's owner Larry Halstead.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))

8Restaurant-Fee

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales

A 16-year legal mess that started with a dispute over a five dollar restaurant charge has taken a turn for the worse for one man.
A Charlottesville Circuit Court judge yesterday ordered Denis O'Brien to pay six-thousand dollars in legal fees to restaurant attorney John C. Lowe.
The judge says O'Brien has twice sued Lowe for frivolous reasons. O'Brien and the now-defunct restaurant "Mousetrap" have been haggling back and forth in the courts since 19-80 when O'Brien refused to pay a five dollar fee when attempting to leave the restaurant without having ordered anything.

8Tax-Deadline

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of state-taxes 595-05
GRAPHIC=virginia state seal

Today is the last day to file state income tax forms.
(--------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond/May 1, 1995;

The deadline is midnight.
The state Department of Taxation says it has received one-point-five million tax returns so far.
Officials expected a half- million returns to come in between now and midnight -- and another half- million after that.
(-------------)