08:25-01

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SUPER=@Melanie1

7P-Atlanta-Murders


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte/sly
TAPE#597-34
GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation


Four young people arrested in connection with a murder near Atlanta used a Henry County home for a hide out.
Two of the suspects, a 17- year- old girl and 15- year- old boy, were formally charged yesterday in Atlanta.
The father of one of the teenagers accused in the murder says he was surprised when his son, 19 year old Wayne Curtis Shaw, showed up at his home.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co.


Buddy Ratcliff admits he has not played much of a role in his son's life.
Shaw and the other youths were arrested over the weekend for the Georgia murder and robbery committed Friday night.
Ratcliff claims police went overboard when they came to his home searching for the suspects.
(((/////SOT/////)
SOT 2:10:35
IN Q=I offered to open the door

((BUDDY RATCLIFF/SUSPECT'S FATHER: I OFFERED TO OPEN THE DOOR. THEY SAID NO THEY'RE GOING TO KICK THE DOOR IN. THEY RUN AROUND THE BACK OF THE HOUSE WHERE MY WIFE HAD JUST GOT DONE -- MY GIRLFRIEND HAD JUST GOT DONE WATERING THE DOGS AND MY LITTLE FOUR YEAR OLD AND TEN YEAR OLD AND HELD THEM AT GUNPOINT.)) LT. KIMMY NESTER/HENRY CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: I WAS PRESENT WHEN THEY WENT THERE. I SAW NO EXCESSIVE FORCE, NOTHING BUT PROPER POLICE TECHNIQUES. I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS HE'S MADE CLAIMS ABOUT, GUNS BEING POINTED AT PEOPLE AND ALL, ARE EXAGGERATED.))
SUPER=01-Buddy Ratcliff/Suspect's Father;
SUPER=01-Lt. Kimmy Nester/Henry Co. Sheriff's Dept.; :14
RUNS=:25
OUT Q=exaggerated
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None


Another of Ratcliff's sons, Michael Stokes, was arrested recently and charged with breaking into a house and shooting at the homeowner.

7E-L'burg-Murder


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#97-49
GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation


Police have identified the man found shot to death in Lynchburg yesterday morning.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Yesterday


Thirty-one- year- old Steven Waddell Withers was found near the intersection of 15th and Monroe Streets.
Witnesses had reported hearing two bursts of gunfire in the area.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Last night police found the car the victim was driving at the time of the murder.

7Mine-Fatal


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=fatal accident


Tradegy struck yesterday when two separate mine collapses killed three people.
Forty-six- year- old James Colley of Bristol and 40- year- old Coy Dean Witt of Pounding Mill died when the roof of the Big Creek Seaboard Number-two mine in Tazewell County collapsed as workers were cutting coal from a support pillar.
Several hours later, a roof fell at Minuteman Coal's number-five mine in Wise County.
That collapse killed mine foreman Clayton Linkous of Cleveland.

7P-Airborne-Crash


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=JoeD
TAPE#597-21
GRAPHIC=Airborne Express Crash


The National Transportation Safety Board has ruled pilot error as the cause of last December's fatal plane crash in Giles County.
But N-T-S-B officials also raised questions about the Airborne Express training program.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Giles Co./December 23, 1996;


The D-C 8 crashed into a mountainside near Narrows on December 22nd, killing the six crew members aboard.
The pilot was conducting a stall maneuver when the plane went down... and NTSB investigators say training on a flight simulator did not prepare him for the proper recovery.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Because the simulator

((BEN BERMAN/AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS INVESTIGATOR: BECAUSE THE SIMULATOR DIDN'T REPLICATE THE NOSE DOWN STALL BREAK OF THE ACTUAL AIRPLANE, THE PILOTS WERE LIKELY SURPRISED WHEN THE STALL BREAK OCCURRED AND ON THE FDR WE NOTED THAT EACH TIME THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN THE PILOT FLYING PULLED BACK ON THE WHEEL FURTHER, WHICH IS A REACTION TO THE STALL THAT KEEPS YOU IN A STALL.))
SUPER=01-Ben Berman/Aircraft Operations Investigator;
RUNS=:17
OUT Q=keeps you in a stall.
ANCHOR=Kimberly
SS=Airborne Express Crash


The transportation safety board issued recommendations that include better testing of stall warning systems, improvements to flight simulators, and a review of flight training procedures.

7Forest-Fire


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=ssm
TAPE#net (edit of 97-47)
GRAPHIC=Fire


A fire heavily damaged a townhouse near Forest yesterday afternoon.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Campbell Co.


Volunteers from four area fire companies were called to the Valleywood Townhouses around three.
When they arrived they found flames shooting from the front of one of the units.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:29:14
IN Q=They went ahead

((LARRY BARBOUR/FOREST V.F.D.: THEY WENT AHEAD AND TRIED TO CUT IT OFF FROM BOTH SIDES, WHICH WE'VE DONE. DON'T KNOW THE CAUSE AT THIS TIME.))
SUPER=01-Larry Barbour/Forest V.F.D. Chief; :00
RUNS=:07--?????????????
OUT Q=this time.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


No word on what started the fire-
No one was home at the time, but the intense heat damaged a car outside-
(----------------)



7weather


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


Shifting gears now to weather--
Partly sunny and hot again today, with a very slim chance of an afternoon thunderstorm.
Highs in the lower 90s.
Clear skies tonight, with lows in the upper 60s.
Mostly sunny tomorrow, with highs around 90.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/Thunderstorm Possible/90-94/Clear Skies/Light

Winds/65-69;
SUPER=#555; reset

7BIRTHDAYS! 7/17/97
Thursday:

(Twins)
SUPER=130-67/Herman & Sherman Akers/Lafayette;



SUPER=130-12/Richard Wilson/Forest;



SUPER=130-35/Betty Reynolds/Galax;



SUPER=130-33/Maggie Dalton/Draper;



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SUPER=@Melanie1


55huff-lane


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=afr
TAPE#net (edit of 597-33)
GRAPHIC=NONE


Some northwest Roanoke residents are voicing opposition over the construction of a 5-81 interchange at to Valley View Mall.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


They say the city isn't telling them the whole story-- and their concerns are NOT being taken seriously.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 1:16:03
IN Q=this is my mayberry

((RAY MCKEE/AREA RESIDENT: THIS IS MY MAYBERRY. THIS IS MY TOWN. AND IT'S SOMETHING I TAKE VERY PERSONAL WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A THREAT TO OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. IT MAY NOT CONCERN CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT CONCERNS ME. ))
SUPER=01-Ray McKee/Area Resident
RUNS=:18
OUT Q=concerns me,(DOUBLE OUT)
(----------------)
VO-NAT


But city officials continue to support the current road placement, saying they have been listening.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:19:11
IN Q=we're always

((BILL CLARK/ROANOKE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR: WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS EVER SINCE THE PROJECT WAS AUTHORIZED, I REMEMBER HAVING A MEETING WITH THE WILLIAMSON ROAD ACTION FORUM BACK IN FEBRUARY. ))
SUPER=01-Bill Clark/Roanoke Public Works Director;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=in february.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Residents expect city council to vote on the issue Monday.
(----------------)



55P-Tax-Cut


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#597-22
GRAPHIC=Personal Property Tax


Some of Jim Gilmore's democratic critics say his plan to cut the personal property tax would cost more money than it would save.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


The Republican candidate for Governor wants to reduce the tax for local government, then have the state reimburse those localities.
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;


But critics say that would still end up costing the public.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 10:40:31
IN Q=When asked what

((DAVID ANDERSON/ROANOKE CITY TREASURER: WHEN ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE WAS NOT THE STATE REVENUE OR STATE GROWTH TO SUPPORT IT, HE NOTED THAT THE LOCALITY WOULD BILL THE CITIZENS AS WE DO TODAY. ))
SUPER=01-David Anderson/Roanoke City Treasurer;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=as we do today
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Officials say the personal property tax is the second largest source of local revenue.
Some fear its loss would result in a lack of funding for education and police departments.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=Jim Gilmore


Gilmore's spokesman says the criticism is nothing more than an orchestrated event by Don Beyer and his supporters, which Gilmore counters, will deny tax relief to working Virginians.

55weather


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


Turning to the mid- week forecast--
Partly sunny skies today, with a slight chance of an afternoon thunderstorm.
Highs rising into the low 90s.
Clear tonight, with lows in the upper 60s.
Mostly sunny tomorrow and hot again, with highs near 90.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/Thunderstorm Possible/90-94/Clear Skies/Light

Winds/65-69;
SUPER=#555; reset

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SUPER=@Melanie1


8E-Atlanta-Murders


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte
TAPE#97-46
GRAPHIC=NONE


Four young people face murder charges in Atlanta following their arrest in Henry County.
Police say the four stole an 18- year- old man's car and then drowned him in a lake near Atlanta last Friday.
They then drove to Virginia to stay with the father of one of the suspects.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Henry Co.;


Buddy Ratcliff spent 14 years in prison.
He says he's now turning his life around.
But his house served as a hideout for the four young murder suspects.
One was his 19- year- old son, Wayne Curtis Shaw.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 2:11:37
IN Q=They were just as good

((BUDDY RATCLIFF/SUSPECT'S FATHER: THEY WERE JUST AS GOOD AS THEY COULD BE. THEY LISTENED, THEY MINDED, THEY WAS WELL-MANNERED AND I ASKED THEM TO DO IT, THEY DID IT.))
SUPER=01-Buddy Ratcliff/Suspect's Father;
RUNS=:06
OUT Q=they did it
(----------------)
VO-NAT


But Ratcliff also has another son in trouble with the law.
Twenty-one- year- old Michael Stokes was arrested last week for allegedly breaking into a house and shooting at the homeowner.
Ratcliff says he never knew either of his sons.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 2:13:55
IN Q=He come and said

((HE COME AND SAID, "DO YOU KNOW ME?" AND I SAID, "NO, DO I S'POSED TO?" CAUSE I DIDN'T SEEN HIM SINCE HE WAS 18 MONTHS OLD WHEN HE WAS TOOK AWAY FROM ME BECAUSE I WENT TO PENITENTIARY AND ALL THAT. AND THEN I TURNED AROUND AND HE SAID, "WELL, I'M YOUR SON, MICHAEL." AND I SAID OKAY AND THEN I LAID BACK ON THE COUCH.))
RUNS=:21
OUT Q=on the couch
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Ratcliff says he did not ask his son whether he committed the murder last Friday night.

8P-Airborne-Crash


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=JoeD
TAPE#597-21
GRAPHIC=Airborne Express Crash


A fatal plane crash in Giles County last winter is being blamed on pilot error.
But National Transportation Safety Board officials say there were ALSO problems with the Airborne Express TRAINING program.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Giles Co./December 23, 1996;


The D-C 8 crashed into a mountainside near Narrows on December 22nd, killing the six crew members aboard.
The pilot was conducting a stall maneuver when the plane went down... and NTSB investigators say training on a flight simulator did not prepare him for the proper recovery.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Because the simulator

((BEN BERMAN/AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS INVESTIGATOR: BECAUSE THE SIMULATOR DIDN'T REPLICATE THE NOSE DOWN STALL BREAK OF THE ACTUAL AIRPLANE, THE PILOTS WERE LIKELY SURPRISED WHEN THE STALL BREAK OCCURRED AND ON THE FDR WE NOTED THAT EACH TIME THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN THE PILOT FLYING PULLED BACK ON THE WHEEL FURTHER, WHICH IS A REACTION TO THE STALL THAT KEEPS YOU IN A STALL.))
SUPER=01-Ben Berman/Aircraft Operations Investigator;
RUNS=:17
OUT Q=keeps you in a stall.
ANCHOR=Kimberly
SS=Airborne Express Crash


The transportation safety board issued new recommendations to help prevent more accidents.

8Mine-Fatal


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


Three workers died yesterday in two separate mine collapses.
Forty-six- year- old James Colley of Bristol and 40- year- old Coy Dean Witt of Pounding Mill died when the roof of the Big Creek Seaboard Number-two mine in Tazewell County collapsed.
Several hours later, a roof fell at Minuteman Coal's number-five mine in Wise County.
That collapse killed mine foreman Clayton Linkous of Cleveland.

8huff-lane


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=afr
TAPE#net (edit of 597-33)
GRAPHIC=NONE


The proposed 5- 81 interchange at Valley View Road in Roanoke continues drawing criticism AND concern from nearby residents.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;


They say the city isn't telling them the whole story-- and their concerns are NOT being taken seriously.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 1:16:03
IN Q=this is my mayberry

((RAY MCKEE/AREA RESIDENT: THIS IS MY MAYBERRY. THIS IS MY TOWN. AND IT'S SOMETHING I TAKE VERY PERSONAL WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A THREAT TO OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. IT MAY NOT CONCERN CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT CONCERNS ME. ))
SUPER=01-Ray McKee/Area Resident
RUNS=:18
OUT Q=concerns me
(----------------)
VO-NAT


But city officials continue to support the current road placement, saying they have been listening.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 14:19:11
IN Q=we're always

((BILL CLARK/ROANOKE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR: WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS EVER SINCE THE PROJECT WAS AUTHORIZED, I REMEMBER HAVING A MEETING WITH THE WILLIAMSON ROAD ACTION FORUM BACK IN FEBRUARY. ))
SUPER=01-Bill Clark/Roanoke Public Works Director;
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=in february.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Residents expect city council to vote on the issue Monday.
(----------------)



8weather


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


Time again to check today's forecast--
Partly sunny and hot.
A thunderstorm is possible.
Expect highs in the low 90s.
Clear overnight, with lows falling into the 60s.
And plenty of sunshine tomorrow, with highs around 90.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve

SUPER=#555; reset SUPER=314-Partly Sunny/Storm Possible/90-94/Clear Skies/Light Winds/65-69;
by SS