WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 04/27/98

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[7Appox-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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[TAPE#98-25]
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An eleven-year old boy and a fourteen-year old girl are in police custody this morning- charged with setting five separate fires in the town of Appomattox last night.
Steve Smallshaw tells us police are still wondering about a motive.
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[SUPER=03-Appomattox/Last Night; :00]
[SUPER=01-Doug Martin/Appomattox V.F.D. Chief; :13]
[SUPER=01-Al Sears/Owner; :34]
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(((( The first fires were set around 7 p-m, at the J-E Sears company in downtown Appomattox.
One destroyed a warehouse full of building materials.. and kept firefighters busy for hours trying to contain it.))

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[SOT 22:00:16]
[IN Q=We started out]
((DOUG MARTIN/APPOMATTOX V.F.D. CHIEF: WE STARTED OUT WITH AN EXTERIOR ATTACK.. STARTED FLOWING WATER.))
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[OUT Q=flowing water.]

Authorities also found profane and racist graffitti spraypainted around the fire scene.
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[SOT 22:06:08]
[IN Q=We don't know]
((AL SEARS/OWNER: WE DON'T KNOW.. .. CAUSED IT.))
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=caused it.]

Steve Smallshaw, News7, Appomattox.))

[7S-Carroll-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
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It's been over 3 weeks since a Hillsville man was reported missing.
Yesterday police found the body of 33-year-old Ronnie Dale McMillian, who apparently died following a traffic accident almost a month ago.
According to police McMillian was traveling along Route 608 when his car ran off the road and flipped over an enbankment.
Yesterday authorities used a helicopter to search for his body.
They say alcohol was a factor in the accident.

[7E-SCLC-King]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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[TAPE#=98-21; 58:57]
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One local civil rights group member questions whether James Earl Ray acted alone in killing Dr. Martin Luther King.

And with Ray's death last week, many believe the mystery will live on.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Perneller (PER-NAIL-ER) Chubb- Wilson of the Roanoke chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference believes James Earl Ray may have been part of a conspiracy.
Chubb- Wilson says when Ray was on his death bed, he told King's son Dexter he didn't kill the civil rights leader.

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[IN Q=AND I WOULDN'T]
((PERNELLER CHUBB-WILSON/LOCAL SCLC PRESIDENT; AND I WOULDN'T CONTRADICT WHAT HE SAID BECAUSE HE IS DR. KING'S SON. WE ALL KNOW THAT HE WAS TRULY A MAN OF GOD AND I FEEL HIS SON FELT HIS DADDY'S PRESENCE THERE.))
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[OUT Q=daddy's presence there.]
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[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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Chubb- Wilson claims to know more about the conspiracy surrounding King's death.
But, she refuses to comment on it.
She says the S-C-L-C's national branch may provide more information if the Justice Department launches an investigation.

[7WEATHER]

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Turning now to your Monday forecast, skies will remain cloudy throughout the day, with showers developing. Highs will range from the upper-50's to the low-60's.
The skies will clear out tonight, with temperatures dropping all the way into the upper-30's.

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[7BIRTHDAYS!] 4/28/98
Tuesday:

[SUPER=130-70/Minnie Foley/Woolwine]

[SUPER=130-9/Susan Gilbert/Fieldale]

[SUPER=130-11/Paige Gordon/Christiansburg]

[SUPER=130-7/alex Mitchell/Roanoke]

[SUPER=130-16/Gary Crouse/Christiansburg]

No Pictures:

[SUPER=131-32/Delores Lewis/Vinton]
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[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;]

[45kids-arson]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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Fire investigators say two children are the prime suspects in connection with a string of suspicious fires last night in the town of Appomattox.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Appomattox;]

The first fires were set just after 7 p-m at the J-E Sears Company in downtown.
A warehouse full of building materials was destroyed.
Investigators found profanity and racist graffitti spraypainted at the scene.
But the company's owners are white.. and they, like the police, were at a loss to explain what happened.
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((AL SEARS/OWNER:WE DON'T KNOW...CAUSED IT. ))
[SUPER=01-Al Sears/Owner;]
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[VO-NAT]

Three other fires were set in a nearby garage, a pile of haybales and a grassy field.
Eyewitnesses led police to the two children who were seen near the fire scenes.
The 11 year old boy and 14 year old girl are now in police custody and police are still wondering about motive.
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[45Missing-Patient]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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It has been nearly 24-hours since an Alzheimer's patient wandered off in Rockbridge County.
Authorities say 78-year-old Robert Nelson Chadwick had no money or identification when he drove off in his daughter's car yesterday morning.
Chadwick is reportedly driving a red GEO tracker with a tag that reads "U-F-O T-R-K-R".
He has gray hair and blue eyes.
[super=16-(540)-463-7328/Rockbridge County Sheriff's Dept.]

Anyone who sees Chadwick is asked to contact the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Department at (540)-463-7328.

[45E-Franklin-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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A one vehicle accident yesterday took the life of a motorist in Franklin County.
Authorities say Delmas Paul Johnson's car ran off the road, flipped at about 8 a-m, then hit a tree.
The accident happened along Route 607.
48-year old Johnson died at the scene.

[45Prison-Disturbance]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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One deputy suffered scratches during a minor weekend disturbance at a regional jail in New Kent County.
Authorities say the incident started when an inmate became upset over an order to go to bed Saturday night an hour earlier than usual.
The order was given to a 36-inmate cellblock because of a rules infraction.
Authorities say the inmate resisted being handcuffed, and 12 other inmates also refused the order and began throwing chairs.

[45E-Bowers-Hike]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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Roanoke Mayor David Bowers calls his race for Bob Goodlatte's Congressional seat an up hill battle,
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Rockbridge Co.;]

so he's hit the campaign trail, literally, to prove he's up to the challenge.
Yesterday, Bowers kicked-off a series of hikes to highlight his campaign.
He climbed Elephant Mountain in Buena Vista.
Bowers says--in his own way, he's following in the footsteps of President Clinton's environmental efforts.
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[IN Q=I THINK IT]
((DAVID BOWERS/ROANOKE MAYOR; I THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS RESPONDED WITH HIS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY. AND I SUPPORT HIS POLICY OF PUTTING SIX-POINT-THREE-BILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS TAX CREDITS. TOWARDS INDUSTRIES AND OTHER EFFORTS TO TRY AND REDUCE EMISSIONS AND TO PROTECT THE CLEAN AIR OF AMERICA.))
[SUPER=01-David Bowers/Roanoke Mayor;]
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[OUT Q=OF AMERICA.]
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[VO-NAT]

Bowers said he hopes to meet more of his constituents on future hikes.
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[45WEATHER]

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Time again to check out the forecast--
Clouds will linger well into the afternoon, with more light showers possible.
Cooler high temperatures today, around 60.
Clearing skies and scattered frost tonight, as lows drop into the upper 30s.
The extended forecast does warm up by the end of the week...
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[8Appox-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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Appomattox police have the suspects, but are still searching for the motive.
They have arrested an eleven-year- old boy and a fourteen-year-old girl for allegedly setting five separate fires throughout the town last night.
Steve Smallshaw reports.
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[SUPER=03-Appomattox/Last Night; :00]
[SUPER=01-Doug Martin/Appomattox V.F.D. Chief; :13]
[SUPER=01-Al Sears/Owner; :34]
[SUPER=@ssm2; :51]
[RUNS=:58]
[OUT Q=News7, Appomattox.]

(((( The first fires were set around 7 p-m, at the J-E Sears company in downtown Appomattox.
One destroyed a warehouse full of building materials.. and kept firefighters busy for hours trying to contain it.))

[8S-Carroll-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am cutin]
[WRITER=sta]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

Police have discovered the body of a Hillsville man who was killed in a traffic accident nearly a month ago.
The body of 33-year- old Ronnie Dale McMillian was reported missing three weeks ago.
Police say McMillian was traveling along Route 608 when his car ran off the road and flipped over an embankment.
Yesterday authorities used a helicopter to search for his body.
They say alcohol was a factor in the accident.

[8E-Franklin-Fatal]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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{ GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

A one-car accident in Franklin County Sunday morning killed the driver.
Police say Delmas Paul Johnson ran his car off of Route 6-0-7.
The car then, flipped and hit a tree.
The accident happened at about 8 a-m.
The 48-year old Johnson died at the scene.

[8E-Airport-folo]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
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[WRITER=sta]
[TAPE#=98-26; 52:54]
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A Roanoke man went on a mission to save some World- War- Two - Era hangars that were slated for demolition.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Now, Duane Howard is trying to bring more attention to aviation history.
He's started a Roanoke chapter of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society.
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[SOT 14.08.17 - 14.08.29]
[IN Q=The focus of]
((DUANE HOWARD/VA AERONAUTICAL HIST. SOC.: THE FOCUS OF THE VIRGINIA AERONAUTICAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS TO PROMOTE AND PRESERVE VIRGINIA'S AVIATION HERITAGE AND TO WORK AND PROMOTE AVIATION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.))
[SUPER=01-Duane Howard/Va. Aeronautical Hist. Soc.]
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[OUT Q=with young people.]
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[VO-NAT]

The group elected officers earlier this month.
And, it's continuing Howard's efforts to preserve some structures at Roanoke Regional Airport.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=none]

Other group activites include aviation history exhibits at area museums, scheduled for later this summer.
The group also plans to host a fiftieth anniversary party, celebrating the founding of Piedmont Airlines.

[8WEATHER]

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That's it for the news-- let's now take a quick look at the Monday forecast.
Cloudy, with lingering light showers.
It'll be rather cool today, with a high near 60.
Clear skies overnight, with scattered frost.
Lows in the upper 30s.
The four day forecast is calling for sunshine tomorrow...
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