WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 10/05/99

[News-Heads]

[ANCHOR=Jean]

[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
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Next on News 7-
Another big local employer is cutting jobs- this time it's not textiles though. We'll have the story.
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[VO-NAT]

And dozens are dead after a rush hour train collision in London.
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[Weather-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
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As advertised, not a real warm day and tonight will be chilly indeed. Details just ahead.

[Medical-Head]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#med heads]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]
On health check -- Get ready for an early flu season -- health officials say new strains are cropping up this year.
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[VO-NAT]
And rent's going up at a Roanoke retirement community.
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[SUPER=@Jean1;]
[SUPER=@Tonya1;]
[SUPER=@Patrick1;]
[SUPER=@robin1;]
[SUPER=@Mike1;]

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=11]
[WRITER=jja]
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[SOT 14:48:46]
[IN Q=]
((THERE WAS A SUDDEN BANG AND THEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, ANOTHER BANG THE TRAIN SEEMED TO RISE UP BENEATH ME AND THEN CRASH DOWN ON THE TRACKS.))
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=on the tracks.]
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[VO-NAT]

A deadly train crash in London and the search goes on for more bodies.
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[5-London-Train]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
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Authorities now say at least 26 people died in the crash.
Two London commuter train crashed head on at the height of rush hour-
Tom Rivers has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-London, England;]
[SUPER=01-Terry Worrall/Thames Trains; ]
[SUPER=01-John Prescott/Deputy Prime Minister;]
[SUPER=01-Tom Rivers/Reporting;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=CBS News, London.]
((
AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AFTER THE FATAL TRAIN COLLISION AND ENSUING FIRE THAT SENT HUNDREDS OF COMMUTERS SCRAMBLING FOR THEIR LIVES.
THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW.. TWO TRAINS.. COULD BE ON THE SAME TRACK DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE MORNING RUSH HOUR. Terry Worrall, General Manager, Thames Trains "I'M NOT WILLING TO SPECULATE ON THAT. THIS WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF THE MOST EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRY. JOHN PRESCOTT/DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER "WE WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHATEVER HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR TRAGEDY."

SURVIVORS SAY THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS BANG, ALMOST LIKE AN EXPLOSION...WHEN THE TRAINS HIT.
SEVERAL CARS BURST INTO FLAMES, OTHERS WERE SPILT OPEN LIKE TIN CANS.
PASSENGER SOTS:
"EVERYONE WAS SCREAMING, PEOPLE WERE STUCK AND BADLY HURT, SCREAMING, GET OUT, GET OUT." "THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS ANOTHER CARRIAGE ALMOST PARALLEL THAT WAS BURNING, A COUPLE PEOPLE CAME OUT BURNED, BADLY BURNED." 128 PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO LOCAL HOSPITALS, ABOUT 2O WITH SEVERE INJURIES. AND NOW.. THAT ALL THE SURVIVORS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE... AUTHORITIES SAY THEY'LL FOCUS ON WHAT CAUSED BRITAIN'S WORST RAIL DISASTER IN A DECADE. TOM RIVERS, CBS NEWS, LONDON.))

[5-Trigon]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tfl]
[TAPE#=599-12 1:20:06]
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Virginia's largest managed health care company is laying off 200 employees in Roanoke and Richmond. [TWO SHOT]
Our Health check reporter Tonya Flory is following this story.
Tonya, why is Trigon laying off so many workers?
[ANCHOR=TONYA]
[GRAPHIC=Trigon]
Trigon announced today Mid-South Insurance Company is leaving the market.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; ]

All of it's employees, which include 100 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, 158 in Roanoke and about 40 in Richmond will lose their jobs in the next six months. Trigon's Vice President says it's a business decision, based purely on the financial performance of Mid-South. The prinicple impact will NOT affect customers in Virginia.
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[SOT tc 00:50 28]
[IN Q=Most of Mid-South]
((JOHN BERRY/SENIOR VP: MOST OF MID-SOUTH INSURANCE COMPANIES BUSINESS IS IN GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA. THERE ARE VERY FEW CUSTOMERS HERE IN THE VIRGINIA AREA.))
[SUPER=01-John Berry/Senior VP; ]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=Virginia area]
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[VO-NAT]
Trigon sent letters to all Mid-South customers today. It will start letting employees go by mid-December.
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[SOT tc 51:27]
[IN Q=I've been with]
((JOHN BERRY/SENIOR VP: I'VE BEEN WITH 158 PEOPLE THIS MORNING. IT'S A DIFFICULT IMAPCT AND WE'RE SHARING THAT WITH THEM AND I HOPE THEY'RE ALL BEING TREATED PROFESSIONALLY AND ARE BEING GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO DECIDE WHAT THERE NEXT CAREER STEPS WILL BE.))
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=will be]
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[VO NAT] All jobs will be phased out by April 30, 2000.
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Tonya tosses back to Jean

[5-Microwave-Baby]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=599-13 34:37]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The New Kent County woman accused of killing her baby in a microwave is out of jail.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New Kent Co.]

19 year old Elizabeth Otte (OAT-ee) hid in the seat of the sheriff's department van to avoid photographers today.
The county prosecutor opposed bond for her partly because of threats she allegedly voiced to family members.
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[SOT 09:50:53]
[IN Q=Only ones]
((LINWOOD GREGORY/NEW KENT COUNTY PROSECUTOR: ONLY ONES I KNOW IS THAT SHE THREATENED TO TAKE HER OWN LIFE, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS SHE WAS TAKEN DOWN TO THE HOSPITAL.))
[SOT 09:29:37]
((F.W. HOWARD/NEW KENT SHERIFF: I DON'T HAVE ANY PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF HER BEHAVIOR IN THE JAIL EXCEPT SHE HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM AS FAR AS I KNOW.))
[SUPER=01-Linwood Gregory/New Kent Co. Prosecutor;]
[SUPER=01-F.W. Howard/New Kent Sheriff; :09]
[RUNS=:15]
[OUT Q=I know.]
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[VO-NAT]

The judge set Otte (OAT-ee) free on a 20-thousand dollar bond.
She will remain in the care of her father until a preliminary hearing scheduled next month.
She'll also be tested to see if she's competent stand trial, and if she was mentally sound at the time her one-month old son was put in the microwave.
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[(toss to R)]
(toss to Robin)
[Robin-Tease] [10/05/1999]
[SS=NONE]ROBIN IN WX-CENTER
[WXPRO/FULL] WEATHER MAP TOMORROW FORECAST FIVE DAY FORECAST

[SS=NONE]ROBIN TOSS BACK[Tease#1 ]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=Tease 1]
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Still to come on News 7 at 5, two local politicians are not seeing eye to eye about debating,
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[VO-NAT]

But first, authorities exhume another body as Sam Sheppard's son tries to solve his family's 45 year old mystery.
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[COMM-#1]

[5-Sheppard]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=jja]
[TAPE#=neet]
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Ohio Prosecutors exhumed the body of Marilyn Sheppard today.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Mayfield Heights, OH]

It is the latest chapter in the half century old story of her husband Sam Sheppard.
Prosecutors hope to find new DNA evidence- to fight the lawsuit filed by Sheppard's son.
It was 1954 that Marilyn Sheppard was beaten to death- Her husband was convicted but maintained it was an intruder who killed his pregnant wife.
The couple's son Sam Reese Sheppard maintains his father was wrongfully imprisoned.
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[SOT 14:46:38]
[IN Q=]
((A NUMBER OF US HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THE OPENING OF THE CASKET AND AT THAT TIME SAM HAD A MOMENT ALONE WITH HIS MOTHER AFTER THAT THE FORENSIC WORK COMMENCED.))
[SUPER=01-Terry Gilbert/Sheppard's Attorney;]
[RUNS=21]
[OUT Q=FORENSIC WORK COMMENCED.]
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[VO-NAT]

Sam Sheppard was acquitted in a second trial but died four years after being released from prison.
His son- has filed a two million dollar lawsuit against the state.
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[5-Westwood]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=599-14 34:19]
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Some Henry County residents say they've lived for years with dirty, smelly tap water ... and they blame state officials for not fixing it.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]

Their water and sewage systems were seized by Henry County in an emergency action last week... The systems are already being repaired.
Richard Anthony, the owner of the water and sewage treatment plant, was arrested last week on charges of endangering the health of residents.
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[SOT 15:17:21 - :30]
[IN Q=Mr. Anthony, who owns]
((LOVETTA FRANKLIN/RESIDENT: MR. ANTHONY, WHO OWNS SANVILLE UTILITIES... HAS JUST LET IT GO TO THE POINT OF CONTAMINATION AND IT'S A DANGER ZONE. ))
[SUPER=01-Lovitta Franklin/Henry Co. Resident;]
[RUNS=:09]
[OUT Q=and it's a danger zone.]
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[VO-NAT]

Residents say that they complained for years about it to the Virginia Department of Health with little response.
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[ANCHOR=Jean]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Department of Health says it received only 15 complaints in the last four years and that ALL were investigated.
A health official says that when those complaints were checked out, they only found high levels of bacteria in the water once.

[5-Campbell-Newman]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=599-15 31:36]
[GRAPHIC=Election 96]

State senate candidate John Campbell says his Republican opponent can run but he can't hide when it comes to debating the issues in their 23rd District campaign.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Campbell today renewed his challenge to incumbent state senator Steve Newman to a series of debates between now and Election Day.
He says Newman is resting on his laurels as the better- known and better- financed candidate.
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[SOT 21:36:39]
[IN Q=Yet with all]
((JOHN CAMPBELL/D- STATE SENATE CANDIDATE: YET WITH ALL THOSE ADVANTAGES HE IS AFRAID TO MEET ME FACE TO FACE TO DEBATE THE ISSUES IN THIS CAMPAIGN. IT'S COME CLEAR TO ME OVER MANY MONTHS THAT SENATOR NEWMAN IS VERY GOOD AT KEEPING HIS HEAD DOWN, AND I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT SHARE A FOXHOLE WITH HIM.))
[SUPER=01-John Campbell/(D) State Senate Candidate; :00]
[RUNS=21]
[OUT Q=foxhole with him.]
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[VO-NAT]

Steve Newman says an "endless" schedule of appearances has made it impossible to agree to any debates with Campbell.
The two candidates WILL make three joint appearances at political functions over the next few weeks.
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[Tease#2]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5p]
[WRITER=afr]
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Broadway is in the Valley tonight. The production of Smokey Joe's Cafe is at the Roanoke Civic Center tonight. Here's Patrick Evans with a preview.
[LIVE=PATRICK Microwave]
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[Stats] [10/05/1999] [CK/ESS]FIVE BACKGROUND [CK/WXPRO] [CK/VIEWERNET] [COMMERCIAL] [CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS [CK/CHYRON/5 PAGES]REGIONAL FORECASTS [ESS/FULL]EXTENDED FORECAST [ESS/FULL]WX SPONSOR [AUDIO CART] [WALK OVER FOR 3 SHOT] [Forecasts]
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[health music under]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=]
[TAPE#tease 3]
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Today in Sports, the Hokies prepare to open their Big East schedule. Mike Stevens will have that in a moment.
[ANCHOR=Tonya]

On Health Check, the Centers for Disease Control says expect an early flu season,
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[VO-NAT]
and the area's largest retirement community is making some changes including a rent increase.
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[health bump]
[Comm Break#3]

[5-Friendship-Manor]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=599-17 18:44]
[GRAPHIC=HealthCheck]

The scenery is getting better ... and the rent is getting higher at a big Roanoke retirement complex.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Friendship Manor announced plans for 2-point-7 million-dollars' worth of renovations.
Most of the money is paying for improvements to the health-care center...
Like an open-air food court ... a new kitchen ... a bigger pharmacy ... and a general store.
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[SOT 7:20 tc]
[IN Q=it's somewhat]
((MONTY PLYMALE: IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A DE-INSTITUTIONALIZATION FEEL FROM WHAT IT IS TODAY VERSUS WHAT IT WILL BE IN A YEAR OR SO.))
[SUPER=01-Monty Plymale/Friendship Manor CEO]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=YEAR OR SO]
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[VO-NAT]

Another 500-thousand dollars will pay for improvements at two apartment buildings on the complex.
Management also announced it's hiking the rent as much as three-and-a-half percent.
It was called a "standard" increase that has nothing to do with the renovations.
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[SOT 10 18 43 ub]
[IN Q=clearly the resources]
((PLYMALE: CLEARLY THE RESOURCES ARE THERE ... RATE STRUCTURE.))
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=RATE STRUCTURE]
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[VO-NAT]

Management also said this rate increase has nothing to do with the Manor's push to become a for-profit business.
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[5-Flu]

[ANCHOR=Tonya]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=599-16 16:16]
[GRAPHIC=Flu]

Across America, doctors are giving flu shots two weeks earlier than usual.
They're afraid we're heading for an early flu season.
Bobbi Harley explains.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Stephen Mostow/Influenza Expert;]
[SUPER=01-Ellie Huntoon/Nurse;]
[SUPER=01-Bobby Harley/CBS News]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=News, New York]

[S5-Tech]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-45 2536tc]
[GRAPHIC=TECH FB]

The High Flying Virginia Tech Hokies play their first Big East conference game of the season this Saturday night.

For more on that, we check in with Mike Stevens on the road with today's ticker.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=The Two...]
[SUPER=@mike1; :00]
[SUPER=01-Cory Bird/Tech's Second Leading Tackler;:24]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/Last Saturday; :35]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/September 23; :58]
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[OUT Q=...TAKE CARE EVERYBODY."]
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[5-SMOKEY-JOE]

[ANCHOR=JEAN]
[NEWSCAST=FIVE]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Smokey Joe's Cafe, a traveling Broadway Musical, hits the Roanoke Civic Center tonight, offering up good time rock-n-roll with a lot of great song and dance.
[Double Boxes=Jean/Patrick Microwave]

Patrick Evans is on the stage, behind the scenes at tonight's production, and has the inside scoop on what audiences are in for this evening.
[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Patrick1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]
[SUPER=01-Neil Taffe/"Fred"]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]

[Double Boxes=Robin/Patrick Microwave]

[5-Balloon]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Organizers of a Balloon Festival in New Mexico learned the hard way this morning...what goes up, must come down.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Albuquerque, NM;]

They were calling it a near perfect gathering until strond winds caused one balloon to crash and several others to land hard.
The balloon that crashed smashed into the roof of a home.
The weather was beautiful for the early liftoff, but as the day wore on, the light breezes turned menancing leaving those still in the air at the wind's mercy.
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[5-Pound-cake]

[ANCHOR=Jean]
[NEWSCAST=5]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

The old slogan goes, "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee."
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chicago;]

Today everybody in Chicago better LOVE Sara Lee pound cake, because they have plenty of it to eat.
To celebrate its 50th birthday, the Chicago company make a 250 pound cake.
It's four feet square and 20 inches thick and it displays the Chicago skyline.
The icing is made of Marzipan almond paste and chocolate.
Charlie Lubin founded the company in 1949. He named the company and its first product, a cheesescake, after his eight year old daughter.
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