WDBJ 7 morning news for 11/04/99

[Headlines]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

A man is arrested for allegedly killing two elderly Galax women.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

And the search continues in Seattle for another workplace gunman.
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

It's been a very chilly night as lows dropped into the 20s and 30s....
But a warm-up is expected this afternoon as winds start moving in from the southwest, bringing temperatures into the low 60s.
[ANCHOR=Steve]
(ad lib live tease)
[2-shot]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[E-Galax-Murders]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-38 55:02]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]

A 33- year old man is behind bars charged with murdering two elderly Galax women, Tuesday night.
The victims were sisters -- both well-known and respected throughout the community.
Teresa Hamilton reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Authorities ]
[SUPER=03-Galax; :07]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; :51 ]
[RUNS=1:03]
[OUT Q=Hamilton, NEWS 7, Galax.]
(( Authorities discovered the bodies of 89- year old Ila Edwards, shown here on the left-- and her 85 year old sister, Inez, after a neighbor called to report that their home was on fire.
According to court documents, 33- year old John D- Cochran, known as J-D, is the man responsible and has been charged with capital murder.
(nat sound)

Police say Cochran, who'd known the sisters for a number of years, entered their home and killed both women by striking them on the head before setting the house on fire.
What's unclear is WHY.
At one point-- Cochran was reportedly caught scamming money from the women.
But, for now, police aren't commenting on a motive.
Both women were well-known in the Galax area.
Ila Edwards was a retired school teacher-- her sister, Inez, was a retired nurse. [TAKE STAND UP ]
Family members are in shock and declined to comment -- but off camera said the pain they are feeling is something words could never describe. Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7, Galax.))

[seattle-shooting]

[ANCHOR=kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

Police are still looking for the gunman in the Seattle shipyard shooting this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tacoma, WA;]
[3:00:05]
A man brought in for questioning was reportedly released after being questioned for about an hour.
He had been picked up late last night in nearby Tacoma by state and local police. [3:02:36]
Yesterday morning two people were killed and two other were injured when a man in camouflage clothing and sunglasses calmly walked in and opened fire on workers at a boat repair company.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I was working outside when...]
[SUPER=01-Mark Pallies/Witness;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=was the first one to call 911.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

One of the injured victims remains in serious condition, the other in satisfactory condition, at a Seattle hospital.

(------------)

[E-ATM-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-51 1:16]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A man making a night deposit was robbed at a Roanoke ATM last night.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

It happened at First Citizens Bank near Valley View Mall.
Two men reportedly snuck up on the man making the deposit for a mall shoe store and took an undisclosed amount of cash and store receipts.
The men fled on foot.
(------------)

[Moose-Lodge]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=none]

The former bingo manager and bookkeeper at the Lynchburg Moose Lodge face embezzlement charges.
Audits showed more than 200-thousand dollars missing over four years.
A grand jury indicted 53-year-old Samuel Wayne Dooley and 70-year-old Dolores Franklin Moody.
Dooley is former bingo manager and governor at the lodge.
Moody was its bookkeeper.

[Noel-Taylor]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-40 TC1:15:39]
[GRAPHIC=Noel Taylor]
[****ANCHOR TAG****]
Noel Taylor will be remembered as a mayor, reverend, and a friend to so many.
Yesterday Roanoke had a chance to spend some final moments with the man who held the community together.
As Kate Weidaw reports, they all had stories of how he touched their lives.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Hundreds walked through]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=07-J. Hughson-Hobson; :20]
[SUPER=07-Leroy Wilson; :33]
[super=@Kate2; :39]
[SUPER=07-Elder Samuel Wade; :48]
[RUNS=:59]
[OUT Q=News-7, Roanoke.]
((Hundreds walked through the doors at the Hamlar Curtis Funeral Home in Roanoke to say good bye to Noel Taylor. Many remembered him as the leader of Roanoke for 17 years, others remember his powerful message from the pulpit at High Street Baptist Church.

[SOT 7:28:50]
[INQ=]
((JACQUELINE HUGHSON-HOBSON: WHATEVER HE SAID TO YOU OR PREACHED TO YOU, YOU COULD BELIEVE IT WAS TRUE HE WAS THE MAN THE WORD OF GOD HE TRULY BELIEVED IN GOD AND HE LIVED A LIFE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 9]

Others say they will remember Taylor by his gestures of kindness.

[SOT 7:27:55]
[INQ=]
((LEROY WILSON: EVERY TIME HE'D SEE ME HE'D MOVE AND BLOW HIS HORN AND I'VE BEEN TO HIS CHURCH A COUPLE OF TIMES.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 8]

Elder Samuel Wade says because of Taylor's prayers - his cancer was cured.

[SOT 7:34:51]
[INQ=]
((ELDER SAMUEL WADE: HE KNELT DOWN BY MY BED AND PRAYED FOR ME AND TOLD THE GOOD LORD TO HEAL MY BODY AND I'M HERE TODAY ON ACCOUNT OF HIS PRAYER AND HE'S A FINE MAN WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 13]

Kate Weidaw News 7 Roanoke.))
(-------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=Hold]

The visitation continues from 10 this morning until 6 this evening at the High Street Baptist Church.
Taylor's funeral will be held tomorrow at noon at the Roanoke Civic Center.

[Taylor-Program]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ejo/chr]
[TAPE#=none]
[GRAPHIC=Noel Taylor]

And this evening we will bring you a special half-hour program remembering Noel Taylor.
(+++++++)
[TAKE FS Pre-Pro]
Join Keith Humphry and Joe Dashiell for "Noel Taylor, The Mayor, The Minister, The Man" at 7:30.
(-------------)

[1-Sports]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=sports cut in]
[GRAPHIC=None]

In sports, two major league baseball teams have new managers.
Mike Stevens has that and an honor for Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez.
Good Morning Mike.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Good morning]
[RUNS=1:11]
[OUT Q=take care]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
(Melanie ad lib toss to Kimberly/Wx)

[One-Steve]

[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#m99-6]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[On Record]
[SUPER=15-Steve/Pardon;]

(i'LL INTRO)
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=High School]
[SUPER=@File]
[SUPER=01-Ted Williams/Guidance Counselor; :12]
[RUNS=2:55]
[OUT Q=a stint in the military]

[Steve Live]

(Steve tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS] [COMM] ((Archive: high school no college))

[E-County-Supers]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-29 2:00:11]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co.]

There's a new balance of power in Roanoke County.
And that means the supervisors will get a new chairman.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

But the current chairman ... Democrat Bob Johnson says it won't bruise his ego to turn over the gavel to a Republican.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:48]
[IN Q=the chairman]
((JOHNSON: THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS AN AWESOME POWER. HE OR SHE GAVELS THE MEETING TO ORDER AND RECOGNIZES PEOPLE WHEN THEY WANT TO SPEAK.))
[SUPER=01-Bob Johnson/Supervisors Chairman;]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=WANT TO SPEAK]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Republicans won a 3-to-2 majority when Joe "Butch" Church beat Spike Harrison.
Church is a former basketball referee who's calling for a "new era of cooperation" in the county.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:00]
[IN Q=hopefully]
((CHURCH: HOPEFULLY, WE WON'T HAVE ANY TECHNICALS. I SURE HOPE NOT. I'VE HAD MY WHISTLE IN STORAGE FOR A YEAR OR SO
... BUT I'LL KEEP IT READY --- I DON'T THINK I'LL HAVE TO USE IT. ))
[SUPER=01-Joe "Butch" Church/Supervisor-Elect]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=TO USE IT]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Church won 57-percent of the Catawba District vote.
(------------)

[S-NAACP-Gilmore]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=99-35 1:53:05]
[GRAPHIC=Gilmore]

Virginia's N-Double-A-C-P isn't offering congratulations to Governor Gilmore-- in fact, many members are offering complaints after his fiery election-night speech.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Free at last]
[SUPER=03-Richmond/Tuesday Night]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=long last]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Gilmore was borrowing, after all, from a Negro spiritual Martin Luther King, Junior made famous.
(/////////SOT/////////)
[sot]
[in-q=free at ]
[super=09-Martin Luther King, Jr./Washington DC/1963; :00]
[super=01-Salim Khalfani/Virginia NAACP; :07]
[runs=:32]
[out-q=good choice]
(------------)
[anchor=kimberly]
[graphic=none]

The N-Double-A-C-P says it's not the Governor's habit to say offensive things, but an apology might be in order.

A spokesman for the Governor says Gilmore was emotional and speaking off-script, and no offense was intended.

[EGYPTAIR-CRASH]

[ANCHOR=MELANIE]
[NEWSCAST=MORN]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Egyptair Crash]

Investigators are painting a terrifying picture of the final moments of EgyptAir Flight 990.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[3:06:09]
National Transportation Safety Board investigators say new radar information reveals the last seconds of the flight were like a horrifying rollercoaster ride and officials so far have no explanation.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=after descending ]
(( JOHN CLARK;AFTER DESCENDING FROM 33,000 FEET THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED BACK TO 24,0000 FEET.))
[SUPER=01-John Clark/NTSB;]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q= 33,000 feet the airplane climed back to 24,0000 feet.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Newport, RI;]

The jet than hit the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles off Nantucket, killing all 217 people aboard.
Authorities hope the black boxes will hold the answers.
But for now bad weather is delaying efforts to recover them.
Officials hope to resume recovery operations this weekend.
(------------)

[UVA-Investigation]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Justice Department is investigating billing practices at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/File Tape]

Officials wouldn't say whether the review involves medical charges billed by the hospital or its 450 faculty physicians or both.
The probe comes just two years after U-V-A doctors paid an eight-point-six million dollar settlement for overcharging Medicare.
In the settlement two years ago, the inflated Medicare billings were blamed on lack of documentation.
(------------)

[Health-Check]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=NET]
[GRAPHIC=Mornin Health Check]

In medical news, there's a new breakthrough in hair regeneration.
Dr. Dave Hnida has that story and more in this morning's Health check.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Dave Hnida/Reporting; :00 ]
[RUNS=1:44]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
((Words that seem to be a natural fit, kids and French fries. Well it turns out there is a reason teens turn into human french fry machines once they hit puberty.....hormones.
VT=VO
Researchers say a group of hormones kick in at about ages 10 through 12. And these hormones trigger an intense craving for french fires and other fatty foods. Researchers at Rockefeller University in New York say this hormone change is especially pronounced in teenage girls, causing them to choose fattier foods over more healthy fare.
VT=VO
Hair today, gone tomorrow may soon be a phrase from the past if some new research works as well in real life as it does in the lab. For the first time, researchers have transplanted hair from one person to another. And there was no rejection of this transplanted hair. Even better, in the study, small groups of hair follicles were cloned to grow into large groups of hair follicles, which would make hair transplants an easier and less painful procedure. The bad news..it will be 15 years before this is ready for people like me. ON CAM And finally today, got a sore back? Well a choice for your treatment is an MD or DO...an osteopath. A DO not only manipulates the spine like a chiropractor but can also prescribe medication unlike a chiropractor. Well researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine compared the treatment of MD's and DO's for chronic back pain, meaning your backs been sore for a couple of months. Which patients got better quicker..those treated by MD's or DO's? The answer..no difference. Both groups got better although the group that were treated by DO's took hardly any medication. That's a look at the day's medical news. I'm Dr. Dave Hnida for CBS News.))

(ad lib to weather)

[Two-Steve]

[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#NONE]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[On Record]
[SUPER=15-Steve/Pardon;]

[Double Boxes=KMC & SPA]
(toss to Kimberly)
[2-HEADLINES]
[2-shot=Mel/Kmc]
[SUPER=#4049; Morning Headlines]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Here's a look at today's top stories.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Galax authorities are investigating a double homicide.
They've arrested a 33 year old man in connection with the deaths of two elderly sisters.
Authorities discovered the bodies of the women after a neighbor reported their house was on fire.
John D. Cochran is now in custody charged with capital murder.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kim]

A man detained for questioning in the Seattle shipyard shootings has been released.
A Seattle T-V station reports police questioned the man for about an hour.
Police are looking for a man who walked into a boat repair company yesterday and shot four people, killing two.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

The final moments of EgyptAir Flight 990 are being compared to a catastrophic roller-coaster ride.
Officials say radar shows that the plane dove 17-thousand feet, then climbed back up eight-thousand feet before finally plunging into the Atlantic Ocean.
Bad weather has delayed the search for the jet's black boxes until at least Saturday.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And that's what's making news on this Thursday November 4th .
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

News 7 Mornin' will be right back.

[2-Noel-Taylor]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=am]
[WRITER=kwe]
[TAPE#=99-40 TC1:15:39]
[GRAPHIC=Noel Taylor]
[****ANCHOR TAG****]
Roanokers are getting a final chance to spend a few moments with the man who brought a community together.
As Kate Weidaw reports, they all had stories of how Noel Taylor touched their lives.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Hundreds walked through]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=07-J. Hughson-Hobson; :20]
[SUPER=07-Leroy Wilson; :33]
[super=@Kate2; :39]
[SUPER=07-Elder Samuel Wade; :48]
[RUNS=:59]
[OUT Q=News-7, Roanoke.]
((Hundreds walked through the doors at the Hamlar Curtis Funeral Home in Roanoke to say good bye to Noel Taylor. Many remembered him as the leader of Roanoke for 17 years, others remember his powerful message from the pulpit at High Street Baptist Church.

[SOT 7:28:50]
[INQ=]
((JACQUELINE HUGHSON-HOBSON: WHATEVER HE SAID TO YOU OR PREACHED TO YOU, YOU COULD BELIEVE IT WAS TRUE HE WAS THE MAN THE WORD OF GOD HE TRULY BELIEVED IN GOD AND HE LIVED A LIFE.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 9]

Others say they will remember Taylor by his gestures of kindness.

[SOT 7:27:55]
[INQ=]
((LEROY WILSON: EVERY TIME HE'D SEE ME HE'D MOVE AND BLOW HIS HORN AND I'VE BEEN TO HIS CHURCH A COUPLE OF TIMES.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 8]

Elder Samuel Wade says because of Taylor's prayers - his cancer was cured.

[SOT 7:34:51]
[INQ=]
((ELDER SAMUEL WADE: HE KNELT DOWN BY MY BED AND PRAYED FOR ME AND TOLD THE GOOD LORD TO HEAL MY BODY AND I'M HERE TODAY ON ACCOUNT OF HIS PRAYER AND HE'S A FINE MAN WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM.))
[OUTQ=]
[RUNS= 13]

Kate Weidaw News 7 Roanoke.))
(-------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=Hold]

The visitation continues from 10 this morning until 6 this evening at the High Street Baptist Church.
Taylor's funeral will be held tomorrow at noon at the Roanoke Civic Center.

[Taylor-Program]

[2-seattle-shooting]

[ANCHOR=kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Shooting]

The search is still on this morning for a man who opened fire in a Seattle Shipyard.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Tacoma, WA;]
[3:00:05]
A man taken into custody was reportedly released after being questioned for about an hour.
He had been picked up late last night in nearby Tacoma by state and local police. [3:02:36]
Yesterday morning two people were killed and two other were injured when a man in camouflage clothing and sunglasses calmly walked in and opened fire on workers at a boat repair company.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I was working outside when...]
[SUPER=01-Mark Pallies/Witness;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=was the first one to call 911.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

One of the injured victims remains in serious condition, the other in satisfactory condition, at a Seattle hospital.

[SUPER=03-Honolulu, HI;]
[3;04:33]
This is the second work place shooting in as many days.
On Tuesday seven people were gunned downed at an office in Honolulu.
(-----------------)

[McKinney]

[ANCHOR=melanie]
[NEWSCAST=morn]
[WRITER=mel]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

The sentencing phase in the murder trial of Aaron McKinney begins later this morning in Wyoming.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Laramie, WY;]
[3:07]
It comes one day after a jury convicted him of killing Gay college student Matthew Shepard.
The 22 year old could receive the death penalty.
The other man arrested in connection with the beating death, Russell Henderson, pleaded guilty in April to kidnapping and murder and is serving two life sentences.
(------------)

[2-E-Galax-Murders]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-38 55:02]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Investigation]

The victims were sisters -- both well-known and respected throughout the community.
This morning, a 33- year old man is behind bars charged with murdering the two elderly Galax women.
Teresa Hamilton reports.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Authorities ]
[SUPER=03-Galax; :07]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; :51 ]
[RUNS=1:03]
[OUT Q=Hamilton, NEWS 7, Galax.]
(( Authorities discovered the bodies of 89- year old Ila Edwards, shown here on the left-- and her 85 year old sister, Inez, after a neighbor called to report that their home was on fire.
According to court documents, 33- year old John D- Cochran, known as J-D, is the man responsible and has been charged with capital murder.
(nat sound)

Police say Cochran, who'd known the sisters for a number of years, entered their home and killed both women by striking them on the head before setting the house on fire.
What's unclear is WHY.
At one point-- Cochran was reportedly caught scamming money from the women.
But, for now, police aren't commenting on a motive.
Both women were well-known in the Galax area.
Ila Edwards was a retired school teacher-- her sister, Inez, was a retired nurse. [TAKE STAND UP ]
Family members are in shock and declined to comment -- but off camera said the pain they are feeling is something words could never describe. Teresa Hamilton, NEWS 7, Galax.))

[Pitts-Hunter]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=Pitts Co. Hunting Death]

A Pittsylvania County hunter mistook another hunter for a turkey ... and now COULD face criminal charges.
Game wardens say that 36-year old Keith Dean Lawson accidentally shot and killed 28-year old Kevin Scott Dalton and his dog Saturday.
(+++++++)
[Take FS Map]
Dalton was hunting on his family's land, about seven miles east of Gretna, in northern Pittsylvania County.
Lawson had allegedly wandered onto the property without permission.
(-------------)
[anchor=Melanie]
[graphic=Hold]

Court records show Lawson had prior hunting violations and lost his license.
Game wardens say they're investigating and will present the case to a grand jury next month.

[E-School-Vandals]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=mjo]
[TAPE#=99-32 1:56:54]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Henry County deputies have arrested two teenagers they say are responsible for a costly four-day school vandalism spree.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Henry Co.;]

Deputies say the boys were caught in the act outside Magna Vista High School Tuesday night.
They're charged with breaking more than one hundred windows at area schools, destroying several security cameras and spray-painting doors and walls with racial slurs.
School officials estimate tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
The boys are at home now but they must wear electronic monitoring devices.
(------------)

[Three-Steve]

[ANCHOR=Steve]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=spa]
[TAPE#M99-6]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

[ROLL COLD OUT OF BIRTHDAYS]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Welcome back]
[SUPER=15-Steve/Pardon; :00]
[SUPER=07-Debbie Lindsey; :18]
[SUPER=01-Bud McWhorter/Carpentry Teacher; 1:31]
[RUNS=2:52]
[OUT Q= these people can make]

[Steve Live] [On Record]

(I"ll call for board)
[essc87??]

[double Boxes=SPA & MEL]
(toss to Melanie)

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=None]
(ad lib toss to bump)
[BUMP-Chyron]
[COMM #6]
((Archive: high school no college))

[E-Museum-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-41 33:35]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Organizers of Lynchburg's "Amazement Square" children's museum are counting their blessings after Tuesday night's fire damaged the riverfront building they're renovating.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Tuesday Night]

Authorities say sparks from a welder's torch apparently smoldered for hours before igniting a second- floor column.
Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze, but say the building's new sprinkler system prevented a major disaster.

(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:28:50]
[IN Q=In some ways]
((MORT SAJADIAN/MUSEUM DIRECTOR: IN SOME WAYS I THINK THAT WAS MAYBE A GOOD TEST FOR OUR SPRINKLER SYSTEM. IT DID WORK VERY WELL, AND ALSO WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE, SUPPORTERS OF THE MUSEUM, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF SLOWING DOWN ANYTHING.))
[SUPER=01-Mort Sajadian/Museum Director]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=slowing down anything.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Sajadian (suh-JAH-dee-in) says the museum still plans to open next summer.
Insurance will cover the cost of repairs.
(------------)

[2-E-County-Supers]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Morn]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-29 2:00:11]
[GRAPHIC=Roanoke Co.]

A new balance of power in Roanoke County means the supervisors will get a new chairman.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

But the current chairman ... Democrat Bob Johnson says it won't bruise his ego to turn over the gavel to a Republican.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:48]
[IN Q=the chairman]
((JOHNSON: THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS AN AWESOME POWER. HE OR SHE GAVELS THE MEETING TO ORDER AND RECOGNIZES PEOPLE WHEN THEY WANT TO SPEAK.))
[SUPER=01-Bob Johnson/Supervisors Chairman;]
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=WANT TO SPEAK]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Republicans won a 3-to-2 majority when Joe "Butch" Church beat Spike Harrison.
Church is a former basketball referee who's calling for a "new era of cooperation" in the county.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:00]
[IN Q=hopefully]
((CHURCH: HOPEFULLY, WE WON'T HAVE ANY TECHNICALS. I SURE HOPE NOT. I'VE HAD MY WHISTLE IN STORAGE FOR A YEAR OR SO
... BUT I'LL KEEP IT READY --- I DON'T THINK I'LL HAVE TO USE IT. ))
[SUPER=01-Joe "Butch" Church/Supervisor-Elect]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=TO USE IT]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Church won 57-percent of the Catawba District vote.
(------------)

[3-Sports]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=Mornin]
[WRITER=chr]
[TAPE#=sports cut in]
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In sports, Mike Stevens has pro hoops highlights and notes from Virginia Tech women's basketball.
Good Morning Mike.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Good morning]
[RUNS=2:01]
[OUT Q=nice Thursday everyone]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
(weather toss)

[Local-Recap]
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[2-Shot=Mel/Kmc]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Now here's another look at today's top local stories:
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

The Justice Department is investigating billing practices at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
The probe comes just two years after U-V-A doctors paid an eight-point-six million dollar settlement for overcharging Medicare.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

A 33- year old man is behind bars charged with murdering two elderly Galax women, Tuesday night.
The victims were sisters -- both well-known and respected throughout the community.
According to court documents, 33- year old John D- Cochran, known as J-D, is the man responsible and has been charged with capital murder.
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[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Hundreds walked through the doors at the Hamlar Curtis Funeral Home in Roanoke yesterday to say good bye to Noel Taylor.
The visitation continues from 10 this morning until 6 this evening at the High Street Baptist Church.
Taylor's funeral will be held Tomorrow at noon at the Roanoke Civic Center.
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
(Kimberly mic hot)
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(Kimberly ad lib weather)
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[Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Steve]
(toss)
[ANCHOR=Steve]
(live ad lib, tease tomorrow)
(ad lib bye) [Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Steve]