WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/31/97

08:25-01

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SUPER=@Melanie1

7SWatch

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=school info

Some snow and freezing rain fell in some areas yesterday and that's resulted in a few school closings and delays today. Take SchoolWatch

7E-Helms

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=THa
TAPE#96-110
GRAPHIC=Helms

A Henry County teenager is headed to a state prison for the murder of another teen.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co./May 1996;

17- year- old Tommy Helms was sentenced yesterday to life plus 23-years for the murder of a 15 year old girl in 1995 and also for a series of armed robberies.
Lavina Scales was shot eight times in the head.
Helms ultimately confessed to killing the young woman.
Before imposing punishment, the judge spoke about how Scales was robbed of the chance to graduate from school, marry and have children.
The comments brought tears to the eyes of Scales' father.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=The first
((JAMES VAUGHN/SCALES' FATHER:THE FIRST STEP TO ANY KIND OF HEALING IS JUSTICE, AND WITHOUT JUSTICE YOU CAN'T BE HEALED, SO THE HEALING PROCESS BEGINS.))
SUPER=01-James Vaughn/Scales' Father; :00
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=process begins.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

The prosecution and defense agreed that Helms should start his sentence in the juvenile detention center.
But the judge ruled that Helms will serve his sentence in state prison.

7E-Bank-Robbery

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=tbr
TAPE#97-5
GRAPHIC=Bank robbery

Richmond police today are searching for two men who went on a shooting rampage yesterday during a bank holdup.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond;

A 23-year old bank teller was killed and three others were wounded.
Authorities say the men were armed with assault rifles and a shotgun.
They escaped after grabbing an undisclosed amount of cash.
(----------------)

7E-Williams

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#97-6
GRAPHIC=NONE

Earlier this month a Virginia Tech student was struck and killed as he walked on campus, allegedly by a drunken driver.
Police say blood tests confirm that Evelyn Williams HAD been drinking when she struck and killed 20 year Daniel Kelly.
Authorities say her blood alcohol level registered point-oh-four, below the legal limit of point-oh-eight.
But Tech police chief Mike Jones says he's sure a forensic formula to calculate blood alcohol levels hours earlier will prove Williams was legally intoxicated.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Blacksburg/January 11;

Williams refused a breath test and field sobriety tests at the scene of the accident on Southgate Drive.
Police had to get a warrant to draw her blood six hours AFTER the crash.
Jones says Kelly was walking on the edge of the road when he was hit from behind.
(----------------)

7E-Bedford-Schools

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tbr
TAPE#97-1
GRAPHIC=Education

It is going to cost more than anticipated to build two new elementary schools in Bedford County.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Bedford Co.;

Finding the money to pay for them was the topic of a joint meeting between the county board of supervisors and the school board last night.
Officials estimate it will cost about 13 and a half million dollars to build new schools in the Forest and Stewartsville areas...that's up from the original 12 million dollar estimate.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
((JOHN KENT/BEDFORD CO. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: THE SUPERVISORS AREA AWARE OF THE NEED. THEY'RE BURDENED WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF HOW YOU PAY FOR THOSE NEEDS AND THAT'S PART OF WHY THE COUNTY HAS HIRED A FINANCIAL PLANNER AND THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS TO ENCOURAGE THAT THERE'S SOME STRONG STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THOSE NEED. AND ALSO COST ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE NEEDS. )) ((LUCILLE BOGGESS/SUPERVISORS CHAIRMAN: WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY CHOICE BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY AND THE GROWTH IN THE SCHOOL POPULATION. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET AND DO IT.))
SUPER=01-John Kent/Bedford Co. School Superintendent;
SUPER=01-Lucille Boggess/Supervisor's Chairman;
RUNS=:32
OUT Q=and do it.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Boggess says she's not ruling out a future tax increase to help relieve some of the county's bond debt.
(----------------)

7weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Turning now to weather, the start of the weekend is looking good.
You can expect partly sunny skies with temperatures warming into the 50s today.
Winds will be increasing by tonight, with lows in the mid to upper 30s.
And Saturday looks partly sunny with highs again in the 50s.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=314-Becoming Partly/Sunny/50-55/Partly Cloudy/Gusty Winds/35-40;
SUPER=#555; reset
7BIRTHDAYS! 2/2/97

SUPER=130-10/Shane Coleman/Riner;

SUPER=130-10/Sara Anderson/Roanoke;

SUPER=130-3/Hunter Swift/Nathalie;

SUPER=130-47/Sharon Epperley/Roanoke;

(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-9/Kelsey Criser/Hot Springs;

SUPER=130-60/Nannie Craghead/Rocky Mount;

SUPER=130-12/Nikki Terry/Glenvar;

SUPER=130-4/Lacey Basham/Troutville;

Monday:
SUPER=130-7/Corey Wiley/Fincastle;

SUPER=130-85/Rosie Roop/Christiansburg;

SUPER=130-28/Roxanne Morris/Pittsville;

SUPER=130-23/Monica Waller/Chatham;

SUPER=130-1/Haley Morris/Dublin;

SUPER=130-/Amy Shoemaker/Roanoke;

SUPER=130-11/Jason McCall/Roanoke;

SUPER=130-31/Jeff Booth/Glade Hill;

No Pictures:

SUPER=130-/Pamela Wade/Burnt Chimney;

SUPER=130-/Jay Mattox/Rocky Mount;

SUPER=130-/Opal Worrell/Dugspur;

SUPER=130-/Geneva Weddle/Willis;

SUPER=130-/Winnie Vaughan/Willis;

SUPER=130-/David Yopp/Roanoke;

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55SWatch

55Helms

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=THa
TAPE#net (edit of 96-110)
GRAPHIC=Helms

In the fall of 19-95 a 15 year old girl was found dead along the side of the road in Henry County, she had been shot 8 times in the head.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co./May 1996;

Yesterday the 17 year old boy who confessed to the murder was sentenced to life in prison and for a series of armed robberies.
The prosecution and defense agreed that Tommy Helms should start his sentence in the juvenile detention center.
But the judge ruled that Helms will serve his sentence in state prison.
(----------------)

55Legionnaires

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#97-3
GRAPHIC=Legionnaires

Seven more cases of Legionnaire's disease have been linked to the outbreak of the disease last October in the New River Valley.
That means the total number of cases is now 23 including two people who died.
No one else has since gotten sick from this particular outbreak.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Christiansburg;

At a news conference yesterday New River Health District Director Jody Hershey outlined a Centers for Disease Control report of its preliminary study.
The report confirms health officials' findings linking the outbreak to a hot tub display at Lowe's Store in Christiansburg.
The C-D-C is now reassessing maintenance guidelines for whirlpools and spas.
(----------------)

55Biotech

ANCHOR=mel
NEWSCAST=mornin'
WRITER=spr
TAPE#net (edit of 96-102)
GRAPHIC=education

Some High profile national trials have given the public education in D-N-A evidence.
Now high School students across the state are getting chance to see how D-N-A is tested, thanks to Virginia Tech.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;

The university's Outreach Program is supplying thousands of dollars worth of biotechnology supplies to any school that wants to use them for a two week period.
These students at Lord Botetourt are learning to separate D- N- A molecules.
Their teacher says these techniques are being used for a variety of purposes.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 9:36:56
IN Q=Court systems
((JOHN MCLAUGHLIN/LORD BOTETOURT HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: COURT SYSTEMS ARE USING IT FOR IDENTIFICATION. THEY SEE A LOT OF DISEASES AND DISORDERS BEING IDENTIFIED... AND POSSIBLY CURED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE DNA GENES THEMSELVES. ))
SUPER=01-John McLaughlin/Biology Teacher;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=themselves
(----------------)
VO-NAT

49 schools state- wide are participating in the program.
(----------------)

55weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

As we head into the weekend, it's going to feel more like March.
Highs will be in the low to mid 50s today under partly sunny skies.
The winds will pick up a bit tonight, with lows in the upper 30s.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=314-Becoming Partly/Sunny/50-55/Partly Cloudy/Gusty Winds/35-40;
SUPER=#555; reset
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8SWatch

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=school info

Yesterday's winter weather resulted in a few school closings and delays today. Take SchoolWatch

8E-Helms

8E-Williams

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=tal
TAPE#97-6
GRAPHIC=NONE

Police say blood tests show that Evelyn Williams of Blacksburg HAD been drinking when she struck and killed a Virginia Tech student on campus earlier this month.
Williams' blood alcohol level registered point-oh-four, below the legal limit of point-oh-eight.
But Tech police chief Mike Jones says he's sure a forensic formula to calculate blood alcohol levels hours earlier will prove Williams was legally intoxicated.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Williams refused a breath test and field sobriety tests at the scene of the accident on Southgate Drive.
SUPER=03-Blacksburg/January 11;

Police had to get a warrant to draw her blood six hours AFTER the crash.
Jones says 20- year- old Daniel Kelly was walking on the edge of the road when he was hit from behind.
(----------------)

8P-rICHMOND-Robbery

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=jmc
TAPE#596-43
GRAPHIC=BANK ROBBERY

Richmond police are still searching for two men wanted in connection with a violent bank robbery yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond

During a hold-up the robbers shot and killed a bank teller and wounded three others.
Police say the suspects opened fire as they entered the bank, took an undisclosed amount of money, and then ran out-- at one point exchanging gunfire with a police officer.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=One was carrying
((BRENDA HUGHES/RICHMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT: ONE WAS CARRYING AN M 16 RIFLE. HE'S A BLACK MALE, ABOUT 6 FEET TALL, AGE 20 TO 27. HE'S WEARING A BLACK SKULL CAP, BLACK THREE-QUARTER LENGTH COAT AND BLUE JEANS. THE SECOND INDIVIDUAL THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW WAS ALSO ARMED, CARRYING A SHOTGUN.))
SUPER=01-Brenda Hughes/Richmond Police Department;
RUNS=:17
OUT Q=carrying a shotgun.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The robbers ran into a nearby cemetery and drove off in a gray car.
(----------------)

8Legionnaires

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Mornin
WRITER=tal
TAPE#97-3
GRAPHIC=Legionnaires

The Legionnaire's outbreak in the New River Valley has turned up seven more cases since October.
The total is now 23 including two people who died.
This is the same outbreak from the fall and no one else has gotten sick with Legionnaires Disease.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Christiansburg;

At a news conference yesterday New River Health District Director Jody Hershey outlined a Centers for Disease Control report of its preliminary study.
The report confirms health officials' findings linking the outbreak to a hot tub display at a Lowe's store in Christiansburg.
The C-D-C is now reassessing maintenance guidelines for whirlpools and spas.
(----------------)

8AEP

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=AEP

Virginia regulators have approved a rate increase for American Electric Power customers.
The rates are already in effect.
It represents an increase to the average residential customer of about a dollar- eighteen- a- month.

8weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Checking the weekend forecast now, we're going to be enjoying some warmer temperatures.
Highs today in the 50s with partly sunny skies.
Tonight will cool off into the upper 30s for lows.
And tomorrow looks partly sunny again with warm highs in the 50s.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=#555; reset SUPER=314-Becoming Partly/Sunny/50-55/Partly Cloudy/Gusty Winds/35-40;