08:25-01

Thirty-Weather

ANCHOR=Kimberly
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7E-Trigon


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=sgo
TAPE#97-84
GRAPHIC=Trigon


Trigon Blue Cross-Blue Shield's network of preferred providers is getting smaller.
Virginia's largest health-care provider could not negotiate a contract with Columbia/H-C-A.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


So, starting February first, Montgomery Regional Hospital..as well as Pulaski Community..and Lewis-Gale Medical Center are no longer part of Trigon's P-P-O network.
Trigon said the hospitals made "new demands" regarding a contract with the insurer... Demands Trigon refused to meet.
Seven Carilion Hospitals, including Roanoke Memorial, now make up the Trigon network.
Carilion's executive vice president said there's a chance some Trigon customers will decide to find a new health-care provider.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 12:19:14
IN Q=i think

((DON LORTON: I THINK TRIGON WILL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER ITS CUSTOMERS ARE WILLING TO STAY IN A PRODUCT THAT HAS A MORE NARROW PROVIDER NETWORK OR NOT. ))
SUPER=01-Don Lorton/Carilion Health System;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=or not
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD


Carilion's business is expected to go up by about ten customers a day.
The health system says it will have no problem handling the new patients.

7S-Patient-Care


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tfl
TAPE#97-85
GRAPHIC=Trigon


The health care company's decision to drop the local hospitals from its P-P-O network affects 35-thousand policyholders.
Now they're weighing their options.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


The deadline to receive care from the three Columbia H-C-A hospitals without penalty is January 31st.
But there are some exceptions--
Subscribers covered through the State of Virginia and Local Choice may continue to use Columbia hospitals until June 30th of next year.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


The change does not affect Medicare supplemental policyholders.

7E-Carroll-Murder


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=THa
TAPE#97-88
GRAPHIC=Murder investigation


Sheriff's officials in Carroll County continue to investigate Tuesday's murder suicide.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Cana;


Authorities say 51- year- old Fredrick Ray Edwards apparently shot his live-in girlfriend before turning the gun on himself.
Deputies found Edwards and 35- year- old Mary Ruth Hiatt dead in the front yard of their Cana home.
Sheriff Warren Manning says the number of domestic calls often rises around the holidays.
(/////SOT/////)

9:08:55
SOT
IN Q=I feel

((WARREN MANNING/CARROLL CO. SHERIFF:I FEEL LIKE AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE PROBLEMS AROUND CHRISTMAS MEMORIES, AND WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DOMESTIC CALLS WITH THE SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW A DAYS, AND YES, I DO THINK THERE ARE MORE AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME. ))
SUPER=01-Warren Manning/Carroll Co. Sheriff; :00
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=christmas time.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Family members say Edwards had been depressed and drinking a lot but appeared to be in a good mood a couple of days before the shooting.
The couple did NOT have a record of domestic violence.
(----------------)



7E-Gretna-Principal


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


Molestation charges are what face a former assistant principal at Gretna Elementary School.
Theodore Richard Jones Junior allegedly engaged in a sexual act with the teenager at the school and made four other sexual propositions between 19-91 and 19-94.
Earlier this month the school board appointed a replacement for his assistant principal position.
Former colleagues say Jones helped organize business partnerships and volunteer programs at the school.


7Allen-College


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


Governor Allen is trying to slow sown the rising cost of higher education. Allen's budget for the next two years would keep a tuition freeze and includes money for pay raises for professors.
Allen will present his budget plan to the General Assembly tomorrow.
He recommended 172 million dollars for the schools, about half of which would go to bring the salaries of instructors at state colleges into the 60th percentile nationally.

7weather


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cutin
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TAPE#
GRAPHIC=


Taking a look at your Thursday forecast... Another mild December day with plenty of sunshine and highs again reaching close the the 60 degree mark.
The clouds roll in tonight with cool nighttime temperatures in the low to mid 30's.
And taking a look ahead...
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7BIRTHDAYS! 12/19/97
Friday:

SUPER=130-12/Holly Slaughter/Martinsville;



SUPER=130-75/Homer Brady/Danville;



(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-45th/Milton & Katie Robertson/Evington;



SUPER=130-16/Darrell Craghead/Bedford;



SUPER=130-7/Sarah Martin/Bassett;



SUPER=130-7/Sarah Brim/Martinsville;



SUPER=130-6/Nathan Witt/Bedford;



SUPER=130-40/Cathy Sowers/Christiansburg;



SUPER=130-6/Megan Persinger/Covington;



SUPER=130-19/Audra Dunford/Dublin;



SUPER=130-1/Jacob Walters/Christiansburg;


Saturday:

SUPER=130-8/Tiffany Alls/Blacksburg;



SUPER=130-5/Shane Preston/Union Hall;



(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-58/Gladys Yeatts/Gretna;



SUPER=130-43/Walter Doran/Roanoke;



(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-40th/Jack & Betty Lawson/Roanoke;



SUPER=130-7/Richie Hevener/Buena Vista;



SUPER=130-15/Amber Meador/Hardy;



SUPER=130-1/Katie Hickson/Hardy;



SUPER=130-1/Michelle Nester/Salem;



SUPER=130-1/Cheyene Huff/Blacksburg;



(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-6th/Dwight & Amy Brogan/Buchanan;



SUPER=130-1/Ann Fitts/Cascade;


No Pictures:

(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-50th/Jessie & Jean Myers/New Castle;



SUPER=130-9/Adriane Rucker/Stuart;



SUPER=130-59/Joyce Sexton/Marion;



SUPER=130-/Richard Branson/Salem;



SUPER=130-/Lonnie Kelly/Troutville;



(Anniversary)
SUPER=130-17th/William & Becky Smith/Callaway;



SUPER=130-50/Cindy Laughon/Roanoke;








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SUPER=@Melanie1


55E-Trigon


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=sgo
TAPE#97-84
GRAPHIC=Trigon


Trigon Blue Cross Blue Sheild could not come to terms with Columbia H-C-A during contract negoitations so its dropping three area hospitals from its list of preferred providers.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Beginning February first, Montgomery Regional Hospital, as well as Pulaski Community, and Lewis-Gale Medical Center are not part of Trigon's P-P-O network.
Trigon said the hospitals made "new demands" regarding a contract with the insurer -- Demands Trigon refused to meet.
Seven Carilion Hospitals, including Roanoke Memorial, now make up the Trigon network.
Carilion's executive vice president said there's a chance some Trigon customers will decide to find a new health-care provider.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 12:19:14
IN Q=i think

((DON LORTON: I THINK TRIGON WILL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER ITS CUSTOMERS ARE WILLING TO STAY IN A PRODUCT THAT HAS A MORE NARROW PROVIDER NETWORK OR NOT. ))
SUPER=01-Don Lorton/Carilion Health System;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=or not
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD


Carilion's business is expected to go up by about ten customers a day.
The health system says it will have no problem handling the new patients.

555-Patient-Care


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tfl
TAPE#597-47
GRAPHIC=trigon


But People who subscribe to the Preferred Provider Organization program might have to look to another hospital for care.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;


Montgomery Regional hospital C-E-O David Williams says the change treats policyholders unfairly--because it limits choice.
Williams says policyholders should call Trigon to express their concerns. pre pro
An estimated 30 to 35 thousand policyholders will be affected by the change, which would go in effect January 31st for most subscribers.
State and local government employees coverage will be honored at Lewis-Gale, Montgomery Regional and Pulaski Community hospitals through June 30th.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=NONE


Also policies will be extended to patients who are receiving care from one of the three hospitals on February First and women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
The change does not effect Trigon's medicare supplemental policy customers.

55S-Carroll-Murder


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=THa
TAPE#97-88
GRAPHIC=murder investigation


Friends of a Carroll County woman say they were standing in her driveway when they heard the gunshot that apparently took her life.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Cana;


They'd been visiting 35- year- old Mary Ruth Hiatt, but left just before five-p-m Tuesday when Hiatt and her live-in boyfriend began fighting.
When authorities arrived, they found Hiatt and 51- year- old Fredrick Ray Edwards dead in the front yard.
Family members say Edwards had been depressed and drinking- -but appeared in good spirits just a couple of days before the shooting.
(/////SOT/////)

9:07:03
SOT
IN Q=The best

((WARREN MANNING/CARROLL CO. SHERIFF:THE BEST WE COULD TELL IT LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT AND THE MAN, BY THE WITNESSES, HE SHOT THE LADY AND THEN HE TURNED THE GUN ON HIMSELF. ))
SUPER=01-Warren Manning/Carroll Co. Sheriff;
RUNS=:09
OUT Q=on himself.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Authorities say the couple did NOT have a record of domestic violence.
(----------------)



55E-Gretna-Principal


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


A former assistant principal at Gretna Elementary School has been charged with sexually assaulting a student.
Theodore Richard Jones Junior allegedly engaged in a sexual act with the teenager on campus and made four other sexual propositions-- all between 19-91 and 19-94.
Earlier this month the school board appointed a replacement for his assistant principal position.
Former colleagues say Jones helped organize business partnerships and volunteer programs at the school.


55weather


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


Turning to weather--
Mostly sunny skies today and continued warm, with highs in the upper 50s.
Partly cloudy overnight, with lows in the lower 30s.
The four day outlook is pleasant through Saturday, with rain likely by Sunday.
SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE
SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/and Mild/56-60/Partly Cloudy/Light Winds/30-35

;Area Forecast
SUPER=#555;RESET




cutopen
SUPER=@Melanie1


8E-Trigon


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=sgo
TAPE#97-84
GRAPHIC=Trigon


After failing to come to a contract agreement with Columbia/H-C-A, three area hospitals have been dropped from Trigon's preferred provider list.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Begining February first, Montgomery Regional Hospital, as well as Pulaski Community and Lewis-Gale Medical Center are no longer part of Trigon's P-P-O network.
Trigon said the hospitals made "new demands" regarding a contract with the insurer... Demands Trigon refused to meet.
Seven Carilion Hospitals, including Roanoke Memorial, now make up the Trigon network.
Carilion's executive vice president said there's a chance some Trigon customers will decide to find a new health-care provider.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 12:19:14
IN Q=i think

((DON LORTON: I THINK TRIGON WILL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER ITS CUSTOMERS ARE WILLING TO STAY IN A PRODUCT THAT HAS A MORE NARROW PROVIDER NETWORK OR NOT. ))
SUPER=01-Don Lorton/Carilion Health Systems;
RUNS=:10
OUT Q=or not
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD


Carilion's business is expected to go up by about ten customers a day.
The health system says it will have no problem handling the new patients.

8S-Patient-Care


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tfl
TAPE#97-85
GRAPHIC=Trigon


The changes will trickle down to some 35- thousand policyholders.
Customers will either have to pay for health care themselves or switch hospitals.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


The deadline to receive care from the three Columbia H-C-A hospitals without penalty is January 31st.
But there are some exceptions--
Subscribers covered through the State of Virginia and Local Choice may continue to use Columbia hospitals until June 30th of next year.
(----------------)
ANCHOR=Kimberly
SS=NONE


The change does not affect Medicare supplemental policyholders.

8E-Carroll-Murder


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=THa
TAPE#97-88
GRAPHIC=Murder investigation


Authorities believe it was a domestic dispute that caused the fatal shooting in Carroll County Tuesday night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Cana;


Authorities say 51- year- old Fredrick Ray Edwards apparently shot his live-in girlfriend before turning the gun on himself.
Deputies found Edwards and 35- year- old Mary Ruth Hiatt dead in the front yard of their Cana home.
Sheriff Warren Manning says the number of domestic calls often rises around the holidays.
(/////SOT/////)

9:08:55
SOT
IN Q=I feel

((WARREN MANNING/CARROLL CO. SHERIFF:I FEEL LIKE AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE PROBLEMS AROUND CHRISTMAS MEMORIES, AND WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DOMESTIC CALLS WITH THE SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW A DAYS, AND YES, I DO THINK THERE ARE MORE AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME. ))
SUPER=01-Warren Manning/Carroll Co. Sheriff; :00
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=christmas time.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Family members say Edwards had been depressed and drinking a lot but appeared to be in a good mood a couple of days ago.
The couple did NOT have a record of domestic violence.
(----------------)



8E-Gretna-Principal


ANCHOR=Kimberly
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=tte
TAPE#NONE
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales


A former assistant principal at Gretna Elementary School is accused of molesting one girl, and making four other sexual propositions.
Theodore Richard Jones, Junior allegedly engaged in a sexual act with the teen in the school book room.
All of the alleged incidents occurred between 19-91 and 19-94.
Earlier this month the school board appointed a replacement for his assistant principal position.


8E-81-Ax


ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=djo
TAPE#97-92
GRAPHIC=accident


A four- truck accident on the interstate injured three people and halted traffic last night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.;


Southbound I-81 traffic was delayed for more than an hour.
It happened about a mile south of the Roanoke exit.
Police say the driver of a utility-like truck slowed, apparently attempting to make a U-turn.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT-00:54:35
IN Q=IT WAS HIT FROM

((SGT L.W. FINLEY/STATE POLICE; IT WAS HIT FROM THE REAR BY A TRACTOR TRAILER TRAVELING NORTHBOUND WHICH PUSHED THE UTILITY TRUCK IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANES WHERE IT WAS STRUCK TWO MORE TIMES. ONCE BY A TANKER TRUCK WHICH WAS NOT LOADED AND THE SECOND TIME BY A BOX TRACTOR AND TRAILER.))
SUPER=01-L.W. Finley/Virginia State Police;
RUNS=:19
OUT Q=AND TRAILER.
(----------------)
VO-NAT


Police charged 31- year- old Jose Paneda with reckless driving. He was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
(----------------)



8weather


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


Time to take another look at the forecast--
Mostly sunny and pleasant, with highs in the upper 50s.
Partly cloudy tonight, with light winds and lows in the lower 30s.
The extended forecast is mild through Saturday, with rain likely Sunday.
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;Area Forecast SUPER=#555;RESET
by SS