[7Roanoke-Murder]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


The wife of a man found dead in a Roanoke motel is being charged with the crime.
Police say 46-year-old Ronald Gene Durham was stabbed at least once in the chest around 6 p-m at the Towne Motel on Williamson Road.
He died almost two hours later.
Durham's wife Dorothy is currently charged with malicious wounding, but police expect the charge to be upgraded to murder tomorrow.

[7S-Payne]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-14 30:15]
[GRAPHIC=Va Death Penalty]


He went on a killing spree with a hammer -
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Last night Eric Christopher Payne was put to death by lethal injection.
He did not appeal his death sentence or seek clemency from Governor Gilmore.
Payne bludgeoned two Richmond area women to death in 1997, and ended his spree by attacking a mother and her 8-year-old son with a hammer.
Virginia is scheduled to carry out another execution tonight - that of Pittsylvania County killer Ronald Dale Yeatts.
(------------)


[7E-Druckenmiller]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-9 6:38]
[GRAPHIC=Druckenmiller - Rape Charge]


The 49er's Jim Druckenmiller proclaimed his innocence at a court appearance in Montgomery County yesterday.
The former Tech quarterback is facing life in prison when he goes on trial this summer for rape.
Teresa Hamilton reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Druckenmiller was ]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg; :00]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :12]
[SUPER=01-Deborah Caldwell-Bono/Druckenmiller's Attorney; :48]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; 1:00 ]
[RUNS=1:12]
[OUT Q=Hamilton, NEWS 7, C'burg.]

(( Druckenmiller was indicted two weeks ago after a Virginia Tech student testified before a grand jury accusing the athlete of raping her at a house in Blacksburg, nearly two months ago.
Druckenmiller was in town at the time visiting friends when the two met at a bar in Blacksburg.
The former Virginia Tech quarterback admits they did have sex but maintains it was consensual.
[sot]
[in q= i am ]

((JIM DRUCKENMILLER/RESERVE QUARTERBACK: I AM INNOCENT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, RIGHT NOW, THANK YOU.))
[RUNS= 05]
[OUT Q= thank you.]


Prior to talking with reporters-- Druckenmiller entered a NOT guilty plea to the rape charge and posted a 10-thousand dollar secured bond.
His attorneys say they're convinced they have a strong defense but limited their comments saying they're concerned releasing too much information could cause the trial to be moved out of Montgomery County.
[sot 9:58:39]
[ in q=I will ]

((DEBORAH CALDWELL-BONO/DRUCKENMILLER'S ATTORNEY: I WILL CONFIRM THAT HE HAS CONTINUED TO COOPERATE WITH THE AUTHORITIES SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE CASE, MORE SO THAN ANY OTHER DEFENDANT OR PERSON ACCUSED OF A CRIME THAT I KNOW.))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUT Q= i know.]

[TAKE STAND UP]
No major restrictions were placed on Druckenmiller's bond. He's free to travel in the U-S but not outside the country.
A jury trial has been set for July 19th. Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7, Christiansburg.))

[7E-Brophy]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-23 3:40]
[GRAPHIC=Brophy]


An assault on Roanoke Civic Center employees will cost hockey coach John Brophy a thousand dollar fine.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/January 10]


It was the reason for all the commotion following a hockey game between the Hampton Admirals and the Roanoke Express in January.
As he left the ice, Express fans taunted Brophy, and he responded. When a couple of security officers tried to get Brophy to leave the arena, he shoved them.
Brophy managed to avoid making a personal appearance in court yesterday, but his lawyer entered a guilty plea to one count of assault and battery.
(------------)


[7WEATHER]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]



Taking a look now at your Thursday forecast..
The rain will end today, but temperatures will stay on the cool side, with highs only in the low- to mid-50s.
Mostly cloudy overnight, with some light winds out of the north Temperatures won't fall much, with lows staying in the lower-40s.
The extended forecast...
[CK/WX PRO=]

MAPS

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Cool, with/Partial Clearing/52-56/Mostly Cloudy/Winds N 5-10/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

[7BIRTHDAYS!] 4/30/99
Friday:

[SUPER=130-11/Samantha Doyle/Roanoke]



[SUPER=130-/Rebecca Foster/Roanoke]



[SUPER=130-6/Hunter Grubb/Hillsville]



[SUPER=130-OLDER THAN GLENN!/Patsy Feather/Hardy] (Steve: this is Glenn Saunder's - Chief Engineer - sister)



[SUPER=130-26/Stephanie Hubbard/Altavista]



[SUPER=130-31/Allen Osborne/Stanleytown]



[SUPER=130-3/Michael Hale, Jr./Ironto]



[SUPER=130-10/Paul Bryant/Vesuvius]


No Pictures:

[SUPER=131-23/Charles DiRico/Christiansburg]



[SUPER=131-69/John Wimbush/Stuart]



[SUPER=131-/James Kirk/Truvine]



[SUPER=131-/Jennifer Reynolds/Snow Creek]



[SUPER=131-/Robert Snyder/Vinton][cutopen]
[SUPER=@Melanie1]


We have one school closing to announce this morning. Chatham High School in Pittsylvania County will be closed today

.[45E-Akers]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-13 43:38]
[GRAPHIC=None]


A 77 year old woman who was pepper sprayed by a Roanoke County officer is getting 45 thousand dollars from the city in a settlement agreement.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./March]


Goldie Akers sued the county to pay for her injuries.
Her lawyer says she tore a rotator cuff ... after a police officer pepper-sprayed her and dragged her out of her car.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15 13 44 ub -- akers conference tape]
[IN Q=ms akers]

((TOM BLAYLOCK/GOLDIE AKERS' LAWYER: MS AKERS IS HAPPY TO GET THIS BEHIND. QUITE FRANKLY AT HER AGE SHE'S GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN TO BE TIED UP IN COURT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE))
[SUPER=01-Tom Blaylock/Goldie Akers' Attorney;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=THAT NATURE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Akers is charged with reckless driving and obstruction of justice.
Last November, Akers was parked on the wrong side of the road when Roanoke County officer Russell Metcalf approached her car.
He said she resisted arrest ... and that's when he took out the pepper spray.
Metcalf resigned last month after reaching a settlement of his own with the county.
(------------)


[45S-Lee]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-16 3:28]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]


Meantime another lawsuit against Roanoke CITY will cost the plaintiff.
Terri Lee sued Roanoke over the death of her husband.
She lost and now she'll have to pay court costs.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Last June a federal jury rejected her "excessive force" claim.
Eric Lee died in a police officer's choke hold in 1993.
Yesterday Judge Jackson Kiser ordered Terri Lee to pay the city the cost of defending her unsuccessful suit.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]


The city ASKED for 14-thousand dollars in expenses.
Judge Kiser ordered Lee's widow to pay 37-hundred dollars.

[45S-Cruz]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-17]
[GRAPHIC=Javier Cruz]


Drug dealer turned informant Javier Cruz owes the government more than 22 million dollars.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co./1997]


The total of the Columbian drug trafficker's gains includes his Roanoke County home, along with a condo and another house in Miami.
Cruz worked for the government as a drug informant for years.
Yesterday's forfeiture order dismisses the case.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/January 23, 1998]


Cruz pleaded guilty last year, then skipped the country. He remains at large.
(------------)


[45E-Marrano]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssi]
[TAPE#=99-11]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign 99]


A Cave Spring resident is the candidate chosen by Democrats for the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

Gene Marrano says he wants to be more involved with the community and help to maintain the high quality of life. Marrano is a sales manager at Plastics One.
He says he wants to increase the level of citizen input in the County.
(-----------)


[45E-Willie-Nelson]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-20 11:20]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Washington and Lee held it's mock Republican convention yesterday.
But later in the day the focus turned from politics to entertainment, as Willie Nelson took the stage .
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington]


The true die-hard fans lined up hours before the show.
Dee Sulenski drove 3 hours to be in the first row.
She has Nelson's autograph tattooed on her leg.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Everybody's autograph]
[SUPER=01-Dee Sulenski/Fan;:03]
[SUPER=01-Debbie Carwell-Bishop/Fan; :07]
[RUNS=:30]
[OUT Q=Music Fades]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


It was a sellout crowd.
More than 2-thousand fans watched the performance at the Washington and Lee Pavilion
(------------)


[45WEATHER]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Taking a break from the news to check the forecast...
Cool today, with partial clearing by afternoon.
Highs in the mid 50s.
Mostly cloudy tonight, with lows in the low to mid 40s.
The extended forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies and a gradual warm-up...
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Cool, with/Partial Clearing/52-56/Mostly Cloudy/Winds N 5-10/40-45;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]

[cutopen]
[SUPER=@Melanie1]


We have one school closing to announce this morning. Chatham High School in Pittsylvania County will be closed today

.[8Roanoke-Murder]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


The body of a 46- year- old man was discovered in a Roanoke motel room last night-- his wife is charged with the crime.
Police say Ronald Gene Durham was stabbed at least once in the chest at about six o'clock at the Towne Motel on Williamson Road.
He died almost two hours later.
Durham's wife Dorothy is currently charged with malicious wounding, but police expect the charge to be upgraded to murder later today.

[8E-Education-Board]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-5 1:35:37]
[GRAPHIC=Safe At School]


State Board of Education members are putting their heads together this week, in hopes of preventing a tragedy like the one in Littleton, Colorado.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville]


Board members meeting in Charlottesville say they'll hasten work on a new crisis management plan for public schools to use in the event of an emergency.
Board president Kirk Schroder says parents, teachers and counselors also need to stay involved.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:39:03]
[IN Q=It's scary]

((KIRK SCHRODER/EDUCATION BOARD PRESIDENT: IT'S SCARY RIGHT NOW, BUT ALL YOU CAN DO IS BE AS PREPARED AS YOU CAN BE AND HOPE THAT THE HUMAN FACTORS, IN TERMS OF HELPING CHILDREN AND DOING THINGS AND ENCOURAGING PARENTS AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO IDENTIFY CHILDREN IN CRISIS, TO REACH OUT AND HELP THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Kirk Schroder/Education Board President; :00]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=and help them.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Today, the board hears input on whether to penalize schools that don't meet the new Standards of Accreditation.
(------------)


[8E-Fralin]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-8 1:43:52]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign '99]


Roanoke Senate candidate William Fralin has unveiled his plan to keep guns and violence out of Virginia schools.

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Fralin met with reporters yesterday at the Roanoke Library branch near Patrick Henry High School.
His plan includes tougher penalties, local hotlines for students to report threats, and state subsidies for school systems that require uniforms.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 40:25]
[IN Q=We need to draw]

((WE NEED TO DRAW THE BRIGHT LINE TEST, SO THAT THERE'S NO QUESTION FROM EITHER STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS OF ADMINISTRATORS, EXACTLY WHAT WILL CONSTITUTE A THREAT OF VIOLENCE AND EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THAT HAPPENS.))
[SUPER=01-William Fralin/(R) State Senate Candidate]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=if that happens.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Fralin is a Republican. He's challenging Democratic incumbent John Edwards.
Edwards says the Fralin plan leaves out the need for more guidance counselors, better security, and character education.

[8E-Keister]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=ssi]
[TAPE#=99-10 1:21:48]
[GRAPHIC=Campaign '99]


Dublin's Mayor is hoping to take his political career to Richmond.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Dublin]

Benny Keister(key-stir) says his 11 years as mayor makes him a good choice for the Seventh District House of Delegates seat. The democrat's platform focuses on the economy, education and public safety. He plans a campaign of "getting out and meeting the people." The seat is currently held by Republican Tommy Baker.
(------------)


[8E-Alexander]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sta]
[TAPE#=99-12 51:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Lexington welcomed Presidential candidate Lamar Alexander yesterday,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington]

to help mark the kickoff of Washington and Lee University's Republican Mock Convention.
His focus in this election is improving education and increasing "parent-time" in light of the shooting in Littleton, Colorado.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 13.42.47 - 13.42.59]
[IN Q=Parents and other]

((LAMAR ALEXANDER/PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: PARENTS AND OTHER ADULTS INTERVENING IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND HELPING THEM MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES.))
[SUPER=01-Lamar Alexander/Presidential Candidate;]
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=the right choices.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


Alexander said more companies should offer on-site daycare to allow working parents to spend more time with their children.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=none]


This is Alexander's second presidential race.

[8WEATHER]


[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=KMC]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]


Checking the Thursday weather outlook now--
Continued unseasonably cool today, with partial clearing by afternoon.
Highs near 55.
Turning mostly cloudy overnight, with lows in the lower 40s.
The next five days will bring drier weather...and much warmer temperatures..
[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]

[SUPER=#555; reset] [SUPER=314-Cool, with/Partial Clearing/52-56/Mostly Cloudy/Winds N 5-10/40-45;]
by SS