12:00-01

Versace

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none


One of the world's top fashion designers has been gunned down in Miami.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Miami Beach, FL;


Fifty- year- old Gianni Versace (jee-AH'-nee vehr-SAH'-chee) was shot this morning outside his Florida mansion.
He reportedly later died at a Miami hospital.
Along with Giorgio Armani, Versace is considered Italy's leading ready- to- wear designer and a symbol of Italian fashion.
(----------------)



L'burg-Murder


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Mornoon
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#97-49
GRAPHIC=murder investigation


Police have yet to release the name of the man found shot to death in Lynchburg early this morning.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/This Morning;


Around 1:45, police responded to a report of shots being fired near the corner of 15th and Monroe Streets.
They arrived to find a man lying face down in the street.. he'd been shot at least once and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Teresa Farmer was at her mother's house a block away when she heard the gunshots.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 1:17:41
IN Q=I heard like

((TERESA FARMER/HEARD GUNSHOTS: I HEARD LIKE FOUR GUNSHOTS AND I ASKED HER `WHAT WAS THAT?', SHE SAID `GUNSHOTS', THEN I HEARD LIKE TWO MORE.))
SUPER=01-Teresa Farmer/Heard Gunshots; :00
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=like two more.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Police say they have no suspects and few leads in the shooting.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 1:39:47
IN Q=Where we go

((CAPT. LEON THOMAS/LYNCHBURG POLICE: WHERE WE GO FROM HERE IS THAT WE WILL FIRST GET THE INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFIED AND WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING. THE BODY WILL BE SENT TO ROANOKE FOR THE MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR AN AUTOPSY DURING THE DAYLIGHT.))
SUPER=01-Capt. Leon Thomas/Lynchburg Police; :00
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=the daylight.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


This is Lynchburg's first murder of 1997.
(----------------)



E-GE-Layoffs


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#97-37
GRAPHIC=General Electric


The last few weeks have had a number of ups and downs for workers at General Electric plant in Salem.
Last week they got a new contract.
This week, word of 160 layoffs and a partial plant shutdown.
Len Besthoff reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=For the
SUPER=03-Salem; :00
SUPER=01-Les Brown/Laid Off GE Employee;:41
SUPER=@Len2; :48
RUNS=:56
OUT Q=LB, News-7.

(( For the past few days 900 production workers at the Salem G-E plant had the prospect of impending layoffs hanging over them.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:15:01 ge tape
IN Q=It's something

((DENNIS PARKS/GE EMPLOYEE: IT'S SOMETHING DEFINITE THIS TIME.))
RUNS=:02
OUT Q=definite this time.


They now know the details of G-E's cost cutting plan.
It includes the indefinite reduction of about 160 hourly jobs, plus a two week partial shutdown that affects nearly everyone in production.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:11:55 ge tape
IN Q=There's no

((THERE'S NO JOB SECURITY. IT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU, BAD MANAGEMENT.))
RUNS=:05
OUT Q=bad management.


The company explains it doesn't have enough work on the factory floor to maintain current employment.
This marks the third layoff this year at G-E, leaving some wondering about the future of the industrial drives plant.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:14:03 ge tape
IN Q=I'm not sure

((LES BROWN/LAID OFF GE EMPLOYEE: I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE WORK IS BEING OUTSOURCED OR WHAT.))
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=or what.


Even the salaried side of the building hasn't been immune to cutbacks.
125 pink slips went out there last month.
Len Besthoff, News-7.))

Fortune-500


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=ge


G-E is way up on the list of the world's largest companies.
(XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)

TAKE STILL STORE
The latest ranking of "The Fortune 500" came out today.
General Motors garnered top honors, with 19-96 revenues of 168- BILLION- dollars.
Many large local employers made the list, including G-E, WalMart, Kroger, and Allstate.
Others in the ranking are Columbia- H-C-A, Goodyear Tire, Bell Atlantic, and First Union.
(-------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=ge


G-E is actually new to the top spot on the list.
It bumped off Mitsubishi, the previous leader.

TOBACCO


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=TOBACCO UNDER FIRE


White House aides today will try to light a fire under tobacco industry lawyers.
That includes seeing whether they will go for possible changes in the big industry tax break that is part of the proposed multi BILLION dollar settlement.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Miami, FL;


Meantime, industry lawyers today will present their opening statements in the nation's first secondhand smoke trial.
Sixty-thousand flight attendants have filed a class-action lawsuit, claiming that passengers' smoking made them sick.
(----------------)



Mir


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none


More trouble aboard the damaged Mir space station.
Crucial repair work has been put on hold for up to ten days.
Jonathan Sanders reports.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT

nA043
IN Q=
SUPER=01-Sergei Krikolyiev/Deputy Mir Flight Controller; :53
SUPER=01-Philip Engelauf/NASA; 1:21
SUPER=01-Jonathan Sanders/Reporting; 1:27
RUNS=1:42
OUT Q=JS, CBSN, Moscow.

((
The overstressed crew commander of Russia's Mir space station is experiencing heart problems that are forcing delays in plans to repair the crippled spacecraft.
REST and NO WORK is the order of the day for Russian cosmonauts-- ..... a scheduled dress rehearsal for a space walk to repair the damaged MIR space station was abruptly postponed, this morning.then the walk itself was scrubbed.
Ground control ordered the delays after the MIR's commander Vasily Tsibiliyev reported he had an irregular heartbeat.
Yesterday, the 43 year old cosmonaut startled mission control by repeatedly asking if he was well enough to carry out a planned spacewalk.
Since the MIR space station was damaged in a collision with a cargo ship 20 days ago, the Russian space agency has been simulating underwater the procedures needed to fix the damaged and reconnect MIR's electrical power system.
SERGEI KRIKOLYIEV, DEPUTY MIR FLIGHT CONTROLLER: "I THINK THE MOST DIFFICULT THING WOULD BE CONNECTIONS--SOME CONNECTORS, 3 OF THEM IS KIND OF DIFFICULT TO REACH."
Veteran Cosmonaut Tsibiliev now questions whether he is healthy enough to carry out such a difficult mission in the weightlessness of outerspace.
And suddenly today there is talk that his American colleague, astronaut Michael Foale who has performed spacewalks for NASA might replace the ailing Russian as one of the outerspace repairmen.
PHILIP ENGELAUF, NASA: "BASED ON DISCUSSIONS INTERNAL TO THE RUSSIAN PROGRAM THEY ARE CONSIDERING SUBSTITUTING MR. FOALE."
Foale, of course would need to study up and get trained for the intricate repair procedure--that would further delay the repair mission...all the delays create a domino effect, postponing all subsequent missions, but the Russians insist while the timetables may slide, mir will be fixed--and will keep flying around the earth. JS, CBSN, Moscow.))

Giles-Crash


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=lba
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=none


The crash of a cargo plane in Giles County will be the focus of a National Transportation Safety Board hearing today.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Giles Co./December 1996;


The crash last December killed all six aboard.
The N-T-S-B will try to find a probable cause for the D-C-eight crash.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None


We will be following the hearings and will have more tonight on News 7 at five and six.

Bluestone-Farms


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=eea
TAPE#net (edit of 597-34)
GRAPHIC=NONE


A nearby cornfield has some Covington families worried.
They are afraid chemicals sprayed on the field are making them sick.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Covington;


After work crews sprayed herbicide on the field, the leaves on Brenda Fleming's trees began to curl up.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 15:14:55
IN Q=we had a flood

((BRENDA FLEMING/NEIGHBOR; WE HAD A FLOOD ON JUNE THE FIRST AND THERE WAS A LOT OF WATER THAT POOLED AND EVENTUALLY HAD TO SEEP INTO THE GROUND. WHICH MEANS I KNOW THAT IT COULD SEEP INTO THE WELL.
SOT 15:13:04

DEL. CREIGH DEEDS/(D) WARM SPRINGS; IT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH BREATHING AND OTHER HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S ENOUGH THAT'S HAPPENED HERE TO GIVE THEM SOME CAUSE FOR CONCERN ABOUT THEIR WATER AS WELL))
SUPER=01-Brenda Fleming/Neighbor;
SUPER=@Deeds; :10
RUNS=:23
OUT Q=water as well
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Deeds says right now there's no proof the spraying was illegal.
Neighbors say the company growing the corn, Bluestone Farms of West Virginia, said there was nothing it could do about the spraying.
No one answered the telephone at the company's headquarters yesterday.
(----------------)




Israel-collapse


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none


The Israeli Olympic games have been suspended for 24 hours following a fatal bridge collapse at the start of the games.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Tel Aviv, Israel;


Two Australian athletes were killed and more than 60 other athletes were injured as they crossed the bridge over the Yarkon river to reach a stadium.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=

((HARRY PRESSEL:WE'RE STILL IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND WE'RE STUNNED AND IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL REAL,THE WHOLE EPISODE, IT CAN'T HAPPEN, IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. ))
SUPER=01-Harry Pressel/Australian Team Manager;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=it shouldn't happen.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


In a controversial decision yesterday, organizers decided to proceed with the opening ceremonies even as the search for victims continued.
They later decided to halt the games until tomorrow.
(----------------)


E-Floyd-Fatal


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=jsu
TAPE#97-32
GRAPHIC=NONE


A day of home improvements turned fatal yesterday in Floyd County.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Floyd Co.;


The accident happened yesterday afternoon off of Sweet Annie Drive.
It took rescue workers nearly six hours to remove 62- year- old Allen Junior Nichols from underneath a front end loader.
He was apparently trying to remove the top of a small house--when the vehicle toppled over.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 11:50:21
IN Q=He apparently got

((LT. BILL MEADOR/ROANOKE CO. FIRE & RESCUE: HE APPARENTLY GO TOO CLOSE TO A SMALL EMBANKMENT, ROLLED OVER ON THE EMBANKMENT AND WAS CRUSHED BY THE VEHICLE ))
SUPER=01-Lt. Bill Meador/Fire & Rescue
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=crushed by the vehicle
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Authorities say Nichols died at the scene.
(----------------)



P-Atlanta-Murders


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=sly
TAPE#597-21
GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation


It turned into a shocking day for Virginia state troopers when they pulled over a car after it refused to stop in Henry County this weekend.
When the troopers checked the license plate they found the group in the car was suspected in an Atlanta area murder.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Police think the 17- year- old girl lured her 18- year- old boyfriend Vernon Greer to a Georgia park Friday night.
The girl and three other males
SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA;

are accused of stealing Greer's car and allegedly drowning him in a nearby lake.
Twenty- year- old Jeffrey Bohannon, 19- year- old Wayne Curtis Shaw, the 17- year- old girl, and a 15- year- old boy now face murder and robbery charges.
(----------------)


Ramsey


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=murder investigation


Authorities in Colorado have released the graphic details of Jon Benet Ramsey's autopsy.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;


The report reveals Ramsey was hit by a blunt object that fractured her skull.
She was strangled and may have been sexually assaulted at the time of the murder.
Police have yet to make an arrest in the case.
Prosecutors worry making the report public has jeopardized the case.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
sot from net b

((MADELINE MASON/BOULDER COUNTY ATTORNEY: IF THAT SAME PIECE OF INFORMATION NOW COMES OUT IN THE AUTOPSY REPORT, AND SOMEONE COMES IN AND TELLS YOU THAT, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO EVALUATE IT, YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FROM THE AUTOPSY REPORT OF IF IT'S GENUINE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE))
SUPER=01-Madeline Mason/Boulder Co. Attorney;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=first hand knowledge
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Atlanta, GA;


Meantime, Ramsey's parents continue their relocation to Georgia.
A moving van arrived at their new home yesterday in an Atlanta suburb.
(----------------)


Cosby


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=legal scales


Bill Cosby is expected to be in the spotlight today at the trial of Autum Jackson.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-New York, NY;


Jackson is the woman who claims to be Cosby's illegitimate daughter.
She is accused of trying to extort millions of dollars from the entertainer.
Cosby denies he's Jackson's father, although he admits having had an affair with her mother.
(----------------)



P-Family-Life


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=afr
TAPE#597-36
GRAPHIC=education


New proposed changes in Virginia's public schools have been catching people's attention.
Andrew Freiden tells us what happened at a public meeting at Cave Spring High School last night.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=01-Mickey Nixon/Parent; :00
SUPER=01-Jeremy Baldwin/Student; :14
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./Last Night; :24
SUPER=01-Dale Graves/Elementary Principal; :40
SUPER=@Andrew1; :50
RUNS=1:05
OUT Q=News7, Roanoke County.



Tax-Cut


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Noon
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#97-34
GRAPHIC=none


Some local and state officials are CUTTING DOWN Jim Gilmore's proposed tax cut.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


The Republican candidate for Governor wants to reduce the personal property tax.
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;


But those who collect the taxes believe that would create a hardship for localities.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 10:39:45
IN Q=I know that

((DAVID ANDERSON/ROANOKE CITY TREASURER: I KNOW THAT THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX ISSUE IS UNPOPULAR. WE HEAR THAT A LOT IN THE CITY TREASURER'S OFFICE, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT. BUT I THINK MOST CITIZENS REALIZE THAT IT'S A SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT PROVIDES THE NEEDED SERVICES THAT WE ALL EXPECT ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. ))
SUPER=01-David Anderson/Roanoke City Treasurer;
RUNS=:19
OUT Q=day to day basis
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Anderson and others at this morning's news conference don't believe the state could adequately re- imburse local governments to provide for education and public safety.
(----------------)
TALENT=MELANIE
SS=none


No one in Gilmore's office was able to be reached for comment.

P-partners-prevention


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=afr
TAPE#597-24
GRAPHIC=None


Twenty- million dollars -- that's the reward the Commonwealth could receive if the single parent population decreases.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond;


In order to get the money, the state must be one of the five best in the nation at reducing out of wedlock births, without increasing abortions.
Currently in the state, one out of every three children is born outside of marriage.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 22:53:04
IN Q=research proves

((ROBERT METCALF/VA. HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES SECRETARY: RESEARCH PROVES THAT CHILDREN RAISED IN TWO PARENT HOMES HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO THRIVE THAN THOSE RAISED WITH OUT AN INTACT FAMILY, ESPECIALLY IF THE FATHER IS NOT IN THE HOME. ))
SUPER=01-Robert Metcalf/Va. Health & Human Resources;
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=IN THE HOME
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;


101 "Partners in Prevention" groups throughout the state are helping to formulate solutions.
If Virginia wins the money-- it'll be split among all localities, and used to reduce out of wedlock births.
(----------------)



Volcano


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=none


Volcanos were big at the box office earlier this year, now some footage that even Hollywood couldn't create.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=
SUPER=03-Kilauea Volcano, HI;
RUNS=:03
OUT Q=(lava flow)
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Red hot lava began spilling into the ocean yesterday.
The six mile lava flow started yesterday from the Kilauea (kee-low-AY-ow) Volcano.
Officials insist homes near the molten stream are safe.
(----------------)


WEATHER
SUPER=300-89/48/SW 10mph/30.05s/97/1988/57/1987;
SUPER=301-91/41/Variable 6mph/30.03s/101/1936/55/1940;

Forecasts
SUPER=X5000;
SUPER=330-Partly/Cloudy/64-68/Mostly/Sunny/90-94;
SUPER=331-Partly/Cloudy/66-70/Mostly/Sunny/92-96;
SUPER=332-Partly/Cloudy/63-66/Partly Cloudy/Storms Possible/84-87;
SUPER=333-Partly/Cloudy/62-65/Mostly/Sunny/85-88;
SUPER=334-Partly/Cloudy/63-66/Partly Cloudy/Storms Possible/83-86;
SUPER=X5001;



Hillcats


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#CL-97
GRAPHIC=HILLCATS


The Durham Bulls took "charge" over the Lynchburg Hillcats in the final trip to City Stadium before the Bulls move up to the Triple-A ranks next year.
(----------------)
VO-NAT eng#
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Bulls vs. Hillcats; :00


The heat may have kept some folks home and that's a shame because the Cats were cooking in the mid innings.
With Lynchburg up one to nothing, Derek Swafford hits one straight up the middle and chases home Mike Asche to make it two to nothing in the bottom of the 5th.
Later in the that frame, Shon Walker lifts one to right field. The outfielder makes the catch, but Swafford tags on the sac fly, and
SUPER=37-Durham/9/Lynchburg/5/Final In 11;


Lynchburg takes 3-to-zip lead.
But Durham comes back to win it 9-to-5 in 11 innings.
(-------------)



Orioles


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#S7-12
GRAPHIC=ORIOLES


The Baltimore Orioles have finally taken flight again ending a six game losing streak last night against the Toronto Blue Jays.
(----------------)
VO-NAT eng#
SUPER=03-Baltimore, MD/Jays vs. O's; :00


The Orioles beat the Jays 9-to-5 as Brady Anderson, Geronimo Berroa, and B.J. Surhoff each homered.
Anderson now has 8 homers on the SUPER=35-Toronto/5/Baltimore/9;

year, last year at this point he had over 30.
O's win by 4.
(-------------)


Soccer


ANCHOR=patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=SOCCER


Earlier this month we took a look at a group of area soccer players who were on their way to Europe.
Well, the Roanoke Stars 15- year- old all-star team is not only safely across the Atlantic, but it is already winning.
Yesterday the team beat the club from Stockholm, Sweden 2-to-nothing in its first match in the Gothia Cup tournament.

Whitley


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=Mike
TAPE#S7-15
GRAPHIC=PANTHERS


From the soccer field to the football field, the Panthers camp opens in Spartanburg, South Carolina this weekend
(----------------)
VO-NAT eng#
SUPER=04-NFL;:00


and yesterday the team released center Curtis Whitely.
Last season he was suspended for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
His departure frees up 850- thousand- dollars under the salary cap.
(-------------)



Patriots


ANCHOR=Patrick
NEWSCAST=noon
WRITER=aje
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=nfl


In other N-F-L news, the New England Patriots have re-signed free agent tight end Lovett Purnell.
Purnell, a six-foot-three inch and 245-pound tight end, was first drafted by the Patriots in 19-96.
He is the final exclusive rights free agent signed by the Patriots. Five The terms of Purnell's agreement have not been released. rookie draft choices remain to be signed.
by SS