WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 08/07/96

08:25-01

7Anderson

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=amo
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=LEGAL SCALES
SUPER=19-Melanie Moon;

A Roanoke teen has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking two people last year in Old Southwest.
Davon Antonio Anderson was 14 at the time.
He was convicted of malicious wounding for the two separate attacks and becomes is youngest person convicted as an adult in Roanoke Circuit Court.

7Wheeler

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-55
GRAPHIC=Wheeler

Meantime in Wythville, a 16 year-old boy faces up to 42 years in prison for murdering a sheriff's deputy.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Wytheville;

Christopher Shawn Wheeler pled no contest yesterday to second degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony.
Wheeler killed Wythe County Sheriff's Deputy Clifford Dicker when Dicker tried to arrest him in December of 1994.
Wheeler has been held in a juvenile detention center since the shooting.
After accepting his plea the judge ordered Wheeler to JAIL to await his sentencing in October.
(----------------)

76Earl-Bramblett

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=spr
TAPE#96-54
GRAPHIC=Bramblett

Two lawyers will likely be assigned to represent accused killer Earl Bramblett.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Salem;

Bramblett was in Roanoke County court yesterday for the first time since his arrest in Spartanburg, South Carolina last week.
SUPER=03-Vinton/August 1994;

In August of 1994, Blaine Hodges, his wife Teresa, and their two daughters were found dead inside their burning home in Vinton.
It was discovered three of them had been shot before the fire. Teresa Hodges had been strangled.
Judge G- O Clemens said that because Bramblett is charged with CAPITAL murder, he will probably assign two defense lawyers to the case.
Meanwhile, the prosecution is ready for trial right now.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 9:57:28
IN Q=I'm ready
((SKIP BURKART/ROANOKE COUNTY COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: I'M READY TO GO TOMORROW IF NECESSARY. WE ALWAYS HOPE NEW THINGS BECOME AVAILABLE, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED-- NOTHING ELSE... WE'RE READY AS SOON AS THE JUDGE GIVES A TRIAL DATE. ))
SUPER=01-Skip Burkart/Roanoke Co. Commonwealth's Attny.;
RUNS=:12
OUT Q=trial date
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Bramblett has been the only suspect in the killings.
Aside from Capital murder... the 54 year old faces three counts of first degree murder... plus firearms and arson charges.
(----------------)

7Task-Force

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=Sta
TAPE#96-67
GRAPHIC=NONE

Roanoke officials are asking for the public's help in evaluating race relations in the city.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;

Some citizens say they feel alienated and discriminated against because of their race.
The comments came at a public hearing at Oakland Elementary School.
This was the first of four hearings throughout Roanoke to learn more about diversity and race relations in the city.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 07.28.05 - 07.28.15
IN Q=We're not sure
((MELINDA PAYNE/CHAIRMAN - TASK FORCE; WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET AT EACH PUBLIC HEARING. IT'S REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO COME TO US AND LET US HEAR FROM THEM WHAT THEY PERCEIVE THE ISSUES TO BE.))
SUPER=01-Melinda Payne/Task Force Chairwoman;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=issues to be
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Former Mayor Noel Taylor mobilized the task force in 1990 after complaints from the black community against local police officers.
The task force later came under fire because of its alleged inactivity.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE

Current Mayor-- David Bowers recently reinstated the task force.
The next public hearing is Thursday night at seven at William Fleming High School.

7All-America

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-62
GRAPHIC=Roanoke City Seal

City officials are also actively involved in week-long celebration.
For the fifth time, Roanoke has been named an All America City.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 10:09:05
IN Q=It's not because
((LINDA WYATT/ROANOKE VICE MAYOR: IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS, THE GREEN TREES, AND THE LOW CRIME RATE. IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO BELIEVE IN WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. ))
SUPER=01-Linda Wyatt/Roanoke Vice Mayor;
RUNS=:14
OUT Q=to solve problems
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Wyatt teamed up with other city and business leaders to announce the events for All America City Week.
Beginning next Wednesday, open houses will take place at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, the Jefferson Center and the Trash Transfer Station.
Wyatt says these were the projects that earned the Star City its latest award.
(----------------)
TALENT=Melanie
SS=HOLD

A grand finale celebration is planned for August 17th.

7weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=NONE
SUPER=X5000;SET DISSOLVE
(CHYRON TODAY/TONIGHT AREA FORECAST PAGE)
SUPER=314-Patchy Morning Fog/Partly Sunny/85-89/Partly Cloudy/Possible
Showers/65-69;
SUPER=#555;RESET

Taking a look now at the forecast -
The morning will start off with fog in most places.
It will burn off by the afternoon, turning partly sunny, with a chance of showers -- highs will be in the mid 80s.
For tonight, expect partly cloudy skies with a chance of showers - lows will be in the mid to upper 60s.
7BIRTHDAYS! 8/8/96

SUPER=130-10/Marc Lewis/Hardy;

SUPER=130-32/Wayne Stinnett/Roanoke;

SUPER=130-14/Philip Rorrer/Martinsville;

SUPER=130-6/Jonathan Trussler/Vinton;

SUPER=130-29/Barbara Smith/Natural Bridge Station;

SUPER=130-8/Jason Austin/Natural Bridge Station;

No Pictures:

SUPER=130-22/Chris Hines/Gretna;

55Floyd-Meningitis

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cst
TAPE# 596-29
GRAPHIC=Meningitsis
SUPER=19-Melanie Moon;

In Floyd County, a 32-year-old a man has died after contracting a form of bacterial meningitis.
As a precaution, the health department is consulting with his family members and co-workers at Cross Creek Apparel.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Bacterial meningitis is spread by direct contact with a carrier-- the risk is very low.
Symptoms include:
--Fever
--Headache
--Stiff neck & back
--Nausea
--Skin rash
(------------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

This is the third New River Valley resident to be diagnosed with Meningitis this year.
There were 194 cases of meningitis in the state last year.

55Blue-Mold

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-63
GRAPHIC=Tobacco

Two words strike fear in the hearts of tobacco growers: Blue Mold.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Washington Co./File Tape;

The notorious plant disease is spreading throughout one of the Commonwealth's top cash crops- the burley tobacco fields of southwest Virginia.
Agriculture extension agents say the wet weather allows blue mold to damage a significant amount of tobacco in Scott, Washington and Russell Counties.
(-------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

Things are a lot different for FLUE CURED tobacco farmers in Southside Virginia.
They're enjoying one of their best harvests in years.

55Babcock

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#96-64
GRAPHIC=Business News

A central Virginia company is sharing in the profits of a multi- billion dollar contract from the Department of Energy.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Campbell Co.;

Babcock and Wilcox took part in the winning bid to clean up nuclear weapon facilities in Washington state and in South Carolina.
B & W's share of the contract amounts to more than 240 million dollars.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 8:10:27
IN Q=This doesn't
((KEITH WING/B&W MANAGER: THIS DOESN'T MEAN A LOT OF JOBS ARE COMING INTO LYNCHBURG, BUT WHAT IT MEANS IS WE'RE GROWING NEW BUSINESS OUT OF OUR HEADQUARTERS HERE IN LYNCHBURG, AND IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD STABILIZATION OF OUR EMPLOYMENT HERE, AS WELL AS USE THIS AS EXPERIENCE THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE IN THE FUTURE FOR NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.))
SUPER=01-Keith Wing/B&W Manager; :00
RUNS=:22
OUT Q=new business opportunities.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

B & W is the sole supplier of nuclear fuel to the U-S Navy.
It is also involved in decommissioning nuclear reactors across the country.
(----------------)

55Year-Round

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-56
GRAPHIC=Education

In Danville, you won't hear "school's out for the summer" anymore.
One elementary school has adopted a year round program.
Teresa Hamilton has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=It may have
SUPER=03-Danville; :00
SUPER=01-Libby Spainhour/School Board Chairman; :33
SUPER=01-Lewis Adkins/Student; :55 QUICK!!
SUPER=01-Melody Ferrell/Student; 1:02
QUICK!!
SUPER=01-Ralph Warren/Assistant Schools Superintendent; 1:10
SUPER=@Teresa2; 1:21
RUNS=1:27
OUT Q=Hamilton, News 7, Danville.
(( It may have been the first day of school, but teachers wasted little time getting back to the three R's.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Seven, eight
((NAT SOUND:SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN. ))
RUNS=:03
OUT Q=nine, ten.

Lessons, like this one, will now be offered year round at Schoolfield Elementary.
The way the programs works is fairly simple.
Students are required to attend school 180- days a year, like any other child.
But instead of taking an extended summer vacation.
Students at Schoolfield are offered time off in 15- day increments, four times a year.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I think
((LIBBY SPAINHOUR/SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN:I THINK THE BIG PLUS THAT I SEE IS NOT HAVING THAT TIME IN BETWEEN WHERE YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH TIME THAT THEY'RE LOOSING. YOU KNOW, I THINK KIDS TEND TO FORGET AND I WISH MY OWN CHILDREN WOULD'VE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=this opportunity.

Year round schooling has other benefits.
The program is designed so that students may spend a portion of their vacation in the classroom-- either brushing up on their skills or studying extra material.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I'm very
((LEWIS ADKINS/STUDENT:I'M VERY EXCITED, IT'S BEEN FUN SO FAR AND I HOPE IT'S LIKE THIS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.))
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=of the year.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=What
((WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK ABOUT YEAR ROUND SCHOOL? MELODY FERRELL/STUDENT:THEY THINK IT'S WONDERFUL. ))
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=wonderful.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=We did allow
((RALPH WARREN:WE DID ALLOW AN OPTION TO CHOOSE OUT OF THIS SCHOOL TO ANY OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT, AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROGRAM, SO THAT IF IT DIDN'T MEET PARENTS NEEDS, AS FAR AS THE PARENTS WERE CONCERNED THEY HAD A CHOICE. ))
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=had a choice.

In fact, only 17- students, out of about 550, opted to attend another school. Teresa Hamilton, News 7, Danville.))

55weather

8Floyd-Meningitis

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=cst
TAPE# 596-29
GRAPHIC=Meningitsis
SUPER=19-Melanie Moon;

A case of bacterial meningitis has claimed the life of a 32-year-old Floyd County man.
As a precaution, the health department is consulting with his family members and co-workers at Cross Creek Apparel.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Bacterial meningitis is spread by direct contact with a carrier-- the risk is very low.
Symptoms include:
--Fever
--Headache
--Stiff neck & back
--Nausea
--Skin rash
(------------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

This is the third New River Valley resident to be diagnosed with Meningitis this year.
There were 194 cases of meningitis in the state last year.

8Anderson

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=am
WRITER=amo
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=LEGAL SCALES

The youngest person convicted as an adult in Roanoke Circuit court was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Davon Antonio Anderson was convicted of malicious wounding in two separate attacks on two men in Old Southwest more than a year ago.
Anderson was 14 years old at the time.

8Christopher-Wheeler

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-55
GRAPHIC=Wheeler

A 16 year- old boy from Wytheville could face 42 years in prison after pleading no contest to charges stemming from the killing of Wythe County sheriff's deputy Clifford Dicker.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Wytheville;

Christopher Shawn Wheeler was tried as an adult.
Wheeler shot Dicker when the deputy showed up at his house to arrest him.
He has been held at a juvenile detention center since the shooting in December of 1994, but yesterday the judge ordered him to jail.
Wheeler pled no contest to second degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony.
He'll be sentenced in October.
(----------------)

8Bramblett

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=spr
TAPE#96-54
GRAPHIC=Bramblett

Accused killer Earl Bramblett will appear in a Roanoke County courtroom next week.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Salem;

Yesterday, he made his first court appearance in this area since his arrest in South Carolina.
The 54-year old is accused of SUPER=03-Vinton/August 1994;
killing the Hodges family in their Vinton home two years ago.
The house was gutted by fire but three of the family members had been shot to death- the other was strangled.
Bramblett will likely receive a pair of court appointed attorneys... because he can not afford legal counsel on his own.
(/////SOT/////)
NAT SOT 9:51:20
IN Q=You have
((JUDGE G.O. CLEMENS: YOU HAVE NO, WHAT I CALL, HOBBY ITEMS? LIKE CAMERAS OR FISHING EQUIPMENT, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? EARL BRAMBLETT: I MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME MISCELLANEOUS TOOLS BUT THEY HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND. ))
SUPER=02-Judge G.O. Clemens; :00
SUPER=07-Earl Bramblett;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=left behind
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Bramblett said the only thing he owned of value was a vehicle... worth about 500-dollars.
He faces one count of capital murder, three counts of first degree murder plus firearms and arson charges.
(----------------)

8AEP

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#96-66
GRAPHIC=AEP

American Electric Power says it has more evidence its proposed power line is needed.
A-E-P cites a Department of Energy report on the recent blackout out West.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

It includes a section that says the delays in getting the line approved threatens the electric system reliability in the east- central United States.
A-E-P first applied for permits to build the line from West Virginia to Botetourt County five years ago.
(-------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=AEP

Power line opponents say they have not seen the report.

8Night-Out

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-58
GRAPHIC=NONE

Southside residents and local police celebrated a night out in the neighborhoods.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Danville;

It was all part of "National Night Out".
The yearly event gives law enforcement and local residents around the country a chance to strengthen neighborhood spirit and relations.
A parade in Danville was just part of the events scheduled in conjunction with local police and area housing communities.
South Boston also got into the act with a whole host of activities.
Local police and the South Boston Neighborhood Watch sponsored a party at "Constitution Square".
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=I think
((JIM HALL/SOUTH BOSTON POLICE CHIEF:I THINK IT PUTS THE CRIMINALS ON NOTICE THAT THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH BOSTON DO NOT WANT CRIME IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET RID OF IT. GLEN ABERNATHY/SOUTH BOSTON MAYOR: IT'S A GREAT CROWD, IT'S A VAST IMPROVEMENT OVER OUR FIRST NIGHT OUT LAST YEAR, AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT AS THE YEARS PASS WE'LL CONTINUE TO GROW BIGGER AND BIGGER. ))
SUPER=01-Jim Hall/South Boston Police Chief; :00
SUPER=01-Glen Abernathy/South Boston Mayor; :09
RUNS=:19
OUT Q=bigger and bigger.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

This was the 13th year of "National Night Out".
(----------------)