WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 07/07/98

[Sting-Operation]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=net-G]
[GRAPHIC=Drug Bust Cocaine]

It's one of the biggest drug busts in Roanoke's history.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
141 people, 20 of them children, are collectively facing 267 charges related to drug trafficking. Police officers began serving warrants in the Lincoln Terrace Housing Complex yesterday after a Grand Jury returned the indictments. It all resulted from a six-month investigation.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT=20:34:23]
[IN Q=WE WOULD POSE]
[super=01-Lt. R. E. Carlisle/Roanoke Police Department;]
((LT. R. E. CARLISLE; WE WOULD POSE AS DRUG ADDICTS AND WE WOULD MAKE DRUG BUYS FROM THOSE DEALERS. THEN LATER WE IDENTIFIED THEM AND INDICTED THEM.))
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=INDICTED THEM]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Police plan to go into more than a dozen other communities and make more arrests for drug trafficking.
(------------)

[border-patrol]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#net-t]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

Murder today at the Texas- Mexico border.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Benito, TX;]

Authorities say two U-S Border Patrol agents were killed and a third critically wounded in a shooting near Harlingen, Texas.
The agents were pursuing a suspect in an earlier shooting that also left two people dead and one injured.
Agents have now gathered at an isolated ranch house where the suspect is believed to have barricaded himself.
(----------------)

[tripp]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#net-M]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Linda Tripp is back before the Monica Lewinsky grand jury.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington DC;]

She arrived at a Washington courthouse this morning for the third time in eight days.
Tripp sparked the investigation by secretly taping 20 hours of conversations with Monica Lewinsky.
Meantime, there's word today that prosecutors in Tripp's home state of Maryland will launch their own grand jury probe into whether Tripp broke the state's wiretapping law when she recorded the phone conversations.
(----------------)

[FL-FIRES]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=NOON]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net-N]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It is a day of giving thanks in central Florida.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Flagler Co., FL;]
[11:02:22]
Calm winds and a little rain have helped firefighters gain the upper hand and today almost everyone has returned home.
[SUPER=03-Daytona Beach;]

Governor Lawton Chiles began the day delivering a message of thanks to weary firefighters.
That included the ones from out of state.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[10:02:13]
[IN Q=]
(( LAWTON CHILES/FL GOVERNOR: IT REALLY MAKES ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS ALL ABOUT REALLY, AND HOW WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO HELP EACH OTHER. I WANT TO TELL YOU WHEN YOUR STATE GETS IN TROUBLE YOU CALL ON FLORIDA-- YOU LET US KNOW AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE. ))
[SUPER=01-Gov. Lawton Chiles/Florida;]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=and we're gong to be there. ]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

The total cost of fighting the fires has topped 116 million dollars, and losses have been estimated at 276 million.

(----------------)

[E-Bedford-Ax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=Net-H]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]

A Bedford County collision resulted in the death of a man from Goodview yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Stewartsville;]

Clyde Campbell was less than a mile from his home when he was killed as his pickup truck collided with a V-DOT dump truck on route 757.
Police say Danny Ellis hit Campbell's pickup after swerving to avoid hitting another vehicle. It took rescue crews about an hour to remove Ellis from his truck. The extent of his injuries is not known.
(------------)

[AX-VICTIMS-FOLO]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net-p]
[GRAPHIC=fatal accident]

Family members of six of the seven people killed in a Botetourt County wreck Saturday say all six will be remembered in a Thursday funeral service.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Botetourt Co./Saturday;]

Four of the victims were children.
Rockbridge County school officials are offering counseling, aware that the impact of the loss may not set in until students return to their classes.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 01:41:48]
[IN Q=i think a part]
((GLEN STARK/SUPERINTENDENT; I THINK A PART OF WHAT WE'LL TRY AND GET A HANDLE ON IN TALKING WITH FOLKS THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK IS WHAT LEVEL OF ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION WE MADE NEED ONCE SCHOOL STARTS.))
[SUPER=01-Glen Stark/Rockbridge Superintendent;]
[RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=once school starts]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Meanwhile family members continue to mourn the loss.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
((ROXANNE CULLEN/VICTIMS' SISTER; IF WE HAD JUST LOST ONE FAMILY MEMBER IT WOULD STILL JUST BE AS HARD, BUT THIS ACCIDENT WIPED OUT HALF OF MY FAMILY, AND WE WERE ALL VERY CLOSE, AND THEY WILL BE SADLY MISSED. ))
[SUPER=01-Roxanne Cullen/Victims' Sister;]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=will be sadly missed.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Route 11 is still closed at the scene of the accident.
Officials say the asphalt will have to be replaced because 4 thousand gallons of diesel fuel are eating away the asphalt.
(----------------)

[COSBY]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#NET-Q]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A jury in Santa Monica, California, is spending its first full day deliberating the murder charges against Mikail Markhasev (mik-HYL' MAHR'-kuh-sev).
Bill Cosby was in the courtroom yesterday when prosecutors summed up their case against the man accused of killing Cosby's son.
Sandra Hughes reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This morning]
[SUPER=01-Sandra Hughes/Reporting; :00]
[SUPER=03-Santa Monica; :16]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS Santa Monica.]
(( THIS MORNING JURORS WILL RESUME DELIBERATIONS IN THE CASE AGAINST MIKAIL "MICHAEL" MARKHASEV. IT'S UNLIKELY BILL COSBY WILL RETURN TODAY ALTHOUGH HIS PRESENCE IN THE COURTROOM YESTERDAY COULD HAVE GIVEN PROSECUTORS A BOOST WITH THE JURY.

(TAPE INSERT)
THE ENTERTAINER, HIS WIFE CAMILLE, AND TWO OF HIS DAUGHTERS SAT IN THE FRONT ROW -- SHARING A BENCH WITH THE ACCUSED KILLER'S FAMILY. THE COSBYS SHOWED LITTLE EMOTION, BUT WATCHED ATTENTIVELY AS PROSECUTOR ANNE INGALLS TOLD JURORS THAT EVERYTHING POINTS TO MARKHASEV AS THE MURDERER OF ENNIS COSBY... THE 27-YEAR-OLD GRADUATE STUDENT WHO WAS GUNNED DOWN WHEN HE STOPPED TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE ON A DARK LOS ANGELES ROAD IN JANUARY OF 1997.
THE PROSECUTORS ARGUED THAT MARKHASEV KILLED COSBY DURING A BOTCHED ROBBERY, AND ADMITTED TO IT IN JAILHOUSE LETTERS WHERE HE MENTIONS A "ROBBERY GONE BAD." THE DEFENSE SAYS THOSE LETTERS MEAN NOTHING, CLAIMING THE PROSECUTION DIDN'T PROVE MARKHASEV EVEN WROTE THEM. IN HIS CLOSING ARGUMENT, DEFENSE ATTORNEY HENRY HALL HAMMERED ON WHAT THE PROSECUTION DOESN'T HAVE IN ITS CASE; NO EYEWITNESS TO THE MURDER, NO FINGERPRINTS ON THE MURDER WEAPON, AND ONLY ONE SINGLE HAIR TESTED FOR DNA THAT LINKS MARKHASEV TO THE CRIME.
ON-CAM CLOSE: WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS IF THE COSBYS WILL RETURN FOR THE VERDICT. THEIR SPOKESMAN KEPT YESTERDY'S APPEARANCE A SECRET AND WILL ONLY SAY THE COSBYS COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN THE TRIAL ENDS... AFTER JURORS HAVE DECIDED IF MARKHASEV SPENDS THE RESTT OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON.
SANDRA HUGHES, CBS NEWS, SANTA MONICA.))

[E-Campbell-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-46 45:52]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Campbell County man and woman whose daughter died in an accidental shooting last week do NOT know yet whether they will face charges.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co./Last Week]

Thomas and Janet Sheppard's one-year old died when her four-year old brother shot her in the head.
The boy was playing with a loaded revolver he'd found in a dresser inside the family's Rustburg home.
Police are still investigating.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:11:21//13:11:34]
[IN Q=My understanding]
((NEIL VENER/CAMPBELL CO. PROSECUTOR: MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE INVESTIGATOR'S STILL GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT HE NEEDS TO TALK WITH BEFORE HIS INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE. HE'LL REVIEW THE ENTIRE CASE WITH ME AND THE DECISION WILL BE MADE WHETHER ANY CHARGES ARE APPROPRIATE OR NOT APPROPRIATE, BUT I'VE NOT MET WITH HIM AND NO DECISION'S BEEN MADE ON ANY MATTER YET.))
[SUPER=01-Neil Vener/Campbell Co. Prosecutor; :00]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=any matter yet.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Failing to secure a weapon is a Class Three misdemeanor in Virginia, which carries a 500 dollar fine.
(----------------)

[E-Epperson]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-40]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

Also in Campbell County, 35 years in prison is the sentence for a man who shot another man 16 times during a domestic dispute.
The victim survived.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Campbell Co./January 1997;]

The shooting occurred outside this mobile home near Evington the morning of January 26th, 1997.
29-year old Kevin Epperson hid under his girlfriend's front porch and ambushed 40-year old Edward Lee Miller when he came outside.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 13:09:02]
[IN Q=I looked at]
((NEIL VENER/CAMPBELL CO. PROSECUTOR: I LOOKED AT THIS CASE AS SERIOUS AS A MURDER, BECAUSE THE DEFENDANT DID EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO COMMIT MURDER. HE SHOT THE MAN NINETEEN TIMES, LAID IN WAIT FOR HIM, HAD A RIFLE AND A PISTOL AND EMPTIED BOTH OF THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Neil Vener/Campbell Co. Prosecutor; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=both of them.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Doctors say it's a miracle that Miller survived the shooting, although he'll suffer medical problems the rest of his life.
Epperson plans to appeal the sentence.
(----------------)

[E-Car-Tax]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=98-39; 1:26:41]
[GRAPHIC=Personal Prop Tax]
[***NOTE Anchor tag***]
The checks are in the mail for nearly 50 thousand Virginians -- they will be receiving refunds from car taxes paid earlier this year.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

Chesterfield County residents will be the first in the state to get refunds on their car tax payments.
Checks for the 12-and-a half percent of this year's car tax were flowing out of state printers yesterday.
A hotline will be operational this week.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:53:00]
[IN Q=The hotline]
((RON TILLETT/VIRGINIA SECRETARY OF FINANCE: THE HOTLINE IS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT COME UP FROM EITHER THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OF THE PROGRAM OR FROM CITIZENS THAT MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT "WHY DID I GET THIS AMOUNT OF CHECK?" OR IN THIS CASE "WHERE IS THE REST OF MY CHECK?))
[SUPER=@Tillett;]
[RUNS=14]
[OUT Q=my check?]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

This is the only year that the state will print checks.
In future years, your car tax bill will be reduced by the phase-in amount, until it's completely eliminated -- probably in four years, depending on the economy.
(----------------)
[TAKE PINNACLE 1006]
The NO CAR TAX toll free hotline is 1- 877 CARTAX-1.
(----------------)

[E-Gilmore]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#598-28 25:37]
[GRAPHIC=Jim Gilmore]

Governor Jim Gilmore may have surprised some people with the newest addition to his administration.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

Yesterday, he snapped up the director of the Virginia chapter of the N-double-A-C-P.
Linda Byrd-Harden was a vocal critic of
[SUPER=@File;]
former Governor George Allen-- at one point calling for his resignation.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 04/10/97]
[IN Q=I think]
((I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT CONTINUED FASCIST BEHAVIOR THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS EXEMPLIFIED.))
[SUPER=10-Linda Byrd-Harden//April 1997;]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=has exemplified.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Yesterday, Byrd-Harden was circumspect about her criticisms of Allen-- and had only words of praise for Gilmore.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:28:27]
[IN Q=I thank]
((I THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY AND NOT TO BE INTIMIDATED BY WHAT OTHERS MAY PERCEIVE I'VE HAD TO DO IN TERMS OF MY JOB AND COMMITMENT TO MY PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION.)) ((I'VE NEVER SEEN LINDA AS A CRITIC. SHE'S WORKED WITH THE NAACP AND HAS SPOKEN HER MIND... OF MYSELF.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore :12!!]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=of myself.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Byrd-Harden will head up the state Department of Minority Business Enterprise.
(-----0-----------)

[E-PH-Principal]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=98-48 ]
[GRAPHIC=education]
The search for a new principal for Patrick Henry High School has been narrowed down from 14 applicants to one.
But that doesn't mean the remaining candidate has the job.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
(Ron SETH-CHECK) Ron Szewczyk is from the small community of
(HOE-TON) Houghton Lake, Michigan.
The 28-year education veteran is a pricipal for a high school with a student body of about 700, about half the size of P-H. But (Seth-check) Szewczyk says size isn't a factor.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT=19:33:59]
[IN Q=I THINK IT'LL]
((RON SZEWCZYK/PRINCIPAL FINALIST; I THINK IT'LL BE A LOT OF FUN. I THINK I CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS DIFFERENT, LIKE I MENTIONED IN THE MEETING. I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN THE CONFINES OF I CAN'T. I'M GOING TO EXPLORE SOME DIFFERENT THINGS. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SNICKER. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT LAUGH. BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE IT A SHOT AND HOPEFULLY, I GOING TO KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT WORKS OUT RIGHT.))
[SUPER=01-Ron Szewczyk/Principal Finalist;]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=works out right]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Szewczyk also says he will adhere to the wishes of the community when it comes to discipline and drugs in school.
(///////SOT///////)
[SOT=19:34:59]
[IN Q=WE ALL NEED]
((RON SZEWCZYK/PRINCIPAL FINALIST; WE ALL NEED A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO US WHEN WE DO THIS OR THIS. SO I LIKE THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH A STUDENT. THE DRUG DOG SEARCH. IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITY OF ROANOKE AND PH OR ANY OTHER HIGH SCHOOL FEEL THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED. I'M NOT GOING TO COME IN HERE AND CHANGE THAT AS A NEW PERSON.))
[RUNS=23]
[OUT Q=AS A NEW PERSON.]
(------------------)
[VO-NAT]
[from 98-20 on 3/17/98]
[super=03-Roanoke/March;]

Roanoke authorities conducted a random search at Patrick Henry High in the spring.
Drug-sniffing dogs turned up nothing.
(------------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[ss=Education]

Roanoke School Superintendent Wayne Harris says he will decide within the next few days whether to appoint (Seth-check) Szewczyk or to continue the search.

[E-Bowers-Address]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-42]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke City]

Roanoke Mayor David Bowers has several new projects in mind for the star city.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
["City Council 1" tape]
At yesterday's state of the city address, Bowers announced his initiatives. [from TAPE 97-60]
"Star 2000" will celebrate next year's 50th anniversary of the Roanoke Star and help the city usher in the new millennium. [TAPE 97-31 or 97-37]
Another program will try to find a way to give the emergency medical museum a permanent home.
And, Bowers said "Roanoke's Promise" will help at-risk children.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14 27 05]
[IN Q=this program]
((MAYOR DAVID BOWERS: THIS PROGRAM TO BE KNOWN AS "ROANOKE'S PROMISE IS A CALL FOR ACTION FOR CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD'S LIFE.))
[SUPER=@Bowers;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=CHILD'S LIFE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[City Council 1 tape at ]
Also yesterday, Bowers welcomed Alvin Hudson as the city's newest council member.
The former Roanoke sheriff was elected to city council in May.
(------------)

[PR-STRIKE]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net-O]
[GRAPHIC=Strike]

What could turn out to be the island's biggest strike in decades is under way in Puerto Rico.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-San Juan, Puerto Rico;]

Trucks and cars are blocking the main highway leading to San Juan's international airport.
Union leaders called the strike in response to the sale of Puerto Rico's state-run phone company to G-T-E.
Up to a half million are expected to participate in the two day strike.
(----------------)

[RUNNING-BULL]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=MEL]
[TAPE#net-R]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A rocket blast today kicked off the famous running of the bulls in Spain.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Pamplona, Spain;]
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=(BULLS AND PEOPLE RUNNING)]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Around one million from around the world have invaded the town of Pamplona for the eight day celebration.
Several people have already been injured in the bull run.
Most of the injuries were NOT serious but one man had to be taken to the hospital after he was gored in the thigh.
(----------------)

[E-Shuttle-Experiment]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=ach]
[TAPE#=98-45]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Students at Blue Mountain School in Floyd are working on special experiments that will go into outer space with John Glenn-- the First American to orbit Earth.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Floyd]
The kids are designing seven different experiments using soap, film negatives and popcorn. They are sending the objects to space to see what affect it will have on the items. Some students had their own prediction.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 14.13.06]
[IN Q=I'm not really]
((KINDLE BASON/STUDENT:I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN SPACE BUT I THINK THAT IT MIGHT GET BLURRY OR MIGHT NOT DEVELOP AT ALL.))
(/////SOT/////)
((SUSANNA SMITH/TEACHER: THEY'VE WORKED HARD. THEY'VE DESIGNED THE EXPERIMENTS THEMSELVES.THEY CHOSE ALL THE OBJECTS THEY WANTED TO SEND UP AND THEY'VE WORKED HARD ON IT.))
[SUPER=01-Kindle Bason/Student;:00]
[SUPER=01-Susanna Smith/Teacher;:10]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=worked hard on it.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The projects are part of NASA's "Shuttle Small Payload's Project." The shuttle is set to blast off October 29th. The projects will spend nine days in outer space.
(------------)