WDBJ 7 morning news AM cutins for 09/03/99

[73-Plane-Problems]

[ANCHOR=melanie]

[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=99-]
[GRAPHIC=Emergency Landing]

Two people aboard a small plane narrowly escaped injury last night after making an emergency landing at Roanoke Regional Airport.
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night]

This piper lance single engine plane was forced to land without it's main landing gear.
Passenger Jeff Hoprich say it was locked in position and wouldn't not come lose.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 09:06:31]
[IN Q=We didn't have]
((JEFF HOPRICH/PASSENGER: WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS WE WERE OUT OF OPTIONS AS TO HOW TO LAND THE PLAN AT THAT TIME. SO WE JUST HAD TO BRING IT DOWN WITH THE NOSE GAIN AND THE RIGHT MAIN GATE))
[SUPER=07-Jeff Hoprich/Passenger;]
[RUNS=8]
[OUT Q=main gate]
(-----------)
[VO-NAT]

But the plane sustained only minor damages and no one was injured.
Hoprich believes it was a mechanical adjustment that happened while the plane was being painted in Delaware that led to the failure.
Now the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate that matter.

(--------)[711Fire-Chief]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-35]
[GRAPHIC=Fred Mills/Stepping Down]

Lynchburg's top firefighter has resigned his post, claiming the job of fire chief took too much of a toll on his personal life.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Fred Mills had served as the city's fire chief for just over three years.
He told a news conference yesterday that the decision to step down was a personal one, and "not" related to any problems within the department.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 21:11:05]
[IN Q=We're not]
((FRED MILLS/LYNCHBURG FIRE CHIEF: WE'RE NOT MAKING CHANGES THAT ARE RADICAL OR OFF- BASE AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THOSE CHANGES WILL TAKE PLACE AND THAT THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, WHETHER I'M THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT OR SOMEONE ELSE IS, THEY'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.))
[SUPER=01-Fred Mills/Lynchburg Fire Chief; :00]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=they'll be successful.]
(---------)
[VO-NAT]

Many firefighters have expressed concern recently that Mills hasn't done enough to address problems of staffing shortages and minority hiring.
Mills will remain as chief until his replacement is hired.
The city hopes to have a new chief on board by January.
(---------)

[711VMI]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-25 1:34:57]
[GRAPHIC=VMI]

Questions still plague V-M-I about the dismissal of a top cadet in June.
And yesterday, V-M-I was back in court... trying to keep a report that may answer those questions away from the media.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/File Tape;]

The report is sealed... and discusses an incident in which a top cadet allegedly pressured three female students for sex.
Yesterday, attorneys for the Roanoke Times argued
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
that the facts of the report can be made public, while still protecting the students' privacy.
But V-M-I officials told Judge Jackson Kiser that releasing any more information would betray the confidence ... and identities ... of the three women involved.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:41:00 - :08]
[IN Q=I think that right now,]
[SUPER=01-Col. Mike Bissell/VMI;]
((COL. MIKE BISSELL: I THINK THAT, RIGHT NOW, THE CONFIDENTIALITY THAT WE'VE BUILT INTO THE CORPS FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS IS WONDERFUL. AND I DON'T WANT TO MIRE THAT AND I DON'T WANT TO DETER THAT. ))
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=don't want to deter that.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The judge says he won't make a ruling until attorneys for the Justice Department and V-M-I submit proposals on HOW MUCH detail from the report is safe to reveal.

[711Power-Deregulation]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Power Deregulation]

18-thousand American Electric Power customers in Central and Southwest Virginia may get a sneek-peek at power de-regulation.
A-E-P wants to let them buy power from any electricity supplier registered in the state by early 2001.
The idea is to help the company and consumers prepare for 2002, when retail electric deregulation arrives in Virginia.

[7WEATHER]

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

Taking a look at your Friday forecast...it'll be mostly sunny with winds out of the northeast...temperatures will be in the upper 80's. The start of weekend tonight will be partly cloudy, still breezy with temperatures in the low -to-mid 60's. The extended outlook calls for...

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NE 10-20/88-90/Partly Cloudy/Still Breezy/60-65;]

[SUPER=#555; reset]

[454-Plane-Crash]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=rsp]
[TAPE#=99-]
[GRAPHIC=Emergency Landing]

Some tense moments over the skies of Roanoke last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night]

A pilot was forced to make an emergency landing because of engine trouble.
Thesingle engine plane was on route to Roanoke from Dover, Delaware when the pilot realized the main landing gear was locked in position.
As fire crews stood by waiting for the plane to arrive, the pilot circled the airport for hours to burn up fuel before landing.
The pilot and one passenger landed safely.
The F-A-A is investigating.
(------------)

[4511Lee]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A technical error has led to the dismissal of charges against a teacher who was indicted for sexual misconduct.
A judge says Giles County's prosecutor used a wrong law to indict 41 year old Richard Gene Lee..
The judge dismissed the case, when Prosecutor Garland Spangler could not find another statute that would apply to the charges.
Lee was set to be tried this week on charges of taking liberties with a minor.

He denies all charges.[4511VMI]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-25 1:34:57]
[GRAPHIC=VMI]

V-M-I was back in court yesterday, this time trying to keep a report about the dismissal of a top cadet from the media.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/File Tape;]

The report is sealed... and discusses an incident in which a top cadet allegedly pressured three female students for sex.
Yesterday, attorneys for the Roanoke Times argued
[SUPER=03-Danville;]
that the facts of the report can be made public, while still protecting the students' privacy.
But V-M-I officials told Judge Jackson Kiser that releasing any more information would betray the confidence ... and identities ... of the three women involved.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:41:00 - :08]
[IN Q=I think that right now,]
[SUPER=01-Col. Mike Bissell/VMI;]
((COL. MIKE BISSELL: I THINK THAT, RIGHT NOW, THE CONFIDENTIALITY THAT WE'VE BUILT INTO THE CORPS FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS IS WONDERFUL. AND I DON'T WANT TO MIRE THAT AND I DON'T WANT TO DETER THAT. ))
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=don't want to deter that.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The judge says he won't make a ruling until attorneys for the Justice Department and V-M-I submit proposals on HOW MUCH detail from the report is safe to reveal.

[4511Fire-Chief]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-35]
[GRAPHIC=Fred Mills/Stepping Down]

Lynchburg is looking for a new fire chief.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Fred Mills announced his resignation of chief yesterday after holding the job for a little over theree years.
At a news conference he said the decision was a personal one, and "not" related to any problems within the department.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 21:11:05]
[IN Q=We're not]
((FRED MILLS/LYNCHBURG FIRE CHIEF: WE'RE NOT MAKING CHANGES THAT ARE RADICAL OR OFF- BASE AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THOSE CHANGES WILL TAKE PLACE AND THAT THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, WHETHER I'M THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT OR SOMEONE ELSE IS, THEY'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.))
[SUPER=01-Fred Mills/Lynchburg Fire Chief; :00]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=they'll be successful.]
(---------)
[VO-NAT]

Many firefighters have expressed concern recently that Mills hasn't done enough to address problems of staffing shortages and minority hiring.
Mills will remain as chief until his replacement is hired.
The city hopes to have a new chief on board by January.
(---------)

[4511Miss-Virginia]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=99-24 2:00:52]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Miss Virginia is in the place where dreams come true and she's hoping her dream will become reality.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Crystal Lewis left Roanoke yesterday.
First stop is Walt Disney World where she will join the 49 other contestants before heading to pageant headquarters in Altantic City.
She has hopes of becoming the second consecutive Miss Virginia to walk away with the national crown.
The televised Miss America pageant is September 18th.
(------------)

[45WEATHER]

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

Taking a break from the news to check the forecast....
Mostly sunny skies today and still breezy with highs around 90.
Turning partly cloudy tonight, with lows of 60 to 65.
In the five day forecast....skies will become increasingly cloudy with scattered showers likely throughout the Labor Day Weekend.
Highs around 80...with lows in the 50s and 60s.

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NE 10-20/88-90/Partly Cloudy/Still Breezy/60-65;]

[SUPER=#555; reset]

[8plane-Problems]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jsu]
[TAPE#=99-]
[GRAPHIC=Emergency landing]

It was a turbulent ride for one pilot, who was forced to make an emergency landing last night.
Joy Sutton has details.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=This piper lance]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Night;01]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Hoprich;16]
[SUPER=07-Jean Bursati;1:11]
[SUPER=@Joy2; 1:18]
[RUNS=1:23]
[OUT Q=N7 Roanoke]

((This piper lance single engine plane left from Dover Delaware and was headed to Roanoke with two people on board.
But as pilot prepared for landing the main landing gear would not come down and was locked in position.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 09:03:33]
[IN Q=We tried a little bit of]
((JEFF HOPRICH/PASSENGER: WE TRIED A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. WE TRIED TO SHAKE IT DOWN. WE TRIED TO OVERRIDE IT DOWN. WE EVEN TOOK THE MIDDLE SEATS OUT OF THE AIR PLANE TO GET TO THE HYDRAULICS SYSTEM. IT WOULDN'T COME DOWN)) [RUNS8]
[OUT Q=wouldn't come down]

Fire crews were near the runway waiting for the planes arrival.... but the pilot was forced to circle the airport for hours to get rid of fuel before landing.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 09:06:31]
[IN Q=We didnt' have any]
((JOHN HOPRICH/ PASSENGER: WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS. WE WERE OUT OF OPTIONS AS TO HOW TO LAND THE PLANE AT THE TIME. SO WE HAD TO BRING IT DOWN WITH NOSE GEAR AND RIGHT MAIN GATE)) [RUNS8]
[OUT Q=main gate]

Despite the odds the plane landed safely with only minor damages and both the pilot Jeff Bursati and passenger Jeff Hoprich were fine.
(.///// SOT /////)
[SOT 09:06:00]
[IN Q=I wasn't petrified]
((JEFF HOPRICH: I WASN'T PETRIFIED WITH FEAR. I WAS PRETTY SURE WE WERE GOING TO WALK AWAY FROM IT. I JUST WASN'T SURE HOW MANY PIECES OF THE PLANE WE'D HAVE WHEN WE GOT DONE)) [RUNS12]
[OUT Q=I wasn't]

And their families were just as happy they made it out alive.
But Jean Bursati says it's time for her husband to stop flying.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:39:34]
[IN Q=I would rather he didn't]
((JEAN BURSATI/ PILOT'S WIFE: I WOULD RATHER THAT HE DIDN'T. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT 'S GOING TO HAPPEN. HE STILL LOVES TO FLY.)) [RUNS3]
[OUT Q=to fly]

And Hoprich says it was their skills as pilots that helped them make it through the risky landing.
Joy Sutton News 7, Roanoke.))
(-----------)
(-----------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHICS=none]

At this point Hoprich believes it was a mechanical adjustment that happened while the plane was being painted in Delaware that led to the failure.
But that's what the Federal Aviation Administration will now have to determine.

[811Derail]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=99-32 45:11]
[GRAPHIC=Derailment]

Route 419 at the train tressells and Chapparel Road will be closed for the next hour to clean up yesterday's train derailment.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

A Norfolk Southern train heading from Roanoke to North Carolina derailed near Route 419 around four yesterday afternoon. 29 cars derailed. A spokesperson for Norfolk-Southern says the clean up operation will last all day. But the road will reopen at 9:30 this morning. No one was hurt in the accident.
(------------)

[811Bank-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Bank Robery]

The man who robbed a bank in Ararat is still at large.
Patrick County authorities say a man entered B B and T yesterday, gave the teller a note, and left with an undisclosed amount of money.
State police and FBI agents are investigating, and are following leads on a suspect.

[811Connex]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutin]
[WRITER=jha]
[TAPE#=99-27 1:01:09]
[GRAPHIC=None]

It's good news for employment opportunities in Botetourt County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Troutville/September 1998]

Connex Pipe Systems closed last year, taking over one hundred jobs with it.
But the company will be opening its doors once again in October, offering jobs to about 50 people.
Connex makes heavy duty pipe. Just about all of it is sold overseas.
(------------)

[4511Miss-Virginia]

[8WEATHER]

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

Let's take one more look at the Friday forecast...
Mostly sunny and breezy today with highs around 90.
Turning partly cloudy tonight, with lows in the lower 60s.
The extended outlook is cloudy, with scattered showers starting tomorrow and lasting into Labor Day.
Highs near 80...lows in the 50s and 60s.

[SUPER=X5000; set dissolve]
[SUPER=314-Mostly Sunny/Winds NE 10-20/88-90/Partly Cloudy/Still Breezy/60-65;]
[SUPER=#555; reset]