WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 01/13/99

[7NAACP]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=99-1 10:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Controversy continues to swirl around the leadership of the Roanoke N-double-A-C-P chapter.
The President's position has been in limbo since out-going president Martin Jeffery challenged the election of Brenda Hale.
Chapter officials were going to make some kind of announcment after a meeting last night, but in the end, didn't say much.
Eric Earnhart reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A scheduled 8:00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Brenda Hale/President-Elect; :28]
[SUPER=@eric1; :57]
[RUNS=1:09]
[OUT Q=EE, News 7]

((A scheduled 8:00 press conference never materialized... Instead the doors at the meeting remained closed... members of the press were not allowed in, or even near the meeting.
[SOT12:07:40]
[IN Q=]
((CAN YOU MOVE AWAY FROM THE DOOR PLEASE?)) [RUNS03]
[OUT Q=door please?]

At one point, Former chapter President Rev. Charles Green left the meeting.
[SOT 12:07:47]
[IN Q=cause what]
((REV. CHARLES GREEN/FORMER NAACP PRESIDENT; CAUSE WHAT HE'S DOING, THAT'S NOT RIGHT, THAT'S NOT RIGHT. )) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=that's not right]

Green wouldn't say who or what he was referring to.
A short time later, President-Elect Brenda Hale left the meeting, apparently STILL the president-ELECT.
[SOT 12:09:29]
[IN Q=I can't make]
((BRENDA HALE/PRESIDENT ELECT; I CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMENTS RIGHT NOW, NO COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.

IS THE SITUATION SETTLED? NO ITS NOT, NO ITS NOT SETTLED AND I CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMENTS RIGHT NOW)) [RUNS13]
[OUT Q=comments right now]

One of the board members did make a brief statement...
[SOT 12:10:57]
[IN Q=at this particular time]
((NAACP BOARD MEMBER; AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, THERE WILL BE NO STATEMENT RELEASED, PRIOR TO INFORMATION WE ARE WAITING TO RECIEVE.... CAN YOU SAY WHO...? NO WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY COMMENT )) [RUNS10]
[OUT Q=any comment]

And with that, the meeting ended.
[SOT 12:12:07]
[IN Q=you have]
(( [SLAM] YOU HAVE A GOOD NIGHT! )) [RUNS02]
[OUT Q=a good night]
If the status quo continues, then Martin Jeffery would continue as acting president, but Jeffery left the meeting by another exit, and was not available for comment.
Eric Earnhart, News 7))

[7S-XGR-Preview]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-75 1:55:42]
[GRAPHIC=VA Capitol]

A large budget surplus and an abundance of controversial topics promises to make this year's General Assembly session interesting.
The 19-99 General Assembly convenes today at noon for just six weeks of lawmaking this year.
And a billion dollar budget surplus may make the task easier.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:12:06]
[IN Q=You're going]
((BOB HOLSWORTH/VCU POLITICAL ANALYST: YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE BOTH, TAX REDUCTION AND INCREASED SPENDING... DIFFICULT TO DRAW SHARP LINES...INSIDE BASEBALL TYPE OF AFFAIRS.))
[SUPER=01-Bob Holsworth/VCU Political Analyst;]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=of affairs.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Melanie]
[SS=none]

Analysts say you can expect some sharp differences on things like the right to die, a 24 hour waiting period for abortions, and controversial new license plates for Virginia motorists.

[7Monty-Secretary]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith says he NEVER suspected a former secretary of criminal activity.
48- year old Linda Hodges Helm worked for Keith for about two years before resigning late last year.
She was indicted yesterday for possession of cocaine.
She's also charged with obstruction of justice-- for allegedly hampering the work of prosecutors and law enforcement officers.
Keith says Helm was a good friend and secretary.
He says law enforcement officers came to him AFTER Helm had resigned saying they had reason to believe she was involved in drugs.
Radford Commonwealth's attorney Randal Duncan has since been appointed as special prosecutor but did NOT want to elaborate on the case.

[7WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look now at your midweek forecast..
Continued cloudy and breezy today, with the chance for some showers. Highs in the mid-50s. More rain tonight, as a southwesterly breeze keeps the temperatures up. Lows will drop to around 40 degrees.
The extended forecast...
[CK/WX PRO=]
MAPS

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy & Breezy/Chance of Rain/50-55/Rain Likely/Winds S 5-10/35-40;]
[SUPER=#555; RESET]
[7BIRTHDAYS!] 1/14/99
Thursday:

[SUPER=130-9/Andrea Crawford/Bedford]

[SUPER=130-96/Ora Dickerson/Radford]

[SUPER=130-8/Christin Lockhart/Boones Mill]

[SUPER=130-1/Jasmine Wade/Rocky Mount]

[SUPER=130-/Brenda Wheaton/Snow Creek]

No Pictures:

[SUPER=131-/Marlene St. Clair/Salem]

[SUPER=131-/Ewell Overstreet/Snow Creek]

[cutopen]
[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;]

[45E-Clearbrook]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=99-2 10:01]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Raonoke County police are cracking down on a stretch of highway that many consider dangerous.
Officers are handing out about 100 speeding tickets a day on Route 2-20 in the Clearbrook Area.
David Johnson reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=WAY TOO MANY]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; :01]
[SUPER=01-Pam Kingery/Kingery Bros. Store; :35]
[SUPER=@David2; :51]
[RUNS=:58]
[OUT Q=Djo, N7, Roanoke County.]
(([SOT=00:45:07]
[IN Q=WAY TOO]
((OFFICER MATT VIAR/ROANOKE COUNTY POLICE DEPT.; WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE DIE OUT HERE.))
[RUNS= 02]
[OUT Q=DIE OUT HERE.]
Matt Viar is one of several Roanoke County officers who are trying to cut down on those numbers. So unmarked cars run radar on Route-220 between Clearbrook Elementary and Route-657, monitoring the road frequently and at random. Motorists who ignore the warning signs find themselves explaining their offense. [NAT-SOUND/00:51:39 plus some siren sounds before hand.] ((YOU ENTERED RADAR AT 61 MPH IN A POSTED 45 ZONE. I guess I was keeping up with traffic. I really wasn't paying attention.))
[RUNS= 10]
For the most part, members of the community are content that the area is gradually becoming safer.
[SOT=02:21:26]
[IN Q=I THINK THE]
((PAM KINGERY/KINGERY BROS. STORE; I THINK THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BUSINESSES, THE CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS, WE ALL REALLY APPRECIATE IT.))
[RUNS= 07]
[OUT Q=APPRECIATE IT.]
But the area's civic league says slowing traffic down is not the total solution. The group wants to have more turning lanes on the roadway and has applied for funding to keep officers on duty all the time for long periods of time. [STAND-UP/]
[RUNS= 15]))

[45E-L'burg-Council]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#98-73 1:12:47]
[GRAPHIC=Lynchburg seal]

Lynchburg city council has approved the construction of a major shopping center.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

After two months of debate and study, the council voted 5- to- 2 to approve a 38- million- dollar shopping center off Graves Mill Road.
The vote came after the developer agreed to make certain road improvements that will alleviate traffic problems in the area.
"Creekside Center" figures to create hundreds of new jobs for the area once it's completed by the spring of 2001.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 22:14:26]
[IN Q=I hope our]
((BERT DODSON/LYNCHBURG COUNCIL MEMBER: I HOPE OUR CITY COUNCIL TAKES A POSITION OF BEING PRO- DEVELOPMENT, PRO FREE ENTERPRISE. AND I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ZONING REQUEST.))
[SUPER=01-Bert Dodson/Lynchburg Council Member; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=the zoning request.]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

But Council postponed action on ANOTHER shopping center proposal.. this one for a 58- acre tract of land near the Route 460 interchange.
Council members want to give engineers time to complete a study on how the 325- thousand square foot project would impact traffic on the heavily- traveled Wards Road area.
(----------------)

[45S-Coach-Charge]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-65 1:54:58]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The hockey coach for Hampton Roads could be charged with assault today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Commonwealth's Attorney Don Caldwell reportedly will decide today whether John Brophy's rampage should lead to criminal charges.
Brophy was caught on tape shoving members of the Civic Center events staff -- and a Roanoke police officer -- Sunday night.
The East Coast Hockey League is also considering taking action against Brophy.
(------------)

[45E-Beepers]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#98-78 39:15]
[GRAPHIC=Va. Capitol]

The 19-99 General Assembly session will open today with a high-tech flavor.
For the first time-- 35 legislators will use laptop computers to keep track of bills.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

And all one hundred members of the House of Delegates will be furnished with vibrating pagers.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 16:36:54]
[IN Q=Well it's]
((DEL. ALLEN DUDLEY/R-ROCKY MOUNT: WELL IT'S KIND OF LIKE, WHAT'S THE STEAK HOUSE THAT YOU GO TO THAT...TABLE READY?))

[SUPER=01-Del. Alan Dudley/(R) Rocky Mount;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=table ready?]
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

The idea is to keep Delegates from waiting in committee rooms for their bills to come up.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

Governor Gilmore will give his state of the commonwealth address tonight.

And for the first time, the speech will be available live on the Internet in a Webcast.[45WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Turning now to the forecast--
Cloudy and breezy today, with a chance of rain.
Look for continued mild high temperatures in the low to mid 50s.
Rain likely through the night, with lows falling into the upper 30s.
Rain sticks around in the extended outlook through Friday...with highs running in the 40s and 50s. [SUPER=X5000; s
et dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy & Breezy/Chance of Rain/50-55/Rain Likely/Winds S 5-10/35-40;]
[SUPER=#555; RESET]
[cutopen]
[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;]

[8NAACP]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=eea]
[TAPE#=99-1 10:05]
[GRAPHIC=None]

These days, it's hard to tell just who's in charge of the Roanoke chapter of the N-Double-A-C-P.
The confusion surrounds the election of Brenda Hale as president.
OUT-GOING President Martin Jeffrey has challenged her election.
And a chapter meeting last night didn't do much to clear up the mess.
Eric Earnhart reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=A scheduled 8:00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Brenda Hale/President-Elect; :28]
[SUPER=@eric1; :57]
[RUNS=1:09]
[OUT Q=EE, News 7]

((A scheduled 8:00 press conference never materialized... Instead the doors at the meeting remained closed... members of the press were not allowed in, or even near the meeting.
[SOT12:07:40]
[IN Q=]
((CAN YOU MOVE AWAY FROM THE DOOR PLEASE?)) [RUNS03]
[OUT Q=door please?]

At one point, Former chapter President Rev. Charles Green left the meeting.
[SOT 12:07:47]
[IN Q=cause what]
((REV. CHARLES GREEN/FORMER NAACP PRESIDENT; CAUSE WHAT HE'S DOING, THAT'S NOT RIGHT, THAT'S NOT RIGHT. )) [RUNS06]
[OUT Q=that's not right]

Green wouldn't say who or what he was referring to.
A short time later, President-Elect Brenda Hale left the meeting, apparently STILL the president-ELECT.
[SOT 12:09:29]
[IN Q=I can't make]
((BRENDA HALE/PRESIDENT ELECT; I CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMENTS RIGHT NOW, NO COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.

[8E-Franklin-Football]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=tte]
[TAPE#=98-72 1:50:47]
[GRAPHIC=Education]

It seems low test scores are more of a concern for Franklin County parents than low FOOTBALL scores--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Franklin Co.;]

Franklin County students scored higher than the state average on the standards of learning test.
But they still failed 22 of 27 categories.
So when the school board said elementary school children will start learning football skills to boost the team's record, some parents weren't cheering.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:36:39]
[IN Q=I feel like]
((TRACIE HALE/FERRUM EL. PTO: I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT THAT THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON ESPECIALLY SINCE WE JUST RECEIVED OUR S-O-L SCORES, THAT TEACHING FOOTBALL AT THIS LEVEL IS TOO EARLY.))
[SUPER=01-Tracie Hale/Ferrum Elementary PTO;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=is too early]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

But the school board points out it's trying to boost those test scores -- by hiring four new people, offering lunchtime tutoring, and matching course material to test questions.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:04:33]
[IN Q=We're doing]
((WE'RE DOING A GOOD DEAL ACADEMICALLY INCLUDING HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF AND REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THAT'S MAKING SURE WE'RE TEACHING THE S-O-L'S.))
[SUPER=01-Chris Corallo/Assistant Superintendent;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=S-O-L'S]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

School board officials say as more state funds come in they will hire even more teachers to reach their goal.
(------------)

[8E-Post-Office]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=98-76 50:25]
[GRAPHIC=Postage Rates Up]

The search for one-cent stamps continues across the Roanoke Valley.
But post office officials blame the shortage on customers who waited too long.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[from 98-81 28:01]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Since the cost of mailing a letter went up to 33-cents this weekend, post offices have been bombarded by customers.
The South Roanoke office ran out of the one-cent stamp Monday but got another shipment.
Yesterday, the Cave Spring and Downtown stations ran out.
They say too many people waited until the last minute to buy the stamps.
The stations expect to get more one-cent stamps later this week.
(---------------)

[8WEATHER]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=CUTIN]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE #=]
[GRAPHIC=]
Time now to take another look at the forecast---

Cloudy and breezy today, with a chance of rain. Look for highs today in the low to mid 50s.
Rain likely tonight, with lows in the upper 30s.
The extended forecast stays wet through Friday, with partly cloudy skies for the weekend.
Temperatures stay in the 40s and 50s for highs, with lows in the upper 30s.
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=#555; RESET] [SUPER=314-Cloudy & Breezy/Chance of Rain/50-55/Rain Likely/Winds S 5-10/35-40;]