WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 06/04/96

08:25-01

7Hikers-Death

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=murder

Police say the deaths of TWO women found in the Shenandoah National Park are being treated as homicides.
24-year-old Julianne Williams and 26-year-old Lollie Winans were experienced hikers who were WELL acquainted with the outdoors. They met last summer as
interns for Woodswomen, a Minnesota-based adventure travel organization for
women.
Their bodies were found Saturday at the northern end of the park near the Appalachian Trail, which draws thousands of hikers.

7Brzonkala

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of TAPE#96-17
GRAPHIC=brzonkala

The lawyer for a woman who contends she was raped by TWO Virginia Tech football players has asked that a THIRD player who allegedly witnessed the attack be DISMISSED from a lawsuit against the other players.
The motion was filed yesterday in federal court in Roanoke.
Attorney Eileen Wagner said she learned from a witness that Cornell Brown could NOT have been in the dorm room at the time of the alleged attack.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

Christy Brzonkala alleges that she was raped in September 1994, then subjected to sex discrimination during campus disciplinary hearings.
As a result of the hearings, James Crawford was cleared and Tony Morrison was suspended and then allowed to return to school.
No criminal charges were ever filed.
(-------------)

7Book

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-39
GRAPHIC=NONE

A Federal judge says a nine- year- old Bedford County boy cannot take his Rush Limbaugh book back to school this year.
Steve Smallshaw has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The flap started
SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00
SUPER=01-Tom Gardner/Father; :26
SUPER=01-John Fishwick/Gardner's Attorney; :49
SUPER=@ssm1; :59
RUNS=1:17
OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.

(( The flap started two weeks ago when Jason Gardner's copy of this Rush Limbaugh book was taken from him during a "recreational reading" time in his Montvale classrom.
Jason's teacher Robert Bays says when he saw the word "condom" at the head of Chapter 12, he didn't feel that was appropriate material for a fourth- grader to be reading.
Jason's father Tom disagreed, and he filed suit to get the book back in Jason's hands and back in the classroom.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 7:00:25
IN Q=I'm very worried
((TOM GARDNER/FATHER: I'M VERY WORRIED ABOUT RIGHTS BEING TAKEN AWAY AN INCH AT A TIME, AND I FEEL LIKE IF THERE IS A VIOLATION, IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT UP AND STOPPED AT THAT POINT.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=at that point.

But Judge James C. Turk agreed with educators who felt the Limbaugh book was above Jason's reading level.
Turk refused to allow Jason to bring the book to class during this final week of school, but left open what will happen next year.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 6:57:03
IN Q=Tom Gardner
((JOHN FISHWICK/GARDNER'S ATTORNEY: TOM GARDNER HAD GIVEN PERMISSION TO JASON TO READ THIS BOOK AND WE THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE WE'LL PURSUE AT TRIAL, THE JUDGE SAID THE NEXT THREE DAYS HE WON'T BE ALLOWED TO REVIEW THAT BOOK.))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=review that book.
(/////SOT/////)
SU
IN Q=Lawyers say
((Lawyers say what's at stake is a child's constitutional right to read what they want in class, and a parent's right to help them choose it. The case will move forward in the federal court system, as Gardner and his son, with the support of Limbaugh himself, continue their fight. Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg.))
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.))

7Trial

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=rjo
TAPEedit of #96-37
GRAPHIC=NONE

After more than 100 years, a Russian fictional character finally got his day in court-- at William Fleming High School.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke

Dostoevsky's
(Daws- te- YEF- skee's) 18-66 book, "Crime and Punishment," tells the story of
a young university student who murdered a pawnbroker.
During this mock trial the students acted as judge, attorneys and witnesses.
The jury was made up of school officials and prominent members of the legal profession.
Jury members entered their verdict via computers and found the murder suspect guilty-- but insane.
(----------------)

7Weather

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

Taking a look now at the forecast -
It's going to be mostly cloudy today with a chance of showers.
Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon.
Highs will be around 80 degrees.
Expect showers to continue tonight, with lows in the mid to upper 50s.
Looking ahead - the sun should return tomorrow with highs around 80.

55Fathers-Welfare

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=equ
TAPE#96-34
GRAPHIC=Welfare in VA

Three Virginia women are charging that the state's 19-95 welfare reform is UN-consitiutional.
A Christiansburg woman, a Smyth County woman, and a Winchester woman are concerned about the part of the reform requiring they identify the fathers of their children, so the state can help FORCE deadbeat dads to pay up.
These three women say they don't know who the father of their child is-- so they're suing because their checks will be taken away.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:12:56
IN Q=This is a good
((MARTIN BROWN/VA. SOCIAL SERVICES DEPT.: THIS IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT HELPS PEOPLE. FOR 30 YEARS OR 40 YEARS WELFARE HAS CAUGHT WOMEN IN A CYCLE OF DEPENDENCY. IT'S CAUGHT CHILDREN IN A CYCLE OF POVERTY. AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT PUTS THEM ON NOTICE THAT NO LONGER WILL THEY RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FOR AN UNCONDITIONAL PERIOD FOR UNCONDITIONAL BENEFITS.))
SUPER=01-Martin Brown/Va. Social Services Dept.;
RUNS=:21
OUT Q=benefits.
TALENT=Beth
SS=HOLD

The Virginia Poverty Law Center says the state is violating FEDERAL regulations.
The Center says those rules allow mothers who can NOT identify fathers to attest to a LACK of information, under penalty of perjury.

55Boty-Supers

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=spr
TAPE#96-38
GRAPHIC=NONE

There's promise of more employment in Botetourt County as a number of NEW businesses plan to locate in the county.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;

But some residents are afraid a LACK of educational funding will mean Botetourt County students will NOT be properly prepared.
The County Board of Supervisors did NOT approve 1- point- 4 million dollars of the recently proposed school budget.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 10:02:28(tape 1)
IN Q=The quality
((JOHN PATTERSON/FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTY WILL SUFFER AS A RESULT OF THEIR FAILURE TO FUND THE SCHOOL BOARD'S REQUESTED BUDGET. WITHOUT EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN TO THAT LEVEL, THEY WON'T GET THOSE JOBS. SOMEONE ELSE WILL GET THEM. ))
SUPER=01-John Patterson/Former School Board Member;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=get them
(----------------)
VO-NAT

According to the county's financial report there are 16 million dollars in "undesignated funds."
But Jerry Burgess says: "undesignated" is just an auditing term.
He says the money is divvied up into various reserve funds... and that there is a surplus of only about 700- thousand dollars.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:04:24
IN Q=I think a lot
((JERRY BURGESS/BOTETOURT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, TOO, HAVE FORGOTTEN THE BOARD HAS APPROVED OVER 16- MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. OVER 8 MILLION OF WHICH IS BEHIND US. AND THEY'VE ALSO APPROVED ANOTHER 5 MILLION FOR EXPANSION AND RENOVATION OF LORD BOTETOURT HIGH SCHOOL. ))
SUPER=01-Jerry Burgess/Botetourt Co. Administrator;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=high school
ANCHOR=Beth
SS=NONE

School board members will go before the supervisors next month, in an attempt to get MORE money for the schools.

55City-Council

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=JoeD
TAPE#96-41
GRAPHIC=Roanoke seal

Roanoke City Council is allowing a regional symbol to play a starring role in a NEW campaign against drunk driving.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Yesterday, council members agreed to a plan that will turn the Mill Mountain Star RED for 24 hours following a drug or alcohol- related traffic fatality.
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Members say they have some reservations about the "Keep the Star White" campaign, but they approved a 90- day trial run that will begin September first.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I think it symbolizes
((BEV FITZPATRICK/NEW CENTURY COUNCIL: I THINK IT SYMBOLIZES SO MUCH IN THE HEARTS OF THESE PEOPLE, THAT IF THEY LIKE IT THEY'LL TELL US AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT, THEY'LL REALLY TELL US.))
SUPER=01-Bev Fitzpatrick/New Century Council;
RUNS=:05
OUT Q=they'll really tell us.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Members of City Council also revisited the vote to raise their own salaries.
Fearing they mishandled the original decision, council reconsidered, but the result was the same.
They approved increases of one thousand dollars for council members and three- thousand dollars for the mayor.
(---------------)

55Dole

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=dole, bob

Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole will be in the Richmond area today with Senator John Warner and Governor George Allen.
The three will be at a home construction site.
Dole is using the setting to argue that Clinton administration policies are causing Americans to pay millions MORE in "stealth taxes" because of HIGHER interest rates and stagnant wages.

55Weather

8Hikers-Death

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=murder

Authorities say TWO women found dead in the Shenandoah National Park Saturday MAY have been murdered.
24-year-old Julianne Williams and 26-year-old Lollie Winans were described as experienced hikers. The two met last summer as interns for
Woodswomen, a Minnesota-based adventure travel organization for women.

Their bodies were found at the northern end of the park near the Appalachian Trail, which draws thousands of hikers.

8Brzonkala

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cro
TAPE# edit of TAPE#96-17
GRAPHIC=brzonkala

The lawyer for a woman who contends she was raped by TWO Virginia Tech football players has asked that a THIRD player be DISMISSED from a lawsuit against the other players.
Attorney Eileen Wagner said she's learned that Cornell Brown could NOT have wintnessed the alleged attack.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

Christy Brzonkala alleges that she was raped in September 1994, then subjected to sex discrimination during campus disciplinary hearings.
James Crawford was cleared in the hearings and Tony Morrison was suspended, but then allowed to return to school.
No criminal charges were filed.
(-------------)

8Obremski

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=jmc
TAPE#96-49
GRAPHIC=Obremski

A man accused of making obscene phone calls to young girls is now facing NINE more felony charges.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/May 10;

A Roanoke grand jury has indicted Michael Obremski on FOUR counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor, and FIVE counts of making abduction threats.
All the NEW charges involved calls to girls, from January of 19-94 to December of last year.
Obremski was arrested last month on a misdemeanor charge in Roanoke County.
Authorities believe he's also the same man who was seen stalking school children in the Raleigh Court neighborhood.
(----------------)

8Ritalin

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=bmy
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=NONE

A Roanoke teen has been ordered to perform 90 hours of community service for distributing Ritalin.
The youth admitted yesterday that he distributed the prescription drug at a party.
19-year-old Lucas Lawson took a fatal dose of the drug and suffered a heart attack.
He died 18 hours later.
Ritalin is prescribed for hyperactive children and people with attention deficit disorder.
Because the case was handled in juvenile court, the defendant is not being named.

8Radios

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-46
GRAPHIC=NONE

Campbell County officials have decided what company will provide the county's new radio equipment, but the decision was not without controversy.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Rustburg;

The Elecom company of Madison Heights won the original contract with a 450- thousand dollar bid last month, beating out the Ericsson Corporation.
But the supervisors agreed then to let Ericsson submit another bid.
Last night, an emergency communications committee again recommended Elecom be given the contract, but the board voted 6 to 1 in favor of Ericsson.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 19:53:15//19:51:39
IN Q=This is a
((TOM BARKSDALE/ERICSSON: THIS IS A HOMETOWN, THIS IS ECONOMY, THESE DOLLARS WILL STAY IN CAMPBELL COUNTY AND THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA REGION, AND IF ANYTHING CATASTROPHIC EVER HAPPENS, WE ARE TEN MILES AWAY AND WE CAN CALL OUT THE TROOPS TO DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO RE- ESTABLISH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM HERE IN CAMPBELL COUNTY.)) ((MACK BURKHOLDER/ELECOM: I GUESS THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE DOING WHAT'S IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS BUT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE DOWN, IT HAS BEEN HIGHLY UNETHICAL. I'M LEAVING HERE WITH MY INTEGRITY TONIGHT, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT WON'T.))
SUPER=01-Tom Barksdale/Ericsson; :00
SUPER=01-Mack Burkholder/Elecom; :23
RUNS=:33
OUT Q=here that won't.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Elecom is a local dealer for the Motorola Company, Ericsson's biggest competitor in the communications market.
(----------------)

8hole

ANCHOR=Beth
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=bmy
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=none

A sink hole has closed one lane of traffic on Interstate 81 in Rockbridge County.
The highway department is making repairs in the Southbound lane just before exit 180 for Fancyhill.
The road should be fixed by Friday.

8Weather

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

Taking a look now at the forecast -
It's going to be mostly cloudy today with a chance of showers.
Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon.
Highs will be around 80 degrees. Looking ahead - the sun should return tomorrow with highs around 80. Expect showers to continue tonight, with lows in the mid to upper 50s.