WDBJ 7 morning news for 09/08/97

06:00-01

E-COVE-SEARCH

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=DAL
TAPE#=97-53
GRAPHIC=none

The search for a Roanoke man believed to have drowned in Carvins Cove was called for darkness yesterday, but should resume again today.
Rescue workers from six different agencies searched for
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;
53- year- old Cecil Donald Short.
The Virginia Game Department was notified that an un-manned boat was floating on Carvins Cove.
Short's boat was found with all of his fishing gear aboard, but Short was nowhere in site.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 05:23:05
IN Q=WHAT WE'VE DONE
((SHANNON SMITH/VA GAME AND INLAND FISHERIES: WHAT WE'VE DONE IS USED K-9 SEARCH UNITS. ALSO SEARCHED ON THE WATER WITH BOATS AND AN AERIAL SEARCH TO TRY AND LOCATE HIM IF HE DID MAKE IT ASHORE AND HAVE RULED THAT OUT.))
SUPER=01-Shannon Smith/Va. Game & Inland Fisheries;
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=RULED THAT OUT
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Short was an avid fisherman and Smith says he frequently fished alone.
(----------------)

DIANA

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=Princess Diana

The British tabloids say they're mending their ways.
In today's editions, several of the papers say they will respect the privacy of Princess Diana's sons, William and Harry.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-London, UK;

Meantime, thousands are still flocking to Diana's former home of Kensington palace to pay tribute with flowers and stuffed animals.
In paris, a preliminary police report concludes driver error and not the paparazzi caused the crash which killed the Princess, her companion and a chauffeur.
(----------------)

ZAIRE

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

The deposed leader of Zaire has died.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

The official Moroccan News agency confirms Mobutu Sese Seko (moh-BOO'-too SAY'-say SAY'-koh) died last night of prostate cancer at a military hospital.
The 66- year- old billionaire leader fled Zaire in May, surrendering power to rebel leader Laurent Kabila (loh-RAWN' kah-BEE'-lah).
(----------------)

Flooding-Anniversary

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte
TAPE#97-63
GRAPHIC=Flooding Aftermath

This time last year Southside residents were still dealing with the flooding created by Hurricane Fran.
Some families have yet to recover.
Tina Tenret has more.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Heavy rain
SUPER=03-Danville/Last Year; :00
SUPER=03-Halifax Co./Last Year; :13
SUPER=01-Deloris Suitt/Flood Victim;:20
SUPER=01-Dan Sleeper/Halifax Co. Administrator; :40
SUPER=@tina2; :48
RUNS=:56
OUT Q=TT, News7
(( Heavy rain completely flooded roads
The Dan River swelled until it almost topped bridges ...
demolishing houses ...
even hijacking rescue missions and and forcing volunteers to cling to trees.
SUPER=03-Halifax Co.;

In Halifax, as trees, trash and debris floated down the street,
Deloris Suitt lost her home.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 3:20:18
IN Q=Initially you don't
((DELORIS SUITT/FLOOD VICTIM: INITIALLY YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT IS HAPPENING, WHEN YOU REALIZE THE WATER'S RISING, AND IT'S RISING REAL FAST.))
SUPER=01-Deloris Suitt/Flood Victim;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=rising real fast
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Shopkeepers are used to packing up in Halifax County.
These floods happen about once a year.
Most times, word of mouth spreads when rivers are rising, and residents know the drill.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 3:59:39
IN Q=There's marks
((DAN SLEEPER/HALIFAX CO. ADMINISTRATOR: THERE'S MARKS ON THEIR WALLS OR ON THE STEPS OF THEIR BUILDINGS OR INSIDE THEIR OFFICE SPACE, AND THEY KNOW JUST HOW MUCH WATER THAT'S GOING TO BE, WHAT THEY HAVE TO MOVE.))
SUPER=01-Dan Sleeper/Halifax Co. Administrator;
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=have to move
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Flash floods, on the other hand, strike here often and with little warning.
But Sleeper says September looks safe.
Tina Tenret, News7))

America-Online

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=mel
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=America Online

A published report says America Online is close to reaching a deal to take over CompuServe, its biggest competitor in the online business.
"The Washington Post" quotes sources close to the negotiations as saying CompuServe would continue to exist as a separate service.
But it would be fully operated by America On Line.
The deal would have to be approved by government antitrust regulators.

One-Steve

ANCHOR=Steve
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=spa
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=NONE

On Record
SUPER=15-Steve Pardon;
SUPER=13-Sherry Bailey/American Heart Association;

Toss to stocks Stocks Comm

E-School-Schedule

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#=97-56
GRAPHIC=Education

Scheduling 13- hundred high school students is no easy task.
That's why a computer system plays a very important role, but when that computer system crashes a few days before the start of classes, without a complete back up confusion can ensue.
Len Besthoff has the story of one Roanoke County high school.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Chris Bast
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00
SUPER=01-Chris Bast/Cave Spring H.S. Student; :09
SUPER=@File;
SUPER=01-Steve Bast/Parent; :31
SUPER=01-Dr. Deanna Gordon/Roanoke Co. Schools Supt.; :54
SUPER=@Len1; 1:19
RUNS=1:30
OUT Q=LB, News7.

(( Chris Bast says some of his classmates at Cave Spring High School haven't hit their stride during the first two weeks of classes.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:09:24
IN Q=Really
((CHRIS BAST/CAVE SPRING H.S. STUDENT: REALLY BASICALLY WHAT IT HAS BEEN IS A LOT OF PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES HAVE BEEN MESSED UP.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=messed up.

A substantial number of Cave Spring students began the school year with an incorrect class assignment, or an extra study hall, for example.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:10:54
IN Q=Nobody
((BAST: NOBODY HAD A LOT OF HOMEWORK THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE THE TEACHERS AREN'T SURE WHO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ON THEIR CLASSES.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=classes.

Normally a few dozen students have problems like these, but this year it was bad enough for the principal to mail an apology to parents.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:02:14
IN Q=It is
((STEVE BAST/PARENT: IT IS SOMEWHAT DISRUPTIVE, I THINK MORESO ON THE KIDS THAN IT IS THE PARENTS.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=the parents.

Roanoke County Schools Superintendent Deanna Gordon explains that in all, close to 100 Cave Spring students ran into problems because a computerized scheduling program crashed and wasn't totally backed up.
She says a team assembled by the school has burned the midnight oil, even on weekends, to iron this out.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 05:23:27
IN Q=We've had
((DR. DEANNA GORDON/ROANOKE CO. SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: WE'VE HAD ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, RETIRED PERSONS, COUNSELORS, COMPUTER TECHNICIANS, AS YOU'VE SAID, LOTS OF FOLKS PUTTING IN A LOT OF HOURS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE STUDENT'S HAVE THEIR FIRST CHOICES IN AS MANY CASES AS POSSIBLE.))
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=as possible.

Gordon believes the team has eliminated most of the bugs in the system, but there still are doubts about how smoothly things will go this week.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:11:44
IN Q=It'll
((CHRIS BAST/CAVE SPRING H.S. STUDENT: IT'LL PROBABLY BE PRETTY CONFUSING.))
RUNS=:02
OUT Q=pretty confusing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 06:24:49
IN Q=Gordon
((Gordon says no decision has been made yet on the status of the assistant principal who organized the scheduling system without an adequate backup. Len Besthoff, News-7. ))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=LB, News7.))

L-Governor

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lba
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=Campaign 97

Virginia's two candidates for lieutenant governor offered contrasting views on affirmative action during a weekend debate in Charlottesville.
Republican John Hager said Virginia should dump affirmative action programs.
But Democrat L-F Payne said the state should continue university affirmative action programs that benefit women and blacks.
On other issues, Hager and Payne both supported curbs on youth smoking, but said they're concerned about state tobacco farmers and workers who depend on the industry.

Roads

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

Senator John Warner says the South is being shortchanged on federal highway dollars.
Yesterday, the Virginia Republican told a meeting of the Southern Governors Association that he'll submit a bill this week to fix that problem.
Warner said his bill will guarantee that Southern states get a 90 percent return on highway construction taxes sent to Washington.

Common-sense

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

New legislation may make it easier to lower the taxes o the assets you leave behind.
Here's Len Besthoff with this week's edition of Common Sense.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=if you
SUPER=@len1; :00
SUPER=01-Gary Duerk/CPA-Brown, Edwards & Co.; :11
RUNS=:58
OUT Q=the newsdesk.

Two-Steve

ANCHOR=Steve
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=spa
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=NONE

On Record
SUPER=15-Steve Pardon;

Toss to Kimberly

British-Tabloids

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=mel
TAPE#net
GRAPHIC=Princess Diana

British tabloids are apparently responding to pleas from Prince Charles to give his sons some space.
They say they will mend their ways and respect the privacy of Prince William and Prince Harry.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-London, UK;

Meantime, thousands are still flocking to Diana's former home of Kensington palace to pay tribute with flowers and stuffed animals.
In Paris, a preliminary police report concludes driver error and not the paparazzi caused the crash which killed the Princess, her companion and a chauffeur.
(----------------)

Mother-Teresa

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

A state funeral will be held for Mother Teresa on Saturday.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Calcutta, India;

Thousands of mourners are descending on the Calcutta church where she's lying in state.
The 87- year- old nun died of a heart attack on Friday.
Mother Teresa's funeral will be held in the ten-thousand seat stadium where Pope John Paul addressed the faithful during his 19-86 visit to India.
She'll be buried in the courtyard of her charity order's headquarters.
(----------------)

MIR

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

Another major mishap this morning aboard the Mir Space station.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=@File;

Russian space officials say Mir's main computer has failed.
The crew is said to be in no immediate danger, but all systems, except for life support have been shut down.
Officials report Mir is tumbling through space because the computer failure has stripped it of steering control.
This is the third time in recent months the computer system has failed.
(----------------)

E-State-Library

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=equ
TAPE#=97-66
GRAPHIC=Virginia State Seal
****NOTE*ANCHOR TAG*
You may be surprised by some of the documents and artifacts housed in the Library of Virginia.
Ellen Qualls has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=It's called Common Wealth
SUPER=03-Richmond; :00
SUPER=01-Sandra Treadway/Library of Virginia; :11
SUPER=@Ellen2; :30
RUNS=1:18
OUT Q=Qualls, News 7, Richmond.
(( It's called "Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collections of the Library of Virginia."
And it is one of the most compelling reasons why this 43- million dollar library was built.
sot 11:18:22
((SANDRA TREADWAY/LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA: BUT IN THE LIBRARY WE HAVE 83 MILLION MANUSCRIPT ITEMS. WE HAVE 1-POINT-5 MILLION BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALS. AND IN ADDITION 66- THOUSAND MAPS, PRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS. SO IT'S A HUGE COLLECTION.))
runs=:18

A huge collection never before seen by most of its owners: Virginians. 11:44:00
A book of confessions, hand-scribed on animal skin in the 15th century. 11:34:55
A proclamation from King Charles the first, one of the FIRST efforts to regulate American tobacco. 11:29:44
The last entry ever recorded in the journal of the Virginia House of Burgesses -- the end of a colony at the birth of nation. 11:30:52
And the more mundane. 11:32:47
Daniel Boone's expense account.
The letter from a Virginia slave, Judith Hope entreating the General Assembly to let her remain in Virginia upon her emancipation -- apparently never answered.
sot 11:29:33 on judith hope
((TO ME THAT IS A TREASURE AS WELL AS A GREAT DOCUMENT WITH THE SEAL OF AN ENGLISH KING ON IT.))
runs=:06

Portraits... and posters...significant or beautiful.
The exhibit is open Monday through Saturday.
Ellen Qualls, News 7, Richmond.))
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Kimberly
SS=NONE

If you can't get to Richmond to see the exhibit, you can check it out online.
(XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)
dissolve to home page
There's a link to the address in the Webwatch section of the WDBJ Homepage.
That address is W-D-B-J-7-dot-com.
(----------------)

Anniversary-Flooding

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte
TAPE#=net (edit of 97-63)
GRAPHIC=Flooding

Hurricane Fran left her mark on Southside and one year later some residents are still trying to recover.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Danville/Last Year;

Heavy rain flooded roads and the Dan River swelled until it almost topped bridges.
The water demolished houses and flooded the rescue mission, forcing volunteers to cling to trees.
SUPER=03-Halifax Co./Last Year;

In Halifax, as trees, trash and debris floated down the street, Deloris Suitt lost her home.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 3:20:18
IN Q=Initially you don't
((DELORIS SUITT/FLOOD VICTIM: INITIALLY YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT IS HAPPENING, WHEN YOU REALIZE THE WATER'S RISING, AND IT'S RISING REAL FAST.))
SUPER=01-Deloris Suitt/Flood Victim;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=rising real fast
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Floods are nothing new in the area.
Most of the time, word of mouth warnings go out when rivers are rising, and residents know the drill.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 3:59:39
IN Q=There's marks
((DAN SLEEPER/HALIFAX CO. ADMINISTRATOR: THERE'S MARKS ON THEIR WALLS OR ON THE STEPS OF THEIR BUILDINGS OR INSIDE THEIR OFFICE SPACE, AND THEY KNOW JUST HOW MUCH WATER THAT'S GOING TO BE, WHAT THEY HAVE TO MOVE.))
SUPER=01-Dan Sleeper/Halifax Co. Administrator;
RUNS=:07
OUT Q=have to move
(----------------)
VO-NAT

Flash floods, on the other hand, strike with little warning.
(----------------)

Three-Steve

ANCHOR=Steve
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=spa
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=NONE

On Record
SUPER=15-Steve Pardon;
SUPER=13-Sherry Bailey/American Heart Association;

Double Boxes=SPA & MEL
Toss to Mel

2-E-COVE-SEARCH

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=DAL
TAPE#=97-53
GRAPHIC=none

The search will resume today at Carvins Cove for a missing fisherman. who may have drowned in Carvins Cove.
Rescue workers from six different agencies spent yesterday looking for 53- year- old Cecil Donald Short.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Botetourt Co.;

The Virginia Game Department was notified that an un-manned boat was floating on Carvins Cove.
Short's boat was found with all of his fishing gear aboard.
He was an avid fisherman who was known to fish alone.
(----------------)

2-E-School-Schedule

ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#=97-56
GRAPHIC=Education

A computer crash days before school was set to begin translated to some scheduling confusion at one Roanoke County High School.
As Len Besthoff reports, the system that crashed usually generates the schedules and a complete back up was not saved.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=Chris Bast
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :00
SUPER=01-Chris Bast/Cave Spring H.S. Student; :09 QUICK
SUPER=@File;
SUPER=01-Steve Bast/Parent; :31 QUICK
SUPER=01-Dr. Deanna Gordon/Roanoke Co. Schools Supt.; :54
SUPER=@Len1; 1:19
RUNS=1:30
OUT Q=LB, News7.

(( Chris Bast says some of his classmates at Cave Spring High School haven't hit their stride during the first two weeks of classes.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:09:24
IN Q=Really
((CHRIS BAST/CAVE SPRING H.S. STUDENT: REALLY BASICALLY WHAT IT HAS BEEN IS A LOT OF PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES HAVE BEEN MESSED UP.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=messed up.

A substantial number of Cave Spring students began the school year with an incorrect class assignment, or an extra study hall, for example.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:10:54
IN Q=Nobody
((BAST: NOBODY HAD A LOT OF HOMEWORK THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE THE TEACHERS AREN'T SURE WHO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ON THEIR CLASSES.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=classes.

Normally a few dozen students have problems like these, but this year it was bad enough for the principal to mail an apology to parents.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:02:14
IN Q=It is
((STEVE BAST/PARENT: IT IS SOMEWHAT DISRUPTIVE, I THINK MORESO ON THE KIDS THAN IT IS THE PARENTS.))
RUNS=:04
OUT Q=the parents.

Roanoke County Schools Superintendent Deanna Gordon explains that in all, close to 100 Cave Spring students ran into problems because a computerized scheduling program crashed and wasn't totally backed up.
She says a team assembled by the school has burned the midnight oil, even on weekends, to iron this out.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 05:23:27
IN Q=We've had
((DR. DEANNA GORDON/ROANOKE CO. SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: WE'VE HAD ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, RETIRED PERSONS, COUNSELORS, COMPUTER TECHNICIANS, AS YOU'VE SAID, LOTS OF FOLKS PUTTING IN A LOT OF HOURS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE STUDENT'S HAVE THEIR FIRST CHOICES IN AS MANY CASES AS POSSIBLE.))
RUNS=:15
OUT Q=as possible.

Gordon believes the team has eliminated most of the bugs in the system, but there still are doubts about how smoothly things will go this week.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 04:11:44
IN Q=It'll
((CHRIS BAST/CAVE SPRING H.S. STUDENT: IT'LL PROBABLY BE PRETTY CONFUSING.))
RUNS=:02
OUT Q=pretty confusing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 06:24:49
IN Q=Gordon
((Gordon says no decision has been made yet on the status of the assistant principal who organized the scheduling system without an adequate backup. Len Besthoff, News-7. ))
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=LB, News7.))

E-Environment

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=lbe
TAPE#=97-51
GRAPHIC=none

Economics versus the Environment...
A number of projects in our area over the years have prompted that debate.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Thursday;

To gain some fresh perspective on how to balance quality of life concerns and the environment, Ferrum College, The Cabell Brand Center, and The New Century Council have scheduled a three- day symposium for early October.
It's called Environmental Partnerships for a Sustainable Future: Lessons for a New Era.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:57:42
IN Q=We have
((CABELL BRAND/THE CABELL BRAND CENTER: WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WE CAN INDEED PROTECT THE MOUNTAINS AND THE RIVERS AND THE STREAMS AND THE AIR AND THE WATER AND ALL THOSE THINGS, AT THE SAME TIME GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LIVING SO THEY'RE SELF- SUPPORTING.))
SUPER=01-Cabell Brand/The Cabell Brand Center;
RUNS=:19
OUT Q=self supporting.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE

The symposium will attract environmental experts from all over the country.
The event coincides with the dedication of the new wing to Ferrum College's science building, and the 25th anniversary of Ferrum's Environmental Science Program, the second oldest in the nation.

4-Scores

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

In sports,
The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied to beat the Washington Redskins by a point.
For yesterday's baseball and football scores, let's look at the scoreboards.
(----------------)
WIPE TO SCORES
SUPER=#556
SUPER=X5022;
SUPER=0100-j/Buffalo/28//N.Y. Jets/22///j/Carolina/9//Atlanta/6//Panthers
1-1/;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0100-j/Minnesota/27//Chicago/24///j/New England/31//Indianapolis/6///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0100-j/Tampa Bay/24//Detroit/17//Bucs
2-0//Washington/13/j/Pittsburgh/14//Redskins 1-1/;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0100-j/Denver/35//Seattle/14////Green Bay/9/j/Philadelphia/10///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0100-/N.Y. Giants/13/j/Jacksonville/40////Dallas/22/j/Arizona/25///;
SUPER=X5010;
SUPER=0091-/Chicago/2/j/Cleveland/5///j/Anaheim/5//Detroit/4//15 Innings/;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0091-/Milwaukee/2/j/Boston/11////Baltimore/3/j/New York/10///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0092-/Pittsburgh/3/j/Cincinnati/6////St. Louis/4/j/Colorado/7///;
SUPER=X5009;
SUPER=0092-/Florida/5/j/Los Angeles/9///j/Atlanta/4//San Diego/0///;
RUNS=:45
OUT Q=....last score."
(----------------)