WDBJ 7 morning news for 01/03/99

[Roanoke-Gas]

[ANCHOR=Denise]

[NEWSCAST=Sat Am]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=99-4]
[GRAPHIC=none]
The pipeline is a major supplier for Roanoke Gas, so how does this explosion affect natural gas service in the Roanoke Valley?
[Double Boxes=Denise and Joe D./Microwave]
Joe Dashiell has been looking into that this morning. He joins us with the latest information.
[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)
(Rollcue: )
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[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
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[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
( ad lib)

[Double Boxes=Andrew and Joe/Microwave]

[11Roanoke-WX]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=99-17]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Storm]

Across the Roanoke Valley, this morning you may encounter any number of road conditons, none of them pleasent.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Out at the Roanoke Regional Airport last night, workers tried to stay ahead of the weather to de-ice planes and clear runways.
In spite of their best efforts, the storm forced the cancellation of several flights.
Travelers are urged to call their airlines before leaving for the airport to see if their flights are still scheduled.
[SUPER=03-Danville;]

It's the same story in Southside Virginia.
Sleet and freezing rain have made the roads sloppy.
But so far this morning, emergency officials don't report any serious problems.
(------------)

[11L'burg-Storm]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-16]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Storm]

Sleet and freezing rain began falling in the central Virginia area yesterday by late afternoon.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg;]

Still, it's been a quiet night for police and emergency crews around Lynchburg.
There have been a few reports of cars sliding into ditches, but no major accidents have occurred.
Both primary and secondary roads had about one to two inches of frozen rain and snow on them, and many bridges did ice over.
(----------------)

[Phone-Number]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sunday AM]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
If you want to check on the latest road conditions or Valley Metro operations, we have a couple of phone numbers for you.
(------------)
[Take GFX Page] For road conditions, call V-DOT's toll-free hotline .. (800) 367-ROAD. That's 367-7623. [Next GFX Page] If you need information from Valley Metro, call them at 982-2222.
(------------)

[Winter-WX]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun AM]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Hold]

The same storm hitting our area has dropped more than a foot of snow in the Midwest.
Drew Levinson reports this could be Chicago's worst winter storm in decades.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Chicago, IL; :00]
[SUPER=01-Drew Levinson/CBS News; 1:27]
[RUNS=1:47]
[OUT Q=CBS News, Chicago]
(( IT IS THE FIRST STORM OF THE LAST YEAR OF THE FINAL DECADE OF THE CENTURY--IT HAS HIT WITH A VENGENCE.

(SOT)

"To me it's a winter wonderland, to some people it might be a winter horror."
THIS MASSIVE WINTER STORM REACHES FROM THE GULF COAST TO THE UPPER MIDWEST...THOUSANDS ARE WITHOUT POWER. IN CHICAGO SATURDAY--SNOW FELL AT AN AVERAGE OF UP TO TWO INCHES AN HOUR. TRYING TO SHOVEL IT WAS JUST AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY.

(SOT)
"You take a shovel of snow, throw it out there and by the time you get back it seems like there are two more."
WITH WIND CHILLS BELOW ZERO--THE HOMELESS ARE USING ANY MEANS POSSIBLE TO STAY WARM. STRONG WINDS WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 40 MILES PER HOUR ARE CAUSING NEAR WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS--ROADS ARE CLOGGED WITH DRIFTING SNOW. THE WINDY CITY'S FAMOUS LAKE SHORE DRIVE ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN IS CLOSED.

(NATSOUND PLOWS)

AT CHICAGO'S TWO AIRPORTS--INCLUDING O'HARE--WORLD'S BUSIEST--UNITED AND AMERICAN AIRLINES HAVE CANCELLED ALL FLIGHTS AND HAVE ADVISED PASSENGERS TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY TO GET OUT...MANY WILL SPEND THEIR WEEKEND RIGHT HERE.

(ST. LOUIS)
(DE-ICING PLANE)

AT LAMBERT FIELD IN ST. LOUIS--WHAT'S NOT CANCELLED IS DELAYED. THE EASIEST WAY TO GET AROUND ON THE HIGHWAYS IN MISSOURI IS TO FOLLOW THE SNOWPLOWS.

(SOT)

"If you get behind the plows, it's ok, but if you don't, it's not good."
THE STORM IS ALSO CAUSING HEADACHES FOR THOSE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO AND DETROIT.
(TERREBONNE PARISH, LA)
ALONG THE GULF COAST NEAR NEW ORLEANS--POSSIBLE TORNADOES ARE TO BLAME FOR DAMAGING A NUMBER OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES AND KNOCKING OUT POWER.

(DREW LEVINSON/CBS NEWS)
"It may be just the second day of the year, but in Illinois this has already been dubbed the blizzard of '99. And if the snow continues to fall, it could top the famed blizzard of '79. That storm buried much of Illinois with about 19 inches of snow. Not even 48 hours old and 1999 has already made its presence felt. Drew Levinson, CBS News, Chicago. ))

[Car-Pile]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun AM]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]

The weather is getting the blame for a 50 to 60 car pile-up in Wisconsin.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Near Racine, WI;]

It happened just outside of Racine, on I-94.
Authorities say one person is dead and several others are injured.
Winds up to 50 miles an hour produced white out conditions.
A blizzard warning is in effect for Wisconsin.
Snow is expected to fall continuously until noon today, with total snow accumulation expected to be more than a foot.
(------------)

[Health-Week]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=Health Check]
[GRAPHIC=Health Check]

The number one movie at the box office is about the life of a Virginia doctor and a health program celebrates it's Silver Anniversary.
Tonya Flory has all this weeks medical news.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-Universal Pictures;:00]
[SUPER=07-Dr. Patch Adams; :24 ]
[SUPER=03-Pocahontas Co., WV; :29]
[SUPER=03-Radford; :35 ]
[SUPER=07-Claude Vipperman; :40 ]
[SUPER=03-Houston, TX; :53]
[RUNS=1:12]
[OUT Q=Health Check.]
((
[TAPE#=598-40; 26:32]
Patch Adams stars Robin Williams as an eccentric med student attending the Medical College of Virginia in the late 1960's early 1970's. The real Patch Adams or Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams lives in Arlington County Virginia. He's based his medical career on the philosophy that doctors are healers and NOT business men.
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[SOT ub 01:44:29]
[IN Q=We're not the]
((DR. PATCH ADAMS: WE'RE NOT THE ANSWER TO AMERICA'S HEALTHCARE PROBLEMS, WE ARE A STIMULANT AND AN IRRITANT, WE WANT TO IRRITATE ANYBODY WHO THINKS THEY CAN'T DREAM BIG.)) [RUNS:10]
[OUT Q=dream big]
Adams dream is to complete his medical institute in West Virginia called Geshundheit.
[TAPE#=598-41 02:43]
The Meals on Wheels program in Radford has been serving the community for 25 years.
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[SOT 11 43 34]
[IN Q=We enjoy]
((CLAUDE VIPPERMAN: WE ENJOY THE MEALS, WE COULDN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT THEM.)) [RUNS:03]
[OUT Q=without them]
Claude and Frances Vipperman have been part of the program for four years. Volunteer deliver hot meals and a warm smile 5 days a week within a five miles radius of Radford Hospital. And the parents of the octuplets born in Houston, Texas say they are blessed. Both the mother and father are home, but the seven remaining babies are still in the hospital in critical condition. They promise to visit the babies every day until all are released from the hospital.

Tonya Flory, News 7, Health Check.))[11Recycling]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[RITER=jmc]
[TAPE#= 99-2 1:57]
[GRAPHIC=Recycling]

People in Roanoke soon won't have a place to recycle paper and plastic.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Cycle Systems says it will stop accepting mixed paper and plastic in two weeks.
The company says there's just no market for those products.
It's only getting 15 dollars a ton for paper...and NOTHING for plastic.
Asian countries had been buying a lot of paper for recycling, until their economies slowed.
And with oil prices so low, making plastic from the raw material is as cheap as recycling it
(------------)

[ReelOpen]

[ANCHOR=Andrew]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=VA Newsreel]
[Graphic=VA Newsreel]

The United Mine Workers and Pittston Coal Company approved a five year contract last week. The contract covers 400 miners at Pittston operations in both Virginia and West Virginia. But it has not always been smooth sailing for these two. In this weeks Virginia newsreel we will look at the ten and a half month Coal Strike of 1989.
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[WIPE WIPE WIPE WIPE][Strike-Reel]

[ANCHOR=Andrew]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=VA Newsreel]
[GRAPHIC=wipe wipe]

[wipe wipe wipe wipe wipe]

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[IN Q=]
[SUPER=04-1989; :01 Quick]
[super=03-Roanoke; :I will call]
[SUPER=04-Pittston Supporter; :18]
[SUPER=04-Union Supporter; :43]
[super=03-Russell Co.; :56]
[super=01-Cecil Roberts/Union Vice President; 2:39]
[super=02-Rich Trunka/Union President; 2:49]
[RUNS=3:06]
[OUT Q=Freiden]

((The battle between Pittston and the United Mine Workers was a bitter struggle. For Pittston, it was a fight involving tough business decisions and the company's future. They maintained that changes in work rules were needed in order to compete in foreign markets. A supporter for Pittston said the changes would strengthen the economy.
(//////SOT/////)
[sot 11:38 Tape 89-37]
(( OUR PROPOSAL WOULD PROVIDE JOB SECURITY AND UNION SECURITY AND AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT MORE COAL MINERS TO WORK AT HIGHER WAGER WAGES. THE MORE COAL MINERS WE PUT TO WORK THE STRONGER OUR ECONOMY BECOMES.)) [RUNS12]
On the other side, the miners were afraid that Pittsons demands for concessions and givebacks would kill the union. The miners said the company's proposal threatened job security and retirees benefits.
(//////SOT/////)
[sot 11:58 Tape 89-37]
((THEY ARE ASKING COAL MINERS TO ABANDON THEIR FATHERS AND GRANDFATHERS AND OFTEN THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THEN IN THE COMMUNITY pITTSTON IS ASKING FOR THAT AT THE BARGINING TABLE)) [RUNS12] The union staged non-violent sit down demonstrations which encouraged sympathy from the public as well as other miners. Shortly after federally mandated talks failed on June 7-th, the number of striking union memebers swelled to 40-thousand as UMW miners walked off the job in sympathy for the Pittston strikers.
Hundreds of people were arrested throughout the strike and were found in contempt of court by violating restrictions placed on strike activities.
A federal judge jailed 3 UMW leaders, Marty Hudson , Cecil Phillips and Jackie Stump on contempt of court charges for sticking with the non-violent tactics the union used to shut Pittston down.
Miners wives, daughters and friends gathered singing hymns of protest outside the Roanoke City jail after 3 the men were jailed.
(//////SOT/////)
[sot 4:12 89-37]
((Nat Sound Music)) [RUNS03]
Despite heavy fines and jail time for the infractions, the miners continued their strike.
On September 17, 1989 a tense situation arose as approximantley 100 miners took over Pittston's Moss Three plant. About three thirty in the afternoon the group stormed passed security guards and entered the plant.
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[sot 44:19 89-58]
(( PLEASE ADVISE ALL PERSONELL ON THE PROPERTY THAT WE ARE COMING IN TO CHECK OUR INVESTMENTS)) [RUNS09]
The union miners said that they were stockholders and had every right to be there.
They staged a peaceful protest and did no damamge to the building.
As the demonstration entered its 4-th day, A federal judge ordered the protestors out by 7 p-m , but when the deadline arrived there was no attempt by officials to end the protest. However, it ended almost like it began. The 98 miners ran out and blended in with the cheering crowd, who like themselves, were also dressed in camoflauge.
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[sot 55:44 ]
((Cecil Roberts/ Vice President; SOMEWHERE IN THIS CROWD STATE POLICE ARE THE 98 PEOPLE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR)) [RUNS04]
It was a victory for the union. Amazingly, there were No arrests were made in this particular incident.
The strike did not end until February of 1990.
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[sot 29:46 90-11]
(( UNION PRESIDENT/ RICH TRUNKA;The strike is officailly over and we can begin inspection of the mine and get our people back to work)) [RUNS07]
By a two to one margin, the rank and file approved a four year contract, ending a bitter, ten- month- old strike between Pittston and the UMW.
That is Virginia Newsreel, I'm Andrew Freiden))

[11Transportation-Book]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun Am]
[RITER=jda]
[TAPE#= 99-3 1:40]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Virginia Museum of Transportation is known for its impressive collection of trains. But now the museum also has a new book, that brings together many of region's best writers around a common theme.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 00:26:30]
[IN Q=We have writers]
((DAN SMITH/EDITOR: WE HAVE WRITERS RANGING I GUESS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN PUBLISHED THROUGH DONALD MCCAIG AND SHARYN MCCRUMB. AND YES THAT WAS A TREAT. WORKING WITH WRITERS IS ALWAYS A TREAT , BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN PUBLISHED, PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOICES, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD WRITERS.))
[SUPER=01-Dan Smith/Editor]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=people who are good writers.]
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Week;]

Transportation Museum Board member Dan Smith proposed the idea, and coordinated the efforts of more than 45 writers.
The result is "From Here to There: Stories from a Mobile Virginia."
Planes, trains and automobiles figure prominently in many of the stories. But some of the subjects are more obscure, such as the homecoming float that Emily Paine Brady wrote about.
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[SOT 00:29:13]
[IN Q=It seemed like a very important]
((EMILY PAINE BRADY/WRITER: IT SEEMED LIKE A VERY IMPORTANT VEHICLE TO ME IN MY HIGH SCHOOL DAYS, EXPECIALLY GROWING UP IN SALEM, VIRGINIA WHERE WE EMPHASIZED THE SPORTS. AND FOR SO MANY OF US THAT WAS JUST THE SYMBOL, THE ICON, THE CLEOPATRA'S BARGE ON THE NILE, YOU KNOW. IT WAS WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE, AND ONLY TEN GIRLS COULD BE ON IT.))
[SUPER=01-Emily Paine Brady/Writer;]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=could be on it.]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[GRAPHIC=none]

"From Here to There: Stories from a Mobile Virginia" is now available at locally owned bookstores in central and western Virginia.

[NRV-Wx]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=AM]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Storm]

Roads in the New River Valley this morning are sloppy.
A mixture of sleet and freezing rain began coming down yesterday afternoon leaving even the primary roads slick.
As Teresa Hamilton reports-- most people seemed to realize the danger staying at home and off the roads.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Downtown Blacksburg]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg; :08]
[SUPER=01-James Linkous/Motorist; :17 ]
[SUPER=01-Brian Walker/VDOT Employee; :33]
[SUPER=01-Sonya Sheppard/VDOT Employee; :39 ]
[SUPER=01-Dan Brugh/VDOT Resident Engineer; :54]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; 1:10]
[RUNS=1:30 APPROX]
[OUT Q=NEWS 7, B'burg.]
(( Downtown Blacksburg resembled a ghost town at around eight- pm...
It seemed the mixture of sleet and freezing rain was enough to keep most folks at home and off the roads.
Although there were a few brave souls in Christiansburg-- venturing out to Kroger for some last minute snacks.
(/////SOT/////)
[3:45:11]
[SOT]
[IN Q=You say]
((YOU SAY YOU LIKE THIS KIND OF WEATHER? JAMES LINKOUS/MOTORIST: OH, YEAH, THIS IS GREAT, NICE TIME OF YEAR FOR IT, A LITTLE LATE GETTING HERE THOUGH. )) [RUNS:06]
[OUT Q=here though.]

Those who earn a living clearing the roadways would probably disagree...
Right now, VDOT's top priority is trying to treat the main roads which is no easy chore.
(/////SOT/////)
[4:16:41] [4:13:00]
[SOT]
[IN Q=A little ]
((BRIAN WALKER/VDOT WORKER:A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS BUT I THINK WE'LL BE OK, HOPING IT WILL STAY SLEET AND WE'LL KEEP AWAY FROM FREEZING RAIN-- WE CAN TAKE THE SLEET A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN FREEZING RAIN. IS THIS GOING TO BE YOUR FIRST MAJOR STORM? SONYA SHEPPARD/VDOT WORKER:YEAH, LAST YEAR WAS PRETTY BAD, BUT I'M ON NIGHT SHIFT THIS YEAR, SO IT'S REALLY HARD TRYING TO STAY AWAKE ALL NIGHT. )) [RUNS:17]
[OUT Q=all night.]

There is one advantage this go 'round--
It appears roads crews won't have to contend with too many motorists.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This is ]
((DAN BRUGH/VDOT RESIDENT ENGINEER:THIS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT HELPS OUR EFFORTS A LOT, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC OUT TONIGHT AND CONSEQUENTLY THERE'S FEWER ACCIDENTS AND BOTH OF THOSE THERE TEND TO SLOW OUR EFFORTS. )) [RUNS:15]
[OUT Q=our efforts.]

The wind, however, did cause its share of headaches--
gusting up to 25 miles per hour at times. Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7, Blacksburg.

))[2Phone-Number]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sunday AM]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
We have a couple of phone numbers for you, if you want to check on the latest road conditions or Valley Metro operations.
(------------)
[Take GFX Page] Call V-DOT's toll-free hotline for road conditions. It's (800) 367-ROAD. That's 367-7623. [Next GFX Page] If you need information from Valley Metro, call them at 982-2222.
(------------)

[Nat-weather]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun AM]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Winter Storm]

The same storm we've been experiencing has dropped even more snow and freezing rain in the Midwest.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chicago, IL;]

In Illinois, about a foot and a half of snow is on the ground in Chicago.
It's being called the biggest snowstorm in at least two decades.
There's a blizzard warning for much of Michigan because of high winds and snow.
By tonight, there could be two feet of snow on the ground, with visibility near zero.
In the east, icy roads are the problem from New Jersey to the Carolinas.
The ice is also bringing down power lines, leaving tens of thousands of people without electricity.
Luckily power outages have not been a problem in our area.
(------------)

[60-Minutes]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun AM]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE#=60-Minutes]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy is probably Bill Gates' biggest enemy. Not only did he help convince the government to file its antitrust suit against Gates Microsoft Corporation, McNealy also takes every public opportunity he can to bash the company s Windows software that 95 percent of the world s personal computers rely on. Lesley Stahl reports.
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[SOT]
[10:40:17 Friday]
[IN Q= you could say]
[RUNS=:32]
[OUT Q=he dropped out]
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[ANCHOR=Denise]
[SS=None]

You can see that story and more tonight at seven here on W-D-B-J. [toss to sports] [2-HEADLINES]
[ANCHOR=Denise 2 shot]
[***No Music Under]
Here's a look at today's top stories.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[SUPER=#4070;weekend headline banner]
Roads throughout Roanoke County are still ice-covered this morning. The snow and ice brought no serious problems, mostly because many people stayed off the roads. Workers at Roanoke Regional Airport have been busy de-icing planes and clearing the runway. Airline travel has been hampered due to some cancelled flights.
Travelers are urged to contact their airlines before leaving for the airport.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
Old Man Winter has arrived and most folks stocked up on food and supplies to be ready for him. People made stops at the grocery stores for last-minute food items. They also stocked up on candles and snow shovels. Although many storm items, such as generators, sold out early.
(------------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Denise]

A natural gas line exploded early this morning in Wytheville. It happened at the Industrial Park around 4 o'clock. Firefighters battled the fire from the explosion for almost three hours. The explosion could cause a disruption of natural gas service for thousands of customers in southwest Virginia.

[ANCHOR=Andrew 2 SHOT]

And that's what's making news on this Sunday .

[2-Sports]

[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Sun AM]
[WRITER=dal]
[TAPE#=morning sports]
[GRAPHIC=none]

In Sports, the second season started in pro-football yesterday.
Roy Stanley has highlights from yesterday's playoff action.
Good morning again Roy.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Good morning]
[RUNS=2:10]
[OUT Q=safe day everybody]