WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 05/06/99

[7E-Pitts-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-9 1:28:23]
[GRAPHIC=Pitts. Co. Shooting Death]

An apparently accidental shooting has left a 15 year old boy dead.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.]

Police say the teen was playing with a nine-millimeter handgun in his trailer home yesterday when he dropped the weapon and it discharged.
The teen was hit in the chest and died before police arrived on the scene.
Authorities are withholding his name until his mother can be found and notified.
Neighbors say the boy lived with his 18-year old brother and that he wasn't in school because he'd been expelled earlier in the year.
The boy was at home with another teen at the time of the shooting.
Neighbors are puzzled over how he got hold of the handgun.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:08:34]
[IN Q=When I asked]
((DIANE BOWEN/NEIGHBOR: WHEN I ASKED THEM IF THEY HAD ANY GUNS, BECAUSE THEIR FATHER SAID THEY TOOK ALL THEIR GUNS THAT THEY HAD, THEY SAID NO. I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY SEEN IT, SO I DON'T KNOW.))
[SUPER=01-Diane Bowen/Neighbor;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=so I don't know.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=hold]

An autopsy will be performed in Roanoke.

[7E-Ferguson]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#=599-3 51:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Virginia Tech athletic department has suspended one its football players.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nashville, TN/December 29;]

Lorenzo Ferguson was suspended from the team after he was charged with breaking into student dorm rooms and allegedly stealing blank checks.
Virginia Tech police say Ferguson, who's a sophomore, used the checks to deposit money into his own checking account.
(------------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

During the 1998 football season, Ferguson started every game for the Hokies as a linebacker.
He finished the season third on the team in tackles and interceptions.

[7E-City-Council]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-5 1:51:19]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Seal]

Roanoke City Council is hoping a new task force will help to coordinate three major redevelopment projects in the Gainsboro neighborhood.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Work on the new Higher Education Center is moving forward in the former Norfolk and Western Headquarters, and the city plans housing in a second N&W office building next door.
The plan to redevelop Henry Street has also reached a critical stage, and during a budget meeting today, council members raised questions about the progress of those improvements.
(--------------)
[anchor=]
[graphic=hold]

Council member Bill White proposed the task force as a way to iron out any conflicts among the three projects.

The city administration is promising a more detailed plan for the Henry Street improvements within the next four to six weeks.

[7E-Akers]

[ANCHOR=]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-12 1:00:47]
[GRAPHIC=Akers Case Dismissed]

Goldie Akers went to court and got just what she wanted today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

The 77-year old who was sprayed with pepper spray by a Roanoke county police officer faced charges of reckless driving and obstructing justice.
A judge dismissed those charges.
And Akers says she learned a lesson.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:38:22]
[IN Q=well i think]
((GOLDIE AKERS/PEPPER SPRAY VICTIM: WELL I THINK I'LL ALWAYS CARRY MY PERMIT WITH ME. AND I WON'T GET ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD ANYMORE.))
[SUPER=01-Goldie Akers/Pepper Spray Victim;]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=ANYMORE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Akers was checking her mail last year when officer Russell Metcalf approached her.
He asked for her license.
When she did not give it to him, he followed her up her driveway, pepper-sprayed her and dragged her out of the car.

Akers won a 45-thousand-dollar settlement from the county for suffering a torn rotator cuff.
Metcalf was terminated, but later reached a settlement of his own and resigned.
(------------)

[45E-98-degrees]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=99-22 9:30]
[GRAPHIC=98 Degrees]
[***ANCHOR TAG****]
The Song Invisible man launched their career less than two years, and since then 98 degrees has been anything BUT invisible on the top 40 music charts.
The Ohio band and and the lively Irish group B-witched performed before a sold out crowd last night at the Roanoke civic center.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nat sound]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Edele Lynch/B*Witched; :28]
[SUPER=01-Drew Lachey/98 Degrees; 1:05]
[SUPER=01-Nick Lachey/98 Degrees; 1:31]
[SUPER=01-Melanie Moon/Reporting;]
[RUNS=1:51]
[OUT Q=as the world turns.]
(([nats of b'witched]
The Irish group B'witched kicked of the 19-99 Heat up tour before a sold out Roanoke crowd.
They're debut album just turned platinium and is currently number 8 in Roanoke.
But it's not record sales that motivates this Dublin foresome, they get the biggest thrill from their fans.
[SOTEdele LYNCH AND KEAVY LYNCH----19:15:33-WE HAVE A LOT OF MOTHERS.....STAY THE WAY YOU ARE.]
[SOT]
[nats of 98]
98 degrees took the stage next, and if you could hear over the screaming fans, its not hard to understand how their soulful harmonies has them also heating up the billboard charts.
And it's hard to believe just a year ago when the performed in Roanoke, they were driving themselves from concert to concert in a beat up R-V.
[SOT ABOUT RV drew lachey/98 Degrees 18:48:18, things have definately changed....to travel now.]

But the four Ohio boys create their success to lots of hard work and determination.
[sot-18:52:50 NICK LACHEY: we've put in a lot ot time... a lot of great opportunity.]
[NATS---OF 98]

The tour heads next to the midwest, but you catch 98 degrees on daytime television later this month when they make a guest appearance on the C-B-S soap, As the World Turns.))

[45E-Ferguson]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#=599-3 51:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Virginia Tech football player has been suspended.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nashville, TN/December 29;]

Officials with the Athletic department say Lorenzo Ferguson was suspended from the team after he was charged with breaking into student dorm rooms and allegedly stealing blank checks.
Campus police say Ferguson, who's a sophomore, used the checks to deposit money into his own checking account.
(------------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

During the 1998 football season, Ferguson started every game for the Hokies as a linebacker.
He finished the season third on the team in tackles and interceptions.

[452-Pitts-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-9 1:28:23]
[GRAPHIC=Pitts. Co. Shooting Death]

Another tragic story involving teens and guns.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.]

Pittsylvania County authorities say a 15 year boy was playing with a nine-millimeter handgun in his trailer home when he dropped the weapon and it fired.
The teen was hit in the chest and died before police arrived on the scene.
Authorities are withholding his name until his mother can be found and notified.
Neighbors say the boy lived with his 18-year old brother and that he wasn't in school because he'd been expelled earlier in the year.
The boy was at home with another teen at the time of the shooting.
Neighbors are puzzled over how he got hold of the gun.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 2:08:34]
[IN Q=When I asked]
((DIANE BOWEN/NEIGHBOR: WHEN I ASKED THEM IF THEY HAD ANY GUNS, BECAUSE THEIR FATHER SAID THEY TOOK ALL THEIR GUNS THAT THEY HAD, THEY SAID NO. I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY SEEN IT, SO I DON'T KNOW.))
[SUPER=01-Diane Bowen/Neighbor;]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=so I don't know.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=hold]

An autopsy will be performed in Roanoke.

[8E-98-degrees]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=99-22 9:30]
[GRAPHIC=98 Degrees]
[***ANCHOR TAG****]
A pop music sensation warmed the Roanoke Civic Center last night up to 98- DEGREES....
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Nat sound]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Edele Lynch/B*Witched; :28]
[SUPER=01-Drew Lachey/98 Degrees; 1:05]
[SUPER=01-Nick Lachey/98 Degrees; 1:31]
[SUPER=01-Melanie Moon/Reporting; 1:42]
[RUNS=1:51]
[OUT Q=as the world turns.]
(([nats of b'witched]
The Irish group B'witched kicked of the 19-99 Heat up tour before a sold out Roanoke crowd.
They're debut album just turned platinium and is currently number 8 in Roanoke.
But it's not record sales that motivates this Dublin foresome, they get the biggest thrill from their fans.
[SOTEdele LYNCH AND KEAVY LYNCH----19:15:33-WE HAVE A LOT OF MOTHERS.....STAY THE WAY YOU ARE.]
[SOT]
[nats of 98]
98 degrees took the stage next, and if you could hear over the screaming fans, its not hard to understand how their soulful harmonies has them also heating up the billboard charts.
And it's hard to believe just a year ago when the performed in Roanoke, they were driving themselves from concert to concert in a beat up R-V.
[SOT ABOUT RV drew lachey/98 Degrees 18:48:18, things have definately changed....to travel now.]

But the four Ohio boys create their success to lots of hard work and determination.
[sot-18:52:50 NICK LACHEY: we've put in a lot ot time... a lot of great opportunity.]
[NATS---OF 98]

The tour heads next to the midwest, but you catch 98 degrees on daytime television later this month when they make a guest appearance on the C-B-S soap, As the World Turns.))

[8E-Ferguson]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=THa]
[TAPE#=599-3 51:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A Virginia Tech football player has been sidelined for allegedly burglarizing other students.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Nashville, TN/December 29;]

Lorenzo Ferguson was suspended from the team after he was charged with breaking into student dorm rooms and allegedly stealing blank checks.
Virginia Tech police say Ferguson, who's a sophomore, used the checks to deposit money into his own checking account.
(------------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]

During the 1998 football season, Ferguson started every game for the Hokies as a linebacker.
He finished the season third on the team in tackles and interceptions.

[8E-Akers]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-12 1:00:47]
[GRAPHIC=Akers Case Dismissed]

Goldie Akers made what might have been her LAST court appearance yesterday....
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]

The 77-year old who was sprayed with pepper spray by a Roanoke county police officer faced charges of reckless driving and obstructing justice.
A judge dismissed those charges.
And Akers says she learned a lesson.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:38:22]
[IN Q=well i think]
((GOLDIE AKERS/PEPPER SPRAY VICTIM: WELL I THINK I'LL ALWAYS CARRY MY PERMIT WITH ME. AND I WON'T GET ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD ANYMORE.))
[SUPER=01-Goldie Akers/Pepper Spray Victim;]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=ANYMORE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Akers was checking her mail last year when officer Russell Metcalf approached her.
He asked for her license.
When she did not give it to him, he followed her up her driveway, pepper-sprayed her and dragged her out of the car.

Akers won a 45-thousand-dollar settlement from the county for suffering a torn rotator cuff. (------------) Metcalf was terminated, but later reached a settlement of his own and resigned.