WDBJ 7 morning news for 06/02/97

06:00-01

Rockbridge-Flooding

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=Dal
TAPE#net (Edit of 97-21)
GRAPHIC=flooding

Nearly eight inches of rain caused flooding in Rockbridge County yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Glasgow;
9:31:45 crews digging ditched
Highway crews used heavy equipment to clear roadside ditches so the rushing water would have some place to go. sandbag 9:54:43
Rescue workers put sandbags in front of the doors of the firehouse to keep the water out, but in the end their efforts were in vain.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 9:46:32
IN Q=OF COURSE YOU
((RICHARD SPANGLER/GLASGOW FIRE CHIEF: OF COURSE YOU CAN SEE THE FIREHOUSE FLOODED AGAIN. NORTH GLASGOW GOT FLOODED AND MOST OF THE CONCERN NOW IS THE MAURY RIVER. THEY'RE EXPECTING ANOTHER STORM TO HIT US AND WE'VE GOT TO WATCH THE RIVER NOW.))
SUPER=01-Richard Spangler/Glasgow Fire Chief;
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=THE RIVER NOW
(----------------)
VO-NAT

No major roadways were closed due to flooding.
But public safety officials warn drivers to use common sense and beware of water covered roadways.
They also say in some cases the rushing water may have washed out roads creating huge holes and dangerous driving conditions.
More rain is expected today.
(----------------)

WV-FLOODING

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=MORNIN
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=flooding

Flooding in West Virginia left two people missing and forced hundreds from their homes.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Ripley, WV;

In Ripley, rising water forced the evacuation of some 60 homes.
In Raleigh County, a man and a woman were reported missing after trying to flee flood waters surrounding their home.
Hundreds of people in Raleigh and several other counties were chased from their homes by rising water.
(----------------)

E-Highway-Construction

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=Dal
TAPE#=97-40
GRAPHIC=NONE

Some Roanoke County residents say they've waited more than 20 years and they want to see results.
They say a two mile stretch of road near Salem is dangerous because of the heavy traffic.
Denise Allen reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Just outside of
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00
SUPER=01-Harold Bowman/Roanoke Co. Resident; :13
SUPER=01-Spike Harrison/Roanoke Co. Supervisor; :28
SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson; :46
SUPER=@Denise1; 1:10
RUNS=1:20
OUT Q=Roanoke County.

((Just outside of Salem there is a two mile stretch of highway.
Route 11/460 is a two lane road which widens to four lanes at both the east and west ends.
Residents say that creates a dangerous bottleneck.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:06:34
IN Q=IT'S NOT WIDE
((HAROLD BOWMAN/ROANOKE CO. RESIDENT: IT'S NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR THE 37-PLUS-THOUSAND CARS THAT PASS HERE DAILY.))
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=PASS HERE DAILY

Business is booming on the road.
Officials say Kroger and Richfields are expanding and two more businesses are building new plants.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:12:07
IN Q=IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE
((SPIKE HARRISON/ROANOKE CO. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY RUNNING RIGHT ALONG SIDE THE INTERSTATE. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. THE TRUCK TRAFFIC IS GOING TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=DOUBLE AND TRIPLE

One million dollars has been proposed to pay for the planning of the project which would widen the road to five lanes.
But it could be years before construction starts.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:00:43
IN Q=WE HAVE TO
((LAURA BULLOCK/VDOT SPOKESPERSON: WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL STAGES ONE OF THOSE STAGES IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, SOME SURVEYING WORK. WE MUST ALSO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS.))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS

The project isn't in the six year plan yet.
Bowman has a petition signed by 25-hundred motorists who hope V-Dot makes it a priority. DENISE ALLEN/NEWS 7: THE PUBLIC MAY SOUND OFF ON THIS AND OTHER HIGHWAY PROJECTS THURSDAY.
THE MEETING IS IN THE AUDITORIUM AT VDOT HEADQUARTERS IN SALEM AND OFFICIALS SAY ANY INPUT GIVEN WILL HELP THEM PRIORITIZE FUTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
DENISE ALLEN NEWS 7 ROANOKE COUNTY.))

BOMBING-TRIAL

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=ok trial

The waiting goes on for survivors and relatives of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Denver, CO;

Jury deliberations in the trial of bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh move into a fourth day.
Yesterday jurors cut their third day short after meeting for just three-and-a-half hours.
The sequestered panel has put in 19 hours over three days in an effort to decide McVeigh's fate.
(----------------)

G-E-D

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=education

Virginia had the biggest decline of any state in the number of adults completing their high school studies last year by taking the G-E-D test.
Nationally, a record number of people took the high school equivalency test in 19-96.
But Virginia's number fell 20 percent, to about 12-thousand.
State officials could NOT explain Virginia's decline.
But some local educators believe the reason could be that teachers and counselors are doing a better job of preventing dropouts in the first place.

E-APT-FLOOD

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=dse
TAPE#97-26
GRAPHIC=Flooding

Heavy rain storms hit Roanoke yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Rain and mud from a neighboring construction site rushed into the Williamsburg Manor Apartments just after three-30 yesterday afternoon.
Four apartments in two separate buildings were flooded before the waters receded.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=THE SKY JUST
((MARY MANN/RESIDENT; THE SKY JUST LET LOOSE AND WHEN IT STARTED IT CAME DOWN THROUGH HERE JUST IT WAS JUST LIKE A RIVER. ))
SUPER=01-Mary Mann/Resident;
RUNS=:08
OUT Q=LIKE A RIVER
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Residents still have to contend with several feet of mud left behind.
(----------------)
WIPE,WIPE,WIPE

E-Flooding

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=sta
TAPE#=97-27
GRAPHIC=wipe,wipe,wipe
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;

In Roanoke County, rain sent creeks out of their banks forcing officials to close some roads.
This portion of Carvin's Creek Road in the County was under several feet of water yesterday afternoon.
The severe storms dumped more than two inches of rain in some areas.
(----------------)

Fatal-Ax

ANCHOR=
NEWSCAST=
WRITER=lba
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=fatal accident 4421

A man from Rocky Mount died in a single car accident last night.
Police say Arthur Walter Johnston was driving west on route 1-22 when he ran off the road and struck an embankment.
Johnston's pick-up rolled over, ejecting him.
Police say Johnston was NOT wearing his seat belt.

E-Accident-81

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=Dal
TAPE#=97-38
GRAPHIC=Accident

Three accidents on Interstate 81 tied up traffic during the heavy rain yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;

In this accident, state police say 25- year- old Johnathon Montvale Goodman of Roanoke, ran off the left side of the road near the 132 mile marker.
The car then struck the median and flipped over.
Goodman was not seriously injured but his passenger was taken to the hospital.
Goodman is being charged with reckless driving.
The name and condition of the passenger is not being released.
(----------------)

Property-Tax

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=NONE

An audit has found problems in Roanoke's personal property taxes.
The audit concluded that a few owners of older Rolls Royces got by last year with a tax bill of three dollars and 45 cents, while owners of less exclusive cars paid too much.
But Commissioner of Revenue Marsha Compton Fielder said the audit was inaccurate.
She is facing a Democratic primary challenge next week by an employee, Sherman Holland.
He said the audit confirmed his claim that the office is mismanaged.

Common-Sense

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#Common Sense
GRAPHIC=Common Sense

Graduating from college not only requires finding a job, but also finding a way to pay off those student loans.
Here's Len Besthoff with this week's edition of Common Sense.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=01-Erin Montgomery/College Graduate; :15
SUPER=01-Gary Collins/J.C. Bradford & Co.; ::39
SUPER=@len1;
RUNS=:00
OUT Q=the newsdesk.
(( The party's over in more ways than one once you graduate college.
That's when interest on many education loans often starts to accrue.
Erin Montgomery, a saleswoman with Ikon Office Solutions in Roanoke, has a dilemma that's not too uncommon.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT Common Sense II 14:11:13
IN Q=I've been
((ERIN MONTGOMERY/COLLEGE GRADUATE: I'VE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS, I HAD TO PAY MY OWN WAY THROUGH COLLEGE, SO I FINANCED ALMOST PROBABLY 90- PERCENT OF IT. SO I HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT LOANS FROM FIVE DIFFERENT LENDING INSTITUTIONS, VARIOUS INTEREST RATES FROM FIVE PERCENT TO EIGHT PERCENT, AND I'M WONDERING SHOULD I CONSOLIDATE? I KNOW THE TERMS ARE DIFFERENT ON EACH LOAN, THEY END AT DIFFERENT PERIODS.))
RUNS=:20
OUT Q=different periods.

Here's what Gary Collins of J-C Bradford and Company in Martinsville suggests.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 02:23:22 common sense tape I
IN Q=Well a
((GARY COLLINS/STOCKBROKER-J.C. BRADFORD & CO.: WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO OFF THERE IS CONSOLIDATE THEIR LOANS. SAY AT SOME POINT IN TIME THEY'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET A HOUSE. AND CONSOLIDATE IT ALL INTO, YOU KNOW GET A HOME EQUITY LINE, AND CONSOLIDATE IT INTO THAT. THEY CAN PAY IT OFF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE KEY TO IT IS DON'T PANIC. AND IMMEDIATELY COMING OUT OF COLLEGE OR SCHOOL THEY ARE SAYING, OH NOW I HAVE ALL THIS MONEY I HAVE TO PAY BACK. JUST RELAX AND SET UP A PAYMENT SCHEDULE, THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, AND CONSOLIDATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ))
RUNS=:27
OUT Q=as possible.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 03:02:38
IN Q=I'm Len
(( I'm Len Besthoff with this week's edition of Common Sense, let's send it back to the newsdesk. ))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=newsdesk.))

OK-TRIAL

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=Mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=ok trial

This could be judgment day for Timothy McVeigh.
Jurors in the Oklahoma Bombing trial return for a fourth day of deliberations today in Denver.
Lee Cowan has more.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Oklahoma City, OK;
SUPER=01-Father Louis Lamb/St. Joseph's Cathedral;
SUPER=01-Margaret Christensen/Odessa, TX;
SUPER=07-Claudia Davis;
SUPER=01-Bud Welch/Father Of a Victim;
SUPER=01-Lee Cowan/Reporting;
RUNS=1:57
OUT Q=
(( BY MOST PEOPLE'S ACCOUNTS HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY THEY WERE HOPING CHURCH SERVICES ON SUNDAY WOULD BE ABOUT THANKS FOR A VERDICT -- WHAT WOULD BE IN THEIR MINDS THE RIGHT VERDICT.
INSTEAD PRAYERS WERE OFFERED FOR PATIENCE AND FORGIVENESS AS THE WAITING ENTERED ITS THIRD DAY. FATHER LOUIS LAMB, ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL: "WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE YOU ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL YOU'RE PROVED GUILTY -- THE JURY IS STILL OUT."
AT THE BOMBING SITE TEARS FLOWED AGAIN -- THEY ARE NO STRANGERS TO THIS PLACE.
&1/8NAT OF CHURCH BELLS&3/8
AS CHURCH BELLS RANG OUT ACROSS THE STREET, MORE MEMENTOS WERE CAREFULLY PUT ON THE FENCE -- ANOTHER DAY FOR MOURNING INSTEAD OF REJOICING. margaret christensen, odessa, tx "I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT EVIL. THOSE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS...OH, THAT'S EVIL, EVIL."

CLAUDIA DAVIS, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK "ALL THE BABIES, THE POEMS, THE INNOCENT KIDS, THE INNOCENT PEOPLE, THE POEMS FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BRUNG...IT JUST TEARS YOU UP.I'M READY FOR THE VERDICT THAT'S FOR SURE...I'M HOPING HE GETS WHAT HE DESERVES."&3/8
IT'S AN ODD SCENE HERE, A PLACE WHERE VICTIMS' FAMILIES MINGLE IN AND OUT OF STRANGERS AT THE SITE WHERE THEIR LOVED ONES WERE LOST. THERE ARE FEW DOUBTS HERE WHAT THE VERDICT SHOULD BE...BUT THOSE AFFECTED THE MOST HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT ANY VERDICT IS GOING TO DO TO THEM IN THE FUTURE.

&1/8SOT: BUD WELCH, FATHER OF A VICTIM
"AFTER IT ALL QUIETS DOWN....STILL DEAD, STILL GONE."&3/8

Airshow-crash

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none

National Transportation Safety Investigators are on the scene of a stunt plane crash in Colorado, a crash witnessed by some 50-thousand spectators.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Broomfield, CO;

The pilot of the vintage fighter jet was performing maneuvers at an Air Show when he crashed east of the Denver Airport.
The pilot was killed but no spectators were hurt.
One witness says the fighter climbed straight up, did a loop and then came straight down.
(----------------)

2-E-Highway-Construction

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=Dal
TAPE#=97-40
GRAPHIC=Highway Improvement

Some Roanoke County residents are worried that as business grows a two mile stretch of road near Salem is NOT growing with it.
They say the high traffic volume makes the road dangerous.
Denise Allen has more.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Just outside of
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00
SUPER=01-Harold Bowman/Roanoke Co. Resident; :13
SUPER=01-Spike Harrison/Roanoke Co. Supervisor; :28
SUPER=01-Laura Bullock/VDOT Spokesperson; :46
SUPER=@Denise1; 1:10
RUNS=1:20
OUT Q=Roanoke County.

((Just outside of Salem there is a two mile stretch of highway.
Route 11/460 is a two lane road which widens to four lanes at both the east and west ends.
Residents say that creates a dangerous bottleneck.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:06:34
IN Q=IT'S NOT WIDE
((HAROLD BOWMAN/ROANOKE CO. RESIDENT: IT'S NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR THE 37-PLUS-THOUSAND CARS THAT PASS HERE DAILY.))
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=PASS HERE DAILY

Business is booming on the road.
Officials say Kroger and Richfields are expanding and two more businesses are building new plants.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:12:07
IN Q=IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE
((SPIKE HARRISON/ROANOKE CO. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY RUNNING RIGHT ALONG SIDE THE INTERSTATE. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. THE TRUCK TRAFFIC IS GOING TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE.))
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=DOUBLE AND TRIPLE

One million dollars has been proposed to pay for the planning of the project which would widen the road to five lanes.
But it could be years before construction starts.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:00:43
IN Q=WE HAVE TO
((LAURA BULLOCK/VDOT SPOKESPERSON: WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL STAGES ONE OF THOSE STAGES IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, SOME SURVEYING WORK. WE MUST ALSO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS.))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS

The project isn't in the six year plan yet.
Bowman has a petition signed by 25-hundred motorists who hope V-Dot makes it a priority. DENISE ALLEN/NEWS 7: THE PUBLIC MAY SOUND OFF ON THIS AND OTHER HIGHWAY PROJECTS THURSDAY.
THE MEETING IS IN THE AUDITORIUM AT VDOT HEADQUARTERS IN SALEM AND OFFICIALS SAY ANY INPUT GIVEN WILL HELP THEM PRIORITIZE FUTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
DENISE ALLEN NEWS 7 ROANOKE COUNTY.))

2-E-APT-FLOOD

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=dse
TAPE#97-26
GRAPHIC=Flooding

Roanoke had its share of flooding yesterday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Rain and mud from a neighboring construction site rushed into the Williamsburg Manor Apartments just after three-30 yesterday afternoon.
Four apartments in two separate buildings were flooded before the waters receded.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=THE SKY JUST
((MARY MANN/RESIDENT; THE SKY JUST LET LOOSE AND WHEN IT STARTED IT CAME DOWN THROUGH HERE JUST IT WAS JUST LIKE A RIVER. ))
SUPER=01-Mary Mann/Resident;
RUNS=:08
OUT Q=LIKE A RIVER
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Residents still have to contend with several feet of mud left behind.
(----------------)
WIPE,WIPE,WIPE

2-E-Flooding

E-Feedback-06/01/97

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=jmc
TAPE#=Feedback
GRAPHIC=News 7 Feedback

In our viewer mail this week, a criticism of our coverage of an event at Virginia Tech.
Here's assignment editor Joe McKean with this week's Feedback.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=To celebrate
SUPER=03-Blacksburg/April 17; :00
RUNS=1:15
OUT Q=McKean, News-7.

(( To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Virginia Tech commissioned an aerial photograph of the number "125", formed by dozens of people on the campus drillfield.
A viewer from Christiansburg wrote:
"Channel 7's report...reinforces my opinion of radio, newspaper and television news reporting--what is presented as the story does not necessarily include all the facts. Thursday, April 17 six o'clock report and the following Friday Mornin' show gave the blip about the photo on TV, with faculty and students named as participants. The participants were in fact faculty, students and STAFF. Most of the time, the Staff of Virginia Tech are not in the limelight like faculty and students, but they are as much an integral part of the success of the University reaching the milestone of 125 years as the faculty and students."
If you'd like to comment on our news coverage or a topic in the news, write to News-7 Feedback at P.O. Box 7, Roanoke, Virginia, 24022.
To send a fax, just dial 540-343-7269.
For email, the address is news@wdbj7.com.
Or you may leave a note on the moderated forum of our home page, at www. wdbj7.com.
Joe McKean, News-7.))

TONY-AWARDS

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=MEL
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none

A Broadway musical about the 19-12 disaster of a luxury cruise ship wins big at the Tonys.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-New York, NY;
4:51:40
The Titanic won five Tony Awards, including Best musical.
A revival of the musical "Chicago" also was a big winner, receiving six awards, including best musical revival.
"A Doll's House," another critically acclaimed revival, also was a multiple-award winner.
New talk show host Rosie O'Donnell hosted the show.
(----------------)

4-Scores

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#=none
GRAPHIC=nba

In the N-B-A,
Utah saw another game-winning jumper, only this time it was hit by Michael Jordan to give Chicago game one of the N-B-A Finals.
For that and the rest of last night's scores let's check the boards.
(-------------)
WIPE TO SCORES
SUPER=#556
SUPER=X5028;
SUPER=0103-j/Chicago/84//Utah/82//Bulls Lead 1-0/;
SUPER=X5011;
SUPER=0093-/Salem///Prince William///Canceled//Frederick/0/j/Lynchburg/4///;
SUPER=X5010;
SUPER=0091-/Boston/6/j/New York/11//15 Innings/j/Minnesota/5//Anaheim/4///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0091-/Toronto/2/j/Oakland/8////Chicago/4/j/Milwaukee/7///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0091-j/Kansas City/6//Texas/2////Detroit/1/j/Seattle/4///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0092-/Florida/2/j/Colorado/9////Cincinnati/1/j/Chicago/7///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0092-/Philadelphia/5/j/New York/8////San Francisco/3/j/Atlanta/4///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0092-j/San Diego/6//Houston/3///;
RUNS=:56
OUT Q=....last score."
(----------------)