[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Eric]

[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=NewsHd]
[GRAPHIC=]


Next on News 7 at Six... a workman is trapped inside a concrete pillar in Montgomery County...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


And it was a successful liftoff for Roanoke's rocket... which made a safe landing at it's new home... we'll have a live report.
(------------)


[sports-head]


[ANCHOR=denise]
[NEWSCAST=six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=sports head]
[GRAPHIC=none]


If you're looking for a job check out the NFL, seven vacant head coaching jobs are available.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


and of course the Music City Bowl is just one day away.
Steve Mason comes to us Live from Nashville, to update us on Virginia Tech's preparations for its game against Alabama.
(------------)

[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]


If your traveling to Nashville, bundle up. Same story here. Wet details just ahead. [open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 at Six Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Eric1;]
[SUPER=@Denise1;]
[SUPER=@Robin1;]
[RUNS=:20]



[Elliston-Ax]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-71 1:07:45]
[GRAPHIC=Fatal Accident]


State Police are investigating a fatal accident near Elliston that killed a woman from Botetourt County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.]


A dump truck collided with a car on the Route 460 straightaway, at about 11 o'clock today.
The driver of the car, 51-year-old Vicki Suzanne Hopkins of Troutville, was seriously hurt in the crash.
She died a short time later.
So far, no charges have been filed.
(------------)


[Monty-Fall]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#98-65 1:41:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]


A Dublin man was trapped inside a concrete pillar for more than an hour this morning after falling 45 to 50 feet.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]


The concrete pillar will eventually support a bridge that will cut through Ellett Valley as part of the so called "Smart Road".
Authorities say 37- year old Wesley Burford was working inside the pillar when he slipped and fell-- landing on his feet in a six inch pool of water.
Crews from Blacksburg and Christiansburg helped in the rescue, which took about 25- minutes once they entered the pillar.
(/////SOT/////)

[2:13:35]
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'd like]

((CODY VINCIL/CHRISTIANSBURG RESCUE SQUAD: I'D LIKE TO CREDIT THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS THAT WERE THERE, THEY HELPED US, I MEAN, WE COULD'VE DONE IT BUT THEY USED THEIR CRANE AND THEIR ASSISTANCE AND KNEW THE STRUCTURE THAT WE WERE IN AND THEY REALLY HELPED US. ))
[SUPER=01-Cody Vincil/Christiansburg Rescue Squad; :00]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=helped us.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]


Authorities say Burford was wearing a safety harness but aren't certain if it was properly hooked up.
No word yet on his condition.
(----------------)






[Rocket]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#98-70 1:46:41]
[GRAPHIC=None]


A Roanoke landmark has a new address tonight.
The rocket that stood beside the Wasena bridge for years is now in place near the Virginia Museum of Transportation downtown.
[Double Boxes=Eric/Joe D.-- Microwave]


Joe Dashiell reports on the rocket's latest journey and the man who guided the missile from Alabama to western Virginia.
[Live= Full/Joe]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)
(Rollcue: proved this afternoon.)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Sporting a fresh coat of paint]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
[SUPER=01-Jim Trout/Roanoke City Council; :12]
[RUNS=:43]
[OUT Q=aimed at outer space once again.]




[Live= Full/Joe]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)





[Double Boxes=Eric/Joe]


[Fires]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6p]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-70 1:48:56]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]


A Roanoke County family lost their home in a fire early this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]


The house in the 800 block of Commander Drive had flames coming through the roof when firefighters arrived.
A newspaper carrier had seen the smoke and called the fire department.
The home belongs to Agnes and Darren Skellington.
They were away, visiting relatives in New England.
Investigators say the house is a total loss.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Firefighters also got a call this morning to the Melrose Towers apartment building in Roanoke.
A wastebasket fire filled part of the seventh floor with smoke. Authorities had things under control there in a few minutes.
(------------)
[Tease#1]

[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Eric]
[SS=NONE]


Coming up later in the newscast, a multi-million dollar boost to prevent sewer overflow in Lynchburg's historic James River.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]


And the recent ice storm across much of Virginia not only caused traffic problems, it cost lives.
Details are straight ahead.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Robin]

[wx ad lib] [Roll] [Lake Level] [MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM#1]

[Roll]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=NONE]
[SUPER=80-44/33/0.01''/46/28/Trace/38/29/0.03''/38/30/0.13'';]
[SUPER=81-52/28/0.00''/46/27/0.00''/34/32/0.10'';]
[SUPER=82-2.07''/minus 0.54''/44.78''/plus 4.01'';]
[SUPER=83-down 4.27 feet/down 0.65 feet; Lake levels]


[Va-Storm-Damage]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-75 1:45:03]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Weather]


Virginia Power says it's the worst ice storm to hit the state in five years-- if you measure it on the number and duration of power outages.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chesterfield Co.]


About 70-thousand homes and businesses are still in the dark tonight despite three straight all-night efforts by Virginia Power crews.
But it's the cold that's been a killer.
The State Medical Examiner has confirmed three deaths of elderly people in the Richmond area were caused by hypothermia.
Each was discovered by neighbors, alone in their homes without power.
Two more Virginia deaths are being investigated as hypothermia-related.
At the height of the Christmas Eve storm, 310-thousand customers were without power, mostly in central and eastern Virginia.
(-------0---------)


[Tax-Tips]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#98-72 1:18:56]
[GRAPHIC=Taxes]


We don't like to think about taxes until we absolutely HAVE to.
But with fewer than three days left in 19-98, it's time to act fast if you want to take advantage of some end-of-the-year tax deals.
[Double Boxes=Eric and Scott/Newsroom]


Scott Goldberg is in our newsroom tonight with some tips.
[Live= Scott Full/Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Scott1;]


Eric, we'll start with the Roth I-R-A.
It's a new retirement account this year.
And if you want to roll over your traditional I-R-A into a Roth account,
You have to do it by Thursday to qualify for a special one-time tax break.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The difference]
[SUPER=01-Gary Duerk/Brown, Edwards and Company; :22]
[RUNS=:59]
[OUT Q=in college.]

[PRE PRO PAGE 1] (( The difference between a Roth I-R-A and a traditional retirement account is:
With a Roth, you pay income taxes up front, and no taxes on what you earn or take out. [PRE PRO PAGE 2]
If you convert your traditional I-R-A to a Roth THIS YEAR, the government will let you spread out those up-front tax payments over the next four years.
But be careful!
If you convert to a Roth, you lose that deduction you've been claiming on your tax returns.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 3:15]
[IN Q= what typically]

((DUERK: WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS IF YOU'VE BEEN USED TO CONTRIBUTING TO AN IRA AND YOU GO TO A ROTH, YOU'VE LOST YOUR 2,000-DOLLAR DEDUCTION. SO YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT YOU HAVE EXTRA TAXES TO OWE.))
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=taxes to owe]


Should you convert your I-R-A?
Accountant Gary Duerk says it's probably a good idea [PRE PRO PAGE 3] if you're younger than 50 and you expect your income to be higher when you retire than it is now. [PRE PRO PAGE 4]
Some other tax items to think about this year:
In 19-98, you can claim a 400-dollar deduction for each dependent child in your family younger than 17.
You also can claim a credit of up to 15-hundred dollars for a child in college.))
(---------------)
[Live= Full/Newsroom]


And there are some last-minute ways to save some money on your tax returns.
Donate cash or stocks to a charity before Thursday, and you can deduct that gift.
Give up to 10-thosuand dollars to your children, an if they deposit it by Thursday, you can deduct that too.

[Stocks]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]


It was an up day on Wall Street -- [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE ]
[RUNS=:25]
[SUPER=x5102;]
[SUPER=430-x/8.76/9226.75/x/17.27/2180.30;]


The Dow gained nearly 9 points, and the Nasdaq climbed over 17 points to finish up the Monday at 2180.
[SUPER=431-u/46$/h!/74c/i1/60d/hf/58#/hr/23&;]

[ AE /ATT/Bank of America/Bell/Columbia;]
[SUPER=432-h$/74b/hf/38d/i!/6d/ic/46c/i1!/60*;]

[Crestar/Dana/Dimon/Dominion Resources/First Union;]
[SUPER=433-h#/44f/hg/101r/h!/58c/ib/30%/h!/12e;]

[First Virginia/General Electric/Kroger/Norfolk Southern/Optical Cable]
[SUPER=434-i*/54/ig/13e/if/36a/ie/88b/i1e/79d;]

[phillip morris/roanoke electric steel/trigon/wachovia/walmart] [phillip morris/roanoke electric steel/trigon/wachovia/walmart]

[L'burg-Sewer]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-68 1:42:47]
[GRAPHIC=Lynchburg]


Lynchburg picked up a check for three and a half million dollars from the state today.. and the city plans to pour the money right down the drain.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]


The grant will help Lynchburg with a 270- million dollar overhaul of its sewer system.. a project that's expected to last another 12 years.
Area legislators say there's bipartisan support to keep the state money flowing into the Hill City.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 5:21:18]
[IN Q=The governor's budget]

((SEN. STEVE NEWMAN/R- LYNCHBURG: THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS OFTEN TREATED WITH CARE AND IF THE GOVERNOR IS COMMITTED TO THIS, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER TO KEEP IT IN THE BUDGET THAT IT WOULD BE TO INSERT IT IN THE BUDGET LATER ON. WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH MODEST AMOUNTS IN THE PAST, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE MUCH EASIER WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITMENT.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Steve Newman/(R) Lynchburg; :00]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=the governor's commitment.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]


City leaders say the extra money will help keep down residents' sewer bills over the next few years.
(----------------)

[Series-Open]
[anchor=Eric]
[writer=eric]
[newscast=6]
[tape=98-76 41:06]
[graphic=Battling the Bug (4414)]


Imagine how confused YOU'D be if you were suddenly transported to the year 1900...
In a way, that's what will happen to many computers on January first, 2000, because they're programmed to recognize dates by ONLY the last two digits.
(-----------)

[vo-nat]
A confused computer won't operate properly, and could fail completely, when the date rolls over to double-zero. The glitch is known as the Y2K bug, Y2K meaning "Year 2000", a date SOME call..."doomsday"
(---------)


[wipe wipe wipe][Y2K-ONE]


[ANCHOR=Eric]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=98-73 53:50]
[GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=this is why]
[SUPER=@File; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :22]
[SUPER=07-Richard Weeks; :27]
[SUPER=01-Scott Olmstead/Programmer; :48-quick]
[SUPER=@Eric1; :52]
[SUPER=01-Don Johnson/American Electric Power; 1:07]
[SUPER=01-Dawna Clephas/Y2K Consultant; 1:53]
[SUPER=03-San Francisco, CA/December 8; 2:04]
[RUNS=2:33]
[OUT Q=clock is ticking]


[opening animation] ((
This is why... America's electric power companies rely heavily on computer technology... and they are interconnected in grids.
The Doomday theory assumes enough power systems will fail to shut down the grids in a nationwide blackout...
That would combine with failures in transportation, banking and government, and result in chaos...
It's hard to find anyone on the street these days who hasn't at least HEARD something about it.

[SOT 00:09:32 ]
[IN Q=some of the]

((RICHARD WEEKS; SOME OF THE PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO SEEM TO THINK THAT MAYBE THE COMPUTER WON'T WORK, WE WON'T HAVE WATER OR HEAT, SO IT'S A CONCERN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT PERSONALLY I THINK WE'RE PRETTY MUCH AHEAD OF IT, I THINK EVERYTHING WILL BE OK.)) [RUNS14]
[OUT Q=will be ok]



But not everyone thinks so...Some people, some PROGRAMMERS, are actually building secret survival hideouts.


[SOT 01:18:38]
[IN Q=without power]

((SCOTT OLMSTED/PROGRAMMER; WITHOUT POWER OR WATER, THERE MIGHT BE CRIME, NO FOOD...)) [RUNS04]
[OUT Q=no food]



It is a WORST case scenario... but before you dismiss the y2k problem COMPLETELY... consider the millions of dollars, and, thousands of man-hours American Electric Power has expended to fix it since 1995... and they're not finished.

[SOT 10:41:52 tape 1]
[IN Q=we have]

((DON JOHNSON/AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER; WE HAVE TEN FULL TIME AEP EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE 60 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, AND WE HAVE 100 OTHER EMPLOYEES IN BUSINESS UNITS AND SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THEM TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.)) [RUNS14]
[OUT Q=this problem]



These are part of the problem... computer chips... not just in computers, but in millions of electronic devices... and some can fail when their date hits double-zero...
What happens if enough of them fail in the power grid?

[SOT 00:03:24 tape 3]
[IN Q=how scary?]

((DAWNA CLEPHAS/Y2K CONSULTANT; I THINK THAT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU LIVE.)) [RUNS05]
[OUT Q=where you live]



Dawna Clephas is a Y2K consultant for a major regional bank, working on the imbedded chip problem.
She says not only are they hard to test, in a system as massive as the power grid, it would be impossible to test or replace them all.

[SOT 00:16:06 tape 3]
[IN Q=there's no way to]

((DAWNA CLEPHAS/Y2K CONSULTANT; THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW WHICH PIECE OF THIS SYSTEM CAN GO DOWN, SO THIS GRID WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BYPASS DEFECTIVE AREAS UNTIL THEY CAN BE FIXED, THIS GRID IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE THINGS CAN GO WRONG. )) [RUNS11]
[OUT Q=can go wrong]



And don't forget it only took ONE workman, shorting out ONE control panel to knock out power to a million people in San Francisco for an entire day.
Whatever y2k problems there are... will likely hit all at once.
But let's say the power grid survives, or has only intermittent problems... what about everything else... from major corporations to the corner traffic light?
And the people fixing the problems have one year left... no extensions, the clock is ticking....))
(-----------)

[take WEB WATCH FULL SCREEN]
For more information about Y2K, visit our WEBWATCH page, at WDBJ7-dot-com.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Eric]
[graphic=Battling the Bug]


Tomorrow and Wednesday night at six... we'll look at the efforts underway to beat the bug, can they do it in time? and if they can't, what can YOU do to protect yourself?





[Sports tease]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=sports tease]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Coming up in sports, it's tournament time at the Cassell in Blacksburg.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I will]

(())
[RUNS=11]
[OUT Q=in sports]







[S-Music]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=Dal]
[TAPE#=SP-]
[GRAPHIC=Music City]


Virginia Tech is less than 24 hours away from its meeting with Alabama in the first ever Music City Bowl.
[Double Boxes=Denise/Starlink]


Steve Mason joins us from Nashville where he has been tracking the Hokies.
[Live= Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=@Steve1;]
[SUPER=06-Nashville, TN;]
( ad lib)
(Rollcue: )
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Frank Beamer/Va Tech Head Coach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Al Clark/ Tech QB; :16]
[super=03-Nashville, TN; :24]
[super=01-Mike DuBose/Alabama Head Coach; :39]
[super=01-John Murphy/Richmond Native; 1:18]
[RUNS=1:59]
[OUT Q=]



[Live= Full/Starlink]
[SUPER=05-Nashville, TN;]
( ad lib)



[Double Boxes=Denise/Starlink]



[S-Tech]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-26 tc 52:31]
[GRAPHIC=VT Basketball]


The nine and oh Lady Hokies are back on the court tonight in the Diamond Club tournament in Blacksburg.
Akron, Campbell and Mississippi State join Tech in the two day event.
First game with Mississippi State taking on Campbell started at 5:30.
The Lady Hokies play at 7:30 tonight.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=for all the]

(())
[SUPER=01-Bonnie Henrickson/Va Tech Head Coach;]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=a great field, a great field]







[S-Turner]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-29 tc 04:35]
[GRAPHIC=Redskins]


Redskins Head Coach, Norv Turner says he expects changes to be announced in the next month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Frostburg,MD/July; :]


Of course he's talking ownership changes and possibly coaching changes.
Turner says he's excited about the possiblities, but his job is jeopardy as the Skins finished this season six and 10, the team's third losing season in five years.
That includes yesterday's 23-to-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The estate of Jack Kent Cooke is selling the team and its facilities. The league is expected to announce the name of the new owners in late January.
(------------)


[S-Coaches]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-23 tc 1:44:43]
[GRAPHIC=NFL]


Pink slips abound in the NFL this even as five head coaches lose their jobs.
and two more franchises have openings as well.
Philadepphia's Ray Rhodes is gone.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL;]


And to no one's surprise Dom Capers is looking for work after a horrible season in North Carolina.
THe list includes Chicago's Dave Wannstedt, Baltimore's Ted Marchibroda and Dennis Erickson of Seattle.
The five teams that fired coaches had a combined record of 25 and 55.
(------------)
[Anchor=Denise]
[SS=hold]


The sixth coach, San Diego's June Jones announced earlier this season that he's taking a college job.

And expansion Cleveland is looking for a leader.[S-McGwire]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=SP-18 tc 2:00:21]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]


Slugger Mark McGwire has yet another award to put on the mantle.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-MLB;]


The Associated Press has named McGwire the Male Athlete of the year for his record setting homerun season.
From his opening day grand slam to home run number 70 on his final swing of the season, McGwire seemed to be the embodiment of the baseball's revival.
He ran away with the balloting.
A-P newspapers and broadcast outlets casts 332 points in the voting system.
Fellow powerhouse Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs finished second with 177 points.
(------------)


[S-UVA]


[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=UVA hoops]


The Virginia Cavaliers beat Delaware 72-to-64 last night to boost it's record to eight and four.
But UVA lost yet another player to injury.
Sophomore guard Josh Hare broke his left ankle in last night's win.
The walk on will be out for six to eight weeks.
He played only one minute last night and recorded one rebound and one steal.
The injury came on that steal.
Hare averaged four points and nearly three rebounds on an average of 23 minutes a game.
The Cavaliers take the court again Wednesday at Loyola in Maryland.
[Wx-Tape]
[SUPER=305-44/33/75/1984/12/1977;]
[SUPER=306-39/36/89/NE-9/30.03s/7:33am/5:10pm;]

[Forecasts]
[SUPER=#577;]
[SUPER=X5000;]
[SUPER=330-Mostly Cloudy/Scattered Showers/34-36/Mostly Cloudy/Showers Likely/42-46;]
[SUPER=331-Mostly Cloudy/Light Showers/35-37/Mostly Cloudy/Showers Likely/45-48;]
[SUPER=332-Rain-Snow/Mix Ending/32-34/Clouds/Rain Showers/40-43;]
[SUPER=333-Clouds/Patchy Drizzle/32-35/Mostly Cloudy/Patchy Showers/40-43;]
[SUPER=334-Rain-Snow/Mix Ending/30-33/Cloudy/Afternoon Showers/40-43;]

[SUPER=X5001;][Close]



[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#]
[GRAPHIC=]
(Weekday 6 only)
[SUPER=x4032; e-mail/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS]
SUPER=x4033; Fax/Most Watched/Copyright/WEEKDAYS
(Weekend 6 only)

SUPER=x4031; Fax/Copyright/WEEKENDS SUPER=x4030; e-mail/Copyright/WEEKENDS
by SS